People aspects of capital investment decision making Essay

People aspects of capital investment decision making - Essay Example Though these techniques have successfully gained popularity as deciding tool, however, influence from the human element on decision making still maintains its dominance (paper). Managers of the firm themselves receive impact from their traits leading to influenced preferences in making decision. Among many reasons that advocate the acceptance of human element weight in investment decision, it is also for the fact that capital budgeting techniques has some unanswered queries. For instance, subjectivity of the discount rate used to discount the cash flows. It further states that the outcome of decisions based on capital budgeting techniques does not facilitate learning function as each situation is considered different. Successes or failure of decision from the usage of these techniques are also attributed to manager; and it is a manager who receives promotion (demotion) on success (failure) of project and not the techniques. Also these techniques are not easy to employee and are consi dered as complex procedures. Hence, mentioned ones and many other reasons lead to advocacy to systematically include human element factor in decision making criteria (Simon (1955, 1959), Margolis (1958), and Cyert and March (1963). This report provides the critical evaluation of capital budgeting technique with application on hypothetical project of construction and discusses the impact of various factors mainly managerial implication in results. In the second part, human impact of managerial attitude towards risk is discussed in detail. THE ALTERNATIVE ‘OBJECTIVE PROCESSES’ EVALUATION The alternative objective processes evaluation has been conducted with developing hypothetical example from construction sector. Example is a construction project of three storey building. Project has an initial cost of UK ?. 75, 192 and has been financed by 60% debt and 40% equity. Table 1 provides cash flow details with application of capital budgeting techniques. Details of estimated i nitial cost, revenues, expenses, and loan are provided in appendix. Result of each technique application is discussed under heading titled to technique. TABLE 1: Cash Flow       No. Of Years 0 1 2 3 4 5 Working Capital ? 7,049 ? 7,593 ? 8,181 ? 8,814 ? 9,497 ? - Change in working -? 7,049 -? 545 -? 587 -? 633 -? 683 ? 9,497 Initial investment -? 75,193                Cash flow from Investing -? 75,193 ? 7,049 ? 7,593 ? 8,181 ? 8,814 ? 9,497                      Revenues ? - ? 64,721 ? 69,879 ? 75,449 ? 81,464 ? 87,959 Less: Total Expenses ? - ? 35,283 ? 37,609 ? 41,305 ? 44,888 ? 49,372 Cash From Operating ? - ? 29,438 ? 32,270 ? 34,144 ? 36,576 ? 38,587                      Cash Flow -? 75,193 ? 36,487 ? 39,864 ? 42,325 ? 45,390 ? 48,084 Interest Expense    ? 1,805 ? 1,471 ? 1,125 ? 765 ? 390 EBT    ? 34,682 ? 38,392 ? 41,200 ? 44,626 ? 47,694 Tax(0) ? - ? - ? - ? - ? - ? -                      Total Cash Flows(after Tax) -? 75,193 ? 34,682 ? 38,392 ? 41,200 ? 44,626 ? 47,694 R    ? 0.05 ? 0.05 ? 0.05 ? 0.05 ? 0.05 DCF -? 75,193 ? 33,031 ? 34,823 ? 35,590 ? 36,714 ? 37,370 PAYBACK PERIOD    -? 42,162 -? 7,339 ? 28,251       Based on the positive NPV, the project is suggested to be feasible to undertake. Moreover, evaluation of NPV and other

World Civilizations Essay Example for Free

World Civilizations Essay Alexander the Great. What types of qualities come to mind when you hear that name? An idealistic king? A brutal ant agonizer? Whichever trait you choose to describe Alexander the Great, one thing is for sure: he is one of the most perplexing great figure in out time. Alexander III of Macedon, more commonly referred to as Alexander the Great, was born in Pella, in July 356 B.C.E. At the age of 20 he became the king of Macedonia when his father, Phillip II of Macedon, was assassinated in 336 B. C. Among inheriting a strong kingdom and experienced army from his father, he was also awarded the generalship of Greece. But what was really important to Alexander was pursuing his fathers dream; the invasion of the Persian Empire. In 334 B.C.E., outfitted with an army of 37,000 men, he invaded the Persian-ruled Asia Minor, thus beginning a series of campaigns lasting ten years. Although Alexanders first confrontation with the Persians almost cost him his life, he pulled out with a victory and by the following spring, the entire western half of the Asia Minor was in his control. By breaking down the power of Persia into a series of crucial battles such as the battles of Gaugamela and Issus, he then overthrew the Persian King Darius III and eventually conquered the rest of the Persian Empire. While founding the first of many cities, such as Alexandria, remaining Egypt’s and the Mediterranean world’s most important city, he was also named pharaoh of Egypt itself. With his army demanding to turn back while marching east to conquer India, Alexander reluctantly turns around, leads them across southern Persia, only to have thousands of men succumb to death from the heat and dehydration. After arriving in Babylon with his remaining troops, Alexander continued planning more campaigns but exhausted from his wounds, fever and possibly excessive alcohol consumption died in 323 B.C.E. Alexander was made legendary as a classical hero in the mold of Achilles and is prominently in the history and myth of Greek and non-Greek cultures. REFERENCES: â€Å"Alexander the Great† (356-323 B.C.), Wikipedia

Will The Internet Drown The Travel Agents Tourism Essay

Will The Internet Drown The Travel Agents Tourism Essay November 2009, Budget travel the largest tour operator in Ireland ceased trading and closed the remaining 17 of total 31 retail shops. The company was established in May 1975 and had a 30% share of the market. The internet is a tidal waveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. It will wash over the computer industry and many others, drowning those who dont learn to swim in its waves. (Bill Gates, 1995) Travel agents used to be the purchase channel between the travellers and the suppliers; now travellers can bypass the travel agents and purchase directly from the suppliers by using the internet. Will the internet drown the travel agents, like Bill Gates predicted, or will they learn to swim in its waves? A lot of research in this area has focused on how travellers and suppliers use the internet to eliminate the middle man, this research examines how travel agents are evolving and surviving this disintermediation. This dissertation is important to the middle men (the travel agents) and will examine what future, if any, they have and what form that future will take. Also this is important to future researchers, due to the lack of recent research literatures on this topic. Background to Study Currently travellers demand more and higher quality travel services, products, information and value for their money. The internet serves