Religion Essay

1.) As a person of goodwill, explain the necessity of establishing rapport, amity, and concordance among the various religions in Asia and the world; and more specifically among Muslims and Christians in the Philippines. Why is religion a positive contributor towards peacemaking but at the same time can be a source of societal turmoil? In what way can Asian religions transcend divisiveness by standing side by side with other religions, without losing their very own unique creeds or belief-systems? Based on the films about Muslim Filipinos shown in class, please explain in what way Christians and Muslims can utilize their respective religions for peace and harmony in Mindanao? Answer these questions by citing concrete cases to prove your point (30 points). It is necessary to establish rapport, amity, and concordance among the various religions in Asia and the world more specifically among Muslims and Christians in the Philippines in order to better understand their systematic beliefs, values, and behavior, acquired by people as a member of their society. These patterns are systematic because their manifestations are regular in occurrence and expression: they are shared by member of a group. It is also necessary to build friendship and connection among diverse religions in Asia and the world to build a better society and to have peace in every nation. In such a society it is very important to have harmony and respect amongst the different religions. We must distinguish between belief and respect. Belief refers to total faith, which you must have in your own religion. At the same time you should have respect for all other religions. This tradition of believing in one’s own religion and having respect for others. In every religion, there are transcendent things that are beyond the grasp of our mind and speech. For example, the concept of God in Christianity and Islam and that of wisdom truth body in Buddhism are metaphysical, which is not possible for an ordinary person like us to realize. This is a common difficulty faced by every religion. It is taught in every  ­religion, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, that the ultimate truth is driven by faith. As far as the Muslims are concerned it is appropriate for them to have complete devotion to Allah while praying in the mosques. This is also the same with Buddhists who are completely devoted to the Buddha when they pray in Buddhist temples. A society, which has many religions should also have many prophets and sources of refuge. I want to emphasize that it is extremely essential to sincerely believe in their respective religions. Usually, it is very important to distinguish between â€Å"belief in one religion† and â€Å"belief in many religions†. Religion is a positive contributor towards peacemaking but at the same time can be a source of societal turmoil because religion is a perennial and perhaps inevitable factor in both conflict and conflict resolution. Religion, after all, is a powerful constituent of cultural norms and values, and because it addresses the most profound existential issues of human life (e.g., freedom and inevitability, fear and faith, security and insecurity, right and wrong, sacred and profane), religion is deeply implicated in individual and social conceptions of peace. To transform the conflicts besetting the world today, we need to uncover the conceptions of peace within our diverse religious and cultural traditions, while seeking the common ground among them. Traditionally many people focus on how wars and conflicts are seemingly undertaken for religious reasons, or at least undertaken in the name of religion. A significant problem with organized religion and belief, as this relates to peace and conflict, is individuals and groups often confuse the map (their socially-learned version of reality or culture or religion) with the territory (or ultimate reality). Thus people believe that their personal or subjective version of reality or religion is valid, while other views are invalid. Instead it can be argued that the many maps are different, but possibly equally valid interpretations and attempts to understand the same underlying reality or territory. Asian religions can transcend divisiveness by standing side by side with other religions, without losing their very own unique creeds or belief-systems through banding together in interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and religious peacebuilding. The first major dialogue was the Parliament of the World’s Religions at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, which remains notable even today both in affirming â€Å"universal values† and recognition of the diversity of practices among different cultures. The 20th century has been especially fruitful in use of interfaith dialogue as a means of solving ethnic, political, or even religious conflict, with Christian–Jewish reconciliation representing a complete reverse in the attitudes of many Christian communities towards Jews. Christians and Muslims can utilize their respective religions for peace and harmony through sharing the main morals and conducts that are for the benefit of humanity and nature. They believe in the same basic morals that are important for people to follow in order to live in peace, harmony, and love in communities with different faiths and cultures. And to through tolerance, respect and cooperation with respect in each other’s religions. 2.) Explain why Islam is considered the â€Å"most misunderstood religion†. What are some historical, sociological and cultural reasons that paved the way for a misunderstanding of the true nature of Islam among non-Muslims and even among Muslims? Islam means â€Å"submission to the will of God in all areas of one’s life†. Muslim means, â€Å"One who submits to God’s will†. These Arabic words are actually non-sectarian terms if we look at the context of these words in the Qur’an. Can we use the term â€Å"Muslim† in its universal implication to include all believers in One God? Can we use the term â€Å"Muslim† to any person (irrespective of religions) who strives sincerely to submit to the will of God in his life? [Hint: Consider the Islamic doctrine of Risalah (Progressive Revelation) and the Islamic view of the universality of God’s calling of prophethood] (30 points). Islam is considered the â€Å"most misunderstood religion† because most of the time it is considered as a violent religion and is likely â€Å"to encourage violence among believers†. And there is also some outright falsehood for example, â€Å"God sent prophets to every nation for their guidance.† But, According to the â€Å"Doctrine of Progressive Revelation†, Islam is very universal since it admits that Allah sent prophets to everyone whereas Jews believe that prophets only come from them because they are the â€Å"chosen people of God.† Another example, â€Å"One of the missions of the Prophet of Islam was to bring peace and unity to the feuding tribes, the Jahiliah or the ignorant Arabs of the pre-Islamic days. This he succeeded in doing as narrated in several verses of the Qur-an†. The message of Allah were brought by one Prophet and recorded in one holy Qur-an. There is no other Qur-an, or versions or it, or editions which carry different texts. The hold Qur-an is not in the form of Gospels by Muslim saints or ‘ulama’. The holy Qur-an is just the record of the messages of Allah in the Arabic of the period. Translations of the Qur-an may be different in minor ways, but they are not accepted as the holy Qur-an. Only that in the original Arabic is accepted. So there can be no differing text or Gospels or versions which can result in differences in the messages or teachings of Islam. Yet, clearly there are differences, serious differences, so serious that Muslims are divided sometimes into warring sects. One of the reasons that paved the way of misunderstanding the true nature of Islam among non-Muslims and even Muslims are the â€Å"media†. Media is the greatest factor on how people view their surroundings. Somehow, criticizing the Islam brings them more readers/viewers. We tend to judge and generalize things without knowing the exact story behind those issues. Infact, the worl Islam means peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Yes, we can use the term â€Å"Muslim† in its universal implication to include all believers in One God, as well as, to any person (irrespective of religions) who strives sincerely to submit to the will of God in his life because â€Å"Muslim† believe that God is eternal, transcendent, absolutely one (the doctrine of tawhid, or strict or simple monotheism), and incomparable; that he is self-sustaining, who begets not nor was begotten. 3.) Write a â€Å"reflective synthesizing essay† that answers the following questions: In the future prospect, will the Asian religions move from rhetoric unity and act as one to solve the common problems affecting humanity? As for Asian countries, will they achieve political independence from the clutches of Western neo-colonialism? Is there a need to abandon our cherished worldview and values in the name of development? How will the Asians reconcile their adherence to Asian ethos and at the same time open to the demands of globalization? How will the differing Asian worldviews and religions be properly harnessed to promote nationalism among Asians and global cooperation among countries in the world? (30 points) Yes. In the future, the Asian religions will move from rhetoric unity and act as one to solve the common problems affecting humanity to have a better nation, to have a respect on one another, to fix the unjust and destructive situations. There is no need to abandon our cherished worldview and values in the name of development but rather preserve it and continue following those values to build a progressive and advance nation. With their differing Asian worldviews and religions they can create different ideas and new innovations but with respect with one another’s point of view, and to accept what other countries have made, to promote nationalism among Asians and global cooperation among countries in the world. 4.) Explain what made Japanese civilization unique in its approach to establishing a pro-active Asian civilization capable of having positive ethical patterns as fountainhead of their development? Explain why it is not just enough to simply support one’s parents for one to be called â€Å"filial†; what are therefore the other requirements to be able to truly say that one has completely conducted oneself as â€Å"filial son/daughter† to one’s parents? What makes Indian civilization stuck into conservatism? What are some of the positive role that the caste-system plays in Indian civilization? What are also the negative aspects of the caste system to Indian civilization? Explain in what way did Japan show a purposive and planned-out blueprint for development in their history? (30 points) It is not just enough to simply support one’s parents for one to be called â€Å"filial† because we owe our parents a lot- because of them we able to eat three meals a day, sometimes even more. They give us clothes and sometimes the things that are beyond our needs. They send us to school. But more than simply supporting us in the most basic sense of supporting, our parents loves us. It now becomes something different because when we love them back, we do not do so out of indebtedness. We give our love freely, and not as a payment with a certain interest. Most of all, because of this special filial relationship with them that we had since birth, we also respect and obey them. We not only support our parents, but serve them. The Indian â€Å"caste system† made it stuck into conservatism. The positive roles that the caste-system plays in Indian civilization, provides a sense of community and belongingness. And the two main strands of thought: Divine will- the belief that a hierarchical social structure is part of the divine intention for natural order, and the Purity- the need to emphasize the importance of ritual purity and impurity. But there is also a negative aspect of caste-system to Indian civilization. For example, marrying someone from a different caste, whilst not officially outlawed, is generally discouraged. They only lived, ate, and worked within their group. This was based on the idea that people are different and should have different roles. And a person born into one caste never changed castes and very seldom mixed with members of other castes. Castes were unchanging groups but people from the lowest caste were told that they have to serve the other castes so that they can be reborn into a higher caste in their next life.

