Consumer Perception Towards Local Branded Jewellery

Consumer Perception Towards Local Branded Jewellery Till the early 1990s, the average Indian bought jewellery for investment rather than for adornment. Jewellery made of 18-karat gold was not favoured as it was considered a poor investment. Confidence in the local jeweller was the hallmark of the gold jewellery trade in India. A jeweller or goldsmith in a local area had a fixed and loyal clientele. The buyer had implicit faith in his jeweller. Additionally, the local jeweller catered to the local taste for traditional jewellery. However, since the late 1990s, there was a shift in consumer tastes: women were increasingly opting for fashionable and lightweight jewellery instead of traditional chunky jewellery. There was a rise in demand for lightweight jewellery, especially from consumers in the 16 to 25 age group, who regarded jewellery as an accessory and not an investment. The new millennium witnessed a definite change in consumer preferences. Branded jewellery also gained acceptance forcing traditional jewellers to go in for branding. Given the opportunities the branded jewellery market offered; the number of gold retailers in the country increased sharply. Branded players such as Tanishq, Oyzterbay, Gili and Carbon opened outlets in various parts of the country. Traditional jewellers also began to bring out lightweight jewellery, and some of them even launched their in-house brands. However, the share of branded jewellery in the total jewellery market was still small (about Rs. 10 billion of the Rs. 400 billion per annum jewellery market in 2002), though growing at a pace of 20 to 30 percent annually. The branded jewellery segment occupied only a small share of the total jewellery market because of the mindset of the average Indian buyer who still regarded jewellery as an investment. Moreover, consumers trusted only their family jewellers when buying jewellery. Consequently, the branded jewellery players tried to change the mindset of the people and woo customers with attractive designs at affordable prices. However branded jewellery players will continue to face lot of competition from local jewellers. In order to gain market share, they will have to come up with designs that customers want and win the trust and confidence of consumers by hallmarking and demonstrating the purity of the gold used by them. To compete with traditional players, branded players must also find some way to differentiate themselves. While the success of a particular brand will depend on differentiation, affordability and quality will be a key element in sustaining a brand. In addition, branded players require focused advertising and astute salesmanship to compete with traditional jewellers. Besides the major brands- Tanishq, Carbon, Oyzterbay, Gili and Trendsmith several regional players have opened branches to leverage the trust and reputation that they have built up over the years. AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY AIM: To have the Detail Study research on CONSUMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS LOCAL BRANDED JEWELLARY IN RECENT TRENDS with my Theoretical knowledge in a practical way and to have a detail knowledge about the consumers behavior in India towards local and branded jewellery . OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: A comparative study on the consumers Perception towards Local and none branded jewellery is to find out: To compare between the consumer preference among the branded and non branded jewellery. To know consumer perception towards jewellery. Brand awareness of various brands in the jewellery market. To have an idea about the parameters the consumers consider while buying jewellery. CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY TYPE OF RESEARCH Exploratory research: Exploratory research is a form of research conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined. Exploratory research helps determine the best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects. It should draw definitive conclusions only with extreme caution. Given its fundamental nature, exploratory research often concludes that a perceived problem does not actually exist. DEVELOPING THE RESEARCH PLAN: The data for this research project would be collected through questionnaire. A structured questionnaire would be framed as it is less time consuming, generates specific and to the point information, easier to tabulate and interpret. Moreover respondents prefer to give direct answers. COLLECTION OF DATA: Secondary Data: Secondary data was collected from internal sources. The secondary data was collected from the articles, newspapers, journals and internet. Primary data: Respondents were the main source of Primary data. The method of collection of primary data would be direct personal interview and also with a structured questionnaire. Tools and Techniques Used For Data Analysis: Survey Questionnaire Statistical Tool Sampling Sample size: 50 people (mostly working) Sampling Method: Convenience sampling among focus groups selected CHAPTER 3 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION GRAPHS AND TABLES REGARDS TO RESEARCH Sample Description During our research we try to focus on ladies who are working in Bangalore city. We surveyed 50 people (all female). Graphical Representation: 1. What is your monthly income? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=ff9900chl=Less%20than%20%20%5B8%5D%7C10000%20%E2%80%93%205%20%5B18%5D%7C50000%20%E2%80%93%201%20%5B16%5D%7CMore%20than%20%20%5B8%5Dchd=e%3AKPXCUeKP Less than 10,000 16% 10000 50000 36% 50000 100000 32% More than 1000000 16% 2. Have you ever bought jewellery for someone or yourself? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=d00000chl=Yes%20%5B36%5D%7CNo%20%5B14%5Dchd=e%3AuER6 Yes 36 72% No 14 28% 3. How often do you purchase jewellery? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=dcca02chl=Once%20in%203%20%5B11%5D%7COnce%20in%206%20%5B17%5D%7COnce%20a%20year%20%5B22%5Dchd=e%3AOEVwcJ Once in 3 months 22% Once in 6 months 34% Once a year 44% 4. Are you aware of the various brands of cosmetic jewellery? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=00d000chl=Yes%20%C2%A0%20%5B35%5D%7CNo%20%5B15%5Dchd=e%3AsyTM Yes 35 70% No 15 30% 5. Which company do you prefer when it comes to buying branded jewellery? chart.png Tanishq 42% D damas 24% Gitanjali jewels 14% Bhima jewellers 2% Nakshatra 4% I dont have a preference 14% 6. You use cosmetic branded jewellery at: https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=0000e0chl=Casual%20Pa%20%5B19%5D%7COutings%20%5B13%5D%7CFormal%20Occ%20%5B4%5D%7CFamily%20ev%20%5B10%5D%7CI%20don%E2%80%99t%20us%20%5B4%5Dchd=e%3AYUQoFHMzFH Casual Parties 38% Outings 26% Formal Occasions 8% Family events 20% I dont use them 8% 7. Does your buying behavior change as per the occasion? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=ff9900chl=Yes%20%5B33%5D%7CNo%20%5B17%5Dchd=e%3AqOVw Yes 33 66% No 17 34% 8. What kind of material would you prefer jewellery to be made of mostly? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=d00000chl=Gold%20%5B27%5D%7CPlatinum%20%5B14%5D%7CSilver%20%5B4%5D%7CPrecious%20s%20%5B5%5Dchd=e%3AijR6FHGZ Gold 54% Platinum 28% Silver 8% Precious stones 10% 9. Which product in jewellery you buy most ? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=dcca02chl=Earrings%20%5B27%5D%7CBangles%20%5B13%5D%7CNecklace%20%5B5%5D%7CChains%20%5B5%5Dchd=e%3AijQoGZGZ Earrings 27 54% Bangles 13 26% Necklace 5 10% Chains 5 10% 10. Are you willing to pay for better design and quality of jewellery? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=00d000chl=Yes%20%5B39%5D%7CNo%20%5B11%5Dchd=e%3Ax6OE Yes 39 78% No 11 22% 11. What is your awareness about hallmarked jewellery? 1 no awareness 0% 2 little awareness 30% 3 moderately aware 44% 4 well aware 26% https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=9601acchl=1%20-%20no%20awa%20%5B0%5D%7C2%20-%20littl%20%5B15%5D%7C3%20-%20moder%20%5B22%5D%7C4%20-%20well%20%20%5B13%5Dchd=e%3AAATMcJQo 12. Would you rather wear modern cosmetic jewellery or traditional ones? Modern 58% Traditional 30% Depends on the occasion 12% https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=0000e0chl=Modern%20%5B29%5D%7CTraditional%20%5B15%5D%7CDepends%20on%20%5B6%5Dchd=e%3AlHTMHr 13. Do you consider buying an investment rather than a simple cosmetic purchase? Yes 30 60% No 20 40% https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=ff9900chl=Yes%20%5B30%5D%7CNo%20%5B20%5Dchd=e%3AmZZm 14. Do you gift or are you usually gifted branded jewellery for occasions? Yes 25 50% No 25 50% https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=d00000chl=Yes%20%5B25%5D%7CNo%20%5B25%5Dchd=e%3Af.f. 15. With the rising cost, do you still believe in buying gold to keep up traditions? No, its a needless expense 24% Yes ,traditions are important 76% https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=dcca02chl=No%2C%20it%E2%80%99s%20%20%5B12%5D%7CYes%20%2Ctrad%20%5B38%5Dchd=e%3APWwo 16. Have you ever taken advantage of jewellery exchange programs? https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=00d000chl=Yes%20%5B23%5D%7CNo%20%5B27%5Dchd=e%3Adbij Yes 23 46% No 27 54% CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS Table A Frequency of Purchase Once in 3 months 22% Once in 6 months 34% Once a year 44% Table B Brand Preference. Tanishq 42% D damas 24% Gitanjali jewels 14% Bhima jewellers 2% Nakshatra 4% I dont have a preference 14% Table C Willing to pay for better design and quality of jewellery Yes 78% No 22% Table D Awareness about hallmarked jewellery 1 no awareness 0% 2 little awareness 30% 3 moderately aware 44% 4 well aware 26% Table E Modern or traditional jewellery Modern 58% Traditional 30% Depends on the occasion 12% Table F Jewellery exchange programs Yes 46% No 54% According to table A, 44% people purchase jewellery once a year. Table B shows that tanishq is the most preferred brand out of the other brands in jewellery. Table C