Thousand miles away essay on memorable place Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Thousand miles away on memorable place - Essay Example Baku Azerbaijan, sometimes spelled as Baki, is translated from the native language of Azeri. Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and the the largest city port of the Caucasus region. Located on the Southern shore of the Abseron Peninsula overlooking the Caspian Sea, this city has been host to voyagers from around the world who left their mark on its life and culture. A Herring Gull that flies over this city will see it as a green crescent facing the blue oceanic infinity. During World War II Baku was the main city that Adolph Hitler wanted to target since Baku was the main oil supplier for all of the Soviet army, home to some of the oldest oil fields in the world. The oil-smelling mountain winds would remind this fact to every history-loving new visitor to Baku. This has been the richest city of former Soviet Union, with its vast expanses of oil and gas fields, and the suburbs showcasing white oceans of cotton and large groups of grazing cattle. The famous sturgeon fish that supplies t he whole world with black caviar is another asset of this sea port. The current population of Baku is slightly more than three million and about nine million for the whole country of Azerbaijan (US Department of State). Azerbaijan is a former country of the Soviet Union and got its own independence back in 1989. Baku is very special for me since I spent my first 16 years of life there. With that, it brings lots of good memories of childhood and the beginning by early transition into adulthood. I’ve gained numerous life lessons there but the most important that I’ve gained is to always have a dream, a goal, and not to give up and make things happen instead of letting them go, and to always finish what I’ve started no matter if it’s a short term achievement or a long term accomplishment that striking for. Baku brings me good memories from my childhood, memories of my early school age and my

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Research Paper - Essay Example To be specific, choosing an apt thesis for my research work was the most important problem. I need to prove myself that I am able to point out my own opinion on the topic selected for the research work. One can see that thesis is to be considered as the core element of a research work which influences the work as a whole. I was totally confused because I was permitted to choose the topic by my own. So, I decided to go through books. This initiative helped me to have through knowledge in the topic selected for the research work. I came to realize that no one can plan a research work without having thorough knowledge in the topic. I decided to make use of the books, journal articles and other sources and began to take notes. Then, I chose an apt thesis for my research work, went through other research works, and created an outline for my work. Next, I went through the notes and chose the most important points and quotations related to the topic. This was an easy task for me because the knowledge gathered from books, online journal articles, and other sources helped me to create an apt bibliography. Then, I began to write my first draft, including all the points to be included in the research work. After completing my task, I came to know that one of my peers is facing difficulty with the task of finding relevant sources for the research work. To be specific, this problem cannot be dealt with ease. My friend/peer must show utmost care and attention in finding relevant sources. For instance, my friend can go through the available books, journals and other sources in the library. After completing this task, my friend can make use of ‘Google Books’ to search books. Besides, my friend can make use of online magazines, online journal databases, online editions of newspapers and online libraries. I hope all these steps can help my friend/peer to complete

E-tailoring Online: Customer Views and Impacts on Services

E-tailoring Online: Customer Views and Impacts on Services Abstract An increasing number of customers are turning to the Internet to make their purchases, as a vast array of goods and services are now only a mouse click away. E-tailing clothes is even more challenging, with new e-tailers hoping to attract and retain satisfied online customers, are constantly creating new opportunities for them, and in order to do that they need to know what evaluative criteria customers use when selecting an e-tailer as well as what they will purchase online. Past research has provided some insight into what characteristics customers assess whilst making this choice. This report has not been without its limitations. Consequently, the present study utilizes a literature review, qualitative and quantitative research to identify the core customer behavior towards this channel, In addition, results of the analysis show that the type of product on offer and the web attributes (determinants) are predictors of customers attitude toward online shopping for clothing and their perception hence, providing an understanding of how they are responding to the new online buying opportunities. 1. Introduction This research report is divided into 5 Chapters. Chapter 1 is meant to introduce the background of the research area with aims and objectives and focus of the study providing guidelines into subsequent chapters. This then will be followed with Chapter 2 having literature review of the matter giving an insight of the research area that will be referred, compared with the data collection and analysis will be made in Chapter 4. However, Chapter 3 will be discussed prior to the actual data collection as it is necessary to identify Research Methodology to be used for the research. Finally, Chapter 5 will have conclusions and recommendations with any limitations faced and with the mention of area for further research if any. The expansion in electronic commerce (E-commerce) has been phenomenal, with most of todays business transactions being conducted through the Internet. The emergence of this electronic retail (E-tail) market has been extraordinary. E-tailing is also a gaining popularity and changing the retail landscape, it is pervasive in what we thought of it six months ago is probably different to what we think of it today and also what we will think of it in six months time. Customers decision making process has also altered greatly with the introduction of this medium and more so as an alternative channel for shopping. Online shopping concept has already caused a stir in the retail industry in the UK, as more people are opting to buy online due to various reasons, a vast array of goods and services are increasingly being made available now through a click of the mouse, creating a new experience and culture. Many retailers are already delivering high value, personalised products and services at a fraction of the cost thereby making it more low cost and also appealing to the consumers (Birch et al, 2000). The number of consumers shopping online has increased markedly, according to Jardine (1999) people have increasingly become price sensitive and often compare prices of goods both online and offline before making the final purchase, in turn increasing competition amongst the retailers. This is the general overview of the e-tailing concept, as understood b y most of us. However, the purpose of this study is to concentrate on the online clothing market in the UK specifically London, in order to determine predictors of customers purchase intentions for clothing products via this channel. E-tailing of clothing items online has always been debatable, especially since clothing are â€Å"feel-and-touch† products, and cannot be bought without engaging this sensory aspect, unlike other cognitive products like books, computer software, dvds and music which do not really require this. Nevertheless, customers tend to buy more clothing products when they perceive the features of the online store, such as a convenience and secure system of ordering and payment, returns policy, the focus on product display, and the offering of products that have a range of acceptable fits as opposed to a precise fit and most of all choice this are some of the most general attributes a customer considers whilst shopping online for clothes. The attributes that enhance the online experience can be particularly influential for products such as clothing, which generally require physical interaction and evaluation prior to purchase. Web experience attributes can affect early decision making stages (search and pre-purchase evaluation) and influence purchase intent of the customer. With the current fragmented nature of the subject area and to keep up with the rapidly developing technology as well the customer attitudes, the author aims to build on the current body of knowledge, investigating and drawing together the key aspects which influence online shopping for clothes, so as to understand how the customers are responding to the new buying opportunities presented to them by the e-tailers in UK then concentrating on London where the survey was conducted by collecting data from a sample of participants, which aided in exploring the capabilities and further to determine consumer behaviour and customer relationship management p atterns in relation to E-tailing, thus the research objectives being set as: 1. To explore the impact of e-tailing in London. 