Significance of travel in Bashos Narrow Road Through the Backcountry free essay sample

Waldo Ralph Emerson said Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. In Bashos Narrow Road through the Backcountry, exactly this sentiment is realized in the literary capture of North Japans natural beauties on his journey for poetic enlightenment and motivation. This work is the story of the journey that Basho began near the end of his life in order to attain inspiration for writing poetry, specifically in haiku-type forms. Bashos chosen path mirrored that of Saigyo, a well respected monk and poet, which ran through the locations of residence and inspiration of various other notable Japanese poets and writers. The travel tale has long been held in high public regard and is widely known as one of the most iconic pieces of Japanese literature. Basho had a fascination with nature and a rare bond with his surroundings, but by pursuing the trail first blazed by Japanese poets of old, Saigyo in particular, Basho hoped to perfect his art and find inspiration by connecting to the locations of those poets inspiration from long before, and had a much greater impact than one could have predicted. We will write a custom essay sample on Significance of travel in Bashos Narrow Road Through the Backcountry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of the early encounters with a place formerly associated with a past figure that Basho describes poetically is the arrival to the Sunlit Mountain, Nikko. Basho explains that the mountain was named Nikko by Master Kukai, a monk who started a temple on this mountain. Basho also explains the significance of the mountains name and tells of how he feels Kukai has in a way predicted and blessed their trip. Observing the mountain exemplifies what Basho is trying to accomplish on this journey as he quickly scribbles down a self-admittedly simple and quick verse. Though simple, this is exactly what Basho is looking for: an opportunity to observe what inspired the poets of old, which gives him the motivation to write. The works of Kukai had given him the basis for which to write upon. The haiku reads yes, how brilliant! /green leaves, young leaves/luminous within and without Kukai having named the mountain as the Sunlit Mountain, Basho would have never had the inspiration to write about the luminosity of the scene. Though no direct credit to Kukai or the mountain is mentioned in the poem, there is a direct link to both. At Unganji, Basho is inspired to write about the hut of his former Zen meditation teacher, Butcho. A slightly melancholy haiku is written about the vacant, decrepit hut. This is a deep and emotional example of the inspiration that Basho sought. Evident in his haiku is the sadness from the lost connection to his Zen master alongside the majesty of the place which he is writing about, which combine for a beautiful piece of poetry. By no other force than by physically being at the site of the hut could a poem like that have been composed. Travel not only allows Basho to connect with the site which he is describing, but alsoin a more ethereal waywith his mentors and those who preceded him. Most renown of these predecessor poets is Saigyo, whom Basho modeled his path after. Along the way, various of Saigyos poetic inspirations and sites are mentioned and seen by Basho. Basho is particularly excited by one of these moving sites; the willow tree. In the eyes of Basho, Saigyo has been immortalized in this tree and thus, standing in the shadow of the willows leaves and branches is like standing in the shadow of one of the great muses. This is a particularly rewarding experience for him, as Saigyo is his guide and truest predecessor. This is reflected in the excitement of his writing about the experience of standing in his shadow. Various other times throughout Bashos text, Saigyos writings are referenced to help describe scenes about which Saigyo did not specifically write, which speaks to Bashos keeping of Saigyos writings and path in his mind throughout his journey. A connection which is undeniably deeper than that with any other poet is made with Saigyo because of this. Various other poets and their inspirations are mentioned throughout The Narrow Road Through the Backcountry: the Shirakawa checkpoint written about by Kanemori and Noin, and depicted in paintings by Kiyosuke and others, the twin pines in Takekuma, written about by Noin, the sites of old poetic inspiration which Kaemon tours Basho and Sora through, and a plethora of others. All of these sites possess their own feeling and give Basho unique motivations. Some of the places provide morose poetic inspiration, for which Basho is commonly known, while others cause the poet to drift away from his common tone and write in a much more upbeat manner; a testament to the true power of the natural beauty of Japan and impact of historical poets on Basho. This variety calls to the different inspirations which Basho was seeking. Instead of maintaining a stagnant style, as many of the less-travelled poets would have, Bashos journey allows him to not only write about sights that he would have never otherwise experienced, but it also allows him to connect with other writing styles that he ordinarily may not have explored, causing a stark development of his own writing