Poverty in Canada Essay

Despite having one of the highest  standards of living among all the developed nations, and despite being voted numerous times in recent years by the United Nations as the best country in the world in which to live, experts agree that poverty is prevalent in Canada today. Unfortunately, that is more or less where the agreement ends. Exactly how prevalent and how serious a problem poverty is in Canada is an open question that has been hotly debated for the last 10 years. There have been two times in the past 300 years when economic structural changes have occurred in the world that have been so massive and so far-reaching, that the impact on societies has been nothing short of monumental. The first time was in the Industrial Revolution which began in the early 1700s and caused massive societal transformations, especially in the western world, changing life from agrarian-based societies to industrial-based societies. The second time was in the early 1980s with the beginning of the â€Å"Information Revolution.† Today, a rapid, world-wide, economic transformation is taking place that is changing our societies from industrial-based societies to information-based societies, the 3rd wave. These changes are part of a greater phenomenon called â€Å"globalization† . The improvement in technology lead to a desire to make trades with other countries, and therefore allowing foreign companies to sell in Canada and thereby compete with Canadian companies, and vice versa (â€Å"Laisser faire, laisser passer† – Adam Smith).This increased competition lead to ever greater pressures on Canadian companies to reduce their costs of producing goods. Companies closed down and went looking in third world countries because labour is cheaper. At the same time, technology was replacing human labour; employees lost their jobs, being replaced by machines that could do the job faster and more efficiently. This eliminated the manufacturing, low-to-medium skills, well-paying jobs, which didn’t require a very high level of education. While now, our labour markets into high-skills, high-paying jobs on one end of the spectrum, and low-skills, low-paying jobs  on the other end. Therefore, one way would be for people have to get a better education to get a better job, get better money, and get themselves out of poverty, which runs along the views of Plato. But who are the poor in Canada? Are there any identifiable persons or groups who are more likely to be poor than others? Is age a factor? What about gender, race? What about geographical factors? Does living in certain parts of the country make you more likely to be poor than living in other parts? According to Smith, there is in every society an absolute minimum standard of living which consists of survival necessities (shelter, food and clothes), plus additional non-survival necessities as determined by each society’s customs (such as owning a linen shirt and a pair leather shoes in his day). Together these necessities meet not only a person’s basic survival needs, but also allow that person to participate in society with dignity and without the shame and stigma often attached to being poor. To allow any person to live below this minimum standard would, to use Smith’s term, render that society â€Å"indecent.† The following studies have been made by Kevin Lee from the Canadian Council on Social Development: â€Å"1. From 1990 to 1995 the total number of poor people in Canada increased dramatically. During this period, Canada’s total population increased by 6.1 percent, whereas the population of those considered poor increased by 28.6 percent, far outstripping the overall growth. 2. Poverty is largely an urban phenomenon. In 1990, 66.6 percent of the poor population in Canada lived in metropolitan centers. 70 percent of all poor people live in Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto. Between 1990 and 1995, poverty rates rose in every city examined. 3. Poverty rates varied substantial between cities. Cities in Quebec had the highest poverty rates while cities in southern Ontario had the lowest. For example, Montreal had the highest rate in Canada, 2.5 times higher than Oakville, which had the lowest rate. 4. Certain population groups were more likely to be poor than others. These included: * Single-parent families, whose poverty rate was 2.45 times higher than the average. * Aboriginal persons, whose poverty rate was 2.26 times higher than the average. * Recent immigrants, whose poverty rate was 2.17 times higher than the average. * Visible minorities, whose poverty rate was 1.53 times higher than the average. * Persons with disabilities, whose poverty rate was 1.47 times higher than the average. 5. Poverty rates varied considerably according to age and gender. The young and the elderly are more likely to experience poverty. The incidence of poverty declines with age until age 45 to 54, after which it rises again. Women in every age groups are more likely to live in poverty, and women seniors above age 75 are the most like of any group. Among males, boys up to age 14 had the highest poverty rate. Children and youth made up one third of the total poor population. 6. Poverty rates varied based on education levels. As expected, in every city examined persons with less than high school education were more likely to be poor than those with a post-secondary level education. However, at least 6 percent of post-secondary graduates in every city lived in poverty, and in six cities that rate was over 20 percent. 7. Poverty rates varied based on occupational skills levels. As expected, persons with lower skills levels had a higher incidence of poverty, however  high-skills workers still had high poverty rates in some cities. For example, in Montreal almost 20 percent of high-skills workers were living in poverty as compared to 4.5 percent in Gloucester or Burlington. 8. The average income for working-age families in Canada was $60,400. 9. The average income for working-age â€Å"poor† families in Canada was $14,500.† Taken from http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2000/up/ But another question prevails here: How should we help them? Canada has been using a lot of different methods to try and help them. We can find numerous shelters for the homeless, which also provides them with food and water. All this is free for them, but it’s not helping them get out of poverty, it is like a breathing device for them. Without it, they would die. There are other people who do have a home, as humble as it might be, but they are having troubles paying for it, since they cannot find a job. The government supplies those people with an amount of money weekly. This is called the Welfare system, but it is not working as well as in Sweden. This may be because the people are taking this money, and instead of spending it on food and vital needs, some of them go and buy cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. On the other hand, some people are wisely investing it in education, and vital needs. This makes us wonder if our tax money is being spent wisely. Should the government tax the working people to give and income to the non-working people? There are many points of view about this subject. We may think that it is unfair that you are working to help them, without getting anything in return. We may feel like we are being obliged to care for the less well off. But in fact, by giving them little boost, they are helping us back. If they get a chance at a better education, they could get a job, or even open their own company, which would create employment, and in its turn would increase consumption, and make the economy go round. We would all benefit from this. If this starts off, there would be enough jobs for everyone, thus getting the present poor people out of poverty and help the next generation be poverty free. Of course I am exaggerating, there would  never be 0% poverty, but there might be a possibility of a 100% educated population. Once this has been reached, more innovations will be accessible, and the updated Adam Smith wo uld come in play: â€Å"Laisser innover†, also known as R&D. This could help in many ways, a good example would be space technology. The exploration of space has, ever since it began in 1962 with the launch of Yuri Gagarin, been a controversial subject among the peoples of this planet. The controversy surrounds the spending of billions and billions of dollars on the pursuits of space exploration. The thread of the most common argument against space is that there are more pressing problems here on our planet such as pollution, overcrowding, disease, poverty etc. that this money could be spent on. Will taking moneys from space exploration and investing more money in these immediate problems help them? There is no doubt that by investing more in these problems that there will be measurable improvements in all problems. In fact given a conscious effort to spend wisely any problem could be helped. So the question becomes does space exploration help this planet? Can exploring space on its own justify the investment? The most obvious area where space exploration has benefited our immediate lives is right in every ones own living room. The television newscasts which you watch have been more than likely been transmitted via satellite. The satellite has also allowed trans-continental telephone calls, emergency tracking and a host of other uses. These are measurable benefits in the present, but the question begs as to why we spend money on theoretical research on quasars, missions to the moon, and experimental technologies which seem like science fiction to most people. The answer to this question lies in the benefit of space exploration that we see today, that is, in satellite communications. More than thirty years ago when Sputnik was first launched that was deemed a marvel of science and technology, almost science fiction. No one person could foresee the benefits that could be gleaned from the launch of this simple spherical metal ball which bounced radio signals back to earth. The point here is that the investment in this project paid off, in what we see today in the form of TV  news, phone calls and direct broadcasting television. It is important to point out that the Sputnik launch and all other attempts including the American Echo project were good investments but there are space projects which failed miserably such as the Russian attempt at building a Super Booster, now called Energia. Millions of dollars were wasted in this failed project. What I am trying to illustrate is that there are good and bad ideas, good and bad investments not only in space exploration but in any field of science. This is what drives the advancement of knowledge. Space exploration in the broadest sense gives us the future. It is an investment not for the short term but for the long term. It allows us to study different environments, allows technology to develop and allows ideas to be tested. No one can argue that Sputnik was not a wise investment so how can we possibly know that sending missions to the moon is not. The responsibility lies with us to determine what is important and worth pursuing.

