The Expansion of Europe and China in the 15th Century

In the 15th century, the western and eastern sail technology was comparable. The mariner's compass, so crucial to navigation out of sight of land, was developed from the Chinese magnetized needle of the 8th century, and it traveled via land route to the Mediterranean where about the 12th century the Europeans or the Arabs developed the true mariner's compass (floating), but China soon received the improved model. 27 So both East and West had the mariner's compass in the 15th century.Stern post rudders, which are a significant advantage over steering oars in steering larger ships in tumultuous seas, were utilized in China as early as the 1st century A. D. These were not developed until about the 14th century in Europe, but stern post rudders were available to both East and West in the 15th century. Knowledge of wind and sea currents was considerably more advanced in the West by the Portuguese and Dutch than by the Chinese in the 15th century. 8 The West also had superior knowledge of celestial navigation, that advantage being shared by the Arabs; the Chinese were reduced to utilizing Islamic astronomers and mathematicians at the Imperial Observatory, but had not extended celestial work to the practical work of navigating as of yet. The Arab and the Portuguese cross-staff or balestilha developed in the 14th century, and the astrolabe for even better measurement of the angle of celestial objects in the early 15th century. 29 In military technology, both East and West had cannon, armor and horses.In summary, before the 15th century, the Chinese were ahead in oceangoing ship technology, with larger compartmented ships and efficient fore-and-aft lugsails on multiple masts. In the 15th century, the Chinese and the Europeans were in rough overall parity. The Chinese were ahead in ship size and hull construction, and the Portuguese were ahead in the arts of navigation, and there was parity in sail technology (the Chinese with battened lugsails, the Portuguese with latee n sails). Neither had a distinct overall advantage.Both were technologically capable of great voyages of discovery, mercantile enterprise, and colonization. In tracing the developments, what is distinctive is that the rate of progress in nautical technology of the West was considerably faster than that of the East. By the 16th century, the West was clearly superior in ocean-going maritime technology (especially considering the regression that occurred in China due to policy influences). During the fifteenth century, Europe began a process of nprecedented expansion that by 1650 had affected all areas of the world. This was actually part of a global tendency towards complexity among many human societies. Matching the empires of the Aztecs, the Inca, and the West Africans were rising states on the Eurasian fringes such as Japan or the European monarchies in England, France, Spain, and Portugal. In Eurasia, developing navigational technology, along with expanding trade, encouraged long sea voyages by Arabs, Japanese, Chinese, and Europeans.But only the Europeans linked up all the continents in a new global age, when sea power, rather than land-based armies, was the main force in empire-building. Overseas expansion was obviously related – both as cause and effect – to the European transition from medievalism. The Crusades and the Renaissance stimulated European curiosity; the Reformation produced thousands of zealous religious missionaries seeking foreign converts and refugees seeking religious freedom; and the monarchs of emerging sovereign states sought revenues, first from trade with the Orient and later by exploiting a new world.Perhaps the most permeating influence was the rise of European capitalism, with its monetary values, profit-seeking motivations, investment institutions, and constant impulse toward economic expansion. Some historians have labeled this whole economic transformation â€Å"the Commercial Revolution. † Others have used the phrase in a narrower sense, referring to the shift in trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Interpreted either way, the Commercial Revolution and its accompanying European expansion helped usher in the modern era.

Response to Ex Post Facto Ethics

The document, â€Å"Ex Post Facto Ethics† by Stanley Schmidt reveals many important points to our society. He stresses the fact that historians today are Judging and frowning upon what important historical figures thought and acted upon in their time. Although his article was very specific in examples his generalization of society being a uniform mass is his own hypocritical example of â€Å"Ex Post Facto Ethics†. It also proved to be hypocritical in its argument about passing Judgment much after the matter has passed.Schmidt stresses the fact that people in our present day society are constantly condemning upon our ancestors for violation of â€Å"ex post facto moral laws† when, in reality, the general accepted standards and values are changing even at this moment. Therefore, we do not understand how these people of history thought, felt, and/or believed what was right or wrong. In other words, we are unaware of the great impact that the social context of their period had on basic morality. It is easy to make Judgment of other peoples' actions in spite of our own levels of what is right and what is wrong in our eyes.To most of us now, the perception and understanding of basic moral principles differ drastically from the perception and understanding of basic moral principles of the ancient believers, historical figures, or the primary establisher of our country. For example, the article explains how students and teachers rail â€Å"against George Washington and Thomas Jefferson because they kept slaves†. The establisher of our country had come from Europe, where it was taken for granted to have slaves; it caused no harm or foul to anyone but the slaves themselves. The slaves were only considered property). But that is where the controversy begins: today, slavery is immoral, cruel, and unacceptable. The article states that, â€Å"We can Judge the quality and importance of their [people of the past] contributions to understanding the universe only in terms of what they did with the knowledge available to them. † When Schmidt says this, he is referring to what Isaac Newton thought and believed he knew in his time about Physics. Consequently, Schmidt implied that we cannot Judge based on what we now now, but on what they knew then.In AP Euro, there are countless times where one, as a member of our society, learns about events, beliefs, traditions, etc. , that are now considered immoral and unaccepted by society. For instance, in the early ages and throughout the history of Europe, women were considered property. They were traded, sold, raped, and killed without any punishment whatsoever; it was Just the normal way to react towards women. Today, we learn, in history class, of these actions done by historical figures and our first reaction is, â€Å"What were they thinking? R â€Å"How can they do such a thing,† but in all honestly, that is Just the style of life they lived in at the time. Knowing and comprehending these aspects play a key role in understanding the history that have led society to where it is today. For this same reason, the instructor wanted us to read this article. It not only illustrates how the perspective and understanding of basic moral principles evolve over time, but also emphasizes the fact that we cannot Judge the actions of the people of the past based on our own perspective and understanding. We will use this understanding of the past throughout the year in class.

This assignment will consist of a critical and evaluative intellectual Essay

This assignment will consist of a critical and evaluative intellectual biography of a contemporary leading thinker - Essay Example Norton is a consultant as well as a speaker withregard to strategic performance management and a founder of Palladium group. The profession group mainly deals with performance measurement and management and before founding andbecoming the group’s director he engaged in Renaissance Solutions a consulting company he founded together with Robert Kaplan in 1992. The balanced scorecard aims at helping the development and management of strategy through focusing on the way key measures relate in tracking progress. In the paper Kaplan and Norton believe only adherence to quarterly financial returns and bottom line does not offer an organization the overall strategic view. However, the balanced scorecard goes beyond only the exploitation of financial measures through incorporation of three other essential perspectives. These other perspectives include customer perspective, internal business perspective and the learning or innovation perspective. Customer perspective addresses the way customers consider an organization while internal business perspective requires an organization to establish what is needed for it to excel; moreover, the innovation perspective addresses what is needed in an organization to improve and create value in future. Through evaluation of the present and offering indications of future drivers, the scorecard is capable of m easuring and motivating business performance (Kaplan& Norton, 1992). Kaplan and Norton published Strategy Maps, in this book they show that despite the increased significance of knowledge based assets, many organizations still focused on measuring short term financial performance. The book elaborates strategy as a notion by describing it in terms of its relationship referred to as strategy map. The book shows shifting trend from product-driven economy toward a knowledge economy values intangible assets in organizational performance. However, at the time of writing the book there was no literature offering

Financial Policies and the Value of the Firm Literature review

Financial Policies and the Value of the Firm - Literature review Example The research identified that the matter of a firm’s dividend policy and its effect on current share prices. The effects of different dividend polices on current share prices based on assumptions of perfect capital markets, rational behaviour on the part of investors and perfect certainty. The assumption of perfect markets means that all traders have equal access to information and transaction costs such as brokerage fees and transfer tax which are normally associated with the sale and purchase of shares are non-existent. Rational behaviour indicates a preference for more instead of less and an indifference to the form that wealth takes – whether it is in the form of cash payments as dividends or increases in the market value of shares. Perfect certainty on the other hand indicates that investors have no doubt in relation to the investment and financial policy of the firm as well as the future levels of profitability of all firms. Stiglitz extends the argument that the f inancial policy of the firm is irrelevant to a multi-period model. The reason for this extension is to give consideration to a wider range of financial policies to include not only a debt to equity ratio but a dividend retention ratio, a debt maturity structure and possibly the holding of securities in other firms. While stressing the importance of financial policy on the value of the firm to students of finance, Stiglitz indicates that ‘if the conditions under which the â€Å"irrelevance† theorems obtain’ are considered to be realistic it results in a reduction in the tools that they require to function effectively. Stiglitz (1974) suggested that it is possible to place the decisions that a firm makes into four groups: i. the way in which investment is financed; ii. the way in which revenue is distributed; iii. the amount that should be invested in any particular projects; and iv. the projects that should be undertaken as well as the techniques that should be em ployed. The first two relates to the firms financial policy while the last two relate to its investment policy. Stiglitz (1974) highlights the fact that there is a relationship between both types of decisions which may not be obvious. Stiglitz (1974) also indicates that two different but still closely related propositions have been confused. While they assert that a firm’s financial policy does not affect its value. The first asserts that the individual does not prefer one financial policy over another and specifically to the debt to equity ratio implying therefore that there is determinate ratio for the economy as a whole while the second indicates that there might be some preference as there may be a determinate debt to equity ratio for the economy as a whole but the financial policy of a particular firm makes no difference. Stiglitz (1974) concludes that the first preposition is stronger because it indicates that the financial structure of the economy and therefore the fir m is irrelevant while the second indicates its irrelevance in relation to the firm only. Stiglitz (1984) points out that the decisions that the firm makes are interrelated and so the decision to increase dividend and still decide to invest would suggest that additional capital needs to be obtained. If a loan is obtained to facilitate the investment then less would be available in the following period and to either retained earnings or dividends would decrease. If instead, shares are issued to facilitate the decision to invest then the amount distributed to shareholders in the following period would decrease if retained earnings is left unchanged. Stiglitz (1974) points to shortcomings in Baumol and Malkiel (1967) and Modigliani and Miller (1958) in their discussion of on how taxation impacts the optimal financial policy of the firm. Baumol and Malkiel (1967) and Modigliani and Miller (1958) observed that debt reduces the amount of tax that a firm is

