Visite Brazil Company Overview

Introduction Tourism and the hospitality industry is one of the largest service industries in the world. This industry is a lifeline to the economies of many countries and people across different sectors and regions. Brazil is one of the finest travel destinations globally and a lot of businesses have been established in the country. This essay is going to analyse a company by the name of Visite Brazil operating in the Brazilian tourism industry.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Visite Brazil Company Overview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizational Structure Visite Brazil is a company which offers different services such as planned and customised travel packages to various tourists. The company employs a large staff who have specialised skills such as translation, drivers, tour guides and marketing executives. The company is headed by a CEO who is in charge of various managerial departmental heads. Vi site Brazil’s mission is to contribute in the growth of the Brazilian economy. The company has a philosophy and vision of offering personalized tours to people of all incomes brackets (Hudman, 2003). Visite Brazil focuses on all demographic ages while leveraging its advantage having the best translators for all tourists. Marketing Mix Strategies Marketing mix determines the combination of product, price, place, and promotion to be used in line with the marketing strategy. Visite Brazil has positioned itself to offer a high quality, safety and outstanding customer service product targeting business and leisure customers. The following marketing mix strategies have been applied in Visite Brazil. Product Brazil is a large country with a lot of tourist attractions that caters for a lot of visitors needs. The country has created a wide range of tourist packages to cater for different types of travelers. For instance, the country offers customized holidays to tourists with visits t o beautiful places such as Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and the Amazon forest. Brazil’s economy is large and growing at a fast rate especially in the Latin America region. As a result, many business people visit the country to conduct business or attend trade fairs (Jafari, 2003). Apart from leisure travel, many other people travel to the country to attend or participate in sports events. Brazil is a powerhouse in sports and thus a lot of sports activities are organized in the country. Moreover, the country is also home to the largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon whereby tourists visit the country on special tours at features in the Amazon. Visite Brazil is one of the companies that offers services to these beautiful locations (Hudman, 2003).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Price Visite Brazil is a company that offers travel packages at good and discount price s to various travellers wishing to visit Brazil. The company offers specialised prices and packages for travellers wishing to tour the country. The country offers various holiday destinations for both affluent to normal and middle income earners. The prices for the holiday experiences depend on the type of holiday package being sold. The Brazilian tourism market is specialized since prices are based on different factors. Travel to city locations in Brazil is mainly suited for low paying tourists and thus, Visite Brazil usually sells bundled packages for these tourists (Harrison, 2001). During the high tourist season which occurs during the winter and autumn seasons in Europe or North America, Brazil enjoys a good climate leading to high prices during these seasons. Place Brazil is a country located in the tropics in Latin America and thus the country has one of the best climates in the world. This is compared to countries in Europe or North America which experience different climate s annually. As a result, when the countries such as the United States or European countries experience poor climate, tourists end up visiting Brazil (Birle, 2008). The climate in Brazil is superb for tourists’ activities especially during the summer seasons in the country. Brazil is a huge country with a lot of place and spots that allow visitors to vacation and enjoy the Brazilian scenery. Brazil is expected to in the coming years due to the 2014 World Cup being held in the country. This will result in the country being a favorite spot for tourists to visit (Hudman, 2003). Brazil is a place with long pristine and beautiful beaches in the eastern side of the country. Based on this features and information on Brazil, it is easy for Visite Brazil to sell the country to potential tourists and other people in different regions globally. Promotion Visite Brazil is a company with a lot of promotional activities for its services and products through the use of various channels. The company makes use of advertising in news media and through online in target markets of Argentina, the US and Europe. The company liaises with well known tour operators in the United States and other regions to attract tourist to use their products and services. Through the use of public events, Visite Brazil conducts public relations to its potential customers (Harrison, 2001). Moreover, the company promotes its services through airline companies plying several South American destinations. For instance, during in-flight movies, Visite Brazil’s adverts are relayed to promote the companies services.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Visite Brazil Company Overview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marketing Mix Tactics In the process of conducting business, it is important to conduct a SWOT analysis for an organization to determine the best marketing strategies to employ. The SWOT analysis is done below: S trengths: The growing Brazilian offers an opportunity for Visite Brazil to tap on this population to grow its revenues. The expected growth of tourist numbers in the coming years will boost Visite Brazil. The Brazilian infrastructure is undergoing a major growth that is expected to open the country for tourists to visit the most beautiful destinations of Brazil. Weaknesses: According to Birle (2003, p. 56), Brazil’s lingua franca, Portuguese hampers communication between tourists and employees of Visite Brazil. This leads to increased operating costs on the part of Visite Brazil hence reducing its revenue. Lack of experience in the tourism compared to its well versed competitors could affect the company in marketing its services. Opportunities: The growing Brazilian middle class offers an opportunity for growth in domestic tourism could be tapped by Visite Brazil in meeting its goals and objectives. Brazil is set to witness one of the largest sports events in terms of the 201 4 World Cup 2016 Olympics. Threats: Increased competition from rival firms and other potential tourist destinations in Latin America could jeopardize Visite Brazil’s goals. The increasing value of the Brazilian Real will make travel to the country costly, and this might drive away tourists to other destinations. Action Plan Based on the analysis of SWOT and 4P’s, it is imperative to draw out a strategy to be used by Visite Brazil in attracting tourists to make use of their services. Visite Brazil will make use of advertising to potential customers in different regions using the internet, magazines and events. For instance, the annual International Tourism Fair offers an ample opportunity for Visite Brazil to market its services and products. The company could diversify its products to cater to the needs of various customers with diverse demographics. The growing relevance of Brazil in the world of business has led to increase numbers in the business tourism segment (J afari, 2003). Thus, Visite Brazil could offer conference tourism packages to these tourists. The high end organization of the Brazilian tourism industry has made this industry to grow at a fast rate. The connection between banks, hotel accommodations and airlines could be tapped by Visite Brazil in its concerted efforts in marketing its services and products.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Visite Brazil’s most important tool in promoting its services and products is through the use of the internet whereby social media and online adverts could be utilised. Online presence in the current world is important since social media channels and the internet can reach billions of potential customers around the world (Harrison, 2001). Most important is that Visite Brazil builds on its strengths and opportunities while reducing its weaknesses and anticipating threats. Conclusion Tourism is one of the most challenging industries to operate in due to competition and dynamism. Brazil is one of the best tourism destinations that offers an unforgettable experience to tourists. Many companies operate in this competitive region, and one of the companies is Visite Brazil, which is a tour company offering several products and services to tourists. The company has specialised in offering unique tour packages at an affordable cost. However, the company marketing strategy has made the company reap good benefits from the Brazilian tourism market. References Birle, P.,  Costa, S. Nitschack, H. (2008). Brazil  and the Americas: convergences and perspectives. London: FK Publications. Harrison, D. (2001). Tourism  and the less developed world: Issues and case studies. Chicago, IL: Penguin Books. Hudman, L. Jackson, R. (2003). Geography of travel and  tourism: Focus on Brazil. San Francisco, CA: Pelshiver. Jafari, J. (2003). Encyclopedia of  tourism. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons. This case study on Visite Brazil Company Overview was written and submitted by user Rayden Kirk to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on There Are No Permanent Allies, No Permanent Enemies Only Permanent Interests