2. To determine customers attitude towards shopping online. 3. To investigate customers perception of shopping online for clothing in London. In order to achieve the results of the set objectives, the author has explored the determinants the customers consider most important when making a purchase online and to what extent they create an impact on their perceptions. The first hand elements collated from the survey has helped to gain rich insights into customers behaviour and attitudes towards this channel. The secondary data which is covered in the second chapter under the literature review the author here has studied and explained the general E-tailing concept and picked relevant data to help understand the subject matter and provide a better insight into the field of e-commerce, covering a wider area (UK), then narrowing it down to specific location (London) which in turn has helped to achieve the set objectives and later also support the resultant findings in terms of the primary data collected via the survey by the author. 2. Literature Review Xing (2001) stresses that â€Å"The emergence and explosive growth of e-commerce through online trading have ushered in a new era of retail business†. 2.1 The Commercialisation of the Internet The Internet, once a tax-sustained and a government-regulated endeavour, is no longer restricted to non-commercial traffic. The early commercialisation of the Internet, in the mid 1990s gave rise to the e-commerce phenomenon. The Internet population has since grown tremendously, as a result of its opening to the commercial traffic in 1991. Its utilisation has since become remarkably more wide and varied in businesses; the application of internet has grown rapidly over the last several years, due to its contribution of the ever evolving new information technology and its positive gains to the business organisations. Its use apart from being internal its also employed externally and its used more commonly referred to as E-business (electronic business) derived from such terms as e-mail and e-commerce, which is the conduct of business on the Internet, not only buying and selling but also servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. IBM was one of the first organisations to use the term E-business (electronic business) when, in October 1997, it launched a thematic campaign built around the term. Today, major corporations have reconsidered their businesses in terms of the Internet and its new culture and capabilities. Companies are utilising the Web to buy parts and supplies from other companies, to collaborate on sales promotions, and to do joint research, exploiting the convenience, availability, and world-wide reach of the Internet, using it successfully. 2.2 The E-tailing Concept â€Å"The emergence and explosive growth of e-commerce through online trading have ushered in a new era of retail business† says Xing (2001). It was seen as a new channel for sale of products and services along with the traditional channels as well as a market penetration strategy for others. E-tail or E-retail the term, came into discussions or rather its origins as early as 1995, its an addition in the computing subject such as, e-mail, e-business and e-commerce. The business of e-retail has been defined as the sale of goods and services via internet or other electronic channels, for personal or household use by consumers (Harris and Dennis, 2002). Its more efficiently used as a marketing tool, which is integrated into traditional business strategies, and also being viewed as a new marketplace by existing businesses as well as new business ventures as the market place becomes more competitive and unpredictable, due to this, the growth of the electronic retail market has been rapid, significantly expanding reach in terms of people, location and range being variety of information, the World Wide Web has created benefits for both the marketers as well the consumers. For consumers, the Web can provide access to a wide range of products and services with low cost (Bakos, 1997), extensive and tailored information, at home convenience for product comparisons, enhanced interactivity (Cross and Smith, 1995), hence facilitating the formation of virtual communities for users with common interests. E-tailing and E-trading operates in all four of the major market segments; business to business, business to consumer, consumer to consumer and consumer to business. Initially, much direct selling (or e-tailing) was taking place on the internet of computer-related equipment and software, one of the first to report successful sales in the millions of dollars directly from the Web was Dell Computer, there after other businesses started employing the concept in various fields from; Travel bookings, Holidays, Books, Clothing and other accessories, this has particularly grown in the Business to Consumer market segment directly or indirectly as a result of the wide usage of the internet. The Internets greatest commercial advantage is said to be the reduction in transaction cost that directly lowers the prices for consumer (Pavitt, 1997), and therefore E-tailing is said to be a low-cost, efficient way to display merchandise, attract customers, and handle purchase orders (Bellman, 2001). 2.3 Online shopping in the UK Home shopping in various forms has been available to the consumer market for more than 100 years in the UK, paper catalogue being the first and the oldest form illustrated with Victorian ladies and do-it-yourself house kits a lot has changed since, in terms of improvements and choice, then came the emergence of home shopping television, however none has had the influence or the expected impact of shopping, as much as the World Wide Web. E-commerce has grown steadily in the UK since the early 1990s. According to Exley (2006, cited in Haymarket, 2006) consumers have become comfortable shopping on the internet and e-tailing is clearly a part of retails future. He adds that e-tail does not have to replace traditional bricks and mortar stores, â€Å"all retailers need to do is to provide a good in-store experience† (Exley, 2006, cited in Haymarket, 2006). â€Å"Since 2000, Internet shopping has soared by over 5,000% with UK consumers spending an astounding  £200 billion during this period. Internet shopping is clearly the bright spot in the UK retail sector, but this industry is still young and has potential for further growth.† (Tina Spooner, director of information, Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), cited in press release, May 2009). No doubt, online shopping is rising steadily in the UK (from a consumers perspective) as internet access has become cheaper, high street cyber cafà ©s are increasing and Internet service providers (ISPs) have already eliminated subscription fees (Daniel, 2000). Furthermore as technology is set to get even more advanced, hand-held devices have become internet-enabled and nowadays most mobile phones connect to the web (Daniel, 2000). With all the above possible ways of shopping more customers are getting accustomed to the online shopping experience and utilising the new channel. This exc eptional growth of Internet shopping is also driven by greater emphasis on customers efficient use of time, as well as the ever increasing number of computer trained customers, hence giving it a positive outlook and a further opportunity for growth to the existing and perspective e-tailers. A wide range of products and services are available for the customers in the UK to buy online from a variety of retailers, which also gives them a better choice, so why would they go buy anywhere else? Although one reason may be convenience, sadly another is fraud; fraud poses the biggest threat to online shopping (Economist, 2004) but according to Pavitt (1997) consumers fear of shopping online is already resolved by the use of encryption technology. Moreover, the security systems are rapidly improving by the day, further dispelling the notion which is perceived by a majority of people worldwide that online shopping is a risky business. For example, secure digital systems such as encryption tools, digital signatures and the guarantee about security or privacy concern provided by the e-tailers have reduced security inhibitors and thus have increased consumers willingness to visit or purchase from sites (Ah-Wong et al., 2001; Han and Maclaurin, 2002). UK is the second largest e-taling market in Europe like Germany, it combines a large consumer market with internet penetration above the European average (Datamonitor, 2002). There are six leading online shopping companies that dominate the UK e-tailing market. These are; streetsonline.co.uk, Jungle.com, Amazon.com, Lastminute.com, Thomascook.com and Egg.com, all these providing a variety of products and services. What is the future of high street stores when most analysts agree that in five years time, online shopping could be worth  £200billion? This does represent some form of concern to high street stores in the UK as a percentage or it could be of the sales they lose. Nevertheless according to Brewer (2006); cited in Haymarket (2007) the future is brightest for those high street stores that could adopt a multi-channel strategy. However, Murphy (2006); cited in Haymarket (2007) says that â€Å"we have the most vibrant, competitive high street in the world and high street shopping is one of our biggest leisure pursuits. Can high street shopping be our biggest leisure pursuits since they boast to sell a variety of diverse products in-store? It is the refore inconceivable that the future of retail would be solely online†, although the number of customers making purchases online is also on the rise in the UK as mentioned earlier in this report. 