Neurology Assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Neurology 1 - Assignment Example Consequently, the process moves to degenerating brain that further leads to demise of mental functions. This leads to dementia. Various diseases lead to dementia. However, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of the conditions leading to dementia. The most apparent conditions of dementia are confusion and memory loss. Failure of memory is found to be quite rare (Mesulam, 2007, p.11). Very similar to Alzheimer’s, dementia affects that part of the brain which is responsible for the maximum and most complicated as well as multiple number of functions, the frontal lobe. This part is located right above the eye, and the parts of the brain leading to it, which include the cortical and subcortical parts, are also affected. This part of the brain is developed later on in a child’s life, thus it determines the personality and learning skills of an individual human being. This part of the brain also helps a person in understanding the fear related to doing something or the awkwardness as well. Dementia brings damage to it to such an extent, that the patient feels trouble in many basic chores of our daily life, which include tying laces, talking appropriately or even touching someone without a reason. However, as the frontal lobes have multiple functions, damage to any different area will result in lack of numerous kinds of skills which are not restricted. Thus, the effects of dementia always or commonly vary per person. Therefore, the symptoms for this disease are not specified nor have any bound. Many causes result as the existence of dementia. Most of the causes are difficult to tell. Various medical conditions can cause symptoms of dementia. Nutritional deficiencies, intake of harmful drugs, head injuries, strokes, infections and various diseases are few causes of dementia. All the types of dementia reflect dysfunction that affects the brain

Transferable Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transferable Learning - Essay Example These important industries are the building blocks of successful economic growth. This paper evaluates Lonrho’s business interests in Africa to determine the company’s position, strengths and weaknesses against the backdrop of internal and external constraints and opportunities (Lonrho vision, 2013, Para6). Management structure Stakeholders Stakeholder Stakeholder expectation Customers Customers expect services and products of high quality relative to the price charged. In the case of corporate and government contracts, the expectation is timely delivery of products and services the company is contracted to supply. Investors (shareholders) Shareholders anticipate a return on their investment in terms of dividends and growth in terms of expansion and market capitalization. Employees Employees expect proper remuneration for their labor in terms of the pay package and social security. External Environmental Analysis (PESTLE Analysis) PESTLE is an acronym for political, eco nomic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors, which are used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit (Salva?, 2011, P.96). Political Factors Political factors are government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations and tax policy. The company’s John Deere distributor in Mozambique experienced import delays of tractors and other consignments towards the end of the financial year 2012. These delays resulted in loss of contracts and project delays and had a negative effect on the company’s revenue and profitability (Project delays, 2012, Para3).

Was the financial crisis of 2007-8 caused by failures inherent within Essay

Was the financial crisis of 2007-8 caused by failures inherent within capitalism or the changing global system - Essay Example Following the economic crisis, the International Labour Organization forecasted unemployment grew from approximately 20 million to 50 million people by the end of 2009. The Food and Agriculture Organization also painted a grim picture of the years following the crisis in their report where the incomes of the poor was falling due to the crisis while the international prices of food commodities was also high. The high food prices coupled with a reduced income for the poor means the number of undernourished people in the world rose to more than one billion for the first time in history in 2009 (Bresser-Pereira 2009, p.1). The magnitude of the 2007-8 financial crisis raises many patient questions based on why it happened, why institutions and theories put in place after previous crises failed to forestall this one, was the crisis predictable based on what many see as a lack of stability of capitalism? This essay argues that it was in fact the changing global system especially in financia l markets after the 1970s that caused the financial crisis of 2007-8 and should not therefore be taken as a failure in capitalism. Consequently the 2007-8 financial crisis associates are associated with financialization and neoliberalism. Financialization as used in this essay is a distortion of financial systems that is characterized by creation of artificial financial wealth, which is financial wealth that has no relation with the mechanisms of production of goods and services. On the other hand, neoliberalism from this perspective not only a fundamental economic liberalism but should be perceived as an ideology that is unsympathetic to the proletariats, to poor and to the welfare state (Epstein 2005, p.3). As with previous global financial crises, the global crisis of 2007-8 began as financial crises in first world countries which was caused by the deregulation of financial markets in developed countries which was followed by widespread speculation that such deregulation made pos sible. Accordingly, these deregulation policies was the historical additional fact that allowed the crisis to take place due to the behavior exhibited by the banking and other financial institutions can be blamed on the deregulation policies of the government. The state failed to undertake a supervisory role that would have identified and forestall the situation (Bresser-Pereira 2009, p.3). Gradual deregulation not only in the US but globally in addition to fragmented financial authorities and the absence of international cooperation encouraged and legitimized the thinking that financial sector had to be free in order to flourish. Both â€Å"macroprudential† and â€Å"microprudential† supervision would have proven effective in regulating the banks given that even if all banks had proper financial practices, unforeseen risks as result of small changes on a broad scale at the macro level could have occurred. Therefore macroprudential supervision would be an innovative ty pe of regulation that is suitable for central banks (Dullien, Kotte, Marquez and Priewe 2010, p.23). Part of the deregulation policies for the period before the crisis was the US Federal Reserve Bank’s monetary policy decision which saw interest rates kept at an all-time low for a long time after the 2001/2 financial period. Such measure resulted in a major increase in the credit supply that was a catalyst for the production of high leverage levels related with the crisis. Financial stability

Business Enterprise and Cultural Enrichment Essay

Business Enterprise and Cultural Enrichment - Essay Example A number of impacts are realized when businesses participate in the championing of beneficial and beneficial cultural practices. Cultural enrichment influences positively on the growth of the business if the business offers its best with regard to the cultures of its surrounding. However, not all cultures practiced in the surrounding of business premises will create an enabling environment. Managers and other senior personnel should investigate and re-evaluate the implications of a single cultural practice before arriving at decisions of determining whether resources of the business are to be used in popularizing and sensitizing clients concerning the culture (Schumacher, 2011). Cultures that communicate information, which dissuades people from consuming certain brands constituting the business’ stock, should be avoided since their effects are counterproductive. If such cultures are popularized, the business will realize loses that may put the enterprises’ future in hig her risks that may lead to closure, relocation, or even retrenchment some of its workers (Schumacher, 2011). A business enterprise can input towards improving and retaining certain cultures in many ways. For instance, through carrying out campaigns geared towards instilling public awareness. This can be done by public address systems mounted on vehicles that go around imparting information into the people. On these vehicles, renowned cultural icons (traditional artists) must be given top priority to talk to the public about the business and the need for culture and its existence (Schumacher, 2011). Additionally, the business can contribute to cultural growth by selling of music enriched with the sounds from cultural, musical instruments. Businesses like those of fashioning designing should sell garments that do not discriminate the culture of the people. For example, a business selling clothing in a region where scarves make the order of the day should include this in their stock. P rojects geared towards improving and enriching the culture of the people should be investigated by the business so as to identify with the achievements brought to the people by such programs. The business should also contribute intensively to the planting of crops that are used to praise and adore the lord almighty for instance. The business can also come up with laws that do not discriminate workers. Such laws should be consistence with the people’s cultural practices, and they should also create a homely working environment by boosting performance and other merits in the duties and assignments to be accomplished (Schumacher, 2011). Performances of the employees are directly influenced by the kind of working environment created by their employers or organizations; hence it is the obligation of the business to meet employees’ needs. Besides other requirements, employees deserve rules that are friendly to their cultural practices in order for them to deliver accordingly . The approach towards work can be compromised if the employee has to sacrifice many of his cultural practices for the sake of work. Society has other ceremonies that call for the participation of every person who is part of it. On such days, the business is compelled to disobeying the demands of the community; otherwise, it might experience a reduction in sales (Schumacher, 2011). Some cultures determine or dictate how a business enterprise within them

