Hamlet Essay

Hamlet represents many things: tragic hero, over-thinking educated man, and poor friend. He is also a revolutionary, a philosopher, and a dreamer, and reconciling these good qualities with the bad proves as maddening for the audience as it does to Hamlet himself. However, what is often lost in the shuffle of Christian theologies in the play is the fact that nihilism as a persistent force, guiding Hamlet’s actions (or inaction, as the case may be) and serving as the catalyst for tragedy. Nihilism serves in the play as a kind of spiritual nether region into which men like Hamlet can find themselves being pulled into. It represents something that, to Hamlet and those like him, comes across as something off a salvation: it represents an opportunity to free one’s self from the need to act, and instead welcomes someone to become completely absorbed in the world of contemplation. This seems ideal for Hamlet the student, but when he is asked to take action by his spectral father, he is torn between his true nature and that which others expect of him. Unable to believe in himself, Hamlet becomes unable to believe in anything at all, which forms the crux of the play’s tragic moral dilemma. Whether Hamlet was intended to be a nihilist or the work nihilistic in nature is a question ripe for debate. According to Donald Wehrs, Placing the threat of nihilism at the heart of tragedy, Shakespeare seems to anticipate, if not inaugurate, Romantic and Modernist vocations for literature—offering literature as the site where significance after the debunking of myth and metaphysics may be reclaimed (68).† According to such a reading, one of the purposes in the narrative of Hamlet is the debunking of mythology. This would reconcile some of the odder features of the play—for instance, the very non-Catholic ghost of King Hamlet (himself seemingly a remnant from the notions of purgatory) juxtaposed with very Catholic concerns of whether Claudius will ascend to heaven or descend to hell based on the exact moment that he is killed: he can’t be killed, according to Hamlet, when he is â€Å"fit and season’d for his passage. However, Wehrs points out that nihilism is the threat, and not the goal: Hamlet’s tale is not nihilistic simply for the sake of riveting storytelling, but because it reveals that when lives unravel (as they do in all tragedies), a belief in nothingness effectively leaves nothing behind; no substance lurking behind the shroud of life. Why, then, the debunking? Why bother lampooning the absurdity of certain metaphysical notions/superstitions while still adhering to the Christian belief structure? The answer is as simple as it is striking: through the story of Hamlet, Shakespeare attempts to create a system of morality that is independent of religion of spiritual affiliation. After all, Hamlet is shown as someone torn between moralities, weighing the social responsibility of honoring his father’s request for revenge with the spiritual responsibility of avoiding bloodshed and murder. He is a man torn apart by his multitude of beliefs, not his lack of beliefs†¦the famous â€Å"to be or not to be† speech represents a descent into nihilism, but it is an abyss that he was driven into by trying to follow the often-arbitrary dictates of what is right and what is wrong. It is no coincidence that the best intentions of Hamlet consign many more souls to death than the deliberate machinations of Claudius. According Tzachi Zamir, some of Shakespeare’s tragic characters (such as Macbeth) are able to resolve nihilistic navel-gazing by virtue of action. Hamlet, on the other hand, is â€Å"more interested in escaping† (537) the physicality of the world: his philosophical nature lends itself more readily to the nihilism that he stumbles into. This is found in the â€Å"to be or not to be† speech, as Hamlet notes â€Å"With this regard their currents turn awry / And lose the name of action. † It is interesting to note that the nihilistic Hamlet causes more death and destruction than other tragic characters who have a spiritual belief structure in place: Claudius, as written above, is a cold-blooded murderer, but also a repentant man who does not let his life be consumed by forces beyond his control. Macbeth readily admits that the violent murder that begins his own tragic downfall will send him to hell, but he cannot help himself. In this spectrum of morality, Shakespeare seems to be implying that good actions can be tainted (following Aristotle’s Poetics, his tragedies almost always feature glorious characters being brought low) and bad actions can be redeemed (the counterpoint of Shakespeare’s tragedies are, of course, the comedies, in which everyone is a case of mistaken identity or two away from true love and happy marriage). Hamlet seems to perceive this on some level: â€Å"â€Å"I must be cruel, only to be kind. † The worst sin, then, becomes inaction: Hamlet’s inaction is a result of his inability to believe in anything, and it seems to clog up the very gears of Hamlet’s world: it is unsurprising, then, that the entirety of that world grinds to a halt from this disruption. Worse still, he tethers the inaction to his ability to reason, when in truth, it is only reasoning that can save one from nihilism. As Grace Matthews points out, â€Å"Hamlet, a religious young man, vacillates between faith and atheism, he becomes vulnerable to the deception that evil offers us†¦ it is only by resisting succumbing to nihilism through thinking that we can protect our spirituality and live meaningfully as a result. † Hamlet’s sin is not thinking; Hamlet’s sin is overthinking. Perhaps the most strident voice in declaring that Hamlet is a nihilist play is that of Harold Bloom. According to him, â€Å"Shakespeare invented what Nietzsche, and Dostoevsky, and others afterwards started to call nihilism. It’s a pure Shakespearean invention. † He links this rather explicitly with the character of Hamlet himself: â€Å"I’m not sure that until you have the representation you call Hamlet, that you have anywhere†¦someone who changes every time he or she speaks, and who does it by this weird thing of overhearing oneself, which I can’t find before Shakespeare.† For Bloom, the notion of Hamlet being nihilistic lies in his personal inability to create an identity for himself: his mind is tugged by reason in one direction, by honor in another direction, and by loyalty in yet another direction. As cliche as it may sound, Hamlet is unable to believe in anything else because he is unable to believe in himself. Aside from the obviously bloody consequences, how does this further the notion that Shakespeare intended this to be a negative thing—a nihilism to be avoided at all costs, instead of an existential safety blanket for individuals to hide themselves in? The answer to this is the fact that Hamlet is portrayed as less than a person throughout the entirety of the play. In point of fact, his spectral father actually displays much more personality and substance than his son does. Hamlet’s identity is in reflection: he can be a jocular young man with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, an educated conspirator with Horatio and an angered son with his mother. Without them, though, Hamlet is unable to be anyone at all. Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a play, and his Hamlet as a character, will remain the center of debate for centuries more to come. However, it is important that the discussions of fate and philosophy—the very kind that Hamlet would have delighted in at Wittenberg—do not overshadow the small things that comprise his tragedy. Shakespeare dangles both Lutheran and Catholic theology in front of both Hamlet and the viewer, but does not advocate one over the other. Rather, both serve as a warning for the only real spiritual evil: the inaction of nihilism. Ironically, it is only through the use of reasoning that one can overcome the temptation of nihilism†¦the temptation of surrendering all responsibility and simply succumbing to the ebb and flow of the tides of the world. However, through Hamlet we see that an overabundance of reasoning can actually cause this effect: if one overlaps spirituality and secular education, then everything is thrown into disarray, and the moral compass is not simply broken†¦one’s entire sense of a true moral north is thrown right out of the window. In its place is a path that can lead only to heartbreak, bloodshed, and chaos.

