Wednesday, October 23, 2019

On the Brand Elements of Vodafone

Vodafone India has an integrated marketing strategy to ensure that they reach the maximum customer base and provide a number of touch points for the user. The sales and distribution of Vodafone products is done through their dedicated outlets as well as other outlets, small shops and stores. Vodafone has set up similar format Vodafone stores all over India to give their consumers a seamless and coherent experience wherever they maybe.At the same time a number of mini stores ensure that the customers have more number of places to resolve their minor problems and enquiries. These also provide a venue for the customers to settle their bill dues immediately. Vodafone India also pushes its sim cards through general retailers and pays them a small margin on the sale of each sim card. Post paid consumers are given offers and upgrade schemes to ensure that the company maintains a relationship with them. Thus the sales and distribution aspects of Vodafone in India are taken care by Dedicated outlets:Mini outlets Retail shops Mobile shopsThe marketing communications of Vodafone are typically very up market and generally the positioning is such that amongst the masses Vodafone is perceived as an aspirational brand. With a focus on the â€Å"Power To You† positioning all the current advertisements of Vodafone are focusing on picturization of the benefit that the consumer will get once he becomes a Vodafone customer. The marketing communications always depict Vodafone as a young and up market brand. The TV advertisements of Vodafone are always targeted at ensuring that the customer can understand the benefit that they want to offer.Vodafone typically does not emphasize strongly on print ads and radio ads. Although at the times of important tie ups and events one can see single page ads in the newspapers, magazines etc as well as small audio clips on the radio network. Vodafone uses the events platform as a promotion tool. Events like IPL which are sure to grab eye ba lls are sponsored by Vodafone and large scale TV advertising is done to ensure that the customer may avail IPL related services on his handset. Currently Vodafone has combined with the highest TRP grossing Big Boss and is providing a chance to the customers to visit the Big Boss house.AdvertisingVodafone lays special emphasis on creative advertising. They came up with the highly successful zoo zoo campaign which became a hit with all the consumers. All their ads clearly portray the benefit for the user and are done in such a way such as to induce good brand recall. Television advertising is a major tool used by Vodafone to push its brand as well as the promotions that they are coming up with. From time to time they use other media like print and radio also to push their product or offering to the masses.EventsVodafone ties up with a number of events which are designed to create daily or special brand related interactions. They generally combine with high popularity TV shows and even ts which provides them good eye balls and ensures that a particular number of people always view what they have to offer. Vodafone emphasizes more on above the line activity. Their strong  financial background ensures that they can pump in their money in such events and ensure a strong brand recall.Interactive MarketingVodafone is making extensive use of the online segment to involve more and more consumers with the brand. They have a presence on all the social networking sites and are providing special offers on those pages as well. A number of users can connect with the brand and talk , discuss about the various aspects of the brand online itself. They periodically keep revising the promotional offer advertisement that they put up on such pages. They are providing their entire range of products, service and promotion related information on these sites.Vodafone Communication Strategies:Brand ElementsBrand elements are those trademarked devices that serve to identify and different iate the brand. These are also sometimes known as brand identities. Items like brand name, logo, mnemonics, characters, spokespersons, slogans and jingles are some items that can be characterized as brand elements. All or most of them are trademarked and registered by the parent company of the brand and these are what appear in front of the consumer in the brand’s communication and help increase recall of the brand as these are things that the consumers remember a brand by it.According to theory, there are some specific criteria which need to be kept in mind while deciding on the brand elements. These are points which when satisfied help in serving the full purpose of having brand elements. Some of these criteria are:1. Memorable – These elements should be easily recognized and can be easily recalled.2. Meaningful – If not all then most of the brand elements should have a meaning and should associated in some or the other way with the culture and values of the b rand.3. Likeable – In simple terms brand elements should be fun, interesting or may be aesthetically pleasing so that the consumers like it and attach positive connotations with these elements.4. Transferable – Brand elements need to be the same for different markets and geographies, for different product or service categories. So transferability across these boundaries is critical.5. Adaptable – They must be flexible and the company should be able to update them as and when required.6. Protectable – They should be legally protected from counterfeiting and copyrights violation. Brand Name – VodafoneVodafone is one of the biggest telcom operators in the world along with other big names like Bharti Airtel, Idea and AT&T. It carries with itself