Lebanon Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lebanon - Annotated Bibliography Example Within the context of the stated, allegiance to Lebanon is subsumed by family and blood and this is the real source of the country's division and problems. Cerulo examines the phenomenon of identity in this article. As he explains, each and every individual has multiple identities. Amongst these are primordial identity, optionalist identity and collectivist identities. A person is identified in terms of his family, his social class, his educational status, his religion, his ethnicities and his nationality, to name but a handful. None of these identities cross out or negate the other but, instead, supposedly co-exist. The real question is which of these identities dominates as the dominant identity is usually that which directs behaviour and actions. Cerulo believes that the dominant identity is a negotiated identity, one that has been constructed on the based of all the identities particular to the individual. Farour, a political sociologist, argues that Lebanon's youth are confronting an identity crisis. Not only do they have to contend with the multiple identities which are thrust upon them by the very fact that they happened to be born in a country in which familial and ethnic identities dominate over others but with the East versus West tension. They are expected to be Easterners, Arabs whose identity is defined in traditional Arab-centric cultural terms. Yet, due to their unprecedented exposure to the outside world and to Western culture, they are unable to unquestioningly accept the traditional Arab/Eastern identity. They are trapped between Eastern and Western identities and are a product of the interaction between the two. Faour believes that the country's youth is engaged in the negotiation of an identity which would draw the East and the West together. Salibi, K. (1988) A house of many mansions: The history of Lebanon reconsidered. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. Salibi engages in a historical investigation of the roots of Lebanon's identity problem. As he presents it, over the past centuries Lebanon was exposed to numerous cultures, each and every one of which attempted to impose itself on the country. The Arabs tried to Arabize Lebanon, the Ottomans tried to Ottomize and the French to Frenchify it to name but a few examples. Throughout its history, Lebanon has moved from one identity to the other. The ultimate outcome was that the country was not given the opportunity to develop its own national identity, culminating in division between multiple identities. This, according to Salibi, is Lebanon's

Undecided Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Undecided - Essay Example Evidently, strong linkages can be observed between four of the much idolized political documents where the idea of the previous show a certain degree of influence on the current political doctrines being followed. These four documents involve, Barack Obama’s Second Inaugural, Robert Kaplan’s â€Å"Was Democracy Just a Moment?†, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Third Inaugural, commonly referred as â€Å"The Four Freedoms†. THESIS STATEMENT In this thesis, similarities between the ideas presented in the above mentioned four political documents will be discussed. Similarities in this context will signify the influence of previously executed political ideas on the new thoughts developed, which in turn would imply the above stated notion that historic events, even in the doctrine of politics, tend to be interlinked through their unique ideologies. To be precise, the discussion henceforth will emphasize as sessing the ways one political event influenced the following political ideas and thus, contributed to national well-being in different eras and different situations. DISCUSSION The â€Å"Second Inaugural† of 44th US President Mr. Barack Obama took place in the year 2013. The political ideology expressed by the President in his Second Inaugural emphasized on his belief and the historic significance of democracy for America. He thus implies that as a President, possessing the power of the Constitution of the US, his main objective is to seek that the people of in America are bind together irrespective of color, religion and names as they have been for years. The thought here ignites a value of equality within the nation, which can be identified as based on the ideas developed over two centuries before stating that men are to be treated equally with equal rights, opportunities, liberty and happiness. Importance of these thoughts can be found exhibited throughout the political h istory of America (White House, â€Å"Inaugural Address by President Barack Obama†). For instance, dating back to 1941, when the 32nd US president, Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt pronounced the four most vital freedoms that every American must receive in the nation, viz., ‘freedom of speech’(signifying the linguistic and cultural equality of the nation, ‘freedom of worship’ (signifying the religious equality principle in the democracy), ‘freedom from want’ (implying the principle of the nation to make basic life supporting amenities available to every American) and ‘freedom from fear’ (indicating the right of people to safety). Notably, in the 1941 period, America was undergoing substantial political changes where democracy was taking a much stronger and prominent importance against the tyranny suffered by many of the American communities even in the midst of the early and mid 20th century. Thus, by propounding these political id eas, the then US President aim to ignite a feel of equality within the nation, eradicate communalism differences and eventually, give a new direction to the country’s development (AmericanRhetoric, â€Å"The Four Freedoms†). . The President of the US, Barack Obama has also mentioned that with the ideologies of equality and democratic power within the country vowed from centuries. However, with gradual changes

VARK Analysis Essay Example for Free

VARK Analysis Essay Learning is a process that may occur consciously or unconsciously. Differences in the process through which different people accept/acquire information, process and interpret it, greatly influences the way individuals will react to the same stimuli. These differences carry on with an individual into the educational system and depending on an individual’s preference, their performance in school is greatly influenced-both academically and socially. There are several learning modes that individuals may ascribe to, the common ones being visual representation, audio representation, reading and writing and activity. This paper seeks to discuss these modes as brought out through the VARK analysis and give recommendations on how to make the best out of a particular learning mode. Learning Style To understand a concept, some people may prefer to observe others doing the same thing, others may prefer to be involved while others may prefer to read about it or be told about it by another person who they may regard as having a better understanding. These are learning styles that we employ to gather and process information. According to Keefe (1979), a learning style can be defined as â€Å"the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment. † As an individual, I particularly prefer to learn by being involved physically or doing something practically. This helps in embedding a concept or procedure to memory and allow for troubleshooting. Information gathered from literature is visualized and sometimes put in form of diagrams or patterns that can be easy to remember. Charts and graphs also serve as easy ways to grasp ideas being presented. In class setting, I prefer to look up information on my own, reading from different sources until a concept is understood. Occasionally I may enquire of others after exhausting all other avenues. Comparison of learning strategies According to the VARK analysis, individuals are considered to be able to take in and process information in through four channels; visual, aural, reading/writing or kinesthetic. No single way can be considered better than the others but understanding ones acceptance and processing channel can help in developing a study strategy to help the individual be able to improve the speed and learning efficiency. Any combination of the above learning preferences results in a multimodal (VARK) learning preference which may -in my opinion- be deemed more desirable than the single preference learning style. Being multimodal, having all preferences, allows the learner to be able to cope with learning challenges better as they are able to switch between preferences to the one most applicable in a given situation. This mode though may become a hindrance in itself in that the individual may be unable to decide fast enough onto which mode to switch into thereby resulting in delay in decision making or being out of sync with the learning environment. Following VARK analysis I am considered as multimodal with higher preference to kinesthetic, visual and reading/writing and least to aural which I consider as a true evaluation. Further analysis classifies me as a whole-sense multimodal individual – score over 25 – who makes use of several strategies before making a final decision (Fleming N. D. , 2010). This in itself is identified as a weakness due to the indecisive nature that results from taking to long to decide when presented with information through only one channel. Changes needed Though slowness in decision making is being viewed as a weakness, in some instances it is an advantage in that it prevents rash decision making and allows more time for reflection on any given topic. A most critical change required is in self-confidence, a capacity to take risk and act on the information at hand. This I consider as the most critical since in hospital setting, incase of a casualty case, there is not enough time to verify all information and instant decisions have to be made to save a patient. Another would be to determine the objectives of learning a particular subject and this would allow for faster decision making as it would allow for assumption to be made when only trying to get an idea (Bradford K. , Stewart K. L. , 1992) Summarization VARK analysis though not a learning strategy in itself, is a helpful tool in identifying ones own weaknesses and thus be in a position to identify the course of action to be taken. Instances where an individual is not able to integrate into a new learning environment can easily be dealt with since the individual knowing their strengths and weaknesses would easily try to adapt themselves to the environment or if possible change it to their preferred one. It also increases ones confidence when learning as clarification may be sought in a way the learner feels most comfortable with. Conclusion Though this analysis does give one a powerful tool with which to strategize their studies, it is important to understand that the outcome of studies depends entirely on that individual’s willingness to change their strategies to take advantage of their strengths and work on their weaknesses. It is also to be understood that learning styles in themselves are just preferences that an individual has and are not sure guarantees that presented with information in such a way they will instantly understand it. Although everyone has a preferred way of learning, it is possible for everyone to combine several strategies in order t achieve a set learning goal. ? References Flemiming N. D. (2010). VARK: A review of those who are multimodal. Accessed July 11, 2010 from http://www. vark-learn.com/english/page_content/multimodality. htm Keefe, J. W. (1979). Learning style: An overview. In NASSPs Student learning styles:Diagnosing and prescribing programs (pp. 1-17). Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals. Overview of Learning Styles, (2010). Accessed July 11, 2010 from http://www. learning-styles-online. com/overview/ Stewart, K. L. , and Felicetti, L. A. (1992). Learning styles of marketing majors. Educational Research Quarterly, 15(2), 15-23.