style. A common thread in all of Bashos inspirational writers, as pointed out by Haruo Shirane in the essay Double Voices and Bashos Haikai in Kerkhams Matsuo Bashos Poetic Spaces: Exploring Haikai Intersections, is that all of these writers are considered to be reclusive poets. Though the Genji (the famous lovers), Ariwara no Narihira and Ono no Komachi were all well recognized and loved for their classical images in Japan, Basho aligned more with these less-renown, reclusive poets (Kerkham 111). This points to his history in Zen meditation and his monk-like lifestyle. Bashos journey connects several of the residences of the recluse poets that he idealized before and allows him to unite the poetic forms and pasts of these poets into his own. By giving credit to these poetic predecessors in his works, Basho also changed the way that the ancients were perceived in Japan; causing the known poetic standards to shift from the classic writers of old to the reclusive writers Basho modeled (111). This shows the impact of not only the poets on Basho, but his effect on their legacies and the subsequent shift in future Japanese literature as a result. One of the major differences between Basho and the poets he follows is that Basho does not have the religious concerns of actually being a Buddhist monk, which allows him to write more freely. The religious poets had to be concerned with the Buddhist principles of renouncing the phenomenal world in which we live, while that often times met with the conflict of their love for the splendor of nature; this is particularly true of Saigyo (67-68). In a way, then, Basho was able to take up the task that the priest poets likely would have enjoyed taking on, in being able to truly describe the full impact of nature. By the culmination of the text, Basho provides haikus with a much different and generally upbeat tone, which speaks to his spiritual and intellectual enlightenment and overall shift in writing attitude and style. This enlightenment has been primarily generated by the writings of past poets and their inspirations, as evidenced by his poetry, which nearly always honors the writings and poets who wrote there before him, at some level. Bashos questing for inspiration had much larger implications than just his self-development into a recognized poet, as it caused a dramatic change in the perception of classic Japanese literature and had a monumental impact on the future of Japanese texts. A path once blazed in the spirit of exploration and inspiration is again used by Basho in the same means, but to a drastically different ends, largely due to the ability of the ancients to inspire and help him develop his art into a form that led to wide acceptance and yielded recognition for those ancients.

Interim Report of the Factors Influencing the Success of Community Tourism in South Africa Essays

Interim Report of the Factors Influencing the Success of Community Tourism in South Africa Essays Interim Report of the Factors Influencing the Success of Community Tourism in South Africa Essay Interim Report of the Factors Influencing the Success of Community Tourism in South Africa Essay Submitted to: ACTS South Africa PO Box 13911 Mowbray South Africa 7705 South Africa 30 November 2009 Submitted by: FinnGroup Ltd Group 3 Helin Henrietta 09163185 Makinen Outi 07083938 Raudaskoski Heli 09163176 Tuominen Katja-Mirjami 07084112 Introduction In this consultancy report we will discuss about the concepts of community tourism and pro-poor tourism and their sustainability both in general and in the context of South Africa. The first section of the report introduces sustainable tourism development and its current trends. The next section discusses community tourism and pro-poor tourism; their connection to sustainable tourism development. After the general theory, the report moves on to discuss these issues in the context of tourism in South Africa. It will consider the tourism policy framework and practises to date. We will critically analyse the positive and negative aspects of tourism development in local communities as well as in general level in South Africa. After the main body of the report we will make carefully considered recommendations for future policy making and practises of sustainable tourism development in the destination. c. The meaning of sustainable tourism development: a critical analysis of current trends (Raudaskoski Heli) The concept of sustainable tourism development has become a widely accepted practice in tourism industry worldwide within the last decade (Sharpley, 2000). As tourism industry continues to grow, the importance of integrating sustainable approach with tourism development becomes extremely necessary (UNEP WHO, 2005). Especially the growth of mass tourism has led to many problems including environmental, social and cultural dimensions (Mowforth Munt, 2009). The importance of sustainable travel and tourism was recognized in tourism-related literature in the early 1990’s (Cohen, 2002). Many of the world’s tourists are seeking to visit well-preserved historical and cultural attractions in destinations that are located in authentic, clean and fragile environments (UNEP WHO, 2005). In order to secure the industry’s future, the tenets of sustainability should be included in the tourism development; tourism