Commandants Research Paper

Cattle rustling is â€Å"the stealing of grazing cattle† [1]. The term originated from the United States, where pioneer farmers grazed cattle on huge ranches that were difficult to patrol. [2] In Uganda, cattle rustling is rampant in North-eastern part of the country (Karamoja region), a semi-arid land area. The region has dominant pastoral ethnic groups which include the Dodoth, Jie, Bakora, Matheniko and the Pian all of whom are referred to generally as Karamojong.Traditionally, cattle rustling within the pastoral communities was sanctioned and controlled by elders as a means of testing a person’s personal bravery and prowess. In the recent past however, there has emerged a new system of predatory exploitation of economic resources in the form of cattle rustling and banditry. This problem is manifesting itself in various forms and is becoming endemic in north-eastern Uganda.There has been a tendency by scholars to trivialize the issue of cattle rustling as a mere cult ural practice, yet over a period of time there have emerged new trends, tendencies and dynamics, leading to commercialization of the practice. The phenomenon of cattle rustling has caused a breakdown in social order, economic hardships and insecurity in North-eastern Uganda. 2. During post colonial period, different Ugandan governments have adopted anti-pastoral policies leading to loss of land vital for the survival of the Karamajong herds.Today, the menace of cattle rustling in this area has reached unprecedented proportions in nature and scale due to a number of factors including; government policies, socio-political and ecological limitations. The subsequent intervention by government saw to it that disarmament programs were the most viable solution to cease and remove all illegal gun usage by the Karamojong. To date however, all the disarmament programs initiated by government have not solved the problem. 3.This paper is written for the commandant Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College as a partial fulfilment for the award of a Pass Staff Course (psc). It seeks to analyse the problems of cattle rustling and banditry activities in Uganda, by examining the historical background of the pastoralists, causes and effects of cattle rustling, attempts by government to address it and finally proposes solutions deemed appropriate. The paper relied mainly on written materials, which included articles, books, reports and journals.The findings could not be comprehensively expressed within the limits of 4,000 words; consequently there was the constraint of space. AIM 4. The aim of this paper is to examine the problems of cattle rustling in Uganda with a view to recommending appropriate solution. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF KARAMOJA PASTORALISTS 5. Karamojong is a generic term that refers to a group of pastoralists from the Nilo-Hamite ethnic group living in North-eastern Uganda. The region is popularly known as Karamoja and their language is Akaramojong.The communit y comprises five ethnic groupings namely Dodoth, Jie, Bakora, Matheniko and the Pian totaling about 12% of Uganda’s population of 24. 7million. Their history and culture closely interlocks with that of their neighboring pastoralists, the Turkana in Northwestern Kenya. Cattle are crucial within this community not just for subsistence but also for the payment of bride price, which is the basis of establishing bond partnerships within the Karamojong community. [3] The history of the pastoralist organized raids and predatory expansion predate European colonialism of the nineteenth century.During pre-colonialism, pastoralists of the region had been accustomed to the independence and freedom of openly carrying firearms they had for many decades obtained from Arab slave traders and merchants from the East African coast. [4] Karamoja community had a thriving pastoral economy through trade in ironware and livestock with the Turkana of Kenya. They lived peacefully within the Rudolf Pro vince of Uganda where they shared natural resources through a system of social reciprocity, before the colonial delimitation sliced through their grazing areas. 6.The redrawing of boundaries by Britain in 1926 transferred Uganda’s Rudolf province to Kenya and created the present republics of Kenya and Uganda[5]. The colonialists wanted the pastoralists confined within the respective boundaries and to respect the invisible meridians that delineated the newly created states. Since ancient times however, pastoralism involved the protection of livestock from wild animals; later on protection against human thieves also became necessary. These considerations made it prudent for pastoralists to be armed, which was viewed as a threat by the colonial authority.On account of this, each pastoral ethnic community was ordered to surrender to the colonialists the guns they acquired in the mid 19th century. The pastoralists refused to surrender guns peacefully, forcing colonialists to condu ct a disarmament operation which was unsuccessful in that the pastoralists simply re-located to rugged mountainous terrain out of reach of the colonial patrols. 7. Nevertheless, Karamoja and Turkana regions were declared closed districts, where movement within and outside was restricted without a valid pass. 6] By the late nineteenth century the Karamojong adopted a settled form of pastoralism through which only animals are moved in search of pasture while the families settle permanently in given locations. Consequently, the restriction of movement limited free access to grazing land and water and further increased the social conflict among the pastoralists over the little available grazing area. The redrawing of boundaries and restrictions on movement affected the pastoralists whose mode of nomadism results from ecological demands necessitating mobility. 8.At the outbreak of the Second World War, Britain recruited the Karamojong into the army in recognition of their ethno-military culture and existing dexterity with firearms and knowledge of harsh physical terrain. Karamojong also served with distinction as soldiers for the Kings African Rifles (KAR) during military campaigns conducted in Africa and Asia. After political independence from Britain in 1962, the government of Uganda continued to exclude the Karamoja region from the socio-economic and political developments that were taking place in other areas of the country.The community lacked road communication and infrastructures that could generate local employment. Karamoja region therefore remained economically deprived hence failed to gravitate to the rhythm of statehood and instead strengthened their primordial identity. 9. In 1979, the Karamojong acquired large quantities of automatic rifles following the routing of President Idi Amin from Uganda by an alliance of Tanzanian People’s Defence Force and Ugandan exiles. One major source was the Moroto barracks which the fleeing soldiers abandoned in tact thus allowing the Karamojong to help themselves to unlimited quantity of small arms and ammunition. 7] Hence, the Karamojong strengthened their raiding capacity using the skills gained in the colonial wars and the modern automatic rifles looted from Moroto barracks to revitalize the tradition of dynastic raids and predatory expansion. The long time exclusion of the Karamojong from the socio-economic development by the government also accounts as a cause of the new form of banditry. CAUSES OF CATTLE RUSTLING IN UGANDA 10. Cattle rustling phenomenon has undergone fundamental transformation from a cultural practice of testing a person’s personal bravery and prowess to banditry and bloody warfare between various groups.Cattle raids within the pastoral communities often constitute a communal response to natural calamities, although it is a primitive survival strategy, on the overall, raiding has the impact of creating a desperate cycle of continuous raids as each group in the region sees it as a means for re-stocking. Thus the social dilemmas created by frequent natural disasters appear to be the major catalysts of the cattle-rustling phenomenon in the borderlands. Cattle rustling activities in Uganda is therefore, as a result of; ecological limitations, government policies, external political and economic factors. 8] 11. Ecological Limitations. The Karamoja area has an ecological feature of a semi-arid savannah, bush and mountains with varying rain pattern. In pre-colonial times, pastoral societies used migrations as a panacea[9] for droughts, but the impositions of boundaries and restrictions on movement destroyed this possibility, and were totally at variance with the understanding of boundaries by the pastoralists who responded to ecological demands. These measures greatly affected the grazing patterns by the pastoralists from their long time experience with ecological hardships.Ecological limitations further forced pastoralists to choose breeds whi ch may not necessarily be profitable in milk, blood, and meat yield but can endure extreme drought and survive long distances. The fixed boundaries as a result of government policies were drawn with little regard to seasonal variations and the need of the pastoral community for pasture. Consequently, massive deaths of cattle resulting from droughts and limited grazing area led to raids as one of the options for replenishing the depleted stocks. 12. Government Policies.As a result of colonial and post colonial government policies, the Karamajong lost a considerable portion of land through the redrawing of national boundaries of Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, gazetting of national parks and the establishment of Moroto barracks that left much of their grazing areas outside Uganda. They were also expelled from the newly created Game park of Kidepo, and protected forests. From then, the pastoral community developed a highly sophisticated approach to sharing scarce grazing land and water in an unstable ecological system.The adoption of a settled form of pastoralism through which only animals are moved in search of pasture and water while the families settle permanently in given locations entailed the development of hostilities among the various groups over grazing grounds and water spots. They often abandon their homes to temporary encampments in search of pasture, occasionally crossing to neighbouring districts including the border to Tukana land in North-western Kenya[10]. Consequently, the alienation of the Karamajong communities from the resources they once used set the stage for them to seek survival strategies through mobile pastoralism.The high rate of illiteracy and unemployment among the youth who view cattle rustling and banditry as the only way to livelihood is another factor contributing to the banditry activities in the region coupled with external political factors. 13. External Political Factors. External political factors have increased the instability of pastoralist groups inhabiting remote regions of Northeastern Uganda and Northwestern Kenya. In particular, political fragmentation and civil wars have had domino effect on the Karamojong and Turkana.They have played host or been caught up in armed conflicts between various factions and in the event lost livestock in big numbers. The pastoralists have from time to time had heavy clashes with the rebels who come to loot livestock. Specifically, the civil war in Southern Sudan between the government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) and the sporadic rebel movements of the Lords Resistance Movement (LRA) in Northeastern Uganda. The Uganda, Kenya and Sudan border region is so awash with small arms that one ethnic pastoral group will use guns for part payment of dowry when taking a bride from the other.Whereas cattle have a symbolic role in marriage and in the social-political and economic life of herders, their substitution with modern firearms indicates that arms bea ring has acquired a significant role in the spiritual and material culture of the pastoral community of Uganda. 14. Economic Factors. Another cause of cattle rustling which has become more entrenched in the last few decades is that of economic self-acquisition motives. Raids motivated by such tendencies do not occur as a response to ecological or natural calamities. Such raids occur at any time with the aim of acquiring animals for commercial purposes and individual gain.While the first category of raids hinges on communal interests and is monitored by the community through social norms, the latter is based entirely on private interests and controlled by armed kraal leaders. This has led to the emergence of cattle warlords. [11] Consequently, cattle rustling have emerged into a new system of predatory exploitation of economic resources in the form of banditry and raids intended to accumulate wealth resulting into adverse effects in the region. EFFECTS OF CATTLE RUSTLING 15. Traditio nally, cattle rustling were a cultural practice that was regarded as a kind of sports to test a person’s bravery among the astoralists and was sanctioned by elders. Today, however, new forms of banditry and cattle rustling have emerged, over which the elders have no control. In the last three decades, a number of pastoral societies have become militarized and increasingly rely on firearms. A few randomly selected incidents will illustrate the severity of the problem. In September 1997, fifty Bakora ethnic communities were killed in a 4 a. m. raid by Pokot cattle raiders numbering about one thousand. The Pokot were armed with AK 47 assault rifles and about stole 7,000 cattle.In March 1999, Pokot gunmen again attacked a Matheniko village killing 30 people before escaping with 2,000 heads of cattle. However, what was most disturbing was the fact that the rustlers burned food crops; gang raped women and set huts on fire. Later, an attack in February 2000 by the Ugandan Karamojong on Kenyan Pokot killed over hundred people and stole about 1,800 cattle and 5,000 sheep. Cosequently, cattle raiding in north-eastern Uganda have undergone fundamental changes in terms of nature and scale, effects of which can be viewed from the level of insecurity, socio-political and economic impacts in the region. 6. Socio – Political and Economic Impact. Cattle rustling have caused untold suffering in the Karamoja region which has led to loss of many human lives and displacement of various population and groups within Karamoja and its neighbouring districts. The twin phenomena of banditry and cattle rustling have become endemic in the region, affecting a big population of the area with kraal leaders having a field day in this environment of lawlessness. The idle and impoverished youths are easily manipulated by the kraal heads to join their private raiding armies to conduct raids. 12] Karamojong youth seems to be happy in enlisting into these banditry and cattle raiding armies, which they feel, is synonymous to defending societal interest against an enemy, the State. Because of the state of anarchy and lawlessness in the region, it is very difficult to implement any economic developmental projects; hence people live in abject poverty. Government officers, NGOs and the business community based in the area live in constant fear of the bandits.The social dilemmas created by frequent natural disasters such as drought also appear to be a major catalyst of the cattle-rustling phenomenon within the pastoral community. Subsequently, the often wanton destruction of life and property and the use of terror by the rustlers have in all its manifestations undermined the sense of value, dignity and harmony hence, a major source of insecurity and undevelopment in the region. 17. Insecurity. The new form of banditry activities in northeastern Uganda has resulted in the emergence of cattle warlords with armed militia to protect their interests.The violence, chaos an d insecurity have become the dominant feature in the region. Cattle warlordism is a new phenomenon which has emerged among the Karamojong since the 1980s, the warlords have created strong and heavily armed private armies which, apart from providing them local security, also go on cattle raids, near and far. Violence and warfare in the process of cattle raiding and looting of other property have created an environment of insecurity and tension in the region extending to neighbouring districts.State officials, especially security forces, involved in the disarmament operation are also perpetrating acts of violence and insecurity in the region, for example; in 1984, a joint disarmament exercise involving Ugandan military and Kenyan paramilitary police flopped when the soldiers involved in the program indiscriminately killed Karamojong and looted thousands of cattle. Since the post colonial period, the State has also been implicated in the confiscation of livestock recovered after raids. [13] The warlords have very many retainers whom they send on raids, while they maintain and supervise the raiding party.They have therefore; become the final authority on cattle relations, overriding the traditional powers of the elders. Consequently, the insecurity in the region is perpetuated by both State operatives involved in the disarmament operations and the warlords. GOVERNMENT ATEMPTS TO STOP CATTLE RUSTLING 18. Efforts to pacify Karamoja have been the concern of successesive regimes in the colonial times through to post colonial period. During the colonial time, Britain declared Karamoja a closed district where movement within and outside was restricted without a valid pass.In a bid to restrict transhumance, the policy had the impact of pauperizing the Karamoja community who previously had a thriving pastoral economy through trade in ironware and livestock with the Turkana of Kenya. After independence in 1962, Uganda perpetuated British policies which included gun control laws, but pastoralists across the borders to the North and East had access to modern firearms, which facilitated raids. During the 1980s at the height of cattle rustling, government initiated another attempt to disarm the Karamojong which efforts were forcefully repelled.In 1984, a joint disarmament exercise with the Kenya paramilitary police flopped when the military involved in the program indiscriminately killed Karamojong and stole cattle. [14] Consequently, the conduct of the military involved in the disarmament operation partly a caused the failure of the earlier disarmament attempts. 19. In 1986, a program to re-establish authority of the state in Karamoja region was initiated to control cattle rustling, and consolidate the security in the region. The state’s opinion was that, the pastoral communities were conservative, slow to adapt to change and in many respects actually against change.In view of that, several units of the army were deployed in Karamoja, unfortunate ly, the army itself became the source of insecurity in the region; use of force to disarm the Karamajong warriors meant declaring war against them, hence, the high handedness with which the army dealt with security issues alienated the pastoral communities even more. [15] Efforts by government to fight cattle rustling are laudable, but its strategy seem short-term and unlikely to succeed without fully grasping the significance of ethno-military identity of the Karamojong and their agro-pastoral neighbours, the Turkana of Kenya.Consequently, government have not achieved enduring peace in Karamoja region because of the inability to address the root causes of cattle rustling in the area and the factors that have led to failure of the previous disarmament and pacification attempts. SOLUTIONS DEEMED APPROPRIATE 20. Grass root planning approach involving all stake holders in the disarmament programmes and messages should be designed, with emphasis on assuaging the pastoralist’s per sonal fears about their security through deliberate confidence-building and provision of security.The surrender of guns should be preceded by intensive and extensive sensitisation programmes through meetings; media programmes, churches, NGOs, seminars and community based programmes. Kraal leaders should be the core of mobilization, sensitisation and concretisation programmes and efforts-targeting the youth. Properly planned, simultaneous and coordinated approach to disarmament programme should be initiated to involve all stake holders. 21. Simultaneous and Coordinated Disarmament.Government should plan and conduct a peaceful disarmament operation and closely monitor it through the establishment of disarmament committees at all levels. Adoption of standardised disarmament operational procedures and developing strategies aimed at eradicating trafficking in small arms. Appointing a regional disarmament committee composed of both the military and civic leaders in the region. Liaison Off icers should be appointed in the affected areas of Kenya and Uganda at regional and local levels to coordinate the disarmament operation.Government should undertake joint planning of disarmament operations between Kenya and Uganda and establish civil military coordination centre with appropriate humanitarian and civic action programmes. Government should conduct human rights training and sensitisation to the armed forces that will undertake forceful disarmament. There should be plans to improve on the existing social and physical structures and construction of new ones. 22. Social and Physical Infrastructure. Government should improve on the existing roads and drainage structures in the region and invest in water provision for livestock.Developing appropriate rain water harvesting technologies would make surface water run-off available for small-scale irrigated agriculture and watering livestock. Government should undertake improvement of the existing roads and construct new ones as prioritised for easy communication. It should construct more boreholes and collaborate with development partners in the region to undertake labour-based rehabilitation of existing valley dams and construct new ones. All these activities should be coupled with mass mobilization and sensitization of the local population ithin the pastoral community. 23. Mobilisation and Sensitization. There should be regular planning for community mobilisation, sensitisation and education campaigns which should target the whole community. Integration of traditional institutions of elders, kraal leaders, youth and women in the decision making regarding containment of insecurity and implementation of integrated disarmament activities should be first on the pacification agenda. Specifically, this should target the youth in the community who are vibrant in banditry activities.Mobilisation and sensitisation campaigns for voluntary disarmament and establishment of a system of co-ordination with the militar y at sub-county level through Liaison should be established. The kraal leaders should be encouraged to plan and execute grazing movements with local military commanders and emphasize the use of communal grazing grounds. There should be regular joint security meetings between Kenya and Uganda to coordinate civil military activities and identify arms markets with a view to total closure and arrest of those involved in order to establish law and order in the region. 4. Establishment of Law and Order. There is need for government to strengthen the capacity of the police to maintain law and order during and after disarmament operation. This could be achieved by the establishment of mobile courts to expedite trials of those persons found with illegal weapons and recruitment of the indigenous who qualify into the regular civil police force to serve in the region. Government should undertake further study on the traditional justice administration systems of the pastoralists to find best way s to integrate positive aspects in the modern system.Government should initiate methods of easy identification of cattle within the pastoral community. 25. Branding Animals. Government should enforce branding of livestock as a security measure to stem livestock thefts and for purposes of census and identity. Train livestock owners to maintain proper records regarding their herds, for example the colours of their cattle. Provide and improve services like veterinary for branding exercise in Karamoja region and the neighbouring. 26. Improved Services.Government should provide support for education in the region through the establishment of free government-aided boarding primary and secondary schools to effect attitude change against the gun, cow and cattle rustling, hence reduce recruitment of the youth into warrior-hood. Compulsory primary education for all children of school-going age should be introduced and civic education enhanced for adults. Peace and conflict resolution subjects should be incorporated as a unit in the curriculum at primary and secondary school levels.Government should support and intensify livestock disease control by undertaking mass vaccination of livestock against common diseases. It should enhance an appropriate agricultural extension service delivery system which takes into account the specific constraints in the area. Healthcare facilities and services should be extended to the region to reach all the communities and efforts put to strengthen and improve water and sanitation, rehabilitate dilapidated health facilities and services in the region. 27. Rewards/Recognition. There should be resettlement packages that benefit the community and the gun-owners surrendering guns.This could be in monetary and other items like iron sheets, ox-ploughs etc to change the livelihood of the pastoralists. Award of certificates and or medals for recognition would also be appropriate. CONCLUSION 28. The twin phenomena of banditry and cattle rustling in north-eastern Uganda have had adverse effects on the people of the region by creating an environment of violence and insecurity. Cattle rustling have undergone fundamental transformation from a cultural practice to a commercial venture organized and bankrolled by cattle warlords.There is therefore, a significant connection between environmental conflict and the insecurity created by cattle rustling and banditry in north-eastern-Uganda. The redrawing of national boundaries and restrictions on movement affected the pastoralists since their mode of nomadism results from ecological demands necessitating mobility. (Para 6, 7, and 11) 29. Cattle raiding have the impact of creating a desperate cycle of continuous raids as each group in the region sees it as a means for re-stocking.Raiding has been portrayed as a factor that is embedded in the pastoralists’ mentality and that can only be eradicated by the discontinuation of pastoralism, however, the social dilemmas created by freque nt natural disasters appear to be the major catalysts of the cattle-rustling phenomenon in the pastoralist community. State officials, especially security forces involved in the region are also perpetrating acts of violence and insecurity; they have been implicated in the confiscation of livestock recovered after raids.Cattle warlordism is a new phenomenon which has emerged among the Karamojong since the 1980s and is also responsible for the current violence and warfare. (Para 15 and 16). 30. Various attempts have been made by the Ugandan government to exercise a strong level of control over the pastoralists and to stop cattle rustling. The aim of which has been to pacify the pastoralists and to ensure peace and order in the region. The methods used has had several implications which has tended to present the pastoralists as unreliable people and prone to violence.Important decisions and policies affecting the mode of existence of the pastoralists should therefore not just be forced down their throats without their active involvement from the initial stages to the implementation process. Pastoralism cannot be simply dismissed; they have demonstrated economic and social acumen in the exploitation of their arid homelands, which are too arid for anything but nomadic. Government appear to have failed to achieve enduring peace in Karamoja because of the inability to address the root causes of cattle rustling in the area and the factors that have led to failure of the previous disarmament attempts. Para 17 and18). RECOMMENDATIONS 31. Government policy makers must take cognisance of the root causes of cattle rustling and identify how the ecologically related threat to peace can be contained, lessened or eradicated. Sustainable development requires grassroots support, and therefore important decisions and policies affecting the mode of existence of the pastoralists should not be simply imposed on them without their active participation from the beginning. 32.There is need for government to initiate people focused economic reforms to involve land tenure that could minimize resource conflicts and open up rural based agro-pastoral industries to improve livestock productivity to create local employment. 33. There is need for government to strengthen the capacity to maintain law and order in the region, most importantly disarmament should be calculated to win the hearts and minds. Services like compulsory education, health centres and hospitals, construction of roads, provision of clean water for human consumption and sinking of valley dams for livestock should be provided to the region.

Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity

Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity Rebecca Spain ETH/125 April 4th, 2010 Melissa Terrell The three sociological theoretical perspectives of race and ethnicity are the functionalist, conflict, and labeling perspectives. The functionalist perspective is the perspective that shows how parts of society work in a structured manner to keep the survival of a society. The belief is that if a certain part does not contribute to society’s survival in an effective manner that it will not move form one generation to the next. (Schaefer, 2006). The conflict perspective is the perspective that society thrives on the conflict and struggles between social groups that compete against one another. The struggles and disputes mainly pertain to the dominant groups against the subordinate groups. (Schaefer, 2006). The final perspective is the labeling perspective which is the perspective that shows why one person’s accountability can be different from another person even though they are engaging in the same behaviors. (Schaefer, 2006). The three perspectives are all quite different in their theories. The labeling perspective stereotypes a group by gender, religion, race, or ethnic group instead of the actual behavior that takes place. For instance two people commit the same crime but one is wealthy and white and the other is poor and African American. The wealthy white person is to be given another chance based on their status and the dominant group that they belong to. The African American should be punished based on their status and the subordinate group they belong to. The conflict perspective is way more extreme than the functionalist and labeling perspectives. In the conflict perspective the dominant and subordinate groups are in a constant battle for power. The dominant group ignores and exploits the minority groups and continually will be able to get away with doing so because of the status of the dominant group versus the status of the minority group. The functionalist perspective is not as extreme as the conflict perspective and wants to understand why certain functions and systems continue in spite of opposition. The functionalist perspectives seem to have the theory that if ne group does not contribute to society’s survival that they will not proceed to carry on to the next generation. Functionalists do believe that some negative can be positive such as discrimination between races and ethnic groups. However these dysfunctions can cause conflict and instability in a set society. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the labeling perspective seem to be stereotyped and discriminated against. The dominant group has the upper hand a nd will persevere when conflict arises because of their social status, racial and ethnic group. These certain groups that are being discriminated against may lose out on participating in certain events, activities, or jobs. These negative stereotypes can eventually lead to the social norm and can have a negative effect on society as a whole. The dominant group establishes too much power and that their stereotyping in correct and valid so they will proceed to do it. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the conflict perspective become ignored and exploited by the dominant group. They are left fighting for certain social, political, and economical powers that they do not have but the dominant group has control of. The dominant group has power and control over certain political, economical, and social aspects and of more importance than the minority group and their subordiation is ignored by society. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the functionalist perspective will not continue into the next generations if they can not contribute to society’s survival in an effective manner. According to this perspective that is how it should operate however there are still plenty of minorities and racial discrimination that still occurs. The dominant group can survive even though there is still discrimination even if it is negative because the belief is that the negative and can be a positive for both the minority and the dominant groups. The dominant groups believe they are not responsible for problems faced by the minorities and they also will not allow minorities to question their own status because that would be questioning society itself. However these dysfunctions can cause strife between classes and minorities as well as tension, disputes and disrupts the peace of society. In theory all of these perspectives can keep the minorities from achieving possibly high status, jobs, or respect because they have been considered inferior for so long. (Schaefer, 2006). References Schaefer, R. T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic Groups: Understanding Race and Ethnicity. Prentice-Hall: Pearson Education Inc.