a reputation of being one of the finest telecom service providers across the world and the name carries an element of desire with it. In India, the brand was earlier known as Vodafone Essar, due to the parent c ompany’s holding pattern. However, Essar has been a business name since long in the country and is associated with other businesses as well.So the â€Å"Essar† part was done away with and the brand name is now â€Å"Vodafone†. It being a foreign brand attracts consumers and the consumers already on the subscriber list feel proud to be associated with a big international brand. It is easy in terms of memorability and meaning and having a long history attached to it along with the geographies Vodafone is now operating in, it has proved its adaptability and transferability. Brand LogoVodafone calls it the â€Å"Speechmark Logo†. It is a quotation mark in a circle. The quotation marks before and end of a conversation is depicted in the logo and Red color has been its corporate color for long.The name is written below the design. It is the same logo as is used globally although in some areas like Portugal Vodafone has used a different logo. This is vital as it shows to the consumer that the company will offer the same level of quality in service as is being provided globally. Overall the logo has been there for a long period of time. So from the consumer’s point of view, it is memorable and the red color is liked by one and all. It is protected from any violation like copying or faking. It is a likeable logo which helps in increasing the recall of the brand as soon as the logo appears in from of the consumer.URL (Uniform Resource Locator)The website link or URL for the global website is http://www.vodafone.com and the link to the Indian website is http://www.vodafone.in. These are registered domain names so protection is taken care of. As there are provisions of checking and making bill payments online, going through various tariff rates and value added services details on the website, the online interface is a very vital component among the brand elements. The URL simply has the name of the brand and ‘in’ for India a s the extension. It is easy to remember and use, hence making it an effective brand element.CharactersCharacters represent a special type of brand symbol, one that takes on human or real-life characteristics. Since Vodafone entered into the Indian market, there have been two primary characters associated with the brand. The first is the famous pug which was used in the earlier advertisements and portrayed the consistency of service in the tagline â€Å"Wherever you go, our network follows†. The second and extremely popular character which Vodafone created was the Zoozoo.Real people wore grey suits to portray comical characters in a major communication campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the value added services provided by Vodafone. The campaign includes every channel from television and print advertising to billboards and hoardings at the point of sale. Zoozoos as a character have been loved by one and all and have helped tremendously in increasing the brand awarene ss among consumers.However sometimes characters take on such a presence in the mind of the consumer that the characters dominate the brand name itself. Zoozoos have become such a phenomena today that people generally would watch the advertisement and switch the channel before any message is communicated. So in the long run, continuing this campaign indefinitely could hurt Vodafone’s brand equity in India. SlogansSlogans can contribute to brand equity in multiple ways. They can play off the brand name to build brand awareness and image and can also contain product related information and other meanings. Vodafone’s current slogans in the 2010 advertising campaign is â€Å"Isn’t it nice when someone makes you feel special† and â€Å"Power to you†. The ads focus on the close friendship of two school girls and the care each one shows for the other.The company wishes to communicate to the consumer the various value added services it offers, which it term s as â€Å"Vodafone Delights†, to indicate their services intend to delight the consumer in every possible way and the slogan powerfully conveys that Vodafone is a brand that cares about its consumers and believe in doing the small little things to delight them and make them feel special always.Their previous slogans like â€Å"Happy to Help†, â€Å"Power to you† and â€Å"Wherever you go our network follows† have been equally successful in associating different meanings with the brand; meanings like consistency of service, the consumers’ power to choose what service to avail and what to pay for and the brand being ever present in case of any need for the consumer. JinglesMost consumers remember the â€Å"You and I in this beautiful world† jingle, which ran as background in the communication campaign consisting of the pug following the kid, helping him and doing chores for him. The current campaign has the jingle â€Å"The little things you do†, a sweet and melodious song which portrays the intended message quite well. Vodafone’s jingles’ strongest point is their likeability and consumers tend to remember them very conveniently. Jingles, have hence always been a critical brand element for Vodafone. Communication CampaignsVodafone keeps coming out with new communication campaigns at regular time  intervals. It ran the â€Å"Pug† campaign for some time initially. Then it launched the â€Å"Zoozoo† campaign and now it has recently launched the â€Å"Vodafone delights† campaign. Another small campaign that had been running until recently was the â€Å"Rs. 4 me sab kuch† which had a speaking parrot trying to convince people that four rupees are of no value