The Origins of Masks

There is evidence that masks have been under the eye of the world for at least 20,000 years. There is evidence to prove this all over the world, which includes paintings on the walls of the insides of various different caves in Southern France, to images also painted or inscribed on the walls of pyramids in the Sahara desert of Egypt. Although our own British culture is extremely different to that of many others around the world, we are becoming increasingly more aware of how and why masks were first invented and the repercussions of them all around the globe. This is due to television documentaries, internet pages, and books at all of our local libraries. It is this point alone which initially brought my attention to that of the African Tribal, Japanese Theatrical and the Viennese Ball masks. Although these are all quite different types of masks, they all have similar reasons for existing, whether it is religious, celebratory, or even to shadow one's identity. By today's standards, many people believe the creation and use of masks to be only that of historical value; however this could not be more wrong as there is in depth evidence all around us which proves otherwise. African Tribal Mask. Example of Bamileke High Priest Mask taken from www.rebirth.co.za For many centuries African Tribal masks, played a major role in rituals, celebrations, ceremonial and tribal initiations. Masking rituals are normally accompanied with prayer, music, song and or dance. After researching the masks of African Tribes people, it is clearly visible that the different types of masks in which they use/used, fit in to eight different categories. However, the one that grasped my attention from the moment I set eyes upon it was the Bamileke Mask. When I first seen this mask I was immediately mesmerised by the fact that where it is reasonably bright and colourful, it becomes increasingly dull when the expressions of the face are observed. This fact initially led me to believe that this type of mask was created for funerary purposes; however this is merely the tip of the iceberg. The Bamileke mask was always worn by the chief of a particular tribe and it was this character that would take up the role of high priest, or chief, enabling him to initiate new-born babies to the tribe, lead celebratory or funerary rituals, lead his army in expeditions of war, harvesting and planting of crops and many more. â€Å"It is believed that when the Tribe leader wore the mask, he was transformed into animal form, primarily elephant, lizard, or buffalo. This allowed him to create a link between the human and spirit realm to seek guidance from his ancestors† (1). This is a prime example of the fact that the Bamileke mask was used for religious ceremonies, however from my own personal research, I think it would be unjust to declare that this mask is of purely religious qualities, because in this unique culture, everything which is done, whether it regards basic human survival techniques, or celebratory events, it is impossible to determine where religious elements come into the equation as they treat everything they do with such high regard. Bamileke masks are always constructed of a mixture of different natural materials. Where most traditional tribal masks were made from clay or mud, which was molded into the shape to fit the wearers face, the Bamileke mask was carved directly from the trunk of a tree which had been blessed by one of the elders before hand. It was then that a mixture of mud and sand was added on top of the wood to allow a suitable surface for painting, adding beads and stones, and in some cases, decorative leaves. Japanese Theatrical Mask. Example of Shikami Mask Taken from www.nohmask.com Japanese theatrical and dance performance masks are known as Noh masks. â€Å"Each individual mask represents a certain person, hero, devil, ghost or legendary animal, depending on what the character is in the performance†2. Masks were first used in Japan, since the Jomon period of time. This period of time spanned from 10,000 B.C; to 300 B.C. Out of all the Japanese masks that I came across while researching them, there was one particular mask that stood out to me above all of the others, the Shikami mask. These particular masks are used to represent a demon, (this can be taken literally or metaphorically, depending on the story line of the play). For example, if the certain play is centered on the afterlife or elements of a more dark, or gothic nature, the Shikami mask would more often than not be taken literally. However if the play was focusing on more modern themes, for example adultery, or murder, the Shikami mask would probably be metaphorical for a person who is to be looked upon as being of a more evil or bad nature. I believe that the way in which the Shikami mask is presented is extremely clever, as on many occasions, it would look like Satan or other dark or demonic characters as they would do so from a stereotypical point of view, in order to make the audience immediately scared or at least weary about them. A basic description which is used across many books and internet sources for a Shikami mask is, â€Å"Fierce scowling face, showing extreme agitation, used for demonic spirit. It expresses masculine rage. The Shikami mask features the application of dark red colour, to crow's-feet and temples of the head†3. Japanese masks are always made of materials such as clay, dry lacquer, cloth, paper, and wood. The Shikami mask in particular is handcrafted from wood, before it is painted in a shiny lacquer. This is done to make every element of the mask stand out. The main surface area of the Shikami mask was always painted bright red, in order to express the anger and ferocious nature of that particular characters aura. The eyes and teeth were always painted bright gold, in order to bring more attention to them rather than anywhere else on the mask, as it was these aspects of it which explained the theme of the mask in more detail. Viennese Ball Mask. Venetian Ball Masks originated from Venice in the 13th century, however the exact year in which they were invented is unclear. The first Carnival of Venice was recorded in 1268 and it was these events in which the masks were initially used. Where as the African Tribal and Japanese theatrical masks are not only harder to come by, but are always a lot more expensive, Viennese Ball masks can be found as easily as looking through your everyday shop windows. The fact that they are always a lot more decorative and fancy in a sense, they are commonly used for public holidays, the most famous of which being Halloween. Example of Renaissance Long Nose mask taken from www.nohmask.com Viennese masks were originally invented so that a certain person, usually who came from an upper class background, could participate in activities which they would not normally do so. There are a wide range of different Viennese masks, some of which merely cover only the eyes, to others which cover the vast majority of the face, and some times even the hair or neck of the wearer. This allows them to engage in certain activities which they would not normally do so, and keeps their true identity hidden from the public eye. In modern day life, there have been many adaptations of the Viennese Ball mask to adequately obtain discretion, for example a balaclava. However this form of discretion has enabled many illegal activities to be completed more successfully, and nowadays they are commonly banned from sale at many major retailers in a bid to try and discourage these things from happening. When they were first invented, Viennese Ball masks were more often than not made with papier machete. This was achieved by taking a mould direct from a person's face, and then building off that. In more modern situations however, plastic or latex was used, as it was simply easier to gain a more precise and accurate version of the design in which the person desired. On most occasions, a mold was created first, using the same techniques of the papier machete way; however melted plastic is then placed in to the mould, effectively making it quicker and in most cases cheaper to produce. A certain Viennese mask which I was drawn to, was the renaissance long nose mask. Considering the time period in which these masks were originally created, it astounds me to even consider how such a complex design was achieved with the tools that they would have had access to. The initial idea of the long, pointed nose was almost a superstition as it was believed to be an imitation of the devise which was used to hold vinegar in around the time of the bubonic plague to hold off the disease, or at least the bad odors of the sick or dying. Conclusion. From the research which I have gathered about these three different masks, I have discovered that although they all originated in extremely different circumstances, the reasons for their creations are not all that different. It is clear to me that whether the reason for the masks' being is to allow someone to transform into animal form in order to get in touch with their spiritual or ancestral roots, or simply just to shadow someone's everyday personality, they have been put their, in place in order to allow a person to change their usual form; almost a form of escapism. It ha also come to my attention that whether it regards masks, or any other aspect of a certain culture which is different to our own, they are most definitely not to be underestimated no matter what time period in which it derives from.

