Marxism in Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marxism in Anthropology - Essay Example Definitely, the purpose of Marxist anthropology must be the clarification of class struggle. On the contrary, it "has recently become for anthropologists a new source of obscurity as a result of recent work which is difficult and barbarously phrased' (Bloch, 1983, p. v). The problem is that such terminology does not free the social reality form its bourgeois mystifications or wrappings. Ethnographies are widely used in modern anthropology to analyse the complexities of labour and societal development. The ethnographic relativism of the real world which is fragmented into nations and regional societies could only be adequately explained through a theoretically rigorous anthropological paradigm. Marxist anthropology could be used effectively in order to analyse the way people and societies are alienated in contemporary world. Many a Marxists, who were variously influenced by structuralism and the interpretations of Althusser and Balibar, tried conspicuously to invent structure in pre-capitalist societies believing that that's what Marx did for capitalist societies. What they forgot to see is the fact that alienation and labour are the central categories through which Marx delineated his critique of the social structure of bourgeois society. It is labour theory of value as theoretical tool enables an anthropologist to shed light processes and patterns related to social formation, forces of production and mode of production, relations of production and exploitation. It does not mean that the Marxian labour theory of value could directly be applied to pre-capitalist societies as Marx developed it in order to deal with societies where modern market structures are prevalent. Maurice Godelier, who was influenced by Lvi-Strauss, has a prominent role in developing the Marxist anthropology. Godelier endeavoured t o apply the critical Marxist insights on the relationships between infrastructure and superstructure, and alienation and labour, especially to non-western societies. He conducted extensive researches among the Baruya of Papua New Guinea in the period of 1966 to 1969. Among the ethnographies in anthropology, Godeliers' 'The Making of Great Men' has a unique place. Godelier defines commodities as 'objects which are detachable from persons or groups which circulate in impersonal relations between persons or groups' (1978, p.66). For the purpose, the Marxian labour theory of value could be generalised as an analytical category for all types of societies. It means that commodities need to be excluded from the social reality of its production. Godelier asserts that 'the mainstream of capitalism is the desire to make money with money--money is transformed into capital which is then invested in the production and circulation of commodities' (1978, p.63). Without analysing a social formation from the point of view of labour time, the hidden social relationships of actual production cannot be revealed in. Therefore, the capitalist fetishism of commodities 'appear as an independent beings endowed with life, and entering into relation both with one another and with the human race' (Marx, 1965, p.72). What is necessary is to reveal the social relations associated to the embedded amount of labour time in specific commodities, be it of prehistoric or post-modern societies. It is still true that '[a]s

Group Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group Analysis - Essay Example 2. I (Rose) wrote the literature review, explained the theoretical and historic perspectives about the problem, determined gaps in the existing body of literature and reiterated the purpose of study. 3. Yusuf wrote the methodology section along with the research design and the various procedures that were employed for collecting the data. He also characterized the subjects, did sample designing, described the instrumentation used and wrote the procedures of data analysis. 4. Anita, the fourth member of our team drew the conclusions of the research, presented factual information, and discussed the statistical and practical significance of research with the help of charts and tables. 5. Colleen, the fifth member of our team wrote the discussion section. In this section, Colleen summarized the conclusions and offered explanation for the unexpected findings of the research. She also stated the research’s limitations and suggested pattern for further research in the very subject. 6 . Jean edited the whole report and made it sound like it was all the product of one mind. The project we completed can be divided into four basic phases, namely brainstorming, review of primary and secondary sources, data collection and analysis, and report writing. The first phase was the most critical one, though it consumed the least time. When a team has to execute a project, the most important thing is to have things done with mutual consensus. We conducted a skill demonstration session in the very first meeting in which each one of us told what he/she felt comfortable with doing in the project. This was followed by a voting session. Kayla and Anita both were willing to complete the conclusion section of the paper, but Anita won more votes than Kayla, so Kayla had to write the introductory portion instead. The tasks discussed in the list above were assigned to the respective team members in the very session. Once everybody was clear about what he/she would be doing in the proje ct, chances of conflicts were minimized. In the brainstorming phase, everyone thought how he/she would go about doing his/her part of the work. Then we conducted literature review to identify gaps in the literature and see how people have done things in the past. Literature review was followed by the data collection and analysis phase. This was the most time consuming and tiresome part of the job. Going out in the field and making others spare some time and fill the surveys for matter, they have no concern with is a tough job! Finally, the report writing phase came. Although it was no less tiresome than the data collection and analysis phase, yet things were quite manageable. We were able to adjust the report writing into our routinely activities. We finished the work one day before the deadline and partied all day long to celebrate the completion of task. In my personal opinion, group process is an excellent way of doing a project because it offers several advantages as compared to individual work. First, the tension of work is released as friends get together all the time for work. Normally, in an individual setting, one tends to waste time as there often is no impulse for speeding up. In a group process, when two or three friends sit together and work, the fourth and fifth naturally feel obliged to join them in the work. This ensures that everyone participates in the work and the work is completed sooner. Secondly, team mates benefit from one another’