2.4 The extent to which e-tailing builds relationships The impact of e-tailing will be felt differently and at different times by various retailers. In the context of buyer behaviour preferences (Daniel, 2000) says that e-tail is a transactional-sales medium rather than a relationship-building medium which means that e-tail cannot substitute personal contact such as customer service advisors, that makes it the most critical differentiation aspect to high street stores today. This emphasises the need further research on the customers perception of e-tail, i.e. to what extent does e-tailing build relationships? If empirical research suggests that e-tailing is a transactional sales medium then ultimately there may be an opportunity for e-tail to focus building relationships with customers that will create the need for further research on how e-tail may be able to become a relationship-building medium. Personal contact with highly trained and motivated salespeople, the service factor is still the critical differentiator for such businesses, and on-line experiences have yet to match that or offer a suitable counter value (Quelch, 1999 cited in Maruca, 1999). As Pavitt (1997) states that the impact of e-tail on high street stores may result in changes on three key fronts; â€Å"change in the nature of product offerings, customer buying patterns and its place in the value chain†. The changes in product offering may alter as a result of advances in digital technology. For example media products delivered via the internet or newspapers being published electronically, that would be a direct impact on high street stores (Pavitt, 1997). There is lack of empirical evidence to show what customers perceive of digital medium against physical goods, as an simple example, would customers prefer buying a DVD from a high street store, so as to get a feel of the physical aspect of this product as well as more information from the back cover of the DVD case, or from the Internet where information on the product is limited in two dimensional form. â€Å"There will be a great deal of change in the value chain as well due to shrinkage in distribution channels†, (Bellman, 2001). E-tailing eliminates traditional chain of wholesalers, agents, and other intermediaries thus creating a new distribution model focusing on manufacturer to consumer direct that implies a great potential for savings (Bellman, 2001). Today, majority of the manufacturers do not want to take the responsibility of dealing with single customer queries, which is one reason why they sell their products through intermediaries even on the Internet. With lack of evidence it still remains to be investigated as to what extent is the internet an intermediary? Another common question which arises in this case is; do e-businesses have any storage for products they advertise or do they order them directly from the manufactures or other traders as required? However, this can also be different in the case of businesses which use internet as a secondary channel for sell or distribution of their products, which they also sell in their physical store. Another issue that arises is to investigate potential shoppers perception in relation to price. Smith et als (1999); cited in Lii and Lee (2005) indicated that online shoppers believe that online stores enjoy a cost advantage over traditional channels in terms of administrative cost, overheads and transaction cost. These features of the online retail channel add to the perception of online shoppers that prices generally tend to be much lower online than that of the high street stores. Considering this then, do customers shop online because they perceive it to be cheaper? If so then how and in what w ays is online shopping cheaper compared to the high street stores where lots of products are reduced at competitive prices even at times with offers such as buy one get on free or a second product at half price, are always there. Is price an issue of concern or is it about building relationships? Would customers be willing to pay that extra price in exchange for good service, remains to be investigated? Good service may be classed by online shoppers such as providing a tracking system for their ordered goods, free return policy and delivery of the goods or a full money back guarantee on items that customers return which is in place with most e-businesses today. With regards to customers online shopping behaviour, Brown (2000) states that a survey by BT found out that consumers choose well-known brands when shopping online and those consumers want to be served immediately, be remembered and treated as individuals. Therefore, in what ways can e-businesses build relationships? According to Kalyanarm and Winer, (1995); Chandrashekaran, (2001); cited in Lii and Lee (2005) prior studies have revealed that in the off line retail channels, customers may use the advertised original price as a frame for reference to assess the accompanying sale price. The resulting price comparison between the original price and the sale price makes the price promotion more appealing (Biswas and Blair, 1991; Grewal et al, 1996; cited in Lii and Lee, 2005). On the other hand on line retailing enables potential customers to have quick and easy access to price and other product attributes and information necessary for price evaluations. An example is amazon.co.uk websit e. The Internet has empowered on line shoppers to better detect price discrepancies and bargains (Balasubramanian, 1997; Bakos, 1997; Hoffman and Novak, 1997; cited in Lii and Lee, 2005). Today Majority of e-tailers attract customers through promotion codes normally available through advertisement and marketing media from which customers, can usually claim some money off or some percentage of discount on their online shopping. What remains to be assessed is whether the promotional codes attract new customers and also retain existing customers to shop online? If e-tailers start providing regular promotion codes to new customers as well as regular customers with this, then will it add up to building a relationship? 2.5 Customers general online shopping preferences in the UK On the basis of the objectives of this research, its crucial to investigate customers e-tail shopping preferences in the UK in general first, since ultimately perception leads to action. â€Å"When consumers are confronted by new forms of retail channels such as on line shopping, they may decide whether the difference between the on line shopping and off line shopping is significant to them. If the difference is perceived to be insignificant, customers may classify the two retail channels as the same. On the other hand, if the differences are perceived as significant, customers may classify the two shopping channels as different and make their purchase decision differently† (Lii and Lee, 2005). â€Å"Perception involves the process of categorization, and people tend to place new experiences into existing classifications of familiar experiences† (Monroe, 1990; cited in Lii and Lee, 2005). Late night shopping in the UK is fast becoming a way of life and a new culture, since for many people 24-hour high street shopping is invaluable as it allows them to fit it around their lifestyles, this is very common in the larger cities like London where this sort of service fits in well with the metropolitan lifestyle whereby time is crucial, however having said that, its also being almost equally favoured by people living in smaller towns or suburbs. The changes occurring in buyer behaviour patterns are alarming to high street retail stores as more and more people are beginning to work partly or wholly from home and they may prefer their goods bought online to be delivered at home, this is also rapidly picking up for supermarkets where the consumers prefer their grocery as well as other items shopped on line to be delivered at their doorstep (Haymarket, 2006). Whatever may be the case, Cottam (2006, cited in Haymarket, 2006) says that high street retailing is facing stiff competition with on line ‘anytime culture, meaning that customers are shopping 24/7 and therefore even high streets supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco have also launched 24-hour stores. Customers perceptions about 24/7 shopping remain to be investigated, since some high street supermarkets that tend to provide 24/7 services are closed on Sunday afternoons due to Sunday trading laws, but this has also changed in recent years. Once more it raises the question, what are customers perception of 24/7 culture in relation to the internet and high street stores, a fair example to portray, the 