Friday, August 23, 2019

What is Philosophy Philosophical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What is Philosophy Philosophical Issues - Essay Example Many times it has been the case that those who study and practice philosophy tend to focus too much on the subject of the logos and telos, while overlooking the value of ethos. Ethical issues are always constant, and it is a pressing matter in life than trying to figure the existence of reality. 2.) Which of the philosophical issues covered this semester has meant anything to you personally and why so?   The issue of Ethics still has a more personal value among the other philosophical issues covered this semester. The reason behind this is that knowing how to live and maintain conduct in daily activities has a greater relevance to life than trying to understand the nature of existence or the origin of knowledge. When one walks into a public square or market these days, it is not like people will be easily fascinated or even interested to know anything about Metaphysics or Epistemology. People in general do not take seriously the question of what reality is or the purpose of existence. People in general would prefer and pay more attention with how they deal with various activities and problems throughout daily living. The choice of ethics then is a pragmatic choice, as much as it is a personal preference. 3.) Why do you think that the philosophical issues this course has co vered have been issues and have remained issues for so long?   Philosophical issues started because of humanity’s wonder for existence, the meaning of life, and the proof of reality. It is to no surprise that when the first philosophers began theorizing and speculating these different issues, it was a curious and inquisitive sense led by the motivation and desire to know more that drove these men of intellect to study even further about what are the things that really matter, how things happened, or why things are done. Eventually, philosophy helped bring about the study of different specialized fields of learning and knowledge, such as the life sciences and physical sciences. Despite all this, philosophical issues have remained as issues throughout the years due to the very reason why it started. The desire to know more and keeping an innate sense of curious wonder are the reasons why philosophical issues have never been fully settled and concluded. Humanity will never gro w idle or contented with what they have learned and find, and will always want to know if there is more out there in this life and reality. Humanity’s insatiable desire for knowledge is boundless as much as its capacity to reason out intellectually. The only limitations that cannot be avoided are the fact of mortality and the further need in technological advancement. 4.) Why do you think these issues have been associated with Philosophy and not some other discipline?   The issues have been associated with philosophy because philosophy is the root study of all the other various knowledge disciplines. All of the various fields of study have its origins and influences from philosophy. These various disciplines, however, focus more on their specific area of study that it loses its sight on philosophical issues. Philosophy, on the other hand, branches out in understanding the various perspectives of knowledge while trying to maintain its philosophical nature. This philosophical nature is to see things through the light of rationality, and that to understand the nature of things requires a mind to be more open to things. 5.) Why is it that most of these issues have not been evident as issues in our

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Most Influential Books on Leadership Essay Example for Free

Most Influential Books on Leadership Essay Leadership is an issue which has been in the limelight in every aspect of human governance. Human development has been linked with management and directions which are part of leadership. Various characteristics of leadership have therefore been identified from various areas in life. This paper aims at identifying three different types of books on leadership which are recognized to be the most influential. The first choice is the book â€Å"Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You beyond Your Talent† by John C. Maxwell . The author holds that talent is never enough in leadership. There are many different people in the whole world , thus showing that talent will never end. Nevertheless if acquiring that talent were just enough for everybody, then we would all be at a higher level and being full of potentials. There are therefore other things that need to be included in our talents so as to be able to discover those opportunities especially when it comes to business. People need to come up with other discoveries which would take them more steps beyond the talents they have. In businesses today, most leaders mostly concentrate more on the talents they have alone. The writer of this book, who in this case is a known expert in leadership John C. Maxwell argues that this is not the right way to achieving success. In his discourse, he describes how highly talented people who are globally known would be very successful if talent was the only contingency for that matter . That is not however the case. The book goes on to place more emphasis and support the writer’s decision by highlighting the fact that society is full of people who could have been great men and women if only they used other ideas apart from what they call talent. The author talks of prominent people like Jefferson, Nameth, Churchill, Bono, Oprah, and Dickens whom, apart from their talents, went steps ahead to the next level of increasing their talents and maximizing it to improve the world. They employed more efforts to what they discovered as their talent to capture other opportunities in life. That is why they are the talk of the world. According to Max, talent should therefore be present. It should however be followed by other measures that improve it. With different examples given of those people who maximized their talents, there are a few who did not. The author thus goes ahead to encourage the reader to support the authors views and improve their lives by giving thirteen key choices one can adopt to become a person with advanced and maximized talent (Maxwell J. C(2009). The second selection of the most influential leadership books that I would recommend is â€Å"The Skinny of the Art of Persuasion† by Jim Randel. In leadership, persuasion is one of the most important skills that a leader should posses. This book provides sound and detailed information on persuasion in leadership. Moreover, it offers other important recommendations on persuasion from various prominent leaders. The book advices on persuasion thanks to the fact that the author is an attorney besides being well experienced in the field. Further, apart from his experience Randel quotes people like Kevin Hogan, James Speakman, Dave Lakhani, Dale Carnegie, Robert Cialdini, Tom Hopkins, Malcolm Gladwell, and others in his discussion on persuasion in leadership. This approach puts more emphasis on the author’s concept. He states that persuasion basically involves integrity. To add to his topic, Randell gives his personal life stories regarding leadership which still bothers him till then. To understand and get acquainted with what he is insinuating, his book finalizes with tips which are easy to understand about a good persuader in leadership (Alegre M. 2010). The third influential book on leadership is John Ferling’s new book on â€Å"The Ascent of George Washington. † It talks about the relationship between leadership and education. It is very important -especially in the current world to link leadership with the educational backgrounds of those aspiring to be leaders in future. George Washington was an educated man in leadership. He had focus in his politics due to the great boost from his education. This is an ideal model of how leaders should learn to lead others. The author in this book goes ahead to reveal Washington as a political genius due to the fact that he was politically focused, ambitious, and was driven to succeed. Although described by the author as the most untactful and indecisive in times of crises, Washington was the only right person to lead Americans to independence. His character, boldness, judgment, industriousness, determination, and skillful political thinking were remarkable. It is a book that explains how one does not need to be perfect to achieve greatness (Alegre M. 010). Therefore, these books cover some of the most important aspects of leadership which most people fail to identify while leading others. Since most of us are leaders in one way or another, it is equally important to consider reviewing such influential leadership books to acquire various tips of leadership and also as stated by Maxwell to improve our talents in leadership. This strategy will not only boost our leadership qualities, but will also enable us to identify new opportunities in life and be able to pursue only the best of them.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Effects Of Packaging And Branding On Customers Marketing Essay

