Material Culture in Daniel Miller´s The Comfort of Things

In Epilogue, which is the closing chapter of the book, The Comfort of Things, Daniel Miller deals with the purpose of material culture. The chapter starts with an important question, â€Å"If this is a street in contemporary London and these are its people, what, then, is modern life, and what is the nature of that humanity which lives in our times?† (Miller; 282). He turns to social sciences to find the answer for this question, and sets out from Durkheim. According to Durkheim it is humanity which created religion and cosmology, and people need Gods only to satisfy religious rituals and to help obey the law, which is a base of living in society. If Miller had put the history of philosophy, social science and religion on one side and turned to people to ask, what is important in their life; or why do they think their life is full or empty, one of the possible answers are the relationships. But what he mainly studies here, are the relationships with material objects, which assures peoples material presence. He draws two conclusions from his book: â€Å"†¦the centrality of relationships to modern life, and the centrality of material culture to relationships.† In connection with this he refers to Bourdieu and to his study between Berbers. Bourdieu said that people dont need school or education to know what does it mean being a Berber, and how they have to behave. It is the history and the material official according to what people change their behavior. Pierre Bourdieu says thatShow MoreRelatedA Leadership Development Of The Church Essay2277 Words   |  10 Pagesthroughout. Leadership development apart from God is nothing more than a ladder of accomplishment within the ranks of a local body of believers. Daniel Im states, Christian leadership is not taking secular leadership and baptizing it into the church. 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Marketing- Pick and Pay free essay sample

They try keeping the use of preservatives to a minimum and provided a detailed online catalogue of in season fresh produce for every month of the year. Rather than having to put fresh produce on the shelf that isn’t up to standard. PnP chooses instead to only stock what is available to them. If the cheaper, outdoor grown avocados are not available due to seasonal limitations, they will stock the more pricy, greenhouse grown ones for example. Information gap- Each product sold on the shelf has a detailed breakdown of the nutritional value and allergens in the product. Pick and Pay provides qualified. PnP also provides educated and qualified pharmacists, and nurses at their medical dispensaries. This allows the customer to be sure of their purchase, the product, its relevant uses and any dangers associated with the product. Ownership gap- The ownership gap is bridged through customers being able to pay via EFT if they have used the online store and the goods are delivered directly to the consumer’s doorstep. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing- Pick and Pay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Customers can do their shopping and select their various products. Once this is complete, the customer is required to pay for the goods. The till prints out a receipt, proving that the transaction took place, and identifying exactly what products changed owners. Pick and Pay makes shopping easier for the consumer as the consumer has the option to pay with cash or card facilities that are all available at the till point and no arrangement need to be made in advance with regards to the customers preferred method of payment. Value gap- This is the distinction between the relative values of a product in the eyes of the retailer verses the relative value of the same product in the eyes of the consumer. If both parties don’t come to an agreement on the value of a product, a sale will not take place. PnP would in some cases, drop their price, thus losing out on profitability, to be on par with their competitors. The sale will then become entirely dependent on which of the competitors close the 5 marketing gaps best. Question 2 Transport- This is entirely about efficiency and effectivity when it comes to getting the product to the consumers as fresh as possible and quickly as possible. Pick and Pay has various depots around the country and have a main distributions center in Longmeadow, Gauteng. Sourcing and supplying of information- Pick and Pay have been the game for many years and have acquired information on the different social classes that make use of their stores. They do market research to identify how to cater for each class with necessity good being priced accordingly to suit the poorer population but still pride themselves in quality. Sourcing and supplying of information is an ongoing procedure because trends change as we are in an ever changing society. The customers are really well informed about product as the staff for example at the dispensary are qualified and can answer all the consumer questions. There is a head of each section example the butchery, fresh produce, tinned foods and the bakery that the customers can raise their questions to if the customer feels the advertising isn’t informative enough. There will always be a professional at hand. Standardization and grading- This is ensuring that product standards are consistent. Grading the products make the customers aware of the type of good they are purchasing. It avoids the disappointment of paying the same for a pumpkin and when one gets home your neighbour was just at Pick and Pay and got a pumpkin double the size of yours at the same price. It avoids the customer feeling they have not got value for their money. To rectify these types of problems there is a grading system for quality and size. Apples for example are graded, lamb, wines and eggs. So for a superior quality lamb, wine, apple or egg one will pay more. Storage- Limiting