Bullying Essay/Story

Note: This is an essay based on a true story. This was used in a olo provinical exam in the past to help prepare for my English 10 provincials this past summer. Names were changed for identification reasons. Bullying is one of the most common issues in today's society. Bullying occurs in school, work, or our own neighbourhood. Bullying also occurs online. Bullying is one of the hardest things to get over, and this is my story. ~Intro ~ During the years I was bullied in school, I had a time sticking up for myself and did not feel completely about myself.I have been called names, been target for pranks, and I know was physically and sexually harassed by my peers and classmate. The only two people I can trust is my best friend since 8th grade Rue and my grandmother (who is my guardian). When something happen to me during the school day, I try to be silent about it and try not to let it bother me. My way of getting away from bullying is listening to music on my iPod. ~Chapter 1~ Grade 8 was the most emotional, stressful year I had in all of my school years. This is because this one girl named Clove, was ruining my life.She would tell anyone I was trying to get to know that I had some sort of diseases and advice them to stay away from me and forces them to be friends with her. She took one of my good friend from dance in the past. She made everyone of my friends to go against me, except for Rue. She stayed with me until the end. Her and I are still great friends today. We may not go to the same high school now, but we try to see each other whenever we can. ~Chapter 2~ Clove, however, got meaner everyday. One time, her and her friend Glimmer wanted to talk to me after our class made cookies in Home Ec near he end of the day. We were allow to take the cookies home to our family and put them in a bag. Both Glimmer and Clove had one paper bag. I said yes then they took me outside under the huge Oak trees behind the school. Clove asked Glimmer to leave her and I some pri vacy. Glimmer left us after that. Clove asked me if I saw Clove's boyfriend-at-the-time Peeta a couple days ago and kissed him. I already knew that answer to her question because I was doing my homework on that night. So I said no. Clove was assuming that I was lying to her and stared each other for a few minutes.What I didn't know is that Glimmer was sneaky creeping up to me and dumped an entire flag on me. Clove and Glimmer ran away laughing, leaving me shocked and completely covered in flour. I ran to the classroom (and it was also raining that day too) angry and furious. When I walk into my homeroom classroom, everyone was shocked and asked what happen. I told my teacher Ms. Kennedy what happened to me and made Clove and Glimmer stay in the office and sent me to the principal office. ~Chapter 3~ Our principal Mr. Burwell, couldn't believe what he has seen when I walk into his office that day.When I sat on the extra chairs in his office, little traces of flour from the top of my head fell down to the chair as if the flour was snowflakes falling down from the sky. He asked me what happen to me and I told him the story. He was completely stunned. Ms Kennedy walked into Mr. Burwell a few seconds later after I told him what happen. Ms. Kennedy asked me who was picking me up and I sad my grandpa is picking me up. My grandpa's 2009 Hyundai navy Elentra was sitting in drop off zone, waiting for me to come out. Ms. Kennedy then ran outside and the pouring rain and told my grandpa to come inside to the office.He was confused and wondered why he needs to come inside, that's when he saw me in the principal office, covered in flour. My grandpa was shocked and ask what happen. My head started to irritate me and scratched my head as hard as I can until my scalp started to sting and bleed from the flour. The white small snowflakes from head continue to fall into the chair. Mr. Burwell asked Ms. Kennedy to take me to the handicap washroom (which was located by nearby his o ffice) to try to take some flour off of my face while he explains my grandpa why I was covered in flour. When Ms.Kennedy was trying help me to take some of the flour off my face, it irritated my skin. I just want to rip off my skin and let myself bleed to death. ~Chapter 4:~ When my grandpa and I came home from the principal's office, I ran upstairs to my living room and burst into tears. I didn't understand why Clove was doing this to me. I mean, why me? When the last month of school came along, it was the worst month of my life. This is all started when Clove decided to throw a birthday party for Rue. One of the food that was â€Å"suppose† to be provided at the party was a look-a-like oatmeal cookies, but they didn't taste like oatmeal at all.Clove, Glimmer, Cato, and Marvel (or I call Clove's friends the â€Å"Career Tributes†) forced me eat this cookie that was filled with dead insect, dust, dirt, broken eggs shells, you name it. I felt sick for 2 weeks after that incident. ~Chapter 5~ I went to Rue's part a couple days after the cookies incident. I bought a nice, brand new outfit for Rue's party. A blue tank top with lace on the top and on the bottom on the shirt, a dark grey skirt from American Eagle, a light black jacket to go on top of my shirt, and my black Franco Santo wedges I got from my grandma for Easter when she went to Seattle a week before Easter.The party began at an Italian restaurant. I had a terrible time at the restaurant because Cato â€Å"accidentally† split pasta sauce from the meal he ordered onto my brand new top. I knew pasta sauce was hard to remove on clothes. We later went to Clove's house, which it is not far from the restaurant. Clove told everyone that will be a water fight in an open field across the street from Clove's house and told everyone to get change into their swimsuit. I, however, did not know there was going to be a water fight, but I remember Rue told me that the party is going to do something with water.During the water balloon fight, I had a hard time throwing the balloons at everyone because the size of the balloon was so big over my small child-like hands. The Career Tributes, including Clove, enjoyed this fight. Why? Because I was their. Of course, they had to use me as their target. After the fight, I was extremely cold and wet thought that I was going to get a nasty cold the next day. ~Chapter 6~ We then watch Drag Me To Hell, a horror movie. Rue hates horror movie. I gave Rue her birthday present while the movie was on. I got her a journal, and a book call Three Cups Of Tea.I also made her a homemade card, using my grandmother's extra card stock and stamps she collected over the years. Rue loved her present and the card. Meanwhile, while everyone else was watching the movie. There was a killing scene on the TV. Everyone jump, including Cato, who split an entire glass of lemonade on my brand new skirt. I was so close of slapping him on the face. He spilt the lemon ade juice on me on purpose. ~Chapter 7~ After I got home from the party was over, I went home with my Dad, and my sister Prim, angry and upset. I have to take action, but how?School was ending in 2 weeks, so what's the point? Nearly two 2 weeks later, just a day before grade 8 grad, Clove and I got into a fight. She was violent and horrifying, like if she was going turn into a nasty beast. She punched me, scratched me and called me names. All I did was telling her what I thought about her. Telling her that she stole Peeta from me, I tried to fight back. , but I didn't want to because I know that fighting is not a way to solve the problem. Her career tributes were right behind her to defend her. The rest of my classmates went along what Clove told them.Too scared to stick up for themselves. They were afraid of Clove and they did not want to go against her. They just watch me suffer. Rue was trying to break up the fight between me and Clove. The scratch on my left arm, nearby my elbow , turned into a scab. The scab drove me crazy and I couldn't stop scratching it. I decided to turn the scab into a scar. To show people how violent Clove was really was. ~Chapter 8~ Finally, at last, Grad day came along. Unfortunately, though, I had to miss grad practice a couple hours before grad because of Clove.I had to sit in the office for the hour while the my grade 8 class was practicing for the ceremony. I hate the fact that I missed something that was once in a lifetime, but Mr. Burwell was only doing this to protect me. The rest of the day, everyone (except for the Career tributes and Clove) signed my year book. The torture was finally over. No more fear. No more hiding. No feeling like I want to take my own life and cutting myself. I can move from this nightmare and go to high school in peace. The best part of going to high school, is that I wouldn't have to worry about Clove anymore. Epilogue~ In the end, the story is on my mind everyday lie it was grade 8 all over again . One of the thongs I learn is to speak to others. When I talk to someone about things, it makes me feel better. When I left middle school, Clove and her tributes mates left me a lot of damage, physically, mentally, and emotional. When I see my self in the mirror, I don't feel beautiful and sees myself as an ugly person and wishes to have plastic surgery. When I do my hair and make-up, the comments of what Clove and her pack said to me would bother me.When I go clothes shopping, I would hate it because I'm not skinny and fit like Clove and Glimmer. to be honest, it's hard to get over it. It will haunt me for years to come. ~Note~ If you notice on the names of the characters (expect for Mr. Burwell and Ms. Kennedy), you may recognize their names because they are from the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collions I look up to Katiness Everdeen (the main character in the novel) as a role model because she fought what she believed in and got through the worst through out the novel. I also got in troduced the Hunger Games in grade 8 by my learning support teacher, by Mrs. Collions.

Critical Debates in Plannling Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Debates in Plannling - Article Example According to the authors, there is need for planners, developers, and policy holders to work on a system that would promote the interests of development while also enhancing the objectives of development. As such, this study adopts a collaborative approach that connects the objectives of the competing sides of the argument towards a meaningful collaboration. Davoudi (2010) explored the various approaches on sustainable development as understood together with the efficacy and value of the various issues that connect between development issues and the need to safeguard the environment. Some of the approaches explored include ecological modernization, risk society, and traditional approaches. In this regard, it makes sense to consider these matters in terms of the concerns raised about the preservation of the environment. Campell (1996) examined the key details that engage the minds of planners in their quest to achieve green cities. The triangular model used in the understanding of these challenges provides a broad insight into the weaknesses of past and current approaches in light of the desire to achieve comprehensive development. Among the dominant issues discussed is the matter of priority with particular attention to urban development versus environmental concerns at hand. The study by Cowell and Owens (2006) did not provide sufficient emphasis on the technical areas of cooperation in view of the competing perspectives on the same. Furthermore, the study did not provide enough specifics regarding the challenges faced by policy implementers in order to justify the kind of approaches adopted for remedy. In his comparison of the various approaches sustainable development, Davoudi (2010) did not provide insights into the possible ways that could enhance the efficiency of some of the innovative approaches of sustainable development. The approach suggested by Campbell does not seem to engage with

Inventory control Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Inventory control - Assignment Example the three wines, Safety Stock cost makes up for the smallest portion of the total cost while procurement costs and Carrying cost make up for the largest portion. The procurement cost is highest for wine 2A-b and lowest for wine 2A-a. The Carrying cost is highest for wine 2A-b and lowest for wine 2A-a.The Safety stock cost is highest for wine 2A-c and lowest for wine 2A-b.The stock-out cost is highest for wine 2A-c and lowest for wine 2A-b. The Total cost is highest for wine 2A-c and lowest for wine 2A-a. 2. Ordering the mean demand is not a wise move because that may not be the most feasible quantity. It may be more or less than the EOQ and therefore lead to higher costs. For example, in the mean demand for the three wines is 256, 180 and 20 while the EOQ has different values. Orders are placed in all the months apart from April, June and August. In the months orders are placed, the orders are of 193 bottles except in December when the order is for 256 bottles. The Total cost is $1,683.75. 2. Ordering costs are the same for all the three alternatives. Carrying costs are highest under the 2% discount alternative while they are lowest under the 1% discount alternative. The 2% alternative also has the highest total cost while the 1% has the lowest total cost. Atkinsons, C., 2005. Advanced Economic Order Quantity. Inventory Management Review, (Online) 2 November. Available at (Accessed 7 June