Effects Of Packaging And Branding On Customers Marketing Essay Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging contains, protects, preserves, transports, informs and sells. Consumers pay a lot of attention on product quality and its usability but they also enjoy the package design of a product when purchasing a certain commodity. Packaging of a product is more than a medium of protection and storage and it plays a vital role for a consumer when buying a product. Packaging is the most important factor. Packaging elements like Packaging color, Background Image, Packaging Material, Font Style, Design of wrapper, Printed Information and Innovation is taken as important factors in selling a product. Packaging performs a vital role in marketing communications particularly in the point of sale and could be treated as one of the most important factors influencing a consumers purchase decision. 1.2 Purpose of Packaging Brand Identification: Packages contributes to immediate identification of the companys brand. Physical protection: The objects enclosed in the package may require protection from other things, shock, vibration, temperature, etc. Marketing: The packaging can be used by marketers to persuade potential buyers to purchase the product. Package design has been an important and continuously developing phenomenon for several decades. Convenience: Packages can have features which add convenience in distribution, handling, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use and reuse. 1.3 Types of packaging: Transport packing: The product entering in to the trade need to be packed well enough to protect against loss damage during handling, transport and storage. Consumer Packing: This packaging holds the required volume of the product for ultimate consumption and is more relevant in marketing for e.g. beverages, tobacco etc. 1.4 Labeling Labeling is a written, printed or graphic matter upon any product, containers or wrappers. It is a subset of packaging. All the sellers need to label their products if they want to make sure that consumers purchase their products. The label can be a simple tag attached to the product or a designed graphic that is a part of the package. A label might carry only the brand name or a great deal of information (Kotler, 2001). A label is a point of contact between the producer and the purchaser and it is an integral part of producers marketing plan. 1.5 Purpose of Labeling Brand Identification: The label identifies the product or brand. Product Grading: The label might also grade the product like canned fruits are grade labeled as A, B and C. Product Description: The label describes the product that made it, where it was made, when it was made, what it contains, how it is to be used and how to use it safely. Product Promotion: The label might promote the product through attractive graphics and designs. 1.6 Labeling Decisions Brand Name: It is necessary for the label to contain the brand name. It has to be decided that how should that brand name appear on the product. It is advisable to scale the logo as large as possible in keeping with the overall design9. Label Text, Graphics and Design: Text, graphics and design on the label must be carefully selected because label in as important part of branding process. It plays a role in communicating the image and identity of a company.9 Features and Benefits Listing products key benefits on its label helps support the brand promise and can help differentiate the product from others, while reaching out to customers seeking those particular benefits.9 Instructions for Use Listing products key benefits on its label helps support the brand promise and can help differentiate the product from others, while reaching out to customers seeking those particular benefits.9 Package Inserts Package inserts, which may contain instructions for using a product, are made when the information cannot fit on the product itself. 9 Safety Hazards Possible dangers that could result from misusing a product must be identified on products to reduce liability and comply with regulations9. Nutritional Labeling- A case of Food Products Nutritional labeling should clearly state the amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates and calories contained in products, as well as their vitamin and mineral contents9. Additional Labeling: Additional labeling includes open dating (to describe freshness), unit pricing (to state the product cost in standard measurement units), grade labeling (to rate the quality level), and percentage labeling (to show the percentage of each important ingredient) 9. Labeling Laws: Labels must comply with local or international truth-in-packaging-and-labeling laws, as well as regulations on hazard warnings and other declarations9. 1.7 Product Labeling An important aspect of marketing and selling a companys product is the product label. The product label  is very important not only for selling a product but also for communicating to the consumer information, company image, values and the perceived value of the product. Therefore when a company designs a label it must take some factors into consideration that should meet with federal regulations. 1.7.1 Specific label Information Some products can be identified effectively by brand name or even the logo many require more complete identification of their nature and the use of the product. The purpose of the label is to provide useful and relevant information about the product as well as to help market the product. Processed foods, patented drugs, textiles and numerous other products are required by law to carry a fairly complete list of their ingredients. This specific information is extremely important so that consumer like those who are allergic to certain ingredients do not use a certain product that may harm them. Labels today also include unit pricing, open dating and nutritional labeling. Unit pricing shows the price per unit of weight or volume allowing consumers to compare values among competing products comparing an expensive brand name product to a less expensive generic product with similar ingredients. Unit pricing is most often found on the store shelf rather than on the product package10. Open dating informs consumers about the expected life of the product so they can avoid products that may be spoiled. This information is especially important for such perishable items as milk, eggs and other products with a short shelf life. 10 Nutritional labeling specifies the amount of calories, total fat, cholesterol, sodium, minerals, vitamins and protein in processed foods.10 Most companies also use three types of other labels on their products. Grade label identifies the quality of the product by a letter such as grade A or with a word such as prime. 10 An informative label uses phrases such as Keep refrigerated after opening to help consumers use the product appropriately. 10 Descriptive label describes the benefits or positive attributes of the product.10 1.7 Role played by Labeling According to Padberg (1992) labeling is aimed to provide a sort of identity card of the product. It is used to make the information of a product immediately accessible to consumers when making purchase decisions. It is a tool through which consumers are provided set of data like expiry date, preservation procedures environmental impacts etc. Labeling is aimed to achieve three main objectives. To guarantee proper and accurate information of product safety and healthiness. To protect consumers and manufacturers against any deceitful message. To favor a fair competition amongst the firms operating on the market place. Further Padberg (1992) said labeling performs a number of functions; the most important of them is a direct support to consumers in their purchasing decisions. Labels must include the following details: Sales denomination. List of ingredients. Minimum preservation time or expiry date. Name and location of the manufacturer or packager. Danger symbols and indication of danger involved in the use of the substance. Location of the manufacturing plant and packaging plant. Procedure to preserve and use the product when specific instructions have to be followed. Instructions for use, if required. Place of origin as the lack of this information might mislead buyers as to the origin of the product. 