"There are no permanent allies, no permanent friends, only permanent interests", is a clichà © which quite often describes the behavior pattern of nations. This is because it is the interest of a nation that governs its behavior in a given situation. Therefore the interests of a nation remain paramount. The status allies and enemies keep changing depending on what suits the nations interest best. Modern history has several examples to prove the above stated point. The Afghanistan war of 1979 is a good example to prove it. Soviet Union had many interests in Afghanistan and one of them was to spread the theory of communism and make it one of its satellite nations. The United States was pursuing a policy of containment and it indirectly aided the rebel forces of Afghanistan, i.e. the Taliban and Mujahhidins, to overthrow the communist regime. United States allied with Afghanistan along with Iran, China and Pakistan to carry out its objectives. Although the war ended in a stalemate, but the participating nations were involved because it served their interests. After 9/11 United States developed an interest of combat against terrorism and it suspected its former ally, Afghanistan or the Taliban, to be involved in the attacks on the WTO twin towers. The super power attacked Afghanistan due to a change in its interests and in fact it received support from its former enemy, Russia. In course of a decade, at first United States supported a nation and i n the end attacked and destroyed it. It took part in both occasions purely due to the reason of interests. It allied with nations that had similar interests and opposed those who had interests that were contradicting. Another example from modern History is the behavior of United States during the Iraq-Iran war of the 1980's. The Iraq – Iran war a typical example to show that interests are the main reason that a nation gets involved in any given situation. In course of the Persian Gulf War of... Free Essays on There Are No Permanent Allies, No Permanent Enemies Only Permanent Interests Free Essays on There Are No Permanent Allies, No Permanent Enemies Only Permanent Interests "There are no permanent allies, no permanent friends, only permanent interests", is a clichà © which quite often describes the behavior pattern of nations. This is because it is the interest of a nation that governs its behavior in a given situation. Therefore the interests of a nation remain paramount. The status allies and enemies keep changing depending on what suits the nations interest best. Modern history has several examples to prove the above stated point. The Afghanistan war of 1979 is a good example to prove it. Soviet Union had many interests in Afghanistan and one of them was to spread the theory of communism and make it one of its satellite nations. The United States was pursuing a policy of containment and it indirectly aided the rebel forces of Afghanistan, i.e. the Taliban and Mujahhidins, to overthrow the communist regime. United States allied with Afghanistan along with Iran, China and Pakistan to carry out its objectives. Although the war ended in a stalemate, but the participating nations were involved because it served their interests. After 9/11 United States developed an interest of combat against terrorism and it suspected its former ally, Afghanistan or the Taliban, to be involved in the attacks on the WTO twin towers. The super power attacked Afghanistan due to a change in its interests and in fact it received support from its former enemy, Russia. In course of a decade, at first United States supported a nation and i n the end attacked and destroyed it. It took part in both occasions purely due to the reason of interests. It allied with nations that had similar interests and opposed those who had interests that were contradicting. Another example from modern History is the behavior of United States during the Iraq-Iran war of the 1980's. The Iraq – Iran war a typical example to show that interests are the main reason that a nation gets involved in any given situation. In course of the Persian Gulf War of...

