INDUSTRY AND EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Assignment

INDUSTRY AND EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS - Assignment Example Competitive pricing strategy is an example of the effect of intensive industry rivalry. UK retail industry has been selected for this assignment. UK retail industry is quite complex and saturated. The major players within this industry are trying to back or support the purchasing power of people in order to achieve potential competitive advantages and significant market share. Hike in fuel price, troubled housing and mortgage market influenced the retail industry in UK to change the overall business strategy. The organizations within the industry are trying to provide discounted budget and value-added commodities to the people. Several interesting aspects behind the topic motivated to conduct a research work (Ellis-Chadwick, Doherty and Hart, 2002, pp.9-11). This assignment will reveal some interesting facts that will enhance the knowledge about global business environment and impact of external environment factors on it. ... The leading organizations within the similar industry are trying to capitalize on the potential competitive advantages that have been developed due to several favorable external environment factors. It is known to all that globalization, implementation of advanced technology, favorable economic and political business environment are the major growth drivers of several global industries. The assignment will try to reveal the impact of several external environment factors on the business performance of a specific industry. It will discuss about the current profitability situation of the industry and the major factors behind this profitability. Moreover, the assignment will try to discuss about the impact of these factors in future business perspective of that particular industry. UK retail industry has been selected for this assignment. Several leading organizations, such as Tesco, ASDA, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s are competing with each other within this potential growin g industry. These organizations are implementing several competitive strategies in order to secure their existing market share within the UK retail industry (Lewis and Thomas, 1990, p.22). It is true that several industrial and external environmental factors are controlling the business growth of this industry. Political situation, economic growth, technological revolution and social trend are deciding the growth of current UK retail industry. Several theories have been applied in order to meet the objective of the study. The study will analyze the impact of these factors on the business performance of Tesco. In addition, the study will design the future effect of these factors on the organization. Methodology A proper and effective research is

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example for Free

Mahatma Gandhi Essay An acquaintance of mine is a highly paid professional lacking none of life’s luxuries. He plays the violin as a hobby and frequently plays in a public space, placing a jar in front of him so that passers-by can contribute money to show their appreciation. Other musicians play in that space, but they move on if another musician is already there. His actions suggest, to me, that he’s a struggling musician in need of financial assistance, but he’s collecting dollar bills from people who may be less fortunate financially than he. Your thoughts on the ethics of this? NAME WITHHELD, NEW YORK The reason this strikes you as problematic has to do with your view of what this man is doing. You see his actions as a request for undeserved charity. He sees his actions as a performance that has potential value. And he is correct. Part of your argument is based on the premise that your acquaintance is occupying a common space that could better serve a less fortunate peer. That contention would make sense if the guy were panhandling. But that is not what he’s doing. He’s creating art for public consumption; he is, by the strictest definition of the term, a professional musician. While not charging for this work, he’s still saying, â€Å"I believe my music has value — and if you agree, pay me whatever amount you think is justified.† He’s not expecting people to give him money just because he’s standing there. That people less wealthy than he is might be generating his revenue is irrelevant. If you go to a Metallica concert, you would have a hard time finding one person in the entire arena who’s richer than the band’s drummer. Does this mean Metallica should provide free tickets to every member of their audience who makes less money than they do? I suppose you could make the case that they should. But it wouldn’t be a very good one. THE GRAPE THIEF A man goes to the supermarket and passes a table of fruit. His eye meets a luscious bunch of seedless grapes. The man puts the grapes in a plastic bag and proceeds to eat one, before having them weighed to determine the price. Is this an unethical act? Is it stealing? Why is stealing even unethical? MAYA AZOURI, TORONTO The first two parts of your question are not particularly meaningful. Is this stealing? Yes (the man took something he didn’t pay for). Is it unethical? Yes (although the value of one grape is so minor that it impedes on the livelihood of no one). The third aspect of your query, however — why is stealing unethical — is intriguing. The answer seems so obvious that it’s almost never questioned, even though it might not be obvious at all. I approached this question by working though all the existing reasons people don’t steal on a regular basis. The first is that it’s illegal; we don’t steal things because we’ve communally agreed that there is a justified, enforceable penalty for doing so. Another reason has to do with the influence of religion; pretty much whatever religious text you accept tautologically states that stealing is wrong because â€Å"stealing is wrong.