The Indian Caste System Essay Example for Free

The Indian Caste System Essay The Indian word for caste is jati, which means a large kin-community or descent-group. The word caste comes from the Portuguese casta (breed or race). The Sanskrit word applied to these groupings is varna, which means several things but is often interpreted to signify color. In a verse from the first millennium epic, the Mahabharata, Brigu, the sage explains: The brahmans are fair, the ksatriyas are reddish, the vaisyas yellow and the sudras are black (Huttton). In this essay I look at how the caste system existed in ancient India and how it currently exists in modern India. I will also try and explain how the caste system has evolved from its ancient ways and how it currently functions in modern India: for example, what sort of role it plays in Indias politics and in government policies. I will also give my personal opinion on the Indian caste system. Of the many cultures that flourished in India the literary records of the Indo-Aryan culture are not only the earliest but contain the first mention of the components of the ancient Indian caste. The Indo-Aryan, when they entered India, considered themselves more advanced and more developed than the native aborigines of India. When they (Aryans) came they had mainly three well-defined classes amongst themselves, intermarriage between which must have been rather rare, though not forbidden. These three classes to a great extent worked and functioned the way the caste system functioned but the differences between the three classes was not all that rigidly marked. (Bashm). When the Aryans entered India their first task was to exclude the sudras, a class largely composed of the aborigines, from their (Aryan) religious worship. The lowest caste of the Indian society represented the sudras at that time. The sudras were not allowed to practice religious worship that was developed by the Aryans and they were not allowed to be present in the sacrificial halls of worship. The sudras were further divided into two groups pure or not-excluded (aniravasita) and excluded (niravasita). The latter were quite outside the pale of the Hindu society, and were virtually indistinguishable from the body of the people later to be known as the untouchables. According to the brahman cal textbooks the chief duty of the pure sudra was to wait on the other three classes. He was to eat the  remnants of his masters food, wear his cast-off clothing, and use his old furniture (Bashm). Below the sudras was a group of people called the untouchables. Sometimes they were called the fifth class (pancama), but most historians rejected this term, since they believed that this class of people were so low that they were excluded from the Aryan social order altogether. The untouchables were also known as the candala. According to the ancient Indian law the Candals were to be dressed in the garments of the corpse they had cremated (candals cremated the dead), should eat their food from broken vessels, and should wear only iron ornaments (Bashm). The other three classes at that time were that of the brahmans, ksatriya and the vaisya. There was a sharp distinction between the higher three classes and the sudras. The former were twice born (dvija), once at their natural birth and again at their initiation, when they were invested with the sacred thread and received into the Aryan society (Bashm). This distinction was made on the basis of their varna, or skin color. This type of distinction became even more rigid after the fairer Aryans came into contact with the darker aborigines of India. The brahman was a great divinity in human form. His spiritual power was such that he could destroy the king and his army, if they attempted to infringe on his rights. In law he claimed great privileges, and in every respect he demanded precedence, honor and worship. Often the brahman lived under the patronage of a king, and was provided for by grants of tax-free land, farmed by peasants, who would pay their taxes to the brahman instead of to the king. They performed all the religious sacrifices for the kings and other higher classes for which they were paid and given gifts. No other caste besides the Brahmans could perform religious sacrifices. The brahmans were also considered to be the people between the gods and the mortals. At all times the brahmans supposedly led a truly religious life praying to god and learning the scriptures (Bashm). The second class was the ruling one, the members of which were in the Vedic  period called rajana, and later ksatriya. The theoretical duty of the ksatriya was protection, which included fighting in war and governing in peace. In earlier times he often claimed precedence over the brahman. The kings were considered to be ksatriyas and they could check the power of the Brahman, as the brahmans were supposed to check the power of the ksatriya (Bashm). The third class was that of the vaisya, or the mercantile class, though entitled to the services of the priesthood and to the sacred thread of initiation, but this class was poorer than the brahmans and the ksatriya. The vaisya was sometimes also symbolized as the downtrodden cultivator or a petty merchant who was interested in nothing else but his profit. To understand the functioning of the Indian caste system effectively and simply it will be best if we divide the features of the Hindu society into six major groups: Division in society and how the various castes functioned Castes were groups with well developed lives of their own, and individuals membership to his or her own caste was determined by his birth in that particular caste. The status of a person depended not on his wealth but on the traditional importance of the caste that he had the luck of being born into. Each of the castes was supposed to perform a set of activities and follow a set of rules. Often the set of activities and rules that were assigned to different castes were very different from one another. Each caste had its own panchayat or a governing body. Some of the offences that it dealt with, were : (a) eating, or drinking; (b) seduction of or adultery with a married women; (c) refusal to fulfill the promise of marriage; (d) refusing to send a wife to her husband when old enough; (e) non-payments of debts; (f) petty assaults; (g) insulting a brahman; (h) defying customs. The panchayat was also responsible for sentencing punishments. They also looked after the well being of the individuals of their own caste. Thus, each caste was in a way its own ruler. Hence the members of a caste ceased to be members of the community as a whole. The citizens owned moral allegiance to their caste first, rather than to the community as a whole Dennis, Hutton). Hierarchy As I have earlier mentioned in my paper before hierarchy was a major part of the ancient Indian society. The brahmans were certainly at the top of this hierarchical order followed by the ksatriya, the vaisya and then the sudras. This system of hierarchy was common almost all over India except for a few areas in the south where the artisan caste maintained a struggle for a higher place in the social order and disputed the supremacy of the brahmans (Dennis). Restrictions of Feeding and Social Intercourse There were numerous rules as to what sort of food and drink could be accepted by a person and from what caste. All food was divided into two classes: Kachcha and Pakka. The former was any food in the cooking of which water had been used; and the latter was food cooked in ghi or oil without the addition of water. As a rule, a man would never eat Kachcha food unless it was prepared by a fellow caste man, who in actual practice meant a member of his own endogamous group, or else prepared by his brahmin guru. But a brahmin could accept Kachcha food at the hands of no other caste. As for the Pakka food, a brahmin might take it from the hands of some other castes only. A man of higher caste would not accept Kachcha food from one of the lower. The idea of impurity or pollution was also a very important concept in ancient Indian society. A member of the upper cast could become impure just by the shadow of an untouchable or by his approaching within a certain distance of that member of the upper caste. No Hindu of decent caste would touch a chamar or a dom both of whom were members of the untouchable class. The members of a higher class often restricted the untouchables from using the same wells or the same rivers as theirs since they (untouchables) might pollute the water in the well or the river stream if they accidentally touched it with their hands. In certain areas the untouchables were not allowed to come out of their houses during dawn because their bodies cast too long shadows, which might defile a member of a higher class if it fell on him (Hutton, Dennis). Civil and Religious disabilities and Privileges of the different sections   Different areas in India had different ways of distinguishing between people of different classes. In north India impure castes were segregated and made to live on the outskirts of villages. In some parts of east India the lower castes were given some parts of the cities where they were allowed to live. In other parts of southern India the lower castes were given certain streets on which they could live and they were forbidden to enter certain streets because member of the higher classes lived on those. For example a paraiyan (a caste which came under the shudras) would not be allowed to enter a land or a village that was owned by a brahmin and even a Brahmin would not be allowed to pass through their street. If he happened to enter he would be greeted with cow-dung and water. Also, some of the lower castes were made to drag thorny branches with them to wipe out their footprints and lie at a distance prostrate on the ground if a brahmin passed by, so that the foul shadow might not defile the holy brahmin. Even the schools that were maintained at public cost were practically closed to such impure castes as the chamars and mahars (both of which belonged to the untouchables). The shanars and the izhavas were not allowed to build two story houses because their height might cast a shadow on other houses, bringing bad luck. Under some emperors there were distinctions made between the punishments that were given to a brahmin and a member of the lower caste. The brahmin enjoyed certain privileges that were not enjoyed by any other caste. For example a brahmin could accept gifts and food from a clean sudra. No caste could employ any other priests than the brahmins to perform sacrifices any other religious ceremonies. A brahmin never bowed before any one else, but required others to salute him. A brahmin only could promote a person to a higher caste. A brahmin was considered so important in some kingdoms that he was given special protection by the king (Hutton, Dennis, Bashm). Lack Of Choice of Occupation Generally a caste or a group considered some activities as their hereditary occupation which they thought were right for them and suited their status. Thus a brahmin thought that it was right for him to be a priest and a chamar thought that it was right for him to prepare shoes. This was also true of other occupations such as trading, laboring in  the fields and military service. Also, no caste let a member from the other caste take up their work. Preaching was especially reserved for the brahmins. A person who not brahmin born could not preach and would not be allowed to become a priest. The effect of these rules was that the priestly profession was entirely monopolized by the brahmins, leaving aside the people from the other classes (Hutton). Restrictions on Marriage Most of the groups, whose features I have attempted to characterize had a number of sub-groups, every one of which forbade its members to marry persons from outside their own caste. Each of these groups, popularly known as sub-castes, is thus endogamous. In some parts of India, however, the endogamy system was not that strict and a man from a higher caste was allowed to marry a girl from a lower caste. Except for some exceptional cases like the one mentioned above, inter-caste marriage was extremely limited and each group was expected to marry within their own caste or community. However, if this rule was ever broken, then expulsion from the membership of the group was generally the penalty, which the offending parties had to suffer. Generally expulsion from ones own community was a very major thing since he would not get admission into a higher caste and would have to become a member of a lower caste (Hutton, Dennis). After much discussion about the caste system in ancient India, I feel that I will not do justice to the topic unless I look at its influence in modern India. In the following I will