24/7 concept proved to be costly, in comparison to profitability against cost, for a superstore like Sainsburys as Sainsbury failed in its attempt, even though it believed it had the winning formula (Haymarket, 2006). The reason behind the failure was that Sainsburys could not attract enough customers as there is no guarantee that a fair percentage of existing or new customers will change their habits to take advantage of 24-hour shopping (Haymarket, 2006). Indeed this is a lesson for others (organisational learning) and thus most retailers are being cautious in their approach to 24/7 services. Bearing this in mind customers are constantly taking advantage of such facility and are trying or even getting used to shopping around the clock says Gladding (2006, cited in Haymarket, 2006). Analysts argue that 24-hour retailing is less likely to grow beyond its current levels as retailers have raised little awareness of the fact, hence stores such as Asda and IKEA are being cautious about this approach by advertising their long opening hours in the form of outside signage and flyers (Haymarket, 2006). The key question that arises from this scenario is the customers perception of the availability of 24/7 online shopping versus the high street 24/7 timings. Do customers really want go to shopping at high street stores and supermarkets at night (freely) compared to doing online shopping at night? Security is another issue that could be a vital sign of failure for high street stores or supermarkets to remain open 24/7 and be able to achieve their budget. Depending on the type of product, Andrew and Currim,(2004) have highlighted some key characteristics of customers shopping on line, despite the additional aspects. They say that consumers shopping online for products such as groceries differ from those who shop in high street stores claiming that on line grocery shoppers tend to be more frequent, heavy shoppers, less price sensitive, prefer larger sizes and do more screening on the basis of brand names. Alternatively, Morganosky and Cude ,(2000) suggest that convenience is the main motivation for on line shoppers, and according to Keh and Shieh,(2001) on line shopping is ideal for time-starved customers such as couples with two careers, children, and above-average income who want to spend time with their families instead. These suggestions are valid and can be applied to the reasons for consumers behaviour towards shopping online, however it also differs to the type of market and the products on offer. Hence, for those people, conven ience is more of a priority than price stresses, Keh and Shieh, (2001). Also Professionals, working women and single independent hard working individuals are just some of the people who do not have time on their hands and their perceptions of online shopping especially for items such as grocery remains to be determined. Keh Shieh, (2001) simply claim, with being deficient in practical evidence, that such customers dislike grocery shopping and only those with busy schedules will consider on line purchasing as a viable option. Online shopping may save time and money as the frustration of dealing with children at a store or supermarket that involves pushing carts up and down the aisles, waiting in long lines at checkout counters, and finding parking spaces, could be eliminated, Keh Shieh,(2001).Whilst on the other hand, as more people today having the opportunity to â€Å"surf† from their offices, they are more likely to shop during office hours and thus may prefer to collect their online shopping at ‘convenient stores on their way back home (Pavitt, 1997). Vaughan (1999); cited in Jardine (1999) head of consulting at Retail Intelligence says that â€Å"consumers might do their main shopping on the internet once a week but will still need to stock up on fresh foods locally† and this is the alternative method that supermarkets have taken by opening ‘convenience stores such as Tesco Express, Sainsburys Local, and MS Simply Food, (Jardine, 1999). According to Lii and Lee (2005), their study on examining customers perception of shopping on line suggests competitive pricing being the main reason. It allows them to compare prices of products more quickly and easily than when shopping in stores. (Korgaonkar and Wolin, 1999; Ernst Young, 2001; cited in Lii and Lee, 2005). According to the author, Mysupermarket.co.uk is a classic example; The website allows registered shoppers to compare their online shopping from high street supermarkets in the UK which are Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Ocado which is fully online based. Furthermore it allows users to switch at a click if they decide to change their preference to the cheapest supermarket. The problem associated with this is that it may be time consuming going through the tedious process of comparison because consumers may dislike switching from their preferred supermarket. In the authors view high street supermarkets also offer this service. A good example is that of Sainsburys supe rmarket where there is often a price comparison sheet placed next to their own shelf edge price tags showing their prices as compared to Tesco and Asda. If not then Sainsburys have opened small kiosks often located towards end of an isle where the customer advisor can compare their prices for customers with other competing supermarkets and if their prices are high then they do price match or sell the item even cheaper. This shows that the high street physical stores are also doing their best to match the benefits of on line shopping. Another factor that may drive away consumers from shopping on line is transportation cost. Bellman (2001), says that growing numbers of e-tailers are eliminating these costs as they find that customers often cancel orders after going through the entire ordering process and then considering the transportation cost being high, and this may be the key factor that drives potential customers away. The other fear of shopping online is privacy. Most web users refrain giving out their details, especially data in the form of credit card details as they fear exploitation of their privacy (Bellman, 2001). Insufficient product information on screen also contributes to decline of purchase. Apart from this, all secured websites do have a ‘time-out function where user sessions are based on time limits. If ‘time-out occurs, customers risk losing their entire shopping basket, which is quite frustrating from a customers point of view. These are some of the most common factors which may keep away customers from shopping online and reason their preference to shop in high street stores simply because they are well aware of the location, store layout, product selection and return policies as well as the stores reputation (Greenbury, 1999; cites in Maruca, 1999). Online e-tailing has a great and growing future, but the high street is still an important destination for customers. The limiting factor of e-businesses could be, a simple example, such as one cannot buy a piece of fruit via shopping online but can do so from a store. Furthermore, there is no empirical evidence to justify what drives customers to shop on line instead of high street stores, ultimately questioning what customers online shopping preferences are? 2.6 The E-tail clothing sector in UK Fashion is a sensitive and rapidly moving market which is growing at a faster pace in the UK, in comparison to its other European counter parts. Shopping on line for clothing products is also fast gaining popularity in the UK. Although buying over the Internet remains small in comparison with buying through the traditional channels, such as the brick-and-mortar physical stores, it is growing and clothing is a substantial portion of the e-tail sector in the UK. The online clothing sector caters for almost all segments of the UK market starting from the low cost value clothing to high end designer clothing including bespoke tailoring to couture clothing, the choice is unlimited and the options ever increasing. One can buy a single handkerchief to a full suit online, even clothing and accessories for all age ranges are available, whereby the customer can buy clothes for new born babies to clothes for senior citizens, therefore making this shopping Diabetes: Questions and Answers Diabetes: Questions and Answers DIABETES Diabetes Mellitus The medical name for diabetes mellitus comes from the Greek word that means to siphon and the Latin word that means sweet like honey. Diabetes mellitus is the name given to a group of conditions where there is too much glucose in the blood. It affects approximately 3% of the population. There are currently 1.4 million people with diabetes mellitus in the UK and it is expected that by 2010 that there will be a further 1 million. It costs the NHS 4.9 billion a year and affects a million people without them even knowing that they have it. (Devendra et al 2004) RELATED BIOLOGY Which organ is involved in the regulation of Blood Glucose Levels? The pancreas. Where is it located? Retroperitoneally, within the curve of the duodenum and with the tail extending to the posterior surface of the spleen. What type of tissue is it made up of? Primarily glandular tissue that has both endocrine (Insulin) and exocrine (Pancreatic digestive enzymes) functions. Which