Indias movie industry

Indias movie industry Motion pictures came to India in 1896, when the Lumià ¨re Brothers Cinematographed unveiled six soundless short films in Mumbai. This was just one year after the Lumià ¨re brothers (inventors of cinematography) had set up their company in Paris. The first Indian on record to make a movie was Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatvadekar (nickname: Save Dada). He made one short film on a wrestling match at the Hanging Gardens in Mumbai and another on the playfulness of monkeys. Both these shorts were made in 1897 and were publicly exhibited for the first time in 1899 using Edisons projecting kinetoscope inside a tent which the film maker had himself erected. Indias first feature film named King Harishchandra was released in 1913. It was made by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (nickname: Dadasaheb Phalke, 1817-1944). This was a silent movie. By 1920, film making had taken the shape of an industry. The first talkie made in India was Alam Ara (produced by Imperial Film Company) released in 1931. Until the 1960s, film-making companies, many of whom owned studios, dominated the film industry. Artistes and technicians were either their employees or were contracted on long-term basis. Since the 1960s, however, most performers went the freelance way, resulting in the star system and huge escalations in film production costs. Financing deals in the industry also started becoming murkier and murkier since then. Current position India has the worlds biggest movie industry in terms of the number of movies produced (around 800 movies annually, mostly in the Hindi language. Tamil, Telegu, Bengali and Malayalam are the languages in which most of the non-Hindi films are made). Today, the technology of film-making in India is perhaps the best among all developing countries though the films themselves remain mostly repetitive in storyline and content. Superior movies, in thematic and creative terms, are made in many developing countries with less sophisticated technologies. According to unofficial estimates available in January 2001, the Indian film industry has an annual turnover of Rs. 60 billion (approximately US$1.33 billion). It employs more than 6 million people, most of whom are contract workers as opposed to regular employees. The above statistics cannot however be used to calculate the movie industrys share in the GDP or employment generation. This is because a vast proportion of the turnover takes place outside the legal economy. Though Indias overall entertainment industry is taking on professional colours (with the rise of TV production companies), Indias movie industry per se remains highly informal, personality-oriented and family-dominated. Until the late 1990s, it was not even recognised as an industry. Even though it has since been recognised as an industry, banks and other financial institutions continue to avoid the industry due to the enormous risks involved in the business. Two banks, Canara Bank and Indian Bank, have reportedly lost heavily by financing films. However, the prospects of bank financing and risk insurance are becoming brighter, albeit at a slow rate (as explained further down this report). As a result, the financing of films in India often remains shrouded in mystery. Surprisingly, however, the oft-murky world of film industrys finances has not tainted the film industrys perception in the general public eye or in the governments attitude. Even though many famous people from the movie industry have risen to positions of political and social responsibility, including seats in federal and state parliaments, none of them have cared to reveal or have been under pressure to reveal the truth about the industrys finances. Some developments in the years 2000 and 2001 including the arrest of a leading financier, Bharat Shah for his alleged links with a fugitive gangster have not yet brought to public knowledge the inside economics of the industry. The rot or financial amorality of Indias film industry seems to have set in since the 1960s. Until the 1960s, film producers would get loans from film distributors against a minimum guarantee: this meant that the distributors had to ensure that the film was screened in cinemas for a fixed minimum period. If this minimum guarantee was fulfilled, the producers had no further liability. Profit or loss would be the destiny of the distributors. (There are exceptions, however. Indias most celebrated film-maker, the late Satyajit Ray, is known to have pawned his wifes jewellery to part-finance his first film). Star System: The financing pattern, centered on distributors, is suspected to have changed since the 1960s when the studio system collapsed and freelance performers emerged. This gave rise to the star system in which actors and actresses ceased to have long-term contractual obligations towards any studio or film production firm (such as the now defunct Bombay Talkies, New Theatres and Prabhat Studios). Rather, they began to operate as freelancers commanding fees in proportion to the box office performance of their recent films. This increased costs of film production since the more successful actors and actresses hogged major proportions of the producers budget. In the changed system, distributors would pay 50 per cent of the film-making cost leaving it to the producer to get the rest from other sources. The other sources are: conventional moneylenders (who lend at an interest rate of 36-40 per cent annually); non-conventional but corporate resources, promissory note system (locally called hundi system): this is the most widely prevalent source, and underworld money: about 5 per cent of the movies are suspected to be financed by these sources. Film production thus became a risky business and the relationship with usurious money-lenders strengthened over the years. As at the start of 2001, a reasonable budget film in Hindi could cost US$1.75 million. A low budget Hindi film can be made for even as low as Rs. 15 million. A big budget Hindi movie can cost in excess of US$30 million. The bigness of the budget is attributable mainly to the high fees paid to stars, celebrated music directors, high-end technologies and expensive travel costs to shoot in exotic locations worldwide. At the time of writing, it is believed that stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are paid Rs. 20 million (US$440,000) per film.In contrast, script writers and film editors remain poorly paid. In an interview, Indias so-called superstar Amitabh Bachchan (whose wax statue stands at Madam Tussauds in London) attributed the lack of strong storylines to the poor money paid to writers. India has a National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) which finances some films. A few film makers, who would find it hard to obtain finance from the regular sources, have been financed by the NFDC. However, NFDC cannot be considered to play a central role in the film industry because it finances too few films which, too, are not of the type that has made the Indian film industry so vibrant. It however goes to the NFDCs credit that, without it, some of Indias best film makers wouldnt have got a break in the industry. Another shortcoming with the NFDC is that it funds films only at the production stage while ignoring the just-as-important marketing stage. The film industry is currently losing unestimated volumes of revenue due to competition from local cable operators who illegally beam newly released movies into the drawing rooms of their subscribers. Future Of The Industry This is not intended to be a scare story, however. As mentioned above, the overall entertainment industry in India is taking on professional colours and this will change the culture of the film industry too. Some film production companies, such as Mukta Arts, have made public share issues, thus keeping out of the world of murky financing. The Film Federation of India is actively seeking to make film financing a viable proposition for banks. It is likely that films would also be insured to offset possible losses for banks. The granting of industry status to the film industry will eventually allow overboard financing of films, though this will result in production of fewer films than at present. Stricter enforcement of copyright law will help the film industry in its fight with cable operators. Foreign entertainment companies, with steady revenue streams, can do good business if they invest in Hindi and other Indian language films.Despite high risks on a per-movie basis, the risk spreads out across a number of movies. Animation industry Animation is a word that has practically stormed the film industry these days. Everyone, right from the 8-year old kids to 80-year old granddads, loves to watch an animation flick. Have you ever wondered what animation exactly is and how did it come into existence. Animation is basically the rapid display of a sequence of images, of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions. The display is so rapid that it creates an illusion of movement in the viewers. The phenomenon of persistence of vision is the main basis behind the development of animation. Background of Animation The earliest instance of animation dates back to the Paleolithic times, when attempts were made to capture motion in drawings. The cave-paintings of that time depict animals in superimposed positions, drawn with an aim of conveying the perception of motion. Persistence of vision, the basis behind animation, was discovered by Ptolemy, the Greek astronomer, in 130 AD. Fifty years later, in 180 AD, an unknown Chinese inventor created an early animation device, which we later came to know as the zoetrope. Phenakistoscope, praxinoscope and the flip book are the other early animation devices, which were invented during the 1800s. All these devices made use of technological means for the purpose of producing movement from sequential drawings. However, it was the introduction of motion picture films, in the late 1890s that gave a boost to the concept of animation. There is no single person who can be credited with the title of the Creator of animation. This is because when animation was developed, many people were involved in the same thing at the same time. J. Stuart Blackton was the first person to make an animated film, which he called Humorous phases of funny faces. For the purpose, he used to draw comical faces on a blackboard, one after the other, and film them. In 1910, Emile Cohl came out with the first paper cutout animation. The development of celluloid, around 1913, made animation much easier to manage. While talking about the history of animation, three names that are definitely worth mentioning are those of Winsor McCay of United States Emile Cohl and Georges Melies of France. Émile Cohls Fantasmagorie (1908) was the first animated film that was made using traditional (hand-drawn) animation. Georges Mà ©lià ¨s, a creator of special-effect films, was the first person to use animation, along with special effects. He was the one who gave the idea of stop-motion animation. McCay also created a number of animation films, with the most noted ones being Little Nemo (1911), Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) and The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918). In fact, many people take Sinking of the Lusitania to be the first animated feature film. However, it was Walt Disney who took animation to an entirely new level altogether. In 1928, with the premiere of Steamboat Willie, he became the first animator to add sound to his movie cartoons. Walt Disney achieved another milestone in 1937, when he produced the first full length animated feature film, named Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The year 1955 saw Art Clokey producing Gumby, a stop-motion clay animation. Introduction of computers marked a step further in the concept of animation. In 1951, an MIT student Ivan Sutherland created a computer drawing program, Sketchpad, further giving a boost to animation. With time, computer started gaining an increasing importance in the field of animation. Movies like Star Wars relied on computer animation for many of its special effects. In 1995 came Toy Story, produced by Walt Disney Productions and Pixar Animation Studios, the first full length feature film animated totally on computers. Since that time, animation and computer have gone hand in hand, creating new milestones with time. Technology development has prompted a number of low cost hubs with powerful computer animation platforms to emerge in Asia. India is fast becoming a preferred destination for Animation outsourcing and is steadily overtaking the traditional players in the field like Philippines, Korea Taipei. Its boom time in the Indian animation industry, pegged at approximately US$ 300- $350 million in 2005. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram are fast emerging as the countrys major animation hubs. The big studios have set up world-class, state-of-the-art facilities equipped with hardware and software like SGI, 3DMax and SoftImage, SFX and processing motion capture facilities. Indias biggest advantages are its cost effectiveness and good quality. The total cost for making a full-length animated film in America is estimated to be US$100 million to US$175 million. On the other hand, in India, it can be made for US$15 million to US$25 million. According to NASSCOM, the animation sector grew by over 20% in 2004. Studios spread across the country are doing animation work like cartoon characters and special effects for clients around the world including Walt Disney, Imax, Warner Brothers and Sony. Some of the other companies are outsourcing animation for commercials and computer games. Some of the prominent animations outsourcing companies are: Toonz Animation India is based in Thiruvananthapuram and has to its credit the successful series The Adventures of Tenali Raman. The team here is also working on a full-fledged feature film called Tommy and Oscar which is a 2D /3D combo project. This is apart from completing work for the Italian producer Rainbow Productions; a 2D television series called Will o the Wisp (26 X 6 min) for Animoon Plc, United Kingdom and a big-budget 3D television series for major a US broadcaster. This company has tied up with First Serve International to form First Serve Toonz. Pentamedia Graphics, Chennai is a subsidiary of computer software company Pentafour. It is best known for its animated 3D film using the motion capture technique, Sindbad: Beyond the Veils of the Mists. Maya Entertainment, Mumbai has been doing outsourced work for a while now and has done the special effects for The Mummy and Stuart Little. It is also working on animating short films starring a character called Wabo, to be used by the United Nations to educate worldwide audiences on the importance of fresh drinking water. UTV Toonz, Mumbai is the animation division of UTV Software Communications and is one of the top ranking studios dealing in flash as well as traditional animation. It has bagged a US$10 billion deal with an American company for outsourced work. Other