as a new form of communication and distribution channel for the traveller and travel service suppliers. It enables tourism suppliers to improve their competitiveness and performance, by cutting out the middle man, bringing more profit to the tourism suppliers and allowing suppliers to provide lower fare to the travellers. Before the internet, travellers had to book though travel agents. These bookings typically consisted of a large range of bundled products; each of the products within the booking was presented to the traveller in a sequential fashion. For example, the start of the trip would almost certainly consist of a flight product; at the destination airport the traveller would possibly collect their hire car and they would then go on to their pre-booked hotel. The industry relies on linking various products from various sources at specific times and locations to create a coherent package or product for the traveller. As Longhi (2008) stated, the value chain of the travel and tourism industry could traditionally be split into five main types of actors or participants (Figure 1): Figure 1 The Travel and Tourism Industry Supplier Chain Suppliers GDS Tour operators Travel agents Traveller Suppliers and service providers. Global Distribution Systems (GDS), such as Galileo, Sabre and Amadeus, used for reservations, information search, client management and reporting. Tour operators, who bundle the tourism products from suppliers. Travel agencies, which distribute the different products from services providers and tour operators to the consumer. Travellers, the actual customers. In contrast to the traditional model above, the internet provides a way for tourism suppliers to sell their products globally to potential travellers. For these suppliers, this model represents lower distribution costs, access to a much larger market and therefore higher potential revenues. For travellers, it represents an ability to communicate directly with tourism suppliers and to purchase what they wish when they wish to; with no recourse to a middleman. To some researchers, online booking sites significantly reduce the importance of travel agencies, a trend that could ultimately result in the permanent removal of travel agents from the supplier chain (Barnett and Standing, 2001). However, Palmer and McCole (1999) argue that travel agencies provide personal information and advice to traveller and that this is their key strength. There has been a significant amount of research on how the internet has changed the way travellers purchase products, but very little has been conducted on how the internet impacts the intermediaries travel agents. With the trend towards disintermediation, the elimination of the middle men between the suppliers and the consumers, travel agents would seem to be facing extinction. Bennett(1992) claims that changes to information technology in the travel industry over the past few years have worked primarily in favour of the suppliers and at the expense of the travel agents. Caywood, Loverseed and Murray (1999) support this view and suggest that these changes are aimed at encouraging travellers to bypass travel agents altogether. It is certainly undeniable that the internet is providing the means for suppliers and consumers to communicate directly. Figures available from the Irish Central Statistic Office indicate that over the past 4 years, the number of travellers booking online has increased dramatically and, by the same token, the number booking through travel agents has substantially decreased. Number of Trips by Irish Residents (Thousand) Travel Agent Internet 2006 1729 5510 2009 1046 7496 Despite these statistics, travel agents still exist within the marketplace. The fact that they are still here means that they are somehow managing to compete with the internet. A number of arguments have been put forward to suggest why travel agents are still surviving and also what they need to do to continue to compete and flourish. Lowerngart and Reichal (1998) claim that there are opportunities available to travel agents provided they focus on specific markets and specialise their activities. Waksberg (1997) argued that travel agents should move from a focus on transaction processing to the provision of consultative services. Lovelock (1992) claims that travel agents will need to expand their advisory function and concentrate on the provision of information and details that are not available to the traveller through the internet. Beirne (1999) suggests that travel agents should become consumer advocates, finding the best deals for the traveller. The Research Questions The primary research objective is to recognize how the internet is changing the travel industry and what strategies or techniques travel agents are adopting to evolve and sustain their positions. The key research question maybe posed as How does the internet impact travel agents? From the key question than expand to sub questions as following: How has the internet changed the business of travel agents? What threats does the internet present for travel agents? How are travel agents using the internet to run and improve their businesses? In what ways are travel agents competing with online travel providers? How will travel agents utilize the internet in the future to enhance their business operations and increase their profits? Timeframe of the Study The study was conducted over a nine months period from December 2010 to August 2010. The initial proposal was established during December to February, when the research topic was decided. The main body of work commenced in March 2010. Roadmap of Chapters The dissertation is split in to five major chapters followed by reference, bibliography and appendices. A summary of the subsequent chapters is outlined below: Chapter 2 contains a brief history of travel reservation system, as well as a discussion on existing research in the area and predictions concerning the future of travel agents. Chapter 3 discusses what methodological approach has been taken, the methods used to design and develop the research instruments, detailing the rationale for selection of the focus group, interview and online survey questions. Chapter 4 contains analysis on the primary secondary data and the findings. Chapter 5 presents the conclusion of the research and future work needed in this area. Chapter 2 literature review 2.1 Introduction November 2009, Budget travel the largest tour operator in Ireland ceased trading and closed the remaining 17 of total 31 retail shops. The company was established in May 1975 and had a 30% share of the market. This chapter sets out to examine how travel agents operated before the widespread use of the internet. It contrasts this historic, or traditional, mode of operation with the way that they operate today; placing particular emphasis on how the internet has directly impacted travel agents in the modern marketplace. There is a lack of recent and current research on this very specific topic, as a result most articles cited within this chapter are quite old. However, the lack of pertinent articles is also indicative of the importance of this research. This chapter draws on selected research identified during the literature review. It outlines the relationship between the internet and travel agents and it is from this literature review that the research questions for this dissitation emerged. 