Identifying Post-Marital Residence Archaeologically

Identifying Post-Marital Residence Archaeologically A significant piece of kinship studies in anthropology and archaeology both is post-marital residence patterns, the rules within a society that determine where a child of a group resides after they get married. In pre-industrial communities, people generally live(d) in family compounds. Residence rules are essential organizing principles for a group, allowing families to build a labor force, share resources, and plan out rules for exogamy (who can marry who) and inheritance (how the shared resources are split among the survivors). Identifying Post-Marital Residence Archaeologically Beginning in the 1960s, archaeologists began attempting to identify patterns which might suggest post-marital residence at archaeological sites. The first attempts, pioneered by James Deetz, William Longacre and James Hill among others, were with ceramics, particularly decoration and style of pottery. In a patrilocal residence situation, the theory went, female pottery makers would bring in styles from their home clans and the resulting artifact assemblages would reflect that. That didnt work very well, in part because contexts where potsherds are found (middens) are rarely clear cut enough to indicate where the household was and who was responsible for the pot. See Dumond 1977 for a (fairly dyspeptic and so fairly typical for its era) discussion. DNA, isotope studies, and biological affinities have also been used with some success: the theory is that these physical differences would clearly identify the people who are outsiders to the community. The problem with that class of investigation is it is not always clear that where people are buried necessarily reflects where people lived. Examples of the methodologies are found in Bolnick and Smith (for DNA), Harle (for affinities) and Kusaka and colleagues (for isotope analyses). What seems to be a fruitful methodology of identifying post-marital residence patterns is using community and settlement patterns, as described by Ensor (2013). Post-Marital Residence and Settlement In his 2013 book The Archaeology of Kinship, Ensor lays out the physical expectations for settlement patterning in different post-marital residence behaviors. When recognized in the archaeological record, these on-the-ground, datable patterns provide insight into the societal makeup of the residents. Since archaeological sites are by definition diachronic resources (that is, they span decades or centuries and so contain evidence of change over time), they can also illuminate how residence patterns change as the community expands or contracts. There are three main forms of PMR: neolocal, unilocal and multi-local residences. Neolocal can be considered the pioneer stage, when a group consisting of parent(s) and child(ren) move away from existing family compounds to start new. Architecture associated with such a family structure is an isolated conjugal house which is not aggregated or formally situated with other dwellings. According to cross-cultural ethnographic studies, conjugal houses typically measure less that 43 square meters (462 square feet) in floor plan. Unilocal Residence Patterns Patrilocal residence is when the boys of the family stay in the family compound when they marry, bringing in spouses from elsewhere. Resources are owned by the men of the family, and, although the spouses reside with the family, they are still part of the clans where they were born. Ethnographic studies suggest that in these cases, new conjugal residences (whether rooms or houses) are constructed for the new families, and eventually a plaza is required for meeting places. A patrilocal residence pattern thus includes a number of conjugal residences scattered around a central plaza. Matrilocal residence is when the girls of the family stay in the family compound when they marry, bringing in spouses from elsewhere. Resources are owned by the women of the family and, although the spouses can reside with the family, they are still part of the clans where they were born. In this type of residence pattern, according to cross-cultural ethnographic studies, typically sisters or related women and their families live together, sharing domiciles which average 80 sq m (861 sq ft) or more. Meeting palces such as plazas are not necessary, because the families reside together. Cognatic Groups Ambilocal residence is a unilocal residence pattern when each couple decides which family clan to join. Bilocal residence patterns is a multi-local pattern in which each partner stays in their own family residence. Both of these have the same complex structure: both have plazas and small conjugal house groups and both have multifamily dwellings, so they cannot be distinguished archaeologically. Summary Residence rules define who is us: who can be relied on in emergencies, who is required to work on the farm, who we can marry, where we need to live and how our family decisions are made. Some argument can be made for residential rules driving the creation of ancestor worship and unequal status: who is us must have a founder (mythical or real) to identify, people who are related to a particular founder might be of a higher rank than others. By making the main sources of family income from outside of the family, the industrial revolution made post-marital residence no longer necessary or, in most cases today, even possible. Most likely, as with everything else in archaeology, post-marital residence patterns will be best identified using a variety of methods. Tracing the settlement pattern change of a community, and comparing physical data from cemeteries and changes in artifact styles from midden contexts will help approach the problem and clarify, as much as possible, this interesting and necessary societal organization. Sources Bolnick DA, and Smith DG. 2007. Migration and Social Structure among the Hopewell: Evidence from Ancient DNA. American Antiquity 72(4):627-644. Dumond DE. 1977. Science in Archaeology: The Saints Go Marching In. American Antiquity 42(3):330-349. Ensor BE. 2011. Kinship Theory in Archaeology: From Critiques to the Study of Transformations. American Antiquity 76(2):203-228. Ensor BE. 2013. The Archaeology of Kinship. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press. 306 p. Harle MS. 2010. Biological Affinities and the Construction of Cultural Identity for the Proposed Coosa Chiefdom. Knoxville: University of Tennessee. Hubbe M, Neves WA, Oliveira ECd, and Strauss A. 2009. Postmarital residence practice in southern Brazilian coastal groups: continuity and change.  Latin American Antiquity 20(2):267-278. Kusaka S, Nakano T, Morita W, and Nakatsukasa M. 2012. Strontium isotope analysis to reveal migration in relation to climate change and ritual tooth ablation of Jomon skeletal remains from western Japan. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 31(4):551-563. Tomczak PD, and Powell JF. 2003. Postmarital Residence Patterns in the Windover Population: Sex-Based Dental Variation as an Indicator of Patrilocality. American Antiquity 68(1):93-108.

Analysis of the Picture Girl with Pearl Earring Created by Johannes Essay - 10

Analysis of the Picture Girl with Pearl Earring Created by Johannes Vermeer - Essay Example I’ve heard about the work of art earlier, but I have never thought about it as a great masterpiece. About a year ago, I read an article, about the most significant pictures of the world and found out that â€Å"Girl with a pearl earring† was one of them. I thought that it might be a really good picture, as the filmmakers even created a movie, which showed the audience the history of its creation. A few months later, my friend invited me to attend a local art gallery and I agreed. Going around the boring representations of nature and abstract figures, which meaning I could not understand, I ran against one reproduction, which attracted my attention and it was â€Å"Girl with a pearl earring†. I came closer to it in order to analyze it in greater details. A few minutes I stood calmly looking at the elements of the picture, trying to figure out of what everyone found so special about it. Dark ground, light face’s shades and the most important - sad, but a mys tique look of the girl, which hid some kind of a secret. I looked attentively on the main heroine of the picture. Who was she? Where was she from? Why did she look so sad? What is her history? On my way home, I noticed that I thought over these questions, trying to answer them. At home, I decided to search for this information on the internet. However, there was very little data about it. It is not known whether the author wrote it for himself or somebody else. According to one of the versions, the artist depicted his own daughter Mary. In any case, it is clear that this is an unusual portrait. The artist tried to capture the moment when a girl turns her head towards the viewer to someone whom she had just noticed. Much attention is focused on the girls’ pearl earring. The picture was painted by means of oil. The author used an unusual technique â€Å"tronie†, which was typical for the XVII century.