† A third reason is tied to the design of our economic framework: If people can just pilfer whatever they desire, nothing will have monetary value (in the example you cite, the man who harvests the grapes can’t earn a living if those grapes can be freely taken by whoever wants them). But let’s keep going. Let’s move into a â€Å"Mad Max† scenario: If we lived in a lawless, secular, money-free society, would stealing still be wrong? It would. And this is because the alternative would make us nervous and unhappy. Part of this problem has to do with the philosophical concept of ownership. Can objects truly be â€Å"owned† by someone, or is this just a word we use to describe an unreal proviso? The more you think about that question, the more complicated it becomes. But it ultimately doesn’t matter, because we’ve collectively decided to live as though ownership isreal. We believe our possessions are extensions of ourselves. So if stealing were an acceptable practice — if we lived in a world in which people just took whatever they wanted, simply because there was no clear argument for doing otherwise — our lives would be consumed by anxiety. We would live in constant fear and spend all our energy protecting our possessions. Traveling would become impossible, because we couldn’t go anywhere without bringing along everything we owned. People would be less motivated to create things, because they would have no way of stopping others from taking away those creations. Violence would increase exponentially. Though I’m not sure if we’re ethically obligated to make the lives of others better, we are ethically obligated not to make the lives of others worse. And that’s what stealing does: it makes it impossible for other people to pursue their own happiness. It destabilizes society. In your supermarket example, the level of instability is so negligible that there’s no impact; it’s almost as if that level of theft is built into our lives as a release valve from morality. But if you extrapolate the grape thief’s actions outward and upward, it doesn’t take long before

What Is Sustainable Packaging Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Sustainable Packaging Environmental Sciences Essay In this section I am looking at current views and definitions of the industry on sustainable packaging. An article from the Sustainable Packaging Alliance claims that: There is no clear understanding internationally, about what constitutes sustainable packaging. Policy initiatives have tended to focus on resource and waste reduction and recycling, for example the current European Packaging Directive. (Sustainable Packaging Alliance, 2002) This is backed up by the Federal Trade Commission who justifies this with the fact that sustainable packaging is a fairly new factor for the environmental considerations for packaging. (Environmental Marketing Claims, 2011) There are a few approaches here that are worth considering to define sustainable packaging. Sustainable packaging is defined by The World Commission on Environment and Development as: Developments that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) What they are meaning by this is sustainable packaging can only be sustainable if at the last stage of the design cycle when the packaging has fulfilled its primary function the user can reuse the packaging for a secondary function which this in turn will decrease the environmental and ecological footprint. Jedlicka (2009) believes that you just cant tunnel vision yourself down to the final product you have to have a look at the whole picture of supply chains; from simple design functions, to marketing and all the way through to the conclusion of its life cycle then back to its rebirth. The European Commission talks about how sustainable packaging will require more analysis and documentation to look at the actual package design, the materials that are used and the whole picture of the packagings life cycle. (Environmental Marketing Claims, 2011) Bolyston (2009) has a different view and he belives that sustainable packaging dependant on the amount of sustainable energy used in each stage of the packagings life cycle. The term life cycle means the product goes through a series of stages that mold and develop the product. The life cycle would consider all of the factors from the raw materials to how its manufactured, leading onto how its distributed which finally guides it to the use and disposal of it. Throughout all of these stages there would be various transport methods used to move the product onto its next stage. To summarize all of these steps and stages is called the life cycle of the product. It is essential to look at the life cycle of packaging in order to ascertain areas and opportunities in which the packagings sustainability can be improved. Figure 8 is a diagram of the packagings life cycle from The Sustainable Packaging Coalition; this diagram aims to provide guidelines and principles for the development of sustainable packaging. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition claim that they have set themselves the mission to advocate and communicate a positive robust environmental option for sustainable packaging through functional packaging materials and systems that endorse economic and environmental supply chains. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition characterizes sustainable packaging as follows: Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Meets market criteria for performance and cost Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and or industrial closed loop cycles Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Are manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices. (Sustainable Packaging Coalition, 2010) Figure 8. Diagram of packaging product life cycles The diagram above shows the process and steps involved for packaging. It starts at the raw materials and goes to the end user. Each step in this cycle requires a form of energy but according to Boylston there are ways to cut this and reduce the amounts used. Sustainability relies on lots of different factors involved at each of these stages; these factors need to be identified in order to address them with the correct measures. For example if we look at stewardship, this is vital for helping to safeguard the environment and protecting the employees that are extracting the materials. The less distance the materials can travel in the life cycle the better, because this will mean it has taken less petrol on transportation. If we look at another aspect of using renewable energy at each stage this will add to make the packaging more sustainable. Reusability and recycling systems or compostability of packaging can additionally enhance sustainability. (Boylston, 2009) Figure 9. Diagram of packagings upstream and downstream impacts. If we take a look at the packaging product life cycle in a linear view we can additionally distinguish between upstream impacts from the extraction of the raw materials until the packaging is passed across to the consumer which is the downstream impacts, these are considered to be the impacts that occur through using the packaging and the steps leading to the end of its life. An example of this is the amounts of energy required for the recycling process at the end of the packagings life. The different recycling methods used are composting, littering, and other possibilities are waste-to-energy plants which means energy can be produced again from the waste product. A life cycle assessment is commonly used as a tool to analyse the life cycle of packaging. The aim of a life cycle assessment is to compare the full range of social and environmental damages, which can be identified to products or services, so least troublesome one, can be selected. There are lots of different types of life cycle assessments know with different scopes. The scope varies from cradle to gate to cradle to cradle approaches and furthermore there are types such as the LCA process that addresses the environmental