2.2 Exploratory Research A list of relevant articles and other sources were initially established through searches in selected computer science, communications and social sciences databases. Additional articles were found by following references from the initial list to their sources. The following databases were searched for the keywords Travel agents, Internet vs. Travel agents, Reservation system, Distribution channel, Tourism and travel, Information system, survival of the middle man and travel agency. Electronic journals http://atoz.ebsco.com IEEE Online Journal Index http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/periodicals.jsp Stella catalogue http://stella.catalogue.tcd.ie/iii/encore/home?lang=eng Science Direct http://www.sciencedirect.com Emerald http://www.emeraldinsight.com.elib.tcd.ie/ SAGE Journals Online http://online.sagepub.com.elib.tcd.ie ISI Web of knowledge http://apps.isiknowledge.com.elib.tcd.ie Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com Fig 2 Selected database table 2.3 History Any discussion on the history of the travel industry is necessarily complicated by large scale conflicts or wars. These are events which profoundly restrict any and all international travel, effectively shutting down the travel industry. For this reason, this document will consider the history of travel industry from the late 1940s onwards. Events prior to this are outside of the scope of this research. During the period under discussion, the late 1940s, travellers were few and fares were tightly regulated. The customer would telephone the travel agent, giving them details of the required travel arrangements. The agents would then call or telex the suppliers, on receiving these details the supplier would store them on a reservation card and then file that card. The number of air travellers steadily increased during the late 1940s and 1950s, in response to this; the airline schedules grew more complex. The existing simplistic system of booking travel products had to evolve to meet the increased size and complexity of the travel marketplace. In 1959, IBM developed a Computer Reservation System (CRS, also known as a Global Distribution System (GDS)) called Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment (SABRE). Initially developed for American Airlines, it was an answer to the problem of how to scale the reservation process to match the increased demand for travel. By 1964 it was the largest civil data processing system in the world (DUNCAN G.1995). Other airlines followed suit and introduced their own CRS or GDS systems. To book an air itinerary, travel agents had to call a reservation agent within the specific airline; the airline reservation agent would then make the flight reservation though a GDS terminal. The travel agent would then book any other additional travel products, such as hotel accommodation or a rental car, again using the telephone. This process created constrain on the travel agents, so they began pushing for a system that could automate their side of the process. In 1976 all airlines start grant travel agents access to their reservation system, allow agents to book ticket through their systems directly. At the same time in the UK , British Airways, British Caledonian and CCL launched Travicom, the worlds first multi-access reservation system, it has 49 airlines subscribing to it, it enable the travel agents and airlines communicate via a common distribution language and networks. From its success Travicom start implement similar system in different country, later when British Airline chose to participate in the development of the Galileo system ; Travicom changed its trading name to Galileo UK and a migration process was put in place to move agencies from Travicom to Galileo (B. Schmid, 1994). By the end of the 1990s there are nine major GDS of which 6 are still been used today. The GDS allow travel agent to a ccess its data using a terminal window through the network. Now travel agents can book flights directly with the GDS, they quickly realised that the computer terminals they are using everyday could be a convenient tool for booking other services as well. The GDS soon realised to fulfil the travel agents requirements; they need to add booking capabilities for rent cars, accommodations and other travel products (HSMAI Marketing Review, 1996). Finally travel agents can now book itinerary though one source within a network. When the internet becomes more and more popular, airlines and travel agents like other corporations start to use internet to improve their business. All GDSs can now be accessed through internet, travel agents can simply log on to the GDSs website to make search and reservation, most of the communications are done by email, the internet allows the travel agents operate more efficient. It also enables airlines to discard paper tickets, allow travellers to check in online, and travel agents will no longer has to worry about if the paper ticket will not reach the traveller on time. At the same time the internet also enable the traveller to book trips bypass the travel agents (Jo Cheyne et. Al, 2005). 2.3 Existing research of internet and travel agents Examining the key findings of some of the major studies on the relationship between the internet and travel agents. 2.3.1 The advent of the internet and disintermediation in the travel industry The internet has changed the traditional distribution channels; various studies have shown how well the internet is suited to the travel and tourism industry (Buhalis and Licate, 2002; Chirstian, 2001). With advent of the internet, suppliers can provide information on their products online, timely, up to date, to the travellers to assist their decision making. This , in turn, necessitates the balancing of perishable tourism products and changeable tourist demand, furthermore, the tourism industry is diversified, with a plethora of different suppliers that operate independently, even as tourists expect travelling to be complete experience. The resolve this mismatch, the internet offers an effective means for developing a single and sustainable electronic infrastructure for information gathering and business transactions for both travellers and suppliers. A natural outcome of this is that the suppliers can carry out one-to one marketing and mass customization. In other words, travel su pplier an now understand each customers needs, and therefore target each customer individually and deliver tailor-made products. More importantly, travel suppliers can understand how to deliver