Properties of Gases Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Properties of Gases - Lab Report Example When the water in the pipette bulb had been completely displaced by hydrogen, the pipette was removed in an inverted position, and a thumb was placed over its opening to keep any gaseous content from escaping. A match was lit, and a small portion of the pipette content was squeezed into the flame from a distance of about 1 cm. Observations were made, and the results were recorded. The wide-neck pipette bulb was marked with a marker pen on the outside into three equal parts. The marked pipette bulb was filled with water, inverted and was set onto the gas generation tube. When about two thirds of the bulb was occupied with the produced gas, the bulb was removed while in an inverted position. The pipette bulb was set with its mouth facing down into one of the wells of the 24-well plate for later use. The test tube was disassembled and was rinsed well with water. Preparation and test for oxygen gas Few pieces of Manganese metal were placed into a second test tube. Enough of 3% Hydrogen p eroxide was added to fill the test tube almost to the top. A rubber stopper with plastic gas delivery tube through its center was inserted into the test tube, and the test tube was placed into a well of the 24-well plate. The test tube was wedged into a straight position by use of a paper tissue. The reaction was observed, and the observation was recorded. A comparison was made between the reaction in the first part of the experiment and the reaction in the second part of the experiment. Another wide-neck pipette bulb was completely filled with water. The pipette was inverted and was placed on the delivery tube of the test tube. When the water had been completely displaced by the produced gas in the collection pipette,... The paper describes the procedure of preparation and test for such gases: Hydrogen, Oxygen, carbon Dioxide, Mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Properties of gases were used to identify various gases. Hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and oxygen gas were prepared, and their properties were investigated in this experiment. The reaction of zinc metal and dilute hydrochloric acid produced hydrogen gas which was collected by the upward delivery method, over the surface of water. Hydrogen gas produced a ‘pop’ sound when it was burned in air. Hydrogen peroxide liquid decomposed into oxygen gas and water in the presence of manganese dioxide. Oxygen gas was collected by the downward displacement of water method, over the surface of water. Gas generator test tubes were filled with chemicals almost to the top to ensure that the generated gases were not mixed with air. The ability to relight a glowing splint was the major chemical property of oxygen that was used in its identification . The mixture of hydrogen and oxygen was found to burn explosively with the formation of water vapor. The reaction between sodium bicarbonate and white vinegar produced carbon dioxide gas and water. The gas was collected by down ward delivery method because it was heavier than air. Carbon dioxide gas formed a white suspension with limewater due to the formation of insoluble calcium carbonate. Carbon dioxide gas also extinguished a burning wooden toothpick which was evident that it does not support combustion. Carbon dioxide gas also turned the green Bromothymol blue into a yellow color.

Strategic and Financial Decision-making Assignment 2 - 2010 Coursework

Strategic and Financial Decision-making Assignment 2 - 2010 - Coursework Example The ‘beta’ is the most important statistics tool to measure the volatility and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is a popular model to calculate the return on stock. In this report the beta values of two companies will be calculated using the share prices of the last 24 months. These two companies are British American Tobacco (BATS) and the Petrofac (PFC.L) and both of them are listed in the London Stock Exchange (LSE). British American Tobacco is one of the leading tobacco companies in UK. British American Tobacco produces cigarettes under different brands and has different price range. â€Å"Petrofac is an international provider of facilities solutions to the oil & gas production and processing industries† (Petrofac, 2010). The beta values of both the companies will be calculated using different methodologies that include covariance of the stock return with market returns and the variance of the market returns and the linear regression analysis. For calculating the betas, the monthly stock prices of both the companies were obtained and for market return the index FTSE 100 has been used. All these are the secondary source of data obtained through online sources. The historical stock prices of the both the companies are obtained through ‘Yahoo Finance’ and the historical data of FTSE 100 is also taken from the same online source (Yahoo Finance. 2010). The calculated beta values have been compared with the beta values from the published source. The published source for betas has been taken from the online source, MSN-Money (MSN-Money, U.K. 2010.). The published betas of British American Tobacco and Petrofac are 0.47 and 1.06 respectively. The two methodologies for beta calculation have been used. The first methodology will use the covariance of stock return with market return and the variance of the market return. The following model explains the beta (ÃŽ ²) under the same method. The calculation has

Homers Achilles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homers Achilles - Essay Example Achilles was killed by Paris of Troy who was avenging his brother Hector's death. Paris has been termed a coward in some literature because he took advantage of Archilles' weakest spot and killed him by an arrow to his heel. Sophocles' Greek character, Philoctetes, resembles Achilles because he was wounded in his foot. His injury did not cure. Philoctetes was about to participate in the Trojan war when he was bitten by a snake on his foot. He suffered great pain and the wound smelled bad. His superior, Odysseus, betrays him and leaves him behind on an island called Lemnos. It seems Philoctetes' has an 'Achilles heel' too because his weak spot on his foot refused to heal. However, Philoctetes, unlike Achilles, does not die from his foot injury. It seems that the pain in his foot was linked to his reception of Heracles' bow. For when Neoptolemus tried to deceive Philoctetes and steal his Heracles' bow, the pain in his foot magnified. Neoptolemus took pity upon him and returned his bow. Philoctetes fought in the Trojan war. As a reward from the gods, his foot was cured of pain, smell and disease. Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus. She was a brave heroine who tried to bury her slain brother Polyneices, against the orders of Creon, Haemon's father. Her lover, Haemon, defended her actions and committed suicide after her death. Haemon's mother, Eurydice, killed herself because of grief. Creon gives up his life to his enemies.

Valero Energy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Valero Energy - Research Paper Example Valero Energy Valero Energy is known for its commitment to excellence, challenging work environment and commitment to community. The company has a policy of using state-of-the-art technology to provide cleaner-burning gasoline. The company manages its innovation process by focusing on alternative energy and latest technologies. It has invested in wind farms outside its McKee Refinery in the Texas Panhandle. The innovation process gets tremendous boost through such investments as energy is generated without environmental concerns. The 3 examples of product innovation are: investments in new infra-red technology to quickly find and repair leaks of gaseous hydrocarbons, investments in new flare-gas recovery systems which is an emission-reducing technology and meeting the challenge of greenhouse gas reduction through scientific, economic, and technological analyses. Product innovation consists of either improving the present product or acquiring technologies for environment-friendly alternative energies (Valero Energy Corporation). Critically evaluate whether Valero Energy is a learning organization. In your answer discuss 3 examples of how the company's leadership structure has affected the degree of learning that occurs within the company The Board of directors of Valero Energy consists of men and women of substantial experience and qualify for a learning environment in the company. As qualified and experienced members, they are in a position to foster a learning environment in the company to encourage innovation and growth. Thus, the company's leadership has succeeded in establishing an attitude for competitive and healthy growth with a socio-economic thrust that balances social needs with economic advantages. The company ranks number one on Fortune magazine's listing of the nation's Best Big companies to work for two consecutive years. It also ranks number five among petroleum refining companies on Fortune magazine's listing of America's most admired companies. It is also ranked at number seven on Fortune's magazines listing of most admired companies worldwide. Besides these, the company has secured many other environmental and safety awards. Such accolades on a continuous basis every year bespeak the company's enlightened leadership in learning. The company is also involved in philanthropic activities and generously donates for volunteer activities and educational support programs. Needless to add, these recognitions can only mean that the culture of learning in the company is sufficiently high to merit them (Valero Energy Corporation). Critically evaluate the competitive dynamics of the industry Valero Energy is in. Provide 3 examples in your answer of how Valero Energy can utilize an entrepreneurial strategy to compete more effectively globally The petroleum industry is a fast evolving industry because of environmental issues. On the one hand, petroleum is required for transportation, power and a host of other economies. On the other hand, the use of petroleum has to be minimal because of its greenhouse gas emission that makes it important to adhere to technologies that reduce air pollution. The company has bolstered its image and revenues through social commitments and growing national network of distributors. Gasoline is a product of universal demand. The only way to grow in the gasoline industry is through achieving technological breakthroughs to address environmental

Educational benefits of Television on Children Essay

Educational benefits of Television on Children - Essay Example However, despite this distinction, the American Pediatric Association has nevertheless discouraged television viewing by pre-school children for more than two hours a day, and has recommended no television at all for children below two years of age. This research seeks to determine the beneficial effects of educational television programs for infants, toddlers, and young children of pre-school age, and to understand the factors that positively contribute to these benefits. Introduction Television is the most influential of the popular media (Schneider & Fisch, 2001:29). Television has the power to engage people through its entertaining programming, and has proven a powerful tool to inform, influence, and educate. This had led Boyer (1991:140) to comment: â€Å"Television, next to parents, is the child’s most influential teacher.† The problem for many is that this works both ways: considerable data proves that televisions can exert both positive and negative influence on children. There has been tremendous research that has gone to proving that television is capable of programming children to consumerism, violence and sex. Many of the ill effects of TV viewing on children are unintentional offshoots of programs intended to entertain a wider segment of the viewing audience, targeting particularly adults. However, there is a narrower market segment which intentionally focuses on commercial broadcasting for the purpose of educating young children. The most successful of these programs is Sesame Street, begun more than 30 years ago by Joan Ganz Cooney, which had been adopted in many countries worldwide. Numerous research studies have shown that children of preschool age have significantly benefitted from exposure to Sesame Street, and these beneficial effects have endured over several years (Fish & Truglio, 2000, in Schneider & Fisch, 2001). Other successful shows produced by Children’s Television Workshop (CTW), the producers of Sesame Street, are 3-2-1 Contact, Square One TV, and Cro. Other producers have created Bill Nye, the Science Guy; Beakman’s World; and Magic School Bus (Schneider & Fisch, 2001:30). Reservations about the educational benefits for toddlers Most academic studies conducted on children targeted the 3-to-5-year-old age group, thus the educational effect of television on this age group is well documented. Very few studies have been made, however, on the below-3-year-old audience routinely exposed to educational television. Among TV shows dedicated to the 0-to-3-year-old age group are Sesame Street and Teletubbies, and the videos Baby Einstein and Baby Bach. The lack of conclusive data has spawned a debate about whether toddlers are even cognitively prepared to understand and learn from educational programs aired on television (or video recordings). According to Fisch (2004:45), the lack of readiness of toddlers to comprehend TV programs is supported by the recommendation by the American Academy o f Pediatrics (AAP) for television shows to be completely avoided for children below 2 years old.