inputs and outputs compared to other approaches that address the economic inputs and outputs. Now that I have described the packaging life cycle, we furthermore need to mention that companies such as 3M or Wal-Mart are currently developing their own definition or guide lines that drive sustainable packaging within their supply chain. Wal-Mart claims, its primary target is to be packaging neutral by 2025, this means that all packaging recovered or recycled at their stores will be equal to the amount of packaging used by the products in the shelves. Wal-Mart has introduced a set of guiding principles called the Seven Rs to help them achieve their target. These Principles are: Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Renew(able), Recycle(able), Revenue and Read. Relative to this Wal-Mart have introduced a packaging scorecard, this is a measurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate themselves relative to other suppliers, based on specific metrics. The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorable attributes announced earlier this year, known as the 7 Rs of Packaging. (Wal-Mart, Sc orecardmodeling.com, 2009) 3M uses Packaging criteria in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, this is much the same as Wal-Mart. 3M have set minimizing packaging waste as there top aim and they are have now realised that the most waste is coming from unused raw materials, this is not just bad for the environment but is not very economical. 3M began by attempting to eliminate as much waste as possible through pollution prevention, and then the remaining waste was reused, recycled, converted to energy, or incinerated to create new energy. Regardless of the packaging life cycle assessment, there are related analytical methodologies such as ecological footprint, which is calculated by comparing the biological resources available in a given region to resource demands of a population. The network of users of the Global Footprint Network has developed standards. The standards are available on footprintnetwork.org in order to help to address calculation nuances, including conversions, measure of land/sea parcels, addressing nuclear power, varying data sources, import/export data and biodiversity among others. (Global Footprint Network, 2012) Another well-known footprint is the carbon footprint, which represents a subset of the ecological footprint and of the more comprehensive life cycle assessment. Laws and Regulations that effect packaging? Regulations are there to give companies a target or a direction to head towards. There is directive 94/62/EC set by European Commission Environment that is aimed to harmonize packaging waste, on the one hand trying to stop or prevent the damage of packaging to the environment and on the other hand they dont want to restrict or distort the competition within the community. It also contains provisions on the prevention of packaging waste, on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. (European Parliament and Council Directive, 2010) These regulations or directives have focused on waste reduction and resources but they have failed to look at the social impacts of packaging. Boylston points out that we have a bigger problem to overcome before we more towards more sustainable packaging and that is with todays companies growing in size there is an inclination towards specializing, this only breaks up the different departments and isolates them. So the different department end up very incoherent with each other so they lose the connectivity between all the sectors. An example of this would be the packaging designer working next to the graphic designer, this is so they can communicate and work as a team. Materials Sustainable packaging relies upon the correct material choices. I will be conducting an investigation to look at the quantities of packaging waste along with the variety of materials that end up as waste. In addition to this I will expand and do further research on paper and plastics. Looking at the solid waste report from 2010 from the European Environmental Agency it is clear to me that out of 250 million tons of waste 30% is from containers and packagings and this is before recycling. The second pie chart indicates that paper and plastics biggest supplies to waste. Figure 10 Figure 11 The recycling and composting of packaging prevented 85.1 million tons of material away from being disposed of 2010, up from 15 million tons in 1980. This prevented the release of approximately 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air this is the equivalent to taking 36 million cars off the road for a whole year! (European Environmental Agency, 2013) Paper The consumption of paper on a global scale is more than 350 million tons per year, that is a massive 1 million tons per day and if it takes roughly 17 trees to make one ton of paper. So its not unpredictable that the paper industry are accountable for about 40% of commercial harvesting of wood, and now trying to terrorize the last few rainforests which contain and provide a habitat for the endangered species. Jedlicka states, The paper industry is the fourth largest greenhouse gas contributor among manufacturers and a huge consumer of energy. Furthermore the paper production is associated with toxic bleaching procedures. (Jedlicka, 2009) The benefits far outrun the bad points of paper. Paper is a very versatile material; this is why it is used for packaging. The added benefits for using paper as packaging is its lightweight and easily printed on and yet it can do all this and still be durable and are easily recycled. There are more alternatives for what paper can be made from it doesnt have to be wood it can be made of hemp, kenaf straw, switch grass and it can be made from a variety or pulped fibers from plants. As bloylston describes about the massive quantities of paper that out there in the world, all of which require a high level of post-consumer waste (PWC) paper stock choices should entail the biggest priority. Paper can be recycled up to seven times. (Bolyston, 2009) One tonne of recycled paper will save seventeen trees, seven thousand gallons of water, three cubic metres of landfill space, two barrels of oil and four thousand one hundred kilowatts of electricity. The recycled paper uses sixty percent less energy to produce then ordinary paper; the energy saved would be enough to run the average home for six months. (Statistics from Recycle bank.com, 2013) In order for there to be more paper packaging, the designers have to support this. The Environmental Protection Agency has made some recommendations which will help to make packaging more sustainable, these recommendations are to use less material, eliminating toxic constituents and making it more readily recyclable (Environmental Protection Agency, 2013) Plastic Plastic packaging plays a huge role in today society, you can see this when walking around supermarkets and the selves are full of plastic containers. The word plastic is