today but Vodafone offers a lot of things in just that amount.These changes in communication campaign strategies and focus on different things every time shows that Vodafone stresses on being innovative in its advertising , trying to come up with something new and refreshing, which will be liked and remembered by the consumer for a long time. They have never used media or sports celebrities for their communication, unlike competitors like Airtel, Idea and Reliance who use sports celebrities and bollywood stars like Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan for their endorsements and advertising.Their campaigns generally have had a 360 degree approach, reaching the audience through multiple channels. Some of the channels which Vodafone always covers are:1. Television advertising is done on most popular channels and in major sports events that generally have a long run and are repeated all over the year.2. Newspapers/Magazine advertisements in all major dailies, but mostly in English newspapers, business newspapers and general and economics magazines.3. Hoardings/Billboards on the highways and on the bus stops all over major cities across the country are helping increase awareness and hence, recall of the b rand.4. Small prints at point of sale, varying from major retail outlets to small panwari shops.5. Event sponsorships for major sporting events like Indian Premier League and the UEFA Champions League in football, an event widely followed in India now. Infact according to a research, Vodafone along with Pepsi were found to be the most visible brands after IPL ended earlier this year.6. Radio – On radio they have only run the â€Å"Parrot† campaign as this does not require any major display to go with the voice.Overall their communication campaigns have been innovative and appealing enough to not only attract the consumer’s attention but also make and maintain the brand’s position is the mind ladders. The Zoozoo campaign according to people was a little over run and at one point of time was contributing to creating a perceptual block in the consumers’ mind.So the new Parrot and Delights campaigns have freshened things up. There have been other small campaigns as well, one prominent one which had Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton featured in it. However the recall for that ad is very low and it can be categorized as an unsuccessful campaign.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

As Human beings, we are free Essays - Determinism, Causality

As Human beings, we are free Essays - Determinism, Causality Andrew English Professor Snyder Intro. Philosophy April 22, 2015 Paper 2, Question 4 As Human beings, we are free the time we are born. The term we use for this is freewill. What I mean by saying this is that us as creatures, can choose whether to be, whatever we want. We are free to our own judgements and actions. Meaning that there is no overpowering force controlling our movements or our thoughts obliging us to do things we do not want to do. However, hard determinism says the exact opposite. According to hard determinism, determinism itself is true. Arguing that freewill does not exist. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and a central figure in Indian politics for much of the 20th century quoted, Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will. What Jawaharlal is explaining is that the tools you are given in life are absolute. But the way you use those tools is completely and utterly youre choosing. With this being said I believe that hard determinism cant be true due to the fact that no one has a sealed will at birth and as human beings we are independent. The definition of free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate. A persons ability to act at one's own discretion. Conversely hard determinism is a view on free will which holds that determinism is true, and that it is incompatible with free will and therefore that free will does not exist. Determinism is the philosophical thought that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. Now what is being said here is that we arent responsible for our actions. Life is planned out and is following a pattern that cant be stopped. Whatever happens in ones life was meant to happen and it will continue to happen because thats just the way it is. Clarence Darrow, an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union quoted. Every instinct that is found in any man is in all men. The strength of the emotion may not be so overpowering, the barriers against possession not so insurmountable, the urge to accomplish the desire less keen. With some, inhibitions and urges may be neutralized by other tendencies. But with every being the primal emotions are there. All men have an emotion to kill; when they strongly dislike someone they involuntarily wish he was dead. I have never killed anyone, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction. Clarence does bring up a good point saying that if a man is betrayed by another man, he can reach the point where the man will feel determined to kill him. Now the question that raises issue is that is it ones will to be determined to end someone life or is actually ones freewill to choose to end someone life. If we think about as being ones will to do harm then on a larger scale the disastrous things and events that people have started in the world was actually meant to happen? I believe different. I think that nothing in the world is planned (from a freewill standpoint) and that what we do is our own personal verdict. If hard determinism is correct then it possess a major issue with society as a whole. Not only would it make a fear within society but also adds that everything humans have done has been already planned out. For example if hard determinism is in fact true then that means that WW2 was meant to happen. It would mean that it was Adolf Hitlers will to control Germany, create the Nazis, exterminate over 5 million Jews, and spin the world into the deadliest Nuclear war of all time. If this is true then who would want live in a world where life is planned to that extent. No one wants to be like Hitler but how can you help it if thats your will? Another good example of this is imagine being a kid in a developing country. Poor, no food to eat, and you live in a small run