Job Satisfaction, Work Attitude Essay

As stated by Black (2001), teachers’ stress is rising due to such factors as greater time constraints, low salaries, excessive work overloads, lack of involvement in decision – making and problems with school disciplines. Teachers suffer, due to in part of to the low-pay-high-cost-of-living gap. Decisions handed from the top down leave teachers feeling like more trainers than educators. Teaching in low performing schools should be a rewarding experience, yet these schools are labelled failures. These are confounded as some educators are seen publicly lambasting others. The education community is on edge. With all the finger pointing and name calling, it is a wonder teacher can push this negativism out of their minds while they turn their full attention on their students (Nichols, 2006). Furthermore, a nationwide survey conducted by the Rural Editorial Service of the University of Chicago reported in July 2006 that job satisfaction depends also such factors as the community’s attitude toward them and the schools, the quality of educational leadership, the amount of responsibility granted to teachers, adequate housing facilities, teacher welfare benefits, and others. In point of fact, there were signal improvements in teachers’ conditions of service throughout the year. New or liberalized retirement plans were authorized by well over half the states, and class registrations were reduced to thirty in Maryland and Arkansas. In the Philippines, one of the major problems in the Department of Education is the shortage of trained and competent teachers. Major reason of this shortfall is that a number of trained teachers turn to other types of employment and some went abroad for greater employment opportunity. Generally, as observed that some teachers are disillusioned, demoralized and confused at being forced to carry out unpopular Government policies, while being constantly blamed for the society’s ills. Some factors might have created dissatisfaction amongst teachers will probably include references to discipline problems created by unruly pupils, class sizes, the introduction of the National Curriculum, and lowered professional status. Additional factors also include level of salaries and benefits, increased work-related pressures, like having too many forms to be filled up, the here and now changes of different proposed programs of the department, the concern over employment security like the most recently problem on the Government Security Insurance System (GSIS) and lessening support for education on the part of political opportunities. As someone who has spent many years working as a schoolteacher at the same time a School In – charge in one of the schools in Davao City, and had continually work closely with teachers especially in the schools in the interland. I have observe that some teachers are somewhat fed up with having to teach children in even larger classes, working in schools which are dilapidated, underfunded and overstretched. Taking in to account that most of these teachers are working away from their home and family and could only go home weekly, or the least once a month due to the distance of the schools they are assigned. However, districts located in the hinterland such as Paquibato, had most number of teacher applicants every year. Reason of this scenario could be the fact that many teachers are applying for transfer to the nearby schools after a one or two years of service and that applicant could be hired easily. Nevertheless, some teachers had tenured in this district up to their retirement period and some had flourished and raised their professional status and positions. The ground for conducting this study is that it is intended to shed light on what influences how teachers feel about their work and profession so that positive job-related attitudes may be cultivated. Theoretical Background The Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, a motivation theory, laid the foundation for job satisfaction theory. It is founded in the premise that goals or needs underpin by being the fundamental source of all desires. This theory explains that people seek to satisfy five specific needs in life – physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization. In the levels of the five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied, nor the third until the second has been satisfied, and so on (Evan,2010). According to Hackman & Oldham (2007), Frederick Herzberg’s Two factor theory (also known as Motivator Hygiene Theory) attempts to explain satisfaction and motivation in the workplace. This theory states that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven by different factors – motivation and hygiene factors, respectively. An employee’s motivation to work is continually related to job satisfaction of a subordinate. Motivation can be seen as an inner force that drives individuals to attain personal and organizational goals. Motivating factors are those aspects of the job that make people want to perform, and provide people with satisfaction, for example achievement in work, recognition, promotion opportunities. These motivating factors are considered to be intrinsic to the job, or the work carried out. Hygiene factors include aspects of the working environment such as pay, company policies, supervisory practices, and other working conditions. However, Path-Goal Theory contends that the leader must motivate subordinates by: (1) emphasizing the relationship between the subordinates’ own needs and the organizational goals; (2) clarifying and facilitating the path subordinates must take to fulfill their own needs as well as the organization’s needs (google. com,2010) Another well-known job satisfaction theory is the Dispositional Theory (Jackson April 2007). Accordingly, it is a very general theory that suggests that people have innate dispositions that cause them to have tendencies toward a certain level of satisfaction, regardless of one’s job. This approach became a notable explanation of job satisfaction in light of evidence that job satisfaction tends to be stable over time and across careers and jobs. Moreover, a significant model that narrowed the scope of the Dispositional Theory was the Core Self-evaluations Model, proposed by Timothy A. Judge in 1998. Judge argued that there are four Core Self-evaluations that determine one’s disposition towards job satisfaction: self-esteem, general self-efficacy, locus of control, and neuroticism. This model states that higher levels of self-esteem (the value one places on his/her self) and general self-efficacy (the belief in one’s own competence) lead to higher work satisfaction. Having an internal locus of control (believing one has control over herhis own life, as opposed to