shows that 78% of the people are willing to pay for better design and quality of jewellery. Table D depicts that 44% people are moderately aware about hallmarked jewellery. Table E shows that 58% people prefer modern jewellery . Table F shows that 46% have taken advantage of jeweler exchange programs CHAPTER 5 LIMITATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS LIMITATIONS OF STUDY Bound to only Bangalore city The limitation of the study is it is limited to only the main city area of Bangalore and ignores the samples from the smaller parts of the district. The buying behaviour of an individual varies from place to place. Awareness- the sample taken and the conclusion drawn can be led to only one side if there is lack of awareness about branded jewellery Sample size- The sample size of the study is only 50 which would not give a comprehensive result. Many important samples may not be considered at all. The conclusion of the study may not result to an accurate outcome due to the sample size being small CONCLUSION It has been concluded from the research that the women sector especially the working women play a great role in purchase of branded jewellery. Branded jewellery is extremely essential. The branded jewellery segment occupied only a small share of the total jewellery market because of the mindset of the average Indian buyer who still regarded jewellery as an investment. The scenario of the Indian customers is still the same as before. The branded jewelers face an enormous amount of competition from the local jewellery dealers. However the present generation does give a lot of importance to the branded jewellery and the awareness is actually growing to a great extent in todays scenario. Nearly 22% of the working women purchase jewellery only once a year and nearly 35% of the ladies are aware of the cosmetic jewellery which shows that the trend is changing to greater extent.44% of the women are aware of hallmark jewellery which is a positive sign for the branded jewellery industry. Today the scenario has changed where people not only buy gold as an investment but also for adornment .60% buy as an investment whereas 40% buy for the sake of adornment which is still a positive sign. The women today especially who are working are ready to welcome the new upcoming fashion in a large scale. If branded jewellery are planning to enter the Indian market then advertising strategies need to be extremely strong as the notion of the public needs to be transformed. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the number of branded jewellers should increase their outlets and the number of sales should increase .As the present generation working women are ready to adapt to branded jewellery. People prefer various cosmetic jewellery and would be ready to welcome them if advertisements are introduced to promote them. At present 70% of the people are aware of cosmetic jewellery .Gold sector should be concentrated and tried to develop as compared to other sectors like diamond , platinum, silver etc. as the percentage of people interested in gold is 27% which is the highest compared to the other avenues. The research indicates that 39% are willing to pay more for better design and quality of the jewellery so the branded jewellery sector must make optimum use of this opportunity and enter the market. Appendix Summary of responses through online research: Excel Sheet Attached Responses.xls QUESTIONNAIRE 1) What is your monthly income? Less than 10,000 10000 50000 50000 100000 More than 1000000 2Have you ever bought jewellery for someone or yourself? Yes No 3) How often do you purchase jewellery? Once in 3 months Once in 6 months Once a year 4) Are you aware of the various brands of cosmetic jewellery? Yes No 5) Which company do you prefer when it comes to buying branded jewellery? Tanishq D damas Gitanjali jewels Bhima jewellers Nakshatra I dont have a preference 6) You use cosmetic branded jewellery at: Casual Parties Outings Formal Occasions Family events I dont use them 7) Does your buying behaviour change as per the occasion? Yes No 8) What kind of material would you prefer jewellery to be made of mostly? Gold Platinum Silver Precious stones 9) Which product in jewellery you buy most? Earrings Bangles Necklace Chains 10) Are you willing to pay for better design and quality of jewellery? Yes No 11) What is your awareness about hallmarked jewellery? Choose any number from 1 to 4. 1-no awareness 2-little awareness 3-moderately aware 4-well aware 12) Would you rather wear modern cosmetic light weight corrosion resistant jewellery or traditional ones? Modern traditional depends on the occasion 13) Do you consider buying jewellery an investment rather than a simple cosmetic purchase? Yes no 14) Do you gift or are you usually gifted branded jewellery for occasions? Yes no 15) With the rising cost of gold, do you still believe in brides buying so much gold to keep up traditions? No, its a needless expense Yes, traditions are important 16) Have you ever taken advantage of jewellery exchange programs? Yes No