1.8 Consideration while Labeling For many businesses Labeling is a suitable and straight way of providing consumers with product information. The amount and type of information which must be included in a product label can sometimes be confusing. Labeling standards will depend on the type of product you sell, manufacture, export/import, supply etc. It is also vital you understand the regulations and responsibilities you need to stick on to regarding labeling standards. Labeling information standards impact a range of industries, from those businesses in the food industry, retail areas and manufacturing through to clothing and textile industries and importing and exporting etc. The level of information legally required will depend on the product. For instance food products have different requirements to that of clothing or cosmetics. Basically, a label must include ample information so that consumers know exactly what they are getting and can make an informed decision. Most importantly, the information must not be deceptive or misleading. One of the reasons why the regulations are enforced is because labeling information is often the primary means by which a consumer will decide to buy one product over another. Essentially, product labeling serves three main purposes: It provides basic product information to consumers such as the key ingredients, quantity, quality, name and address of responsible manufacturer, dealer or importer, durability of product, instructions for use/care and country of origin. It provides health, safety and nutrition information and warnings such as instructions for safe handling, nutritional profile, storage, use-by dates etc. It provides a marketing vehicle for promotions advertises and promotes the product etc. In general many small businesses may not have to deal directly with product labeling standards. The labeling responsibilities will rest with the suppliers or manufacturers of the products they sell. However while it may not be a small business responsibility to label the products business owners still need to ensure the products are labeled correctly for their customers safety. 1.9 Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) are products that have a quick shelf turnover at relatively low cost and dont require a lot of time and financial investment to purchase. However the huge number of goods sold is what makes the difference. Hence profit in FMCG goods always translates to number of goods sold. Fast Moving Consumer Goods is a categorization that refers to a wide range of regularly purchased consumer products including: toiletries, soaps, cosmetics, teeth cleaning products, shaving products, detergents, and other non-durables such as glassware, bulbs, batteries, paper products and plastic goods such as buckets. Fast Moving is in opposition to consumer durables such as kitchen appliances that are generally replaced less than once a year. The category may include pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics and packaged food products and drinks although these are often categorized separately. The term Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) is also known as Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). Three of the largest and best known examples of Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies are Nestle, UNILEVER and Procter Gamble. FMCG products includes soft drinks, tissue paper, chocolate bars etc. The FMCG segment represents consumer goods required for daily or frequent use. The main segments of this sector are personal care (oral care, hair care, soaps, cosmetics, and toiletries), household care (fabric wash and household cleaners), branded and packaged food, beverages (health beverages, soft drinks, staples, cereals, dairy products, chocolates, bakery products) and tobacco. 1.10 Problem The research is basically conducted so as to find the attitude of consumers towards labeling strategies over products that changes their purchase decision. 1.11 Objectives Following are the objectives of this study: To determine whether labeling affects buying behavior. To find out current market behavior towards packaging. To determine the effect of labeling on perceived risk which in return affect the purchase of a product. To determine the impact of perceived quality on purchase of a product. 1.12 Justifications Todays generation is surrounded by labels. We see them in products, supermarkets and specialty shops and many of the choices we make in our daily life are dependent on labels and brand names. Labeling is vital so everything around us takes on its special character that is different from the rest. 1.12.1 Reason to study To evaluate that labeling is important for packaging. Consumers perception about labels before buying. Products other than pharmaceuticals require proper labeling but consumers sometime do not see before buying companies lose their customers. Companies will focus more on labels to give proper information to their customers. 1.13 Limitations Few limitations that will hinder this study are: Pharmaceuticals products are not part of study. Lack of time available. Consumers restrain from sharing their information with outsiders. 1.14 Scope Labeling impacting packaging style in todays market that affects rapid or planned buying. Research will be conducted only in Karachi. It will be only applicable in Pakistani environment. Sample size will be relatively small. 1.15 Assumptions The study will be having following assumptions: New products are not coming in markets. Brand loyal are not attentive towards labeling. Consumers are health quality conscious. Sometimes language on labeling is not understandable to consumers. 2.0. Literature Review According to Rundh (2005) package attracts consumers attention to particular brand, enhances its image, and influences consumers perceptions about product. Thus package performs an important role in marketing communications and could be treated as one of the most important factors influencing consumers purchase decision. Packaging helps consumers to choose the product from wide range of similar products, stimulates customers buying behavior. According to Kotler (2003) there are six elements that according to him must be evaluated when employing packaging decisions: size, form, material, color, text and brand. Packaging could be treated as one of most priceless tool in todays marketing communications as it gives more detailed study of its elements and an impact of those elements on consumers buying behavior. Renaud (2007) researched on the influence of label and its validity and purchasing behavior. Labeling plays a relative importance in packaging as compared to other product attributes like pricing strategies for consumer buying behavior. According to P.H.K.Prathiraja and A.Ariyawardana (2003) when consumer making purchase decisions their main focus is on labeling of those products especially if they are health conscious. Most of the consumers are willing to pay something additional if proper information about the product is mentioned on the packaging of the product. Nutritional labeling plays an important role in providing relevant nutrition information to consumers. If the products are not labeled consumers may not be fully aware of the nutrient content of the product. As a result the consumers makes their own belief about nutrient content based on advertising, public health messages and their knowledge of food sciences. According to Larceneux (2004), there are two routes that can that are likely to influence consumers purchase intention. Perceived Quality: Consumers rely on brand and labeling as the indicator of certain products quality. Perceived Uniqueness: Through the policy of labeling which relies primarily on uniqueness of products each producer seeks to distinguish products that helps to position the product in such a way that it remains in the mind of consumers. According to Grunert (2001), high quality of a product remains an important source of competitive advantage for any product. Label always remains an important element as the identifier of a product that tells about the quality of the product. A label makes the consumer choice easier as it is an important evaluation criterion for the consumer as the competition is becoming very stiff and consumers are becoming more and more demanding. Boer (2003) suggests that impact of label on consumer purchase decision totally depends on the way a consumer perceives and thinks. If the labeling strategy is efficient then it can convince the consumer to differentiate between labeled products and other products. In many cases it can happen that the aspects which are covered by the label are not in the best interest of the consumer so labels then fail to fulfill their roles. A label is considered as being the most powerful quality signal which can directly help the consumer to decide about buying a product. According to Giraud Grunert (2001), perception of a label is a source of information provided to the consumers that may differ according to families and also it can differ according to the category of the product. According to Tavoularis et al (2007), womens are more concerned about the product labeling and signals of quality as compared to men because womens are the main buyers of different products as they go to malls and department stores