Monday, October 21, 2019

Honour killing in the UK and Pakistan Essays

Honour killing in the UK and Pakistan Essays Honour killing in the UK and Pakistan Essay Honour killing in the UK and Pakistan Essay Are Honour Killings considered immoral or wrong in a tolerant way, without being criticized by the state and society? Compare your evidence with Pakistans Honour killings situation.  This essay aims to answer whether or not Honour killings are being condoned by the state and also the society. This essay will also look at different definitions of the meaning of honour killing in the UK and Pakistan ; it will then go on to establish the major points which are taken into account as to why honour killings take place and also to what extent do these honour crimes occur. In order to answer the question accurately, the essay will go on to expand on the accurate statistics of the honour crime rate and take a wider look at whether it is increasing or decreasing. The main body and the focal point of the essay is to see what sort of effect does the state has on these crimes and what the state is doing to protect the mishap happening in society. The essay will also go on to develop its argument on whether the UK state has severed the punishment or whether it isnt given that much of an importance today. Different data will be measured and compared with the situation in Pakistan to give a realistic view of the occurring of these homicides. It will go on to reveal various different points when comparing the statistics rate of United Kingdom honour crimes with Pakistan honour crime in order to answer the question. Honour killings are murders which are committed by family members, mainly males to a female in the family for having brought shame, dishonour and disgrace upon the family. The apparent shame could be caused by a victim either refusing to accept the proposal of an arranged marriage or for having a relationship that is considered inappropriate by the family. This may be due to the reason of casts or statuses. (http://marriage.about.com). Honour killings are the product of intensely ingrained patriarchal social and cultural prejudices (Yvonne Haddad: 1998: p 144). A woman is forced to endure all the responsibility of maintaining the shared Honour in the family. Women are expected to stay humble and modest before marriage, they are also expected to be dutiful, pure and virginal. They must sacrifice their personal independence and freedom in order to maintain the Honour of the family and community, while male members of the society are not expected to have the same expectations.  There are various excuses used for Honour killings in the UK but the most common excuse for Honour killings is doubt or knowledge of an intimate relationship between a woman and a man, whether it be adultery, sex outside of marriage, pregnancy before marriage or simply becoming close companions. In some cases, even women who have been a target of brutal crimes like rape or sexual assault can also be a target of Honour killings, this is because certain communities legally and/or culturally equate these cruel acts with sex outside of marriage. Yet there has been more trivial reasons as to how women and girls have been killed by families, these reason consist of simple things such as being in the presence of a male who is not a family member or a relative, refusing to concur to an arranged marriage, for falling in love with someone who is not acceptable in the familys eyes, for wanting a divorce, or for trying to escape or yet speaking out from marital violence. Sometimes, the mere perception that a woman has behaved disobediently, thus shaming her father, brother, uncle, or cousin, has been a good enough reason to make a brutal attack on her life. This mishap in society of these women being killed is looked upon as a severe and serious breach of International Human Rights Law. Human rights are freedoms established by custom or international agreement that impose standards of conduct on all nations. Human rights are distinct from civil liberties, which are freedoms established by the law of a particular state and applied by that state in its own jurisdiction (Dictionary.com).  There are various different and disturbing examples of how the law and customs, which are entrenched within the patriarchal society, erratically allocate more guilt to women than to men in any action supposed to violate norms of sexual and moral behavior. The issue of women rights often causes uneasy discussions. In those societies, the woman is still treated in a traditional manner, with negligence to her basic rights. She is regarded as being inferior to man, and not deserving to enjoy the same rights. This is generally within Middle East countries including Pakistan. This belief is based and built upon a long series of customs and traditions. Despite the fact that British women have attained some of their rights in the last few decades, there are still some instances of discrimination and violence practiced against them. (www.sciencedirect.com/science) Some of those are reflected in the phenomenon of killing women on the background of the honour of the family. This acts as a barrier preventing women from progressing in their lives.  The fact that women are killed is a bitter truth. However, when women and children are murdered by their own close relatives and loved ones is a concept that has its roots mainly in the Middle East where womens sexuality has always been the centre of power and production( islam-watch.org)