the common name given to the synthetic organic polymers. As defined plastics are usually made from high polymer mass they can contain other materials to make it cheaper or to improve its performance. There are two main types of plastic, thermosetting and thermoplastics. Thermosetting plastics can only be heated up and shaped once; because once they go cold they stay solid. Unlike Thermoplastics, which soften and melt when around enough heat, these can be shaped multiple times when heat is applied. Jedlika says that plastics have many benefits such as it is lightweight, durable, provides a gas and moisture barrier and can sometimes retain its recycling value. (Jedlika, 2009) The reason plastics are so popular is because its versatile and easy to manufacture with it is also is unaffected by water. A down side to plastic is the additives used can make the plastic toxic and materials flow is for downcycling instead of true recycling. The recycling rate of plastic has stabilized at around 25%, but this isnt an adequate amount compared to the amount that is newly produced. One ton of recycled plastic will save about five thousand seven hundred and seventy four Kilowatt-hours of energy, six hundred and eighty five gallons of oil and about thirty pounds of air pollutants. (Statistics from Recycling Bank, 2013) There is a new alternative to petrol-based plastics, which is more environmentally friendly plastic called bioplastics. These plastics are biodegradable and are created from renewable sources such as potatoes or beets and corn. Boylston argues, nevertheless, bioplastics also need the facilities for collection and must not derive from needed food sources (Boylston, 2009) There is a huge quantity of materials that could be used for packaging. There is so much information about new packaging materials and the different technologies available that there are dedicated websites and forums full of up to date information and regulations. To wrap up this section I have come to the conclusion that sustainable packaging is not just about the materials its made from but you have to look at the bigger picture just as Jedlika states If a designer just picks a random material out of his or her list of magic green materials and doesnt actually know why the material is environmentally friendly, or even how it is applied correctly, then the replaced material can cause impacts far worse. (Jedlika, 2009) Case studies and Primary research I have selected to do my case studies on these companies because they show how different sized sectors either contribute or counteract sustainable packaging. The aim of this section is not to compare to determine a 100% sustainable packaging but to look how their business delivers profitable value, the environmental improvements and customer satisfaction. Firstly, Waitrose supermarkets are a food retailer in England; they have been part of The John Lewis Partnership since 1937, the first Waitrose supermarket opened in 1955. Waitrose is one of Englands leading supermarket retailers employing over 37,000 people. Waitrose has a total of 280 branches throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Locations range from high streets to the edge of towns; the stores vary in size too. The company is dedicated to offering quality, value and customer service. In terms of packaging Waitrose has aimed to reduce food packaging by fifty percent by 2016/17, based on like for like usage since 2005. (John Lewis partnership.co.uk, 2012) Secondly, Innocent is a drinks company based in England and was founded in 1999. The companies main business is from making fruit smoothies, a selection of fruit juices and vegetable pots, all of these products are all sold in a wide range of supermarkets and tearooms nationally. Considering the company started at a music festival, they have grown substantially over the years and are now expanding into the European market. They have set their targets high when trying to be sustainable; they have achieved this by infusing sustainability into the packaging from the beginning. The company also likes to act ethically in all areas of the company. (Innocent drinks, 2012) Conclusion Within the argument of this dissertation I have tried to produce an evenhanded discourse on the implications of sustainable packaging with both positive and negative views. The research has indicated that there is enough evidence for sustainable packaging to be used in companies furthermore it will also benefit the environment and society. The research question I set out to answer was is sustainable packaging viable given the current economic and political climate.

Issues Concerning Mexican-Americans :: Culture cultural mexico essays

Issues Concerning Mexican-Americans I have recently visited the web-site "Chicano Park" and viewed the video Chicano! I took a critical look at both and evaluated how well the two educated the general public to the issues of Mexican American history. As a point of reference, I used information from the Vargas book, along with class lectures and discussions, and compared it to information found on the video and the web-site. In the following essay I aim to show that the video and web-site do not serve as adequate tools to educating the general public. While they do touch upon many issues of Mexican- American history, they do not do so with the detail of Vargas. Also, they do not depict the hardships experienced by the Mexicans and the racism of the Anglos as well as the Vargas book. The essay will address the web-site and video separately. It will point out the issues that are addressed by each, along with those that are not. In the end, I hope to prove that the web-site and video should be used as supplementary materials to Vargas, lectures, and discussions as a means of enhancing education. In addition, I will be addressing the content of two essays written by my peers in the class who are also addressing the subject of Mexican American history. I will be commenting on these works throughout this essay when appropriate. The web site: Chicano Park addressed several issues dealing with Mexican American history. Through the presentation of the Logan Heights barrio, the web-site shows the influx of Mexicans into the United States due to revolution in Mexico. In the Logan Heights community, there was a steady population increase of over 500,000 people , most of whom were Mexican. Logan Heights became primarily a border community. It has suffered from pollution, poverty, high crime, and unemployment, and continues to do so today. This is further evidence of the poor socioeconomic conditions the Mexicans have faced since their arrival in the US. The jobs held by the residents of the community is further illustration of the status of a labor class held by the Mexicans. They worked as laborers in the fisheries, lumber, shipbuilding, and railroad industries of the area. Also, WWII activity attracted many laborers to the area, many of whom were Mexicans, along with other immigrants.