policymaking and practice. (Cohen, 2002) In 2005, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization defined that the aims of sustainable tourism development are to minimize the negative impacts that tourism has on the destinations’ local environments as well as to increase the benefits of the industry growth in the communities (UNEP WHO, 2005). . A critical overview of community tourism and pro-poor tourism as sustainable approaches to tourism development in the developing world (Makinen Outi) Community tourism gives a possibility to local people to get involved in tourism business by offering tours and activities in the destination and develop the sustainable tourism. (Mann, 2000) The requisite is that the community is surrounded by the physical environment and it reflects to local economic activities and lifestyles. S ingh et al, 2003) Locals are benefiting from the tourism in many ways such as being part of the decision-making, ownership and receiving profits from any tourism ventures. According to United Nations, â€Å"the most sustainable form of tourism will be achieved when local people take control of their lives and determine to live according to their traditions on their own terms. † (2001, pp. 11) Policy and regulations, funding, planning and education are the key components in achieving the sustainability in community tourism according to Choi Sirakaya’s research results in 2005. Richard and Hall assert that there is no sustainable tourism development without community sustainability. Communities need to support themselves on the basis of available resources such as the environment globally and locally. (2000) Pro-poor tourism gives poor people a possibility to actively participate in tourism. (Ashley, et al. , 2001) The degree of control is significant element of sustainability and the debate is how local communities should be involved in the sustainable development of tourism in their area. If sustainable tourism development is successful, it may help pro-poor tourism to reduce the poverty in different levels. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) To achieve the sustainable tourism in poor regions tourism development needs to be well planned and managed and the overall environmental quality needs to be maintained and improved. Poverty reduction impacts should be taken into consideration when assessing sustainability. (WTO, 2002) e. Community tourism and pro-poor tourism in South Africa: a critical review of practice to date (Helin Henrietta) In 1996 the government of South Africa published the White Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism which set frameworks for South Africa’s new tourism policy. (Richards Wilson, 2007) The White Paper identifies that community-based tourism has a lot of potential on developing South Africa’s economy and implies many examples of community participation possibilities. It also recognises the difficulties of community tourism, for example a lack of awareness, lack of information or training and lack of access to finance. Hughes Vaughan, 2001) Over the last decade there have been major changes in tourism development and actions in community tourism and pro-poor tourism have become more common. The government and the private sector have created many strategies to improve country’s tourism opportunities. (Spenceley, 2003) One of the most noticeable changes in South Africa has been the founding of a community tourism body. (Hughes Vaughan, 2001) In order to ex plore pro-poor tourism in South Africa, five private sector tourism companies’ performance in economic, social and environmental sustainability was reviewed during 2001-2002. These five companies have used several pro-poor strategies including employment opportunities, business opportunities and material donations. (Spenceley Seif, 2003) There are also a number of critical issues affecting the viability of pro-poor tourism strategies: even though partnerships with private sector can be beneficial for host communities, it means that local communities cannot be in control of tourism in the area. (Singh, et al. , 2003) In some cases the benefits of these partnerships are really low at a household level. Spenceley, 2003) The positive impacts of small tourism enterprises in relation to the amount of people are not felt by many and poor people and pro-poor tourism products are in remote areas with poor infrastructure. (Spenceley Seif, 2003) f. A critical overview of provision and trends in South African tourism since 1994, including a review of the policy framework (Tuominen Katja-Mirjami) South African policies are based on the legal and political context fo llowing the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Spenceley Seif, 2003) South Africa has aimed to build a post-apartheid heritage since 1994 through establishment of local museums and new heritage trails; (Hughes, 2006) alleviation of poverty within disadvantaged areas and sustainable economic development are the cornerstones of new policies in the post-apartheid South Africa. (Spenceley Seif, 2003) The White Paper of 1996 recognised tourism as an important tool for economic development emphasising community based tourism initiatives; however what constitutes â€Å"community based tourism† is not clearly defined. Hughes Vaughan, 