Food Deserts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Food Deserts - Essay Example For any starter in this industry, the secret is to run countless number of ads that will ultimately make the business known. Gray backs this assertion by explicitly giving a scenario of one store that trades in the sale of meat. It emerges that the business makes huge sales irrespective of the health concerns linked to the desert foods. Thus, the article offers an insight into the rising cases of obesity and other problems attributable to unhealthy diet. In the article â€Å"Food Deserts Leave Many Americans High and Dry†, John Matson gives a vivid illustration of the correlation between consumption of food deserts and health problems. He states that places where fresh foods often lack have high health problems (Matson, 2015). Therefore, the idea conveyed is that consumption of fresh foods connects with health promotion. It is surprising to find that regions that have little fresh foods will often have most of its stores and other outlets full of fast foods (Matson, 2015). Matson posits that the ongoing extensive scientific based research is necessary to establish such a correlation. Consumption of deserts foods also links to the household income, as well as the access to the road. Using the map, the nearest food desert in Liberty County, GA is in

What was the larger strategic significance of the failure of the Essay

What was the larger strategic significance of the failure of the Gallipoli expedition 1915-1916 - Essay Example The result was a huge loss of manpower and resources on both the sides. The Gallipoli Expedition also known popularly as the "Dardanelles operation of 1915" is regarded as one of the major failure for the Allied forces in World War I. It affected both the Central powers as well as the Entente alike. Several lessons were learned from the expedition with the most important of them being the following Trust the instincts and act with common sense as the situation prompts while planning the attacks instead of following the bookish lessons. Trust the war tactics and the people instead of depending on the technology completely Archaic titles and birth privileges are just not enough to win the military war, but merit and true valour. The Dardanelles expedition influenced the politics of the European nations as well as the Middle East countries in many different ways. The larger strategic significance gained from the failure of the Gallipoli expedition in 1915-1916 led the Entente to reform their war tactics and win the World War I. The failure came as a hit to the Anglo-French coalition's pride. The blow awakened them literally from falling into disaster practicing their traditional war strategies. On the other hand it led to major reforms in countries like Turkey opening the gates of the democracy in the Middle East. The Gallipoli Expedition The Gallipoli expedition was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Western nations. The Anglo-French armies were largely assisted by nations like New Zealand and Australia. ANZAC or the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps played a major role in the campaign. The Entente were headed by General Sir Ian Hamilton and the Ottoman Turks were led by Kemal Pasha Ataturk. It is important to explore the reason behind the origin of the World War if we have to understand the importance of the Dardanelles expedition. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Australia and his wife Sophie were murdered by Serbian terrorists on 28th June 1914. Serbi a was an independent state but was annexed by the Austria in 1908 amidst great protests. The prince's ideas of reforms were quite unpopular among the elite as well the freedom movements in Serbia. There were several nationalistic movements in the country which feared the Serbs might be repressed further by the reforms as the Prince Ferdinand was next in line to throne. Hence they carried out the assassination which triggered many long standing disputes between the various major European powers. The World War I termed as the 'Great War' took nearly 20 million lives and left more than 21 million wounded (Fromkin, 1989). The causes for the origin of the war were much debated and its effects were felt for a long time in the world. Historians like Wolfgang Mommsen analyzed various reasons for the German uprising and termed it was a measure to divert the public from other issues like inequality created due to industrialization, democratization and the other core issues the average German citizen had started to question his rulers (Keiger, 1983). Each country in Europe was influenced by a different principle starting from militarism to imperialism and nationalism. Each was in direct conflict with the other. The assassination of the Archduke made them take sides. Major military Powers like the Great Britain, France and Russia joined hands on one side forming the Entente while the Germany, Austria and Hungary along with other small nations joined together on the opposite side forming the Central Powers.1 The growing power of Germany alarmed both its eastern and western neighbours the Russia and France. Hence, they formed an alliance together with the Great Britain to defend

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Change Management - Essay Example Secondly, the tem will start to design and develop applications for a new smart phone, a challenge that will require new skills and experience that some of the team members do not possess in the first place. These reorganizations will affect the team in a number of ways but most importantly, the team will be limited by the lack of skills and experience of some of its members since the designing and development of applications for the smart phone will require new skills and experience. Additionally, since the administration has requested for a reduced timeline, the team will have to put in substantial extra hours to meet the timelines in the design and development of apps for the smart phone. Change Management Strategies Communication of change will be a crucial aspect of the change process, particularly because it facilitates change receptivity (Frahm and Brown, 2007); the first way to communicate the reorganization plans with the team is through staff forums, where team members rais e and address all the real issues and concerns related with their work. The second way of communicating change is through site visitation, to interact with the team to find out the particular projects they are working on, and to invite them to suggest innovative ways of doing things differently. Buy-in from the team will facilitate the change process since it will align the team to the reorganization changes; the first way of gaining buy-in from the team is through clarity and consistency of the change message i.e. by offering a solid rationale for the change and passing the key message of change to all team members consistently. The second way of gaining buy-in from the team will be through invitation of dialogue, drawing the team members together in a forum for open discussions to urge their engagement and participation in the reorganization changes; participative management reduces resistance to change because it encourages members to feel valued and their opinions count (Pardo-d el-Val, Martinez-Fuentes and Roig-Dobon, 2012). The first way of dealing with resistance from the team will be though fostering openness and two-way communication by asking for suggestions on how change can occur since when team members feel in control of the process, they are more likely to accept change. The second way of dealing with resistance will be through transparency, by providing all the details of the reorganization changes without holding back information from the team. The first way of leading and motivating the team through the change will be by coaching and empowering the members to be part of the change by engaging them in decision-making processes, and to encouraging them to come up with innovative solutions to challenges by giving them responsibility. The second way of leading and motivating the team through the change is through provision of feedback that creates positive reinforcement to team members, and suggesting areas that need enhancement; coaching and feedb ack are powerful tools for maximizing performance efficiency while minimizing weaknesses (Gilley, Gilley and Heather, 2009). Two specific ways that will be used to inform the supervisor of plans and progress will be face-to-face communications and regular progress reports, which will provide details of progress including quick wins already gained in the course of change implementation. Face to face are the most effective and preferred mode of communication, especially because they allow

Discuss 3 beliefs of hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discuss 3 beliefs of hinduism - Essay Example The Hindus believe in one supreme power. The supreme power is called Brahman and it inspires life. Hindu deity is not limited to Brahman only. Many gods and goddesses exist in Hinduism and are responsible for different aspects of Brahman. An important element with Hindu deity is that there is a trinity. Brahman, Vishnu, and Shiva are godheads that make up the trinity. Dvaita provides that the Supreme Being have a nature of soul and matter. Samsara is the Hinduism belief in the continuous cycle of life. Hindus believe that life repeats itself in a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. According to this belief, the soul (atman) goes through many lives across different species. The ultimate end of this continuous life cycle is moksha, a state of freedom and salvation united with God. Finally, in Hinduism, an individual’s destiny depends on their karma, the law of causality that stipulates that actions draw proportional

Business & Project Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business & Project Creation - Essay Example This before time analysis will make one more conscious of company's strengths and weaknesses and progress chances of gaining an aggressive benefit and increasing market share. The Market Analysis Team has foundation abilities in performing market assessments and public strategy impact assessments using an analysis model. Any cost-effective model - which reproduces a detailed nominal cash flow for fresh products - estimates earnings, cash flows, and debt payment to estimate a project's leveled cost-of-launch, nominal Internal Rate of Return, and annual Debt-Service-Coverage-Ratios. The Market Analysis Team encourages and facilitates greater acceptance of new technologies in the market by functioning with services and other stakeholders to recognize suitable technologies and to deal with system incorporation matters. The Market Analysis Team fosters improved understanding of the role of markets by identifying market barriers and opportunities, and promoting market-based solutions, when possible, to achieve greater development. The Market Analysis Team informs and guides the key conclusion makers in order to optimistically manipulate progress decisions. This contains developing the establishment of nationwide and regional electorates through work with a range of interest groups, and given that support to client and stakeholder groups to widen and execute market-based plans for its products. The Market Analysis Team gives modified help to state agencies and other stakeholders to assist meet their product investigation needs. The Market Analysis Team carries out assessments of the insinuations of industry reorganization for its new products technologies. One has to execute analyses of diverse suggestions for a normal, transmission pricing, and autonomous system operators; as well as analyses of retail access programs and system benefits arraigns when doing comprehensive market analysis for any product. Therefore, the Market Analysis Team executes analyses of markets to augment understanding of associated subjects. The Market Analysis Team as well does Policy Analysis of its manufactured goods and the marketplace of its product. The Market Analysis Team carries out analyses of federal and state policy alternatives to widen market prospects for its fresh products. Amongst the policies that marketers have examined are incorporated resource planning, competitors externalities, aggressive bidding, and market infiltration of its product. Market Analysis - Identifying Potential Opportunities While having the Market Analysi

International relatins - violence, resistance and identity Essay

International relatins - violence, resistance and identity - Essay Example The list of these countries underscores the fact that not only was Occupy Movement an international occurrence, but a movement that took place in democracies and capitalist states, also. The context in which Occupy Movement took place has both anteceding and triggering factors. The anteceding factors to Occupy Movement had been the longstanding culture of unfair power relations in the society and economic structures, the (mis)management of large corporations, multinationals and the entire international system to the point of inordinately benefiting only a minority, undermining democracy and precipitating an absence of financial and social security. Unknown to the casual observer, the triggering factor to Occupy Movement must have been the 2010 Arab Spring and the 2011-2012 Spanish Protests. No sooner had the two protests began in earnest than social online networks started going viral with calls to the effect that America and Britain needed their own Tahrir Squares. It is not in doub t that advancements in IT and liberalisation of information played instrumental roles in sparking Occupy Movement. The stated goals and aims of the Occupy Movement have slight discrepancies since there are country-specific demands that were put across. Nevertheless, it is clear that certain demands cut across all Occupy Movement protests throughout the globe. The goals included the addressing of the corrupting effects that money had on politics, the streamlining of regulations in the banking industry, the implementation of banking reforms, attainment of equality in income distribution, the proscription of high-frequency trading, the abatement of the influences that corporations have on politics, creation of better and more jobs, and the opening and successful completion of investigations and prosecution of those who propagate corruption in politics. (b) The Issue(s) at Stake There are several issues that emanated from the rise of Occupy Movement. One of the issues was the feasibilit y of capitalism and the neoliberal approaches to economics which capitalist persuasions brought about. The crux of the matter herein is that all the countries in which Occupy Movement took place are capitalist and thus adopted socioeconomic and political neo-liberalism. While the UK, America and the West branded capitalism as the pathway to success, 2 decades after the Fall of Communism (or communist USSR), Occupy Movement emerges to decry the ravages that are apparently associated with capitalism. The radical nature of the problem at hand is that, in the event that capitalism and neo-liberalism are found to be inchoate, the most tenable alternative system of production must be considered. Another matter that is at stake in this discussion is the extent to which the UK, America and the rest of the Occupy Movement countries can be said to be democratic. From December 2010, Occupy Movement countries had been cheering on the Arab Spring as a manifestation of a democratic reawakening. T he same countries had piled pressure on the regimes in the Arab world to concede to the demands of the hoi polloi. Thus, the manner in which Occupy Movement regimes responded to the protests and the success of the movements may serve as the litmus tests for