Concept Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concept Analysis - Essay Example This paper will analyze a chosen concept using the Wilson Method of Concept Analysis. 2. Concept Analysis. The procedure of concept analysis by Wilson begins with isolating value and facts of the concept. This is achieved by answering the fact with knowledge and giving moral standards of the concept. The concept is also given a meaning. The second part is obtaining the right answers since a concept could be having more than one correct reply. Elements that are core to necessities of the concepts are given priority. The third part entails incorporating a model case. The case must be the actual example of the concept. Using several model cases helps clarify the meaning of the concept. The next part of the concept analysis procedure will entail a different case that contrasts the actual example of the pain or any case that is not the true example of the concept. Then related cases that are similar to the concept are given. There are situations where a case is debatable if it belongs to the category of the concept. This is used as a border case. Imaginations can be used to find meaning of a concept where an example is rare to find. The meaning of a concept can be placed in a social context. ... Walker and Avant adapted Wilson Method of Concept Analysis to identify the most significant approaches to study concepts in nursing. Walker and Avant (2005, p. 65) suggest the following steps in a concept analysis. The first step is concept selection. The selected concept reveals the area of concentration and the main topic. The second step is identifying the aims together with the objectives of conducting the analysis. Determining objectives clarifies the meaning of the concept. Moreover, clarity contributes to the creation of the operational meaning of the concept. Consequently, the scientific, normal or even the ordinary application of the concept is clarified. In some cases, the researcher may have individual interest and conduct a concept analysis (Morse, 1995, p. 31). The third step is the recognition of all uses of the concept. This entails finding out the meaning of a concept in the dictionary, available literature and from peers. The search for the uses is extended to all fi elds beyond nursing. The fourth step in concept analysis is concerned with characterizing the concept. After a critical examination of concept, attributes that appear repeatedly are noted. The attributes that form a cluster are linked to the concept. The fifth step is the creation of a model case. A model case will entail an illustration in real life that reveals all the attributes of the concept. Baldwin (2008, p. 53) adds that, the model can be presented as a case to generate the characteristics simultaneously or be discovered after the characteristics are determined. Construction of other cases is the sixth step. Other cases will include borderline case, related case, contrary case,