MG3037 Internetmarketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MG3037 Internetmarketing - Essay Example Trust management is a significant aspect in stakeholder relationship management by building trust to encourage people to engage in online transactions. In reference to Chen (2007, p. 76), trust refers to a psychological condition where an individual accepts susceptibility based upon positive anticipations of the intentions of the other. The secret to building of strong relationships with online consumers lies not only on being where consumers are but by building trust. Joseph-Vaidyan (2008, p. 25) notes that there are common things associated with trust which organizations use to build strong, trustworthy relations with consumers. These items include assurance, brand, belief, care, choice, confidence, certainty, familiarity, hope, reputation, security, truth and obligation. Zappos.com has created consumer trust through providing correct contact addresses and numbers. Someone cannot put contact information such as a phone number if he or she does not intend to answer it. Zappos.com pr ovides contact information, which users can use to reach the customer support team or services. For this reason, most of the subscribers use their real names and provide valid contact information. This implies that the website has no pseudonyms or generic addresses used by the subscribers. Joseph-Vaidyan (2008, p. 27) asserts that many businesses acquire low trust from clients by using â€Å"Infor@† e-mail addresses. ... For instance, when a customer or client forgets his or her login details, zappos.com provides immediate feedback. This is done through undergoing a small security test and provision of the login details, if one passes the security test. Debatably, before customers can trust a firm, they need to be sure that whenever they raise concerns the firm will take their requests and provide a resolution (Chen, 2004, p. 78). For this reason, providing positive feedback to the customers instills hope in them and builds trustworthy relationships between customers and the company. Zappos.com website respects people’s confidentiality and privacy. This website has a privacy policy which each of customers or clients should agree to abide by before registering as a user. The privacy policy indicates how the company treats personal information. In addition, the policy includes statements on how the company intends to use the given personal information and how it does not intend to use it. This c ompany also articulates its commitment to keeping personal information private and secure by providing a contact for inquiries and more information regarding one’s data. In addition, security for an individual’s personal data is replicated in the security questions a subscriber should fill for identification. In this regard, security for ones information boosts trust between customers and the company. Ultimately, the most effectual way for commercial web providers to generate beneficial exchange relationships with online clients is to bring in their trust. The techniques for attaining customer trust are straightforward, although they may deviate fundamentally from traditional business practice. Joseph-Vaidyan (2008, p. 41)

English as the official language of the U.S. Essay Example for Free

English as the official language of the U.S. Essay The English language has already been established as the official language in 28 States; this would beg the question, what made these States pass such an Act, especially since the Courts already designated such a law as being unconstitutional and infringing upon the First Amendment speech rights (Feder, 12). This question will be addressed throughout the paper, which will first consider the legal proceedings that have occurred thus far for this ‘Official English’ movement. The finding of this paper is self-evident in that the objections to this movement have been rendered invalid, largely due to a lack of irrefutable arguments as the paper will demonstrate. The numerous advantages that will be highlighted will argue for, and show, the benefit to the nation – to both the majority as well as the minorities – of making English the official language of the U. S. U. S. Legislature As of the publishing of the CRS Report in 2007, 28 states in the United States have declared English as the official language in their state constitutions. On the flip side, the U. S. Constitution has enacted several laws such as the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act in an effort to protect the language rights of the country’s minorities. These Acts authorize, amongst others, the use of voting materials in states and political subdivisions, with instructions in two languages at the same time, as well the use of languages other than English, when deemed essential, to provide effective and efficient public and private services. The U. S. Congress initiated its effort towards the Official English movement in 1984 with ‘The English Language Amendment’ that was proposed for the Constitution, and it culminated when ‘The Language in Government Act’ passed the House in 1996, but failed to do so in the Senate. Amendments to ‘The Language in Government Act’ were later introduced, with the Inhofe Amendment passing in the 109th Congress which affirmed English as the ‘national language’, and later as the unifying language of the U. S. ; at the same time, ensuring the rights of minorities (Feder, 4). Consequent to Amendments that were later introduced, the passage of such Legislature would now largely be a symbolic one with negligible or zero actual effect on the inhabitants of the country, with regards to the legal aspects. This is largely because â€Å"†¦ an affirmation by the Congress of the central place of English in our national life and culture †¦ would not, of its own force, require or prohibit any particular action or policy by the government or private persons. Nor would it, without more, imply the repeal or modification of existing federal or state laws and regulations sanctioning the use of non-English for various purposes,† as stated in Feder, 4-5. Benefits The basic principle upon which the proponents of this movement rest their reason for making English the official language of the United States is that it serves to create a bond of unity. While this bond can be used in order to address any issues through more effective communication between the relevant parties, it also does not rob anyone of their heritage. As stated by Adams, 111, â€Å"All languages and cultures are precious in our history and are to be preserved and maintained. These are not, however, public responsibilities. † Parsimonious equity is another, much touted reason for the movement. Where equity states that all judicial hearings should allow a defendant the right to be heard in the language (s)he is most conversant and comfortable with so as to permit the population to be served by the government. Parsimonious equity, on the other hand, maintains that in order to ensure that the government is not bogged down under administrative costs of ensuring an interpreter for each individual need, an official language must be recognized that will ensure that all legal and government related proceedings be dealt with in English. Such a system remains equitable, as well as, limits the costs associated with such activities (Fishman, 59). With regards to the ‘language-rights’ argument it must be noted that while protecting the rights of minorities in of itself is a sufficiently altruistic and, in the case of the U. S. , required task of the government, it must be ensured that the majority not be discriminated against either. Such a paradox would result in the formation of extreme political parties that would effectively shut out the minorities, due to their large, and united, numbers. In light of this argument, the proponents stress that by officiating the role of the English speaking majority in the United States the government will preclude the establishment of such highly biased and extreme parties, and maintain the unity and equity of the nation. Therefore, while it may be historically justified for minorities to seek redress for past acts of subjugation, as usually happens with minorities, and oppose the majority, it would be more I keeping with the â€Å"interest of [the] linguistic minorities to seek a balance,† as stated by Joseph, 62. To an extent it seems understandable that the minorities might feel as if they are being presented with a raw deal, but when the minorities themselves start supporting the cause for making English the official language this argument against the movement is rendered void, and is in fact turned into another reason for supporting the movement. Such a case was witnessed in Alabama, where the black-majority counties voted for the movement by a significant margin (Tatalovich, 244). Learning from Canada Looking at the northern neighbor of the United States, proponents of the movement have found several examples that corroborate their stand of maintaining a single official language for the country. The numerous political conflicts that Canada has faced over its bilingual official languages status have merely served to show how not to operate in one’s own country, in addition to clearly distinguishing the effect of considering the language issue as irrelevant and trivial. As stated by Ricento, 37, â€Å"the disconcerting strength gathered by separatism in Canada contains a lesson for the United States and its approach to bilingual education. † In trying to placate a larger amount of people by using its dual official language system, Canada has only shown to its more powerful neighbor how it is sometimes in the interest of the minorities to ignore their protests and support the decision of the majority. By catering to the Quebec speaking individuals in their country Canada has given them the right to lose out on greater economic benefits as shown by the research conducted by Li, 135-136: the effect of the use of an official language is signified by the â€Å"†¦$911 [male earnings] above the mean even after controlling for other variables,† and similarly, in the U. S. (Zavodny, 449). Conclusion The English language is the language of the majority as far as the U. S is concerned. There has been a movement towards making it the official language of the country in addition to it being so in over half the States already. However, this movement has subsequently led to the minorities crying foul over the perceived loss of their rights and the perceived inequitable behavior that they expect. The proponents of this movement, on the other hand, cite the greater cause of national unity, as well as that of parsimonious equity to vie with the concern of future lost income of minorities. It is the duty of the Government to now realize the potential benefits that will result in letting Acts based on making English the official Language through Congress. Especially since the greatest objection of minority language rights and perceived subjugation by the majority has been proven to be baseless in light of the Alabama vote. The remaining minorities should seek to overcome their emotional attachment to their original heritage, and understand that this movement will not necessarily threaten their roots; instead, it will result in greater opportunities for them through a more equitable treatment at court and business. Beyond these realizations, the government should initiate a budget towards facilitating the teaching of English to immigrants who cannot afford to learn it through their own devices. This is in light of the view that current instructions for the English language, in the United States, are inadequate to prepare them for their future life in the country (Citrin, 108). With Canada serving as an example of the effects of having more than one official language, the United States can ensure that it does not fall into the same trap by creating the equivalent Spanish-speaking enclaves in their country. Economically, politically, and culturally, having only English as the official language will help deal with a lot of problems along these facets of life that will prove to, over time, strengthen the role of equality in the society – a value that is immensely appreciated in the current era, especially in these neck of the woods. Eventually this movement will succeed, because it not only enjoys widespread support from the majority and a few minorities of the U. S. , but it has also managed to secure enough political support behind it to make it a key bill: one that is presented to the Congress in almost every sitting since the mid-1890’s. Works Cited Adams, K. L. Brink, D. T. Perspectives on Official English: The Campaign for English as the Official Language of the USA. Walter de Gruyter. Fishman, J. A. The Rise and Fall of the Ethnic Revival: Perspectives on Language and Ethnicity. Walter de Gruyter. (1985). Joseph, J. E. Language and Politics. Edinburgh University Press. (2006). Ricento, T. Burnaby, B. Language and Politics in the United States and Canada. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (1998). Tatalovich, R. Nativism Reborn? : The Official English Language Movement and the American States. University Press of Kentucky. (1995). Citrin, J. â€Å"Language politics and American identity. † Public Interest. (1990): p96-109. Feder, J. â€Å"English as the Official Language of the United States: Legal Background and Analysis of Legislation in the 110th Congress. † CRS Report for Congress. (January 25, 2007): pp18. Li, P. S. â€Å"The Economics of Minority Language Identity. † Canadian Ethnic Studies. (2001):