2001) Catering, accommodation, services and attractions are considered suitable sectors for community-based tourism initiatives; in urban areas historic and political sites will also have an important role. (Hughes Vaughan, 2001) Apartheid-period policies still overshadow the tourism industry; although as a tourism destination South Africa is very attractive, many tourists feel the impact of the past policies and are unwilling to visit. (Government of South Africa, 1996) Since 1994 South Africa has seen a vast increase in the number of international tourists and domestic visitors. Hughes, 2006) The private sector consists of large-scale sites such as the Apartheid Museum and Voortrekker Monument and â€Å"small-scale recreations of ‘tradition’†, cultural villages and township tours. (Hughes, 2006:279) The tours and cultural villages are the main forms of community tourism in South Africa; as private initiatives they are largely geared towards the foreign visitor market. (Hughes, 2006) Provisional statement Terms sustainability, sustainable development, tourism development, sustainable tourism, pro-poor tourism and community tourism and the policy framework are discussed more detailed in the final report. After going through different sources of sustainable tourism development, community and pro-poor tourism in general and in the case of South Africa we have identified few preliminary recommendations to be made in the destination. As discussed earlier in the report, there have been difficulties in defining many terms related to sustainable tourism development. There should be clear definitions and understandings between different stakeholders in order to make South African tourism truly sustainable. With effective planning, communities could benefit more from tourism. Local communities should have more control over tourism development instead of the private sector. In one hand, the local communities need support of the private sector but on the other hand the private sector should not interfere too much, as it makes the local communities feel that they are not in control of tourism in their communities. It is important to include the locals into tourism business. Another problem in South Africa is that some of the pro-poor tourism products are located in remote areas; therefore there is a need for better infrastructure and access to these areas. Bibliography Ashley et al (2001) Pro-Poor Tourism Strategies: Making Tourism work for the Poor, Nottingham: The Russell Press Choi, H. C. Sirakaya, E. (2006) Sustainability indicators for managing community tourism, Tourism Management 27, 1274-1289 Cohen, E (2002) Authenticity, Equity and Sustainability in Tourism, Journal of sustainable tourism 10 (4), 267-276 Government of South Africa, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (1996) â€Å"The Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa†, South African Government Information, info. gov. a/whitepapers/1996/tourism. htm#1. 1 [Accessed 19/10/09] Hughes, H. (2006) â€Å"Rainbow, renaissance, tribes and townships: Tourism and heritage in South Africa Since 1994† in Buhlungu, S. , Daniel, J. Southall, R. (Eds) State of the nation, Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, pp. 266-287 Hughes, H. Vaughan, A. (2001) Community Tourism in the New South Africa: A Presentation to Tourism Studies, University of Derby Mann, M. (2000), the Community Tourism Guide, London: Earthscan Singh, S. et al (2003), Tourism in Destination Communities, Oxon Cambridge USA: Cabi Publishing Mowforth, M Munt, I. (2003) Tourism and Sustainability: Development, globalization and new tourism in the Third World, second edition, London: Routledge Mowforth, M. Munt, I. (2009) Tourism and Sustainability: Development, globalization and new tourism in the Third World, third edition. London: Routledge Richard, G. Hall, D. (2000) Tourism and Sustainable Community Development, London: Routledge Richards, G. Wilson, J. (2007) Tourism, creativity and development London: Routledge Schianetz, K. ; Kavanagh, L. Lockington, D. 2007) Concepts and Tools for Comprehensive Sustainability Assessments for Tourism Destinations: A Comparative Review, Journal of sustainable tourism 15 (4), 369-389 Sharpley, R. (2000) Tourism and sustainable development: exploring the theoretical device, Journal of sustainable tourism 8 (1), 1- 19 Spenceley, A. (2003) â€Å"Tourism, local livelihoods and the private sector in South Africa: case studies on the growing role of the private sector in natural resources Management†, Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa Research Paper 8, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies Spenceley, A. Seif, J. (2003) â€Å"PPT working paper no. 11: Strategies, impacts and costs of pro-poor tourism approaches in South Africa†, Pro-poor Tourism, propoortourism. org. uk/11_South_Africa. pdf [Accessed 19/10/09 United Nations Environment Programme World Tourism Organization (2005) Making Tourism More Suitable: a guide for Policy Makers United Nations (2001) Managing Sustainable Tourism Development, New York: United Nations, p 11 World Tourism Organisation, (2002) Tourism and the Poverty Alleviation, WTO

5 Publishing Lessons I Learned Working With a Professional Marketer