assignments for international clients include like two Dutch deals to produce a musical cartoon series called ClubNow! and a fantasy series The Donz; a project with Cinegroup of Canada for the images for a sci-fi series. They are also working with companies in Scotland and Luxembourg for the development of series like Clootie Dumpling and Snow Queen. It will also be working on Kong: The Next Generation for New York-based BKN New Media. Heart Entertainment, a 2D animation studio is yet another big name in the animation sphere, which is doing a lot of outsourced work. Among the animation featured in its portfolio are Warner Brothers Histeria, Tommy Nelsons Crippled Lamb and Little Dogs on the Prairie. It also has to its credit some work done for Walt Disney. Padmalaya Telefilms, Mumbai is a unit of Indias largest listed media firm, Zee Telefilms. It is expected to make 104 cartoon episodes for US$ 14 million and distribute Mondos library for US$ 15 million. It has also inked some deals with British animation companies like Mallard Media and Ealing Animation. Nipuna Services Ltd, a division of Satyam Computer Services, has recently bagged a project worth US$ 8 billion from 4K Animation GmbH, a German animation company. This assignment is among the biggest deals struck by an Indian BPO in the animation space. It is also doing significant work for a New Zealand based company called Applied Gravity. The work includes animatronics models for New Zealand Theme parks as well as an animatronics dog for Animal Planets series K9 to 11. Jadoo Works, Bangalore is working on an animated film series Lord Krishna and the crime caper Bombay Dogs. It has done work for US animation studios like Wild Brain and Guardian Angel Animation (GaGa). Crest Communications, Mumbai, is a leading 3-d animation company and does a lot of work for American Studios. It came into limelight in 2002, when it won an Emmy for animation production work done for the animated series Jakers: The Adventures of Piggley-Winks. It is also to work on three features for Lions Gate Family Entertainment. Crest is also expected to produce and release Sylvester and the Magic Pebble based on the story by William Steig the creator ofShrek. Silvertoon Studio, Mumbai, is engaged primarily in subcontract work for U.S., French, and British studios, using digital ink, paint and compositing system. The Animation Industry in India though a late starter, is considered as one of the fastest growing segments of the entertainment and media industry. The Animation Industry in India gained significance as an outsourced destination for animation work due to low cost, skilled labour as its many advantages. In the recent past Indian animation companies and animation studios have been moving up the value chain to create their own intellectual property rights with Hanuman, Roadside Romeo, etc. and partnering with international studios to produce animated properties for the global audience. Though a majority of the work done by the animation industry in India is outsourced work, this is expected to change in the future with increased demand from the domestic entertainment industry. The Indian animation industry in 2007 was estimated at USD 0.31 billion and is expected to grow at CAGR 24% to reach USD 0.94 billion by 2012. (Source:Ficci-PwC Entertainment and Media report 2008). The Indian animation industry in 2007 was estimated at USD 0.31 billion and is expected to grow at CAGR 24% to reach USD 0.94 billion by 2012. (Source:Ficci-PwC Entertainment and Media report 2008) 1.2 Introduction to pestle analysis PESTLE Analysis is a simple, useful and widely-used tool that helps you understand the big picture of your Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological Legal and Environmental. As such, it is used by business leaders worldwide to build their vision of the future. It is important for these reasons: First, by making effective use of PESTLE Analysis, you ensure that what you are doing is aligned positively with the powerful forces of change that are affecting our world. By taking advantage of change, you are much more likely to be successful than if your activities oppose it; Second, good use of PESTLE Analysis helps you avoid taking action that is doomed to failure from the outset, for reasons beyond your control; and Third, PEST is useful when you start operating in a new country or region. Use of PESTLE helps you break free of unconscious assumptions, and helps you quickly adapt to the realities of the new environment. How to use the tool: PESTLE is a simple mnemonic standing for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Legal and Environmental To use this tool, follow this three stage process: Brainstorm the relevant factors that apply to you; Identify the information that applies to these factors; and Draw conclusions from this information. The following factors may help as a starting point for brainstorming (but make sure you include other factors that may be appropriate to your situation): Political: Government type and stability Freedom of press, rule of law and levels of bureaucracy and corruption Regulation and de-regulation trends Social and employment legislation Tax policy, and trade and tariff controls Environmental and consumer-protection legislation Likely changes in the political environment Economic: Stage of business cycle Current and project economic growth, inflation and interest rates Unemployment and labor supply Labor costs Levels of disposable income and income distribution Impact of globalization Likely impact of technological or other change on the economy Likely changes in the economic environment Socio-Cultural: Population growth rate and age profile Population health, education and social mobility, and attitudes to these Population employment patterns, job market freedom and attitudes to work Press attitudes, public opinion, social attitudes and social taboos Lifestyle choices and attitudes to these Socio-Cultural changes Technological Environment: Impact of emerging technologies Impact of Internet, reduction in communications costs and increased remote working Research and Development activity Impact of technology transfer Legal World legislation changes National legislation changes Prospects Current legislation home market Future legislation European/international legislation Regulatory bodies and processes Environmental regulations Employment law Consumer protection Industry-specific regulations competitive regulations Environmental Customer values Market values Stakeholder/ investor values Staff attitudes Management style Organisational culture Staff morale Staff engagement The PEST Analysis is a perfect tool for managers and policy makers, helping them in analyzing the forces that are driving their industry and how these factors will influence their businesses and the whole industry in general. Our product also presents a brief profile of the industry comprising of current market, competition in it and future prospects of that sector. Chapter-2 Objectives of the study The major objectives of the study are: To get the knowledge about the business environment of film and animation industry. To assimilate the factors which affects any industry. To enlarge the view of doing business in the present era. Chapter-3 Research and methodology Research methodology is the theoretical depiction of the process involved in the research work. It refers to the collection of data from various sources. This term paper deals with the PESTLE analysis of film and animation industry. For collecting information I have used two types of sources i.e. primary and secondary sources. Primary sources: The primary sources of this term paper includes Interaction with my teachers. Secondary sources: The main secondary sources for this term paper includes- Site visits. Document analysis (Reports and newspapers.) Data collected from various journals. Data collected from books. Chapter-4 PESTLE Analysis of Film and Animation industry Political factors affecting Film and Animation Industry: Tax in Indiasignifies the tax paid by the Film and Animation Industry in India. The entertainment tax in India is usually applicable for large-scale entertainment shows, private festivals that are sponsored, movie tickets, video game arcades, and amusement parks among others.All activities include commercial movie/theater shows, games, amusement parks, exhibitions, celebrity stage shows, any kind of sports such as horse racing, and exhibitions. The entertainment tax department looks after the tax payable for the entertainment activities being performed in various places across the country. The entertainment tax department is located in Delhi and works under the stipulation of The Delhi Entertainment and Betting Tax Act, 1996. The organizers or proprietors of the entertainment shows are responsible for the entertainment tax in India. They collect the tax from the sponsors and deposit it to the Government of India. One of the highest revenue earning sectors from tax in entertainment industry is cinema. With every ticket, a certain amount of tax is tagged which is paid while buying the movie tickets and is included in the price of the tickets. The entry tickets to any cinematographic exhibitions have the entertainment tax included in it, which is 25-30 percent. The entertainment department is a major source of revenue for the Government of India. It also has a great contribution towards the publicity of Indian arts that portrays ancient culture and various sports. This is done by granting tax-free benefits to the same. The organizers of any entertainment shows will have to seek the permission of the Entertainment Tax Department before putting up any commercial shows. The entertainment tax in India is levied upon the organizers or proprietors depending on the kind of shows being organized. There are a range of tax schemes for various entertainment programs. These are as follows: Tax schemes designed for amusement parks Tax-paid programs Programs based on tax exempted sectors Tax programs on cable television networks Tax for various invitee programs Tax on entertainment betting Tax on video parlors To alleviate the tax generating program, a series of technologies has been introduced in the entertainment tax department. For example, the computerized ticket booking system has been incorporated for booking movie tickets along with the online data transmission in the entertainment industry. The more advanced the entertainment industry is becoming the tax rate is increasing at a proportional rate. Customers mostly look for convenience and less hazardous tasks while going for any entertainment program and so faster access would definitely attract more customers. Economic Factors affecting Film and Animation Industry: Consistent commitment to economic reform over the last decade has spurred the steady growth of the Indian economy. The emphasis on creating an enabling environment for investment and the inherent potential of the Indian economy have together pushed Indias annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate beyond 8 percent. While Indias GDP ranks eleventh in the world in absolute terms, it ranks among the top five economies of the world when assessed in terms of purchasing power parity. It is the growing consuming class with the proclivity to spend that will drive the growth of the Indian entertainment industry. Adding to this positive outlook is the fact that the average Indian is getting younger and is showing a greater propensity to indulge and entertain himself. Moreover, there are over 20 million Indians living abroad who are increasingly opting for India-oriented entertainment, as the availability of such content increases. Globally, a clutch of international films with Indian content, themes and performers are receiving wide visibility and acclaim. This broad acceptance of Indian entertainment is likely to give a further fillip to the expansion of this industry. The emergence of the Indian middle class with greater earning power and a higher disposable income is one of the key factors that will drive the growth of the Indian entertainment sector. Demographic analysis clearly shows the evidence of this growth. The consumption indicates the continued progression of people into higher income and consumption segments. As the average Indian gets richer and his more compelling needs are met, his propensity to spend on discretionary items such as entertainment increases. Further, as his consumption of various goods and services rises, companies would try to reach out to him through more marketing and advertising. Higher demand and an increased investment would result in an expansion of the entertainment industry in the years to come. As the Indian entertainment market grows, it is essential to recognize the heterogeneous nature of the market. All too often, the specific appetite of certain segments such as the rural population, women and children, is under-estimated and their financial value proposition continues to be under-recognised. Companies and businesses that have managed to differentially cater to the varying segments of Indian population have benefited. As a corollary, the entertainment sector too has begun to witness the advent of a broader set of offerings which are aimed for specific segments: e.g. television channels for children. On the other hand, the childrens films genre, for instance, has yet to grow and mature in India. There is a case for a proactive and sustained targeting of specific, niche segments of the market. In fact, given the size and potential of Indias niche segments, niche may be a word which is likely to be replaced soon. As per industry estimates, the total advertising spend in India in 2004 was approximately INR 118 billion, a growth of 13.4 percent over the last year. However, India continues to have a low advertising spend to GDP ratios compared to other economies, underscoring the untapped potential. In 2004, the advertising spend for India stood at 0.50 percent of the GDP, up from 0.48 percent the previous year. This is expected to increase significantly due to rising consumerism and growing interest from global brands attracted by this huge and expanding market. Given the increasing number of media channels that consumers are exposed to, brands will have to advertise more frequently and across more channels to generate brand recall. As television channels have multiplied and the content available has become more diverse in the last decade, their viewership has increased, niche channels have emerged targeting specific demographic segments and the cost of advertising on television has reduced. While the broadcasters can dwell on this shared optimism, they must also recognize that advertising budgets are very sensitive to economic downturns. Advertising budgets are not only easily brought down, but the productivity of such expenses is also challenged. Companies are increasingly demanding their advertising agencies to link their fees to performance indicators such as sales increments. With increasing access to state-of-the-art technologies, addressability issues are being put to test, ther