outside forces having control) leads to higher job satisfaction. Finally, lower levels of neuroticism lead to higher job satisfaction (Wikipedia,2010). Evans (2001), gives eight stages progression for a teacher moving from a modest level of job satisfaction towards a higher level of job satisfaction towards which is helpful. These are the following: first is being aware that there is a problem. Being aware that there is an issue, and agreeing what issue is, is by far the most important aspect of seeking to change a situation. Then devising a strategy. Once they know what the issue is that they are addressing they can start work on devising a strategy to solve it. It is followed by effecting the new strategy. It means that once they have decided what to do, they have to start work on implementing this strategy. Fourth stage is awareness of having made changes work. This implies that there is excellent communication in school. Next stage is perception that this is all worthwhile. By this stage everyone needs to start feeling better about the work being undertaken. Then sixth stage is each teacher needs to feel good about his or her own contribution to the scheme of change. In this way, teachers become not only positive about the change programme, but they also see their contribution as being significant. Seventh is a sense of achievement. This comes from the feeling of a job well done. Lastly is job fulfilment and job comfort. By this stage teachers feel good about themselves and about the job and most important about their ability to affect their meaningful way. However, according to Weis, (2010) job satisfaction can also be seen within the broader context of the range of issues which affect an individual’s experience of work, or their quality of working life. Job satisfaction can be understood in terms of its relationships with other key factors, such as general well-being, stress at work, control at work, home-work interface, and working conditions. Stress as defined by Hans Selye, is the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. It is not nervous tension, but the wear and tear of life. Stress describes the effects of the body’s reaction to pressure. The source of stress, called stressor, may be purely physical, social, or psychological. The mind may interpret it as pleasant or unpleasant. Whatever meaning it gives, the mind sends it via two pathways. One pathway, is known as the subconscious appraisal pathway, is responsible for the physical and emotional reflexes of the body. The other pathway, responsible for voluntary actions, is used for perception, evaluation, and decision – making. In this other pathway, the individual is made aware of the environmental demands. As he perceives his situation, he interprets it according to his previous experiences, value system, self-concept, ego-strengths, attitudes and feelings. Emotions are usually aroused which in turn give color to the person’s interpretation (Fabella, 2008). According to Good Health Handbook, life and stress are interwoven with each other. It depends on how you view life and how stress affects you. Stress is a highly individual phenomenon. It is strange in its own way – because when it occurs it becomes difficult for the body and mind to adjust to the pattern of life. However, Fabella stated in his book, that stress can be minimized and channelled for growth and development, and life can be filled with joy, peace, love and security. He added accordingly, that stress- resilient people have been observed to have a specific set of attitudes toward life- an openness to change, a feeling of involvement in whatever they are doing, and a sense of control over events. He further said that man who places his entire self in the sphere of work neglecting love (family) and play (sports, hobbies, socializing, friendships) decreases his overall adaptability. If he defines his existence in terms of achievement in his work, he will find that if for external reasons (i,e. , poor health) or boredom ( loss of interest or loss of faith in his employer) his work loses meaning, then so will his life. He will become demoralized, confused, and unable to function. Mayo Clinic stated that there is a link between work approach and job satisfaction. Work is often approached from three perspectives. Usually all three perspectives are important for job satisfaction, but one is often the priority: First is, It’s a job. If you approach work as a job, you focus primarily on the financial rewards. In fact, the nature of the work may hold little interest for you. What’s important is the money. If a job with more pay comes your way, you’ll likely move on. Next is, It’s a career. If you approach work as a career, you’re interested in advancement. You want to climb the career ladder as far as possible or be among the most highly regarded professionals in your field. You’re motivated by the status, prestige and power that come with the job. The third is, It’s a calling. If you approach your job as a calling, you focus on the work itself. You work less for the financial gain or career advancement than for the fulfillment the work brings. One approach isn’t necessarily better than the others. But it is helpful to reflect on why work if unsatisfied with the job and are ready to move on. Think about what originally drew on the current job, and whether it may be a factor in lack of job satisfaction. Additionally, the Clinic noted several ways to increase job satisfaction depending on the underlying cause of the lack of job satisfaction. One is by Improving job skills. Keeping abreast to the new strategies and techniques, and by attending seminars. Developing a new project also helps. Working on something one care about can boost confidence. Mentoring a co-worker. Once a job is mastered, it is a becoming routine. Helping a new co-worker or an intern advance his or her skills can restore the challenge and the satisfaction you desire. However, when personal abilities do not match the responsibilities, boredom will attack. Keep in mind that boredom can literally be deadly if a job involves working with machinery or caring for people, much more on dealing with children. If the mind is wandering to the point that a life or the lives of others is put in jeopardy, take action now. Stay positive. Use positive thinking to reframe thoughts about the job. Changing one’s attitude about work will not necessarily happen overnight or increase job satisfaction overnight. Stop negative thoughts. Put things in perspective. Look for the silver lining. â€Å"Reframing† can help find the good in a bad situation. Learn from mistakes. Failure is one of the greatest learning tools, but many people let failure defeat them. Be grateful. Gratitude can help focus on what’s positive about the job.