Kelloggs Demonstrates Good Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay

Kelloggs Demonstrates Good Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay Through the three elements mentioned above, can build and supply chain management on the ground to allow the flow of materials and information in support of operations productivity, and management decisions through the chain. But difficult challenge facing the achievement of this series is that the processes of flow requires decisions then observe changes implementation according to the nature of supplier performance, and where suppliers can deployed across the world, the process of material supply and communication can be expensive and take longer, this must be supported by building strong, and communication protocols allow easy transfer of information across the world, and the elements of this construction are: †¢ Model for Supply Chain Management Review. †¢ Service data for supply chain management. †¢ Decision support systems productivity. †¢ Simulation systems. †¢ A knowledge database to manage suppliers. And to use electronic networks and communication technology in the implementation of various actions, and push forward the process of coordination and approach between the programs and plans through the chain, in order to achieve the level of performance of a good amount to the challenges posed by competition in the global market and the requirements of globalization business, and the impact of diversification on the product, and increasing complexity of supply networks, and shorten product life cycles. Of a key ingredient for the success of supply chain management is to change the organizational structure of the temple is known (organizational hierarchy structure ) to organizational structure linear (organizational networks structure ), and which is characterized by simplicity, flexibility and speed flow of information across teams and that perform operations and tasks entrusted to it faster, and thus enable them to respond quickly to changes in the work environment and quickly identify the opportunities that exist and retain the status of a better marketing. Why is it important for companies like Kelloggs to build good relationships with businesses in the tertiary sector? Support your answer with other examples. Company Kellogg is a very large company and they know exactly what they are doing, investing in the higher education sector is one of the best sectors for investment and company Kellogg have the potential to earn the trust of customers, the government and large companies and in order to provide the best products they have to cooperate and establish good relationships with the higher education sector and also having experience in the company gives them the security to be relations with any sector could contribute to the development of the company to expand the geographical reach So most large companies tend to invest and set up relations with the higher education sector who could give greater opportunities for forward direction for the better in the company Universities are the cornerstone for the Arab higher education both in terms of size or quality or the ability to progress and there is a tendency to collect all institutions of higher education under the umbrella of the universities.   So it if conducted any serious study on higher education in the Arab region, it should focus on higher education, as this education is concentrated where the aims of education and its significance. It is only through university education is offered in the Arab world, as it is the organization that allows students to obtain academic degrees Supreme like diploma in various sciences, as well as masters and doctoral degrees in academic areas. In addition, we find that universities, through the continuing attempts to establish institutes of higher education, and institutes for Social Development, prefer to evaluate the universities, in the light of the fact that you see that universities are no longer confined to academic studies alone, but it can provide studies less than level university, as can also offer Graduate. national and international, advertising companies and may be most importantly transport companies such as TDG, and the supply Chain of supermarkets and other retailers in order to be able to sell their products to the final customer efficiently. In the case that the retailers who sell Kelloggs products arent happy, they can immediately change their suppliers and this would cause a decrease in the profit of Kelloggs. Kelloggs needs to work with a good transportation service company, and to keep good relationship with them in order to deliver their products to their customers in time. Evaluate at least three benefits for large manufacturers like Kelloggs in handing over the logistical side of their business to specialist companies like TDG. In order company Kellogg from entering the market strongly it should increase the quality and reduce the prices due to the presence