Religion and Politics Essay

In the world today, there are several pillars of trivial issues that hold it together in spite of the several challenges. Issues like humanitarianism, peacekeeping, politics, religion, international negotiations or even conflict resolution have been on the frontline of such important tenets. However, the ever growing influence of politics and religion since time immemorial has made it one of the most outspoken subjects of all time with much spotlight being continuously placed on these two â€Å"twin† issues. Epley (40-48) articulates that the advancements in both religion and politics have astoundingly shot sky high over the recent times. This has led to an increased interest of scholars and researchers in issues to deal with religion and politics. As of today, a wide range of researches have been conducted to this effect and several volumes of academic material written so as to clearly define the relationship between the two aforementioned precepts. In a different study, Lerman supports Epley’s sentiments by saying that most of these researches tend to focus on the relationship between religion and politics with much emphasis being made on how the two can concurrently run together. He however goes ahead and opines that in as much as such studies have been quite informative, very little has been done by these researchers to fundamentally outline the elementary issue of whether the two should be interrelated and viewed together in the first place—as most scholars have done in the previous studies. It is therefore from this concern by Lerman that this study is going to not only focus on vigilantly highlighting whether both religion and politics should interchangeably influence each other-as they have been doing- but also on projecting on how such a study could be conducted if funds are made available. Theme for the study As partly glimpsed by the above writings, the theme for this proposed study is going to be Religio n and Politics. From the several research materials used in this study, most scholars amass that religion has had a great influence on politics just in the same way that politics also affects religion. To begin with, Cox (2) says that â€Å"Religion has influenced politics in America from the very beginning, religion continues to influence politics, and religion will continue in one way or another to influence politics for as long as we can anticipate.† Delcore adds that both religion and politics have greatly impacted one another. This has however come with the main challenge of pluralism since America is a pluralist state that allows freedom of worship, freedom of association and freedom to choose what to believe in (Murrin). In addition, there has been constant struggle between forceful religions like Christianity and Islam on who is the most domineering. As per the United States’ constitution, democracy fundamentally functions to protect both the minority and majority. However, it is common knowledge that the majority normally gets more decisions going their way based on numbers. And based on the alleged 55% Christian population in America, other religions have been silently complaining that most decisions seemingly favor them (Lormel). This problem is however not just faced in America; many other countries attest to challenges regarding religion and politics. The constant struggles between the Sunni and Shiite in Iraq or the religion versus politics conflict in Sudan are just but a few examples of such. Several other examples exist in many other areas around the world. It is therefore with great urgency that this subject is addressed; and that is the main purpose of our theme. In spite of the many achievements by law (whether religious or civil), a balance needs to be established so as to ensure that this dual partnership gives ultimate output (Murrin). Similarly, there have been numerous concerns raised on the use of religion to exert control over others. This is exhibited by the allegation of the wide involvement of the church in various campaigns both in the U.S and other countries (Simon). Based on the many positive issues associated with the religion-political relationship, Zeleny documents that Senator Barrack Obama, in his bid to woe voters, expanded George Bush’s program of investing federal money in religious institutions. This money was targeted at the low income earners and to help in alleviating the high levels of poverty by performing community aid work. This move greatly paid off as later indicated by the huge support Barrack O bama received from the religious background thus propelling him into power as President. On the other hand, it is important to note that it has not been a smooth ride for the relationship between politics and religion. According to Mella, most of the religious people who claim to be ardent followers of particular religions do not even have confidence in their religions. From the most elementary level of perception, this lack of confidence in one’s religion primarily discredits the church’s role in politics as being false. Again, there has been an escalating accusation of governmental institutions using their collaboration with various religions as a cover-up for their hidden agendas. For example, Zeleny documents that Obama’s involvement with the Christian community was considered as a fraudulent way of obtaining votes since his background clearly state that he is a Muslim. 2. Analytical question: Should religion influence politics or should the two facets be viewed independently Several questions can be raised from the theme. However, our focus is going to be on answering the question â€Å"Should religion influence politics or should these two facets be viewed independently?† in answering this, it is important to get a background knowledge on the relationship between religion and politics; then from there on we can focus on getting the appropriate answers. Preliminarily, Religion is an abstract concept and thus cannot be viewed as an entity on its own (Lerman). In order to ardently define religion, it is vital that we circumspectly view the context of definition, which people we are making reference to, among many other considerations. According to Connelly, the most representative definition of religion is: A mysterious manifestation of power and presence that is experienced as both primordial and transformative, inspiring awe and rapt attenti on. This is usually an event that represents a break or discontinuity from the ordinary, forcing a re-establishment or recalibration of perspective on the part of the experience. Connelly further adds that religion can be something done in an ordinary way but astoundingly leads to a large following of believers. In most cases, some mystique kind of perception is felt by the members who are then propelled into belief. On the other hand, Politics according to BrainyQuote.com is: The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals. In relations to the question, different views are advanced by different scholars in trying to give a way forward. First, there are those of the opinion that religion and politics should both relate and help one another like they have been doing in the other past. Second, there are those who totally oppose this relationship and advocate for separation of the state politics and religion. Third and lastly, there is a group of scholars who are somehow in the middle and advocate for