stocks at the stores that set the products free to the consumer for final consumption is the best way to keep produce fresh as possible and keep the shelf life longer. The new distribution center makes it possible for stores to keep less stock yet have the same accessibility as if the produce was stored on the premises. The distribution center contains far more advanced fridgeration systems to prolong the life of the stock too. Financing- this is the attempt to keep cost as low as possible intern rewarding the customer with the lower prices to competitors. Pick and pay has a head above the rest in this department as they make use of a bulk buying principle. Their trading stock is essentially costing less than competitors therefore they can use the same mark-up percentage but have cheaper prices. The distribution center keep transport costs down and Pick and pay don’t outsource the delivery of product to stores they do it themselves. Risk Taking- This is also a characteristic of an entrepreneur we see that Pick and Pay have taken various initiatives in the community by sponsoring many events and making CSI one of their main aims to help the people of South Africa to a better quality of life. Millions are invested in these initiatives every year by Pick and Pay hoping the consumers will take note and the brand image remains a positive one. They take the age old saying of ‘’one needs to spend money to make money’’ and put it into practice in a more modern way. Question 3 Pick and Pay embraces the societal marketing orientation I feel. They aren’t entirely focused on only satisfying consumer needs, demands and preferences. They look at the bigger picture. They strike a balance between the consumer’s wants and needs, the consumer’s long-term interests in society, society’s long term goals and the organizations long term financial goals. They take into account environmental problems, shortage of resources, economic problems and neglected social services in South Africa and make that their problem in a sense and adapt their business practices accordingly. This diagram help one understand that they equally focus attention to these 3 different spheres. Consumers want satisfaction and feel they are getting value. Society and human welfare is being looked after with Pick and Pay supporting small businesses and helping them with basic business concepts. Wild life support programmes for endangered species. Workshops to educate the youth and the less fortunate and sponsoring of events like the Cape Argus cycling competition. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PICK AND PAY AND THEY UNDERPIN THE CORE VALUES OF SOCIETAL MARKETING. The spirit that guides the Company and gives it its unique character is driven by the values and principles that inspired Raymond Ackerman to establish Pick n Pay in 1967. Those values and principles are considered sacrosanct and, despite changing times, new developments, improved technology and radical strategies, they remain consistent. Core principles The core principles that constitute Pick n Pays business activities include: * Maintaining abiding values, in spite of business practices changing with time. * Fostering respect for individuals, not as a strategic advantage, but because it is morally correct. Acknowledging the difference between timeless principles and daily business practices. * Sticking to values – even if this appears to put us at a competitive disadvantage. Sustainable business For over four decades we have built a truly sustainable business. The growth and success of Pick n Pay is attributable to two fundamental principles: * An unwavering belief in consu mer sovereignty * The application of the â€Å"four legs of the table† principle. These principles were put into practice at the foundation stages of the Company, and continue to be the cornerstone of the business The four legs of the table The â€Å"four legs of the table† principle follows a simple analogy: The business is essentially likened to a table supported by four legs, on top of which the consumer is positioned. Each leg is required to be equally strong so that the table may remain balanced and upright. The four legs comprise: * Administration * Merchandise * Promotion and social responsibility * People Each leg is equally important to the success and continued sustainability of the business. Each requires, and continues to receive, equal focus and management support. Building of sustainable communities Sustainability businesses have an important role to play in the building of sustainable communities – a responsibility Pick n Pay embraces wholeheartedly. It is not simply a philanthropic way of thinking; it is an act of enlightened self-interest. In our case, the more economic freedom that exists within South African society, the more scope there will be for growth in the retail market. It is no surprise that our view is the same as it was at our inception – big business must work together towards securing the economic security and social wellbeing of generations to come. Truly South African We are a truly South African company and have always operated in the best interest of our people and our communities. Pick n Pay behaves intrinsically according to our entrenched value system and we have little doubt that we have a positive impact on the lives of South Africans Question 4 I feel Pick and Pay has the right idea with regards to relationship marketing but to my view they fall short in a sense with the correct execution of relationship marketing. The blueprint is there but the practical application is still not up to standard. Relationship marketing places its main focus on the maintanance of long-term relationships between organization, government, public, suppliers employees and current and potential customers. They tick the boxes within all these departments but relationship marketing goes further than just trying to have long term relationships. It is about