Roman Architecture Essay Example for Free

Roman Architecture Essay Some 2,025 years ago, an aged Roman architect named Vitruvius wrote all he knew on architecture on 10 scrolls and presented it to Emperor Augustus in the hope of developing this dying art. Known as the, ‘Ten Books on Architecture,’ this piece of antiquity is the only such work to survive through medieval times, and continues to be an important resource for architects today Prof. Thomas Gordon Smith, Viturvius on Architecture. The early Christian church was spectacular in architecture. They were an end-product of a combination of assimilation and rejection of precedents, such as the Greek temple, the Roman public building, the private Roman house, and the synagogue. The Early Christian church (the Basilica church) architecture developed from Roman secular basilica; a centralized type from Roman tombs (Early Christian Architecture, Ch.4, p.159-169, n.d) . 2.0 Introduction Roman architecture dates back in time when Greek architecture was at its best. Many of the Greek style have been perfected by the Romans and this can be seen in the architectural brilliance in their churches to date. The Pantheon is a prime example of architectural brilliance. The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the Roman state religion, but is now a Christian church since the 7th century. Such is the construction that it remains the best-preserved and the oldest important Roman building in the world. What’s more, this building has its original roof intact. It remained in use throughout its history (Architecture, chapter four, pp. 159-169). 2.1 History The Pantheon was built as early as 27-25 BC during the third consulship of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. As testimony stands the inscription of his name on the portico of the building, which reads, ‘M ·AGRIPPA ·L ·F ·COS ·TERTIUM ·FECIT.’ It was originally built with adjoining baths and water gardens, but this structure lay destroyed by a raging fire in AD 80, only to be rebuilt around 125 during the reign of the then Emperor, Emperor Hadrian. On reconstruction, the text of the original inscription of Agrippa was added; a practice followed during Hadrians rebuilding processes all over Rome. The building went through subsequent repairs under Septimius Severus and Caracalla. In 609 the Byzantine emperor Phocas presented the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who reconsecrated it as a Christian church, the Church of Mary and all the Martyr Saints. The buildings consecration as a church saved it from the abandonment which befell the majority of ancient Romes buildings during the early mediaeval period. The building however lost some of its external sculptures above Agrippas inscription. The marble interior and the great bronze doors have survived, although the doors came in for repair works several times. Since the Renaissance the Pantheon was used as a tomb, and those buried here were the late painters, Raphael and Annibale Caracci, the architect Baldassare Peruzzi and King Vittorio Emanuele II and his Queen Margherita, and King Umberto I.   Since 1946, when Italy became a republic, many members of Italian monarchist organizations still maintain a vigil over the royal tombs in the Pantheon. Despite protests from republicans, the Catholic authorities have allowed this practice to continue. The Pantheon however, remains to be a church with masses continuing to follow celebrations and weddings (Architecture, chapter four, pp. 159-169). 2.2 Structure The Pantheon was perhaps among the most difficult piece of architecture to build. The huge structure would make even today’s architects amazed by their precision and craftsmanship. The dome would have taken years to perfect and establish, for it was very high up from the floor and definitely a challenging task. Following is a detailed description of this mighty structure. The Pantheon is circular in structure with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns; eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind. These huge columns, under a pediment, open out into a rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening called the oculus, the Great Eye, to the sky. A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. On the walls behind the portico are the statues of Caesar, Augustus and Agrippa. The large bronze doors, once gold-plated remain, but without the gold. The pediment, decorated with bronze sculptures depicting the Battle of the Titan s, shows gaping holes where once stood the clamps which held the sculptures. The height to the oculus (the roof) and the diameter of its inner circle are 43 meters, making the whole interior fit within a cube. This dome remains the largest surviving antiquity, and was the largest dome in Western Europe until Brunelleschis dome of the Duomo of Florence was completed in 1436. The dome was covered with gilded bronze plates. The interior of the roof was crafted to symbolize the heavens. The Great Eye, at 27 feet, and at the domes apex, was the source for lighting the interior and represented the sun. The interior also featured sunken panels (coffers) of bronze star ornaments. These coffers not only presented a decorative splendor, but helped reduce the weight of the roof. The top of the rotunda wall had a series of brick-relieving arches that were visible on the outside were once hidden by marble facings. The Pantheon is made up of such devices; there are relieving arches over the recesses inside, all that were again originally hidden by marble facing. An important aspect of the structure is that the proportions of the building are in discord to classical ideal. The rather large pediment appears far too heavy for the columns supporting it; the earlier expectation was that the building would be much taller than its current size actually is, and this raises the issue of its affect on the larger columns. Since there was shortage in supply of raw material (imported stones), the columns were not enough to build as per designs, and completed somewhat out of proportion. The composition of the concrete used to construct the dome remains a mystery. It would need technological excellence to create anything close to this, for; the dome was so heavy that it would barely have been able to stand on its own weight. Concrete has very low tensile strength, yet the Pantheon has stood for centuries. It is believed that the Romans used pozzolanic ash from a nearby volcano and fist-sized rocks to the concrete made up of a hydrate lime. The high tensile strength it appears, seems to come from the way the concrete was applied in very small amounts and then tamped down to remove excess water. This would have removed the appearance of air bubbles that form in concrete as it dries, increasing its strength enormously (Architecture, chapter four, pp. 159-169, n.d). The Roman Christian church remains one of the most brilliant discoveries in architectural history. This was achieved through ways of assimilating and rejecting various precedents, such as the Greek temple, the Roman public and private buildings, and the synagogue. Italy was the home of Christianity, and this effectively led to the development of an underground Eastern mystery cult during the first three centuries AD, and established as the state religion of the Empire under the successors of Constantine.   The early Christian Architecture saw the development of basilica churches from Roman secular basilicas. In Rome, classical marble wall membering, vocabulary and massive walls were gradually replaced by broad, flat surfaces. Evenly lighted, these structures had plain brick exteriors and mosaic bands as interiors. 3.0 Literature Review The Romans adopted the classical Greek architecture for their own purposes, but which, they modified to suit their needs and create a new architectural style. Both, the Greek and Roman styles of architecture are thus, often considered one body of classical architecture. â€Å"Roman architecture represents a fusion of traditional Greek and Etruscan elements, notably the trabeated orders† (Early Christian Architecture, n.d), with changes coming about in their structural principles based on the design of arch and usage of concrete.   The Romans achieved originality very late in their existence; they were nearly carbon copies of early Greek structures. It was only later that the influence of Etruscans in the form of arch and the three-dimensional countenance of domes began to take shape. The two developments of any significance were the Tuscan and Composite orders. While the Tuscan model was made of the shortened, simplified variant on the Doric order, the Composite model was more elaborate; tall orders with the floral decoration of the Corinthian and scrolls of the Ionic. With the discovery of concrete, the Romans were able to construct curved and stronger structures.   Tile-covered concrete took over from marbles as the primary building material and architects were able to innovate using its flexibility to build huge, structural buildings that were extremely brilliant monuments. Structures with huge supporting pillars to support arches and domes came into being; they also inspired the development of colonnade screens, a row of purely decorative columns in front of load-bearing walls. Tiling took the Romans by storm, as many Roman homes joined the well known mural in decorating floors, walls, and grottoes in geometric and pictorial designs (Early Christian Architecture, n.d).   A recent study of Eastern Roman architecture illustrated the ‘imperial’ style and universality of Roman architecture, drawing upon Greek prototypes but designed to be of single theme to integrate a ‘common cultural basis.’ Architecture was seen as a manifestation, a tool to enforce its power over subject nations by a common, imposed vocabulary seen to be the same in every city of the empire, except for some minor decorative details and construction techniques. There is a homogeneity to Roman architecture cannot be denied, but it was never the overriding factor either. Nowhere was regionalism more important in Roman architecture than in the East. In this past, this has been minimized, usually because Roman architecture has been viewed almost wholly from the Classi cal perspective (Ball W, p.247, 2000). Counter Reformation attitudes however are not reflected or influenced the architectural development in ancient Roman architecture. The influence of early Christianity and Scholasticism can be seen in some isolated cases, such as the Cathedral of Mantua in 1545 by Giulio Romano, where colonnades, architrave, and flat ceiling of the nave can be traced back to Old St.Peter’s (Kruft H. W, Ch.8, p.93, 1996) .   The Romans contribution to architecture remains exemplified through its robust presence throughout Europe and North America by way of arches and domes of governmental and religious buildings (Early Christian Architecture, n.d). During the 17th century, Roman Catholic churches reveled in artistry that combined architecture as well as painting and sculpture. The interiors were conspicuous by the baroque combines all three arts to produce a sense of emotional exuberance. This style differed from the Renaissance. The Roman Catholic world was the home of baroque, and the Catholic Church enjoyed an aura of centuries of authority and prestige. St. Peter’s Church in Rome set the example for numerous other churches built and decorated in the 17th century to put baroque. Welcomed by rows of saints, gesticulating eagerly in stone from alcove or roof line, the interior was full of mingling curves of columns, altars and sculpted groups, breaking up the solidity of side walls, leading up to an illusionist ceiling that became a source that provided light to the inside. The ceilings were decorated with angels and people of fame or virtue, streaming upwards into the distant clouds of heaven (Historyworld, n.d). Frescos’ were predominant Roman style architectural revelations. The Romanesque and Gothic St Marys Cathedral, built between the 9th and 14th centuries, featured impressive frescos, an 11th-century bronze portal, a Romanesque crypt, and paintings by Hans Holbein the Elder. The survival of a few twelfth-century windows displaying the prophets (see photo at the end) are among the oldest stained glass windows in German churches (HHOG, 2006). Erfurts landmark is dwarfed by Mariendom (Cathedral of Mary) and the Severikirche (St. Severus Church). The churches are standing examples of German architectural masterpieces of gothic style. The ‘Gloriosa’ (1497) (see photo), also called, the ‘queen of bells,’ has been praised for centuries for her magnificent sound. Inside the cathedral one sees the impressive gothic choir with its colorful cycle of stained glass windows that number 13 in all. They are over 40 feet high and are considered to be among the greatest works of medieval stained glass art. The Cathedral houses many noteworthy treasures of art created over the centuries. A wide and impressive open air stairway leads up from the Cathedral Square to the Cathedral and the Church of St. Severus (HHOG, 2006). 4.0 Summary Roman architecture dates back in time when Greek architecture was at its best. Many of the Greek style have been perfected by the Romans and this was evident in the way they built their churches. The Pantheon was an example of Roman architectural excellence, for the structure used some of the most complicated designs and shapes to defy logic. The Roman Christian churches remain one of the most brilliant discoveries in architectural history. Their style of designing and construction was achieved through ways of assimilating and rejecting various precedents, such as the Greek temple, the Roman public and private buildings, and the synagogue. 5.0 Illustrations The Pantheon: Photo Courtesy: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Workshop/5220/ancient/pant.html Twelfth-century windows displaying the prophets are said to be the oldest stained glass windows in Germany Photo Courtesy: http://www.hhog.de/4067.html Cathedral and Church Photo Courtesy: http://www.hhog.de/3666.html 6.0 Bibliography Ancient Roman Architecture, http://www.crystalinks.com/romearchitecture.html Reading: Architecture, chapter four, pp. 159169 Early Christian Architecture, http://www.pitt.edu/~tokerism/0040/syl/christian.html Prof. Thomas Gordon Smith, Viturvius on Architecture, http://architecture.nd.edu/publications/faculty_publications.shtml Hanno-Walter Kruft, A History of Architectural Theory: From Vitruvius to the Present, 1996, Princeton Architectural, ISBN 1568980108 Warwick Ball, 2000, Rome in the East: The Transformation of an Empire, Routledge, London, ISBN 0415243572 Historyworld Index Search, HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE, Baroque as a style: 17th 18th century AD, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=1545HistoryID=ab27#1545 HHOG, Historic Highlights of Germany, Dom (Cathedral), Augsburg: The German Renaissance, http://www.hhog.de/4067.html HHOG, Historic Highlights of Germany, Erfurt: The Medieval City, Mariendom (Cathedral of Mary) and Severikirche (St. Severus Church) http://www.hhog.de/3666.html