Ameresco Inc. (AMRC) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ameresco Inc. (AMRC) - Coursework Example as a company operates and the industry as a whole. Most notable threats are financial capacity of the company, rising cost of raw material and the global economy and high cost of investment and research. These are the threats that are currently present in both Ameresco Inc.and the industry they operate as a whole. These have possessed economic constraints to the firm and lowered profitability. However, there are opportunities too as the industry is experiencing reduced labor cost. In addition, there has been increased internal monetary assistance in the company and opportunities for venture capital. A significant portion of their total revenues is generated by our Canadian subsidiary, Ameresco Canada. Finally under economic threats, it is evident that future changes in exchange rate significantly between the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar could so much affect the company’s operating results as major revenues are dependent on the northern America. The industry Ameresco Inc. operate is dynamic and competitive. The level of technology hence becomes a threat as new advancements in technology are required for better service delivery. As a company, Ameresco Inc. operates in a dynamic industry that is involved in designing, developing, and engineering and times installation of projects that minimizes energy, operations and maintenance costs to clients they serve and these are areas of concern should technology fail in future. The company also outsources various energy installation projects due to incapability to handle the specialized technological aspects and these is a threat. Politically, different regulations affect the conduct of not only Ameresco Inc. business, but also the industry they operate in. State and federal legislation and regulations allow them to enter into Energy Saving Performance Contract (ESPCs) with government agencies in America. However, the challenge becomes the

Courts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Courts - Essay Example Generally, this power of judicial review is meant for the Courts to oversee the legislative or executive functions. However, the Court is able to exercise the power to uphold or deny the congressional and executive actions in passing upon the issue of constitutionality. Thus, judicial review can, in effect, nullify the acts of the other branches of the government. This should not be taken that the Supreme Court overpowers the other two branches. Instead, this authority must be understood in the light of the need to uphold the Constitution at all times. After all, in a country where rule of law is observed, the Constitution must be upheld without exception. To state otherwise will only result to the negation of the interests of the people. The power of the Supreme Court to make pronouncements as regards existing laws is not an absolute power. It is a rule that the power to exercise judicial review must be exercised only when there is an actual case or an actual controversy. Thus, to properly request the courts to examine the constitutionality of law, there must be at least one party who stands to benefit or to be injured by the questioned provisions of the law and who shall ask a pronouncement from the Court. This can be properly illustrated in the case of Marbury v. Madison. The case of Marbury v. Madison is considered a very important landmark case in the history of the Unite States Supreme Court. This is the first instance that the U.S. Supreme Court was able to declare and exercise its power of judicial review. What happened in the case of Marbury v. Madison? It was in the year 1800. William Marbury had been nominated, appointed as a justice of peace and given a commission. John Adams, the president of the United States back then, already signed the commission. The United States seals had been affixed to it also.

International Preliminary Examination Essay Example for Free

International Preliminary Examination Essay International preliminary examination is an optional feature of the international phase available under Chapter II of the PCT. It is performed by an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA), one of the Offices which are also International Searching Authorities (ISAs) [see Module 7]. The receiving Office with which you filed your PCT application has appointed the IPEA which is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“competentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  to perform international preliminary examination. If your receiving Office has appointed more than one competent IPEA, you can choose between them, taking into account differing requirements relating to search, such as language, fees, etc. The international preliminary examination gives you the benefit, before entering the national phase, of an assessment from an IPEA on whether your invention appears to be novel, involves an inventive step (non-obvious), and is industrially applicable. This may provide you with greater certainty on your chances of obtaining a patent. You may consider international preliminary examination if, as a result of the international search and the written opinion of the ISA, your PCT application needs to be amended in order to overcome objections previously raised in the written opinion of the ISA. During the international preliminary examination procedure, you can amend the description, claims and drawings of your PCT application. This enables you to further refine your PCT application, which will be useful during the patent granting procedures in the national phase. While international preliminary examination is not binding for the purposes of national or regional examination, it is increasingly seen by national and regional Offices as highly persuasive. It may, in some Offices, result in a reduced examination fee in the national or regional phase. 9.1 The Demand The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“demandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  is a PCT term that is used to describe the request for international preliminary examination. The demand automatically indicates that you intend to use the results of international preliminary examination in all PCT countries. The Offices of the countries where the international preliminary examination results will be used are referred to as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“electedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Offices. The demand must be made on a printed or computer generated form [Form PCT/IPEA/401] and must contain certain indications, all of which are clearly identified on the form. It must be submitted, with very limited exceptions, to a competent IPEA within three months from the date of transmittal to the applicant of the ISR and the written opinion of the ISA, or within 22 months from the priority date, whichever period expires later. If the demand is filed with an IPEA which is not competent for carrying out international preliminary examination, or with a receiving Office, an ISA or the International Bureau, it will be transmitted by that Office or Authority either directly to the competent IPEA, or first to the International Bureau which will in turn transmit it to the competent IPEA. Generally, the original filing date of the demand will be retained. If the language in which your PCT application was searched or the language in which it was published is not accepted by the IPEA, you will be invited to furnish a translation within one month from the date of the invitation. If you do not furnish the missing translation in time, the IPEA will consider the demand not to have been submitted. 9.2 Amendment of the Description, Claims, Drawings When you file the demand, or before the start of international preliminary examination, you have an opportunity to amend your PCT application (description, claims, and drawings). These amendments are commonly referred to as Article 34 amendments. Any amendments that you make may not go beyond the disclosure of your PCT application as originally filed. As far as the claims are concerned, this is a second opportunity for amending them before the international preliminary examination starts (the first being by way of Article 19 amendments submitted to the International Bureau after receipt of the international search report). In practice, most applicants filing a demand for international preliminary examination do not make use of the possibility of amending the claims under Article 19, unless publication of the amendments is desired [see Module 8 section 8.2]. Where it is clear from the references cited in the ISR and the written opinion of the ISA that the PCT application requires amendments, applicants typically furnish their amendments to the IPEA together with the demand. 9.3 Written Opinion of the IPEA The written opinion of the ISA is generally used as the first written opinion of the IPEA, particularly if the ISA and the IPEA are the same. In this case, you will most likely not receive a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“secondà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  written opinion from the IPEA. You should therefore file any Article 34 amendments and/or any arguments in relation to the written opinion of the ISA together with the demand. International preliminary examination does not usually start until after the ISA has drawn up the ISR and the written opinion. You may wait for these documents before deciding whether to proceed further with the PCT application by filing a demand for international preliminary examination. The cost of the examination need not be incurred before it is clear, from the results of the ISR and the written opinion of the ISA, that the invention claimed in the PCT application is not clearly lacking novelty and inventiveness. If the IPEA and ISA are the same, the Office may decide to start international preliminary examination at the same time as the international search, except where, under certain circumstances, the applicant has requested that international preliminary examination be postponed. If, exceptionally, a second written opinion is established by the IPEA, you may have additional opportunities to file amendments during the international preliminary examination. The number of opportunities for filing amendments which will be available depends very much on the time available for international preliminary examination. The international preliminary examination report must in general be drawn up not later than 28 months from the priority date. Any amendments you file after the examiner has begun to draw up the report can no longer be taken into account. Should you wish to make further amendments (which can no longer be filed during the international phase), they can still be filed with elected Offices on entering the national phase. No elected Office may grant or refuse a patent before the expiration of the time limit for amending the application for the purposes of the grant procedure in the national phase. Each national chapter of the PCT Applicants Guide gives details as to when and how amendments may be filed during the national phase [see Module 10]. 9.3.1 Response to the Written Opinion of the IPEA Exceptionally, you may receive an additional written opinion from the IPEA [Form PCT/IPEA/408], with an invitation to respond, before the international preliminary examination report is drawn up. In such a case, you may present further amendments or arguments. Informal communications between the IPEA and the applicant are expressly provided for under the PCT. Consistent with the non-binding, preliminary nature of the international preliminary examination, there is no provision for a formal review of an examiners opinion, except on disputed findings of lack of unity of invention [see Module 7 section 7.1.2]. International preliminary examination can thus be compared to a regular patent examination in an examining patent Office with one exception; namely, in that the time limits set by the examiner for the response are usually much shorter than under the normal examination procedure. A prompt reaction is required from you during preliminary examination in order for the international preliminary examination to be completed within the limited time available. 9.4 The International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter II) International preliminary examination ends with the drawing up of an International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter II) as prescribed under Chapter II of the PCT à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" commonly referred to as an IPRP (Chapter II) [Form PCT/IPEA/409]. The IPRP Chapter II is typically drawn up before the expiration of 28 months from the priority date. The IPRP (Chapter II) is a non-binding opinion, which essentially contains a statement, in relation to each claim, on whether it appears to satisfy the criteria of novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability as defined in the PCT. The statement is accompanied by the citation of the documents believed to support that conclusion. Further explanations are given where the circumstances of the case so require. No statement may be made on the question whether the invention would be patentable under the national law of any elected State. If the report is based on the PCT application in an amended form, a copy of all sheets containing amendments will be annexed to the report. The IPEA transmits the IPRP (Chapter II) to the applicant and to the International Bureau. The report is established in the language in which the PCT application concerned is published or, if the international preliminary examination is carried out on the basis of a translation of the PCT application, in the language of the translation. The International Bureau must then translate, if necessary, the report into English to meet the language requirements of some elected Offices. Only the IPRP (Chapter II) is translated, not the annexes. The transmittal of the IPRP (Chapter II) completes the international procedure under Chapter II. The IPRP (Chapter II) is not accessible to persons other than the applicant and the elected Offices during the international phase. Neither the International Bureau nor the IPEA may, unless requested or authorized to do so by the applicant, give information on the issuance of an IPRP (Chapter II) or on the withdrawal or non-withdrawal of the demand or of any election, except for communications or access provided to elected Offices. Upon receipt of the IPRP (Chapter II) (at the latest, at about the 28th month from the priority date), you have until the expiration of 30 months from the priority date in which to evaluate it and to decide whether to proceed further by entering the national or regional phase before the elected Offices. If a translation of the PCT application must be furnished to the elected Office upon entry into the national phase, it must usually include a translation of the PCT application as originally filed, and of the amendments appearing in the annexes to the IPRP (Chapter II). The translation requirements of the annexes vary somewhat among the elected Offices. The national chapter relating to each elected Office in the PCT Applicants Guide indicates the applicable requirements.