talk about how the caste system works in modern India and how it affects the politics and the policies of modern India. I will conclude by giving my personal opinion on the caste system. The caste system in modern India has been deeply influenced by the mobility that was brought under the British rule; the movement to the cities for higher education and for employment. Lower castes were promoted by certain grants and concessions. The caste system became much less rigid during this time, and the artificial barriers that were set by the brahmans between various castes fell. In addition, all the non-Hindus like the Jains, Christians and Muslims were treated equally. Even the ideas of pollution and  untouchability specially weakened in the cities; even the villages experienced a certain amount of liberalization (Srinivas). However, all this change has been accompanied by a large involvement of caste in administration and policies. Election candidates stand from their castes rather than their respective political parties and get elected on the basis of their caste. Numerically, large castes have become important pressure groups in politics at the District and the State levels. For example a candidate from Maharashtra cannot hope to win elections if he does not allot special deals and packages to the marathas, brahmins, and the mahars (all of these castes are the numerically dominant caste in Maharashtra). The same is true for a candidate standing from Gujrat who will have to promote the interests of the banias, patidars and the kolis; and a candidate from Bihar who would have to promote the bhumihar, kayasth and the rajputs (Srinivas). Modern rural India has been divided into villages and each village has a village leader, who normally is fairly rich and is from a high caste. These village leaders play a very important role in the politics of modern India. Political leaders who stand for elections from their area normally need the help of the village leaders to get the votes of the people of that village and to win elections. In return these village heads can ask the political leaders for loans and grants for their village, which are normally not distributed evenly among the people of that village. Since the village leaders often belong to higher classes, they give most of these loans and grants to the people of the higher class and the people from the lower class get very little of this share. Thus, this results in the higher classes becoming richer and the lower classes becoming poorer. Even the political leaders do not bother to improve their condition till they keep getting their votes and keep winning the elec tions (Srinivas). I will divide my conclusion into two parts. In my first conclusion I will judge the caste system according to all the knowledge I have gained from reading books of various foreign scholars. For my second conclusion, I will talk about the caste system based on my experience and cultural insights. In my first conclusion, I would describe the Indian caste system as a necessary  evil. While it was essential to keep the different parts of the Indian society interconnected and together, I think the way it was followed and implemented was wrong. Every stable and developing society has a hierarchy system with a group of people at the top, some in the middle and then some at the bottom. However, I do not believe it correct for the lowest group to be ill treated and abused, as in the case of the sudras and the untouchables. I believe this where the Indian caste system went wrong. For my second conclusion I would like to propose an argument. We really do not have a lot of information on the caste system to make a judgment about it. Most of the information that we have so far is from 19th century colonialist historians who saw only its surface rigidities and made sweeping generalizations, (condemnatory for the most part), based on too little knowledge and even less experience. They probably did not see this sort of division, as parallel to anything they had in Europe so they could have misunderstood the whole concept altogether. Therefore I dont exactly know what to say about the caste system based on their readings, since we really do not have a lot of information on the caste system to be judgmental about it. Could it be possible that the ancient Indians were not really racists and as I have mentioned did not divide society on the basis of their color. Could it be that they divided their people on the basis of their profession and deeds? The truth of the matter probably lays in the fact that varna, like a lot of Sanskrit words, changed its meaning according to the context it is used in and can denote form, quality, class, category, race, merit or virtue. Whatever be the reality the truth is that the caste system is probably not as apparent in modern India as apparent as it was in the ancient India but I think that the influence that it is now having on Indias politics is disturbing.

Factors that contribute to quality of life

Factors that contribute to quality of life A report by Garavan, Winder and McGee (2001) Health and Social Services for Older People, Consulting Older People on Health and Social Services: A Survey of Use, Experiences and Needs concluded within its findings that older women viewed that they had a low quality of life. Stuart-Hamilton (2000) states that an element within the ageing concept is that men for varying reasons die at a greater rate than women after the age of 70 and that therefore it could be concluded that the ageing experience could be a longer process for women. The elderly population in Ireland is increasing in that according to Connell Pringle (2004) the projected population of older women in 2021 is expected to be between 375,000 and 389,000 which would indicate a rise of over 50 per cent from that in 2002. Ageing can be defined as the process of progressive change in the biological, psychological and social structure of individuals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦aged 60 or over (Stein and Moritz, 1999;4). According to Greenstein (2006) social research is abstract in general in that the concepts are not easily measured because of the subjectivity of the topics and that a way of gaining a vague measure within the research is to ask the participants their level of satisfaction or dis-satisfaction in relation to the sub-themes. Ageing has a direct biological decline and because of this quality of life has been regarded to be directly linked by the health of the person versus ill-health. But health being defined by the World Health Organisation cited in (Bond and Corner, 2004:2) as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing have resulted in the concept that quality of life is much more complex and varied depending on other factors rather than being traditionally associated solely with health (Bond and Corner, 2004). Definition of Quality of Life Quality of life is not scientifically measureable in that it is very subjective to the individual depending on their experiences of ageing and that the terms well-being and life satisfaction are often used as a means of gaining an insight into the degree a person views that they are experiencing quality of life (Vincent, Phillipson and Downs, 2006). Research has shown that quality of life is subjective to the person, Abrams (1973) cited in (Bond and Corner, 2004:4) defines quality of life as the degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction felt by people with various aspects of their lives. This literature review will act as a base for a thesis that will explore the views of older women in Cavan as to the factors that contribute to quality of life. The definition of what is quality of life is not easily determined and many authors offer different domains as the priority but in fact the priority will be subjective to what the individual older person measures as the most important aspect to them (Nay and Garratt, 2009). There has been much focus on what is quality of life in recent years in terms of social policies that have in turn directed service provision and providing care that is impacting positively on a persons quality of life according to Vincent et al (2006). Quality of life according to Nay and Garratt (2009) typically measures general health, physical, cognitive, sexual and emotional functioning while also measuring the happiness of the person but it is subjective to the person in that what one person views as important may differ from another person. Factors such as employment, social networks, social activities, self-identity, financial security and cognitive and physical function are considered to impact on quality of life (Renwick et al (2003) cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009). Also that quality of life in relation to older people is often used as an assessment measure of whether a service is supporting the needs of its clients in that it is not just a measure of quantity of life but that the life has quality within it so that the outcomes of supports or services are impacting positively on quality of life (Nay and Garratt, 2009). That measurement of quality of life is sometimes measured within one domain such as general health while others measure cover several domains. But in general the largest measurement of quality of life is the concept that it is directly connected to the health of the person and their satisfaction regarding their health (Nay and Garratt, 2009). Therefore Health Related Quality of Life is a term that is often used by service providers as a directive for their care provision (Nay and Garratt, 2009:352). Focusing quality of life within the domains of general health can create what is called the disability paradox in that older people rather than viewing their decline in health as an indicator of low quality of life that the expectation of inevitable physical and health decline has resulted in other factors such as social networks and their overall well-being as the domains used to measure their view of quality of life and that it is presumptuous to view that general health is the sole measure of quality of life (Carr and Higginson, (2001) cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009:353). According to Vincent et al (2006) people will view health, social networks and standard of living as important factors within their lives but that the importance of the factors will vary as the person proceeds along their life course. Research sources have shown the complexity in defining the key factors within quality of life and the initial reading by the researcher highlighted that the many elements could be loosely grouped within three sub-themes in relation to quality of life: (1) physical factors general health and physical mobility, (2) economic factors income, and standard of living and (3) social structure factors social networks, cultural environment but further reading has emphasised that even though these concepts are applicable that expanding them further will allow greater exploration and description. In that according to Stuart-Hamilton (2000) that focusing on a narrow of domains could result in some domains appearing more important within the research than they possibly are. That domains such as health, income, and environment have an impact on a persons life satisfaction in general and are all inter-related but that the personality of the person will also impact on the how they measure their life satisfaction (Stuart-Hamilton, 2000). Walker (2005) suggests that as quality of life has no distinct key factors that most research focuses on health, environment, employment and relationships. That the environment has within it the physical, social, cultural and economic elements that can either enhance or reduce quality of life. Health has within it general health and the physical, mental and emotional health of the person. Employment covers income and can be related to the wealth of the person. The key concepts with regard to quality of life as suggested by Hughes (1990) cited in Bond and Corner (2004) are: (1) Physical environmental factors which include quality of accommodation, access to public services such as shops, transport and other public services such as libraries and other leisure outlets. (2) Social environmental factors which include family members, social networks, the level of support obtainable from family and social networks and the levels of leisure activities that the person is involved in. (3) Socio-economic factors which include the general standard of living, the income available to the person and other means of wealth. (4) Cultural factors which include the age, class, gender and religious leaning of the person. (5) Health factors which include general health, mental well-being of the person and physical