Impact of Canine Intervention on Rabies

Impact of Canine Intervention on Rabies Problem Rabies-is a fatal viral disease that causes inflammation of the nervous system, caught from bites or scratches of rabid animals, most commonly domestic-dogs (>95%).[1] Immediate treatment of infected humans with four doses post-exposure prophylaxis decreases chance of developing severe infection, but this is often prevented by availability and awareness of treatment in low-income settings. Canine-vaccination provides broader benefits for disease-control reducing cases in dogs, human animal-bite injuries, and number of human-cases.[2] While the value of canine vaccination is well-known, local uptake at low-income-settings have been low despite public provision and financing.[3] Intervention The intervention involves empowering community-health-workers to formulate local-strategies to encourage participation and conduct self-organized rabies-vaccination days, compared against standard of care of centrally-coordinated program. The intervention assumes that low-uptake for current publicly-provided canine vaccination programs is due to locally-inappropriate programs that do not effectively promote awareness and engagement. Community-directed interventions are used in other public health diseases with promising results in improving access to interventions and enhancing efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.[4] But, its effectiveness for canine-rabies vaccination is-unknown. Community-directed interventions for rabies vaccination is theorized to maximize reach of vaccination activities through localization, more effective community-engagement, and more accurate targeting of potential households. The theory of change behind the intervention is illustrated by the logic model in Figure 1. Inputs The intervention makes use of people, money, equipment, and research base to carry it out. The implementers will tap district officers, train trainors, and recruit village health care workers (HCW, i.e. coordinators and vaccinators). Money will be used for training and logistics, as well the incentives (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤20/month/coordinators and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤4/day/vaccinators) for the HCW to implement the program. Equipment for training, coordination, vaccination, and monitoring are necessary to conduct the activities. And, all  inputs and activities are developed from the research base available. It is assumed that these inputs are adequate and effective in carrying out the intervention activities. Figure 1. Logic Model Activities The inputs shall be used to conduct recruitment, training, and mentoring for the intervention. Recruitment will include development of criteria and guidelines for choosing HCW and actual strategies to reach them. HCW recruits will undergo training on topics such as rabies, safe handling of dogs and equipment, vaccine administration, and prevention as stated in the logic model. They will also undergo mentoring with the research team through annual retraining and network support to motivate the HCW to perform the intervention. It is assumed that HCW are able to understand and internalize their role in rabies prevention, and that the activities will equip them to formulate adequate and effective local strategies to carry out the vaccination and community engagement programs. Formulation of community strategies is an essential step as it actualizes the interventions main assumption. The developed strategies are assumed to effectively sensitize the community towards the vaccination campaign and mobilize the most number of families to participate. This also assumes each individual HCW agrees with and follows the strategy formulated by the group. The end activity of the intervention is to implement the formulated strategies for conduct of vaccination days, dog registration, and community engagement. Conduct of vaccination days involve local organization and recruitment, logistic management especially for vaccines and equipment, and actual conduct of canine vaccination. The HCWs are expected to conduct dog registrations and maintain an updated record-keeping mechanism. The strategies, being locally owned, are also assumed to go beyond just conduct of vaccination into regular community engagement with follow-up/ supporting activities. Outcomes The interventions assumption on the value of local mobilization and engagement is expected to contribute towards increased community awareness and acceptability of rabies vaccination. This is expected to increase total attendance to vaccination days, as both frequency and method are dependent on local needs assessment and planning of the group. Both higher community awareness and attendance to vaccination days are assumed to influence canine vaccine coverage. Higher canine coverage protects the population by decreasing the number of rabid dogs that can infect humans. This would result in the medium term as decreased prevalence of rabies cases in the community. This assumes that the community is able to recognize the signs and symptoms of rabies and seeks diagnosis and treatment to health facilities that are able to diagnose them. Impact With less rabies cases in the community, less patients will progress into complications that lead to death, hence reducing rabies-related deaths in the long term. This assumes the community patients are willing to be treated once diagnosed. This also assumes health system reforms on case management nor technological advances in treatment of rabies had no influence in change in mortality. Objectives Using the interventions logic model, a process evaluation study is proposed with three supporting objectives from a mix of evaluation theories to give more holistic and practical recommendations regarding the results of the intervention. These objectives are as follows: Table 1: Research Objectives Objectives Key areas of concern Understand the extent to which the intervention was implemented Implementation (fidelity, reach and dose) Test the validity of the underlying assumptions in practice Mechanisms of impact (interactions, alternative pathways) Context Determine best practices that can be replicated in future roll-outs Implementation Mechanisms of Impact Context The first goal (reflective of implementation theory) was chosen to determine if successful implementation was achieved and can be attributed to the results. The second goal (reflective of intervention theory) was chosen to understand if hypothesized mechanisms-of-change were realized and if other mechanisms have emerged to contribute to the results. The third goal (reflective of realist theory) aims to understand the best mechanisms to attain intended outcomes of the intervention for future reference in similar studies and policy implications. Evaluation Overview The process evaluation team created a 24-month evaluation plan that will focus on key aspects of the research objectives believed to contribute most to the results in the intervention arm of the research. Figure 2 gives a general overview of the domains, chosen from the assumptions from the logic model. Figure 2. Research Domains Methods The evaluation will be done in four phases, implemented closely with the timeline of the impact evaluation/research team across 24 months. General methods and target population for the process evaluation are as follows: Figure 3. Method Overview At pre-intervention (month 0), questions on knowledge attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding rabies and the community context will be added as rider questions to the researchers baseline survey. HCWs will be asked to complete a questionnaire on personal data (economic status), relations with the community (social status), and KAP regarding rabies. Focus group discussions (FGD) will be done with the community to gain deeper insight into the community context that may impact the intervention, and with HCW to assess their perceptions on the interventions. Health system documents (policies, care guidelines, local government initiatives, etc.) will be reviewed to look at changes in care management and technological advances that have taken place. During intervention (month 1-24), direct observation and document review will be done to assess fidelity, reach and doses of each of the activities during implementation. All of the activities on training, formulation of community strategies, conduct of vaccination days will be directly observed by at least three researchers to understand how interactions take place. Value judgements will have to be agreed by at least 2/3 of the team present during the activity. Conduct of other activities will be assessed from monitoring documents (attendance sheet, accomplishment reports of each HCW, pre- and post-training test results, post-activity feedback forms) from the implementation team. At post-intervention (month 24), baseline quantitative and qualitative information with be gathered similar to pre-intervention methods to enable assessment of changes from baseline values. The final FGDs with the community and HCWs will also be used as a workshop to create an agreed cognitive map of best practices within the intervention that contribute to its success. Frequency Surveys, questionnaires and FGDs are deliberately scheduled only at pre- and post-intervention as the likelihood of the research team influencing both community awareness and engagement through these efforts are high. The third objective of the process evaluation is to look at best context-practice mixes that can be replicated in future runs of the program and conducting these evaluations mid-intervention may act as mediator that will skew the results positively and affect the program and policy recommendations of the study. Direct observation and document review will be done throughout the activities of the intervention to assess conduct of activities taking place. Sampling Household surveys coupled to the research will use purposive sampling of community households considering geographic factors and socio-economic status. FGD participants will be chosen using purposive sampling to represent different groups and community areas. For quantitative analysis, all of the data from questionnaires and document reviews will be used during analysis. Analysis plan Quantitative aspects of the study will be analyzed through descriptive statistics to show frequency and ranges of responses. Qualitative aspects of the study will be analyzed through causal modelling with mediation and mediator analysis to summarize the responses. Issues and best practices will be determined from post-intervention qualitative analysis using stakeholder cognitive mapping to agree on a generalizable process. Domains, research questions, research methods, indicators, and frequency are summarized in Table 3: Table 3. Methods and Indicators Domain Research question/s Method Target Indicators Frequency IMPLEMENTATION Fidelity Was conduct of the intervention activities done as intended? Were adaptations done necessary? Direct observation HCW Checklist score based on module guide Value judgement score based on agreement of 2/3 observers During each activity (training, formulation of community strategy, vaccination days) What adaptations were perceived to be more successful by the HCW? Document feedback forms HCW Responses After each activity Reach Were effective HCW recruited for the intervention? Direct observation HCW Value judgement score from criteria (positive influence in the community, capacity to understand training and perform vaccination, perceived willingness to participate) based on agreement of 2/3 researchers Combination of observations from training, community engagement activities, vaccination days How many families were influenced by the community strategies? Document attendance Community Attendance to community engagement activities Total of all activities during whole of intervention Dose Was training new to the attendees/ was there added knowledge gained? Which aspects were delivered successfully? Document feedback forms HCW Views on preference for teaching methods/ topics After each activity Was knowledge from training accurate and retained? Document test results HCW Scores on exams and return demonstrations During initial training and retraining Are the inputs (esp. incentives) and preliminary activities (i.e. training, mentoring) given adequate for HCW to perform their role to the best of their abilities? FGD HCW Responses (qualitative) Twice (month 0 and 24) Are the supply of inputs adequate to perform the intervention? Document review HCW Incidence of stock outs during vaccination days After each activity MECHANISM OF IMPACT Interactions Were community strategies developed by HCW unanimously decided and carried out by the individual? Direct observation HCW Strategy formulation process dynamics, value judgement based on agreement of 2/3 researchers After each activity Questionnaire HCW Strategies HCW agreed with Personal conduct of strategies during engagement Personal adaptations done with strategies Once (month 24) Were incentives, training, and mentoring perceived to be adequate by the HCW? Did personal motivation of the HCW affect their performance of community strategies? Questionnaire HCW Percentage of incentives to household income Time available Personal motivations (checklist) Once (month 1) FGD HCW Responses (qualitative) Twice (month 0 and 24) Alternative pathways Were other mechanisms outside the intervention encouraging awareness and vaccination? Were there other reasons for non-attendance of willing families to vaccination days? FGD Community Responses (qualitative) Twice (month 0 and 24) Household survey Community Awareness of new community strategies Willingness to participate in activities Reasons for attendance and non-attendance (checklist) Were there changes in the way the community interacts with dogs not accounted for by the intervention? Household survey Community Presence of dogs in the household Number of interactions with dogs in the past 7 days Did new health system reforms on case diagnosis and management or technological advances in diagnosis and treatment occur? Document -policies System Presence of new policies Changes in budget and procurement of local government CONTEXT What was the communitys level of pre-intervention awareness and engagement in rabies programs? FGD Community Knowledge of rabies pathophysiology Knowledge and engagement to past rabies programs Awareness and engagement Twice (month 0 and month 24) What are the health-seeking practices of the community? Do they recognize and seek care for rabies? Willingness to go to health center Awareness of symptoms of rabies Care-seeking behavior after diagnosis What are the community views on western medicine and canine vaccination? View of western medicine View of canine vaccination What are the community views on the role of dogs and their relationship with them? Which views promote taking dogs for vaccination? View of dogs on being necessary, perceived harm, importance, need for attention, need for medical care References [1] source [2] Cite downloaded cleaveland [3] source [4] Source, reword since copied from assignment