as compared to men so it results in more straight and permanent contact with labeled products. As the consumer gets older their motivation to purchase labeled products gets even stronger. Labeling remain a solution for encouragement for the consumers and help them take a decision to buy a certain product. Consumers normally tend to seek for information that will be comfortable for them and will help to buy a prod uct and make the right choice among a set of products belonging to the same category. Education plays a vital role in determining the importance of a product and to see that what part is played by labeling strategies on a certain product. According to Europe (1996), the people who have studied middle education and higher education tends to be more open and focused on labeling as compared to those people who have studied till primary or even lower middle education. According to Aprile (2004), it is not quite possible for the market to provide consumers with proper information about the attributes of a specific product and also to check that weather these attributes meets the needs of consumers or not. Caswell (1997), in todays world consumers are information on the process and safety of foods and how these foods are produced. It is becoming more and more important in consumers mind the process of making of foods and all the characteristics that are attached to that food product. In making purchase decisions consumers considers attributes and information as a critical part of packaging. Labeling performs functions as a public tool that helps in direct support to purchasing decisions. Some advertising firms combine their advertising messages with the data included in the label that results to enhance the image of the product as well as increase the credibility of their message. Labels are conceived as claims put forward by sellers to inform buyer s about certain characteristics of their products. Labeling also contributes to increasing the effectiveness of some other communication forms that are addressed to consumers such as re-education and public information programs. Labeling serves as an identity card of the product to make information immediately available to the consumers making purchase decisions. It is tool through which consumers are provided a whole set of data like expiry date, preservation procedures etc. . Padberg (1992), direct support to consumers in their purchasing decisions plays a very prominent role in buying behavior. Labels must includes sales denomination, list of ingredients, minimum preservation time or expiry date, name and location of the manufacturer or packager, danger symbols and indication of danger involved in the use of the substance, location of the manufacturing plant and packaging plant, procedure to preserve and use the product when specific instructions have to be followed, instructions for use, place of origin as the lack of this information might mislead buyers as to the origin of the product. Labeling is aimed at achieving three main objectives: to guarantee proper and accurate information on product safety and healthiness, to protect consumers and manufacturers against any deceitful messages and to favor a fair competition amongst the firms operating on the market place. Label can also be a tool used by the firms to execute strategies to distinguish and imp rove their products. The level of information legally required will depend on the product. For instance food products have different requirements to that of clothing or cosmetics. A label must include ample information so that consumers know exactly what they are getting and can make an informed decision. Most importantly, the information must not be deceptive or misleading. According to Rousu.C. Corrigan.R. (2008), firms are heavily investing on new products and design of labels that will help to attract new customers and also will help to retain the existing customers. Firms spend millions of dollars to ensure that labels effectively inform consumers about the product. They would like to see that their consumers who are purchasing their product have a complete information about their product before making any purchase decisions. If proper measures are not taken and consumers are not well informed about the product then it may result in consumers purchasing a product that they dont want to. There is a common perception that by simply placing additional and accurate information on label will lead to better consumer choices. But on the contrary there are evidences that by placing information on label might not be enough to inform consumers. Noussair, Robin and Ruffieux (2002), there are some labels that do not influence the consumer buying behavior like a product indicating that an ingredient is genetically engineered. There is a common perception that more information on a label will automatically provide with better information to the consumers. According to Boer (2003), Labels are not just a message about a product or a service but it is a claim that states that it has some particular features and properties. Consumers normally have limited incentives to invest in obtaining information as the idea behind labeling seems to be very straight forward. Sometimes consumers are aware of the difference between sustainable and un-sustainable practices but they could not identify it in the market. Marketers make plans to enable consumers to identify these differences so that they become motivated to buy the labeled products instead of other products. According to Louw (1999), typically a shopper looks at the label of a product for about five to seven seconds and it does not matter that how many messages are there on the package. According to Knox (2007) risk is an important factor of food choice. Consumer concern over food risk has increased while at the same time. Understanding of public perception of risk is crucial to the success of food safety. Dickson (1994) said that now a day firms spend more money on packaging than on advertising and packaging is often the most renowned marketing effort. Labels are one of the most important features of product packaging and these labels are always chosen to convey messages. According to Hà ©roux (1988) marketers and marketing firms spend significant time and money on packaging products in a manner that will attract consumers concentration and promote its utilization. Color and shapes are the most appealing to consumers. Colors have meaning and are used as an essential tool to integrate marketing strategies and communication. These are often used for product and brand differentiation. Shapes also play a vital role in for these types of marketing strategies. According to Peters (1994) packages are suggested to have great impact as a means of direct communication. A package is recognized as a marketing communication tool as packages convey meanings directly to consumers when the decision to purchase is being made. It is commonly accepted that packages convey meanings about the product and its features, benefits and how to use any products. Packages are found to attract attention. Pictures on packages are emphasized to attract attention especially when consumers are not familiar with the brands. Other than pictures, such signals such as colors, brand names and materials convey brand meaning. Most of the individuals respond to label shape variations and color compositions. De Mello and Pires Gonà §alves (2008) found that there are strong preferences for selected combinations of colors and shapes in the composition design of labels. It is well accepted that packages have an essential role in influencing the consumer purchase choices and int ention at the point of purchase. The impact of packages on consumer behavior and more closely their purchase intention affects at the point of purchase. Pictures on packages are emphasized to attract attention particularly when consumers are not very familiar with the brands. When consumers choose among competing products, they face quality and product performance uncertainty. According to Bredahl, Grunert, and Fertin (1998) in order to design products that will be accepted by consumers it is necessary to translate consumer demands into product specifications that are actionable from the producers point of view. This is especially complex for food stuff because the way consumers perceive expected quality before a purchase is often different from the way quality is perceived after consumption. Perceived product quality is perhaps one of the most important constructs in marketing. Customers behavior can be defined as an activity focused on the purchasing, consuming and using of the products by making decisions before and after purchasing. To determine the attributes by which to evaluate quality in goods and services is the classification that Nelson (1970, 1974) and Darby and Karni (1973) establish for the properties of goods differentiating three types of properties among consumer goods. Search