The Role of a Quantity Surveyor

The Role of a Quantity Surveyor Quantity Surveyors are also widely known as construction economist or cost manager. They are known as one of the professional advisers to the construction industry. As an advisory, Quantity Surveyors estimate and monitor all construction cost thought the whole development process which is shown as below:- In each phase there consists of many stages. Quantity Surveyors are also involve with tax depreciation schedules, replacement cost estimation for insurance purposes and if necessary intervention and negotiation. Quantity Surveyors are mostly employed as consultants to the clients on major building and construction projects. In the development process Quantity Surveyors tend to work closely together with architects, projects owner, accountants, insurance underwriters, lawyers and judges and also with all levels of government authorities. These are the stages in each phase:- However, the Quantity Surveyors mainly involved themselves from the feasibility stage of a project to the completion of the construction period. Inception Phase During the inception phase, clients instructions are given to Quantity Surveyors. Also, Quantity Surveyors will advise the client on the need to obtain statutory approvals and of the duties of the client under the CDM regulations. After they received information about the shop lots from the client, then they will visit the shop lots and carry out an initial appraisal. Appraisal The appraisal stage is the first stage in the development process which involves both identifying the clients requirements and the possible constraints on development. Studies will be undertaken to enable a client to decide on whether to proceed and if so which procurement route should be selected, on the basis of the outcomes required. In the other words, Quantity Surveyors will carry out studies to determine the feasibility of the Clients requirement. Strategic Briefing The strategic briefing stage, which is done by or on behalf of the client, identifies the key requirements and constraints involved. It identifies the procedures, organizational structure and the type and range of consultants to be used. It is important during this early part of the process to consider a range of issues that are going to determine whether the project has any chance of coming to fruition. Feasibility and Viability At feasibility stage, Quantity Surveyors use their knowledge of construction methods and costs to advise the owner on the most economical way of achieving his or her requirements. They may use techniques such as Cost Planning, Estimating, Cost Analysis, Cost-in-use Studies and Value Management to establish and control a project budget. Accurately determining the construction cost at project inception is the key to setting an achievable budget and assessing project feasibility. This is available for any proposed development including subdivision, construction, refurbishment or maintenance concept. Construction Phase During construction phase, Quantity Surveyors are called on to fairly value Progress Payments at regular intervals. They will also value changes to design or quantities which may arise by reference to appropriate Bill of Quantities rates. The contractors Quantity Surveyor/contract administrator will have prepared claims for progress payments and additional work. Mobilisation Mobilisation is the award of the building contract to the successful firm and the formal appointment of the contractor. During mobilisation, Quantity Surveyors provide production information as requested for the building contract and for construction of the shop lots. Construction to Practical Completion Construction to Practical Completion is the stage when the contractor commences the work on the shop lots. Throughout this stage, formal written instruction order are given to the contractor for changes in the design and valuation of the partially completed works are prepared and agreed for the purpose of interim payment certificates. Quantity Surveyors will make visits to the works in connection with the Architects design and provide further information reasonable required for construction. Upon completion, the formal signing over the project to the responsibilities of the client is made. Assessment, preparation and negotiation of the final account statement with the contractor, completes the projects construction financial status. When construction is completed, Quantity Surveyors can produce depreciation schedules of the various project components and advise on realistic insurance replacement costs. In the case of construction disputes the Quantity Surveyors are often called on as an expert witness, and some quantity surveyors act as arbitrators. Both the contractors and owners quantity surveyors will be involved in this. Finally, on completion the contractors hand over the building to the developer. Usually a defects liability period is written into the contract, and the contractor remains liable for repairs for a specified period. Finally, all outstanding payments will be settled and the building will be, hopefully, put into its intended use. Occupation Phase After Practical Completion After Practical Completion is one of the stages during occupation phase. One of the main tasks of Quantity Surveyors is to ensure that the project can be completed to the specified quality, the calculated costs and within the appreciate time scale. Besides that, they have to identify defects, make final inspections and also settle Final Account. Demolition Phase Demolition phase is the final stage in a projects life cycle. It may also a possible new beginning of the life cycle on the same site. In addition to new projects, Quantity Surveyor s also uses their skills in refurbishment of old buildings, alterations to existing buildings and insurance replacement estimates. In public authorities Quantity Surveyors maintain cost statistics on a state or nation-wide basis, and there are opportunities for academic careers in the building disciplines. Design Phase When this shop lots project approaches design phase, Quantity Surveyors involve themselves a lot in this phase. Outline proposals, detailed proposals, final proposals, production information, tender documentation and tender action are the stages in design phase. Outline Proposals As this stage progresses towards finalized plan, comparison and preparation of several alternative schemes are done in order to determine the general approach to the layout, design, and construction. Quantity Surveyors have to closely collaborate with all the members of the design team and the clients. An approximation of construction cost on shop lots is provided by Quantity Surveyors. Therefore, the Quantity Surveyors must maintain close contact with contractor as well as other professionals such as Architects and Engineers in order to determine the cost suggestion of the alternative proposals as they are prepared. Detailed Proposals At this stage, the shop lots design is getting more settled with more details which are contributed by all members of design teams. This detailed proposal is derived from the outline proposal. The specification, method of construction, and the preparation of a cost plan are critically examined. The cost plan prepared by the Quantity Surveyors shows the proposed distribution of costs over the elements or components of the shop lots. All the relevant design information such as ground floor plan, roof floor plan and ground beam details of the shop lots is collected. A detailed report regarding the design and the cost plan can be submitted to the clients before the detailed proposal is developed. The cost estimation, including both initial and future cost, of the shop lots is provided by the Quantity Surveyors. Final Proposals The detailed design of shop lots is finalized at this stage in order to move to the end of a set of final tender documentation. A variety of ideas from the members of design teams contribute greatly to final outcome. A fully estimation of cost on shop lots is prepared by Quantity Surveyors to provide clients with a possible tender price and cost checks for specific items in order to confirm that the cost required for the items is not over budget. Providing accurate cost estimation is crucial in this stage because there might have any changes in the design which will result in abortive work. Production Information Production information is prepared for tender purposes. The preparation of final drawings, schedules, and supporting specifications on the shop lots will be now preceded by the architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors. Preliminary tendering procedures is determined by Quantity Surveyors during this stage in order to prepare a list of potential main contractors, enquiries to sub-contractors and suppliers, invitation to tender, and information to tender documents. Tender Documentation At this stage, Quantity Surveyors play an important role to ensure that the project is carried out smoothly. The tender documents such as condition of contracts, specification, drawings and Bills of Quantities (BQ) are going to be finalized. These tender documents are provided by Quantity Surveyors to contractors, clients, and sub contractors for tender purpose. Quantity Surveyors prepare and collect the tender documents in adequate details to enable tenders to be attained. The role of Quantity Surveyors in this shop lots project is to ensure all the drawings, schedules, and specification particulars are correct. The BQ are designed principally as tendering documents, yet a valuable aid is also provided to the pricing of variations and computation of valuations for interim certificates. Besides, BQ which is prepared by Quantity Surveyors provides a good basic for cost planning and help in identification of work to ensure the cash flow in a correct way. The Quantity Surveyors also hav e to prepare the Prime Cost Sums and Provisional Sums of the shop lots. If there has an argument between clients and contractors regarding their interest on the shop lots, the Quantity Surveyors appear to solve this kind of conflicts. Tender Action The main purpose of the tender action is to choose the appropriate contractor to carry out construction work diligently. Various methods, which the client and his adviser may use to obtain offers, are covered in tendering procedures. The tendering procedures are divided into two parts which are open and selected tendering. In open tendering procedure, any firm that may be interested in this shop lots construction project is being invited through the press advertisement to submit a tender. On the other hand, the selected qualified contractor is contacted based on the financial background and other features in the selected tendering procedure. The Quantity Surveyors will ask the opinion of the selected contractor. Quantity Surveyors will also recommend the most suitable contractor to the client. The contractors who have more experiences in shop lots construction project are the first choice to be selected. This stage typically is approached about one month before the tender documents a re circulated. Conclusion The existence of Quantity Surveyors are getting more and more important in the construction field such as building construction , heavy construction or civil construction and industrial construction. Basically, Quantity Surveyor is the person who is responsible for figuring out just what a building is going to be cost and in some cases for making sure that the construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible such as the shop lots that in mentioned in Question 1. Shop lots are one of the examples of the commercial development. In order to build shop lots, millions of dollars which is depend on the client need is needed. Quantity Surveyors should be aware that the materials price of some important materials such as cement, iron, ready mix and others will always changes. Besides acts as the financial overseer of a particular project, Quantity Surveyors translate the plans into detailed costs. Quantity Surveyors also help to minimize the time scales, the costs of a project and enhance value for money, while still achieving the required standards and quality. Through negotiation, successful Quantity Surveyors can save large amounts of money for the companies th ey work for. In the current economic climate, where the construction industry is booming and construction companies are under increasing pressure to meet the needs of developers, and given the shortage of personnel, it is no surprise that Quantity Surveyors have expanded their role in this way. However, this practice must be monitored closely to prevent the integrity of the profession ever being called into question. Besides, Quantity Surveyors also must be flexible to any kind of work conditions such as site and office. For example, Quantity Surveyors are not only required to help the client in calculating the costs for a projects such as shop lots, they still need to go to site to ensure that the job had be done by the contractor according to the agreement that had be done before passing the project to the contractor. This can avoid contractual disputes to happen. In construction and development projects where the watch word is VALUE FOR MONEY , the Quantity Surveyors must be involved from the inception phase to . Last but not least, it is a truth that Quantity Surveyors professional skills are highly respected and often achieved top managerial status.