5 Publishing Lessons I Learned Working With a Professional Marketer 5 Publishing Lessons I Learned Working With a Professional Marketer As a life-long fan of classic science fiction as well as emerging new voices from the genre, Fabrice Stephan's underlying passion is the exploration of technology through fiction, which he shares in his latest novel, Human Starpilots. In this post, he talks about the five biggest lessons he learned about publishing by working with a professional marketer.For indie authors, it’s a no-brainer that publishing is a challenge. Where you work as a teacher, in business, or any other trade, selling books is a brand new world.Anyone who’s already been through the process will tell you that writing is only half the work, while editing, publishing, and marketing makes the other half. Some publishing books might give you a â€Å"fool proof† recipe for success. And on some account, they are right: publishing a book on Amazon or other platforms is easy and fast. But once your book is up there, you’re lost in a crowd of other writers who have little to no sales. There mi ght not be a cost in publishing your book on Amazon, but, in this case there’s no gain, either.This was the point I had reached when I turned to Reedsy to find a professional marketer. I had published two nonfiction books and was in the process of publishing my new science fiction novel. The first two had been downloaded about 200 times, but hadn’t received any reviews or ratings - nice but limited progress that I had achieved using both Kindle Countdown Deals and price promotions via different websites. I wanted to give my third novel more of a chance to reach people.So I turned to Reedsy with a clear request in mind: I wanted professional help with launching my book. And I also wanted to learn more about the trade of book marketing in general. I found marketer Mark Leslie Lefebvre, who met my needs exactly and who went above and beyond my expectations in regards to showing me the ropes.Let’s take a tour of some of the lessons I learned along the way. Is working with a professional marketer worth it for indie authors? Join the discussion here. Lesson 1: Patience is a virtueWhen it comes to promoting your book, what you need to do is engage in consistent, small-scale promotional efforts that earn you as much money as they cost - and then to increase your investments as you make progress.In this way, promoting your book is a game of patience - and requires you to set lots of long-term groundwork before you start earning profits. Those profits might not come with your first book. With the second book you publish, you will build on your author brand. With the third, you’ll have more to offer potential readers. With the fourth,   fifth, sixth, etc - you will continue to build upon (and reap rewards from) your promotional efforts.So be patient, and stick it out for the long haul.Lesson 2: Reviews are keyOf course, the more the merrier when it comes to finding readers. However, when you’re just getting started in your publishing career, you do also want to be strategic about who you’re marketing to so th at you can attract the right kind of readers: in other words, readers who enjoy your genre, who are already looking to read a book like yours, and who will, therefore, be more likely to leave a positive review.For example, someone who reads mostly militaristic sci fi might not be interested in pure adventure sci fi without any space battles. If you advertise to them and they’re let down by your book, you’re more likely to receive a negative review.That’s where refining your target market plays a big role, and Mark helped me do that in spades - as you’ll see in the next three points.Lesson 3: Your cover needs to provide key informationI don’t think I need to tell other indie authors how important a good cover is. What Mark stressed with me is that you don’t only want your cover to attract the attention of readers, but the right readers: the kind of readers who will enjoy your book and leave reviews. Therefore, your cover should immediately g ive readers an idea of your book’s genre and it’s story. Lesson 4: Get your author bio rightMark also helped me work on my author bio to make it more personal, professional, and informative.Before... I have been trained as an engineer and I work, by day, in computer science since 1996. I have already published technical books on computer science. Fan of science fiction, both of the great classics and of the new voices, this is my first full-fledged novel. I was born in the USA, I lived in France, Denmark and Australia and I have settled now in Macon, France, close to Burgundy with my wife and my two kids.After... Fabrice Stephan is an engineer and is the author of multiple technical books on computer science. As a life-long fan of classic science fiction as well as emerging new voices from the genre, his underlying passion is the exploration of technology through fiction, which he shares in his novel Human Starpilots.Partially inspired by the classic Robert Heinlein novel Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, Stephan’s debut novel Human Star pilots explores a future world, where, desperate to escape ecological disaster on earth, humankind’s fate relies on the investment in a unique and limited group of only six pilots capable of surviving the training of managing hyperspace jumps learned from a borrowed