The Works Of John Dewey And Paulo Freire - 1591 Words

Maggie Duguid Final Paper EDF 3604-601 4/28/2015 I found the works of John Dewey and Paulo Freire to be highly impactful. However, I only found them to be truly insightful when compare with the textbook, School and Society. A lot of the concepts that Dewey and Freire discuss need further explanation, which the book provides. Similarly, I found that that textbook alone was very difficult to work with. Like most textbooks, I found it to be very static. With the help of the other readings, certain aspects became much clearer. I should also add that I have never been good at dissecting the work of another person. I do much better dealing with working with the text as a whole. For many of the topics the three readings dealt with, however, I needed to take it apart in order to get the fully comprehend the meaning of the texts. In Experience and Education, Dewey works to lay down a foundation defining what he calls progressive education. His book was written as a response to educations that were still using the traditional education system and actively opposed progressive education. Dewey didn’t write the book to attack or belittle traditional education; he actually wrote it to develop a positive and constructive educational system (Dewey, 20). He wanted to convince people to stop focusing on the labels of education and focus on the how good of an education the students were receiving (Dewey, 90). Dewey felt that at the time education was solely a transfer of knowledge from theShow MoreRelatedCritical Pedagogy And The Reggio Emilia1533 Words   |  7 Pagespedagogy is. Critical pedagogy stems from the idea that there is an unequal social structure in our society which is based upon class, race and gender. It has been formulated and influenced by many psychologists and philosophers including John Dew ey and Paulo Freire. Critical pedagogy is an attempt at freedom from oppression through democratic critical thinking. In critical pedagogy the knowledge learned within the classroom should correlate with and not be separated from any social structure, cultureRead MoreHow The Teacher Chooses The Program Content Essay1408 Words   |  6 Pagesto it.† (Freire 59) But yet, â€Å"skill obtained apart from thinking†, (Dewey 559) â€Å"consequently leaves a man at the mercy of his routine habits and of the authoritative control of others† (Dewey 559) It is precisely these dehumanizing situations in the classroom that have shaped the opinions of the following educational philosophers. Paulo Freire identifies the teacher as an oppressor which â€Å"fills the student with the contents of his narration† (Freire 57) With a similar complaint John Dewey definesRead MorePoverty And Poverty3093 Words   |  13 Pagespoverty issues, many philosophers talked about educat ional theories during different time periods, such as Paulo Freire, John Dewey, Plato, Nel Noddings, etc. Each of these philosophers has a different background. And as for Paulo Freire and John Dewey, they both have some special opinions about the philosophy of education, and may even still work on New Zealand educational system. Paulo Freire, the Brazilian philosopher of educator, who is one of the two or three Catholic Christians from the RenaissanceRead MoreInfluences Of The National Curriculum1958 Words   |  8 Pagesfurther into the influences of the national curriculum, how conservatives, labour and the coalition have affected social and economic environments in education and comparisons between the conservatives and labour. It will also discuss, philosophers Dewey and Freire reviewing how both of their methods of pedagogy has influenced teachers methods and approaches to teaching. Successive conservatives in the 1980s increased the pace of improvement and reform and introduced â€Å"Market Mechanisms† into the educationRead MoreThe Ideologies Put Forth By Paulo Freire1215 Words   |  5 PagesThe ideologies put forth by Paulo Freire including liberation education, pedagogy of the oppressed, inequality and pedagogy of possibility gives educators hope. These are the educators who are dedicated to bring about positive change in education and by extension society. Freire’s contribution to education through his research and theories resonates with Trinbagonian educators as it encompasses issues of slavery, colonialism, post colonialism social mobility and democracy. Furthermore, Freire’sRead MoreMy Personal Philosophy Of Education1841 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophy of education, reflects on the role of teachers and learners, the aim of education and the methods and practices used in the classroom. Jean Jacques Rousseau, Paulo Freire, Loc ke, and Plato/Socrates are the four theorists that shall be used within this essay, to support claims and justify statements regarding this philosophy. John Dewey and A.S Neil are two non-supporting theorists that shall be used in contrast to justify this philosophy. Aim Of Education The aim of education is the systematicRead MoreGraduation Speech : Becoming A Teacher1539 Words   |  7 Pagesentered Pre-K. This moment took me back to my first time when I started school in New York City and the amazing teachers that I came across took the time to push me to achieving my dreams at a young age. I was influenced by these talented teachers to work hard, never give up and the positivity of their words which have stuck with me through my life journey have helped me to achieved so much that I can look back and give thanks to all the powerful encouragement that I received. I wanted to be a partRead MoreThe Philosophy Of The Liberal Progressive Philosophy1015 Words   |  5 Pagessecond philosophy is Liberal Progressive philosophy established by John Dewey and W.H. Kilpatrick. The Liberal Progressive Philosophy provides a refreshing perspective on education with empirical data to support its claims. In the Liberal Progressive philosophy education is seen as a social e nvironment and a democratic ideology is promoted. The third philosophy is Critical Pedagogy established by Henry A. Giroux and Paulo Freire. Critical Pedagogy promotes Utopian ideas and provides people withRead More The Changing Role of the Secondary Educator Essay3856 Words   |  16 Pageswritings of John Dewey, and the radical and critical pedagogies expressed by Paulo Freire, Henry A. Giroux and others. I will first provide a bit of personal background--my learning experience in high school, and the shortcomings I have seen in it. I will then use John Deweys essay, The Education Situation: As Concerns Secondary Education to provide a historical framework to my study. Next, I will examine how classroom management (discipline) affects students learning. Finally, using recent work in criticalRead MoreFactors That Influence A Child s Education Track Essay1919 Words   |  8 Pagesconservative tradition of education was defended by Hannah Arendt. She was a political theorist that believed education should not be focused on the child, rather it should be focused on the adults because adults are in the real world and focus on work rather than play. In Arendt’s piece, The Crisis in Education she states, â€Å"The first is that there exist a child’s world and a society formed among children that are autonomous and must insofar as possible be left to them to govern. Adults are only

Statement of Purpose Essay - 657 Words