retention as repeat customers generate more income in the long term. Relationship marketing entails a wider view of the market itself and this is where I feel Pick and Pay miss the mark. Current and potential customers don’t feel different at all when they walk into the store. They are baited with schemes such as the smart shopper card system but this in effect is a profit maximization scheme rather than a relationship building tool. Relationship marketing simply starts with being greeted as one walks into a store. This will evoke a sense of belonging and having to keep loyalty to the particular store. Pick and Pay does not do this. It might seem impractical from a business perspective to have someone playing a roll as a host but this simple idea can in the long run generate more income. Good relationship marketing starts from the bottom up rather than a top down odel. It starts with the employees doing the simplest of tasks in-store realising they have an obligation to the customer with regards to service. This will create only a positive response from reference groups. The power of them can never be under estimated. I feel Pick and Pay know what to do to execute Relationship marketing but they are focusing on the Macro issues, government, suppliers. They can focus more resources towards the customer and employees. After all it is these two that pay ones overheads. Neither the government nor the suppliers. In concluding Pick and Pay probably just need to spread their resources more evenly between building a good relationships all round and by starting to focus more at the micro issues that are in-store and that they actually have the most control over. Question 5 5. 1) The Micro environment consists of the internal work environment and all the factors that the business have direct control over. The vision and mission statement is created in this environment. Pick and Pays resources are utilized in this environment. Strengths and weaknesses of a business occur in this environment. The Market environment consists of consumers, suppliers, competitors and intermediaries. Business’ don’t have total control over this environment but do a have a certain degree of influence. They can’t force customers to shop at their store but can direct all their effort towards attracting customers. Business’ have the option of which suppliers they would like to use and also to change suppliers if they feel they aren’t living up to their standards. Competitors can never be stopped but measures can be put into place to stay that one step ahead of them and ensure a competitive advantage in the market. Intermediaries are the business units that’s are usually outsourced for the transporting of stock. If one feels they aren’t delivering goods in a timeous fashion. It is you right as a business to voice your concerns or seek out other companies that are better suited to accommodate ones needs. 5. 2) The Macro environment is dynamic. Business need to be able to adapt to these changes. This environment contains opportunities and threats. The business has no control over this environment. Economic: This includes, price fluctuations in certain goods, taxation on mports and exports, global and national budgets, and how much the consumer is willing to spend. PnP imports products into South Africa, this is related to the international environment, but we are focusing on the laws once it arrives here. South Africa has put laws in place to tax certain products heavily, this is to prevent our local economy failing due to cheaper outsourcing to China and India. We can see this in P nPs Clothing chain. They have weighed the costs of producing locally, or buying from a local producer, and importing from china, and paying the import tax. In the case of PnP, they have chosen to go with Chinese products, as the economic state in South Africa is not so severe that the taxation would prevent from being able to turn a profit. Political: Laws and regulations both nationally and internationally change regarding the sale, stock and transporting of certain goods. Business either will adapt to these laws or discontinue them. Many business still risk not operating within these lines but it ultimately is breaking the law and they can be subjected to jail sentences or heavy fines. The pharmacy at Pick and Pay strictly has qualified pharmacists dispensing drug as this is a regulation by law that not anybody can do so. The liquor and cigarette trading is a very complicated area to deal with being a large store. They need to adhere to age one needs to be to purchase these items and certain times they may not be sold according to law. There are not only laws regarding product sales but also labour laws that Pick and Pay need to adapt with otherwise their staff can make use of trade unions and this will put the business in a bad light. Physical: This environment consists of the natural resources extracted from the earth. Pick and Pay relies heavy on these resources as it is the base product for all their goods and packaging. Even the land on which the physical building is located on is seen as a natural resource. International: This environment is largely based on imports and exports and communication software to make the conveying of message between stores easier. This may seem unnecessary but when one is dealing with up to 100 trade stores at a time communication mediums become very important. They assist in distributing of stock and also ordering of stock for the main distribution center. Technological: This is the most dynamic environment. Opportunities are endless in business as technology is always improving the way things are done. Pick and Pay have used the online shopping tool. This stops customers from having to physically go to a outlet. None of the other competitors have implemented this sort of system yet. It not only caters for the busy working class of today but also for the disabled and people who don’t have cars.