information and sell their products and services to customers directly through their website (Law, 2002). Travel services and product suppliers see the internet as an opportunity to save money on distribution costs. Inkpen (1998) stated that the internet allows the suppliers to sell their product directly to the travellers, bring them a significant cost savings. As Law (2000) contends that the internet allows the tourism suppliers to control and update their service remotely with electric speed, reaching global travellers anywhere, anytime. The benefits of an online website bring lower distribution cost, higher profit, and larger share of the market to the tourism suppliers. For the travellers, the internet allows them to bypass the travel agents, book directly with the chosen suppliers anytime, anywhere (Olmeda and Sheldon, 2001). The suppliers can reach the travellers directly, which allow suppliers reduce cost on distribution channel, hence cheaper price are offered to the travellers, this seems like a Win-Win situation for the travellers and the suppliers, which bring uncertainty to the future of the travel agents. 2.3.2 Advantage of the internet for travellers Jo Cheyne et al (2006) attested that travel agents are the key intermediary between travel suppliers and travellers; with the advent of the internet travellers and suppliers could interact directly, internet offer more information then travel agents and often provide cheaper price. Long (2000) summaries it in 4 points: The internet provide convenient and instant access for availability enquiries and bookings at times when consumers want o research and purchase travel Ability to access easily information that is detailed and also up to date, helping decision making. A cost advantage in purchasing travel online as results of the market becoming more competitive, as well as the ability for consumers to take advantage of substantial online discounts that cannot be obtained via any other traditional distribution channels and possible cost advantages for consumers as result of decreased distribution cost Avoid travel agent fees and charges. 2.3.3 Disadvantage of the internet for consumers Lang (2000) also identified the disadvantages that stop customers purchase online: Difficulty in finding the website and information they require Time consuming Online security issues Information overload Lack of trust in the technology Lack of human interaction Standing and Vasudanvan (1999) indicated that some researchers are mainly focusing on the impact of internet and threats of disintermediation, there are very littler work carried out on the strategies travel agents has adopted and the internet marketing models they are using. A large survey of Australian travel agencies website has been carried out, the findings shows that the major of agencies use internet as a yellow pages or online holiday brochure, a small percentage of websites allow the travellers to make booking, around half of the website capture the data on the travellers, but only few captured the traveller email address. The paper also suggested that travel agents should use internet as a marketing tool. 2.3.2 Implications of the internet for travel agents The internet has changed the traditional distribution channels; customers can buy products directly from the suppliers anytime anywhere. Travel services and product suppliers see the internet as an opportunity to save money on distribution costs. Inkpen (1998) stated that the internet allows the suppliers to sell their product directly to the travellers, bring them a significant cost savings. As Law (2000) contends that the internet allows the tourism suppliers to control and update their service remotely with electric speed, reaching global travellers anywhere, anytime. The benefits of an online website bring lower distribution cost, higher profit, and larger share of the market to the tourism suppliers. For the travellers, the internet allows them to bypass the travel agents, book directly with the chosen suppliers anytime, anywhere (Olmeda and Sheldon, 2001). The suppliers can reach the travellers directly, which allow suppliers reduce cost on distribution channel, hence cheaper p rice are offered to the travellers, this seems like a Win-Win situation for the travellers and the suppliers, which bring uncertainty to the future of the travel agents. Lawton and Weaver (2009) did in-depth interviews with 19 owners of successful US-based travel agencies, the paper did SWOT analysis over the 19 travel agencies, and identified that the negative public perceptions of travel agencies is the main external threat. 2.3.2 Demands for travel agents One of the most recent study on this topic, tried to identify the tourist perceptions of the potential for the elimination of travel agencies in the presence of the internet. Law et al (2004) conducted a questionnaire on selected experienced travellers, who had visited at least one travel Web site were asked to participate. The answers of 413 travellers on preference on book through internet-based or traditional distribution channels were analysed. The results show that travellers still ask travel agents for advice and their professional services. The paper proposed that from the findings both online and travel agents can coexist in the future. This is probably the most cited recent piece of research on the relationship between travel agents and internet, although some of its findings have subsequently been contested, it must still be regarded as one of the seminal works in the area. Jo Cheyne et al (2006) attested that travel agents are the key intermediary between travel suppliers and travellers; with the advent of the internet travellers and suppliers could interact directly. Main finding was the factors that influence travellers choices on using a travel agent or the internet when booking an over sea holiday, the factors are: services reliability, managing complex itinerary, guarantee, attractive deal and payment security. 2.3.2 The changing roles of travel agents Lowerngart and Reichal (1998) claim that there are opportunities available to travel agents provided they focus on specific markets and specialise their activities. Waksberg (1997) argued that travel agents should move from a focus on transaction processing to the provision of consultative services. Lovelock (1992) claims that travel agents will need to expand their advisory function and concentrate on the provision of information and details that are not available to the traveller through the internet. Beirne (1999) suggests that travel agents should become consumer advocates, finding the best deals for the traveller. Michael Bloch and Arie Segev (1997) has contend travel agents should adopt the IKEA concept, the Swedish furniture giant transformed from a traditional store to a family destinations, with restaurant, kids play ground ,etc. Travel agents can do the same, with each area set to different destinations, or type of travel products. Each area has an information point, that t ravel agents could provide information on the particular destinations, supported by video clips of the main attractions. The experience of shopping might be the only thing that internet could not replicate. 