The Evolving Roles of Women in the Economies of Greece and Italy Essays

The Evolving Roles of Women in the Economies of Greece and Italy The role of women in Greek and Italian culture has come a long way since the ancient days. In patriarchal societies, women were restricted to household chores, and were allowed little to no involvement in politics or economic matters. Since these times, major cultural shifts in each of the countries have helped lead the nations to a more western perception of sex roles in their cultures. In the following paragraphs, we will see how historical events have shaped the roles of women in Greek and Italian culture into their present form. Women in Greece Creation Myth To set the tone for how women were perceived in ancient Greece, we first turn to the Greek myth of women's creation. In 700 BC, the historian Hesiod wrote his account of their creation is his Theogony. He writes that women were created as a punishment for men when they first acquired fire. The craftsman god Hephaestus molded the image of a Virgin, Athena dressed her up and they presented the "lovely curse" to the men, for whom she became a hopeless, deadly trap (Blundell). Hesiod goes on to describe women as deceptive creatures, never easing the pains of man's poverty, but always eager to share in his wealth. Hesiod further illustrates these traits in the description of the first woman, Pandora. Opening her jar of curses, she changed the lives of all men, who once lived in an Eden-like world. Women are seen from then on as sort of gift-curse, whose acceptance into society is essential to its continuation, but inevitably brings trouble (Blundell). Transition Periods: Archaic Age: 750-500 BC. Tracing back to the archaic age, we find the sources of women's oppression in Ancient... ...tute of Japanese Studies.? Economic & Social Data Rankings/Greece? <http://web.hhs.se/personal/suzuki/o-English/Greece.html> EIJS.? European Institute of Japanese Studies.? Economic & Social Data Rankings/Greece? <http://web.hhs.se/personal/suzuki/o-English/Italy.html> Fantham. Women in the Classical World.? Oxford University Press, New York 1994.IPC.? Interactive Population Center.? Recognizing and Promoting Women?s Key Economic Roles.? <http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/role4men/recognize.htm> Vivante.? Women?s Roles in Ancient Civilizations.? Greenwood Press, Westport 1999. MacAlister, Elliott. Women?s Roles in the Fisheries. ?? 1997 Zhao, Megan.? Women in the Renaissance ??<http://info-center.ccit.arizona.edu/~ws/ws200/fall97/grp13/part3.htm> 1997 The Evolving Roles of Women in the Economies of Greece and Italy Essays The Evolving Roles of Women in the Economies of Greece and Italy The role of women in Greek and Italian culture has come a long way since the ancient days. In patriarchal societies, women were restricted to household chores, and were allowed little to no involvement in politics or economic matters. Since these times, major cultural shifts in each of the countries have helped lead the nations to a more western perception of sex roles in their cultures. In the following paragraphs, we will see how historical events have shaped the roles of women in Greek and Italian culture into their present form. Women in Greece Creation Myth To set the tone for how women were perceived in ancient Greece, we first turn to the Greek myth of women's creation. In 700 BC, the historian Hesiod wrote his account of their creation is his Theogony. He writes that women were created as a punishment for men when they first acquired fire. The craftsman god Hephaestus molded the image of a Virgin, Athena dressed her up and they presented the "lovely curse" to the men, for whom she became a hopeless, deadly trap (Blundell). Hesiod goes on to describe women as deceptive creatures, never easing the pains of man's poverty, but always eager to share in his wealth. Hesiod further illustrates these traits in the description of the first woman, Pandora. Opening her jar of curses, she changed the lives of all men, who once lived in an Eden-like world. Women are seen from then on as sort of gift-curse, whose acceptance into society is essential to its continuation, but inevitably brings trouble (Blundell). Transition Periods: Archaic Age: 750-500 BC. Tracing back to the archaic age, we find the sources of women's oppression in Ancient... ...tute of Japanese Studies.? Economic & Social Data Rankings/Greece? <http://web.hhs.se/personal/suzuki/o-English/Greece.html> EIJS.? European Institute of Japanese Studies.? Economic & Social Data Rankings/Greece? <http://web.hhs.se/personal/suzuki/o-English/Italy.html> Fantham. Women in the Classical World.? Oxford University Press, New York 1994.IPC.? Interactive Population Center.? Recognizing and Promoting Women?s Key Economic Roles.? <http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/role4men/recognize.htm> Vivante.? Women?s Roles in Ancient Civilizations.? Greenwood Press, Westport 1999. MacAlister, Elliott. Women?s Roles in the Fisheries. ?? 1997 Zhao, Megan.? Women in the Renaissance ??<http://info-center.ccit.arizona.edu/~ws/ws200/fall97/grp13/part3.htm> 1997