Alien technology.And, if the risks and challenges these brave pilots faces wasn’t enough, contact and collaboration with the Alien Federation begins to reveal even more surprises.When he is not exploring other worlds through science fiction, or computer technology through his work, Fabrice Stephan has traversed much of the globe. Born in the USA, he has lived in France, Denmark and Australia before settling in Macon, near the border of Burgundy, with his wife and two kids.Lesson 5: Your blurb should target your audienceMark and I also reworked my blurb to make it more efficient and direct, and to ensure it spoke to my target readers.Before... In 2130, Earth ecology is failing fast. Its inhabitants are dying and the governments are hard pressed to contain the disaster. So when an Alien Federation suddenly contacts Earth and offers assistance, everyone jumps on it. There are further surprises: those aliens prove, once their DNA analysed, to be distant cousin from us. The Federation will provide to Earth advanced technology and support against the climate change with a single condition: To trade among stars, they need pilots capable of managing hyperspace jumps and only rare humans have what it takes to survive the training and become one. To receive support, Earth has to find and provide starpilots to take its share of the load. After a careful selection, six are chosen to fly to the far away planet Adheek. There, they will try to learn their new trade. If they fail, Earth will collapse. If they succeed, it may have a chance. But no one has prepared them to what they will face to gain that chance.This debut novel was inspired by the classic â€Å"Have space suit, will travel† fro m R Heinlein and by the science-fiction work from LE Modesitt. It is a tale of adventure in a far land, of going beyond one’s own limits.After... Only augmented pilots can cross space. But at what cost? In 2130, Earth’s ecology is failing fast. Its inhabitants are dying and the governments are hard pressed to contain the disaster. An Alien Federation contacts Earth and offers assistance. We accept their offer to trade among the stars and receive their support. In exchange, they aliens, who prove to be distant cousins, need pilots capable of managing hyperspace jumps and only rare humans have the right genes and capacities to withstand them. After a careful selection, six are chosen to fly to the far away planet Adheek. There, they will compete with students from other planets to try and learn their new trade. If they fail, Earth will collapse. If they succeed, it may have a chance. But no one has prepared them to what they will face next. If you want to recapture that sense of wonder from reading Robert Heinlein’s â€Å"Have space suit, will travel† and the tale of adventure and going beyond one’s own limit from L.E. Modesitt Jr, then you won’t want to miss this thought provoking novel. The 5 major lessons I learned working a professional marketer. #indieauthor In the end, working with Mark totally changed my perspective on selling books. Time, consistency, targeting, focus, and forbearance - these are all elements you need. And only a professional can help you settle in the rhythm you need to survive the publishing world.

The Role of the United Nations in Conflict Management During the Cold Research Proposal

The Role of the United Nations in Conflict Management During the Cold War Era - Research Proposal Example As the war progressed, it became reorganized and other countries joined resulting in a military that was made up of seventy million personnel who were drawn from different warring countries. Stevenson (2004) noted that this war was referred to as the first deadliest war in history and it resulted in the death of 9 million people. The second major World War to have occurred in the World’s history is the Second World War that took place between the periods of 1939 to 1945, and it involved two opposing alliances namely the Axis and the Allies, which comprised of over thirty different countries. This Second World War ended with the highest number of fatalities who were placed in the range of fifty to eighty-five million people and it was caused by more or less the same factors that also caused the Second World War. McMahon wrote that after the Second World War, there was great tension primarily between the Soviet Union and the United States, which lasted between the periods of 1947 to 1991. This war was characterized by high levels of tension between the two conflicting sides and there was also mutual suspicion among the two enemies. According to Friedman, the United States, and the Soviet Union, which at that time were regarded as the World’s superpowers were engaged in the Cold War mainly because of economic and political difference between the two countries, as the US was pro-democracy while the Soviet Union was pro-communism. This present research study will focus on the Cold War, which is referred to as â€Å"cold† because of the fact that there were no incidences of large-scale fighting. In particular, this research study will seek to investigate the role that the United Nations played in managing the conflict that was associated with the Cold War considering that it was simply formed after the Second World War on 24th October 1945 to foster international co-operation.