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church †Research Paper

The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church – Research Paper Free Online Research Papers The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church Research Paper Objectively speaking, an icon is a two-dimensional work of art found in the Eastern Orthodox religion, often portraying religious figures such as Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and various saints. Obviously, icons (sometimes spelled ikons) are revered in this tradition, but their precise significance is often hard to understand. The very concept of religious images is, in fact, a broad area of concern, one that did not begin even with Christianity (Gerhard 8). However, the case within this specific tradition is a very unique one. In Eastern Orthodoxy, icons are religious works of art, which, although possessing a long history and complexity of manufacture, are centrally concerned with portraying a symbolic message and serving as a tool of worship rather than exhibiting any aesthetic value. The origin of religious concern for representative images does not lie with the Eastern Orthodox faith, nor did it begin with Christianity at all. The Mosaic law of Judaism contained a tenet which read, â€Å"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth† (Exodus 20:4). Although the English translation appears quite clear, in ancient Judaism, this commandment was a constant subject of argumentation, as many interpreted the word â€Å"image† as closer to â€Å"idol† than any literal image (9). The developing Christian world, however, was nurtured in a land influenced by more than Jewish tradition. The Greek attitude toward images and even image worship was quite favorable. Paintings and statues of their mythical gods and heroes covered classical Greece, while even Rome adopted the Greek imagery into the culture of its own people (12). In addition, the Syrian civilization introduced to the Mediterranean world its own artistic style of frontal poses and large facial features (Cavarnos 14). Israel, the birthplace and location of the ministry of Jesus, was the cradle of Christianity and was centrally Jewish, which usually rejected images unconditionally. However, Christianity was quickly becoming an expanding church, and its increasing acceptance forced Christians throughout the Old World to evaluate their stand on representative images (Gerhard 14). Among the Orthodox tradition, there exists a legend of the first icon, which began with Christ. John Stuart explains: Tradition has it that Abgar, King of Edessa, who was afflicted with leprosy, heard tell that Christ could restore him to health. He accordingly sent one Ananias as an ambassador to Palestine with instructions to find Our Lord and return with him to Edessa. When Ananias finally caught up with him, Christ was addressing a great throng of people. Being unable to approach nearer, Ananias began to sketch the face of Christ, although needless to say, with very little success. But Christ was aware of what Ananias was doing. When he had dismissed the crowds, he took a piece of linen; soaking it in water, he pressed it firmly to his face and then handed it to Ananias. When the latter had taken the towel into his hands, he saw that Christ’s features were clearly imprinted upon it. Christ declined to go to Edessa but promised to send a disciple after his death. And Edessa was to become, in fact, the first Christian state. Meanwhile, Ananias was instructed to take the towel to King Abgar, as a substitute for Christ’s presence. (31) Eventually, with the increasing influx of complete Mediterranean culture in the Christian world, images gained greater acceptance. In the Byzantine area (the region around Constantinople named for the old name of the city, Byzantium), the Christian imagery was mostly affected by the Hellenistic (Greek and Roman) and Syrian culture (Cavarnos 14). The central Hellenistic influence in Christian iconography was the art of mosaics. Early Christians used this technique to decorate the walls, floors, domes, etc of their churches. Syrian art effectively gave rise to the use of frescoes in Christian churches. The third type of icon- the panel icon- is the most widely used in Russia and most other regions of the Orthodox faith. It consists of a picture painted on a chalk-covered wooden panel treated with an egg solution, or tempera (17). The actual process of creating a panel icon is very complex. First, the icon-maker must go search for the correct type of wood. Cypress was used in Greece; birch and oak were often sought after in Russia, as well as was a good, sturdy pine from Siberia (Gerhard 208). After carving the panel into the correct size and shape with an axe or two-handed plane, it is stored away to remove its moisture. This process normally takes five or six years. After this period, gesso, or chalk, is ground onto its surface to prepare the panel for the next step. This step involves the draughtsman, who sketches the basic outline of the picture in charcoal. When this is completed, he removes the charcoal and paints the outline in a black-colored paint. After the fundamental outline of the image is complete, the surface is gilded with an egg-paste mixture to prepare it for the actual pigmented paint (Stuart 42). On the icon, the first