Gender Roles Throughout History Essay Example

Gender Roles Throughout History Essay Part one Gender roles of diverse cultures have differed immensely throughout history. The evolution of gender roles first began in the Paleolithic Age and then began to transform with the transformation of the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age. Women in Mesopotamia, India, Greece, China, and Rome were not treated as equals and viewed as inferior to men. Cultures like Egypt and Persia had similar laws for women and treated them with more respect out of any of the other cultures. The Paleolithic Age was responsible for the introductions of many vital aspects of our world today such as, technology, agriculture, and gender roles. The Paleolithic culture was based on a hunter and gatherer society, which had a great influence on the gender roles of males and females. For the most part, the men were responsible for the hunting, mainly due to their physical build. Genetically speaking, men are normally larger in size, stronger, and more aggressive in comparison to women. Despite the large size and strength differences, both males and females were treated with equality. Women contributed to the Paleolithic society by being responsible for the gathering of edible plants and berries. Although gathering plants and berries is considered to be less dangerous and fairly easy when being compared to hunting, gathering was considered to be one of the most important contributions to Paleolithic society. When men went off to hunt, there was no guarantee that they would always be able to bring back enough meat, if any, to feed the community. The plants and berries gathered by the women were responsible for feeding the community daily, especially when the men were unsuccessful in their hunting trip. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles Throughout History specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles Throughout History specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles Throughout History specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Without the roles of both the women and men, the community would not have been able to survive. The Neolithic Age was the transformation and progression from the Paleolithic Age lifestyle. The transition of the different era’s influenced the gender roles of men and women, changing them based on the development of their new lifestyle. The main gender role difference between the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age was male domination. Although men became much more dominant of the two genders, women were still treated with respect. Because of the size and strength advantage men had over women, men were responsible for most of the hard manual labor, while women were given roles more suited for their weaker and nurturing nature. Men started to realize that instead of hunting and killing animals, they should capture, domesticate, and breed the animals because it would be more beneficial to the community in the long run and provide a more stable lifestyle. The women also realized the importance of stability and collected seeds for an assortment of plants and fruits so they could invest their time in farming plants instead of gathering them. Because of the gathering role and responsibility women played in the past in the Paleolithic Age, women were very familiar with plants. Women understood how plants grew and the factors and environment needed in order to be successful in growing them, which is why women were responsible for the start of plant farming. Since communities did not have to relocate so often based on animal migration, and men and women did not have to spend several tiring hours searching for animals to hunt or food to gather, people had more time on their hands. This extra time allowed women to concentrate more on looking after their families and children, cooking, cleaning, and sewing. This led to men virtually being responsible for all the difficult labor. Unlike in the Paleolithic Age where men and women were equal and relied on each other for survival, men no longer needed to depend on women as much. Most of the responsibility for survival was placed on the men which is what ultimately led to their dominance. The religions and laws developed in Mesopotamia prevented women from asserting control in society. Elite classes such as priests and warriors manipulated religious beliefs to say male Gods were more valuable and dominant in comparison to female Gods. This led to justifying male domination over females in the Mesopotamian society. Men were in control and held the power, allowing them to abuse their wives, sell them into slavery to pay off debts, and partake in consensual sexual relations even if married, while women were drowned to death as punishment for committing adultery. In Mesopotamia, women were mostly responsible for tending to the children and household. Women did not have the power to make life decisions for themselves and instead, relied on the men in their family to make those decisions for them. In Egypt, although men were the dominant gender in society, women were treated with great respect, which led to a very stable and successful society. The Egyptians believed that the goal of life