area of this organ is responsible for producing the hormones involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels? The Islets of Langerhans What are the main functions of insulin? To reduce the levels of blood sugar by facilitating the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. It increases the rate of glycogen synthesis in the liver It promotes the synthesis of fatty acids in the liver It inhibits the breakdown of fatty acids in adipose tissue It stimulates the uptake of amino acids It increases cell permeability to potassium (after Wills C et al 2003), What type of substance is insulin made of? Circle the correct answer. Carbohydrate Protein Fats Name the calls that produce the hormone glucagon. Alpha cells What are the main functions of glucagon? An insulin antagonist, it raises blood glucose levels by increasing hepatic glycogen breakdown. It activates hepatic glyconeogenesis It enhances lipolysis of triglycerides One of these hormones has a Catabolic action and the other an Anabolic action. State what these terms mean and identify which hormone falls into which category. CATABOLIC Catabolism is the breakdown of complex biological molecules into smaller component ones Glucagon ANABOLIC Anabolism is the synthesis of complex biological molecules from simpler components. Insulin What are considered normal limits of blood sugar readings? Fasting blood sugar 3.0 to 6.1 mmol/l (Client note: this is variable I have quoted WHO figures – check what your tutor recommends and add it here!) Those with levels of 6.1 to 7.0 mmom/l are said to have impaired glucose tolerance (WHO 1985) CLASSIFICATION OF DIABETES MELLITUS State the 4 main categories. To the client: this is a loaded question. There are many different classification schemes. I quote the categories as defined in RECD 1997 Type 1 diabetes mellitus Type 2 diabetes mellitus Gestational diabetes mellitus Secondary diabetes mellitus – includes: Genetic defects of beta-cell function Genetic defects in insulin action Diseases of the exocrine pancreas Pancreatitis Trauma/pancreatectomy Neoplasia Cystic fibrosis Hemochromatosis Endocrinopathies Acromegaly Cushings syndrome Glucagonoma Pheochromocytoma Hyperthyroidism Somatostatinoma Aldosteronoma Drug- or chemical-induced Vacor†  Pentamidine Nicotinic acid Glucocorticoids Thyroid hormone Diazoxide Beta-adrenergic agonists Thiazides Phenytoin Alfa-interferon Infections Congenital rubella Cytomegalovirus Uncommon forms of immune- mediated diabetes Other genetic syndromes sometimes associated with diabetes Down syndrome Klinefelters syndrome Turners syndrome Wolfram syndrome Friedreichs ataxia Huntingtons chorea Lawrence-Moon Beidel syndrome Myotonic dystrophy Porphyria Prader-Willi syndrome (RECD 1997) Diabetes mellitus can be due to a deficiency in insulin synthesis, secretion and also in some cases resistance. It is also thought that some diabetics may have a combination of both. State 5 causes of Primary Diabetes Mellitus [aetiology]. Primary Diabetes Mellitus is subdivided into Type 1 and Type 2 varieties Aetiology of Type 1 is multifactorial. It is auto immune and trigger factors can be genetic or environmental Environmental causes include exposure to Coxsackie B virus, Rubella virus and Cytomegalovirus and exposure to cows milk. Aetiology of Type 2 is also multifactorial. It includes genetic factors and environmental factors including: western diet, lack of exercise, obesity and hypertension (Todd W et al 2000) NB Causes are still unknown, the above are thought to be trigger factors. State 4 causes of Secondary Diabetes Mellitus. Causes of secondary Diabetes Mellitus. There are several types of secondary Diabetes Mellitus including: gestational diabetes malnutrition-related diabetes pancreatic diseases causing diabetes endocrine diseases causing diabetes drugs and chemicals causing diabetes genetic conditions causing diabetes Causes depend on the variety but include pregnancy, pancreatitis and various drugs including: steroids thiazide diuretics phenytoin diazoxide streptozotocin Pancreatic diseases can cause Diabetes Mellitus including: acute and chronic pancreatitis pancreatic carcinoma cystic fibrosis haemochromatosis Disease processes can also cause secondary Diabetes Mellitus including: acromegaly Cushings syndrome glucagonoma phaeochromocytoma Complete the following chart by using the recommended textbooks to compare the two main types of Diabetes. TYPE 1 TYPE 2 Age at onset juvenile ( % of all cases about 10% about 90% Acute/insidious acute insidious Body build lean obese Genetic link high low Prone to ketoacidosis yes no Autoimmune Disease yes no Treatment insulin diet, oral hypog’s (Harris M 1995). What age group in the general population has the highest incidence of Type 2? Typically the 55-75 age range (Harris M 1995). Certain groups in the general population have an increased risk of developing Type 2 and currently Diabetes UK is promoting a campaign to identify those most at risk earlier, so that they do not develop the major complications associated with this chronic disease. This is called the Missing Million Campaign. Names these â€Å"At Risk† Groups 1. History of Heart Disease 2. History of Stroke 3. Obese (BMI>30) 4. Over 50s 5. Over 40s if from African Caribbean or Asian backgrounds PATHOPHYSIOLOGY / CLINICAL FEATURES DEFINITIONS Define the terms:– Gluconeogensis Biosynthesis of glucose from sources other than glycogen Glycogenolysis Oxidisation of hepatic glycogen into glucose Briefly describe how insulin deficiency / absence can cause the above processes to occur. Insulin deficiency and/or low glucose levels promote the secretion of glycogen Glucagon promotes the activation of the enzyme adenylate cyclase in the liver which triggers glycogenolysis. This is exactly the opposite process to gluconeogenesis and is mediated by a number of enzymes, the most significant being pyruvate kinease Clinical Presentation – Complete the following When blood glucose levels arise above a certain amount the renal threshold in the kidneys is exceeded and glucose spills over in to the urine. This is called glycosuria. This excess glucose sucks up the water so that it can flow from the body; this is called. Large amounts of urine are excreted. This is called polyuria. Excessive thirst is called polydipsia. Excessive urination can result in lowered blood pressure and shock. Blurred vision can be caused by fluctuations in the amount floaters and water in the lens of the eyes during periods of dehydration. This is called osmotic myopia of the lens. Cells are not able to access glucose so they do not receive any fuel and as a consequence cannot produce energy. This triggers the brain to send a message of hunger. This excessive hunger is called polyphagia. Lack of energy makes the individual feel tired and weak. Other sources of energy are sought. Fat stores are broken down to provide energy. This may result in ketosis. Breakdown of fats results in the production of ketone bodies which are excreted in the urine. These are acidic and alter the blood PH. There is a sweet smell of ketones on the breath. This is called ketotic respirations. Weight loss also results. Breakdown of protein stores results in muscle wastage. Skin infections are common e.g. Staph boils, erysipelas . Excess glucose suppresses the natural defence mechanisms and the action of the lymphocyte* cells. Electrolyte imbalances occur. The electrolyte potassium affects cardiac muscle causing arrythmias if deficient. Urea and electrolyte imbalances also result in the following symptoms 1. Dry mouth 2. Thirst 3. Muscle weakness 4. Lethargy 5. Cardiac arrythmias. Numbness and tingling in the feet and cramps may result from peripheral neuropathy. Client Note (*)– this is debatable – your tutor may have a specific answer in mid for this one The recommendations of the W.H.O â€Å"Definition, Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications† were formally adopted in the UK on the 1st June â€Å"2000. The key recommendation, with regard to diagnosis is that fasting plasma glucose should be lowered from 7.8mmol/L to 7mmol/L. What is an OGTT? The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test In the oral glucose tolerance test the patient, after fasting for 15 hours, drinks 75 g of glucose in 300 ml of water, over 5 minutes. Blood glucose is measured before the drink and after 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Urine is collected before the drink, and after 60 and 120 minutes. Before the test, for a period of 6 hours, the patient should avoid smoking and drinking coffee. There is a normal glucose tolerance if the venous plasma value is less than 7 mmol/l after the 2 hour period, If after 2 hours after the glucose load the value is between 7 and 11 mmol/l, then there is impaired glucose tolerance. If glucose is greater than or equal to 11.1 mmol/l this is diagnostic of Diabetes Mellitus OTHER TESTS / SCREENING PROCEDURES What is an HbA1c Test and why is it carried out? This is a measure of glycosylated haemoglobin in the blood. It is a longer term measure of the degree of blood glucose control. (DCCRG 1993) NICE target is 6.5 7.5 HbA1c When would Urea and Electrolyte levels and Blood Gases be tested? Normally only if metabolic imbalance is suspected, dehydration, renal