2.3.5 Importance of internet technology for travel agents Barnett and Standing (2000) have identified two major threats that the internet has on the traditional travel agents; they are disintermediation of retail agencies by the product suppliers, and the emergence of new online intermediaries. It argues that the traditional travel agents are not aligned with the demand of new travel economy, travel agents has to establish web present. Standing and Vasudanvan (1999) indicated that some researchers are mainly focusing on the impact of internet and threats of disintermediation, there are very littler work carried out on the strategies travel agents has adopted and the internet marketing models they are using. A large survey of Australian travel agencies website has been carried out, the findings shows that the major of agencies use internet as a yellow pages or online holiday brochure, a small percentage of websites allow the travellers to make booking, around half of the website capture the data on the travellers, but only few captured the traveller email address. The paper also suggested that travel agents should use internet as a marketing tool. 2.5 Research questions and objectives

carnegie hall :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On Sunday afternoon November 21, 1999, at 2:00 p.m.at 419th Concert Worldwide, 330th in New York, 218th in Carnegie Hall I attended a MidAmerica production that presented the New England Symphonic Ensemble. This concert contained several different compositions by large groups of musicians, including an orchestra band, and chorus. This concert was divided into three different parts. First there was the Vivaldi which was divided into 12 sections. Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse was the music director, Raymond Sprague was the conductor, Judith Von Housers Voice was the soprano, Mary Nessinger voice was the Mezzo soprano, and Elizabeth Hastings was the portative. There was a reprise in the first section Gloria which opened up the symphony.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Following the first intermission the musicians performed Magnificant by Mohaycn, Ave Maria op 12 by Brahms, Magnificant by Vaughan Williams, and Canticle of Mary by Larson. Nancy Menk was the conductor, Judith Von Houser's voice was the soprano and Mary Nessinger the Mezzo-soprano. The first three sections were settings of the magnificant text all for women's of tremble voices and orchestra. This recital was more dramatic due to the addition of the precussion that added a yelling sound in the end of the last section Canticle of Mary which portrayed Mary's free spirit. Also they played a solovin oboe Manificant by Williams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Following the second intermission the musicians performed the Puccini which was divided into six sections. Solveig Holmquist was the conductor, Thomas C. Laine was the tenor and James Demler voice was the baritone. The chorus carries the major burden of their music. Thomas C. Laine presented the tenor in Credo, and James Demler presented the baritone in Agnas Dei. This piece also contained fugue and a chorale. Also all the instruments were blended together to produce harmony.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first part of this recital the vivaldi, contained a string Quartet. After the first intermission, I looked down at the podium and noticed that the precussions were added which included the timpani, bass drum, tylophone, and cymbals. In this recital Nancy Menk was the conductor, Judith Von Houser was the soprano which played a high note, and Mary Nessinger was the Mezzo-soprano which played a slight softer note. This part of the concert was divided into four pieces. First there was the Magnificant by M. Haydn (the orchestra accompaniment was edited from the composer's manuscript by Mark Nabholz). This piece consisted of strings without violas, two french horns, and an organ. carnegie hall :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On Sunday afternoon November 21, 1999, at 2:00 p.m.at 419th Concert Worldwide, 330th in New York, 218th in Carnegie Hall I attended a MidAmerica production that presented the New England Symphonic Ensemble. This concert contained several different compositions by large groups of musicians, including an orchestra band, and chorus. This concert was divided into three different parts. First there was the Vivaldi which was divided into 12 sections. Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse was the music director, Raymond Sprague was the conductor, Judith Von Housers Voice was the soprano, Mary Nessinger voice was the Mezzo soprano, and Elizabeth Hastings was the portative. There was a reprise in the first section Gloria which opened up the symphony.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Following the first intermission the musicians performed Magnificant by Mohaycn, Ave Maria op 12 by Brahms, Magnificant by Vaughan Williams, and Canticle of Mary by Larson. Nancy Menk was the conductor, Judith Von Houser's voice was the soprano and Mary Nessinger the Mezzo-soprano. The first three sections were settings of the magnificant text all for women's of tremble voices and orchestra. This recital was more dramatic due to the addition of the precussion that added a yelling sound in the end of the last section Canticle of Mary which portrayed Mary's free spirit. Also they played a solovin oboe Manificant by Williams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Following the second intermission the musicians performed the Puccini which was divided into six sections. Solveig Holmquist was the conductor, Thomas C. Laine was the tenor and James Demler voice was the baritone. The chorus carries the major burden of their music. Thomas C. Laine presented the tenor in Credo, and James Demler presented the baritone in Agnas Dei. This piece also contained fugue and a chorale. Also all the instruments were blended together to produce harmony.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first part of this recital the vivaldi, contained a string Quartet. After the first intermission, I looked down at the podium and noticed that the precussions were added which included the timpani, bass drum, tylophone, and cymbals. In this recital Nancy Menk was the conductor, Judith Von Houser was the soprano which played a high note, and Mary Nessinger was the Mezzo-soprano which played a slight softer note. This part of the concert was divided into four pieces. First there was the Magnificant by M. Haydn (the orchestra accompaniment was edited from the composer's manuscript by Mark Nabholz). This piece consisted of strings without violas, two french horns, and an organ.