Ever since I could remember there has always been an inclination towards science. The desire to understand how things worked has always intrigued me. Set on the inclination I always explored the basic application of science i.e. building a lemon battery to designing a simple pulley lift at science fairs at school. Thus making Production Engineering a good option. It provides a strong engineering foundation and also educates on the management of an industry. This is the very reason I was able to decide that I wanted a career in this field. With my mother being a teacher the values of education have been inculcated into me from a very young age. I was always given a freedom to choose my career. With the existing inclination towards†¦show more content†¦I am also a member of I.S.M.E (Indian Society for Mechanical Engineers) which organized various technical seminars on latest developments of technology in the manufacturing world. The society also caters to facilitating experien ced personnel from the industry sharing their insight of the industry. I am currently working at Karamtara Engineering Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai. I am working with the Supply chain and Sales department which handle management of clients and materials of the ongoing projects. I have been actively working in the logistics and sales for different clients and transportation sectors of the department. I have undergone six month in-plant training at Larsen and Toubro (LT) Ltd. at Powai, Mumbai. I worked on the Shop floor in the Electrical and Automation Integrated Group which manufacture Air Circuit Breakers. An internship in a company of this scale has given me an understanding on how the industry works and that every detail contributes to ensure that the company works like a well oiled machine. As my project, I worked on increasing First Time Yield of the shop floor by utilizing Six Sigma methodology. I succeeded in reducing defects from a considerable amount of 10.6% to 0.7% resulting in consid erable savings. I also worked on Value engineering of Air Circuit Breaker and made alterations in the process of manufacturing with projected savings of 28%. I would to be a part of the Husky culture and take thisShow MoreRelatedStatement of Purpose1126 Words   |  5 PagesStatement of Purpose Many professors, department websites, applications, and current graduate students will tell you that the statement of purpose is the most important part of the application. While the statement of purpose is the best way for the admissions committee to gauge your writing skills, it is quite different from the college admissions essay, or the law school personal statement. Admissions committees will not be looking for the most well-written essay with the catchiest introductionRead MoreThe Field Of Journalism And Education1320 Words   |  6 Pagesare minimal. The differences are noted in The School of Journalism and Media Studies, PAO Program Admissions section. The differences include: SDSU requires applicants to submit statement regarding what the individual’s research interest and goals are, and that applicants must also include a general statement of purpose, which details why the applicant wishes to attend the graduate program at SDSU (Weiss). An additional difference is t hat SDSU requires a minimal score of a 150 on the Graduate RecordRead MoreThe Core Elements Of My Research Topic, African American Males On Higher Education1436 Words   |  6 Pagesmy first memo, I focused on the core elements of my research topic, African-American males in higher education. Since our last meeting, I have taken time to reflect on your suggestions, and think about how to revamp my research questions and purpose statement. Most important, I have taken time to do self-reflection. Self-Reflection ï » ¿In a somewhat different approach to my first memo, I started this memo with my reflective thoughts. I took this approach because it lends to the process of discoveryRead MoreStatement of Purpose1069 Words   |  5 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE â€Å"A dream acted upon by confidence becomes an ambition and that when followed with determination defines the purpose of existence in its entirety† It is with a sincere sense of gratitude towards the opportunity given to me, I pen down this statement. Education not only expands the horizons of one s knowledge but also simultaneously implants an insatiable desire to acquire more and more knowledge. Knowledge is that which can enhance the strength of mind and therebyRead MoreStatement of Purpose996 Words   |  4 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE The unprecedented explosion of corporations and financial services industry has brought about immense opportunities to utilize newer principles, methodologies, tools and practices in the field of finance. It is this challenging field in which I would like to gain expertise. ACADEMIC BACKGROUND Since school days, I have always been regarded as an academically brilliant, having been awarded scholar badge and merit certificate throughout my school and university education.Read MoreStatement of Purpose804 Words   |  4 PagesStatement of purpose â€Å"Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.† Rabindranath Tagore. I’ve always believed that the answer to my destiny lies in creating the results that I desire. Success is never an accident, but is always by design. I believe perseverance, drive, passion and strength of character create the right formula for success. I schooled at one of Asia’s premier institutes, Mayo College Girls School. I was thrilled to discover myself here –Read MoreStatement of Purpose962 Words   |  4 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE FOR MS APPLIED STATISTICS. Right from childhood, I was fond of mathematics and how it had the ability to convey a lot of information with so little illustrations. This, together with my consistent good performance in mathematics throughout high school, was responsible for the nurturing of a special interest in it. This childhood zeal in the subject gradually crystallized into a more mature form as I stepped into higher studies. The most significant influence on myRead MoreStatement of Purpose1694 Words   |  7 PagesStatement of Purpose Name : Sphoorti Sangamesh Biradar Program Applied : Masters (MS) Major : Sports Management About me: I am very thankful for providing me this opportunity and it is with sincere sense of gratification that I pen down my brief statement of purpose before you. I am Sphoorti Sangamesh Biradar, 21 years old. I am studying B. Computer Science engineering final year in the reputed university Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) at college Sir.M.Visvesvaraya InstituteRead MoreStatement of Purpose588 Words   |  3 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE NAME : jinson.j.erinjeri Applying for M.S. IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING Firstly I would like to introduce myself as an undergraduate student of the bachelor of engineering program From the M.S.Ramaiah institute of technology, one of the most prestigious institutions of the Bangalore U university . I have completed my course of engineering in the field of Industrial Engineering’, which was for a period of four years. I graduated in the first class with distinctionRead MoreSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE1611 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿STATEMENT OF PURPOSE â€Å"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.† As I move towards a point where my undergraduate programme is about to end, and I sit down to define the course of my career, I felt a strong desire to pursue a career that combined IT with management skills. I believe MBA is a platform to cultivate diverse managerial skill sets, generate ideas with structured thoughts and capability of assuming higher