of many competitors QC and prices and among the obstacles faced by the company Kellogg He when they discovered that transportation is one of the necessary things in the company and that they suffered a big numbers of profits that they can exploit in other things so firm Kellogg found a solution to this financial waste and is contracting with a company TDG transport and this will help them greatly and will those losses were will lose in the past, as this company guarantees them access their products to customers and companies and a store safely and under contract with the company cheaply than in the past and dealing with a professional company better transport of cargo by the same company to avoid any error that may result from it, and become customers and companies are happy because the requests reach them on time and agreed. And the usual loads in road freight be in the range of 24 tons to 50 tons depending on the type and capacity of the truck. And there is also a lorry and a form of truck length of 6 meters only Half a lorry and be less in length and load weight average about 4 to 5 tons and there is also the truck Pickup and be payload tons and a half and is shipping land the second most important means of transport after shipping where a shipping Imad Maritime transport in the world of shipping. So Kelloggs has made the collaboration with the transport company TDG. This has helped them to minimize the unit cost of transportation. TDG keeps the warehouse costs low as they work with computerized heating and they are more specialized in transportation. Kelloggs decision to work with a specialized transport company and share costs with another producer (Kimberley Clark) has appositive effect on the environment as it reduces the waste and the fuel is used. This helps reduce costs as well. Kelloggs customers are happy with the replenish of products in time, and this generates into more orders for Kelloggs and their profits rises they sell more pieces at a lower cost. Using examples with which you are familiar, analyze the key elements of the marketing mix to suggest how an organization can improve its overall marketing strategy. Addresses the strategic entrance inter alia with regard to the external and internal variables as well as the guidance of senior management and the belief functions and the basic objectives of the organization. The product mix strategy includes a series of decisions that relate to products in terms of quantity and quality, shapes and levels of quality and the number of lines of main and secondary products within each line of products in addition to the number of product lines that can be inserted according to the productive potential available and the interdependence consistency and between lines within each product line. The address of the types of alternative strategies for product mix highlights the alternatives that are addressed in the area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹the strategic choice of product mix, as well as to clarify the most important strategies that organization wishes to change the mix of products in the light of the availability capabilities and available resources and existing competition. In general, there are four options strategy represents the normal products and strategies are: 1 discrimination strategy: The organization is trying here to distinguish their products from other products of the same type in question and the development of depth by adding new products to the product line which increases the number of products, but do not give up what is of products previously and operating within the same industry where that discrimination is by design , mark and packaging and this means that the organization is action on the product, whether this change size or shape or brand, used this strategy when it is most competitive with an increase in the number of markets around the organization, as well as tracking in case of a potential surplus production or idle, and the existence of financial and human resources so that they can benefit from the new products in similar circumstances produced and marketed with existing products. This reflects the one-dimensional and is the consistency of a combination or integration of the product mix. 2 diversification strategy: And this means adding new lines to its existing product lines that are different uses for other products, but under the same brand. This means that the organization is seeking to deepen its product mix, diversification here means that the organization is expanding in giving opportunities to choose in front of the consumer and by providing a range of new products and by entering into new markets through the addition of a line or several production lines. This type represents the organizations strategy for growth, and this requires high skills, new technology, as well as multiple financial facilities as required to make a financial and regulatory changes in the business structure within the organization and which represent new cases from the past.