What Is The Bible? Essay -- Religion Bible

The Bible is the most significant book in the history of civilization. In the context of Jewish history, the Bible’s impact on politics, history, and religion is without comparison. Along with establishing the covenant-based legitimacy of the Jewish people and their history, the Bible’s political impact is exemplified through prophetic politics, the power of kings, and the effects of political authority. Biblical archeology has discovered biblical structures which supports the historical validity of the Bible. The Bible’s effect on history, politics, and religion has shaped the world we live in today. In order to comprehend the level of significance the Bible represents, one must systematically break down the structure of the Bible. Religious writings of both Judaism and Christianity compose the Bible and are dependant on the religious traditions of a specific denomination. In the context of Judaism, Tanakh is the Hebrew name of the Bible composed by the three parts of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The Torah includes the â€Å"Five Books† of Moses which establishes God’s covenant with the Jews. The Nevi’im discusses the division of the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, and acknowledges different prophets. The Ketuvim is composed of poetry, writings, and the stories of Jewish prophets. The books written after the Hebrew Bible, referred to as The New Testament by Christians, contain the accounts of Jesus and his disciples. The New Testament plays a central role in Christianity just as the Hebrew Bible, or commonly referred to as the Old Testament, provides the foundation for Judaism. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, sets the framework in which Judaism is rooted. Genesis is vital to the religio... ...ness of the Jewish People in accordance to their covenant with God. The Bible also legitimizes the Holy Land belonging to the Children of Israel while establishing Judaism as a Mosaic religion. The Bible provides the basis for Halakha, a corner stone in Judaism. Along with the Old Testament, the Bible plays a prominent role in the development of Christianity. The Gospels of the New Testament assert Christian ideologies and values which clearly be seen influencing the Western world today. Not only did the Bible affirm Judaism and Christianity, it gave a glimpse into the earliest form of politics in the ancient world. Archeology has advantageously legitimized the historical accuracy of the Bible by producing evidence that coincides with the Bible’s narratives. The Bible will continue to play an important role in society as it will continue to shape civilization.

Essay --

Airlines all around the world have to look into different types of aircrafts that best fit their needs for their passengers and the distance between destinations. Boeing and Airbus, two of the world’s biggest commercial airplane manufactures in the world have been competing to get airlines attention on when they are looking to expand their airplane fleet. This competition has been characterized as a duopoly in the large airliner market since the early nineties has when a series of mergers in the aerospace manufacture industry merged or ceased operation. Today we have to look at both competitors to see who has best airplanes in the jet airliner market. Both Airbus and Boeing have a wide product spectrum ranging between wide and narrow body aircrafts covering many combinations of capacity and range. These two companies compete head to head with similar airplanes and styles. With the upcoming generation of young pilots coming into the aviation industry, the market needs high tech airplanes for airlines to buy to help this new generation move in to place. When airlines are looking at new planes to buy, they need to look at all the different types of planes that covers range and capacity. Airlines have to make a decision on what best fits their needs when deciding between a Boeing aircraft and an Airbus aircraft. Boeing is a company that dates back almost a century ago in Seattle Washington by William Boeing. Back in 1916 when Boeing was founded, they manufactured sea planes right out of the Seattle bay. Twenty years later, Boeing’s revolutionary plane was introduced. The Boeing 247 was created and is considered to be the first modern airliner to fly around the world. Boeing operated the planes for commercial purposes. Boeing started u... ...Geo) Again, the Boeing 747-8 wins for better price at $300 million when the Airbus A380 is priced at $318 million. For when it comes to the best at this category, Airbus offers the best wide range double decker aircraft in the market (Warwick, 2012) (aviatorjoe.net) (WILLIAMSON, 2013) (Frankfurt, Haria 2013) (James, 2013). In the last 10 years (2003–2012), Airbus has received 7,714 orders while delivering 4,503, and Boeing has received 7,312 orders while delivering 4,091 (Aircraft Compare 2013). Even though competition is intense, each company regularly accuses the other of receiving unfair state aid from their respective governments. But what really matters is what fits the airline’s needs. For longer ranges, Airbus builds perfect aircrafts for that sector. It’s a tossup for the midrange sector, but then it comes to shorter ranges, Boeing seems to have best fit.