sections painted are the background (such as buildings and nature) and the clothing of the subjects involved. Normally, gold ornamentation follows, which involves painting on sticky resin followed by the application of light gold sheets, after which the sheets are polished. Next, the icon-painter begins painting the subjects’ faces. These comprise the most precise skill on the part of the painter, who must endow the faces with the very spirit and life force of the subject in the picture. A layer of varnish, normally comprised of linseed or olive oil is applied. Finally, it is transported to a church for a blessing (Gerhard 210). The icon is then complete. The Byzantine art style is fundamentally different from the classic western style of realistic sketches and Renaissance-type paintings. The icon painter, as a member of this Byzantine tradition, approaches art with symbols in mind, rather than a realistic concept of some natural object (Stuart 25). Much like a Chinese calligrapher wanting to depict a tree in a work of writing composes a specific character meaning â€Å"tree,† rather than drawing any actual tree that he may see or conceptualize, the icon painter creates specific symbolic paintings that illustrate the various religious ideas wishing to be expressed. Truly, iconography is more concerned with symbolism than physical appearances. The object of an icon is to capture the spirit and meaning of what the image is trying to portray. Constantine Cavarnos maintains that â€Å"True iconography is intended to take us beyond anatomy and the three-dimensional world of matter to a realm that is immaterial, spaceless, timeless- the realm of the spirit, of eternity. And hence the forms and colors are not those that one customarily observes around him, but have something unworldly about them† (38). Indeed, these metaphors elicit associations and can give an extended message than what is possible in a work concerned with physical beauty and perspective exactness. It is of importance to note that the colors used in an icon are metaphorical rather than actual; icon colors often do not follow the color patterns in nature. Rather than making sure all the colors are in harmony with natural appearance, the icon painter will seek a harmony with the spiritual message in his art. Colors are very important for this harmony; each color symbolizes an aspect of the icon and gives a special meaning. For instance, deep red and royal purple are symbolic of the blood of Christ and are often used for the shoes of royal figures. Blue represents heaven and the ethereal. The greens and browns are usually used in familiar manners, representing the earth and vegetation- a reminder of our existence on this earth. From scarlet red comes vigor and vitality, a color used for the blood of martyrs and the cloak of St. George. Orange-red symbolizes the purification of the spirit. White suggests purity and colors the garments of Christ and his angels (28). To give a specific example of the abstract nature of icon art, the faces of the characters depicted always are turned facing the viewer- the person giving their respects and their prayers. This rule holds true regardless of the character’s perspective position in their environment (Upensky 60). In fact, not only are the heads facing the viewer, the important figures in the image have their entire body turned outward in this manner. The rest, the less important, are normally subject to the laws of three-dimensional perspectives. Additionally, where those significant figures are generally depicted as stationary, the rest are again interacting with their environment and are often moving (65). Superceding the hassle over the concern of the icon complying with the â€Å"hows† of natural laws and perspectives is the concern of why the natural laws work. This question of â€Å"why?† has always been a consideration for Byzantine religious artists. They do not comply with the classic paintings- those that depict photographically accurate settings; again, icons portray the religious nature and symbolism of their scenes (Stuart 36). A naturalistic painting may show Saint Peter as tall and powerful, completely in perspective with his environment, but an icon will depict him in an unrealistic-looking but completely symbolic and explanatory setting. Icons may be placed in any location, such as a home or shop, but the central location where they are situated is, of course, the church. When one enters an Orthodox church, immediately noticeable is the iconostasis- a giant screen, composed of wood or marble, that supports the panel icons. On top of the iconostasis is a large cross with the figure of the crucified Christ. In Eastern Orthodoxy, there is great significance given to the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, whose icons are placed on the iconostasis to the right and left of Christ (Cavarnos 23). In most church buildings, icons cover most of the interior. As mentioned before, each icon portrays a religious message. When all the icons are displayed, the composite of the images inside the church gives the building an entirely new symbolism. The church is, in effect, a microcosm for the universe, where the iconographic messages reveal the universal plan of eternal salvation (Stuart 38). During church services, the icons are ritually given respect. The deacon of the church wields a censer and directs it toward the icons. This indicates to the congregation that they are to contemplate the icons and understand that the saints painted on the icons are participating in the service in a similar manner as the worshippers themselves (33). Icons in the Eastern Orthodox tradition serve several primary purposes. Most apparent to outsiders is their aesthetic