The Virgin Group Brand

The Virgin Group Brand ABSTRACT The Research has been undertaken in order to reveal the unique strategies that the Virgin Group employed in its extensions, and to examine whether it is really successful through strategies and how far it can go in the future. To better answer this question six study objectives are derived. The three most important ones are : to show the whole extension history of the Virgin brand, its success and failures ;to demonstrate the unique strategies Virgin employed in its brand extensions; to discover the consumers attitude towards Virgins extensions and how far Virgin can go. In order to answer these questions, this research contains a literature review, the field research, as well as analysis and conclusion. The literature review explains the concept and main issues of brands, brand equity, and brand extension. Then the methodology is started and justified, and the investigated company and its brand extension strategies are introduced. After that the results of the survey are presented. And the conclusion is drawn according to academic literature, primary data , and secondary data. INTRODUCTION Research Context For decades the value of a company was measured in terms of its buildings and land, and then its tangible assets (plant and equipment). The 1980s marked a turning point in the conception of brands. Management came to realize that the principal asset of a company was in fact its brand name ( Kapferer , 1997 ) The brand is not the product but it gives the product meaning and defines its identity in both time and space. Brand equity is regarded as a very important concept in business practice as well as in academic research because marketers can gain competitive advantage through successful brands. The competitive advantage of firms that have brands with high equity includes the opportunity for successful extensions, resilience against competitors promotional pressures, and creation of barriers to competitive entry( Farquhar, 1989 ) . However, the cost of introducing a brand in to a consumer market can be considerable ranging from about $ 100 million ( ourusoff , 1992) , with a 50% probability of failure ( Crawford, 1993 ). Thus, it not a surprise that companies seeking growth opportunities may prefer to extend existing brands. Brand extension has been hailed as the way to achieve in a cost controlled environment. By capitalizing on the reputation of an established brand, companies save the high cost of creating new brands. New products which piggyback on favorable brands drive an immediate advantage by entering from a position of strength, thus reducing the risk in failure; while the parent brand gains some synergy through the heightened awareness that is generated in successful new product launches ( Pitta and Katsanis, 1995 ). While successful brand extensions can reap benefits, management should not forget the risk of extension failure. History shows the potential of brand extension problems, which range from out right failure to partial failures. Instead of success, the failed extension might tarnish the image and reduce the market share of the parent product. Since the brand extension decision in fact a strategic one, it is important to think strategically beyond the first extension to future growth areas. Further more, it is also important to manage those extensions strategically. Virgin group was chosen as the subject of this study because it offers great potential for studying the issue of brand extension, perhaps the best known example of successful unrelated diversification. Virgin started out as a publisher and retailer of popular music. Its brand was built up on the qualities expressed by its products. The virgin brand is now so powerful that it can be applied to diverse fields including airline, cola, financial services and even commercial space shuttles in the future. The Virgin group has a unique strategy in extending and managing its brand. They have remarkable success and some failure as well . However , to date , its successes have outweighed its failures . Research Aims and Objectives Research Aims This study is an attempt to investigate a company , Virgin group, to gain an insight in to the brand management and brand extension theory.. The researcher seeks to understand brand extension management both in general and in a particular organization. The researcher does not seek to gather statistical data for generalizations, but intends to make an in-depth study in order to highlight issues within this single organization. The research has been undertaken in order to reveal the unique strategies that the Virgin Group employed in its extensions, and to examine whether it is really successful through its strategies and how far it can go in the future . In detail , the research investigates the recognition of the virgin brand name , the recognition of the products / services under this brand name , the impact of extensions on brand name , and the perception of the brand by the customers. .Research Objectives The research aims to generate the following detailed research objectives. 1 To define brand image and brand extension 2 To demonstrate the consequences of brand extension. 3 To clarify the brand extension strategies. 4 To show the whole extension history of virgin brand including its successes and failures.. 5 To demonstrate the unique strategies Virgin employed in its brand extensions.. 6 To discover the consumers , attitude towards Virgins extensions and how far Virgin can go. All these objectives will be addressed through academic literature review, analysis of existing organisation data, analysis of the organisation survey and interview, and combination of the results. Research Structure The following research content can be divided into four sections: literature review, research methodology, primary and secondary research, and conclusion. The first section is concerned with the literature review. Before expounding the concept of brand extension, the researcher initially demonstrates the definitions of brand extension as one of the strategies in brand management emerged when brands were regarded as intangible assets gaining more attention. Brand extensions are closely linked with brand equity. Successful brand extensions result from good understanding of brand equity. Successful brand extensions result from good understanding of brand equity. After that the researcher clarifies the definition of brand extension, the consequences of brand extension, criteria in brand extension decisions, and evaluations of brand extensions. In the second section the researcher illustrates the research methodology from three dimensions: research philosophy, research approach, and research strategy. Then the collection methods of primary data and secondary data and the limitation of the methodology will be addressed. The third section is about the primary and secondary research. Secondary data will be collected and illustrated as the basis of primary research. Primary data will be collected from a standardized questionnaire survey and the data would be analyzed. Contribution to Research The prior literatures on brand extensions at Virgin Group clearly illustrated the unique strategies Virgin group employed to extend their brand and weighed its success and failures. This topic has been researched and represented on the basis of biographies and case studies in brand extension theories. Most of the literature has expressed doubts regarding how far the Virgin group can go with its brand. The purpose of this research is to explore those doubts mentioned above and determine how justified they are. The researcher will conduct a survey from consumers point of view to obtain the answer. The findings will show the awareness of the virgin brand and its products/services, and the attitudes of consumers towards those extensions in Virgin. Of course, all these aspects are just starting points for further research. It was impractical for the present research to obtain a comprehensive overview of Virgins extensions in general, nor was it practical to consider all existing documents, initiatives and other related information. Chapter 1 Literature Review 1.1 Introduction In this chapter, various perspectives of brand extension theories have been reviewed as the basis of the further research. Firstly, the researcher clarifies the general concepts of brand equity. Then brand extension, one of the brand management strategies, is explained in details. The chapter ends with a summery of the literature review. 1.2 What is a Brand? 1.2.1 Definitions of Brand Keller (1998) explained the origin of the word â€Å"brand† by using the research of Interbrand group. The word â€Å"brand† is derived from the Old Norse word â€Å"brandr, which means â€Å"to burn† as brands were and still are the means by which owners of livestock mark their animals to identify them. The different approaches to defining brand partly stem from differing philosophies and stakeholder perspectives, i.e. a brand may be defined from the consumers ‘ perspective and / or from the brand owners perspective .In addition , brands are sometimes defined in terms of their purpose, and sometimes described by their characteristics(Wood,2000). The American Marketing Association (1960) proposed the following company orientated definition of a brand as: â€Å"A name , term , sign, symbol, or design , or a combination of them , intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.† The definition has been criticized for being too product -oriented, with emphasis on visual features as differentiating mechanisms (Arnold, 1992; Crainers, 1995). Despite the criticisms, the definition has endured to contemporary literature, albeit in modified from .Aaker (1991) adopt this definition. â€Å"A brand is a distinguishing name and / or symbol (Such as a logo, trade mark, or package design) intended to identify the goods or services of with one seller or a group of sellers, and to differentiate those goods or services from those of competitors.† Ambler (1992) takes a consumer oriented approach in defining a brand as: â€Å"The promise of the bundles of attributes that someone buys and provide satisfaction†¦.The attributes that make up a brand may be real or illusory, rational or emotional, tangible or invisible.† These attributes emanate from all elements of the marketing mix, and are subject to interpretation by the consumer. They are highly subjective. Brand attributes are essentially what are created through brand description (one interpretation of brand equity) mentioned previously. Many other brand definitions and descriptions focus on the methods used to achieve differentiation and/or emphasize the benefits the consumer derives from purchasing brands. These include definitions and descriptions that emphasize brands as an image in the consumers minds, brand personality, brands as value systems, and brands as added value (Wood, 2000) It is possible to draw together many of the approaches to brand definition, An integrated definition can be achieved that highlights a brands purpose to its owner, and considers how this is achieved through consumer benefits. Added value is implicit to this definition (wood, 2000) that is: â€Å"A brand is a mechanism for achieving competitive advantage for firms, through different (purpose). The attributes that differentiate a brand provide the customer with satisfaction and benefits for which they are willing to pay (Mechanism).† According to Philip Kotler ( 1984) , A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attention , acquisition , use , or consumption that might satisfy a need or want. Thus a product may be a physical good, service, retail store, person, organization, place or idea. A Brand is a product , then , but one that adds other dimensions to differentiate it in some way from other products designed to satisfy the same need, These differences may be rational and tangible related to product performance of the brand of more symbolic, emotional, and intangible related to what the brand represents ( Keller,1998) 1.2.2 Functions of Brands Brands play different roles to consumers and firms (Keller, 1998). To consumers, brands identify the source of maker of a product and allow consumers to assign responsibility as to which particular manufacturer or distributor should be held accountable. Most importantly, brands take on special meaning to consumers. Because of past experiences with the product and its marketing program over the years, consumers learn about brands. They find out which brands satisfy their needs (Keller, 1998). Thus, Brands Provide a short hand device or means of simplification for their product decisions (Jacoby et al., 1971). From an economic perspective , Brands allow consumers to lower search costs for products both internally (in terms of how much they have to think ) and externally ( in terms of how much they have to look around) brands can serve as symbolic devices, allowing consumers to project their own self images. Certain brands are associated with being used by certain types of people and t hus reflect different values or traits (Keller, 1998). Brands also provide a number of valuable functions to firms (Chernatony and William, 1998). Fundamentally, they serve an identification purpose to simplify product handling or tracing for the firm. Operationally, brands help to organize inventory, accounting, and other records. A brand also offers the firm legal protection for unique features or aspects of the product. A brand can retain intellectual property rights, giving legal title to the brand owner (Bageley, 1995). The brand name can be protected through registered trade marks, manufacturing processes can be protected through patents, and packing can be protected through copy rights and designs. Brands can signal a certain level of quality so that satisfied buyers can easily choose the product again ( Erdem ). This brand loyalty provides predictability and security of demand for the firm and creates barriers of entry that make it difficult for other firms to enter the market. Thus, to firms, brands represent enormously valuable pieces of legal property, capable of influencing consumer behavior, being bought and sold , and providing the security of sustained future revenues to their owners ( Bymer , 1991). 1.2.3 Brand Architecture A company that wants to get behind its corporate brand and use it more proactively must decide on the most appropriate brand architecture for its business or businesses (Mottram, 1998). There are three alternatives: * A monolithic structure * An endorsed brand architecture * A hybrid structure (Mottram, 1998). A monolithic structure has the corporate brand right at the center. All products and services are branded with the same name, identity and set of brand values. The advantage of this sort of structure include a seamless transfer of goodwill to the center, cheaper brand building and instant credibility when launching new products or extending into new markets. The difficulty with the monolithic approach is that the corporate brands personality has to be flexible enough to cover different products and markets while being precise enough to compete with specialist brands in each segment. When a company uses an endorsed brand architecture, it aims to add the higher values of the corporate brand to the specific values of product and service brands in its portfolio in the interest of competitive advantage. Thus the corporate brand can add security, trust and credibility to the positioning of the product or service brand. Brand owners have adopted a number of ‘hybrid approaches. For ins tance, Nestle has pulled all of its products under ten global ‘banner brands. Each banner brand is targeted at a specific market or closely linked markets but, crucially all will continue to benefit from the Nestle corporate endorsement as well. Other companies have adopted the name of one of their brands as the corporate brand, in the hope of leveraging specific product brand attributes across the group and increasing the intangible value of the entire business in the process (Mottram, 1998). 