In what ways does Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut and the ones who walk Coursework

In what ways does Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut and the ones who walk away from the omelasLeGuin does dystopian works - Coursework Example Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin are two examples of dystopian works. In both these stories, the authors give descriptions of futuristic societies that are majorly characterized by the concepts of perfection and equality. In Harrison Bergeron for instance, the author describes a futuristic society of 2081 in which the government has put controls in place to enhance equality in the society. In this society, no one is supposed to have an advantage over the other. Similarly, in The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, the story describes the peace, happiness and abundance enjoyed by the people of the city of Omelas, and the cots the society has to pay to enjoy these fortunes. In both stories, elements of dystopian societies are evident. In the story The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, the concept of a dystopian society is well brought out by the author’s description of the child that lives in a room with one door and no window. According to the author, the child has been neglected, and as a result, he may have become an imbecile due to poor nutrition and neglect. The people of Omela know that this child is suffering in the tiny room, and even some of them have come to see the child. However, they know that the child has to be there because all the things they enjoy- happiness, friendships, health of their children, good harvest- all depend on the child’s suffering. This is what is usually told to children whenever they get to the age of understanding. This is a clear illustration of a dystopian society in which propaganda is used to manipulate the people. In dystopian society, propaganda is used to control the citizens, just is the case in Omela. In addition, the author shows that even those who sympa thize with the child are afraid to do anything or leave the city. This is also an illustration of

The Marketing Strategies In The Toyota Company Essay Example for Free

The Marketing Strategies In The Toyota Company Essay Toyota Company for the past many years have been known for its quality products and reliability. But the very creativity of Toyota in its businesses and projects which touches every aspect of life was hardly seen by the people. It is when the company tried to create an image for themselves showcasing their eco-friendly activities like participation in motor sports and also practiced corporate philanthropic acts. Toyota managed to develop great principles and philosophies which helped in the manufacturing of the various exclusive models of the Toyota Production System. Toyota’s success of the tools and the technologies is due to the following 4 P’s model which they follow very rigidly. Philosophy à   The company philosophy states that they have to drive the market by satisfying the stakeholders of the company who are customers, society at large, community and its associates. Process à   Following the right kind of process will yield better results in the short term and long term improvement process. People and Partners à   More skilled and confident people who have the zeal to learn and grow in the company help and value the organization success. Problem Solving à   Organizational learning and experiences take place only if there is a control mechanism for solving the problems and the issues. Continuous improvement is still a better option which has been opted for. Toyota designs its strategies based on the concept of breaking down the jobs to develop specific work assignments which would be provided to the respective audience who will have the effectiveness in performing the task. Training processes needs to be sharpened by Toyota to meet up to its expectations. Toyota believes in developing the people by its rigorous and continuous problem solving mechanism which is in place. Toyota since 2003 has been considered as the world’s second carmaker lagging behind GMC. With the attractive designs in its technology, Toyota has been regarded as the best among the auto consumers across the globe. It has made the reputation and brand not only for its attractive designs in the vehicles but because of its affordable prices, branding process and the marketing techniques that have been followed. It has been successful in being different from other automakers because of the differential pricing mechanism. The segmentation and the targeting measures have been streamlined in way that each customer’s needs and wants have been effectively satisfied. Toyota uses a strong definition to describe its business entity by marketing its business line as being fuel efficient, environmentally friendly and having better quality products and also it marketed as being a funny and entertaining in terms of its promotional campaigns. Although Toyota gained enough revenue because of this unique selling proposition, still the masses considered it as only a fun company. Hence it decided to start up a new brand named Lexus targeting the luxury car market which it thought of marketing as a separate company with no relation to Toyota. This project was successful because of it better customer support services and a strong distribution network. Despite all the innovativeness shown, Toyota faced a crunch and a problem in their Demographic segmentation with reference to the age factor. It targeted an average age to be 47 as compared to the industry average to be 45 and hence choose to design a marketing campaign for the youth segment to influence them in buying Toyota products. Thus it started manufacturing and designing sports utility and youthful models to target the younger youth segment. To make this youth project a success it promoted its products on youth oriented media like MTV, sports channels; highlighting its brand philosophy