a balance between the two facets. We are therefore going to view all these arguments one by one. Starting with the group that propionate influence of religion to politics and vice versa; Lerman says that religious people have the right to offer their genuine opinion on politics. In U.S for example, freedom of speech and religion is protected and legalized under the constitution. This, however, should be done in a cautious way to avoid conflicting with other groups. With respect to this, a religious group like Buddhism, should behave in a way tantamount to their group, but still not be in conflict with either the constitution or openly condemn other religions. In addition, neither of the religious groups should use the authority and freedom bestowed to them to impose their rule on others. The scenario of imposing one’s authority is allegedly common with Islam states as well as Christian states. An example is the domineering influence of Catholic influence in the Roman Empire which has been alleged to overstep its boundaries just in the same way Islam is said to impose-through jihad- its religious fundamentals to people in the Middle East (Cox 6-8). Cox (3) further advances that there should be an increased influence of religion on politics since politics-by itself- cannot adequately stamp moral authority which is very essential for a country’s g rowth. This, he exhibits with the various cases like that of Martin Luther junior who-in spite of not directly routing for a particular political figure- greatly cultivated morality in politics through his numerous inspirational speeches (4-5). In making his contribution to this debate, Lormel asserts that the democracy in United States stipulates freedom of religion and this should not be deterred by any political authority-or individual for that matter- since it is a constitutional right. However, it is not clearly stipulated on whether religion should or should not affect politics; and in his interpretation, Lormel sees this as a go-ahead for the influence of religion on politics (3). Additionally, religion’s influence on politics is a moral obligation of keeping the politicians in check. It also serves a voice for the voiceless in the society who-more often than not- are always at the mercy of superior political classes and thus get frequently downtrodden on. Cox (7) strongly supports this idea by saying that: There is a larger moral purpose to public policy which goes far beyond brokerage and has to do with seeking a justice which is measured by how this society deals with those who are most vulnerable, its weakest members, and how they are dealt with. This is why it is not only the right but the responsibility of religious leaders, and of lay people in religious communities for whom this tradition is the basis of their lives, to remind those in power of this vision and to do so in such a way that the pretentiousness which is often present in kings and emperors and in public policy makers is punctured. The important role played by religion in various elections-like in the aforementioned case of President Barrack Obama’s catapult to office- is seen as very fundamental by many scholars and thus greatly encouraged by them Montanaro. To such political scientist, religion plays a fundamental role in vesting of power and should therefor e this role should not be stemmed out by alienating politics from religion. Lormel (4) says that religion provides platform for building a morally upright political environment just in the same way politics present a forum for instituting laws governing a country. This dual partnership is very healthy and essential for a country and therefore, doing away with this bond through separation of powers can be very detrimental not just to a country as an entity but even to the globe as a whole. In highlighting the views of those opposed to the relationship between politics and religion, Lormel (1-3) articulates that in spite of being religious, the founding fathers of America-who were responsible for creation of constitution- saw the need for separation of religion and politics no wander they ensured that the constitution allowed for pluralism. This, they did, despite the fact that most of them were religious. Again, to the proponents of separation of politics from religion, this independence ensures that both of these key aspects of the state run autonomously and thus ensuring maximum output from them (Shattuck 16-30). Epley (44-55) explicates that the separation also creates an ample environment for growth by the separate units since they themselves know how to handle their problems. In other words, religious organizations best know how to solve their problems just in the same way that political organizations know how to ardently solve their challenges or problems. Moreover, Simon reiterates that â€Å"There are many countries whose governments see religious resurgence posing a serious challenge to the future shape of their societies.† As a point of caution therefore, separation of religion and politics would consequently inhibit the threat for this alleged challenge. Shattuck says that the issue of separation of the church from politics is not a new thing. Based on his circumspective studies that involved various subjects, Shattuck documents that issues like the state funding religious organizations has been greatly objected as it is viewed as inhibiting liberty and encouraging favoritism. Simon goes ahead and exemplifies this alleged favoritism by saying that in spite of George Bush’s funding of religious groups was said to be fair, most of it was-indeed- fraudulent since there is surmountable evidences that the policy greatly favored some particular people who were allied to the president—George bush. Lastly, there is the group of scholars who tend to believe that striking a professional balance between religion and politics is the ultimate solution. Proponents of this idea propose two ways of making this happen. First, they opine that there should be a balance in the intrinsic relationship between the various religious movements. For example, there should be a balance in the way Hindus treat Christians and similarly, M uslims should also treat atheists with the same kind of respect they would treat their Muslim brothers. By ensuring a balance between the various religious affiliations, the perilous competition between them will be toned down and thus making them able to speak in one voice when addressing the political arena. History abounds with several examples where people of different religious backgrounds have come together and thus resulting in a unified resounding voice from them which has many times led to positive change in politics. Generally speaking, the church (whether Pentecostal or catholic) have always come out strongly in United States to oppose the implementation of laws like gay marriages which is an abomination in most religions. Lauritzen exemplifies this mutual relationship between different religions by citing the Evangelicals and Catholics merger-commonly abbreviated as ECT-in the fight against the institution of the volatile law on abortion. In spite of the political class shortchanging the religious organizations in the fight against legalization of abortion, it can be duly noted that-for once-, a clear and unified stand was taken by the pious world. Secondly, the balance between religion and politics is proposed to take shape inform of