was happiness and viewed home and family life as the main source of it. Egyptian law basically treated women as equals for the most part. Women were allowed to hold positions of power, own property, own slaves, receive an education, and even borrow money. Although Pharaohs were normally men, certain circumstances allowed for women to hold the same title. The Egyptians believed that marriage and family were very important aspects in life. They believed that unconditional love and kindness were vital in a marriage and thought that husband and wife should always treat each other with respect. In regards to family, unlike many cultures that viewed children as another mouth to feed or another worker, Egyptians truly enjoyed their children and experienced much joy in their families. In India, public figures and important positions were given to men. Although women did not have any public authority or receive any formal education, they were still considered to be important to society by having much influence when it came to family life and were supposed to be treated with respect from their family and husband. Sometimes it was difficult for women to take of the household due to their young age. Beginning as a child, women were taught that they were supposed to devote their lives to men. Very young child brides were quite common in India but ceremonies would not take place until the child had gone through puberty. Also, according to the Laws of Manu, women were allowed to inherit property. Women could â€Å"influence affairs within their families but enjoyed no public authority† (Meridians, page 98). The Laws of Manu state, â€Å"deities delight in places where women are revered, but where women are not revered all rites are fruitless,† (Meridians, pg 78). The Code of Hammurabi does not give a lot of freedom to women. Also, the Code is very strict when it comes to marriage. The Code allowes fathers and brothers to arrange marriages and punishes cheating wives by sentencing them to death. Different from the Code of Hammurabi, the Laws of Manu stresses the importance of husbands revering their wives and keeping them happy (Meridians, P. 78). China was a patriarchal society where men were considered to be the leader of the household. Although women were not normally seen as public figures, women were considered to be very valuable in the home and family. In the beginning, women were actually considered to be extremely important because the female side passed power and the line of succession. However, there was one woman, Fu Hao, who stood out from all the rest during Shang times. Hao was in charge of her own estate and oversaw the sacrificial ceremonies that most men oversaw (Bentley Ziegler, pg 124). In Perisa, family and clans were considered to be very important. The Persian culture was considered much more laid back in comparison to many others because classes were free and people were given the freedom to practice any religion, pursue any profession, and even borrow money to start their own business. Unlike most cultures, women were able to enjoy social and legal freedoms and were a very active part of society. Women were treated with equality and respect. Females were permitted to take part in religious ceremonies and occasionally even serve as the priest. Their were no restrictions on relationships or marriage- young people in relationships were told to practice honesty and loyalty, and to always be faithful and share each others happiness (Notes on Iran, P. 1) . When selecting a husband, women were instructed to be wise but free to choose who to marry on their own (Notes on Iran, P. 1). Many women took on jobs of weaving textiles and were given portions of grain, wine, beer, and occasionally meat from the imperial and temple workshops who employed them (Traditions Encounters, P. 170). If the King passed away and the price was too young to rule, the kings wife was allowed to take the throne. Pourandokht was the first Persian Queen and was thought of throughout history as kind hearted and wise (Notes on Iran, P. 1). Persians tended to have a close knit family and parents were encouraged to teach their children right and wrong and the importance of equality. In Athens, Greece, women were seen as inferior to men, not very intelligent, and thought of to have strong emotions. Women had guardians who were their closet male relative or husband. The guardian system was set up because Athenian philosophers, other than Plato, thought that women needed to be protected from themselves and society so they could not cause any damage to themselves or others (Women in the Ancient World, P. 2). Women were not allowed to own any property other than clothing, jewelry, and slaves, and we only allowed to purchase inexpensive items. In order for a woman to gain citizenship, she had to marry a male citizen. Fathers were responsible for arranging marriages between their young daughters and older men who were normally in their twenties. Like Indian culture, the girls married after they went through puberty. The job of a wife was to have children and take care of their house. Wives were never supposed to leave their homes unless to attend special events or funerals. If a married woman was seen outside of her home without it being any