Mcdonald s The Biggest Chain Of Fast Food Restaurants

McDonald’s is the biggest chain of fast food restaurants in the world. In 2015, company has 36,525 outlets worldwide in 119 countries (MCD Annual Report 2015, 2016, p. 13) serving more than 70 million customers on daily basis (Mackey, 2014). McDonald’s is operating in Informal Eating Out (IEO) segment (restaurant industry) and though it is the top brand in the world, year 2014 was difficult for the company. The global sales of the company dropped by 1% and operating income decreased by 4% (MCD Annual Report 2014 , 2015). McDonald’s brand image was negatively reported for unhealthy food and obesity among its consumers. McDonald’s is taking initiatives to improvise its menu, quality of food and the source of it. In a way, the company is also targeting different market segments and consumer age groups by ads and promotions and creating an emotional bonding with the brand (Blakely, 2012) (Dhaliwal, 2015). McDonald’s current market share is valued at $121.17 as of 06/02/16. Since the company is operating in the informal eating out (IEO) segment, it can have short or long term impact of high emerging competition from new restaurants and from traditional and non-traditional markets such as coffee shops, convenience stores, etc. Some of the major competitors of McDonald s are Dominos, Burger King, Yum Brands Inc., Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., Wendy’s, Subway and Taco Bell ( © Copyright 2016 Morningstar, Inc., 2016). Opportunities and Threats Opportunities -Growing foodserviceShow MoreRelatedMcdonald s The Biggest Chain Of Fast Food Restaurants1377 Words   |  6 PagesExecutive Summary McDonald s is the biggest chain of fast food restaurants in the world, having over 35,000 outlets and serving around 68 million customers on daily basis in 119 nations and on an average basis every McDonald restaurant serves 1916 customers on daily basis. The project focuses on McDonald’s financial health, strategies, business decisions, performance, growth, projections and opportunities. Company focuses on 5 p’s approach that is people, products, place, price and promotion toRead MoreMcdonald s The World s Biggest Chain Of Hamburger Fast Food Restaurants Essay1585 Words   |  7 PagesMcDonald s is the world s biggest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers every day in 119 nations crosswise over 35,000 outlets. Founded in the United States in 1940, the organization started as a grilled restaurant worked with Richard and Maurice McDonald. In 1948, they redesigned their business as a hamburger stand utilizing generation line standard. Ray Kroc joined the organization as an established agent in 1955. He in this way acquired the chain fromRead MoreCorporate Level Of The Mcdonalds1329 Words   |  6 Pagesanywhere in the world that have been able to sustain the level of growth of McDo nalds. McDonalds began by selling only hamburgers and has expanded its menu as well as its franchises on a global platform. According to Robert Hartley, McDonalds Corporation faced a decline. McDonalds Struggled to grow as a result of constantly opening new stores, the acquisition of other fast-food franchises and a few discrepancies in the McDonalds menu. (Hartley, 2014, p.75). But as I conducted further research, I haveRead MoreMcdonald’s Case Analysis Essay606 Words   |  3 PagesINDUSTRY: Fast Food COMPANY WEBSITE: (www.mcdonalds.com) COMPANY BACKGROUND: Richard and Maurice McDonald started the first restaurant to sell hamburgers, fries, and milk shakes. Then Ray A. Kroc opens his first McDonalds and decides that he could make more money by selling them milk-shake mixers. (Dess, 2010). Overtime they were able to continue to profit till Jim Skinner takes over as CEO and launches specialty beverages, including coffee-based drinks. SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths: McDonalds seemsRead MoreMcdonalds vs Burger King1374 Words   |  6 PagesFast food is currently one of the biggest businesses in the United States due to the hectic schedules that the average person has to deal with. It is often necessary to grab food on the go because there just isn’t enough time to cook at home. This is the main reason behind the tremendous success of fast food giants such as McDonalds and Burger King. McDonald s Corporation is the world s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countriesRead MoreGeorge Ritzer s The Mcdonaldization Of Society1263 Words   |  6 PagesMcDonaldization as the process of which fast food principles of McDonald s influence and dominate other fast food chains. Restaurants have come to imbed themselves into society in every way. The first principle, predictability, is that you will find everything within your predicting capability. For example, the customer in the McDonald s can predict the food in McDonalds. You can find little to no differences between a McDonalds menu in New York than to a menu of a Mcdonald s in Ohio. This is done so thatRead MoreRay Kroc And The Fast Food Industry1428 Words   |  6 PagesIn the world today, Ray Kroc has had a profound impact on the world today with his work with McDonalds and the fast food industry. â€Å"If you work just for money, you ll never make it, but if you love what you re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.† Ray Kroc said which he has defiantly perfected throughout his life. Ray Kroc was born on October 5, 1902 in Oak Park, Illinois. Kroc’s parents were from a small village in Bohemia, which is Czech origin. Kroc’s dad was aRead MoreThe Mcdonald’s Case: Strategies for Growth996 Words   |  4 Pagesconsultants in Ho Chi Minh City Email: gianglevn@yahoo.com Abstract: This paper presents a case study of international franchising, focusing on fast-food sector. McDonald s is one of the world s premier entrepreneurial success stories. However, early in 2003, McDonald’s has announced a re-structure plan including cutting jobs, closing many restaurants and slowing down the expansion plan. What went wrong with McDonald’s and what can other international franchises learn from these mistakes areRead MoreFast Food Franchising Company And Corporation1342 Words   |  6 PagesMcDonald’s is a very well-known fast food franchising company and corporation. The company was first established in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald. Surprisingly the restaurant was not named â€Å"McDonalds† from the beginning, it was actually named â€Å"McDonald’s Bar-B-Q† and it held many menu items, but mostly barbecue. After eight years of selling their menu, the brothers noticed hamburgers were their bestselling item. It was at that time, in 1948, that the McDonald brothers closed down theirRead MoreFast Food And The Kingdom Of The Fast Foods Industry1532 Words   |  7 Pagesof the fast food industry. Since White Castle, which was known as the first fast food chain in the United States, was established by Walter Anderson and Edgar Waldo â€Å"Billy† Ingram in 1921 (Kieler), other fast food chains also emerged such as M cDonalds, Taco bell, Burger King, or Wendy’s after 1941 (Wilson). Among those various fast food chains, especially, McDonalds became the biggest fast food chain not only in the overall America but also all around the world (Wilson). Nowadays, fast food is serving

Socio-Economic Determinants Of Suicide In Japan & Health Promotion