involvement or occasionally as a screen for end-organ pathology (kidneys). U’s + E’s may be requested as part of a monitoring procedure. Blood gases may be useful if severe ketoacidosis is present. When would a Full blood count, specimen check and chest X-rays be carried out? This is more likely to be done as a screening or monitoring procedure (FBC or Urinalysis) unless there was an obvious clinical reason for doing them such as suspected anaemia etc. A CXR would be less likely to be carried out unless pulmonary or cardiac pathology was suspected (Client: this is contentious – as different clinicians have different rationales for these investigations.) When would and ECG and Lipid levels be checked? ECGs are likely to be checked on diagnosis, as a monitoring procedure or if arrythmias have been detected. They may also be done as a baseline investigation, with hypertension or if cardiac involvement is suspected. Lipids are very likely to be abnormal in Diabetes Mellitus. They would be checked as a monitoring investigation at most visits. (DCCRG 1993) When would a neurological assessment and inspection of the lower limbs be carried out? Peripheral neuropathy and vascular impairment are common sequelae to Diabetes Mellitus and this would be actively considered and evaluated at each monitoring visit. Probably at least twice a year or more frequently if indicated. (DCCRG 1993) Why are protein levels checked? Proteinuria is a good indicator of diabetic nephropathy. Urine protein should be checked at every monitoring appointment. Serum proteins are less sensitive but if renal pathology is established then it may be a useful investigation. (DCCRG 1993) When is urine checked for ketones? In the presence of dehydration, clinical suspicion of ketonuria, pregnancy and as a monitoring procedure. (DCCRG 1993) When would an eye inspection / photography be carried out and why is this done? Retinopathy is a potent cause of visual impairment and commonly found in the diabetic state. It is commoner with poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus and Type I diabetes mellitus. It is one of a number of ophthalmic complications seen with diabetes and should be actively screened for at every routine visit. (DCCRG 1993) Why would a diabetic require having their blood pressure regularly recorded and what value is recommended? Hypertension is a common cardiovascular complication of Diabetes Mellitus and is an independent risk factor in Type II diabetes mellitus. The presence of hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus coexisting in the same patient will increase the overall morbidity risk of both cardiovascular disease and cerebro-vascular accident. A blood pressure reading below 130/85 mmHg is an ideal goal for most people with diabetes who dont have kidney complications, but some authorities may recommend an even lower blood pressure goal (below 120/75 mmHg) for people with diabetes who have kidney complications. (DCCRG 1995) State the main complications Short-Term Hypoglycaemia, dizziness, lethargy, impaired conscious level – drowsiness. Hyperglycaemia, nausea, headache, malaise, ketosis. Coronary heart disease, Cardiovascular disease (macro- microvascular disease) Retinopathy which can lead to blindness Nephropathy, which can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis Neuropathy which can lead to, among other things, ulceration of the foot requiring amputation Microvascular Retinopathy, Nephropathy Neuropathy These are generally related to HbA1c levels with the highest incidence of complication occurring when HbA1c levels are above 12% Atherosclerosis Arteriosclerosis Both processes can lead to : heart disease stroke peripheral vascular disease (Stratton I et al 2000) What are the SIGN Guidelines and name those that relate to Diabetes. A set of guidelines originally drawn up by Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. They include: visual impairment (SIGN 4) pregnancy (SIGN 9) children and young people (SIGN 10) renal disease (SIGN 11) foot disease (SIGN 12) cardiovascular disease (SIGN 19). Treatment- Give Principles   Type 1 Always insulin dependent. Active treatment involves titrating insulin dose against glucose levels and then maintaining levels by manipulation of the insulin regime Constant monitoring by either patient or physician Constant vigilance for complications Type 2 Depends on cause, but in most cases treatment involves lifestyle modification, weight loss, dietary carbohydrate restriction. If not successful then progression to oral hypoglycaemics and occasionally to insulin. Constant monitoring for the presence of complications Reduction of secondary causes of complication i.e. cessation of smoking. INSULIN Insulin was identified as a substance that prevented diabetes in the early 1890’s. Banting and Best extracted insulin from the pancreas of a dog in 1921 and the first human received a crude extract of insulin from the pancreatic glands of cattle in 1922. Over the years there have been many advances in the synthesis of insulin. Insulin is a protein. Insulin injections are vital for people with Type 1 diabetes as they are unable to produce insulin them selves and also for many with Type 2 diabetes whose condition has progressed to a point where tablets and diet cannot control it adequately. The aim of this treatment is to ensure that blood glucose levels are maintained at less that 6.5 mmol/l. (Client: see previous comments) Name 4 factors which influence control 1. Weight 2. Severity of disease process 3. Diet 4. Level of exercise (Wing RR, et al 2001) There are a variety of insulins available on the market. The two main sources are animal and human. How is human insulin produced? By recombinant DNA technology inserting human genes into bacteria such as E.coli which then produces insulin in commercial quantities. The majority of diabetics are now on Human insulin but unfortunately some people are still required to take animal insulin. Many drug companies are wishing to phase out animal insulin and at present Diabetes UK is campaigning to maintain these. Why does insulin have to be given by injection? Being a protein it cannot be given by mouth as it would be denatured in the gastro-intestinal tract. What other route is being researched as an alternative? A great deal of research has been lavished on alternative modes of drug delivery. Transdermal routes do not give reproducible and consistent blood levels. Oral insulin has not been a possibility in the absence of a specific peptide carrier system that would work in the gut. Nasal administration has been tried, but there was low bioavailability and absorption enhancers were needed, in addition the clinical effect was only over a very short period. Pulmonary routes appear to be promising but we already know that the pulmonary route is comparatively inefficient and requires ten times the amount of insulin to achieve the same clinical effect. Initial clinical trials show no side effects and research is currently continuing. (Heinemann L 2001) SIDE EFFECTS Initially on the commencement of insulin people may experience sensitivity around the injection site. How would you recognise this? This is a form of allergy. It can be local, in which case the local skin becomes red and itchy at the injection site. It may (rarely) be systemic giving rise to a uticarial reaction, tachycardia and tachypnoea. Very rarely a patient may experience anaphylaxis. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia may occur if too much insulin is injected or if not enough carbohydrate is consumed or if there is increased exercise without taking extra food. Hard lumps under the skin may occur at injection sites if they are not rotated. What is the correct medical term for these? Lipodystrophy The number of units prescribed is calculated depending on time of day, age, weight and lifestyle. Typical dose is 0.7-1.0 units per Kg of body weight. WARNINGS Insulin should never be administered in cases of HYPO. The body may get used to low levels of blood glucose and therefore the warning signs for HYPOs are reduced. Individuals who have lost these may be advised to raise their blood glucose levels slightly for up to 3 months to resensitise themselves to symptoms. Some people have also found that they have lost some or all of their symptoms of HYPO when transferring from animal to human insulin. Insulin dosages may have to change if there is disease of the adrenal pituitary and thyroid glands and also in the presence of liver and kidney disease. Taking of steroids will increase the insulin requirement. During illness, puberty or emotional trauma glucose levels can become elevated and therefore insulin doses require to be adjusted and more regular blood sugar monitoring is essential. During pregnancy insulin requirements may decrease in the first trimester and increase in the second and third trimester. The following drugs may increase blood glucose levels and therefore lead to a need for more insulin – Steroids Contraceptives Asthma Inhalers Some drugs lower blood glucose levels and therefore result in a reduction in insulin. These are:- Aspirin Beta blockers Mono-amine oxidase inhibitors. There are four categories of insulin. Give an example of each. Very short acting [ANALOGUE] – e.g. Humalog. Short acting [SOLUBLE, NEUTRAL] – e.g. Actrapid, Human Velosulin. Medium and long acting [ISOHANE, PROTAMINE ZINC] e.g. Human Insulotard. Combination of short and medium acting [MIXED, BIPHASIC] e.g. Human Mixtard. Who would most likely be prescribed very short acting insulins? The very unstable or out of control diabetic. Children more likely than adults. How long before a meal does short acting insulin require to be injected? Depends on type. Sol. Insulin starts working within 30-60 mins and lasts about 6-8 hrs. Other types such as Insulin aspart and insulin lispro both start working within 15 minutes and last for up to five hours. The glucose rise after a meal typically begins within about 15 mins so the insulin should ideally be in the system to counteract it. How often daily would you require to take the following insulins:- Short acting – about 2-4 times a day( when stable) Medium acting – about twice a day Long acting – Once (or perhaps twice) a day These answers depend on the age and size of the patient, as well as the severity of the disease process. Why is short acting insulin sometimes given with medium acting insulin? To give a smoother blood glucose profile and also to â€Å"fill in the gap† before the medium acting insulin becomes biologically active. Where should insulin be stored? In the fridge, but not frozen. Briefly discuss the types of equipment that are used to administer insulin? Commonest is still the disposable insulin syringe. Syringe should always be calibrated to match the insulin type. Most are U-100 now. Other options include the pen devices (expensive but convenient and largely â€Å"fool proof†). Jet injectors are occasionally seen, but not very common. In hospital surroundings insulin pumps (drivers or infusers) can be used. Ambulatory subcutaneous pumps are increasingly used to deliver continuous infusion. Very expensive but arguably capable of producing the best control. (HSG 1997) What advice would you give to a diabetic who is planning to go abroad on holiday with regard to their insulin? Take plenty with you as your brand may not be available abroad. Make sure you can keep it refrigerated. Run your blood glucose levels slightly higher than you are used to a) because of probable increased exercise and b) to reduce the risk of Hypo whilst away from home. Be extra vigilant with the blood sugar monitoring. Strange diet may have unexpected consequences. ORAL HYPOGYCAEMICS Below are the main categories of drugs. Give an example of each, including daily dosage and side effects? Sulphonylureas Chlorpropamide 250 mg (100 mg in the elderly) This is a very long acting drug, usually taken once daily with breakfast. Alcohol may cause flushing to the face. Biguanides Metformin Start at 500 mg twice a day or 850 mg once daily. The maximum daily dose is 2550 mg given in three divided doses Gastrointestinal side effects are a common occurrence in people taking metformin. Problems often include bloating, flatulence, nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhoea Occasionally a metallic taste in the mouth. Rare complication lactic acidosis (Knowler WC et al 2002) Prandial glucose regulator Repaglinide 0.5 to 4 mg with each meal Occasional gastro intestinal side effects (Bokvist K et al 1999) Alpha glucosidase inhibitor Acarbose 50 mg then titrated against clinical effect. Flatulence soft stools or diarrhoea. Glitazones [new drug] Rosiglitazone 4mg as starting dose increasing to 8mg if required Possible toxic effects on the liver (theoretical rather than practical) (Park JY et al 2004) ACUTE COMPLICATIONS The most common is Hypoglycaemia. It results from an imbalance between glucose intake, endogenous glucose and glucose utilisation. A decrease in the blood glucose level normally leads to stimulation of catecholamine secretion. Identify 5 causes. Insufficient carbohydrate intake Excessive carbohydrate utilisation (exercise) Intercurrent acute illness Overdose of insulin Other illnesses (viz glycogen storage diseases) Alcohol Name 8 clinical features that the patient experiences. Pallor Shaking Perspiration Fatigue A feeling of weakness Rapid heartbeat (Tachycardia) Hunger Agitation Difficulty concentrating Irritability Blurred vision Temporary loss of consciousness Confusion Convulsions Coma. What would be given in order to treat it? Depending on severity. If minor, warm sweet (glucose containing) drinks If major, IM Glucagon. Monitoring essential until fully recovered. What is ketoacidosis? A clinical condition almost invariably associated with low insulin levels. As a result, the blood glucose levels rise and the intracellular glucose levels fall. This requires the metabolism at a cellular level to be fuelled with fat derivatives rather than carbohydrates and this produces acidic ketones. These ketones normally require the presence of insulin for their catabolism. In its absence, they build up causing a metabolic acidosis and spill over into the urine when the concentration is high enough. Identify 5 causes Fluctuations in insulin regime Intercurrent illness Trauma Reduction in carbohydrate intake Dehydration +- severe exercise State 10 clinical features of this clinical state High blood sugar levels Frequent urination (polyuria) and thirst Fatigue and lethargy Dry skin Facial flushing Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Fruity odour to breath Rapid, deep breathing (Air hunger) Muscle stiffness or aching Coma The principals of management are:- Prompt administration of insulin (usually on a sliding scale) to reduce the hyperglycaemia and ketonaemia Replacing fluid loss (from polyuria and vomiting) usually by intravenous fluids Restabilising electrolyte imbalances secondary to dehydration, metabolic acidosis and hypokalaemia. Treatment for any underlying cause such as infection. LONG TERM COMPLICATIONS There are 10 steps that the diabetic patient can take to reduce his chances of developing complications. Regular screening of BP and maintain at 140/80 or lower. Regular HbA1c testing. Maintain blood glucose levels between 4-7mmols/L before meals. A

Livvie Essay -- essays research papers

"Livvie", A Celebration of life Eudora Welty’s "Livvie", is a great story on how life should be celebrated. The story is about a young woman , who marries and old man, that in a since imprisons her. The young girl gets a second chance at life when a younger man (someone her own age) enters her life and the older man is about to die. The theme Welty is trying to get across is live life to the fullest. Welty shows the theme through the character, setting, and symbols. Characters played a big role in the story. First, Solomon who is the husband of young woman. His name kind of explains what type of man he is going to be in the story. Solomon was the king of Israel and in the story Welty provides information that Solomon is playing a king type role. Welty says Solomon had a bed "like a throne" (511). "Solomon had never let Livvie go any farther than the chicken house and the well. (515). Welty shows the control Solomon has over Livvie (the young girl). Another sign of control that Welty shows in the story is, "Solomon would not have let Livvie look at them, just as he would not let her look at a field hand or a field hand look at her" (512-513). He does not realize how unappreciative he is making Livvie. Livvie, her name too has a symbol. It means "life" or "live". "She is unable to live her life Watt 2 under Solomon’s strict rule (Sample Short Story Ana...

El Presidente Essay

El Presidente was a film which portrays the happenings from the past when colonization of other country started while Emilio Aguinaldo was the president.  After watching the film, though we watched it bit by bit because of limited time, I can say it was still worth it, because it at least showed to us the events in the past with the creativity of the people behind it. The film was good. I enjoyed watching it, though in some parts of it were kind of confusing to me maybe because I don’t have enough knowledge of history. There are parts when Andres Bonifacio had been a traitor and had been punished to death because of him being a traitor, this confused me. Way back years ago, when I was in elementary and high school years, I can still remember that A. Bonifacio was one of the people I salute in the Philippine History, for being the Father of Katipunan and founder of it. But when I saw that film, I’m confused with what to think of him because of what he acted when someone kind of insult him for not having a higher level of education. He loses his patience and that led to his betrayal to the katipunan. I think if I was in his position, I wouldn’t do what he did, I would prove them wrong about what they think an uneducated or someone who has lower level of learning unworthy to lead, with that he should have proved himself worthy in stead of being eaten by his anger. Also, there’s another thing of the film which I’m confused, its Emilio Aguinaldo. It seemed like E. Aguinaldo was a type of person who do not have any flaws in the film. Overall the film was worth watching. It gave me goose bumps in some part of it because of its intensity, and that hurt feeling seeing how our ancestors fight for our freedom that we’re having now because of their bravery even though they had risked their lives for it.