a mutual relationship between the two facets. So while religion will be charged with the responsibility of offering moral guidance in the political word, politics will on the other hand function to ensure freedom of religious organizations while encouraging unity between them. This should be done in a fair way rather than discriminating against a particular religious group or imposing a religion just because of the relative dominance it enjoys in a region. This type of imposition-as cited earlier-is very characteristic of Christian and Islamic states. In effect, the very essence of democracy and freedom of worship or choice gets corroded away by such actions. If the abovementioned guidelines are observed, there will be positive output from both ends without necessarily getting into each others’ way but rather complimenting the growth of one another (Shattuck 12-14). In summary, most scholars and researchers that I studied tend to support the continuity in the relationship between politics and religion. A good percentage of this proponents advocate for balance, while the rest believe that there has been a relatively good relationship between the two facets in the past and this should just continue in the same way. Of course there is the group that opposes the mutual relationship between politics and religion through the separation of roles between the two. In as much as this proposition has not landed on deaf years or has not been greatly opposed by their counterparts; the alleged positive results associated with continuity of the mutual effect of religion and politics tends to outweigh the positives associated with separation of po wers thus making the latter option less popular. 3. Importance of the research This research not only offers immense insights into politics and religion, it pans further into highlighting several other essential issues which-in effect makes it very important. A number of the significances of this research have been in-part mentioned or addressed above. Some other significance includes: Fundamentally, this study mentions and offers insights key issues like abortion, gay (same sex) marriages, terrorism, religiously branded killings e.g. Jihad among other essential subjects which are in great contention in the current world and have been threatening to tear the victims-like America-apart (Shattuck17-18). This is far much better than just burying our heads in the sand-like the proverbial Ostrich-hoping that the problems will fade away instead of wisely dealing with them head-on! In fact, it is by highlighting such challenges that it becomes easy to find a way of getting forward. According to the Manila Bulletin, issues to do with religion and politics were swept below the carpet by most people and thus making it difficult for a way forward to be found. But based on the ever increasing urgency and prolificacy of these two facets with regards to other current fundamental issues; it is the duty of everybody to contribute towards fostering a better world—be it by separation of the two or their continuity. With that in mind, this study addresses this issue of politics and religion in an in-depth way thus laying a platform for others to follow suit. In addition, Simon documents that â€Å"The end of the cold war left the world without an overarching narrative of good and evil and created a free market in ideas in which any group that is sufficiently assertive and has access to media can communicate its prescriptions for the common good.† As a result, some religious and political organizations have been enjoying unchecked freedom. This research therefore highlights methods in which this regulation can be done—with a balance between the two facets being the most proposed solution. This study therefore does not stop at showing where the problem is but goes further into proposing a solution thus making the research inherently vital. Finally, this research is richly endowed with authoritative facts, examples and even opinions which lay a foundation for future studies to be conducted by other people.   Education is a continuous process and based on this proposed study, someone else might just decide to pick up on a par ticular area and continue with researching thus fostering an academic empowerment. 4. How does the research connect to the literature? A wide variety of literature was used in this research. Different styles are employed in each piece of literature that is used. Some tend to take a laid-back position by talking on a general way about the concerned theme. Others however go ahead and opine of what should or should be done based on evidences which they present. Yet still, some literatures are purely factual and the writers base their arguments on attested concepts. In order to exemplify the ultimate connection between the study and the literature, it is inherent to note that most of the materials used here either emanated from political scientists or religious circles. As a result, most of the writers tend to support what they subjectively view as ideal to them and only a handful of them circumspectly address the theme of politics and religion. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that modernism has paved way for paradigm shifts; with more complex paradigms replacing the simple ones that were previously held. This shift has also had an effect on the literature with most of the current writings being more informative, incorporative and taking a certain pattern. Gabler tries to aptly represent this alleged change by noting that: Perhaps the single most profound change in our political culture over the last 30 years has been the transformation of conservatism from a political movement, with all the limitations, hedges and forbearances of politics, into a kind of fundamentalist religious movement, with the absolute certainty of religious belief. In exemplifying those who take a laid-back position, Shattuck (9) says that people should not worry about the mutual relationship between religion and politics since everything done by both of the facets have to be passed through the constitutional sieve which rarely goes wrong. Mella (2008) also softly contributes to the issue of religious influence in politics and social issues by saying that â€Å"There is a wide range of views on this, but our take is that the application of precepts such as sacred Scripture or the Catechism of the Catholic Church to our politics and society is healthy to the degree it isn’t manipulated or distorted in service to a political end.† To the second category of those offering their opinion, Senator Danforth is quoted by Shattuck (8) saying â€Å"I don’t think people who have deep religious faith are expected to check their faith at the door when they leave their church or mosque or synagogue. Religion is something that infuses all of our lives, hopefully our personal lives, our family lives, our business lives, and our political lives.