Andragogy: All about Learning? Essay -- Andragogy Knowles Education Es

Andragogy: All about Learning? Since the language of andragogy was introduced to North American adult educators by Malcolm Knowles, there have been continual debates about whether it is an adult learning theory, a teaching method, a philosophical statement, or all of the above. It is useful to take the development of andragogy into account when considering this question. When Knowles began writing about andragogy, he was already a well-respected figure in the adult education establishment. He had participated in the creation of the Black Book (Jensen, Liveright, and Hallenbeck 1964), a collection of writing setting out to define adult education as a discipline. Establishing adult education as a discrete area of academic study was an important aim for Knowles and many of his contemporaries (Damer 2000). As early as 1962, Knowles wrote that "the adult educational field is in the process of developing a distinctive curriculum and methodology" (Knowles 1962, p. 255)—a process in which he played a central role. The development of andragogy was an important component of broader efforts to position adult education as a profession and academic field. Knowles (1980) claimed that andragogy was "the art and science of teaching adults," and set out four key assumptions: 1. Teachers have a responsibility to help adults in the normal movement from dependency toward increasing self-directedness. 2. Adults have an ever-increasing reservoir of experience that is a rich resource for learning. 3. People are ready to learn something when it will help them to cope with real-life tasks or problems. 4. Learners see education as a means to develop increased competence. Two additional assumptions were later added (Knowles,... ...itique of the Present and a Proposal for the Future." Adult Education Quarterly 52, no. 3 (Spring 2002): 210-227. Robles, H. J. "Andragogy, the Adult Learner and Faculty as Learners." 1998. (ED 426 740) Tisdell, E. J. "Poststructural Feminist Pedagogies: The Possibilities and Limitations of Feminist Emancipatory Adult Learning Theory and Practice." Adult Education Quarterly 48, no. 3 (Spring 1998): 139-156. Usher, R.; Bryant, I.; and Johnston, R. "Self and Experience in Adult Learning." In Supporting Lifelong Learning, edited by R. Harrison, F. Reeve, A. Hanson, and J. Clarke, pp. 78-90. London: Routledge-Falmer/Open University, 2002. Wenger, E. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Ralf St. Clair is Director of the Texas Center for Adult Literacy and Learning, Texas A&M University.