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market Research - Essay Example Because of the developments in technology over time, the marketing industry has evolved greatly where marketers now have to embrace social media as an invaluable marketing tool. This is because social media has facilitated instant consultation among consumers and this has led to reversal of traditional branding where consumers now have more power owing to influence through social media. In addition, traditional media sources such as televisions have been rendered ineffective as computer networks have come up, rapid online communication and multiple sources of information have become available (Patino & Pitta 234-235). Snacks and pastries business This paper looks into the marketing research process of a snacks and pastries business to be undertaken close to a university/ college and office buildings. The idea is to lease out a truck that would serve as the ‘shop’ and kitchen for the business from which snacks such as samosas, kebabs, sandwiches, cupcakes, doughnuts and s oft drinks. This is because my friend and I have noticed that we are usually lacking time to sit down at a restaurant for breakfast and lunch. Sometimes even for dinner we end up ordering out as we are tired from school and extracurricular activities. The only free time we have is Saturday evenings where we do our cleaning and because we both enjoy cooking, experiment on new recipes. She loves meat so she tries out meaty snacks while I, having a sweet tooth, try out pastries and cakes recipes. This pinpoints a need in the market, which is a part of the process involved in market research. Next, we identified that there isn’t competition nearby, the closest food truck is about ten minutes away. Still, people are fond of it ourselves included; therefore, we intend to compete with this by offering fresh, quality snacks and pastries at affordable prices. Because we are passionate about cooking, we intend to come up with innovative recipes for our products, which will give us comp etitive advantage. Statistics on the product Cinnamon rolls and cupcakes are listed among the top 25 most American foods which is an indication of their demand and high preference across all age groups. The list also includes meaty snacks such as beef burgers and chicken sandwiches thus, we intend to make our meaty snacks using chicken and beef initially (Lutz). In addition, dried meat snacks were reported to bring in sales of $1.19 billion in 2012 which is a 12.4% rise compared to the previous year. This coupled with the fact that Hillshire Brands’ CEO stating that consumers desire protein in their snacks which creates a need in the market and indicates earning potential of the business (Riell,). Due to the fact that the meat jerky was reported as being resilient in the course of 2007 to 2012, despite the economic recession, we intend to use this in our sandwiches- mostly chicken and beef. This has been attributed to the fact that meat jerky has a low price that has continue d to sustain consumer sentiments. Notably also, because it is a dried product it can be stored longer making it favorable for our business idea (IBISWorld). Target Audience and Cost Considerations The main target audience for the business is college and university

Will be provided Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Will be provided - Assignment Example The company provides services for offering CPR, which involves lifesaving techniques that are normally useful when it comes to emergencies. They also offer AED, which helps diagnose life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias in patients and through therapy and other treatments, can aid in stopping the disease. There is also the provision of First Aid, and this is usually given to people who suffer from injuries and also sudden illnesses. With all the above, the company is aimed at ensuring that the services it provides are aimed at satisfaction to the best of their ability. Though the sole purpose is to provide the best of services, there is also the possibility of certain problems always happening such as the loss of lives. The business also has its shortcomings that may be because there are certain unknown and natural factors that may occur which may be out of the control of the medical service provider (Foster 101). There is also the lack of proper equipment at times and also the growin g number of ailments of unknown origin that occur on a day to day basis. Though these may be problems and shortcomings, they do not hinder the capability of the company to ensure that they provide the best of what they can. They have a wide range of dedicated individuals who make up their staff, and they are all trained to ensure that they provide services that are satisfactory. They are experienced staffs who were chosen based on their education, experience and also social skills. The minimum education level accepted is a bachelor in the relevant field that ensures they have skills fit enough to help the medical service provider. Their experience is usually based on the years that they have been working, and all are given the proper training in order for them to provide the best of services. The staffs are also trained to bond together, and they are taught to treat each other as a family; thus,