† The third group that represents the factual scholars is the most the trusted source of information. This is because facts are normally from authoritative sources thus giving more credibility and accuracy to the information. An example of factual material analyzed and used in this research is the verity that a good balance between religion and politics leads to an overall goodwill in the society (Orens 20-23). Shattuck (56) also taps into the use of facts by authoritatively stating that Martin Luther King greatly changed America in spite of never endorsing any politician from the various pulpits he was in. 5. How I would conduct the research Coffey denotes that religion and politics is a fundamental pair not just in America but also in other parts of the world. It is therefore not just enough to highlight the problems associated with politics and religion but also look at the prospects of making the dream of making both percepts fully actualized. If I had funds, time and opportunity to meet the sources relevant to my study, this is how I would conduct the research: My studies would mainly be focused on circumspectly highlighting the theme in question from a worldwide perspective. I would therefore select at least 5 countries from each continent and do an in-depth analysis of the various religious and political systems in place. In addition, I would ensure that amongst the five countries, there is a good representation of developed and developing countries. This is very important in knowing what roles religion and politics have played in such countries. Yet still, I would make sure that the countries selected are polytheists or have several religious groups so as to ardently get accurate, informative and representative results. In Africa for example, I would select South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. With the exception of Zimbabwe, all these countries are still developing with South Africa being the most developed. The choice of a country like Nigeria is based on the many religious factions that are present in the country and the constant debates that have been allegedly going there in the recent past so as to either join or separate religion and politics. The political system of governance in such countries is also very important for the studies i.e. whether dictatorial, authoritarian or autocratic. In Zimbabwe for instance, the political leadership of Mugabe has been greatly criticized for negatively impacting social and religious aspects of the country; the choice of such a country for this study would therefore provide a very interesting analytical angle for the research. There are various data collection methods that are normally used in various studies. However, since this research is highly prolific and requires substantial answers, it is very important that the methods used for data collection are highly inclusive. Primarily, I would conduct a survey on the countries in question so as to get adequate knowledge and information that will help me in the study. These interviews would be focused on religious and political leaders as well as historians who are viable and credible sources of information. The reason for the preference of interviews and questionnaires during the survey is because they allow for easy referencing and sufficient future analysis (Cano). Of course the nature of questions used in data collection will be simple so as to elicit lucid answers from the interviewees. Secondarily, I would use library materials-books, articles, journals-, online resources, governmental and non-governmental archives among many others. In order to ensure that the research gives as much information as possible to readers, I would make certain that neutrality and objectivity is ardently observed throughout the study duration. This is because any minor lapse in concentration can interfere with whole process thus jeopardizing the success of the study. Conclusion In my opinion, both politics and religion play important roles to each other and thus delinking them would rather destroy rather than build countries. Of course the collaboration between the two also has some relative negative effects (Simon). This should however not stand in the way of the immense benefits that the mutual relationship between the two precepts. In addition, despite the norm in life that the majority always gets things done their way, a balance should exist between the various religious factions just in the same way a balance should exist between the dealings of politics and religion. If this is done, there will be ultimate respect between all he involved parties thus fostering an environment for growth in each country.

The title of the painting: Adoration of the Shepherds

The work is about the joyous celebration of the shepherds upon seeing Jesus, the hailed messiah. It was finished in 1672 by the Italian painter Baciccio. Italians are famous for their passion for painting, and for living their art.This painting of his is approximately 10 11/16 x 8 3/8 inches in size. It is drawn using pen and brown ink, black chalk, washed with brown, and with white bodycolor. (www.getty.edu)Baciccio, whose real name is Giovanni Battista Gaulli and is also called Il Baciccio and Baciccia, was born in Genoa, Italy on the 8th of May 1639. After his parents died of a plague, he became an apprentice of Luciano Borzone and Gianlorenzo Bernini, two renowned painters of his time.Baciccio also saw Correggio’s works, which influenced his illusionism and the gentleness of his pictures. He afterwards became very known for his vault wall painting in the Gesu church of Rome. (wikipedia.com)The Adoration of the Shepherds can be considered a relief sculpture because it bears and combines essential symbols, and it depends on its surface. Here, Baciccio made very much use of the power of lighting and shadowing effects. In the drawing, the only source of light is exuding from the baby, illuminating the faces of the crowd around him and casting dark shadows of the shepherds.This technique of creating pictures wherein light pierces darkness is dubbed as the Art of Nocturnal Light. In this art, the source of the light is something divine, artificial, natural, or has held figurative relations beyond its common role. The nocturnal light – which can be candlelight to add intimacy, fire to symbolize power, or moonlight for landscapes – is intended to enhance the drama of the spiritual sight. (www.getty.edu)Baciccio also used free lines to give the picture a vibrant look, and to exalt the religious subject matter. It attracts viewers to witness the story of the appearance of angels to the shepherds to proclamation the good news of Christ’s bi rth to them, and the shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem to see the infant lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8-20, NKJV) In the scene, the shepherds look at Jesus at his birthplace in Bethlehem.The birthplace is often in the form of a barn or manger. The angels are praising and saying, â€Å"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, goodwill to men!† This speech became the first lines of the Gloria, the doxology that is traditionally sang in Christian masses.I would not prefer to include this work in my personal collection. The arrangement of the elements is somewhat in a mess. Looking at it, I did not know where to look at first. Some may have also experienced the same difficulty. Hence, peace and comfort is not extended to the viewer, and the viewer is not drawn into the picture.Moreover, the scene is supposed to be joyous, but the picture depicts not one indicator of delight. Its lack of appeal and colorfulness does not invite spectators. One might see it, look at it shortly, and then continue on walking. Because of its monochrome, it might not even be noticed. If I were to put a work in my personal collection, I prefer something catchy, or colorful enough so as to be catchy.