mobility. (6) Personality factors which include whether the person is an optimist or pessimist, will all impact on the subjectivity by the person on their measure of life satisfaction. (7) Autonomy factors which include the degree that a person has the capability to make their own decisions. (8) Satisfaction subjective to the individual the level of satisfaction over all the areas of their life that they judge as important. There is no definitive on what factors contribute to quality of life, therefore (Arnold (1991); McDowell Newell (1996) cited in Nay and Garratt 2009:355) suggest that the measurement of quality of life should include objective indices such as economic circumstances and housing, those that measure subjective aspects such as morale, happiness and life satisfaction and those that contain both objective and subjective components, such as health related quality of life But according to Bond and Corner (2004) the subjective and objective aspects are interrelated an illustration of this being in that the objective element of health related quality of life could be subjectively not important to the older person who as of yet has not experienced any health issues that they view as impacting on their quality of life. There is a view according to Stuart-Hamilton (2000) within society that the busier the life of an older person the more quality of life that they have. That the subjective measure of life satisfaction can be directly linked to the activities that an older person participates in that give a meaning to their life can be directly linked to one of the theories of ageing Activity Theory (Bond and Corner, 2004). That an indicator of life satisfaction can be the degree that an older person maintains activities within their community, in that the more activities indicate higher levels of life satisfaction. Bond and Corner (2004) disagree and agree with elements of this theory in that they state that although social networks and activities can maintain and support physical and mental health such as reducing depression that ageing has a biological element that can impact on health and reduces an older persons social network as confidantes become ill or eventually die and that it is wrong to e xpect an older person to engage in levels of activities to the degree that they did when they were much younger. Stuart-Hamilton (2000) suggests the concept that engaging in activities for the sake of them does not allow the older person the ability to make their own choices and that within the provision of services for older people that by assuming that any activity is better than none could be directly linked to the application of Disengagement theory whereby it is believed that the older person accepts that death is eventual and therefore prepares for death by choosing to dis-engage from society and that also it has a function of reinforcing the expected process of ageing in Western Society. Personality: And its link to health: One element within a persons personality is that it will relate to their choices with regard to their lifestyle such as diet, exercise all which can aid the life expectancy of a person but what if the persons personality has within it a negative outlook will this impact on how they view the ageing process and the biological decline and that rather than trying to improve their physical well-being by a healthier lifestyle that they approach death and illness as unavoidable and then reduce their activities and disengage from society (Stuart-Hamilton, 2000). Link between psychological well-being and personality and health: Research has shown a link between physical well-being and mental well-being in that according to Whitbourne (1987) cited in Stuart-Hamilton (2000) people that exercised and had levels of what they measured as physical well-being had a general feeling of overall well-being but therefore could it be said that people that have a poor physical well-being are more less satisfied with life (Stuart-Hamilton, 2000). Personality: Preference for lifestyle link: That the personality of a person whether they are an introvert or extrovert will also impact on the lifestyle they choose in that if they are an introvert it will probably follow that as they are older that they will not seek out social activities (Stuart-Hamilton, 2000). Disengagement theory Cumming and Henry, (1961) as cited in Stuart-Hamilton, (2000) suggest that as people get older that they automatically start to disengage from society in degrees as if in preparation for death and this is also supported by society in that the structures have come to expect this disengagement. This disengagement according to Stuart-Hamilton (2000) can be as a result of many factors such as illness, loss of family members, low income that does not provide for activities and also their personality type in that what if they are introvert or extrovert and that disengagement theory has been criticised for the overall image that older people are cutting ties with society in preparation for inevitable death. According to Maddox (1970) cited in Stuart-Hamilton, (2000) this disengagement may simply be a an aspect of the persons personality and that it is not an element of ageing at all. Merriman (1984) cited in Stuart-Hamilton (2000) also criticises disengagement theory an d states that ageing policies within many countries encourage that older people have an high profile within their community. Activity theory was proposed as a way of combating disengagement theory according to Stuart-Hamilton (2000) in that it was proposed that the more activities that an older person engaged in the better their life satisfaction. But this does not allow for choices for the older person and what if their personality is such that enforced activities is wrong (Stuart-Hamilton, 2000). Issues related to measuring Quality of Life There are issues relating to the measurement of quality of life in that the domains are both subjective and objective. The objective indices, such as economic circumstances and housing; those that measure purely subjective aspects, such as morale, happiness, and life satisfaction; and those that contain both objective and subjective components, such as Health Related Quality of Life measures (Arnold, (1991) cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009:355). Vincent et al (2006) agrees that there are both objective and subjective domains but unlike Nay and Garratt (2009) attributes social factors within the objective domains by stating that the number of social networks that a person has is objectively measureable but that the quality of these social networks is a subjective element. Likewise Vincent et al (2006) states that health although measureable in terms of whether an illness was present and therefore objectively measureable that the domain is also subjective in that the importance of health to quality of life will depend on what the individual views health to be. The view by Vincent et al (2006) that the meaning of what is health is subjectively defined by the individual is illustrated by the disability paradox as per (Carr and Higginson, (2001) cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009:353). In that older people rather than viewing their decline in health as an indicator of low quality of life in that the expectation of inevitable physical and health decline have resulted in other factors such as social networks as the domains used to measure their view of quality of life and that it is therefore presumptuous to view that general health is the sole measure of quality of life (Nay and Garratt, 2009). Anderson Bury (1988) cited in Vincent et al (2006) state that people can adjust to illness and develop coping skills so that the illness no longer factors as a significant domain to the person and this would therefore affect the measurement of health within quality of life research. Health and physical functioning as an objective measure in the domains of quality of life are mentioned continually and can in its simplest form according to Nay and Garratt (2009) be that if a person has a condition or range of illnesses be considered to have a low quality of life. But what if the adjustments suggested by Anderson Bury (1988) cited in Vincent et al (2006) were accommodations such as medication or lifestyle changes and were to adjust how the illness impacts on the person could it then be considered that although the health status remains the same but that the accommodations have resulted in the meaning of what is health to not be defined by illness or physical functioning. Therefore in relation to this research the aim is to explore the subjectivity of what the participant views as health and if any accommodations have impacted on the meaning of what is health. Economic factors such as standard of living are objectively measured according to Nay and Garratt (2009) in that income can be an indicator of a standard of living but according to Vincent et al (2006) this objective measure has to be balanced by the subjective measure of what is the expectation of a standard of living and according to Stuart Hamilton (2000) will be directly linked to past experiences of standard of living in that if a person has in the past had a particular standard of living the subjective measure will be linked to whether the same standard of living was expected by the person or not. Therefore in relation to this research with regard to economic factors as a domain within quality of life previous standard of living and expectations of standard of living as an older person and direct experience will be explored. According to Vincent et al (2006) quality of life has no scientific measurement that can define the exact objective degree of quality of life because there are so many variations of what is quality of life. That the experience of life may support or contradict what the objective measure describes as quality of life. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Quantitative methods are often the means of gaining information regarding what is quality of life but using quantitative methods will not allow for the subjectivity of individual experiences and their views on quality of life. That using structured questionnaires still conform to the researchers view of quality of life and does not allow for the exploration of the views of the older person. That these approaches do not allow for the symbolic nature and meaning of life to the individual (Vincent et al, 2006:158). Taking the view that as the person proceeds along the life course that their view of life will remain the same. Stuart Hamilton (2000) suggests that the life course Another challenge in relation to measuring quality of life and with particular reference to older people is that there can be such differences between each person in that as they age the experience in relation to physical, social, emotional, sexual and cognitive functioning is not as homogenous an experience and that these differing experiences will impact on what factors are key to quality of life (Stewart et al (1996) cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009). The setting that the older person lives within will impact greatly on the factors that are viewed as contributors to quality of life in that if a person is living within a residential unit that this group orientated setting will have different routines and rules in comparison to an older person living within community in general, and that for those within a residential setting that research has shown that dignity, self-determination and participation and accommodation of resident needs were considered to be the factors that impacted on quality of life (Nay and Garratt, 2009:357). That measurement of quality of life needs to consider the domains that are considered contributors within quality of life and that how the research is conducted in that the way that questions are asked can create a bias. As already stated biological decline is a natural aspect of ageing therefore if an indicator of quality of life were to be considered the level of physical functioning it would be inappropriate to ask the participant if they were physically able to do as much and for as long as they used to when they were younger and that this would not be a realistic indicator of quality of life according to Nay and Garratt, (2009). Measurement tools are World Health Organisation Quality of Life Instrument (whoqol) (Skevington et al 2004), cited in Nay and Garratt, 2009. Conclusion This literature review has explored the concept of quality of life and that the factors that are considered to contribute to quality of life are varied and can contain subjective and objective components and that older people in order to measure quality of life should not be viewed as a homogenous group.