value. They embellish and amplify the beauty of a church. Secondly, they instruct their faithful members in matters of doctrine, many times employing symbols that effectively surpass written doctrine (Cavarnos 30). Icons also remind these members of their faith. Their powerful message serves to remind and awaken the faith of the members of the church. In almost every instance, a saint or holy figure is portrayed on the icon. This serves to set an example for the members of the Eastern Orthodox faith. The righteous individual on the icon gives them a model with which to pattern their lives. This person on the image causes the member to be stirred up in faith and righteous zeal (32). Surpassing all other purposes, the icon is a conduit for prayer and worship (Stuart 29). Each member of the congregation is allowed to light a candle, come to an icon, and make the sign of the cross. They then will reverence the icon with a kiss and say a prayer (Ugolnik 45). The Eastern Orthodox Church makes it very clear, however, that its members are not worshipping the icon, but giving it â€Å"honorable reverence.† Worship is due only to God, and the icon is a medium through which that worship may be expressed (Cavarnos 33). This worship is the ultimate fulfillment of Byzantine iconography. Even with its extensive history and stunning methods of artistry, the sacredness of the icon surpasses all aesthetic and external value. The symbolism of the holy icon is truly the center of Eastern Orthodox worship. It allows its members to transcend their visible physical reality and enter into the ultimate reality, where spiritual truth is juxtaposed with material truth (Stuart 39). It allows one to comprehend the mutual dependence of matter and spirit and truly gives a perspective of far greater significance than the visible temporal universe that one is commonly allowed. Cavarnos, Constantine. Orthodox Iconography. Belmont, Massachusetts: The Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Science, 1977. Gerhard, H.P. The World of Icons. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1971. Stuart, John. Ikons. London: Faber and Faber, 1975. Ugolnok, Anthony. The Illuminating Icon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989. Upensky, Boris. The Semiotics of the Russian Icon. Lisse: The Peter DeRidder Press, 1976. Research Papers on The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church - Research PaperCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoMind TravelGenetic EngineeringBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and Autumn

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The Effect of Clinical Simulation on Student Self-Efficacy in learning Dissertation - 1

The Effect of Clinical Simulation on Student Self-Efficacy in learning - Dissertation Example Cases like these point to the value of clinical simulation in nursing education to help empower such students in being able to handle challenging tasks and situations in their own practice. Clinical simulation is defined by Waxman (2010) as a teaching methodology that provides students with learning experiences closely resembling real-life circumstances that they are likely to encounter in their professional practice. â€Å"Simulated clinical experience requires immersing students in a representative patient-care scenario, a setting that mimics the actual environment with sufficient realism to allow learners to suspend disbelief† (p.29). Specific to nursing education is the utilization of a lifelike high-fidelity manikin which provides a high level of interactivity and realism to nursing students during their simulation proceedings (Jeffries, 2007). The integration of simulation in the nursing education curricula is welcomed by nurse educators as a new and effective method tha t promises to prepare the students better for a future in the nursing profession as competent and confident health workers. Setting up a clinical simulation situation takes much time, planning and effort that draws its information from theories and professional experiences (Waxman, 2010). The complexity of clinical simulation raises the question if it does improve a student’s self-efficacy to be a more efficient professional or leave the student overwhelmed with the probable challenges he or she will face in practice. Self-efficacy is one indicator of an individual’s perception of how well prepared he or she is in being able to successfully accomplish tasks (Bandura, 1977, 1986). Further, Bandura (2004) explains that: â€Å"Efficacy beliefs influence goals and aspirations. The stronger the perceived self-efficacy, the higher the goals people set for themselves and the firmer their commitment to them. Self-efficacy beliefs also determine how obstacles and impediments a re viewed. Those of high efficacy view impediments as surmountable by improvement of self-management skills and perseverant effort† (p. 145). Topic This study will explore clinical simulation as a new method of learning in nursing education. It will discuss the corresponding cognitive and affective processes that the student undergoes during the simulation and follow through if it is indeed an effective strategy in the improvement of student efficacy. The research problem The research problem posed for this study is â€Å"How does clinical simulation affect a student’s self-efficacy in learning in Nursing education?† Background and justification. The current demands of health care necessitate more aggressive training of health care professionals in order to address the growing needs of an industry that is besieged with a multitude of illnesses. More and more diseases come up with symptoms that may be unusual. These may pose a huge challenge to new nurses who have been trained in the traditional approaches of lectures, discussions, role-play and laboratory practice, as these may no longer be effective (Waxman, 2010). A nurse needs to be thoroughly trained in various areas and has amassed enough experiences to be able to carefully discern his or her next moves. Such moves may be crucial to the treatment and safety of the patient and thus,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Portfolio base on Case study on sexual child exploitation in Uk and 2 Assignment