Question: Discuss about the Socio-Economic Determinants Of Suicide In Japan. Answer: Health goes beyond the absence of disease/diseases in the body; its something that lets people satisfy their needs, realize their lifes aspirations and handle the environment so as to live a productive and fruitful long life. Therefore, health enables personal, economic and social progress fundamental to well being. Economic security, safe housing, peace and a stable ecosystem are social and environmental resources for health while social ties, positive emotions, healthful diet, resilience autonomy and physical activity are individual health resources. Well being can ultimately be improved through health promotion activities that aim at strengthening such environmental, social and individual resources (Dodge et al., 2012). Therefore, it is agreeable that well being includes the absence of depression and anxiety (negative emotions), presence of contentment and happiness (positive emotions), positive functioning, satisfaction and fulfillment with life. Its simply feeling good and judgi ng life positively. However, physical well being is regarded as critical to overall well being in health promotion. Taking a target group of 60+ years (seniors), we can create an online promotion to reduce suicide cases. This age comes with retirement from work, many chronic illnesses onset and loneliness and to some people lack of purpose in live that may trigger suicide thoughts. It is recorded that more than 2500 people committed suicide in Japan last year. This was broken down further to 70 people per day with men being the majority. This data is alarming due to the fact that Japan is among the developed nations in the world. This suicidal rate in three times that of the United Kingdom. Taking one instance from the train tragedy where a man, 71 years old torched himself in a Japanese bullet train (Motohashi, 2012). This raise questions as to what drove the elderly man to set himself on fire after shoeing away other passengers. However those close to him during the tragic event said he did it with tears in his eyes. Further investigations brought to light signs of a man who had come to the edge of life, with neighbors saying that they could hear television sounds from his house but rarely was he seen outside. They had also heard him smash a window that particular morning after locking his poor self out of his decrepit apartment. These cases of old people, poor and living alone are common in Japan (Andres 2011). It has been noted that the pace of ageing population all over the world is increasing at a very high rate. The World Health Organization has predicted that their will nearly be double (thats from 12% to 22%) the population of people over 60 years between 2015 and 2050. They further indicate that by 2020 there will be a higher number of people aged more than 60years than that of children aged below 5 years. This data cuts across the world as they also outline that by 2050, 80% of older people will also be living in middle income and low income countries (Crane Matten, 2016). This kind of demographic shift will mean more suicide cases in japan in the future. Isolation is the leading cause for depression and suicide. The newspapers are full of stores of old people who die alone in their homes/apartments (Chen et al., 2012). These people have been neglected; children no longer take care of their old parents as it used to be in the past. Honorable suicide, which is a tradition in Japan, may have also contributed to the high rate of suicide. This tradition origin from the samurai practice of taking your own life seppuku, and shows the distinct cultural reasons that contribute to suicide cases. In addition to that, the absence of Christianity or religion makes suicide not to be seen as a sin but as a way of enchanting your own responsibility. On the other hand, elderly people turn to committing suicide as a way to provide for their families through insurance as Japans insurance system is quite lax to paying for suicide. Among employed people in Japan, increasing strain to retain jobs by working long overtime hours taking few sick days and holidays are contributing factors to suicide. Health problems and work fatigue motivated suicide and accounted for 47% of people taking their own lives in 2008. In 2007, of 2,207 suicide cases, overwork resulted to 672 cases of the same (Kohyama, 2011). This kind of death is known as karoshi. In addition, the void that results as one is forced to retire from work is also a partial contributor to suicide. However, the local government, community and companies have started to give classes to senior citizens and those recently retired to curb the feeling of lack of identity, loneliness, isolation and lack of purpose to curb suicide. Although older peoples health variations are genetic, social and physical environments that is; communities, homes and neighborhoods, as well as personal characteristics ie. Ethnicity, sex and socioeconomic status affect the thoughts of taking ones own life starting in early age. The environments where people live when they are young in addition to their personal characteristics have effects on the way they think and the value of life. Supportive environments too help by doing whats important to support seniors that are retired and living alone by engaging them in community activities that help them feel personal worth so that they dont result to suicide. There are however a few challenges to responding to senior population and suicide, this is brought about by deteriorating mental and mental capacities (Hirokawa et al., 2012). Thus comprehensive response by public health must respond and address a wide range of needs and experiences of older people. The old age diversity we see is not random. It largely arises from peoples social and physical environments and their impacts on health behavior and opportunities. The significant percentage of diversity is due to the sum of these environmental and personal characteristics across the persons life. There are some outdated ageist attitudes that should be addressed; people assume that older people are a societys burden as they are seen as dependent and frail. Often these attitudes lead to discrimination and affect development of policies and old peoples opportunity to have a healthy aging experience (Lusardi et al., 2011). Technological developments in the communication and transport sector, changing gender traditions, urbanization, globalization and migration affect older peoples lives in both indirect and direct ways (Huang et al., 2010). For instance, in the past generations used to live together and older people were the families responsibility to take care of, due to changing trends families can live separately. A response should be able to take into account these projected and current trends. According to the Ottawa health promotion charter encourages the building of a health public policy and ensures that decisions are made that are aware of resulting health consequences and acceptance of the health responsibility (Nutbeam, 2008). The resulting policy should also adopt and find a way to remove the obstacles it might face. The aim is to make the healthier choice the simpler choice for people and policy makers to; adopt/create supportive environments with policies that are action oriented and committed to sustain the value of life; strengthen actions of community towards senior population care; develop personal skills to enable people to be more dependent in taking care of themselves and their own health and reorient health services to be focused on the senior population (Heidkamp, 2013). There is also need to develop long term providing care systems in all countries. However this has to be build from nothing in some countries, also known as palliative care is now a requir ement for the enhancement of older peoples well being. In sum, health and wellbeing is created and lived within every day lives of people in their different settings; where they play, learn love and work. Health is created by taking care of others, for oneself, through being able to have control over your life through the right decisions in different circumstances and above all ensuring that ones environment is tailored to allow all its members to attain health. In developing an excellent health strategy, holism, ecology and caring are the most essential issues to be considered. Lastly, in the planning, put into practice and assessing of health promotion, men and women should be regarded as equal partners and we will reduce suicides in Japan. References Andres, A. R., Halicioglu, F., Yamamura, E. (2011). Socio-economic determinants of suicide in Japan. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 40(6), 723-731. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Chen, J., Choi, Y. C., Mori, K., Sawada, Y., Sugano, S. (2012). Recession, unemployment, and suicide in Japan. Japan Labor Review, 9(2), 75-92. Crane, A., Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press. Dodge, R., Daly, A. P., Huyton, J., Sanders, L. D. (2012). The challenge of defining wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(3). Heidkamp, M. (2013). Older workers, rising skill requirements, and the need for a re-envisioning of the public workforce system. TAPPING MATURE TALENT. Hirokawa, S., Kawakami, N., Matsumoto, T., Inagaki, A., Eguchi, N., Tsuchiya, M., ... Takeshima, T. (2012). Mental disorders and suicide in Japan: a nation-wide psychological autopsy casecontrol study. Journal of affective disorders, 140(2), 168-175. Huang, C. Q., Dong, B. R., Lu, Z. C., Yue, J. R., Liu, Q. X. (2010). Chronic diseases and risk for depression in old age: a meta-analysis of published literature. Ageing research reviews, 9(2), 131-141. Kohyama, J. (2011). Sleep, serotonin, and suicide in Japan. Journal of physiological anthropology, 30(1), 1-8. Lusardi, A., Mitchell, O. S. (2011). Financial literacy and planning: Implications for retirement wellbeing (No. w17078). National Bureau of Economic Research. Motohashi, Y. (2012). Suicide in Japan. The Lancet, 379(9823), 1282-1283. Nutbeam, D. (2008). What would the Ottawa Charter look like if it were written today?.

Statement of Intent free essay sample

It is noteworthy to mention that XX is well reputed and the only international university in the country. The well designed course curriculum along with associated lab works of XX drove me towards depth study of all basic modules of electrical engineering. The practical essence of theories always inspired me with newer lines of thinking. The industrial attachment after the end of my third year left a huge impact on me as witnessed the practical phenomenon of electrical engineering. Two weeks training at HAY, one week training at JAZZ and one week training at POP made me more inquisitive than ever before.Besides the core Electrical Engineering subjects also studied power and energy related subjects like study of these subjects helped me to get an A thorough insight at power system engineering. This is also an immersing sector in our country with a lot of available scopes to work on. The technical challenges encountered in expanding a new sector provided motivation to adjoin myself in research work on power sector. We will write a custom essay sample on Statement of Intent or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the bachelor degree I chose to work on sustainable form of electricity. My undergraduate thesis topic was WWW.As sustainable electricity or energy security, environment pollution, and the climate change are now key challenges before the world community, the main objective of my thesis was to give a brief idea on electricity sustainability, nuclear power and discussed about a sustainable diversified energy mix suitable for Bangladesh where nuclear power plays the major role. Alongside my academic work, I am very much active in co-curricular activities. During my study in XX was involved in organizing a number of seminars, presentations on a range of technical topics and technical tours. Organizing such programs through teamwork assisted me to hone my leadership and interpersonal skill. But the greatest advantage of being involved in these activities was that developed the ability to multicast effectively. Darts University of Applied Sciences distinct niche in Power Engineering research encourages me to apply into its International Master of Electrical Engineering (MIMES) program. Its ongoing projects and researches in my field of interest are fascinating to me. There are some specific reasons why think this program and my future career plans are confluent.The first reason comes from my deep personal interest to research works. I have come from an underdeveloped country. Though XX provides an excellent research background for an engineering student, it lacks highly sophisticated research facilities and proper Industrial collaboration. I believe that the state-of-the-art research facilities, research centers and laboratories of Darts University of Applied Science will provide me the opportunities to implement my undergraduate knowledge into some apposite empirical researches. The second reason is derived from my liabilities to my country.Bangladesh is a developing country which is now on the brink of a major social and economic change. During this period my country will require a number of experts on Power System and Energy because right now my country is struggling to meet her Energy demands. I want to contribute my knowledge and expertise in these fields so that the people and my country can avail the advantages of my expertise in these fields to its full extent. The MIMES program, believe without any doubt, will prepare me appropriately and adequa tely to make some significant contribution to my neutron. The third reason is the social and intellectual benefits of this graduate program. Darts University of Applied Science provides a fascinating cosmopolitan milieu where the students from different cultures and disciplines can share their thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and views. Am sure that this sharing of insights will broaden my cerebral and social capabilities to a great extent. Among many prominent technology universities, I chose Darts University of Applied Science because it is one of the biggest technology universities in Germany and it is peccadillo in technology and engineering.It is among the top ranked universities of the world. Interdisciplinary subjects and seminars, subjects regarding engineering have motivated me to apply for this subject. My aim in seeking admission to Darts University of Applied Science is to avail the advantages of securing the best of knowledge and the opportunity of the best academic facilities in the world. I believe Darts University of Applied Science is the perfect place for me where my potential will be flourished.It will test my abilities to the highest limit ND provide me the best combination of knowledge and professional guidance in the field of Germany became my first choice for masters due to a number of reasons. Firstly, lots of positive feedback from other students who are currently studying in Germany. In Germany there are about 370 institutes of higher education, and around 200 universities of the applied science. Germanys federal structure and the cultural sovereignty of each federal state ensure that the country boasts a wealth of different cultural institutions and a vibrant cultural scene.