properties: It represents the attributes a consumer can determine before actually purchasing a product. Experience properties: It represents the attributes that can only be discerned after purchase or during consumption. Credence properties: It represents the characteristics that may be impossible to evaluate even after purchase and consumption. According to Cronin and Taylor (1992) and Parasuraman, Zeithaml Berry (1996) high perceived quality leads to repeat purchases and it is the foundation of any business. The importance of perceived quality derives from its beneficial impact on purchase intentions. It is expected that the higher the perceived quality of a product, the higher the consumer satisfaction. Our lifestyle has changed in this fast paced world as compared to few decades ago. Today more and more people are caught up in an endless cycle of buying and throwing away seeing consumption as a means of self-fulfillment. Consumption is the reason why anything is produced. Consumers have positive attitudes towards food products where one of the most common mentioned reasons in purchasing food products was that it is perceived healthier than conventional alternatives. Consumers do not always buy sustainable products as consequences of environmental concern or to benefit the community or due to personal beliefs but mainly to give priority to health and to be part of the social group and to distinguish from others as they seek out the quality of products through labeling that helps in purchasing any food product. According to Titiana Klompenhouwer and Henk Van Den Belt (2003) the product information has influenced the perceived benefit on customers; therefore, their willingness to buy and use a product may change according to that. The name of the product, its price and its nutritional benefit information had a significant effect on the intention to buy products. Product labels are the chief responsible for conveying the food information to customers. The basic motive of legal regulation of labeling and advertising is to inform and protect the consumer therefore customers can make an informed choice. The food label is a prime marketing tool. It is a key source of information for the purchaser. Price cannot be excluded from the factors influencing the motivation to use foods. Price plays a crucial role in the decision of consumers to purchase foods. Demographic variables such as gender and age should also be taken into consideration in this aspect of the issue of purchasing behavior and decisi on-making. The consumers possess socioeconomic attributes, such as income, sex, age, household size, which frame their consumption habits. One of the most factors that makes people or customers pay attention to food products labels is General health interest, the second important factor is Organic concerns and the third is fitness interests. Expiry date is the most effective factor that can influence customers purchasing decision-making. More educated customers are more intended to purchase good quality products although it might be more expensive. People mostly check the food labels and almost understand the labels but most consumers dont trust the manufacturer about the labels on the products, these consumers also need to know more about the ingredients of the foods and finally labels and their information or details about the products are the factors that influence on customers purchasing decision making. Cultural developments can be mentioned as one of the most important and eff ective factors influencing customers behavior, attitudes and perception toward food products.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay The heart is the most important organ of the blood which keeps the other internal organs alive by supplying blood and oxygen hence making it a life maintaining organ. The objective of this essay is to explain the pumping action of the heart, transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system and how reduced blood flow can affect cardiac function. A treatment for this cardiac malfunctioning is also explained. I will begin the essay by explaining the anatomical structure of the heart and then explain how the pumping action of the heart. The second part of the essay will include how the reduction in blood flow can affect the cardiac function and finally a treatment to cure this problem will be explained. The heart is a life maintaining organ weighs almost less then a pound, barely the size of the fist and located in the mediastinum of the throracic cavity of human body. The shape of the heart is like a inverted cone which has a blunt tapered end that points to the left hip and the base pointing towards the right shoulder. The heart lies more close to the left that is nearly third of it and rest on the diaphragm in between the two lungs. This is shown in figure 1 which shows the location of the heart. Fig.1: Anterior view of the heart in the mediastinum The entire heart is covered by a dense fibrous tissue called the pericardium which comprises of a dense connective tissue called the fibrous pericardium which protects the heart from over stretching due to excessive filling, it also consists of the serous pericardium which forms deeper portion of the heart. The serous layer is further divided into the parietal layer which lines the outer layers the and visceral layer which lines the innermost layers of the heart. A fluid which reduces friction is present in the pericardial cavity that separates these parietal and visceral layers. The below figure (see fig. 2 ) shows the different layers of the the pericardium. Fig.2: The pericardium and the Heart wall http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=cardiopart=A1016rendertype=figureid=A1019 As shown in the above figure (see fig.2), the heart wall is composed of three different layers ; epicardium, myocardium and the endocardium. The epicardium which forms superficial layer of the heart wall consists of mainly adipose tissue. The endocardium forms the deeper layer of the heart and is filled with squamous endothelium and aerolar tissues. Between these two layers lies the myocardium which is made up of cardiac muscles that help in the contraction of the heart. Its relatively a thick layer as it helps the heart to perform its normal pumping action that is contraction and expansion of the heart at regular intervals. On the outer surface of the heart there many grooves and layers of fat called the sulci. The heart is divided into four chambers which has two inferior intermittent pumps which discharge blood out of the heart called the right and the left ventricles and two superior primer pumps called the right and left atria receiving deoxygenated and oxygenated blood from the body and the lungs respectively. The ventricles are separated from each other by a relatively thick muscle called the interventricular septum but atria are separated from each other by relatively a thinner wall called the interatrial septum as it has lighter workload comparing the ventricles. The right ventricle has thicker walls comparing the left ventricle because it has to pump more blood during systemic circulation. The presence of heart valves prevents the back flow blood and hence ensures that blood flows effectively in one direction. There are two types of valves which are the atrioventricular (AV) valves and the semilunar valves. The AV valves consists of the the tricuspid and bicuspid (mitral) valves th at are located on the right and left side of the heart between the ventricles and atria respectively. The semilunar valves on the other hand lie on the bases of aorta and the pulmonary artery. These valves consists of the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve. The tricuspid valve has thread like structures that are connected to tendon like cords called the chordae tendinae. The anatomical structure of the heart and the heart valves is shown in figure 3. Fig.3: The heart and the heart valves http://yoursurgery.com/ProcedureDetails.cfm?BR=3Proc=24 Blood Flow Through The Heart The blood flow through the heart is explained by the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Deoxygenated blood is drained into the right atrium by the superior and the inferior vena cava. The pressure in the right atrium increases forcing the tricuspid valve to open and hence draining the entire deoxygenated blood to the right ventricle. The volume of blood in the ventricle increases and the maximum volume of the blood in the right ventricle after the contraction of the right atrium is called end diastolic volume (EDV). EDV is generally about 140ml. As the tricuspid valve closes the pressure in the ventricles increases. During this phase the ventricles contract but the pressure is not enough for the pulmonary valve to open hence resulting in isometric contraction as a result all the heart valves are closed during this phase and the volume in the ventricles remains constant. As the pressure continues