1.3Brand Equity 1.3.1 From Brand Image to Brand Equity Brands have been a major aspect of marketing reality for over a hundred years. The theory of branding came sometime later (Feldwick, 1996). David Ogilvy was discussing the importance of brand image as early as 1951 (Biel, 1993). It was first fully articulated by Burleigh Gardner and Sidney Levy in their classic Harvard Business Review paper of 1955. But despite such distinguished origins the concept of ‘brand image remained until recently peripheral to the mainstream of advertising theory and evaluation (Feldwick, 1996). Although it was endorsed from the 1960s onward by the British Account Planning movement (e.g. King, 1970; Cowley, 1989), it was also seen by many advertisers and researchers as a rather woolly theory the sort of thing advertising agency people talk airily about when they failed to ‘get a hard product message across or to ‘convert prospects or to ‘make sales, as they were supposed to be doing (Feldwick, 1996). ‘Brand image was associat ed with expressions like the ‘soft sell (Reeves, 1961) and the ‘weak theory of advertising (Jones, 1991), which gave it, for many, the air of a whimsical luxury that a businesslike advertiser could hardly afford (Feldwick, 1996). In the nineteen -eighties, the hardnosed business people began to notice that brands appeared to be changing hands for huge sums of money. As take-over fever spread, the difference between balance sheet valuations and the prices paid by predators was substantially attributed to ‘the value of brands. Suddenly, the brand stopped being an obscure metaphysical concept of dubious relevance. It was something that was worth money (Feldwick, 1996). This shift of perception was reflected in the way that the traditional expression ‘brand image was increasingly displaced by its solid financial equivalent, ‘brand equity. It is not clear who invented the expression, but few uses of it have been traced before the mid- eighties (Ambler and Styles, 1995). It achieved respectability when it was taken up by the prestigious Marketing Science Institute, which held a major seminar on the subject in 1988 and has been going strong ever since (Feldwick, 1996). 1.3.2 Definitions of Brand Equity Since the term â€Å"brand equity† emerged in the 1980s (Cobb- Walgren et al, 1995), it is regarded as a very important concept in business practice as well as in academic research because marketers can gain competitive advantage through successful brands (Lassar et al, 1995). However, there are a number of alternative methods have been suggested for defining the concept of brand equity, which results in some confusion and even frustration with the term(Keller, 1998). Generally brand equity has been viewed from two major perspectives. The first perspective has used the concept of brand equity in the context of marketing decision-making. The second perspective has focused on the financial aspects of brand equity, more pertinent to determining a brands valuation for accounting, merger, or acquisition purposes (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Financial perspective The financial-market-value-based technique presented by Simon and Sullivan (1993) has been quoted in Motameni and Shahrokhi (1998) for estimating a firms brand equity. The stock price is used as a basis to evaluate the value of the brand equities. Brand equity is defined as â€Å"the incremental cash flows, which accrue to branded products over unbranded products (Simon and Sullivan, 1993).† The estimation technique extracts the value of brand equity from the value of the firms other assets. First, the macro approach assigns an objective value to a firms brands and relates this value to the determinants of brand equity. Second, the micro approach isolates changes in brand equity at the individual brand level by measuring the response of brand equity to major marketing decisions (Motameni and Shahrokhi, 1998). Simon and Sullivan (1993) believe that financial markets do no ignore marketing factors and stock prices reflect marketing decisions. Financial World uses one of the most publicised financial approaches in its annual listing of worldwide brand valuation (Cobb-Walgren et al,!995).They used a brand-earnings multiplier or weights to calculate brand equity, The brand weights are based on both historical data and individuals judgments of other factors. The brand equity is the product of the multiplier and average of the past three years profits (Motameni and Shahrokhi, 1998). Marketing perspective Within the marketing literature, operationalisations of brand equity usually fall into two groups: those involving consumer perceptions and those involving consumer behaviour .Keller (1998) offered a perceptual definition of customer-based brand equity: â€Å"the differential effect that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand†. A brand with positive customer-based brand equity might result in consumers being more accepting of a new brand extension, less sensitive to price increases and withdrawal of advertising support, or more willing to seek the brand in a new distribution channel. Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer has a high level of awareness and familiarity with the brand and holds some strong, favourable, and unique brand associations in memory (Keller, 1998). The latter consideration is critical. For branding strategies to be successful and brand equity to be created, consumers must be convinced that there are meaningful differences among brands in the product or service category. Brand awareness is created by increasing the familiarity of the brand through repeated exposure and strong asso ciations with the appropriate product category or other relevant purchase or consumption cues (Alba and Hutchinson, 1987). Marketing programs that link strong, favourable, and unique association to the brand in memory create a positive brand image. The definition of customer-based brand equity does not distinguish between the source of brand associations and the manner in which they are formed; all that matters is the resulting favourability strength, and uniqueness of brand associations (Keller, 1998). Cobb-Walgren, Ruble and Donthu (1995) introduced Kamakura and Russells approach relying more on consumer behaviour in their article. They used scanner data to come up with three measurements of brand equity. First is perceived value-was defined as the value of the brand that cannot be explained by price and promotion. Second is brand dominance-provided and objective value of the brands ability to compete on price. Third is intangible value-was operationalised as the utility perceived for the brand minus objective utility measurements (Kumakura and Russell, 1993). Aaker (1991) is one of the few authors to incorporate both attitudinal and behavioral dimensions in his definition (Cobb-Walgren et al, 1995). He has provided the most comprehensive definition of brand equity to date: â€Å"A set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that adds to firms customers.† The major asset categories are (figure 1.1): brand name awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand associations (Aaker, 1996). Competitive Advantage Paul Feldwick (1996) has suggested that brand equity seems to be used in three quite distinct senses, and each of these three has several further nuances of meaning. These are: a = the total value of a brand as a separable asset-when it is sold, or included on a balance sheet. b = a measure of the strength of consumers attachment to a brand. c = a description of the associations and beliefs the consumer has about the brand. In his point of view, looking for an operational definition of brand equity just likes asking the wrong question. Brand equity is necessarily a vague concept. It is depending on the brands individual circumstances- and depending, importantly, on the use to which the findings will be put (Feldwick, 1996). Although a number of different views of brand equity have been expressed, they all are generally consistent with the basic notion that brand equity represents the â€Å"added value† endowed to a product as a result of past investments in the marketing for the brand. They all acknowledge that there exist many different ways that value can be created for a brand; that equity provides a common denominator for interpreting marketing strategies and assessing the value of a brand; and that there exist many different ways that the value of a brand can be manifested or exploited to benefit the firm(Keller, 1998). 1.4 Brand Extension 1.4.1 New Products and Brand Extension Developing brand extensions is one type of New Product Development (NPD) (Amber and Styles, 1996). Keller (1998) introduced Ansoffs growth share matrix as background of brand extension strategy. As shown in figure 1.2, growth strategies can be categorised as to whether they involve existing or new products and whether they target existing or new customers or markets. When a company introduces a new product, it has three main choices as to how to brand it: * Develop a new brand, individually chosen for the new product * Apply one of its existing brands in some way * Use a combination of a new brand with an existing brand. A brand extension is when a company uses an established brand name to enter a new product category (Aaker and Keller, 1990). 1.4.2 Brand Equity and Brand Extension One stream of brand equity research has focused on brand extensions (Barwise, 1993). Ambler and Styles (1996) have stated the reciprocal relationship between brand equity and brand extensions by combining the finding of other researchers. Part of this work has explored the effect of a brands equity on its extendibility, with the general conclusion being that the firm can leverage a brands existing equity in new categories (Shocker and Weitz, 1988). Research within this stream has found that brands with higher brand equity extend more successfully (Rangaswamy et al, 1993). Other research has looked at the reverse relationship: the impact of brand extensions on brand equity. The findings are that successful brand extensions can have a positive effect on the core brand, i.e. build brand equity (Dacin and Smith, 1994; Keller and Aaker, 1992). There seems therefore to be a reciprocal relationship between brand equity and brand extensions (Ambler and Styles, 1996). 1.4.3 Brand Extension Dimensions Brand extensions can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One of the most obvious differences is whether the extensions is in the same or different products name to a new product in the same product class or to a product category. Thus they can be classified as either vertical or horizontal extensions (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Horizontal brand extensions either apply or extend an existing products name to a new product in the same product class or to a product category new to the company. There are two varieties of horizontal brand extensions, which differ in terms of their focus: line extensions and franchise extensions (Aaker and Keller, 1990).Line extensions involve a current brand name, which is used to enter a new market segment in its product class. In contrast, franchise extensions use a current brand name to enter a product category new to the company (Tauber, 1981). Horizontal extensions lend themselves to natural distancing. Distancing is the purposive increase in the perceptual distance of the extension from the core product. Unsuccessful horizontal extensions are less likely to damage the core brand than vertical extensions since horizontal extensions are often in different-and more distant-product categories. Typically consumers will recognise that such horizontal extensions are not closely re lated. The downside to distancing is that distancing reduces the amount or strength of the brand associations and reduces the halo effect of the extension (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). Horizontal extensions may suffer if the core and extension are perceived to be too distant from each other. Brand associations cannot stretch over too large a gulf. Research indicates that if the core product is perceived to be of high quality, and the â€Å"fit† between the core and extension is high, then brand attitudes toward the extension will be more favorable (Aaker and Keller, 1990). Without the perceived similarity between the parent and extension, consumers find it more difficult to attribute original brand associations to the extension (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). In contrast, vertical extensions involve introducing a related brand in the same product category but with a different price and quality balance. Vertical extensions offer management the quickest way to leverage a core products equity,. However, since the new product is in the same category, distancing is difficult and the risk of negative information is higher than with a horizontal extension. As a strategy, vertical brand extension is widely practiced in many industries. Vertical new product introductions can extend in two directions, upscale, involving a new product with higher price and quality characteristics than the original; or downscale, involving new product with lower quality and price points. Downscale vertical extensions may offer the equivalent of sampling to a new market segment, and bring some market share enhancement. Functional products seem to allow downscale but not upscale extension. Conversely, prestige products allow upscale but not downscale extensions (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995). 1.5.1Advantages of Brand Extension Well-planned and implemented extensions offer a number of advantages to marketers. These advantages can be categorised as those that facilitate new product acceptance and those that provide feedback benefits to the parent brand or company as whole (Keller, 1998). * Facilitate new product acceptance With a brand extension, the cost of developing a new brand, introductory and follow-up marketing programs can be reduced (Keller, 1998). To conduct the necessary consumer research and employ skilled personnel to design high quality brand names, logos, symbols, packages, characters, and slogans can be quite expensive, and there is no assurance of success. Similar or virtually identical packages and labels for extensions can result in lower production costs and, if coordinated properly, more prominence in the retail store by creating a â€Å"billboard† effect. With a brand extension, consumers can make inferences and form expectations as to the likely composition and performance of a new product based on what they feel this information is relevant to the new product (Kim and Sullivan, 1995). Because of the potentially increased consumer demand resulting from introducing a new product as an extension, it may be easier to convince retailers to stock and promote a brand extension. It should be easier to add a link from a brand already existing in memory to a new product than it is to have to first establish the brand in memory and then also link the new product to it (Aaker and Carmon, 1992). By offering consumers a portfolio of brand va