Personal Narrative Essay Outline

Personal Narrative Essay Outline Now that youve read and analyzed a personal narrative essay, you are going to prepare an outline for an essay that you could write. At this point, you will not go so far as to actually write the essay, but you may at the end of this unit so make sure its something you actually could write about. Step 1: Brainstorming a topic The personal narrative essay centers around a story from your own life. In your essay you will both tell the story and analyze the significance of that story. SoÂÂ   try to think of a story that led you to an important belief you have. Maybe its a belief you have about whats important in life, or a discovery you made about yourself.ÂÂ   You may brainstorm by creating a mind map or just by doing some free-writing. Either way, you will hand in your brainstorming with this sheet. Step 2: Thesis Your thesis for an essay like this is different from other thesis statements. Think of it more like a belief statement. Eg/ I believe that by exploring my own fears I become wiser. You may not use that exact wording in your essay, but it doesnt matter. You have to support your belief statement with the examples from your story but you dont have to prove it. Thesis:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 3: Mapping out the story and thinking about how each element supports your belief. Parts of the story How it helped you develop your belief Beginning: Middle: End: Step 4: Precise and vivid language Narrative essays use many of the same techniques as short stories. Think about some precise and vivid uses of language you could include. Come up with at least three. They could include imagery, similes, use of contrast, metaphor, etc. Eg/ the tango with fear makes me wise. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 5: Character? Dialogue? Will you have any characters in your essay? Any dialogue? If so who? What will they say? Remember, character and dialogue is used to help you support your thesis-not just to tell the story. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Submissive and Evil Women of The Holy Bible :: Holy Bible Essays

The Submissive and Evil Women of the Bible      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Bible and the church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of woman's emancipation.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A famous 19th century feminist named Elizabeth Cady Stanton voiced this about her struggle for women's freedom. Women, considered a lower class than the men, wanted this subjugation changed. Part of the reason for the subjugation of women is that the Bible could be interpreted in many different ways to suit the needs of the interpreter. These interpretations of the Bible are in part responsible for the belief that women are of a lower class than men. The reason this belief is present in our society is that approximately 85% of Americans are Judeo-Christian. We see examples of these beliefs when we look at the church, the daily lives of women, and the media. Looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we see why our religious society could interpret the Bible this way:    Let a woman learn in silence with all submission, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We must look at the historical context of the passage. Written approximately 2000 years ago, many parts of the Bible seem outdated. The passage portrays a time when women were property and were â€Å"trained† to be weak and fragile. This stopped only about 30 years ago. Before this time, society taught women from birth to be submissive to men. What does this mean to us today? It means that although American Society is no longer training women to be submissive, the problem is still present in our belief system. Many churches do not believe that women should be part of the clergy. This is because they interpret parts of the Bible, such as 1 Timothy 2:11-12, as saying that only men should preach. In 1848, women made a retaliation to these sentiments. At the Seneca Falls convention, women (including Elizabeth Cady Stanton) signed a Declaration of Sentiments. In the declaration it states:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He allows her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate position,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   claiming apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   affairs of the church  Ã‚   (Declaration 1)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The people that these women fought against, including other women, believe that it is the duty of a woman to be quiet and submissive. I have experienced this anti-freedom dogma growing up in the Church of Christ community. I experience this dogma when I talk with my grandmother, a woman who lives by

Kurt Cobain: Collection Of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives :: essays research papers

Kurt Cobain: Collection of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives I would like to share some of the memories and perceptions I have concerning this unique, rare and original human being called Kurt Cobain. I knew Kurt during his teen-age years in the period from about 1979 to 1984. I was in my mid-30s and living in and near Montesano. My sister married Kurt's dad, Don, and also lived in Montesano. My grandfather comprehended the intelligence and individuality in Kurt at a time when Kurt was being beaten down mentally and physically. "Gramps" often told me of his respect for Kurt's tenacity and compassion even though he was in emotional pain. Shortly before Gramps died, he had been talking about Kurt. He looked at me and said words to the effect that he could see a nobility about Kurt that he had never seen in anyone in all his 70 years. One time, Gramps invited Kurt along on one of our steelhead fishing trips. We were spread out a few hundred feet apart along the Wynooche River. All of a sudden, we heard this horrendous combination of screaming, warbling and yodeling from Kurt, who was upstream and out of sight. Gramps told me to run up there and help Kurt, who must have hooked a big fish. When I reached Kurt, he didn't even have his line in the water. When I asked him what was going on, he just looked at me with those piercing eyes and huge grin. He said, "Oh, I'm just trying to thicken my vocal chords so I can scream better!" When I went back to Gramps to tell him, he just grinned and said, "It figures, We'll just let him be!" We can now say, "Thank you, Kurt, for thickening your vocal chords!" Kurt didn't fit the general mold of society in a logging town, and so he was beaten upon by people who didn't understand him. One day I heard that he was in a fight a few blocks away. When I ran to the scene, the fight was over. However, I heard from a friend that Kurt was assaulted by a burly, 250-pound logger type. Evidently, Kurt did not even fight; he just presented the bully with the appropriate hand gesture everytime he was knocked down until the bully gave up. To top it all off, Kurt just had that usual grin on his face! A final footnote to this small remembrance of Kurt: A wonderful picture comes to mind of a rare, sunny day when I peeked out the window into the yard. Kurt Cobain: Collection Of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives :: essays research papers Kurt Cobain: Collection of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives I would like to share some of the memories and perceptions I have concerning this unique, rare and original human being called Kurt Cobain. I knew Kurt during his teen-age years in the period from about 1979 to 1984. I was in my mid-30s and living in and near Montesano. My sister married Kurt's dad, Don, and also lived in Montesano. My grandfather comprehended the intelligence and individuality in Kurt at a time when Kurt was being beaten down mentally and physically. "Gramps" often told me of his respect for Kurt's tenacity and compassion even though he was in emotional pain. Shortly before Gramps died, he had been talking about Kurt. He looked at me and said words to the effect that he could see a nobility about Kurt that he had never seen in anyone in all his 70 years. One time, Gramps invited Kurt along on one of our steelhead fishing trips. We were spread out a few hundred feet apart along the Wynooche River. All of a sudden, we heard this horrendous combination of screaming, warbling and yodeling from Kurt, who was upstream and out of sight. Gramps told me to run up there and help Kurt, who must have hooked a big fish. When I reached Kurt, he didn't even have his line in the water. When I asked him what was going on, he just looked at me with those piercing eyes and huge grin. He said, "Oh, I'm just trying to thicken my vocal chords so I can scream better!" When I went back to Gramps to tell him, he just grinned and said, "It figures, We'll just let him be!" We can now say, "Thank you, Kurt, for thickening your vocal chords!" Kurt didn't fit the general mold of society in a logging town, and so he was beaten upon by people who didn't understand him. One day I heard that he was in a fight a few blocks away. When I ran to the scene, the fight was over. However, I heard from a friend that Kurt was assaulted by a burly, 250-pound logger type. Evidently, Kurt did not even fight; he just presented the bully with the appropriate hand gesture everytime he was knocked down until the bully gave up. To top it all off, Kurt just had that usual grin on his face! A final footnote to this small remembrance of Kurt: A wonderful picture comes to mind of a rare, sunny day when I peeked out the window into the yard.