on the websites in a flamboyant and a loud manner and by sponsoring various live programs. They were so practical and disciplined in their marketing tactics that they followed the concept of no negotiation in their prices and also providing no pressure on the customers to force their buying there by encouraging vehicle customization for its customers to enforce their purchase decision. The success of Toyota is regarded for its ability to identify the newer growth opportunities thereby achieving greater market development and product development thus capturing them in a timely phased manner. It also concentrated on downsizing wherever required so as to minimize on the resources which did not produce results. The unique characteristics of Toyota’s marketing strategies is that it has kept aside the traditional marketing tactics like surveys or focus groups or case studies but has adopted techniques like participating in parties, clubs, art galleries :thus helping in creating a balanced rapport with the youth. Toyota felt that the marketers shouldn’t use marketing gimmicks to attract the customers but to devise strategies which convey the messages in a straightforward, authentic and undemanding manner. Publicizing their product range in music CDs was another plus point for the company. Websites were the point of grievance handling and a focal point for providing feedback and suggestions in an interactive manner. Toyota thus has created a niche for themselves because of its economies of scale, global brand name and highly equipped and skilled engineers, all of which have been contributed in the best manner to showcase the company positively. References: Cina, M. (2002). â€Å"Toyota Uses Unique Marketing Strategy For Scion.† Retrieved on April 4, 2008, from Popular Mechanics Web site: http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1270196.html Liker, J. Et al (2005). â€Å"The Toyota Way Fieldbook† 1st Ed, New York: McGraw Hill. Wittens, S. Et al (2006). â€Å"Toyota: Developing Strategies for Growth† Retrieved on April 4, 2008, from Life in Motion Web site: http://lifeinmotion.wordpress.com/2006/12/23/%E2%80%9Ctoyota-developing-strategies-for-growth%E2%80%9D/

A Sociological and Psychological Assessment of Crime and Deviance Essay

A Sociological and Psychological Assessment of Crime and Deviance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sociology of deviance is the sociological study of deviant behavior, or the recognized violation of cultural norms. Cultural Norms are society's propensity towards certain ideals; their aversion from others; and their standard, ritualistic practices. Essentially the 'norm' is a summation of typical activities and beliefs of group of people. There are various Sociological deviance theories, including Structuralist: why do some people break the rules? , Marxists: who makes the rules, and who benefits from their enforcement?, and Interactionist: How did this person become processed (labeled) as a deviant?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sociology asserts that deviance is problematic, yet essential and intrinsic to any conception of Social Order. It is problematic because it disrupts but is essential because it defines the confines of our shared reality. It is intrinsic to a conception of order in that defining what is real and expected, defining what is acceptable, and defining who we are always is done in opposition to what is unreal, unexpected, or unacceptable. Sociologically, deviance can be construed as a label used to maintain the power, control, and position of a dominant group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deviance is a negotiated order. Deviance violates some groups assumptions about reality (social order). It violates expectations. The definition of deviance defines the threat and allows for containment and control of the threat. The definition of deviance preserves, protects, and defines group interests and in doing so maintains a sense of normalcy. Deviance can consequently be seen as a product of Social Interaction; the result of setting boundaries and limitations, rules and laws, acceptable and unacceptable. "In sum, by deviance I mean one thing and one thing only: behavior or characteristics that some people in a society find offensive or reprehensible and that generates--or would generate if discovered--in these people disapproval, punishment, condemnation of, or hostility toward, the actor or possessor....What we have to know is, deviant to whom?" (Goode, 1994, page 29)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychological theories of crime and deviance really only describe the difference between supposedly ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ human characteristics. What constitutes crime or deviance is a value judgment made by humans. The behav... ...ldren that it is okay if they want to be different, or feel that they are because everyone is unique and should not be ashamed of that. The harsher acts of deviance are still looked extremely upon as horrid, and will hopefully never change. What causes a person to act a certain way is, the least to say a controversial topic. It may be from inherited traits, learned from society and family, or even a combination of both. In this case, an exact answer will probably never be known. Sources Cited 1. Becker, Howard S. Overview of Labeling Theories. http://home.ici.net/~ ddemelo/crime/labeling.html. 2. Berg, Irwin A. and Bass, Bernard M. (1961). Conformity and Deviation. New York: Harper and Brothers. 3. Deviance: Behavior that Violates Norms. Http://www.elco.pa.us./ Academics/Social_Studies/Care/ITTP_2/Chap.8.html. 4. Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior. http://www.mpcc.cc.ne.us/aseffles/delcrslides/ch.09/tsld012. Htm. 5. Lemert, Edwin M. (1972). Human Deviance, Social Problems, and Social Control. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 6. Pfuhl, Erdwin H. Jr. (1980). The Deviance Process. New York: D. Van Nostrand Company.