Gender Expectations from Society

Gender Expectations As far as anyone is concerned, boys and girls have always been different. From the well-known immaturity of a boy and the maturity of a girl to the actual differentiation of sex, it is obvious the difference between the two. Masculinity vs. femininity, the learning process when growing up, and responsibilities are the differences the stories â€Å"Boys† by Rick Moody and â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid illustrate very well. And as society has its role, it uses these differences to set standards for each gender as for what is expected by them.These standards that are set are very stereotypical, making expectations and gender stereotypes go hand in hand. The learning process for a boy and a girl as they grow up is very different. In the story â€Å"Boys†, how boys learn is illustrated very well. Throughout the whole story, the boys are about doing things and learning from their mistakes. No one teaches them anything, but they learn from life on a trial and error basis. They were left alone to learn by themselves through what life had to offer for them. But the girl from the story â€Å"Girl† was taught completely different.She was taught everything by what seemed to be a mother figure. She was taught what to do at a young age while being taught what she would have to do in the future at the same. From how to fold clothes to â€Å"†¦how to bully a man† (Kincaid 201) there was always some one teaching her. And due to this learning process for each gender, responsibilities are set. Responsibilities are probably the biggest part of growing up. The responsibilities for each gender differentiate greatly. A woman seems to have more responsibilities because she is taught what she must do, and especially if she is maintaining a household.But she knows what to do when it comes time that she has to do it. As for a man, he never stops learning. Life seems to continue going on that trial and error basis. And the respo nsibilities for him are not that hard until he begins a family. Once he starts a family, he must take the full-blown responsibility for caring and providing for them. But a boy does not become a man because of age, but because of what he learned from life. In the story â€Å"Boys†, the boys are seen to be in their teenage years but are still considered boys.Not until their father dies are they considered men, because that is when they learn what they need to actually be men. A woman has no need for this type of lesson, because they were taught everything they need to become since they were young. These responsibilities are thought to be because of one idea: masculinity vs. femininity. Masculinity vs. femininity has always been a great factor for what is expected from each gender, and is generally stereotyped. Men are thought to always be strong and to be leaders, while women are thought to be fragile and helpful.This greatly influences the expectations, as women are thought t o be weaker and more vulnerable. This is why women are thought to have to stay home and take care of the household while the man goes out to work. For a man, it is expected that he lead the household and take care of it. Also, because a man is generally thought as being strong, he must go out and work in order to provide for his family. And though times have changed, this idea seems to remain. Men can stay home while the woman works, but then others look down on them.It’s just what is expected from a man and woman based on their responsibilities and their learning process. It seems that most ideas and expectations concerning men and women are very stereotypical. Maybe it is because of masculinity vs. femininity and the expectations that come from that. Maybe it’s the learning process that boys and girls have as they grow up and the expectations based on how they learn. Or maybe it is because of the responsibilities that are expected from man or woman. Maybe it’s a combination of these reasons. But whatever the reason may be, the stereotypes are there. They are stereotyped expectations on gender.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Analyses how the writer created a subliminal message in the written or visual text In the play and film Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, a subliminal message was Macbeth questioning his sexuality. Techniques that helped me to understand this were 21 SST century song lyrics, film techniques, and Wisped. The audience first question Machete's sexuality in the beginning of the play, when Lady Macbeth convinces him to kill Duncan because she thinks Macbeth has a secret crush on the King.Lady Macbeth Is Jealous because King Duncan has more followers on Instating, which Is why she forces Macbeth Into stabbing Duncan In his sleep. A technique that helped me to understand why Macbeth would never love Lady Macbeth Is when she says that â€Å"thy haters guan hate, hate, hate† so she will just â€Å"shake it off, shake it off'. This showed the audience what a bad choice Macbeth made when he married her, and this is obviously why he turned gay. We then see the subliminal message o f Macbeth questioning his sexuality when he kills Banana.Macbeth does this because Banana rejected him, and Macbeth is embarrassed so he sides to kill Banana for turning him down. A technique that helped me to understand why Banana rejected Macbeth is when we see Machete's Shiite haircut, which he probably only paid $2 for. This helped the audience to realize why Banana didn't want to â€Å"swing from thy chandelier† with Macbeth, and this showed me how important a good haircut is if you want someone to love you. We finally accept the subliminal message of Machete's sexuality when Lady Macbeth kills herself because she realizes Macbeth is gay.After walking around without any clothes on to try and win Macbeth back, Lady Macbeth can tell that he â€Å"don't want none unless you got buns hunt†, which she obviously doesn't have. This leads to her Jumping Off building and splattering onto the floor. Macbeth doesn't seem to grieve when he hears that she is dead, and a techni que that helped me to understand this is when we see a close up of his face. You can tell by looking at his eyebrows that he is actually overjoyed that Lady Macbeth is dead, because now he can run away with Macadam.Through the use of 21 SST century song lyrics, film techniques, and Wisped, Shakespeare wanted us to understand how Macbeth was actually homosexual. This helped the audience to realize that Shakespeare was probably gay too, and this was his way of come out without being accused of doing It for rewets. Macbeth by William Shakespeare: Macbeth Questioning His Sexuality By Laboriousness's this were 21st century song lyrics, film techniques, and Wisped. The audience first King.Lady Macbeth is Jealous because King Duncan has more followers on Instating, which is why she forces Macbeth into stabbing Duncan in his sleep. A Macbeth is when she says that â€Å"thy haters guan hate, hate, hate† so she will Just didn't want to â€Å"swing from thy chandelier† with Macbe th, and this showed me how buns hunt†, which she obviously doesn't have. This leads to her Jumping off a building Through the use of 21st century song lyrics, film techniques, and Wisped, his way of come out without being accused of doing it for rewets.

Greenland versus Iceland Essays

Greenland versus Iceland Essays Greenland versus Iceland Essay Greenland versus Iceland Essay Greenland versus Iceland Name: Course: Instructor: : Institution: Date: Greenland versus Iceland Iceland is considered among the most developed and wealthiest countries in the world. It operates on a free market economy, whereby its taxes are lower compared to other OECD countries. It was listed the fourteenth most developed nations in the world, in 2011. Greenland is located within Denmark. It is the largest island in the world and least dense populated country in the world. The country’s economy depends on its home country, Denmark. The Inuit society of Iceland survived due to adaptive measures that have ensured its sustainability. One of the ways that this is achieved is by controlling the population growth. Their main activities included whaling and trading with other communities. Their survival skill in adapting to the environment is flexibility. When a resource becomes unavailable, they turn to another one for survival. Iceland relies a hundred percent on energy from renewable resources, whereby seventy percent made from hydropower and thirty percent geothermal power. The main supplier Landsvirkjun is the owner of hydropower plants. The ability of the country to produce renewable energy relies on its geology. Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic ridge. There are six hundred hot springs, two hundred volcanoes in the country and twenty steam fields of high temperature that are lowest at 1500c. Waterfalls and rivers in the country on the other hand produce hydropower. Greenland on the other hand relies on biomass as its source of energy. Biomass is divided into three categories, which are solid, fluid and gas. There are plants for burning waste in six cities in Greenland. There are threes types of theoretical potential, namely, the economical potential and the technological potential. The economic potential technically lasts for twenty years, with heat production paid back after twelve and a half years and heat and power production after 5 years. Before there was any human, activity in Iceland, there were birch forests, colonies of sea birds and a lot of green grass. When man invaded the land, the grassland was destroyed by the European crops and domestic animals that man had introduced into the land. Deforestation on the other hand enhanced soil erosion, as the soil was exposed to water and wind. This has led to the destruction of ninety percent of the forests of Iceland and forty percent of the soil. The soil erosion, today, has destroyed Seventy-three percent of the land surface. The population in Greenland is affecting its environment through oil spillages. In 1980, millions of tons of oil were estimated to go into the ocean every year. The main sources of these spillages are sewage outfalls, tanker operations, atmospheric outfall and urban runoff. Accidental spills present a threat to the environment, because they are of high concentration. Oil degradation in the Arctic would be slow, since the temperatures are low. Further more, since the infrastructure is not good and the climatic conditions are harsh, clean up would be hard. A more adverse effect would be if the oil spilled on ice in the ocean. The oil would concentrate on the ice edges where most animals and birds would bid up during migration. Oil is a toxic substance to organisms. Its effects would depend on the oil composition and the organism that has been affected. Climate change can be caused or cause biodiversity change. Climate change is one of the most important factors that determine change in species distribution in an ecosystem. Change in the climate is also affected by human activities, which produce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Another effect of climate change is the change in the required concentration of carbon in marine and terrestrial systems. The change in biodiversity on the other hand affects the circulation of the benefits that species acquire from ecosystems. The benefits consist of regulating services such as managing variability in pathogens and pests and cultural services such as recreation. Biodiversity supports such ecosystem services as climate regulation. For example, converting forests into agricultural production increases carbon emissions. This in turn affects the climate by increasing its rate of change. Human activities that lead to the emission of greenhouse gases greatly cause climatic changes, which in turn affect biodiversity. The Vikings migrated from Iceland and arrived in Greenland in 980 A.D. it settled in farming communities. They related with their European communities through trade. However, this community eventually collapsed due to a number of reasons. The reasons why the Viking society in Greenland collapsed were; first, they had hostile relationships with their neighbors. They were in war with the Skraelings, who captured and killed some of their people. Secondly, they had lost support from their native homes and their trade partners. In the event, when half of the population in Norway was killed, it caused economic and political instability, such that no trade ships could be sent. The Inuit owned larger weapons, dogs and other equipments that enabled them protect themselves from other communities, such as the Dorset. They made trade with various culture and societies, which hence ensured their survival. When they could not survive the climates in the regions they had settled, they moved into friendlier regions. The Inuit society also had a greater population as compared to the Vikings, which probably led to their survival. In conclusion, species are eliminated from a setting through natural selection. In this, the strongest species or the most adoptable survive. The Viking society collapsed because they were a weaker group than the surrounding communities were. They also had weaker survival skills. In the present world, species survive depending on their ability to adapt to the existing climates and conditions of their surrounding environment. Reference Crystalinks. Inuit. Retrieved from crystalinks.com/inuit.html Brown, D., M. (2000). The Fate of the Greenland Vikings. Retrieved from archaeology.org/online/features/greenland/