Art & History Essay

Confucianism and Daoism were the dominant moral, religious and political doctrines in China for many centuries. As in the case with Catholicism and Orthodox Church, which significantly influenced the development of arts, Confucianism and Daoism formed many of Chinese artistic currents. Confucianism and Daoism influenced Chinese art in various ways. First of all, their impact on visual arts refers to the usage of moral and philosophical themes in Chinese paintings. The Confucian moral themes, which were often included into such paintings, include the relations between members of family (respect for wife and parents etc. ), obedience to authorities. This is particularly true of the paintings by Gu Kaizhi, such as Admonitions of the Instructress to the Palace Ladies and Wise and Benevolent Women, which portray different social situations and proper ways of social behavior. The latter is a primary trait of Confucian moral philosophy. Taoist moral and philosophical insights are evident in the paintings of Huang Gongwang, who was a Taoist priest. For instance, his painting named Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains created in 1350 uses traditional Taoist art form of landscape painting, which best transmits the spiritual character of Taoism and its preoccupation with harmony of people and nature. Using black ink, Huang Gongwang tried to portray the presence of Tao spirit in everything and its power represented in mountains. Moreover, it should be noted that Huang Gongwang, following Taoist and partially Confucian tradition, does not limit himself to painting of bare mountains, but portrays ‘dwelling’ as the symbolic Taoist practice of cognition and ethical behavior (Cooper and Cooper 87-90). Confucianism had strong influence not only on Chinese fine arts, but architecture as well. For instance, famous Forbidden City is a perfect realization of Confucian principles of hierarchy in society and family. Forbidden City is a 720000 square meters imperial court complex with nearly 10000 rooms. The Emperor’s private and official area was situated at the front of the City and the large halls for ceremonial and official purposes were constructed on the high platforms, which stretched from south to north. The whole official construction, hence, was located in the center of Forbidden City, manifesting the respect for and magnificence of imperial power (Ho 43-46). The rest of the buildings, including emperor’s wives houses, were located outside of the central axis. 2. Tea ceremony (cha no yu), which was important cultural phenomenon in Japan since its inception, significantly influenced the development of Japanese visual arts through the wabi-sabi aesthetics, which is characterized by simplicity of forms, asymmetry and naturalism. The development of visual arts was particularly influenced by Takeno Joo, who elaborated the doctrine of ichi-go ichi-e, which pays attention to the unique nature of every tea meeting and every thing in general. This concept was essentially based on the notions of harmony and purity. Wabi-Sabi aesthetics is particularly evident in the interior of Taian teahouse in Myokian Temple near Kyoto, created by famous master Sen no Rikyu during Momoyama period (1573-1615). One of the basic points of Sen no Rikyu philosophy, which also was essentially influenced by Zen-Buddhism, was the perception of ordinary objects’ spiritual value and simplicity of beauty. Taian teahouse is very small (only 1. 8 meters) with tatami mats, where host and guests sat. Closed and narrow space was designed to make the process of tea ceremony more concentrated and intense in order to maintain its solemn and spiritual character. The interior’s space is fixed with a small door, called nijiri-guchi, designed to make the tearoom look bigger. The tearoom also has a niche called Tokonama with a hanging scroll with minor and simple decorations, making emphasis on purity and austerity of a tea ceremony (Pitelka 165). The traditional tea ceremony tools such as teabowls, flower containers, lid rests were also modernized by Sen no Rikyu, who designed them in correspondence with the demands of wabi-sabi aesthetics. Another notable example of tea ceremony’s influence on Japanese arts is Katsura Imperial Villa, built during 1624 and 1645 years, and considered to be an extraordinary combination of imperial court style and wabi-sabi canons. Stroll gardens, which were designed in the Villa, represent clear destination of the path, were accurately graveled, embellished by stones and bridges and garden buildings located along the paths. It is noteworthy that water was always to a viewer’s right, which created an effect of division between different spheres of nature and postulated their divine and unique character. Gardens of the Villa represented the idealized vision of natural lakes and rocks, trees and even various buildings and teahouses were developed in a way emphasizing nature’s power and simplicity. 3. The duality as opposed to monism or syncretism was among the basic characteristics of religious worldviews of many civilizations, including Aztec civilization. First of all, the concept of duality was applied to different spheres of universe – the earthly life was contrasted with heavenly life, the power of emperor was contrasted with the power of gods etc. There is no denying the importance of the fact, that the theme of duality played important role in Aztec architecture and Aztec Great Temple (Temple Mayor) is a vivid example of this. Built during Postclassical period of Mesoamerica (the construction began in the beginning of 14-th century) in Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, it represents some basic themes, peculiar to dualism. First of all, the theme of duality is represented in Temple’s conceptual purposes. It was dedicated to two Aztec gods – Tlaloc, a god of rain and farming, and Huitzilolochtli, a god of war. To realize this twofold dedication, two separate shrines for each of the gods were constructed at the top of the temple and separate staircases were designed. The temple is constructed in the traditional form of Aztec pyramid. As Kowalski notes, â€Å"From the Templo Mayor the four quarters of the universe and the cardinal points were partitioned. In its architectural form was expressed the concept of duality, and the mass of its basal platform subdivided into terraces incorporated the concept of different levels of ascent† (Kowalski 210). Apart from two-sided architectural structure of the Temple, it should be noted that it contained symbolical representation of duality between life and death. It was associated with the transition point for those who died naturally from earthly to the underground world called Mictlan. Hence, the Great Temple was a point, where cosmic levels united and provided access to the underworld. To sum it up, the themes of duality were realized in the Great Temple both in architectural and symbolic levels of Aztec culture. 