to increase comparing the right atrium the blood forces open the pulmonary valve and the deoxygenated blood is pushed into the pulmonary trunk that divides into the pulmonary arteries. After the contraction of the ventricle that is the systole, the amount of blood remaining in the ventricle is called the end systolic volume (ESV). The difference between EDV and ESV gives the stroke volume (SV) that is the blood pumped out of the ventricles during a single heart beat. The pulmonary arteries carries the deoxygenated blood to the right and the left lung for oxygenation. Once the blood is oxygenated it is returned back to the heart by the pulmonary vein. The pulmonary vein empties the oxygenated blood into the left atrium, hence completing the pulmonary circulation and as the pressure in this atrium increases the blood is drained into the left ventricle by forcing open the mitral valve. When the mitral valve is closed the the pressure rises again comparing the left atrium and the blood is pushed into the aorta by opening the aortic valve. This oxygenated blood is transport ed to various parts of the body to carry out haemodynamic activities ( which includes the exchange of oxygen and carbondioxide with the blood ) . The systemic circulation is completed once the deoxygenated blood is returned back to the right atrium from different parts of the body by the venae caveae. Fig.4: Pulmonary and Systemic Circulation of the heart http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-1_cardiovascular_sy_c.jpg During the phase of the first diastole, the ventricular relaxation takes place as a result the semilunar valves are closed and also the AV valves are also closed during this time as a result the volume of blood in the ventricles remains constant, hence this phase is called the isovolumetric relaxation. The diagrammatic explanation of the cardiac cycle is explained in figure 5. Fig.5: The Cardiac Cycle http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-11_cardiac_cycle_c.jpg Cardiac Conduction System In this system the pumping action of the heart is synchronised by the electrical activity of the heart. Electrical signals are generated by the sinoatrial (SA) node which is the bodies natural pacemaker. This node generates pulses that propagate throughout the right atrium and through the Bachmanns bundle hence stimulating both the atria. These pulses travel from SA node the to the atrioventricular (AV) node through certain paths known as internodal tracts. The AV node acts as a gatekeeper and prevents all the pulses to travel from the atria to the ventricles, hence causing some delay in the excitation. From the AV node the signals travel through the Purkinje fibres that divides itself into right and left and excites both the ventricles. This process repeats and the contraction of the heart takes place. Transportation of Oxygen by Cardiovascular System The cardiovascular system is a dense network of arteries, veins, capillaries etc. which is involved in the transportation of blood gases to and from the various parts of the body. In this part I will talking about how the cardiovascular system transports oxygen to different parts of the body. The oxygenated blood which is pumped from the left ventricle is transported by the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery of the human body which is made up of several layers of the elastin fibers and covered by smooth muscle. Blood flows in the arteries with high pressures hence these arteries expand (vasodilation) and contract (vasoconstriction) thus helping to regulate blood pressure. The aorta bifurcates into various different arteries smaller in size carrying oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. These arteries further divide into arterioles whose diameter is much smaller comparing the arteries and are less elastic. These arterioles are made up of thick layer of smooth muscles an d are controlled by the autonomic nervous system that control their diameter. Oxygenated blood now passes from the arterioles to the capillaries which are the functional unit of the cardiovascular system. Capillaries are responsible for the exchange of blood gases and other nutrients between different tissues and blood through the process of diffusion. As diffusion is the process by which gases or fluids flow from higher to lower concentration therefore at the capillary level the concentration of oxygen is more in the capillaries and on the other hand the concentration of carbondioxide is more in the tissue than in the capillaries therefore the diffusion of these gases takes place. Oxygen is diffused into the tissues and carbondioxide on the other hand is diffused into the tissues. This is how oxygen is transported to different parts of the body. This deoxygenated blood is collected from the venules which are connected to the capillaries. Theses venules group together to form veins. Hence this deoxygenated blood is returned back to the heart for oxygenation and the entire process is repeated. The entire process of the transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system is explained in figure 6 Fig 6: Blood flow and capillary exchange of oxygen http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Blood-General-Overview.htm Effects Of Reduced Coronary Blood Flow And Its Treatment Reduced coronary blood flow results in a condition known as ischemia where the myocardiac tissue is deprived of oxygen due to inadequate blood flow. The inadequacy is caused by formation of localised plaques of lipids that protrude within the artery causing a reduction in blood flow. As a result of reduced blood flow, there is a reduction in the level of oxygen which is required to carry out metabolic activities of the tissues. In ischemia the anaerobic respiration of the tissue results in the formation of lactic acid which leads to sever pain in the chest region. This pain is called angina pectoris. Angina pectoris is classified into two types; stable and unstable. Stable angina which causes pain in the chest region may arise from some physical activity ( running, jogging etc.). During these activities the need for oxygen is more to carry out metabolic activities in a faster rate compared to the supply of oxygen as a result anaerobic respiration of the tissues takes place and hence results in the formation of lactic acids which causes this pain. In unstable angina there is a persistent pain in the chest regions this is because of the accumulation of platelets on the ruptured plaques which leads to the blockage of the arteries and hence causing immense reduction in blood flow. Persistent unstable angina may cause myocardial infraction which ultimately may lead to sudden death. There are many ways to treat angina it may be either surgical or non surgical ways. Surgical methods include coronary balloon angioplasty where a catheter is passed into an artery with a balloon at the tip of the catheter. The balloon is made to expand causing the artery to expand and hence breaking of the plaque of lipids in the artery. Another types of surgical method is the coronary bypass surgery where the blocked artery is completely removed and replaced with a new one taken from different parts of the body. Non surgical methods include taking drugs that cause vasodilation such as ni troglycerin which converts into nitric oxide and hence dilates the coronary artery causing an increase in blood flow. Beta adrenergic blocking receptors are used to reduce the heart rate and therefore causing a reduction in cardiac output. Other techniques that involve the use of calcium channel blockers that are used for vasodilation and hence helping the flow of blood. Conclusion The heart is a an electromechanical pump which carries out its action through pulmonary and systemic circulation. The pumping action is well synchronised such that there is proper blood flow within the heart and outside to carry out haemodynamic activities. The transportation of blood is carried by a system consisting various networks that are spread throughout the body known as the cardiovascular system. This system helps in the transportation of oxygen to different tissues in order to carry out different metabolic activities. The exchange of oxygen between tissues and the cardiovascular system takes place through a process called diffusion. The effects of reduced blood are many and can lead to a condition known as ischemia. Angina pectoris is one of the main problems that can cause due to reduced blood flow and hence causing a sever pain in the chest region and on sever reduction in blood flow it may even lead to myocardial infraction which ultimately leads to death. There are nume rous treatments for curing this particular problem, it may be either through surgical methods which includes cardiopulmonary bypass and angioplasty or using drugs that increase vasodilation and decrease cardiac output. These drugs include beta receptors, calcium channel blockers and nitroglycerin.