Consumer interaction in contemporary advertising design

Consumer interaction in contemporary advertising design ABSTRACT This paper offers an insight into the role of the consumer in modern advertising. It charts the role of advertising in society from the earliest known origins in Ancient Egypt to the creative revolution during the 1960s right up to modern day viral campaigns. A range of topics are discussed from why companies lose power over their brands to how the individual changed modern advertising. It considers the ways in which, successful brands have utilised the consumer in their campaigns and goes on to deliberate ethical boundaries in the business of advertising. Encompassing a range of authors and correspondents views on the subjects it demonstrates the need for businesses to consider and act upon consumers desires and suggestions in modern society. Furthermore it discovers the necessity to ensure that the consumers views are used as inspiration throughout the creation and development stages of advertisement design in order to guarantee its goals are met. The paper concludes that particularly now, in an economy where there is very little venture capital, brands should embrace consumer-generated content and utilise it in a manner that will aid growth and development. It references industry experts and their views on the subject and establishes a means by which businesses of all sizes can gain from consumer interaction in advertising design. INTRODUCTION Advertising design refers to the creation and development of visuals to be used in the advertising process. It is used attract audiences by pushing creative boundaries and appealing to their emotional senses in order to sell. Advertising and advertising design have come a long way since their beginnings and that is no more apparent than in recent times with introductions of new media but how exactly has advertising changed in recent times? Why was it necessary? What effect have relatively new introductions such as the Internet had on advertising and to what level is the consumer involved when considering advertising campaigns? Pivotally, are advertising agencies still able to engage with consumers and sustain their interest? This paper will discuss the many viewpoints concerning the need for consumer interaction within advertising design, what happens when it is ignored and offer case studies as to how it can be use effectively. Despite much literature on the matter issues still exist with the implementation of consumers through all stages of advertising design. It is hoped that this paper, despite limitations of time constraints and access to large samples of primary research, will assist as a guide to designers and the use of consumers within the sector. CHAPTERS A Brief History of Advertising Design The creation of advertising can be traced back as far as the ancient Egyptians who used papyrus to make sale messages and promotional posters. There are surviving signs from ancient Babylonia and ancient China during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050 771 BC) advertising the sale of wine at trade fairs. Other examples have been discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, promoting a range of activities from political campaigns and theatre performances to sporting events and drinking establishments. Papyrus was also used in both ancient Greece and ancient Rome to advertise articles that had been lost and found. During the middle ages, where it was uncommon that the population in mass would be able to read, vendors would use symbolism to promote their trade. For instance a cobbler may have used a picture of a boot or a blacksmith a horseshoe to advise customers of their location. (Landa, 2004) The year 1450, and trained Goldsmith, Johannes Gutenberg invents a printing press, the first of its kind to utilize movable, metal type. Its release in Germany and popular rise throughout Europe allowed the widespread distribution of information to the public. It is this that can be accredited as the beginning of mass media (Kreis, 2004) As a discrete form, however, advertising is generally agreed to have begun in the seventeenth century with classifieds and line-ads appearing in weekly English newspapers. (Wilson, 2009) Simple description, accompanied with a price indication, generally for books and newspaper, which due to advances in the printing press were becoming more affordable, served their purpose until false advertising became a prevalent issue, from which regulation of content was introduced. 1836 and French newspaper, La Presse, became the first media of its kind to introduce paid advertisement space. Due to this successful concept, the paper was able to lower its retail price, resulting in wider readership and an increase in revenue. Four years later, in Boston, MA, Volney Palmer established what was to become known as a predecessor to advertisement agencies. Around the same time French news agency, Havas, extended its services to incorporate advertisement brokerage. These forerunners to advertising agencies worked as brokers, selling advertisement space in newspapers. It wasnt until 1869 and N. W. Ayer Son of Philadelphia became the first full-service agency, which could be likened to those of today, in that they assumed responsibility for advertising content. (Landa, 2004) It was towards the end of the nineteenth century, with an emergence of more full-service advertising agencies, that the business of advertising became an institution in its own right. (Wilson, 2009) It had its own creative values and working models, as well as being considered as one of the few real career opportunities for women at the time. This was due to the fact that it was women who were responsible for the majority purchasing within the household. The advertising agencies soon realised the invaluable input of womens insight through the creative process. In fact it was Helen Lansdowne Resors foresight that turned Woodburys soaps attention away from sole promotion of its medical properties to line itself with the consumer. Her tagline; A skin you love to touch, implied a romantic desire and is credited as the first utilization of sex in advertising. (Reichert and Lambiase, 2003, p. 44) Advertising agencies became the response to an ever growing and often crowded marketplace. Manufacturers and sales people realized that promotion was vital to the success and longevity of a product. The agencies began to sell themselves as experts in constructing goods to consumer communication, which if employed, would leave the businesses to concentrate on the manufacture and growth of their goods. The Great War saw a number of advances in advertisement to the mass market with the arrival of propaganda ads on all sides. It was the British government, who were at the forefront of the propaganda battle, using advertisement to persuade civilians to fight as well as an attempt to lure America to join them. It is written in Mein Kampf that Germany lost the war because they lost the battle of propaganda. (Kick, 2001) The most important affect the First World War had on advertising was the mechanization of industry and the resulting increase in expenditure that gave birth to a new concept; the desire to create need within consumer. It is this notion that has been the dominating force in advertising since the 1920s. Into the 1920s and the first radio stations were established by manufacturers in order to sell more radios to a greater number of people. Soon many not-for-profit organisations also began setting up stations, such as schools and civic groups. The practise of sponsoring a program became popularised which usually meant the mention of the single sponsoring business as an introduction to the show. However, it was soon realised that an increase in the number of advertising spots available would create an increase in revenue. Station owners began selling time allocated slots to multiple businesses rather than selling the rights to whole programs. This practise was proving very effective until 1929 when the Wall St. Crash hit, which put an end to widespread affluence. This was followed by the Great Depression and the Second World War, which meant that it was not until the 1950s that customers had enough disposable income to respond to the marketers creation of need concept, which had been established through the twenties. Post War affluence had prevailed, as did a wealth of goods for which a feeling of need for the consumer had to be created. Perhaps the most predominant product to be seen as a necessity was the television. No home could be without one and of course, where the televisions went, the advertisers soon followed. It should be noted that due to Britains government control over broadcasting, they were a decade or so behind the US in allowing commercial TV stations to air. To this day the UK and Europe still have tighter control over the amount of editorial sway that advertisers possess over a programme. This is partly due to corruption within the US model that enabled sponsors to interfere with the storylines of quiz shows in order to make their goods more appealing. (Stafford and Faber, 2005) 1960s America and Doyle Dane Bernbach introduced what is said to be one of the finest advertising styles in modern times. So much so that its creation sparked a period known in the states as the Creative Revolution. Set in a sea of hard sell, the agency used wit in addition to a certain amount of self-ridicule in order to advertise the now iconic, Volkswagen Beetle. The taglines Live Below Your Means and Think Small created the appearance of a company that was willing to make a pun about itself and its product. The car and its advertising was adored by the children of the revolution who saw it as a rejection of their previous generations materialism. (Consumer Guide Automotive, 2007) This form of societal advertising paved the way for some of the most creative and long-standing advertising models, which are still in use to this day. Continuing with the American timeline, the late 1980s saw the introduction of cable TV, and significantly, the introduction the music video with MTV. MTV altered many advertisers mindsets and paved the way for a new model where by the consumer actively watches because of the message, rather than it being a by-product of the program. (Williams, 2003) As cable TV and more commonly in the UK, satellite TV, became more widespread channels emerged which, devoted themselves entirely to advertising product, such as shopping channels. Moving into more modern times and the Internet has created a fantastic medium for advertisers to operate solely on advertising revenue. At the turn of the century, many online businesses, including giants Google, began using un-obtrusive, and contextually relevant advertisements to aid the user. Importantly this is a major factor in the increasing trend of interactive marketing. (Kuntz, 2008) Now, well into the 21st Century and a somewhat recent innovation for the advertising world is guerrilla marketing, which is an unconventional means of advertising aimed at gaining maximum results from minimal resources. The phrase, coined by Jay Conrad Levinson, relies on the use of unexpected and unconventional campaigns in order to create a buzz, in turn becoming viral. Guerrilla marketing may involve PR stunts, product giveaways, poster campaigns, as well as creative use of modern technology, in truth anything required to get maximum results from minimum resources. (Drake and Wells, 2008) Analysis of Brand Is a brand a product, a service or company? Is it a logo, a marketing strategy or an attitude? (Mono Design, 2005, p. 8) The origins of the term brand and its modern definitions can be viewed as somewhat elusive due to its generalised use. The term itself derives from the practise of permanently stamping or marking something under a persons ownership. For example, a herdsmans would brand his cattle with a hot iron to display them as his possession. It was also, as Jane Pavitt writes (2000, p. 21) a means of signalling disgrace. Up until modern times criminals would be marked using hot iron or tattoo as a sign of infamy. This can be traced as the origin of the term branded a liar. Branding can therefore be principally known as the process of attaching a name and a reputation to something or someone. (Pavitt, 2000) The primary and most recognisable feature of a brand is a name or logo, which is used to denote its origin. It is this name or logo an individual or business will use to indentify and distinguish themselves from competitors. It is widespread belief that brand is far more than a name or trademark however. It is the representative image for a product within its market. A brand owner must create a desire that connects the associations and attributes of the product from their own view, or desired identity, to that of the consumer. (Wheeler, 2009) This is referred to as brand image. It is this image of special or unique attributes that make the brand a primary advertising element due to its ability to demonstrate what an individual or organization can offer in the marketplace. The process of attaching values to a product or service, either physically or by suggestion, is called branding. Branding is also defined as the method used to build consumer awareness and extend customer loyalty. It requires owners to seize every possible opportunity to communicate why an individual should choose their brand over a competitors. (Pavitt, 2000) A brand is a persons gut feeling about a product, service or company. (Neumeiner, 2006) Due to the multitude of choice created by competitors, those looking for a market foothold must aim to connect emotionally with consumers and become, in their eyes, irreplaceable and in doing so create long-term relationships to ensure brand longevity and staying power. People trust strong brands and believe them to have superior status. How a market perceives the brand will affect its success. In Designing Brand Identity (2009, p. 2) Wheeler references David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance statement that, Brands have three primary functions. These are to navigate the customer in selecting one product or service from a wealth of choice. To reassure and comfort the customer, through communication of quality, that they have made the best selection and to engage, using distinctive imagery and the previously discussed associations, to enable customers to identify with a given brand. And to have the brand work to enable identification, which is referred to as brand identity. The final point here is of significance as brand identity is a tangible proposition. The identity aims to stimulate recognition, to amplify differentiation and to create accessibility for the consumer. Brand identity takes disparate elements and unifies them into whole systems. (Wheeler, 2009) The ability to create and maintain a strong brand is referred to as brand management. It is brand management, which is of vital importance when considering consumer reaction and affect on marketing the brand. Marketing the Brand When considering marketing their brand, whether for a start-up, a non-profit or a product, the owner must first consider a strategy. The best strategy is developed as a creative partnership between the client, the strategist, and the designer. (Wheeler, 2009, p. 12) A brand strategy will provide the owner with a dominant and unifying plan around which, all actions, communications and behaviours are centralised. The best strategies are so straightforward that they are easily communicated to all levels of employees and consumers but are also so differentiated and powerful that they stand above the competition. The strategy is built on a vision that aligns itself with the