4. Gender relations in Oceania societies found their full realization in the products of Oceania people’s culture. The majority of Oceania societies, including Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia tribes still have patriarchal societies and matriarchy is rare. Gender relations are symbolically embedded in various products of Oceania arts, which in their turn have strong functional connection with Oceania religious, spiritual and social rituals. For instance, Melanesian masks, which are one of the most complex forms of Melanesian art, play important ritual and gender role. As far as their design in concerned, these masks have much in common. The majority of them are covered with the bark cloth, which forms a certain background for painted symbols. The structure of masks is strengthened by coconut fronds or light woods. The masks are usually worn with various leaves, which are to conceal the nudity of the mask’s wearer. Those, who wear masks (called in Lakalai tribe valuku or tubuan) often engage in various performances of ritual and spiritual character. Masks play gender function as well, because only men in Melanesian societies are allowed to wear masks. Moreover, not every man is consecrated into the masks’ art, but only those that possess the biggest privileges and social power, that is tribe elders and initiated. Women and children play the role of spectators and victims in tribal mask performances. One of such rites include mapakuo (‘the head’) chasing women and children around Melanesian village and those whom he catches may be unlucky to be beaten with palm branches, sticks or punished in other ways. This rite, as we see, represents both gender and social power of men over their inferiors (Valentine 29-31). The spiritual role of masks in Melanesian societies is also very important. As Valentine notes, ‘Lakalai masking is a prime ceremonial expression of the traditional magico-religious system. It is intimately associated not only with sacred traditions of the past but also with present-day contacts between men and the spirit world’ (Valentine 48). The mystic element of mask art is also evident, because it keeps men’s identity in secrete and provides them with possibility to transform it in coherence with the laws of dramatic performance or ritual. It should be mentioned that Melanesian masks have strong ties with traditional crafts and Lakalai graphic arts. Another element of Oceania arts, which reveals gender roles and statuses, is the art of fetish objects, which exclusively belong to men and are designed to represent their masculine strength and control over women. Usually they are phallic symbols, which are presented in the form of trumpets, flutes or bullroarers. Bullroarers play crucial frightening role, which helps control the inferior members of community. As Gregor and Tuzin note with this respect, ‘They produce sounds, usually in deep registers, that are inherently dramatic and haunting. In being heard but not seen, these objects are perhaps ideal for conveying mystery and instilling fear in the naive listener’ (Gregor and Tuzin 317). These artistic and ritual symbols, hence, represent men’s power and hegemony and this is also proved by the fact that the ‘the most brutal punishments of all, rape and death, are meted out to women who see the flutes and bullroarers, and why the men often equate the act of women seeing the flutes with chaos and the destruction of society† (Gregor and Tuzin 318). 5. African art was for a long time interwoven with religion, which resulted in direct impact of ritual forms and traditions on African works of art. African art reflects religious content, and hence, may be conceptualized as ritualistic art. In its turn it results in specific type of relation between ritual, art and its objects. Ritual or mythological symbols may be embedded in art to amplify their divine meaning and vice versa – art meaning may be used to increase the appeal of rituals. For instance, Yoruba people (of West Africa) have their distinct art techniques of human body representation in sculptures and other variants of plastic art, which are deeply tied with their rituals and mythology. The majority of Yoruba’s sculptures of human body have disproportionate size of torso and head: Yoruba masters make sculptures’ head bigger, than normal human heads. It is explained by the fact, that Ori (‘head’) is the symbol of inner head, which unites Yoruba with a deity. Yoruba culture, therefore, considers head to be the most important part of human body (Lawal 499). For instance, female twin figure (ere ibeji), created in the first half of the 20-th century is totally disproportionate from traditional point of view. The head is significantly bigger than the other parts of the body, while the latter deviate from natural proportions. This is not the lack of art techniques, but conscious design to meet the demands of ritual procedures, which should follow the main canons of Yoruba religion. Another interesting cohesion between art and ritual in Yoruba culture is decoration of worship sites and sanctuaries of goddesses and gods. Various emblems, doors ornaments and sculptures form such ritual complex in Osun groove. Osun, which is the goddess of the River Osun, has her own symbols, including various pots (oru), beads and brass (ide). This cultural and ritual site is located in the forest, which traditionally was regarded as the home of spirits. Another example of African ritual art includes Jomooni (men) and Jonyeleni (women) figures, produced by Bamana culture of Mali. The figures bear both ritual and decorative function. The decorative function is represented by jewelry and the ritual one by their usage during rituals of Jo society (Colleyn and Laurie 19). The rituals include initiations, following living in the bush during a week. The ritual includes dances and performances, ritual baths, during which the presents are given to initiates by spectators. Works Cited Colleyn, Jean-Paul, and Laurie Ann Farrell. â€Å"Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali. † African Arts 34. 4 (2001): 16-27. Cooper, Rhonda and Cooper, Jeffrey. Masterpieces of Chinese Art. Todtri Productions, 1997. Gregor, Thomas A. , and Donald Tuzin, eds. Gender in Amazonia and Melanesia: An Exploration of the Comparative Method. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2001. Ho, Bronson. Splendors of China’s Forbidden City. London, Merrell Publishers, 2004. Kowalski, Jeff Karl, ed. Mesoamerican Architecture as a Cultural Symbol. New York, Oxford University Press, 1999. Lawal, Babatunde. â€Å"Aworan: Representing the Self and Its Metaphysical Other in Yoruba Art. † The Art Bulletin 83. 3 (2001): 498-516. Pitelka, Morgan, ed. Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice. London, Routledge Curzon, 2003. Valentine, C. A. Masks and Men in a Melanesian Society: The Valuku or Tubuan of the Lakalai of New Britain. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas, 1961.