Monday, August 19, 2019

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement

My Philosophy of Education The obstacle of finding a career is something we are all faced with at one time or another. Fortunately for me, I found this decision to be a very easy one, because I have a love for teaching. The decision of my career was clear. I was going to become a teacher. The nature of students, or at least most students, is to learn and master problem-solving abilities in order to be a successful adult. I believe the student’s nature is ever changing, therefore, in that perspective, I agree mostly with progressivism. People are natural explorers, and the mind of the human is designed for problem solving. One person whose views I share is John Dewey, who is the founder of progressivism. Mr. Dewey said the schools should teach children how to think with â€Å"continuous reconstruction of experience†. Schools should not teach children what to think but how to think through a continuous reconstruction of experience. I also agree with Mr. Dewey that students should be given the power to make decisions on issues that will affect them. Participation of decisions, in life makes for a well-rounded student and adult. Knowledge must continually be redefined and rediscovered to keep up with the change. You can listen to the older generations and how they were taught and how the generation of today is taught. The older generation used small black boards to write on; where as today, the generation has computers to help in their education. The nature of ...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Role of Climate Change in Coral Reef Destruction Essay -- Global W

Climate change is arguably one of the most discussed issues in climatic conferences and political debates across the world. Establishment of the fact that global warming is the leading cause of climate change continues to persuade people to find out ways of reducing or mitigating the effects it has on the earth. Global warming occurs naturally, but artificial causes, which are mainly human activities, contribute to this effect. The release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from human activates has led to a 0.60C rise in global temperatures (Walther et al., 2002). This implies that different life forms are affected in one way or the other given the effect of temperature on life. Different species of flora and fauna have and continue to suffer the effect of climatic changes. Coral reef is one of seawater features that have been affected by climatic changes. This has led to destruction through coral bleaching and increased mortality, especially due to the warming of the sea that causes an increase in sea water levels (Bakerl, Glynn & Riegl, 2008). An increase in global temperature also increases ocean acidification (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). These occurrences destroy reefs resulting in a significant drop in other sea organisms that depend on the reef. This implies that climatic changes are among the most destructive environmental elements affecting coral reef population in the world. To understand how climatic changes affect coral reef population, it is important to consider different ecological processes that occur due to climatic changes, the most common being the rise in global temperatures. Results from Different Studies Investigating the Role of Climate Change in Coral Reef Destruction Evidence of Sea Acidi... ...igher—Can We Do Anything About It?. National Geographic. Retrieved Nov 11, 2013: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/ Obura, D. (2005). Resilience and climate change: lessons from coral reefs and bleaching in the Western Indian Ocean. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 63, 353–372. Obura, D. & Grimsditch, D. (2009). Coral reefs, climate change and resilience : an agenda for action from the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Neptune: IUCN. Smith, V. & Buddemeier, W. (1992). Global change and coral ecosystems . Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst, 23, 89-118. Sutthacheepn, M. et al. (2013). Impacts of the 1998 and 2010 mass coral bleaching events on the Western Gulf of Thailand. Deep-Sea Research II, 96, 25–31. Walther, G. et al. (2002). Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature, 416, 389-395.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Beloved & Story

Beloved is a soul-stirring novel with vivid imagery, historical background and complex characters. The dark and grey, tones of slavery is very strongly captured in detail by characters going through the horrific experiences of slavery. The brutal images of slavery tarnishes their lives with â€Å"marks†(Beloved), scars, wounds, shackles, and memories with heavy burden of the past , fragmented self in the present and very foggy view of the future. The precious self, which is the birthright of every human being is stained, fragmented and diminished by the painful experiences of slavery.The body undergoes innumerable hardship, torture and agony; and the mind is made crippled, dependant and weak with exhaustion and hostility. The scars of slavery reduce the human beings to ashes, where they are drained of any hope and light. The spirit is submerged in the burden of life, and everyday existence for survival. Some of the strong ideas around which the novel revolves are: love (mother ’s possessive love), family, self-possessiveness, burden of the past, and desire for ownership. These themes unite the events and the characters within the story.These are the themes that also reflect that human self is higher than the mortal bruises inflicted on the body by the painful experiences of slavery. The power of mother’s love is the strong force which controls many happenings within the story. The life of the protagonist Sethe centers on the protection of her children from the horrors of the slavery. She lived a terrible life, where there was no ray of light and still managed to secure her freedom in the difficult days of pregnancy. How she managed to do it lies in her inner strength as a mother, for the protection of her children .Her mother love is the strong chord which propels her actions to send away her older children for safety and protection to Baby Suggs. In the last and difficult stages of pregnancy, when even walking is painful, she decides to run away from Sweet Home with the help from a white girl Amy. She gives birth to her 4th child on the run and still finds strength to carry on until she reaches the safety of home, where Baby Suggs lives with her other children. The whole length of the novel is weaved with instances that reinforce the strong desire for the family.The vision of united family under one roof is something held as aspiration for Sethe ( the main character), Baby Sugg ( the paternal grandmother), Denver(the living daughter), Paul D(another slave from Sweet Home) and Beloved( the ghost incarnate). The â€Å"House 124† is the symbolic of the shelter of home, which brings all the characters under this one roof, where all the interaction and complexities arise. This is where the past, present and future are face to face, in the race for dominance and survival. This is where the mystery of the numbers is revealed.The critical role which Beloved, the 3rd child, dead as well as living, plays is unfathomable. She creates the mysterious haunted atmosphere within the walls of â€Å"House 124†. Beloved fills the missing number 3, and remains as