Export Strategy Belgian Chocolate Factory

Table of contents Introduction 1? Presentation of the company 1. 1? History 1. 2? Philosophy 1. 3? Organization 1. 4? The company’s activities 1. 5? Activities concerned by the exportation 2? Macro economic analysis 2. 1? LE PEST C analysis 3? Export strategy 3. 1? The reasons of the company’s international opening 3. 2? The current exporting strategy 4? Export abilities 4. 1? The export diagnosis 4. 1. 1? The production tool 4. 1. 2? The finance 4. 1. 3? The products 4. 2? Analysis of the German market 4. 2. 1? The Four C framework 4. 2. 2? Satisfyer 5? Dolfin’s SWOT analysis 5. 1. 1? Explanations of Swot 6? Recommendations 6. 1? Competition on the German market 6. 2? Distribution problems 7? Conclusion 8? Bibliography 1? 2? 2? 2? 2? 3? 3? 5? 5? 7? 7? 8? 10? 10? 10? 10? 10? 11? 11? 13? 14? 14? 17? 17? 18? 19? 20? Introduction In this report, we have chosen to analyze Dolfin, a Belgian company that has been producing fullflavoured chocolate bars since 1989. We will be analysing the exports of Dolfin, which nowadays is exporting to 22 countries around the world. The purpose of this report is to make an export audit in order to check if the company meets the necessary requirements. The main objective of this report is to build a SWOT analysis regarding the export of the company in order to propose development strategies linked to it. In order to do so, we have divided our work into 5 parts: first an analysis of the company, secondly we will focus on the international environment of Dolfin. After that we will move on to its export strategy before developing its export abilities. Finally, we will analyse Dolfin’s management of international operations in order to conclude with recommendations. The country we have chosen to explore is Germany, firstly because it is one of the biggest consumers of chocolate in the world1, and secondly because recently Dolfin has faced some issues in order to export to this country. Besides, Germany is Dolfin’s main exporting country. PONTILLON, J. ,( coordinateur),Cacao et chocolat : production, utilisation, caracteristiques, Paris , Editions TEC et DOC, 1998, p25. 1 ? 1 1 Presentation of the company 1. 1 History Two Belgian brothers – Michael and Jean-Francois Poncelet – who decided to follow in their father’s footsteps, created Dolfin in 1989. Both of them grew up with a fascination for the process of making chocolate. 2 â€Å"Always bearing in mind this craftsman's approach, forcing the tool to meet the demands of quality, rather than the other way around, the sales have been rising steadily, amounting to 220 tonnes in the year 2000. The top-of-the-range bars and Neapolitan chocolate squares are now on offer in prestigious emporiums such as Selfridges in London, La Grande Epicerie in Paris, the KDW in Berlin and the Sony Plaza in Tokyo†. 3 1. 2 Philosophy4 For the master chocolate makers of Dolfin, chocolate is a passion. They dare to create the most unexpected combinations, to invent the subtlest harmonies, searching as a team for the finest ingredients selected from the best that nature offers. Their chocolate coverings are made of exclusive recipes, constant in quality and taste. Dolfin also offers a wide range of chocolate, from 32% cocoa in milk chocolate to 88% in the bitterest. Containing less sugar, less fat and more cocoa than traditional recipes, Dolfin’s products concentrate the nutritional and therapeutic qualities of chocolate. Simple and authentic, chocolate is stored naturally for a long time (one year without any preserving agent). 1. Organization Dolfin is a Belgian private limited company with a turnover of 3. 000. 000 â‚ ¬ and a net profit of 429. 237 â‚ ¬ in 20085. WORLD WIDE CHOCOLATE, Dolfin chocolates and chocolate bars, URL address: http://www. worldwidechocolate. com/shop_dolfin. html (viewed 16th November 2009). 3 Dolfin – Dark chocolate, URL address: http ://www. finedarkchocolate. com/Chocolate/Dolfin/index. asp (viewed 16th November 2009). 4 DOLFIN, Philosophie, URL address: http://dolfin. be/index. php? lang=En=philosophie (viewed the 16th November 2009).? 5 NATIONAL BANK OF BELGIUM, Comptes annuels en euro, 2008, 18p. , URL address : http://banquenationale. e/pub/ (viewed the 20th November 2009) 2 ? 2 Organization chart: General chocolates Company Holding Dolfin S. A. 5 Shareholders JJ. de Gruben Administration Finance Marketing R Production Purchase Quality Sales department 1 person 1 person 2 persons 12-15 pers. 1. 4 The company’s activities The main activities of the company are: – Gourmet squares with personalised packaging: The original activity of Dolfin is to make chocolate bars for companies with a personalised packaging in order to be used as gifts or as advertisement. Nowadays, even though this activity has decreased, it still represents 25% of the turnover. As a small company, Dolfin is more flexible and can offer tailor made products. – The Dolfin chocolate range offers chocolate bars of 30 and 70 grams, Gourmet squares, chocolate flakes and dark chocolate petals with flowers, Jacqmotte coffee chocolate bars. – Tohi brand: this new Dolfin’s brand created in September 2008, is organic certified (controlled by Certisys) and fair trade (controlled by Max Havelaar). 1. 5 Activities concerned by the exportation ? 3 – Dolfin chocolate bars are exported in more than 22 countries, often in specialised  « delicatessen  ». It is considered as fine chocolate, and it is sold in the most luxurious and prestigious place in trendsetter’s cities such as Paris (Lafayette), London, New York, Berlin†¦ – The Tohi brand is only exported in health food shops to make sure people trust the brand before selling it in other shops. ? 4 2 Macro economic analysis 2. 1 LE PEST C analysis In order to understand clearly the environment in which our organisation works, it’s important to make a â€Å"LE PEST C Analysis†. This one ensures Dolfin to adapt its strategy to each specific market taking account of the external environment. Legal aspects: There are 3 specific laws and norms: The HACCP norms in Belgium (â€Å"Hazard Analyses Critical Control Points†) regulate the quality of food industry products by preventing, managing and controlling the production chain6. The ISO 22000 â€Å"specifies requirements for a food safety management system where an organization in the food chain needs to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe at the time of human consumption. †7 This norm is applicable to all organizations, regardless of the size, which are involved in any aspect of the food chain and want to implement systems that consistently provide safe products. European Directive: The labelling and the presentation of chocolate and cocoa products are regulated by the E. C (directive 2003/13/EC and 2000/36/EC). On a global view, pre-packed foodstuffs (to be delivered to the final consumers) must comply with compulsory standards on labelling and advertising. On the packaging must appear: – the name under which product is sold – a list of ingredients – the potential allergens – the durability date – the conditions for keeping – the place of origin FOULON L. , Hygiene et technologie de chocolaterie, Bruxelles, CERIA, syllabus, 2009-2010, p. International Organization for Standardization, URL address: http://www. iso. org/iso/catalogue_detail? csnumber=35466 (viewed the 02nd of November 2009). 8 Idem 7 6 ? 5 Each of these indications must be written in an easily understood language (official language of the country of marketing), especially for the chocolate or cocoa derivatives, we should also mention if there is a use of vegetable fats9. Ecological With the growing concern about the environment, Dolfin has to take into account various environmental pressures. For several years now, it decided to cut its greenhouse gasses emissions and has become the first neutral carbon chocolate factory in Belgium. Moreover, a lot of specific materials are now forbidden and companies have to adapt. Due to that, Dolfin has made contracts with some firms specialized in ecological packaging. Political The political stability and the good relationship between Belgium and Germany are crucial. Economical: Globally, Germans are scared of the inflation level10. The sector is dependent on cocoa which is quoted on the stock exchange market and very sensitive to speculation. Moreover, it’s a seasonal product and there is a slack period from March to June. Sociocultural: Here is a growing concern for several years with healthy food and obesity which can lead to a change in food habits and the need of specific products (less sugar, more cocoa). Technological For all new projects, Dolfin has to think about environmental pressures. Competitivity: The competition in the sector is tough. Dolfin is a mid-upscale product and have to compete with multinational companies and other upscale product. Furthermore, in this sector, the competition is all the more intensive as products can be easily imitated. After launched a new one, competitors can copy the recipe without difficulty. ?EUROPA, Etiquetage, presentation et publicite des denrees alimentaires, URL address : http://europa. eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/l21090_fr. htm, (viewed 1st November) 10 GERMAN CULTURE, Germany in the World Economy, URL address : http://www. germanculture. com. ua/library/facts/bl_germany_world_economy. htm (viewed on the 15th of November).? 9 ? 6 3 Export strategy 3. The reasons of the company’s international opening Dolfin didn’t really aspire to export in the beginning but it came out as a good solution. On the one hand, the brand (Dolfin and Tohi) can keep their own shops in Belgium in order to boost the sales and to improve the brand awareness among potential new customers. On the other hand, Dolfin can export its products on the international market, which appeared to be the best solution because Belgian chocolate has a worldwide good reputation abroad. The three main countries where Dolfin is exporting are: Germany, France and the United States of America. As explained before we have decided to focus on the German market. To understand the situation we will first have a look at the evolution and how they penetrated the market in 2001. In 2001, at the Ism fair (one of the most important fairs for chocolate makers) in Germany, German importers showed interest to import the company’s products. We could say that Dolfin did not really have a strategy ready for that. They decided to export in order to satisfy this demand. They started with 2 distributors: Feinkost (confectionery) and Suesswaren (delicatessen). They had exclusive contracts with these 2 distributors. By 2005, according to Nathalie Trachte, one of the administrators of Dolfin, the interest for quality food in Germany is increasing. This means they prefer to pay more for high quality chocolate bars than eating a huge quantity of bulk chocolate. By that time, Dolfin realised they had no commercial strategy in Germany and that they had very few market shares. In 2006, the turnover of the German exportations dropped off by 15%. The reasons are first, because both distributors became competitors; secondly, it was due to the increasing number of new chocolate products on the German market. 