Betsy Ross Made Me Love Reading

Im not sure why I chose the story of Betsy Ross. It may have been because she was female, or it may have been my curiosity about how a woman was chosen to sew the flag of our nation. The author took me back to the sasss, and made me feel like I was right there alongside Betsy. The story told of Betsy Grooms childhood raised with her sixteen siblings In the Quaker Church. Although Betsy knew she would be expelled from the Church and split from her family for marrying outside her faith, she married John Ross when she was 21 years old.The courage It took for Betsy to go against her familys wishes was Inspirational. I could not comprehend how she was able to leave everything she had ever known. The story went on to tell how the two of them began an upholstery business together since Betsy had excellent sewing skills. John and Betsy attended the First Christ Church in Philadelphia, and sat across the aisle from George and Martha Washington. I couldnt imagine how it would feel personally knowing the man who was soon to become President of the United States.Betsy recently embroidered ruffles for George Washingtons shirts and cuffs. In June of 1776, she was asked to sew the American Flag by George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross. The author was able to tell Bets story in such a way that I was fascinated and mesmerisms. I learned that books didnt have to be boring. I discovered that not only can you learn from books, you can be entertained. I remember that I read a lot of the biographies In the library that year. I read about George and Martha Washington, Abraham and Mary Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, JohnAdams, and Dooley Madison. Their stories took me back in time. They taught me how people lived in the past and about all the hardships they had to endure and overcome. Reading opened my eyes to other worlds and experiences. It improved my reading ability and comprehension skills which helped me in school. As I grew older, I continued to read. In middle school and high school I made friends with other girls who also enjoyed reading. Some of the other kids would make fun of me because I was often reading.Since was a chubby child, I was frequently picked on and bullied y the other students. Reading gave me an escape from this abuse. In books I could be someone else, someplace else, and not have to deal with the bad behavior of the other children. I would never have Imagined all those years ago that a simple school assignment would have started me on a life-long Journey with books. I love to disappear into the world of a novel, fall in love with its characters, and lose myself in sure neither she nor Betsy Ross would have ever imagined the impact they would have in my life.

Quality of High School Education in United States Essay

Quality of High School Education in United States - Essay Example The integration of technology has brought great improvisation in the quality of high school education. The ultimate gain of the above mentioned point has actually spread a sense of security in the students. They are now more confident of taking up the challenges of the real world that requires instant decision making and regular introspection. The learning in the classroom is now generating a new relationship between the teacher and the student. The teachers are now developing various new methods for assessment as well as teaching process. The schools are also entrusting its teachers to stress on critical thinking. Even though students are learning facts and basic skills, they are now stressing with adequate emphasis on advanced reasoning skills (von Glasersfeld, 87-95). The newer technology generally in the form of computer & internet has provided a different addition to the concept that encompasses meaningful learning of education. One of the first and most vocal proponents of the use of technology to promote this type of meaningful learning was Seymour Papert who believed that computers could provide a powerful tool for learning. He also noted that schools have frequently ignored the broad capacities of computers for instructional support, isolating them from the learning process rather than integrating them into all areas of the curriculum. Using the techniques of the constructivism effectively, the teacher can teach or educate their students in restored modality. Teachers are beginning to use technology as a tool to promote students' ability to reason and solve authentic problems. Also, teachers have now been using technology and also integrating them into formal education system with intention to transform classrooms into technology intensive knowledge centers providing purposeful learning with experimental leaning that would intuitively create an environment of authentic action rather than awareness and simple information. The effective use of technology now integrates higher cognitive skill development and thinking skills such as problem solving, reasoning, decision making, and scientific inquiry. When teachers are thorough and totally integrate technology into class room a very different environment comes into existence. A constructivist learning environment is a place in which learners work together and support each other as they use a variety of tools and information resources in their guided pursuit of learning goals and problem-solving activities. Constructivist learning environments frequently encompass many different applications of media and technology. Classrooms under this environment are active with the combine of the tools of constructivism with communication and visualization tools that enable communication and collaboration among learners in a socio cultural context. Increased student achievement can result because of the synergy created through dynamic interactions (Sandholtz, Ringstaff, & Dwyer). Reference: Papert, S. Mindstorms: Children, computers and powerful ideas. New York: Harper Collins, 1980 Papert, S. The children's machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer. New York: Basic Books, 1994 Sandholtz, J., Ringstaff, C., & Dwyer, D.