of the above occasions, people considered her to be a prostitute, slave, or so poor that she had no choice but to work (Women in the Ancient World, P. 2). Women from Sparta were different from much of Greece because they were able to own and inherit land. Spartan women were known to be bold and run the household, but were not supposed to be seen as too dominant over their husbands in public. The main purpose of marriage for people of Greece was not for love, but for the purpose of breeding (Women in the Ancient World, P. ). In Rome, women were constantly under the authority of men. Roman law insisted that women had to obey their fathers until they married, then in which case, had to obey their husbands. Even if a woman was widowed, she was still supposed to have some kind of male supervision of her finances (Women in the Ancient World, Rome). Roman men greatly valued marriage and treated their wives with great respe ct. Although women were never allowed to hold office, several men listened to the advice of their wives when not in public. Women did not enjoy working and only did so if they were lower class and had to (Women in the Ancient World-Rome). The Paleolithic and Neolithic differed in gender roles due to the change in their lifestyles. In the Paleolithic Age, women and men were considered equals because they had to rely on each other equally in order to survive. The transition to the Neolithic Age caused men to dominant women since most of the responsibility for survival was placed on the shoulders of the men. Men no longer needed to rely on females as much as they had to in the Paleolithic Age. Mesopotamian culture treated women with very little respect. Men were allowed to abuse their wives, sell them into slavery, and even commit adultery. If a Mesopotamian woman ever committed adultery, she would be sentenced to death. The Egyptian culture and Persian culture are most comparable to one another in the sense that they embraced family, love and marriage and treated women with immense respect and equality. In India, ever since women were children, they were always taught that they were supposed to devote their lives to their husbands. Indian women had arranged marriages and married after they went through puberty, much like the Athens in Greece. In China, although women were normally not seen as public figures, they were considered to be very important in home and family life. Women of Athens, Greece, led very strict lives and were considered to be very weak minded and unintelligent. Like the Indian culture, they had arranged marriages and married mainly to breed offspring. Spartan women different from Athenian women in the sense they Spartan women were very as very bold and not weak minded at all. In Rome, women were under the constant authority of men. However, despite this, Roman men took the advice of their wives when given in private, and were dominant when in the public eye. Barry. Role of Women in Ancient Persia. Notes on Iran. Web. 21 Oct. 2009. Bentley J. H. Ziegler H. F. (2008). Traditions Encounters: A global perspective on the past . New York:McGraw-Hill[pic] Meridians: Sources in World History. (2009). Pearson Custom Publishing[pic] Thompson, James C. Women in the Ancient World. Women in the Ancient World. Nov. 2005. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.

Decolonization Abandonment essays

Decolonization Abandonment essays De-colonization began with the British colonists in the United States who declared independence in 1776. Most of Latin America gained independence a few decades later. De-colonization continued through the mid-1970s, mostly in Asia and Africa, until almost no European colonies remained. Most of the newly independent states have faced tremendous challenges and difficulties in the post-colonial era. The stability and harmony of de-colonized countries are not guaranteed once the countries are left to the hands of indigenous people. Colonies were flourishing under the colonial administrative government which creates bureaucratic, legislative and educative filters that guarantees indigenous interest. Through law, politics, policy and culture brought by colonizers, the indigenous reproduce themselves while legitimizing and rectifying their origins. Along with an adequate and appropriate government system, both colonial and indigenous realities can contribute to the future shape and nature of the nation state. Economic investment by the administrating power directly benefits the inhabitants of a given region (Guarini n.p.). Suitable structures in the field of credit and savings have been set up successfully in colonies and this has managed to organize and support the production of goods necessary to the economic equilibrium of the region. By meeting the demands of the people, a higher standard of living is achieved. All citizens benefit from security arrangements when the territories host colonial security forces (Plunkett n.p.). It is guaranteed that the colony will be protected by the armed forces available if there ever is a case of war. This is possible as every state has a right and obligation to defend its colonies (Cunningham n.p.). The people of a majority of the territories no longer view, if they ever did, the activities of foreign econom...