owners strategies and develops from their culture and values. At the forefront of the strategy is the ability to ensure a deep understanding of the consumers needs and perceptions. Brand strategy aims to define position and a competitive advantage as well as creating differentiation and a unique prospect for the consumer. An individual rarely develops the brand strategy. Generally a team of people, which may include the CEO as well as heads of advertising, public relations and sales departments combine to head its creation. Global firms will by and large hire in strategists with outside experience who can creatively aid a firm in articulating what is already there. Brand strategy is critical to a business success and longevity. Companies frequently survive and prosper because they have a clear brand strategy. Companies falter because they do not have one. (Wheeler, 2009, p. 13) Following on from the strategy and in its support is a positioning strategy that both exists and in doing so evolves to create openings in a saturated market, which the brand can exploit. It does this by taking advantage where it can of technology, changes in demographic and importantly, consumer trends. It aims to find a gap in the market in order to appeal to the public in an alternative, fresh and alternative manner. Positioning, as a branding concept was developed by Al Ries and Jack Trout in 1981. (Harris, 1998, p. 27) They defined it as the foundations on which a company should build their brands, strategize planning and extend relationships with their customers. Positioning takes into account the four principal dimensions, which affect sales, product, place, price and promotion. Ries and Trout believed that for successful brand strategy that the owner must cement their position in the consumers mind. This, they believed, should be done by considering the consumers needs, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their own business and understanding the competitive landscape. Ries and Trouts beliefs continue as a guiding staple pin throughout marketing, branding and advertising. To further grasp the importance of brand and its position within marketing it is fitting to consider a case in context, that of Levis. The past ten years have seen a steady movement away in customer purchasing from established denim-wear brands such as Levis and Wrangler to a contrasting base of manufacturers. Designer labels and smaller independent, street-wear manufacturers have been acquiring a larger market share despite the fact the in many cases these manufacturers are not primarily focused on designing jean lines, seeing them rather as an accompanying product to clothing lines, which are of greater focus. It is felt that consumers are drawn in by the individuality and distinction of small-run lines, as well as the perception of celebrity through associations with their parent-label. (Mono Design, 2005, p. 74) Levis tackled this shift in consumer behaviour in a positive manner by opting to reinvigorate and expand their own product lines, creating designs that did not just reflect emerging trend but actually drove them. Levi enlisted the expertise of London-based design agency, Kitchen who began working with Levi Strauss across the continent to aid in the reinvention and repositioning of the Levis brand image. They did this by consulting the customer at stores and consumers in third party research to gain a better understanding of their mind-set when purchasing a pair of jeans. Kitchen discovered a need for Levi to fully immerse themselves in culture and the environment around them. (Mono Design, 2005) Although predominantly consumer based, the rebranding exercise aimed to stretch further, by raising the profile of the repositioned image in the press and by doing so educating retailers about the visual direction and expectations of the brand. Directly due to consumer input, the forefront of the campaign was presented as a limited collection of books that made use of unexpected materials and experimented boldly with a number of conceptual formats. The idea behind the individual designs of the books was that each theme would be representative and reflective of the product it was promoting. For example, the book released alongside the premium product line featured a quality, embossed leather cover, where as the press book for the vintage clothing line featured earthy colours and an individually distressed cover. Although distribution of the revitalised brand image was overseen by the Brussels based, head office, the true manifestation and grasp of the identity occurred in the outlet stores, which are somewhat varied in style themselves. Retailers were given the power to dress their stores in a manner that they felt was appropriate to the product lines they stocked and the environment around them. The books and promotional material encouraged creativity and inspiration due to the individual and experimental surrounding concepts. Consistency of the message was achieved, which maintained a modern, revitalised and innovative approach to marketing the brand. (Mono Design, 2005, p. 82) How Companies Started to Lose Power Over Their Brands: The Need For Personality Early 2005 and Apple was set to release its latest addition to the iPod family, the Shuffle. Shaped like a stick of gum, it was set to become the smallest music player created. The iPod has been market leader since 2000 and broke ground with its innovative scroll wheel interface. However, Apple had once again set themselves up to break convention with the Shuffle by completely redesigning the interface and removing the screen. It was clear from early test reviews that if customers were to ever be attracted by an iPod without a screen that the marketing behind it must be something special. The feature, which caused real stir about the shuffle, was its size and the fact that it was probably going to appear too small for some users. (Bhargava, 2008) Apple therefore took it upon themselves to add a note of advice to UK consumers within the products disclaimer manual, Do Not Chew iPod. These four words soon caused mass, viral debate through blog postings and online reviews. Was this a light-hearted pun or a true disclaimer to protect the company? In truth, Apple had used an untouched part of the marketing language in a fresh and unexpected manner that created a huge amount of buzz. It was a fitting tagline that demonstrated the personality of the product as well as Apple themselves. This is just one of the many facets that has helped the iPod become CoolBrands fourth place in their 2009/10 respected, marketing league table, with Apple one place above and their revolutionary iPhone in the top spot. (CoolBrands, 2009/10) Personality is the unique, authentic and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about. (Bhargava, 2008, p. 6) It does seem, however, that until recent times Apple were one of the few companies that would commend and promote such a display of personality through an untouched medium, such as a disclaimer at the bottom of the instruction manual. There was a day when consumers choice was limited, when there werent hundreds of television channels, tens of thousands of magazine publications and primarily the Internet as a base to gain information. Since there were fewer choices, it wasnt necessary for companies to provide so many choices. However, those times have now passed and consumers are far savvier, demanding options in both product and brand. Consumers also have more choice when deciding to buy from large, industrial producers or the trend to buy from small, local producers. They [customers] realize that paying less for something made by a giant, faceless corporation is often less rewarding than paying more for something made by a small company. (Calagoine, 2005) Consumers have the power to decide what to buy, where they buy it, how much they should pay for it and whether or not to believe the marketing messages behind it. Consumers hold supreme power over business and their products because they possess the ability and desire to voice their opinions with others through a multitude of devices. An example of the users new found power can be found in the ability to block pop-up ads while browsing online, thus selecting which marketing messages to receive. In todays era of social media, full of portable, personal and individualized mediums, with accessibility a key player in promotion, companies and their brands are becoming shaped not only by an individuals perception but equally their communications. Historically, advertisers have thought of themselves as top-down communicators, in control of what information is released, to whom and when, as well as the channels of communication themselves. (Spurgeon, 2007) It is clear that appearing faceless and unapproachable doesnt work in modern times. Consumers must now be considered as primary creative contributors through the development, communication and marketing processes. Companies have come to realise that personality and character are key elements behind the brand and its image. Marketing is not about selling. (Kotler, 2000) Both sales and marketing use similar approaches. When considering a sales campaign, the focus is product based. However, a market-driven business focuses on the consumer. Marketing aims to penetrate the psyches of consumer and this is what companies like Apple have utilised in order to create an almost character like representation. The previous example of their pun-disclaimer was just a tit-bit in a wealth of marketing, but it is encompassed by an identity that consumers already associated with the Apple brand. The disclaimer was confident, bold, and different, just like Apple. Brand owners must now concentrate on being responsible not just for releasing fantastic product, but creating passion and enthusiasm for their customers to buy into. They must tell a story which consumers understand and appreciate and most importantly, pass on to others. How The Individual Changed Advertising: The Viral Boom Before the Internet, businesses had two real choices to attract attention. They could buy up expensive advertising placements or get third-party commendations through the media. The web has changed all that. (Odih, 2007) Prior to the Web, traditional, directionless advertising through television, radio and newspapers ware the only established methods to create publicity. However, this made individualised and personal advertising messages rather difficult, which, as mentioned above aids in the creation of a personal and accessible brand. It should be stated here that mass advertising still exists in a successful and appropriate manner today, for example Carling advertising their Lager during half time of a football game through television. This is because, although a stereotype, men watching football on the television will often do so while drinking lager, it therefore makes sense that as a product that sets itself up to appeal to a mass market, Carling should advertise to the mass, male market of football enthusiasts they wish to attract. When considering the millions of other businesses, independent retailers, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs, traditional advertising is so broad and impersonal that it is largely ineffective. (OShaughnessy, p. 490) For these subjects however, the web has created a fantastic opportunity to promote themselves to the individual with target messages that cost a fraction of the traditional, mass-market approach. It may be argued that traditional advertisers employ what David Meerman Scott refers to as one-way interruption. (2007, p. 7) Meerman paints a picture of an advertising agencys creative team sitting in an office and conjuring up ways to interrupt an audience so they become engrossed in a one-way message. Continuing from this example, in the middle of a television show, it would be the creative teams job to craft an advertisement that would gain the viewers attention, when they would prefer to be doing something else, for instance, watching the intended show. This example and in fact all examples of traditional advertising, rely on holting an individual in what they are doing so that they will pay attention and soak-in a message. This, it is argued, is where the web differs. The web and online advertising has the ability to, instead of interrupting an individual, actually deliver useful content exactly when the consumer requires it. Furthermore, for the first time, consumers not only decided when they want to receive advertisements, but they also possess the ability to enable growth and longevity of an advertisement and therefore the product or service it would be promoting. This, it is claimed, is due to the development of viral marketing. Viral marketing is now an everyday term, which suggests passing something on, it is word of mouth marketing. (Kotler et al. 2008, p. 856) Its aim, from the view of the advertiser, is to create something that grows as it is passed from person to person and is often utilized in a similar manner to snowball sampling. From an audiences viewpoint, viral marketing empowers them by giving them a choice whether to buy into something and in turn help it grow or alternatively click off and choose to ignore it. The huge rise in video-sharing websites such as YouTube and Veoh spawned a new level of accessibility for marketers, which was stumbled upon somewhat by chance. Early 2006 and home-made videos of bottles of Diet Coke exploding when mixed with Mentos mints began to appear on the Web. Neither Coca Cola nor the Mentos brand owners could control either the use of their product or the distribution of the destructive nature of the images. Replication of the experiments using the two brands was ripe and with the means to share these experiments through the web, the videos snowballed. Thousands of videos were uploaded tallying up millions of views. The finest examples were rapidly powered through viral-dissemination and soon topped most-watched lists on video-sharing sites. Mentos was said to be the happier of the two brands about this popular display of its brand and new found association with youth-culture. Christina Spurgeon (2007, p. 3) quotes Vranica and Terhune (2006) and states that the media exposure was worth an estimated $10 million USD, approximately more than half their yearly advertising budget. They also took immediate steps to expand on this undeveloped market and newfound publicity by partnering with YouTube to host a contest for the finest Coke-Mentos video. Coca-Cola too explored the consumer-generated promotion by creating an unrelated competition in order to further build the Coke brand. (Spurgeon, 2007) It was sporadic revelations such as the success of the Coke-Mentos videos that set in marketers minds the power and influence of the user in the management, interaction and productivity of media. Utilising the Consumer in Viral Campaigns One of the finest examples of viral marketing and its manipulation is that of MSN.com and its free email service, Hotmail. (Sweeney, 2006, p. 54) Since its creation, every email sent using a Hotmail account has contained a tagline informing the recipient about the service. It currently reads: Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail: http://www.hotmai.com. This unobtrusive message enabled Hotmail to inform hundreds of thousands of potential users to the service they offer. As many great advertising campaigns do, the message went deeper. Hotmail itself does not actually retail products, however, the technique was used to create mass exposure for the Microsoft Network site. This is because users would generally log onto their Hotmail account through a link on the Microsoft Networks site, in turn creating exposure for MSN.com and their ot