The Gradual Development Of Cha :: essays research papers

Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding, and the topic of this essay is to show how Golding suggests that the boys on the island gradually move from their civilized behavior to total anarchy. In the book, Lord of the Flies, an undefined number of boys are stranded on a desert island, and a leader is chosen. From the start, there is a power struggle between the chosen leader, Ralph, and the leader of a boys choir,Jack. There is also a gradual descent into anarchy as the boys spend more time on the island alone. In the end, they are rescued by a navy ship, but not before atleast two children are dead, namely Piggy and Simon, both murdered. In this essay it will be shown that the boys on the island move from civilization to total anarchy, through the examples of their use of face paint, the death of Simon and the destruction of the conch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Lord of the Flies, an example of their move from civilization to anarchy lies the use of face paint among the boys on the island. Some of the boys, like Ralph and Piggy, never wear face paint. This shows that they stay civilized throughout the story, while the other kids do not. Early in the story, when the hunters chase after a pig, they all where mud, clay, and charcoal as face paint to be 'like things trying to look like something else-'; (Lord of the Flies, William Golding, p. 66). Later, when Jack forms his own tribe they go hunting with masks of pig blood on their faces, as masks. Golding suggests that the children are able to disguise themselves behind these masks, and escape any punishment, therefore freeing them to do as they please. This shows that Golding wanted the reader to think that while the children are afraid of punishment (when they have just arrived on the island), they are civilized in their behaviour, but when they wear their masks, and ar e able to rid themselves of the responsibility of their actions they begin to act more savage-like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another example of how the children on the island moved from civilization to anarchy is the progression of the dance they perform. In the beginning, when they dance they all gather in a circle and one child is in the middle, acting as the beast. The children would then proceed to pretend to beat the child, but instead leave him unharmed.

Mansfield Park, the novel, or Mansfield Park the film? Essay -- essays

There have been many adaptations of Jane Austen's books over the years; all six of her novels have been made into films or television dramas with varying degrees of success, from the classics of Persuasion, Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility, to the funny modern version of Emma in the form of Clueless. In this paper I want to show how director Patricia Rozema has made Austen's novel Mansfield Park much more modern, accessible, and, as some claim, radical, by skipping parts of the story that would make the film version drag, and importing events and dialogue that have significance into scenes, often created by Rozema, that are more appealing. There is always controversy whether a Jane Austen masterpiece can be adequately conveyed through the medium of film. It has been said that ‘seeing a movie or television adaptation of any of Jane Austen's works is like hearing a symphony of Mozart played on a harmonica’ which suggests that the adaptations are cheapened by the filmmakers and sometimes wildly misinterpreted. Andrew Wright says that many adaptations of Austen's work are made to ‘entice the demi-literate or those of presumably short attention span.’ This is the criticism that faced director Patricia Rozema with her film version of Mansfield Park, which states the very start that the film is only loosely based on the film, but also draws inspiration from the early journals and letters of Jane Austen. There are two schools of thought on the adaptation of Jane Austen's novels, whether they are beneficial or not. It is clear that Rozema’s version of the film makes it more accessible to viewers . M. Casey Diana has experimented on Austen adaptations with her class group: ‘She divided her students into two groups; one read Sense and Sensibility first and then saw the Thompson/Lee film, the other saw the movie first and then read the book†¦the first group had a hard time comprehending (never mind responding on any deeply imaginative level to it), and both groups used the movie as a "gateway" into the book or an explanation afterwards. The film version certainly gives us a more vivid view of the story, especially in scenes set in Fanny’s Portsmouth home, where we can see the squalor you end up in when you marry for love. The film is also more poignant on the issues of slavery and abuse of human rights. I am referring to the wailing Fanny hea... ... and other Film/Video adaptations http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/jabbcvid.html 01 May 2005 Wright, Andrew Jane Austen Adapted Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Vol. 30, No. 3, Jane Austen 1775-1975. (Dec., 1975), pp. 421-453.Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0029-0564%28197512%2930%3A3%3C421%3AJAA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-U Diana's "Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility as Gateway to Austen's Novel: A Pedagogical Experiment," http://www.jimandellen.org/austen/janeausten.onfilm.html 31 April 2005 Elley, Derek http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_review&reviewID=VE1117752061&cs=1 Posted: Mon., Aug. 30, 1999, 01 May 2005 Bezanson, David 05/05/04 http://movieweb.com/movies/reviews/review.php?film=1386&review=2451 02 May 2005 Martin, Melissa. SparkNote on Mansfield Park. 2 May. 2005 . Bezanson, David 05/05/04 http://movieweb.com/movies/reviews/review.php?film=1386&review=2451 02 May 2005 Martin, Melissa. SparkNote on Mansfield Park. 2 May. 2005 . Romero,C. Antonio Culturekiosque movie reviews NEW YORK, 31 December 1999 - http://www.culturekiosque.com/nouveau/cinema/rhemansfld.html http://www.haro-online.com/movies/mansfield_park.html 01 May 2005

Explain How You Could Promote Inclusion, Equality and Diversity with Your Current/Future Learners

Explain how you could promote inclusion, equality and diversity with your current/future learners. Identify other points of referral available to meet the potential needs of learners. Susan Wallace states that equality in this context â€Å"†¦. requires us, as teachers, to ensure that we show no favouritism or antipathy towards any learner and that we are entirely non-partisan in our dealings with them. Whether they are keen and motivated or bored and disengaged; or whether they are friendly and sociable or morose and threatening, they are nevertheless equal and should be treated equally. † (2007, p 46) When working with a range of ages, races, religions different genders and disabilities, I have to be rather sensitive when conducting classroom discussions or approaching individuals so as not to offend them. I ensure that each student receives the same equality and equal opportunity regardless of sex, colour or creed. I use a different range of teaching styles due to the various abilities of my learners. Visually I use demonstration videos, which play continuously throughout the lesson, I find this helps the learners to retain information more easily and giving out handout to learners I have them printed in larger than normal print with Comic sans font to aid anyone within the group who may have dyslexia or may be visually impaired. G. Petty points out that, â€Å"Dyslexia may be a gift as well as a disability. Psychologist studying entrepreneurs for Mind of a millionaire, a BBC Two TV programme, found that 40% of the most successful had learning difficulties, mostly dyslexia (Sunday Times, 5 October 2003). If you are not born dyslexic, sadly there is no way of making you so â€Å"! (Petty. G2009) As my lessons are mainly practical the learners get plenty of hands on experience with tools and materials this is a simple way of getting them to engage in the lessons. Auditory by explaining in detail to the students the task they are doing and get plenty of Q&A. I get some good feedback from my learners finding out what went well and wrong. By keeping the lesson as simple as possible, and setting each member relevant task to develop specific weaknesses, I find I get better all round results. I also timetable into their lesson a one to one tutorial where I can get some individual feedback. This is where I can promote ALS and Learner Support services on offer a the College.

Othello protagonist Essay

The protagonist of the play, Othello is a man trapped by his own weaknesses rather than a victim of circumstance. Even though the situations that Othello finds himself in are not ideal and contribute to his downfall, it is his own fatal flaws that end up destroying him. In act 3 scene 3 Iago starts to plant a seed of doubt in Othello’s mind about his wife Desdemona and her infidelity. Iago proceeds to ask Othello, â€Å"Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, know of you love? † This question immediately causes Othello to become suspicious. Iago then follows with a series of rhetorical questions that enrage Othello as well increase the doubt that is building up in his mind. By the end of this scene we see one of Othello’s weaknesses present itself, jealousy. This particular flaw becomes one of the major contributions to Othello’s downfall. By the end of the play jealousy has clouded his judgment and taken over his perspective on everything. At first Othello insists that he needs proof of the alleged affair but quickly changes his mind. â€Å"Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage.Act 4 scene 1, Iago informs Othello that Desdemona and Cassio have slept together and he has seen that she has given Cassio the handkerchief Othello gave her when they first fell in love. All this news that Iago keeps telling him sends Othello off into a rant, â€Å"Is’t possible? – Confess? Handkerchief? O devil! †After this his falls into a trance. This is the moment when all Othello’s insecuriti es, fears and aversions as well as the obvious lack of judgment that a leader is assumed to have combine to create this kind of epileptic fit. In this scene stage directions are used to help the reader understand what is going on for a dramatic effect. Two of Othello’s flaws that cause this downfall are passion and gullibility. These feelings enabled Iago fill his head with lies that caused him to get so worked up that he lost control. In act 5 scene 1 Iago had convinced Othello that he would kill Cassio and that Othello had to kill Desdemona. Othello begins this scene with a soliloquy, reflecting and attempting to justify his decision to kill her. Othello refers to Desdemona as light. â€Å"Put out the light and then put out he light†. So sweet we ne’er so fatal. †Othello describes how she was so sweet but her actions caused so much pain. Before he kills her, Othello makes sure she has prayed or confessed so that she will go to heaven. â€Å"I will not kill thy unprepared spirit. †Othello’s blind faith in Iago is the flaw that leads all his other weaknesses to rise to the surface an d in the end the inevitable happens. Othello, once a great man, falls. Desdemona speak for one last time in the play. â€Å"A guiltless death I die. † This quote enforces the reality of what has just taken place. This innocent woman was a victim because of another man’s weakness. In this play it is clear what jealousy and misguided trust can do to a person. These weaknesses, along with others, are the reason for Othello’s downfall. Each flaw produced another weakness or doubt. The fact that Othello was manipulated to be part of Iago’s plan for revenge only accelerated the speed of his demise. The fatal mix of passion, jealousy, insecurity as well as how easily he could be manipulated caused Othello to be a man snared by his own weaknesses.