the unseen force calling the shots through her possessive love and desire for revenge. She represents the invisible force of past, which controls the actions of the present. The inhabitants of â€Å"House 124† are locked in love, possessive love which directs their thoughts and actions beyond control.The world outside does not attract them; they want to be in the security of their house, which represents their freedom and safety. The ownership of â€Å"House 124† is her first attempt to live a normal life without the shackles of slavery. Ownership is complex, when the experiences are so burdened by the cruelties of the past. The stamp of ownership reduced the humans living within the system to indifference. The body suffers, the mind is shattered with pain and anguish, and the spirit is reduced to emptiness.In this desperation, humans can act out of love in unpredictable ways to escape from the darkness and grimness of the situation. This is what Sethe did when she killed her one year-old daughter because she did not want her to live the life which she was living. The mark on Sethe's mother was a mark of possession, the branding of a slave. The human’s who were owned as slaves were treated worse than animals. For the first time, Paul D reveals his 18-year struggle, the endless running and hiding. To him, slavery is worse than being an animal: â€Å"Mister [the rooster] was allowed to be and stay where he was.But I wasn't. † We learn of the cruelty of the schoolteacher's two nephews, who sucked on Sethe's milk as if she were an animal. The pain of watching his wife abused by the owners school teacher and his nephews, drove Sethe’s husband Halle mad. (Beloved). The strong desire for ownership can also be seen, later on in Sethe, Paul D, Beloved and Denver, when they are living in â€Å" House 124†. Their relationship is also a struggle in the claim of ownership and struggle to find that strength to make the claim.The biggest hurdle in their claim for love and ownership is the heavy burden of the past which they carry as haunted voices and dark clouds. The powerful game of love and seduction makes this struggle for power more complicated. The significant role of the heart wounded, locked away and bleeding reinforces the need for love and ownership. The exposed breast as the source of milk, a sign of nurturance indicates the power of protection and possession. Sethe controls the chief events within her household; she is the nurturer as well as the killer.Her love is possessive and strong. She has survived and wishes to hold on to the chords of the future. Sethe’s possessive love is challenged by Beloved, the ghost of the dead baby overshadows the life of people living at â€Å"House 124†when she reveals herself as a woman, 19 or 20 years of age, c oming out of the marsh fully dressed. She is tired and thirsty, but her shoes are new and her skin is flawless except for three scratches on her forehead. It takes her more than two days to drag herself to 124 With a harsh voice, she pronounces that her name is Beloved.Beloved brings back many memories, especially those regarding the horrors of slavery (Beloved). The existing contrasts reveal her out of world characteristics. Much of the imagery in Beloved is dedicated to the picture of the cellars of a slave ship, with implications that this is the place Beloved was before she was born. The description is one of a womb, not of a cramped slave ship. The past has been forgotten, and there is a strong feeling of being trapped in the darkness (Beloved). Beloved is a dangerous mix of human traits and ghostly characteristics. Though hungry for love, she can smother love with revenge.She is a schemer and a parasite, which arrives in the â€Å"House 124† to fulfill her unfinished de sires and urges. She is only centered on herself, which intensifies her fears and terrors. The horror of the obscurity, the pangs of hunger and the fear of death immobilizes the mind and the body. The self, the spirit within is gradually overpowered by the agony of physical torture. The memories haunt the living as well as the ghost, as a shadow of all the experiences. The imagery of loudness and sound also plays a significant role to describe that â€Å"House 124 was spiteful† (Beloved).Here the spite is alive – it is, as Stamp Paid realizes, the roar of â€Å"people of the broken necks, of fire-cooked blood and black girls who had lost their ribbons† (Beloved). What roars is the dead, the injustice dealt to more than sixty million, all alive in Beloved. The loudness betrays a sinister part of Beloved which has not yet surfaced. The loudness is the cry, the despair and the frustrations of life’s experienced by people in shackles and chains, with no freed om to live, think or feel. It is self crying to be saved from this mortal combat of pain and anguish.The deep imprint of slavery is once again brought into play when Paul D reminisces about â€Å"Sweet Home† (Beloved) Even death does not deter the human soul and human self from the desire for freedom. Though the mortal bruises hurt the body and mind, they do not completely destroy the sanctuary of the self, however fragmented and withered. This light within is what keeps humans, such as Sethe and Sixo, to keep going and to find the way to freedom, either through escape or death. The helplessness experienced as a victim of slavery tarnishes the self deeply, leaving a person dirty and unclean from within.â€Å"That anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind. Not just work, kill or maim you, but dirty you. Dirty you so bad you couldn't like yourself anymore. Dirty you so bad you forgot who you were and couldn't think it up†¦ The best thing was, was her [Sethe’s] children. Whites might dirty her all right, but not her best thing†(Beloved). The inner strength of Sethe is very strongly portrayed in the lines above, showing she is willing to go to any length to protect her children and save them from getting dirty.The possessiveness and the protective aspect of maternity are very powerfully expressed in this comment. Mother love is the protector and the nurturer, but also a killer. â€Å"Slavery is not just an institution; it is a philosophy and mindset which is far-reaching in its consequences† (ROTHSTEIN The horrific memories of the past hold a powerful influence on the present life of Sethe and Denver. The re-emergence of Beloved on the scene as half human and half ghost, half child and half adult adds complexity beyond comprehension.All the powerful feminine emotions play a critical role in adding drama and despair. The entanglement of the relationships between Denver and Beloved, though sisters, expos es the deep jealousy and bitterness. The dependence and immaturity, is characterized by their selfishness and insecurity. The overcast clouds of wounds, scars and shackles, are too heavy a burden to carry from one life to another. The past is a burden, the present is a struggle and future is so foggy that the road to freedom seems lost.The insatiable desire of the fragmented self to rise in spirit to face the world is the beautiful message hidden in the heaps of ashes of the past. The message is to bury the past, loosen the shackles of the present bindings and look to future with the hope and courage. Works Cited ROTHSTEIN , MERVYN. â€Å"Toni Morrison, In Her New Novel, Defends Women. â€Å"Books. August 26, 1987, . The New York Times Company. 1 Mar 2007 . ( ROTHSTEIN ) â€Å"Beloved. † Beloved. 1998-2007. Homework Online Inc. 1 Mar 2007 . (Beloved)