1 In 2008, despite the crisis, the price of raw materials and the cultural fear for inflation in Germany, the exportations remained at a certain level. Moreover specialised shops decided to focus on bestsellers like Dolfin. However, the turnover kept on decreasing. In 2009, because of the very long summer, the season started a bit later. 11 Belcolade Conference, Salon de Paris 2009 (14th – 18th October 2009) ? 7 Belgian export to Germany (code SH18-cacao)12 : (M â‚ ¬) Chocolate and Cocoa Total export 2002 202,87 2003 199,60 2004 217,878 2005 240,18 2006 249,03 2007 278,49 2008 281,42 9. 402,07 31. 067,38 34. 037,69 35. 271,04 38. 451,03 38. 727,10 42. 605,73 This graph demonstrates an evolution in the Belgian exports of chocolate and cacao towards Germany between 2002 and 2008. This represents an increase of about 38% in 6 years. This means that Dolfin is acting in a growing market and that there are still opportunities to seize. 3. 2 The current exporting strategy Dolfin started to rethink the way it was exporting to Germany. In 2007, they decided to use the 5 P’s theory: – Product: launching new products and combining new flavours. Price: the price is higher than other standard chocolates as they sell quality products. However, it is not as expensive as premium chocolate. They didn’t want to change the price as they consider it as a fair one for a mid-upscale product. As we are talking about a niche product, changing the price wouldn’t be a suitable action to take. Communication by mail with Mrs Stas Marie, Service Evaluation et Strategie, Agence Wallonne a l'Exportation et aux Investissements Etrangers, 3/11/09 ? 12 ? 8 – Place: Dolfin started to look for suitable places for their products in order to create a luxury, exclusive image. They decided to work with only one of the 2 distributors. – Promotion: Dolfin decided to advertise, to promote, to organize tastings in shops, releasing more press articles, etc†¦ – People: the question was: â€Å"are they working with the right people and do they know them enough? † As a response they increased the number of visits to distributors. In a nutshell, Dolfin is using direct exports selling its products straight to distributors. ? 9 4 Export abilities 4. 1 The export diagnosis 4. 1. 1 The production tool The production capacity Dolfin exports today 85% of its total production out of the Belgian territory. However, it’s only using half of its production capacity. The production adaptability Each exporting market has its own demand specificities and likings, that’s why Dolfin pays special attention to analyze the product and make sure it will be suitable for most of the export markets. 4. 1. 2 The finance Dolfin gets its money mainly from the shareholders. They get subsidies from AWEX for the set up of the website, transport for fairs, stands, catalogues, etc. Dolfin doesn’t invest a lot in investigation. They actually wait for potential customers to come to them. 4. 1. 3 The products The Bio-physical characteristic Chocolate has 6 main enemies: humidity, temperature shocks, too high temperature, light, insects and smells†¦ The transport should also prevent strong smells to reach the chocolate because the cocoa butter is very sensitive to the smells. Chocolate is a perishable commodity with an average life time going from 12 to 18 months (depending on the flavours). Therefore, it is essential to assure, on the one hand, a quick transportation and, and on the other hand, good transport conditions to hamper the chocolate to become white if the temperature is not suitable. The regulatory criterion Chocolate being an alimentary product, several norms and regulations are in use worldwide. As seen before, in Belgium we have the HACCP norms and companies also apply the ISO 22000 along with the European directives. ? 10 4. 2 Analysis of the German market 4. 2. 1 The Four C framework From the mid nineties to the late nineties, Germany was considered as a â€Å"mass market† as well as a very compressed â€Å"price market†. Indeed the Germans were known to be big consumers of milk chocolate buying low quality chocolate. However, in the late nineties, beginning of 2000, interest for quality increased and Germany became a connoisseur market. That is when Dolfin entered the German market. â€Å"Marketing is a system for identifying and satisfying customer needs and wants†¦profitably  »13. In order to do so, businesses have got to be customer oriented, which means they have to think in their point of view. In fact, the four P framework we analyzed previously will be now converted into C’s: Product = Customer Solution †¢ Quality products are of great interest as well as organic certified products as it is a growing trend. †¢ Design and packaging of Dolfin’s products are attractive to target audience and they are original. For the packaging, they respect the European directives concerning languages that must appear on the label. Indeed, in the case of Germany, customers can read the ingredients and other type of information in German, but also in French, English and Dutch. Doing this, Dolfin can use the same packaging for Belgium or other countries where these languages are spoken. †¢ 59% are loyal to their brand14. Price = Customer Value †¢ Does price matter? For some, absolutely: Germans are the most price-conscious chocolate buyers (35%)15. But Dolfin suits its prices to the audience it targets, so there is no change TLATLI F. , Behaviors of the actors of the market, Bruxelles, ICHEC, slides 2009-2010. BARRY CALLEBAUT, Survey, 2008, URL address : http://www. barrycallebaut. com/56? group=,year=,lang=en,keyword=,page=1,release =4072,read=en (viewed 15th November) 15 idem 14 13 ? 11 needed regarding this. Furthermore, according to Nathalie Trachte: the costs related to the chocolate production don’t enable them to lower their price. 16 †¢ Regarding the payments, they act different towards European and non-European customers. Indeed, customers inside Europe like Germany have to pay the first 5 orders in advance. After this period they’ll get 30 days credit for each order. If the customer doesn’t pay after those 30 days, Dolfin won’t accept any order from them. Outside Europe, another policy is applied in order to hedge risks. They won’t deliver products, unless they have received the counter-part and this for every order. †¢ Nathalie Trachte also pointed out the fact that prices or payments negotiations are difficult and long but once they are achieved, they do not discuss them again. Place = Convenience †¢ In Germany, Dolfin sells its products through different channels. The company is represented in small specialized shops but also in high class supermarkets. Their geographical coverage is very large. Indeed, you can find Dolfin’s Chocolates almost everywhere but only in luxurious places. This is very important for the image of the brand. In Germany you find them next to competitors such as Domori, Valrhona, etc. †¢ Concerning the transport of the goods, they use the Incoterms Ex Works, which means that â€Å"the seller, in this case Dolfin, puts the goods at the disposal of the buyer in his accommodations†17. As seen previously, the transport has to take into account the bio-physical characteristics of chocolate. Futhermore, we will analyze the reason of this choice in the SWOT analysis. Promotion + PEOPLE = communication †¢ They especially emphasize on this concept. Indeed, satisfied customer is the best advertising. In terms of P’s, promotion and especially people are of great importance since they allow Dolfin to establish a good dialogue between both their suppliers and customers. As analyzed previously, due to the crisis the company had to review its strategy and in order to do so, they focused their attention on communication. This permits Dolfin to be closer to their distributors and hence their customers. Personal interview with Nathalie Trachte, Administrator and Marketing responsible, Dolfin, Bruxelles, Belgium, 27th October 2009.? 17 HEINEN M-L. , Managing International Operations, Bruxelles, ICHEC, slides 2009-2010, p. 39. 16 ? 12 4. 2. 2 Satisfyer Dolfin has to know how to develop its customers’ satisfaction. They are looking for global satisfaction to have total happiness. Because it is not only at the point of sales, but most of all while consuming the product that the customer becomes satisfied, Dolfin is concentrating its efforts on the intangible elements, the most important part of satisfaction. Indeed, for them, launching new quality products with original recipes is important but not only: they also have to invent other elements around that product in order to differentiate it from the competition with the aim to bring customer’s satisfaction. Within this concept of intangible elements, we distinguish the basic ones and the dynamic ones. As regards Dolfin’s basic intangible, quality is of great importance. That’s why, they stress on good services and constant quality to deliver what they promised to the customer. To ensure that, Dolfin’s production methods conform to the strictest and most up-to-date standards of quality and cleanliness. One of the priorities of Dolfin is not only to make sure ingredients come from considered and concerned sources, but also to stay up-to-date in respect to the environment. In fact, Dolfin became the first CO2-neutral Belgian chocolate maker. Related to that quality, Dolfin is trying to create continuity. Indeed, focused on the future, they have to make sure the customer will remain loyal to them. To do so, they are also trying to launch and deliver their new creations on time as well on the market as to the customers. This can only work if Dolfin can trust its customers, but also it has to have good relationships inside and outside the company. Inside the company, everybody knows each other as they are only 15. Outside the company, they are working with suppliers and distributors they have known for a long time. For the dynamic intangible, we can say that it is a prestige product for which the customer knows he will spend more money than for a standard chocolate, but in exchange, he gets a good feeling eating it. ? 