Hamlet as a Critical Study Essay

Why is Hamlet still relevant to our studies regardless of the centuries that have passed since its production? Is it worthy in continuing to be a critical study? The reinterpretation that Shakespeare created of Hamlet was based on a number of previous plays including the 12th century Danish Amleth, both these plays are situated around the main theme of being revenge tragedies. The prime aspect of why Hamlet will continue to be relevant as a critical study is due to the themes that the play is centralised around such as existentialism, corruption and illusion vs. eality. These universal themes engage audiences of any society, even four centuries later, creating a timeless classic. The literary devices utilised within the play, such as the iambic pentameter, antithetical language and word play create an engaging atmosphere which captures the imagination of any audience making it worthy of a critical study. The ambiguity, open ended, and unanswered questions that Shakespeare utilises leaves the audience open to interpretation, thus allowing the play to relate to the specific context to which it is being viewed and studied. This makes it worthy of a critical study as a personal response is erected and the audience is emotionally involved with the play as they find common grounds with the universality of themes and notions presented. This can be seen through differing productions of Hamlet such as Damien Ryans play and Tony Richardsons film, which are directed to sustain an audiences engagement regardless of the context. Shakespeare uses techniques such as metatheatre and a mouse-trap to further engage the audience and reflect on himself respectively as the audience can see that both Shakespeare and Hamlet use the theatricality of the play to withdraw emotion from their selected audience. Through these techniques and thematic concerns, along with the central plot, it is shown why Hamlet is worthy of critical study. Act I Scene V of Hamlet serves as a key scene in the play as it is when Hamlet is commanded by the ghost to revenge his â€Å"foul and most unnatural murder. † In this scene Hamlet is told that Claudius is to blame for the death of his father and the ghost exhorts Hamlet to seek revenge, telling him that Claudius has corrupted Denmark and corrupted Gertrude, having taken her from the pure love of her first marriage and seduced her in the foul lust of their incestuous union. Corruption is exposed within this scene due to the focus that the ghost sets on Gertrude and her domestic affairs rather than the political state that Denmark is undergoing. The ghost has exposed himself to Hamlet for the first and last time as the audience is told, and rather than focusing on the political state of the country as the honourable king would do, the ghost insists on complaining about his beloved Gertrude marrying his brother, the ghost even says â€Å"Let not the royal bed of Denmark be a couch for luxury and damned incest†. This represents corruption as the audience would have expectations of the original king to have a higher concentration for the future of his country rather than the scandalous affairs of his widow. An act of corruption is also exposed to the audience when Hamlet learns that Claudius, the machiavellian character, has performed the shocking act of killing a king also known as regicide, the ghost explains Claudius to be â€Å"the serpent which did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown† which presents the contextual view of regicide, as he portrays him in a negative manner. Contextually, the Elizabethans watching the play would have found these acts of treason completely taboo and unacceptable emphasising the density of corruption in the scene and even to this day, such acts of treason have a severe penalty as they are completely deplorable. Through this we can see the significance of the situation and how it relates to any context making it worthy of a critical study. In two contrasting productions of Hamlet, the ghost is presented in two opposing views entirely. In Damian Ryan’s production, the ghost is introduced to the audience in a ripped up, run down trench coat, he is barefoot and wrapped in a rope. The ghost is presented to us as exhausted and weak, contrary to the king that he was before. Damian Ryan choses to portray the ghost in a modest way in comparison to the way he dressed when he was king. The use of these costume and props may serve as a representation of the after life to the audience in explaining that after death, it does not matter whether a man dies a king or a peasant, in the after life all will be the same. The lighting that is used during this scene is spotlight focusing directly on the ghost himself making him the main point of interest yet sometimes it was clearly seen that the light would travel both in front and behind him representing the purgatory state that the ghost was in as he was in a phase of in-between where the ghost had not entirely crossed over yet. Through the lighting this was portrayed to the audience, showing the lighting and film techniques create representations of what idea may be desired to be presented. In contrast to this, in the Tony Richardson adaptation of Hamlet, the ghost is not even seen by the audience. What can be assumed though, is that the ghost appeared in armour as Horatio states â€Å"yes, my lord, he wore his beaver up. † the ghost being presented in armour opposes the ghost in Damian Ryan’s production as in the film, this representation may present the king as a symbol of authority even after his death. We are also told that the ghost is wearing the same armour the king wore during the last battle he fought against Fortinbras, this presents symbolism as the king is shown as a influential character, not presented as weak because of purgatory. Taking into consideration that the king set the play into motion therefore the audience is aware of the influence he carries. A film technique that was used in Tony Richardsons production was the absence of the kings figure. Although the audience was aware of his presence, we are never exposed to him. This raises further ambiguity over the reality of the ghost presenting the idea of illusion and reality. An intricate web of illusions vs reality is also depicted in this scene as the notion of a ghost or apparition appearing to someone was not a complete surprise during the Elizabethan era, but during this context, a spiritual form appearing could mean several distinct ideas. When a ghost appeared, people believed it could either be an angry spirit seeking revenge, a devil in disguise as a trustworthy figure or simply a projection of one’s imagination. However Hamlet seems to be surprised at the sight of his passed father standing before him but why is this? Ambiguity is raised in this scene as the audience questions whether the ghost is Hamlets imagination or the real spirit of King Hamlet reaching out to his son. Due to the Elizabethan audience that the play was originally written for, a religious view must be taken into consideration, the main religions circling at the time were the Protestants, who believed ghosts were a figment of imagination and the Catholics who believed they were real spirits. The ambiguity of this scene is left in question as we know from Horatio, Bernardo and Francisco that the ghost was real and not simply Hamlets imagination because the ghost had appeared to them, in contrast to the ghost being invisible to Hamlets mother later in the play. This all depicts illusion vs reality as the audience is left questioning what is real and what isn’t leaving the unanswered questions open to be interpreted. Therefore, building a personal response to the reality of the ghost, making it worthy of a critical study. A literary device employed by Shakespeare in the scene is the iambic pentameter, throughout the play the audience learns that through the presentation of a characters speech, the interest or the state of mind can be easily depicted by Shakespeare’s device. When a character is speaking in prose, they are completely engaged in the conversation and the rhythmic flow creates a certain interest with both the audience and the character they are conversing with. In this scene, the ghost clearly speaks to Hamlet in prose, this is due to the notion that what the ghost is confiding in Hamlet is clearly important and the use of the iambic pentameter creates a flow of interest so that both the audience, and Hamlet are engaged in what is being spoken. Contrary to this, Hamlet replies in single sentences such as â€Å"Murder! â€Å", although this does not necessarily mean that Hamlet is disinterested, it could present the idea that Hamlet’s mind is too preoccupied with gathering the many thoughts that the ghost has presented. From this literary device, it is clearly illustrated that Hamlet is clearly slightly confused and shocked, trying to process his thoughts. Although the audience is not told this, a personal response would suggest this idea as the ambiguity that is presented. Through this personal response it is clearly shown that Hamlet will continue to be worthy of a critical study. This point in the play can be considered the pivotal event and sets the main plot into notion, also developing the main character of Hamlet as the ambiguity created between the contrasting themes of illusion and reality. It is directly after this scene that Hamlet starts to feign madness in the play and although the audience is well aware of the reality that Hamlet is merely alluding everyone into believing he is mad, the characters in the play start to question his sanity. This shows Hamlet to be an enigmatic character as there is always more to him than the characters in the play can figure out. Hamlet is presented as overly analytical and indecisive during the attempts to avenge the death of his father. Throughout the play, Hamlet is always held back by his consideration of religion, beliefs and the notion of doubt regarding the honesty of the ghost. A view into the mindset of Hamlet is presented though his thoughts and actions as we can see the existentialist character build within him. We see him often think about the afterlife and questioning the quality of someone’s afterlife according to his moment of death, we even see Hamlet contemplate suicide. â€Å"The everlasting had not fix’d his cannon gainst self-slaughter† shows the struggle within Hamlet as he despises his life’s conditions of the moment and wishes he could end it. The character Hamlet is aware of morals and knows that suicide would lead to hell, therefore he would rather live in â€Å"an unweeded garden† rather than suffer the consequences. Another way the audience is exposed to why Hamlet is a person of morals is due to the desire to avenge his father, although this is carried out by a recurring impossibility. Yet, when Hamlet returns from his uncompleted trip to England, we can see the character more determined on Claudius’s death than any other part of the play, he realises he must serve action. Hamlet presents a serious intent to end his inaction and indecisiveness when he proclaims â€Å"O, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody ore be nothing worth† explaining to the audience that his main focus will be revenge on Claudius to avenge his father. Although Hamlet is portrayed as the anti-hero in the play, and the audience create a personal response of frustration at his inaction and over thinking, he is eventually successful in overcoming the in-action and finally seeking what was asked of him by his father. Hamlet becomes aware that the indecisiveness is due to a lack of self determination and starts focusing solely on revenge.