Policy memo summarizing a public hearing Assignment

Policy memo summarizing a public hearing - Assignment Example Sally Clark, the Chair of the Committee on the Built Environment, opened the Public Hearing at 5:30, in the Seattle City Council Chambers. Also present were Vice-Chair Tim Burgess, and Council Member Sally Bagshaw.1 Three basic categories of debate and comment were heard on the evening: a) development proposals in urban areas; b) neighborhood planning; and c) complaints regarding the process of the plan amendment process. THE PROCESS FOR ADOPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Comprehensive Management Plan of the City of Seattle is open to amendments once a year, according to the Washington State Growth Management Act.2 During 2010, the schedule for the submission, proposal and adoption of specific amendments to be examined was as follows: May 14, 2010: Deadline for the submission of a maximum of 10 applications;3 June 19, 2010: Introduction and briefing regarding the proposed amendments to the Council Committee on the Built Environment;4 July 8, 2010: Pu blic Hearing at which particular proposals are considered, at which argument for or against proposals may be raised, and the proposals to go forward are evaluated; July 14, 2010: Briefing of Committee and further discussion to determine which proposed amendments will be given further review and analysis, in light of the commentary at the Public hearing; July 28, 2010: Voting is conducted;5 December 1, 2010: Final recommendations on the proposed amendments are submitted to the Council.6 SELECTION CRITERIA FOR AMENDMENTS Specific criteria are considered by the City Council in identifying amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, according to Resolution 30976, adopted on May 14, 2007. These criteria can be categorized under the following central statements as follows: A. The amendment is appropriate for the Comprehensive Plan. B. The amendment is legal. C. It is practical to consider the amendment. D. There has been a neighborhood review process to develop and proposed change to a neighbor hood plan, or a neighborhood review process can be conducted prior to final Council consideration of the amendment.7 For the amendment to be appropriate, it has to be in line with the State Growth Management Plan, referred to above. Likewise, it should not contradict national planning, nor should it be possible to implement it by a change in regulations only. If the amendment could be implemented by changes to budget, or already existing programs, or processes, it will not be adopted. Further, the timing, the available staffing requirements suggested by an amendment, and the information available for analysis of the proposal will be considered. Only when the Mayor or Council are in favor of changing policy significantly, if necessary, as proposed by a specific amendment, will it be considered, as long as it does not as mentioned, contradict the Comprehensive Plan. If a proposal has been rejected by the City Council already, it may not be re-tabled. Finally, it must not break nationa l or state laws. SUMMARY: PUBLIC COMMENTARY AND DEBATE The first proposed amendment (Proposed Amendment Number One: PA #1) was tabled by the Department of Planning and Development.8 The essence of the proposal included the suggested update of the shoreline master program, to include comment on a container

Research Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation Among Paper

Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation Among Nurses - Research Paper Example Keywords: smoking, cessation, nurses. Research Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation among Nurses Smoking is a serious problem among nurses. Much has been written and said about the role and importance of smoking cessation programs in clinical settings. Smoking causes profound impacts on the quality of nursing care. In some instances, smoking among nurses is justified by the amount of stress they constantly experience in the workplace: Tagliacozzo and Vaughn (1986) established a direct relation between work-related stresses and smoking among nurses. This however does not mean that nurses are secured from the risks and negative consequences of smoking. A facility-based smoking cessation program has the potential to reduce smoking among nurses, through counseling support, monetary incentives, nicotine-replacement therapies, and Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. The role and significance of counseling support in smoking cessation was discussed in abundance. Individual, group , or telephone counseling was extensively used to raise smoking cessation rates in various population groups. Lancaster and Stead (2008) reviewed previous studies and concluded that individual counseling increased the likelihood of smoking cessation. ... Those results were also supported by Stead, Perrera and Lancaster (2009), who found that both reactive and proactive telephone counseling was responsible for increased rates of smoking cessation among individuals. The rationale behind telephone counseling and its efficacy in smoking cessation are difficult to explain: most probably, smokers perceive telephone support as both reliable and anonymous, and which gives them a sense of confidence in dealing with the problem of smoking. It is also possible that telephone lines provide that assistance which smokers really need in their long and troublesome way to cessation. Whatever the rationale, individual counseling, either personal or telephone, can benefit nurses who are willing to quit smoking. Unfortunately, individual counseling is always associated with additional costs (Lichtenstein et al, 1996). New technologies provide the flexibility and communication opportunities required to reduce smoking among nurses. Yet, they also add to t he burden of financial and technical expenses on hospitals. This is why individual counseling can give place to group counseling strategies. Group counseling is believed to be a better alternative to individual smoking cessation counseling. The current state of literature suggests that individual counseling alone cannot increase smoking cessation rates (Stead & Lancaster, 2009). Unfortunately, evaluating the benefits and outcomes of group counseling interventions is not possible, due to the heterogeneity of subjects involved in study samples (Stead & Lancaster, 2009). Moreover, group counseling is by itself not without controversy, since groups demonstrate limited reach to smoking populations and are characterized by low participation rates (Stead &

Shell company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shell company - Essay Example The company was then run through different operating companies. Prior to the merger both the companies were struggling to sustain their business. Their decision to join hands led them to become one of the most successful company in the world and all signs showing in the first twelve months of their strategic decision. The company was under the management of Henry Deterding, whose guidance and dedication made the two barely managing companies into a strong force to reckon with, in the oil industry. The company began to make its mark quite quickly around and business started to expand globally. The Marketing companies started coming up throughout Europe and also in certain parts of Asia. With the growing demand of oil all around the globe, Dutch Shell began exploration and production in countries like Russia, Venezuela, Mexico, Romania and even in the United States. Along the timeline, the company has been able to maintain its competitive edge by looking out for newer technologies, alternative resources and advance developments. They have concentrated on their core products as well as kept their eyes open for any opportunities making them one of the most competitive companies in the market. Marketing is one of the core functions of any organizations. It is the function that helps a company defines the right kind of market and allows the company to identify consumer needs and wants and then searches for solutions and ideas for how to aptly satisfy those needs. (Bartels, 2002) When Organizations like Shell and other multinationals define their marketing strategy it evolves through a series of stages. This is because as the company starts growing, so does the demand. Eventually the company adopts a multi national strategy of marketing. At this stage the company has already gone through the local markets exporting and to international marketing. This is the kind of marketing Shell is doing as at this stage the company can use its size and scale