13 5 Dolfin’s SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses – Organic and Fair-trade Brand : Max Havelaar & – Organic:? ifferent production schedules â€Å"Organic farming† certified – Packaging : language, experience, resistance and traceability – Respect of sanitary rules: A. F. S. C. A – No allergens contained (targets wider audience) – Small company: faster decision making – Present in trendsetter cities – No intermediaries (closer to customer) – Tastings, workshops, exhibitions in shops – Production capacity not fully used – Not in charge of the transport (Ex Works) – CO2 neutral ? more controls (Max Havelaar) – Low financial backup – Not in charge of the transport (Ex Works) Opportunities – Few competition for Belgian organic chocolate – Growing demand for fine dark chocolate in Germany18 – Good reputation of Belgian chocolate19 Threats – Cocoa is quoted on the stock exchange – Profit linked to cash flow management – Competitive market – Copying of packaging and recipes – Seasonal product – World wide economical crisis 5. 1. 1 Explanations of SWOT Since some of the elements were not seen before or could be misunderstood, we would like to add more information. STIGSET M. , German Chocolate Market Is `Saturated,' Association Head Says, URL address : http://www. loomberg. com/apps/news? pid=20601100=aosOXeX9FzD4=germany (viewed 17th November 2009) 19 MERCIER, J. , la tentation du chocolat, Belgique, Editions Racines, 2007, p82-101. 18 ? 14 Strength: – Their packaging is the same for Belgium as for Germany because it is written in 4 languages. Besides, the experience in packaging is due to their first activity in the chocolate business, in which they were making private label range products with Dolfin chocolate in it. They are very conscientious regarding traceability. Therefore, every packaging has a batch on it. Within their new export strategy, they focus on the promotional aspect. Indeed, Dolfin organises tastings, workshops †¦ to attract the customer in an original way. – The production capacity not being fully used, the company could increase the production without spending too much money on new machinery. Consequently, the company could raise its production capacity very quickly and respond faster than competitors to an order. – In most cases, Dolfin doesn’t organize the transport. They use the Incoterms Ex Works. This allows them to focus on their production and not on transport issues. Besides, their customers (importers) are used to transport and know better how to do it. Nevertheless, Dolfin sometimes recommends a transport company to its customers. – In 2008, Dolfin took the initiative to reduce its emissions of CO2 by 15%. Moreover, they took part in a project in Rajasthan to offset their remaining CO2 emissions20. That way, Dolfin became the first CO2 neutral company of Belgium. Weaknesses: – Having an organic and fair-trade brand does include some disadvantages. Firstly, the production schedule will have to be modified in order to prevent contamination between both conventional and organic production. Secondly, Max Havelaar (fair trade) and Certisys21 (organic) check the production to make sure it is worth its organic and fair-trade certification. – The disadvantage of an Ex Works system is that customers may want a full service. However, Dolfin sometimes makes exceptions for some customers. Opportunities: – There is a growing demand for higher-quality dark chocolate in Germany22. Germans are becoming connoisseur and prefer quality. DOLFIN, Environnement, URL address: http://dolfin. be/index. php? lang=En=philosophie (viewed the 20th November 2009).. 1 CERTISYS, Organic Guarantee – Certisys, URL address: http://www. tohi. be/En/home. php? lang=En (viewed the 16th of November). 22 STIGSET M. , op. cit. , p. 12 20 ? 15 Threats: – The cocoa is quoted on the stock exchange in Pounds per ton. This means this raw material is very sensitive to speculations. Furthermore, the production of cocoa depends on the weather, the climate previsions (droughts, floods, p lants diseases†¦) but also the political situation in the producing countries. 23 In addition to that, other raw materials are also quoted (milk powder, sugar†¦ ). As regards the profit of the company, it is inked to the purchase of raw materials because the cocoa price is very volatile. Unfortunately, a price increase cannot fully be rejected on the client, and the company has to bear the burden of this problematic situation. – A good cash flow management is of great importance. It is capital to get paid from customers before paying suppliers. Therefore, Dolfin has to manage well its purchases and sales cycles: they need to have a positive net working capital. – In the chocolate sector, we observe a lot of copying of both the packaging and recipes. Indeed, during fairs for example, it is common to spy on the competition. Therefore, industrial companies copy the ideas of smaller chocolate makers. – Recently, because of the crisis, the bankruptcy of a big customer has consequences on the financial situation of Dolfin. 23 PONTILLON J. , op. cit. , p. 1.? ? 16 6 Recommendations In order to propose recommendations, it is of interest to analyze the history of the current export strategy of Dolfin. We have seen that in 2001 Dolfin started to export to Germany on the demand of two German importers. In fact, Dolfin didn’t plan to export at that time and they didn’t develop any export strategy in order to do so. They just did it, and, until 2007, business went good – sales and turnover increased every year. But in 2007 things went on differently. Dolfin started to loose market shares, and business didn’t go on better in 2008. Starting from that point, we are going to build our recommendations. By interviewing Nathalie Trachte, administrator and manager of the marketing department of Dolfin, we tried to find out the reasons of the current situation. Out of the discussion appeared two essential facts: the competition on the German market has strongly increased and Dolfin is facing distribution problems. . 1 Competition on the German market As developed previously in the cross-cultural analysis, we have to think and act in terms of customer solution and not the other way around. Recent surveys of Barry-Callebaut24 reveal some figures about the German chocolate consumers. Here are some interesting conclusions: – 60% prefers milk chocolate – only 37% consumes dark choc olate (less than all other Europeans) – German consumers are especially keen on change: 25% of German chocolate lovers surveyed regularly try different types and flavours. Among a trend towards premium chocolate, original, organic and fair trade chocolates are becoming increasingly popular. To be able to offer customer solutions to the German consumers, we would recommend: – to increase the amount of milk chocolate products it offers. For example, currently, only 5 out of the 17 flavours of the chocolate bars of 70 grams are made with milk chocolate. – to develop the marketing around Tohi. Indeed, as fair trade and organic food become more popular on the German market, we shall respond to this demand. This should be done through smart advertising. As we noticed before, Germans are sensitive to good quality products and keen to change 24 BARRY CALLEBAUT, op. cit. , p. 11 ? 17 as mentioned above. Therefore, it is of great importance to increase the customer’s awareness regarding the combination of quality – organic- and fair trade, with a particular stress on the quality of Tohi’s product. With these 2 recommendations we hope to respond to the problem concerning the increase in competition. 6. 2 Distribution problems To address the second problem relating to the distribution, we shall focus on ommunication: – We believe that frequent meetings between distributors and Dolfin’s employees would improve the established dialogue. Indeed, by doing this, they can share the knowledge concerning Dolfin range of products, and also the philosophy and strategy of the company. This would be particularly interesting when new creations are launched. This enables Dolfin to have a more coherent strategy and to achieve cohesion between Dolfin, distributors and customers. This way, the message the company is sending will be understood the right way. This might take time and money to be implemented, but it is worth a try. Let’s now focus on possible openings: First, hotel-catering trade (Horeca) is an attractive sector. In Belgium, the company has a partnership with â€Å"le pain quotidien†. We believe it would be interesting to seek for similar cooperation in Germany. Secondly, since chocolate sales are high during specific events such as Christmas, birthdays, Saint Valentine days, mothers/fathers’ days, etc†¦ They should develop new/original ideas in order to respond to this demand. That’s why we came up with the idea that a package including flowers and chocolate could satisfy the specific demand during those special days. However, it is important to point out that it would be a difficult business to develop since laws and norms concerning foodstuffs are very strict. Finally, as the e-business is spreading all around the world, we thought Dolfin should develop a new strategy regarding this. On the one hand, it would enable the company to reach new customers and on the other hand, it allows being closer to their already loyal distributors/customers. Nevertheless, this implies hiring new employees who can manage properly both businesses and the creation of a new department. In addition to that, it is difficult, through the web, to be close to their clients and to establish a good communication. ? 18 7 Conclusion We have reached the end of our analysis and it is now time for us to conclude the work. Firstly, we want to thank Nathalie Trachte for her devotion and vital information. By doing this paper we’ve learned to think in terms of international market and export. We’ve encountered 2 main problems during this assignment: the distribution and the competition on the German market. In order to tackle these, we have relied on the SWOT-analysis which we have built up, in order to develop recommendations. We do hope these will be suitable for Dolfin. For each of the 2 problems, we have tried to find possible solutions. In addition to that, we have also intended to be more creative, considering other possible market openings. Nevertheless, we have to bear in mind the fact that we are not professionals with an experienced background and we may have forgotten to take some aspects into account for the analysis. Furthermore, to make a relevant export audit, more time and more information, especially regarding the German market, would be required. ? 