Fleabane Now a National Challenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fleabane Now a National Challenge - Essay Example Thus, according to the GRDC funded research, it has been seen that the integrated weed management (IWM) is key to reduce the impact of the weed on the crops. Spraying the weed with herbicides while it is still young is another effective approach that can be taken. Alternatively, there is need to control the weed before it sets the seeds. This entails that the growers should strive to tackle the fleabane while it is still young. They should use the cultivators to bury the weed before it matures since it would become resistant with age. There are quite a number of benefits that can be derived from this action. For instance, the growers will not experience the recurrence of the problematic weed and this can also help to improve the yield. Persuasion channels like television can be used to appeal to the growers to follow the steps suggested above. On the other hand, Silverleaf whitefly (SLW) remains a potentially serious pest of coastal soya beans in the northern region. The main problem is that it quickly develops rapid pesticide resistance usually in a single season. It is also adaptive to high temperatures. The SLW cannot be managed by the use of pesticides alone and growers are not advised to use these since they kill the SLW parasites and predators allowing the pest to multiply unchallenged. Integrated pest management (IPM) is essential in order to combat this problem. There is the need for the growers to understand the basic tenets of this strategy as well as the measures that characterize it. The IPM strategy entails that the growers should ensure that there are natural predators in the crop that can suppress the pest’s population. The growers should try to maintain a natural balance in the ecosystem where the predators will feed on the SLW and this helps to ensure that the SLW does not multiply in numbers. The benefits that can be achieved by the growers of beans is that their crop will not be destroyed by the pests.  

The Issue of Marital Rape Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

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Sociological Imagination Essay Example for Free

Sociological Imagination Essay The term ‘Sociological Imagination’ refers to the awareness of the relationship between personal experience and its connection with society as a whole (Mills 1959). The purpose of this essay was to examine a social issue in contemporary Australia, and discuss how sociology might explain it. The social issue chosen is obesity, in particular, childhood obesity. Overweight and obesity rates have increased rapidly over the past 20 years, not only in Australia, but in developed countries around the world. Nearly two-thirds of Australian adults and one-third of Australian children are classified as overweight or obese (MacKay 2011). While an individual’s body weight is determined by many factors, it has been widely recognised that an increase in obesity is due to changes in the social, environmental and physical environment (MacKay 2011). This issue affects people of all ages, genders, social classes and geographical locations. Take a look at an average day in society. Most of us have jobs, we rise at a set time every day, go to work or university usually driving or public transport, eat lunch usually on the run, come home after a long day of sitting down to crash out in front of the TV, grabbing whatever is easiest along the way. Compared to our ancestors’ active lives of hunting and gathering, it’s very unnatural, yet it’s what we do. We, as individuals, have a skewed work/life balance due to society’s fast pace style of living and the lifestyle we have as adults, has serious repercussions on the children of today. A report by Cleland et. al (2012) found that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to be less active and less healthy than their higher socioeconomic counterparts. Another report by Van Dyck et. l (2012) found that people living in lower economic areas tended to exercise less due to areas being deemed un-walkable or unsafe to exercise outside in. The increase in sedentary behaviour among children, in particular the increase in screen time, is another factor that has contributed to the increase in childhood obesity (Stanton 2009). While this is a factor affecting all social classes and socioeconomic areas, it may be slightly higher in lower economic areas due to outside being unsafe, however I have not found evidence to support this. Many people attribute childhood obesity to bad parenting (Olds et. al 2010) which could be one cause due to busy lifestyles and the rising cost of living; however I feel it is not the sole cause. Children are bombarded with information on ‘healthy’ foods yet ‘unhealthy’ food options are constantly at their fingertips. Children receive information on healthy eating and the importance of exercise in schools and in society, alongside TV advertisements advertising fast foods and canteens stocking unhealthy snacking alternatives. In conclusion, responsibility for both causing and preventing obesity lies with many different players. While it is an individual’s choice to eat certain foods and be active; it is much harder for a child who relies on parental figures to achieve this. It is not only parents’ responsibility to encourage healthy eating and active lives, they must also practice what they preach and provide these options for their children. Children are, after all, the future of Australia.