Causes of Islamic Radicalism

Causes of Islamic Radicalism Anastasiya Sernetskaya Problem Solving in a Global Age: Islamic Radicalism Since the 18th century, the Wahhabi movement vied for the rejection of new Muslim ideas, instead reverting back to the original beliefs set by the Prophet Muhammad (Commins 5). From their roots in Arabia, multiple groups that embraced radical beliefs of Islam grew. They now span the whole globe with major groups such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the Middle East, the Caucasus Emirate in Russia, Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, and Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram in Africa. However, radical Islam originated from the Middle East (Commins 3), an area with a deep history of poverty (Long 7) and, in turn, a history of religious government institutions that only teach upcoming generations militarism and the Quran (Tavernise). Instead of solving for symptoms of Islamic radicalism, it is important to solve for its root cause (Hamid) and help fund nonreligious private education because of the Middle East’s importance to the global economy and future relations concerning oil (Tà ©treault). The first cause of Islamic radicalism lies in what can be called the ‘Western Grip,’ the strong presence of American and colonial culture. After World War 2, oil resources developed and sent imperialistic powers to the Middle East. This created a dependency on the Middle East and their resources. However, the relationship between major global oil economic powers and local populations in the areas of extraction has not been fostered; instead, an irreconcilable divide between Islam and the West emerged (Tà ©treault). Similar to British imperialism, the United States involves itself in the politics of the Middle East and takes it upon itself to solve the Middle Easts problems, initiating conflict and invasions. As Western influence increased, industry created a connection to Western culture, one that includes provocative clothing, music, and habits- all of which go against the fundamentalist interpretation of the Quran. These directly oppose the ideals of the fundamentalis ts and thus fuel anti-Americanism and further rebellion against modern progression. The reason why such radical religious organizations thrive is by their use of religious persuasion to impose the ‘true’ interpretation of the religious text. They oppose modernity and instead act on Sharia law, which instead of governing by secular laws, only looks toward Muslim rules and regulations based on strict interpretations by the Quran. In addition, when the United States began to occupy Iraq, it created an anti-American sentiment in the area that only grew as Muslims realized a long history of American negligence and indifference towards supporting followers of Islam (Long 1). Conflicts in Bosnia, Chechnya, and Gaza, directly targeted Muslim victims, and these conflicts are â€Å"†¦given as an example of where Western nations have failed to act quickly or effectively to protect Muslim civilians (Baksh 2). Their occupation of Iraq and their refusal to aid Muslims created a strain on the Middle Easts relationship with the United States and further fueled anti- American sentiments while turning to a more radical solution that incorporated their religious values that they place great value onto (Long 201). Another cause of Islamic radicalism in the Middle East is the high poverty rate. Their huge variation in oil wealth across the region drives income disparities (Long 6). Historically, the Middle East has not expanded or modernized along with the rest of the world. Instead, their history shows a reliance to turn to religion whenever they needed consistent governing. This led to the creation of Sharia law and an importance placed on religious education. The poor who live difficult lives were much more susceptible than those who could afford a strong, secular private education (Long 7). It has been stated that countries like Pakistan have never really taken their education seriously, and rely only on the Quran for educational resources. As students learn about the way of the Prophet Muhammad, most either see no value of further schooling and drop out or they further their religious education and learn how to preach as a career opportunity. Many of the organizations that take up teaching young children and organizing preaching groups have been linked as stepping stones to Al- Qaeda or the Taliban (Tavernise). The third cause of Islamic radicalism is the political backing by Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini who had a crucial position in the rise of extremist government. While in power he stressed the spiritual over the material, (Sorenson 45) and implemented Sharia law. As fundamentalists first began to pop up and run for official power, there was a tense struggle between factions. As Khomeini backed the radical Muslims, he in turn increased radicalism in Iran and pushed for the execution of moderates. Radical leftist guerrilla groups sprouted all over the area as they became more organized under a provincial government and gained le gitimacy and power (Long 59). This highly contrasts to the Philippines where Abu Sayyaf, the major Islamic terrorist organization, has not been able to gain such a strong political backing and thus radical Islam has not been able to grow with such vigor (Ankerson 241) The primary cause of Islamic radicalism cannot be the Western influence or the politics of Iran. The Western Grip that was created affects many countries but none have spurred radicalisms like countries in the Middle East have. As scholars Long, Reich, and Gasiorowski stated in their book The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, The inescapable American influence affects almost every other part of the world with no radical consequences,† (23) so why is the Middle East so unique? To find its primary cause, one must look to the root cause of all problems instead of just looking at symptoms, like the politics of Khomeini, who began his radical backing after a mass influx of broken governments and fundamentalist groups who promised to stay true to the Quran and bring Allahs glory to the area. The Wahhabi movement was another symptom of the people reaching to find stability in their government and life. All of the corruption spurred from the true root cause o f Islamic radicalism- poverty. The poor began to and continue to turn to radical ideas because of fewer opportunities in their society other than ones to preach religious ideas. They are facing a socioeconomic delay behind the rest of the world, and it corrupts their education, which builds a foundation for the upcoming generations in the Middle East, thus progressing the radicalism and turning fundamentalism into a standard in the government (Burhania 16). The most viable solution to Islamic radicalism lies in funding secular education. Other past attempts to go in and fight the groups out has only spurred more violence and backlash against Westerners, pushing the divide between the two regions further and further. Attempts to change the government cause progress but not enough to effect poor areas that radicalism grows from. Instead, it is important to solve their education as †¦ poor public education forces them to turn to Muslim education sources and breeds radicalism (Rasizode 54). Education that is secular creates a more western-positive approach and educates about democracy therefore solving both other causes of Islamic radicalism. Islamic radicalism is a complex problem that is multifaceted. Although there are many proposed solutions, one must look at how radicalism is bred and how it spurred in the Middle East to see that education could help solve poverty and fundamentalism.