19 8 Bibliography 8. 1 Books †¢ FOULON L. Hygiene et technologie de chocolaterie, Bruxelles, CERIA, syllabus, 2009-2010, 35p. †¢ MERCIER, J. , la tentation du chocolat, Belgique, Editions Racines, 2007, 240p. †¢ PONTILLON, J. , Cacao et chocolat: production, utilisation, caracteristiques, Paris, Editions TEC et DOC, 1998, 638p. 8. 2 Websites †¢ BARRY CALLEBAUT, Survey, 2008, URL address : http://www. barrycallebaut. com/56? g roup=,year=,lang=en,keyword=,page=1,release=4072,read=en (viewed 15th November) †¢ CERTISYS, Organic Guarantee – Certisys, URL address: http://www. tohi. be/En/home. php? lang=En (viewed the 16th of November). Dolfin – Dark chocolate, URL address: http://www. finedarkchocolate. com/Chocolate/Dolfin/index. asp (viewed 16th November 2009). †¢ DOLFIN, Philosophie, URL address: http://dolfin. be/index. php? lang=En=philosophie (viewed the 16th November 2009). †¢ EUROPA, Etiquetage, presentation et publicite des denrees alimentaires, URL address : http://europa. eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packag ing/l210 90_fr. htm, (viewed 1st November) †¢ GERMAN CULTURE, Germany in the World Economy, URL address: http://www. germanculture. com. ua/library/facts/bl_germany_world_economy. htm (viewed on the 15th of November). International Organization for Standardization, URL address: http://www. iso. org/iso/catalogue_detail? csnumber=3546 6 (viewed the 02nd of November 2009). ? 20 †¢ NATIONAL BANK OF BELGIUM, Comptes annuels en euro, 2008, 18p. , URL address : http://banquenationale. be/pub/ (viewed the 20th November 2009) †¢ STIGSET M. , German Chocolate Market Is `Saturated,' Association Head Says, URL address : http://www. bloomberg. com/apps/news? pid=20601100&sid=aosOXeX9FzD4&refer=german y (viewed 17th November 2009) †¢ WORLD WIDE CHOCOLATE, Dolfin chocolates and chocolate bars, URL address: http://www. worldwidechocolate. om/shop_dolfin. html (viewed 16th November 2009) 8. 3 Interview †¢ Personal interview with Nathalie Trachte, Administrator and Marketing responsible, Dolfin, Bruxelles, Belgium, 27th October 2009. 8. 4 Others †¢ Belcolade Conference, Salon de Paris 2009 (14th – 18th October 2009) †¢ Communication by mail with Mrs Stas Marie, Service Evaluation et Strategie, Agence Wallonne a l'Exportation et aux Investissements Etrangers, 3/11/09 †¢ HEINEN M-L. , Mana ging International Operations, Bruxelles, ICHEC, slides 2009-2010, p. 39 †¢ TLATLI F. , Behaviors of the actors of the market, Bruxelles, ICHEC, slides 2009-2010 ?

Literature of the Western World Essay

The hallmarks of the epic hero represent different traits like possessing super-human or superior, being courageous and intellectual, and being responsible and strong leader. The epic hero undergoes phases of struggle in the journey of self-discovery against the constraints in the societal changes. In the poem Odyssey, the main character Odyssey struggles on the way to self-discovery until he overcomes the obstacles and in his venture to fend off the suitors of his wife Penelope. Odyssey has all the qualities of an epic hero for he is brave, courageous, superior strength, and intelligence wins him back his wife (Wilkie & Hurt, 1998, p 19). In the poem Iliad by Homer, the epic hero, Achilles although in some aspects is different epic hero; he has pride and arrogance that characterize the epic heroes (132). In the Aeneid by Virgil hero is more of improvised and imitated than it is the case of epic hero. The Aeneid is derivative for it borrows from Homer and contextualizes it in Roman and Virgilian. The individualistic view is portrayed in Iliad depicting the characters from his own judgment at his time but not according to the canonical standards (273). In the epic of Gilgamesh, the main character Gilgamesh has all the qualities of an epic hero because he goes out of his way to serve his people and show respect to those who reciprocate his actions to them. Pride is his tragic flaw; Gilgamesh learns his lessons after losing his arrogance. He has great hero’s attributes because he is great leader, ready to sacrifice his life for his people and thus he fits in the Heroic Code (973). The Sophocles play Oedipus Rex is the greatest tragedies the Elizabethan era has ever produced. The plot revolves around Oedipus and the prophesy of the oracle. In the play after prophesy is fulfilled, plague affects Thebes and King Oedipus is committed unravel the cause. When he consults the oracle, it is like a person going through a process of gradual self discovery where he is told of the murder of King Laius. Oblivious of his own destruction, Oedipus follows each hint to the discovery from which he promises to punish the culprit. When Oedipus accuses Tiresias of blindness, it is Oedipus who is blind because he does not consider himself as the person who might have committed the murder crime. He lacks vision and he is like a dog trying to bite its tail. The image of blindness is effective in the play because those who are blind like Tiresias who is the prophet have vision and insights to matters that those with sight like Oedipus cannot see. Oedipus is ignorantly blind although he has eyes to see. Though physically blind, Tiresias can ultimately see what Oedipus is ignorant of (741). In the epic poem Paradise Lost by Milton, the persona expresses the frustrations of the fact that he cannot see and therefore not able to sufficiently serve God. Wilkie and Hurt (1998) points out that just like play where Oedipus learns of Tiresias vision; the persona of the poem grasps the fact that he can use positively his physical impairness as part of God’s work (2099). There are different forms of poems raging from odes, elegies, sonnets, and pastorals. Ode is a lyrical poem that is a moderate piece dealing with serious subject matter. Romanticism poets utilized odes to explore problems of general and personal matter. An example of ode poem is Ode to a Nightingale by Keats that praises the famous Nightingale for the servitude to others. An elegy is a classical poem which is made up of couplets where the poem is about lamentation for loss of something or a person. The poem revolves around reflection of things that were shared in life and nostalgic remembrance of the vanished past. The main theme explored is death. An example of elegy; A memory of a sister by Thomas Hardy where the speaker nostalgically remembers his dead sister. Pastoral poem explore on leisure and some of the example is Milton’s Lycidas (842). Pastoral poem is viewed as sub-group of elegies for focus is on the subject of mourning and of love. The distinguishing factor is that they dwell on the idealized rather than focusing on the realistic aspects of life. Sonnet on the other hand is a poem that consists of fourteen lines and is of two kinds; the Petrarchan and the Elizabethan sonnets. The Petrarchan sonnet is composed of two parts; one with eight lines and the other with six while the Elizabethan sonnet entails three segments of four lines and the concluding two lines called a couplet. A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway is an example of an Elizabethan sonnet (879). In analyzing the nature and effect of the â€Å"framework tale† in the Canterbury Tales, The 1001 Nights, and the Decameron, the social life from the classical period is explored. The Canterbury Tales explores the pilgrims’ journey to gain forgiveness and blessings in travel that represents a section of the society in England then. In the epic journey, Chaucer explores the Elizabethan society infusing it with romantic scenes. Martyrs, miracles, and curses are ultimately explored in death where the journey is all about discovery among the travelers where societal virtues and morals which are imparted upon generations while vices are despised via the symbolic journey (1670). In The 1001 Nights by Al-Jahshiyari is Arabic literary works that has had influence in European literary works. Just like the Canterbury Tales, The 1001 Nights explores on religious journey of the Arabs in their quest to find more about spiritual fulfillment. Its oriental function is important for it is equated to the Elizabethan society’s journey through the classical portrayal in self-discovery (1572). The Decameron explores on the mediaeval era society where philosophical aspects emerge in the society and ultimately employs divine comedy. Literal aspects in society form part of the message explored while allegorical stories touch on Christianity. Like in classical literature where characters are literary involved in the journey of discovery, these plays have background on the journey via which the characters have to undertake learning important lessons in life (1878). The worldview is literary depicted in the Divine Comedy by Dante where by the society of the Middle Ages was explored on the theological perspective and the Renaissance’s philosophical expanse. The comedy uses the humanistic approach via which the theme of self discovery; the journey in the society towards the affirmation and redemption of the characters in the light of God. The comedy is structured in an epic poem where Christ’s life of resurrecting from death after he had suffered. Analyzing the Divine Comedy, it is paramount to not that it is not about a mythologized hero but reflection on contemporary person. Dante uses humble language in contextualizing the Christ’s message for the reader access. The poetic ingenuity is great because Dante employs his wit through the verse where meditation, dialogue, theological musing, and cosmology are explored carrying the reader through his or her reading. The comedy fits in the concept of contrapasso in the sense that it reflects on the speaker’s suffering in lack of the knowledge of redemption to eternal light. The suffering in Hell is brought out in the medieval belief and the society has to undergo the divine justice for eternal redemption of the sinners who form the society (1405). Reference Wilkie, B & Hurt, J. (1998). Literature of the Western World: The Ancient World through the Renaissance (5th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.