Portfolio base on Case study on sexual child exploitation in Uk and 2 different countries - Assignment Example This brings about confusion between the agencies as well as obstacles to information sharing. For instance, a report by the Victorian ombudsmen in Australia, revealed that child protection personnel do have false beliefs concerning their limits under the Information Privacy Act and in most instances they end up not revealing identity of offenders or the child victims to the Police when allegations of sexual abuse arises (Australian Government, 2012). This is also true in UK whereby the child protection departments do not offer their personnel sufficient training, guidance or even resources to make certain a suitable phase of privacy compliance is taken into consideration, in relation to collection, application and revelation of personal information regarding alleged offenders or the child (National Council to educe Violence against Women and their Children, 2009, p. 2011). Likewise, the UK faces the same challenges whereby the agencies concerned with child protection are reactive rat her than preventive in most cases. It takes a long time for the information concerning a particular child sex abuse investigation with approach to be taken, from being defined based on the problem presented. The police and the social work service do not effectively share or jointly assess all of their relevant information during the initial planning. Planning ought to take into consideration the needs of and danger to the child, in particular the medical information (Dewar, 1998, p 5). The same case is in South Africa whreby child welfare agencies are not colloborating effectively under a common framework using the three-pronged strategy of prevention, safeguard and prosecution. The agencies in most instances do not possess a shared consideration of the predicament of child sexual exploitation (South African Human Rights Commission, 2002, p. 16) For instance, in the case of Martin Jenkins, care workers were aware that Martin Jenkins had sex with the mispers whilst at the flat and th at Martin Jenkins would only allow this to happen if the girls performed oral sex on him, but such information was not disclosed acted upon by the police until when PV1 made an official complaint with the police even though the care workers knew about it. Unlike in Australia UK professionals interacting with the child even though they are aware of the developing awkward behaviours, do not make collaborate effectively to make referral to suitable agencies, due to restrictive privacy laws. The screening process does not lead to risk assessments having high rate of correctness, and as such the risk instruments result in inappropriately high phases of false positives (Munro, 2007). In terms of multi-agency workings, differences do exist in the manner in which child exploitation professionals, evaluate what is considered to be conventional and what is not, in particular where individual organisations feels that there are issues that need to be addressed. For these agencies to be effectiv e, the collective responsibility should involve an overlap or integration of roles, whereby Communication is at every level of working. Emphasis should be placed on effective information allotment, cooperation and understanding involving agencies and notable professional when it comes to promoting the children well-being plus safeguarding them from sexual exploitation (Atkinson & et tal, 2002, p. 3). Infra-Structure to Support Victims According to a research conducted by the

The life of people at war places Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The life of people at war places - Essay Example This is the most widespread war in the whole world which had more than 100 million militaries that were mobilized to participate in the war. This war resulted in an estimate of 50 to 70 million people who died during the war (Sulzberger, 2015). The second most deadly war is the Taiping Rebellion. This war occurred in China. It was a widespread civil war that took place in southern China. The war took place in the year 1850 to 1864, and it was led by the heterodox Christian Hong Xiuquan. The primary reason for him starting this war is because he claimed that he had received visions that he was the younger brother of Jesus and was against the ruling Manchu-led dynasty. This war led to the deaths of around 20 million people. In the year 1914 to 1918, there was another deadly war. The name of the war is World War I. The war took place in the entire world but was centered in Europe. This war involved all of the countries that are considered as a superpower. The war comprised more than 70m illion military that was mobilized to take part in the warfare. Among the 70 million militaries, 60 million came from Europe. During this war, more than nine million soldiers were killed. Positive effects of war Even though there are many effects that are associated with war. Positive effects also exist. However, positive effects of war rely wholly on upon in the place that a particular kind of war took place. War can result in positive impact on the economy of an area such as the great depression during the 1930s in the US.