Antigone :: Essays Papers

Antigone When reading anything it is usually to the benefit of the reader if the author leaves the ending of the story at the end. So when I started to read Antigone and figured out right away that she would die I wondered what purpose it served to read the rest of the play. Had I not finished the play, however, I would not have ever known how Antigone was to die. Nor would I have know if Ismene would also die or if Polyneices would ever get a proper burial. Needless to say I finished the play. Following the story line I was extremely impressed by what I thought was courage and family loyalty on the part of Antigone to risk death just to bury her deceased brother. I wondered if I, faced with the same situation, would choose the same. I tend to think that I would be more like the timid Ismene who did everything she could think of to dissuade Antigone from what she was destined to do. I can't be sure though because I don't believe in or worship the same gods Antigone did. Continuing on I started to glean more of Creon's personality. I learned that he was not the humble and merciful person I thought he was but rather he was a prideful and maybe even a tyrant king. I say this because why else would you leave someone that has already been defeated and is dead, left unburied and then threaten death to anyone who tries to bury him? To mean this personifies cruelty and yet I can see that maybe he had a hidden agenda in doing this. This act, instead of being used as an unjust punishment, might be seen as a tool of deterrence. I certainly wouldn't want to be killed just to bury someone else. Further on in the play, through Teiresias, I started to realize that Creon's ruling would backfire on him in a most fitting way. I don't wish death on anybody but isn't it justice served that Haemon should die because of Creon's killing Antigone. No one can say that Creon wasn't warned, both by Haemon and Teiresias. However, the deaths didn't stop there because after learning of Haemon's death Eurydice kills herself and so Creon is hurt twice over. After a while all this death gets depressing and I started to wonder if anyone would be left alive by the end of the story.

Meiji Restoration - Japan :: Japanese Japan History

Meiji Restoration - Japan The Meiji Restoration was period in Japan when massive changes in ancient Japan. The goal of the Meiji Restoration was summarized in their motto, "A rich country, a strong military." In their quest to do so, the Meiji looked to the western civilizations. The Meiji sent young men to study abroad and learn new traits from the west. Before this drastic move the traditional Japanese society was largely isolated from all other civilizations. By doing this the Japanese managed to strengthen the economy, strengthen the government, and make social reforms. Meiji leaders made the economy a major priority. They encouraged Japan's business class to adopt western methods. They Japanese built railroads to allow the shipment of goods and transportation of people, a banking system to aid in the expansion of businesses and investors, improved ports to aid in the expansion of trade with other countries, and also organized a telegraph and postal system which enables the spread of news quickly. Another goal of the Meiji was to strengthen the government and make it a strong central power, equal to those of the western powers. In 1889 they adapted the German for of government. It set forth principles that all citizens were equal before the law. Like the German system, however, it gave the ruler autocratic power. A legislature, or diet, was formed, made up of one elected house and one house appointed to the emperor. But its power was extremely limited. Japan then established a western style bureaucracy with separate departments to supervise finance, the army, the navy, and education. Meiji made social reforms to help appease the people and advance their society. The constitution ended legal distinctions between classes, thus freeing people to build the nation. The government set up new schools and universities and hired westerners to teach the new generation modern technology. The reform of the Japanese family system became the topic of major debate in the 1870's Reformers wanted women to become full partners in the process of nation building and to learn skills that would allow them to live on their own. While the government agreed to some increases in education for women, it dealt harshly with other attempts at change.

Atomic Bombs :: essays research papers

An atomic bomb is a bomb in which the splitting of atomic nuclei results in an explosion of tremendous force and heat, accompanied by a blinding light. The destructive force of an atomic bomb is due to nearly instantaneous and uncontrolled successive fissions of uranium or plutonium atoms in a chain reaction, each fission releasing tremendous energy and also neutrons which produce the succeeding fission (The World Book Dictionary 129). In other words, these bombs are very powerful. This was demonstrated in 1940, when we dropped an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima during World War II. This bomb left a crater, in the ground, that was over a half of a mile long.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the first instances that these bombs were used was called the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was created by the United States government in 1942 to produce the first nuclear bomb. The official agency that produced the bomb was the Corps of Engineers’ Manhattan Engineer District, commanded by Major General Leslie R.Groves. He directed industrial and research activities at such sites as Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Los Alamos, New Mexico (The World Book Encyclopedia 141). Here they designed to bombs that were later called â€Å"The Fat Man† and â€Å"The Little Boy†. There was later a movie named after the two bombs that showed how they were made and the experiences that came with making them. A worker was killed during the final stages of the Manhattan Project when a critical assembly of fissile material was accidentally brought together by hand. This incident, which was dramatized in â€Å"Fat Man and Little Boy†, pre-dated remote-control assembly of such components, but the hazards of manual assembly were known at the time (U.S. Nuclear Accidents, Internet). Only 9 months after that, a similar problem occurred which there were 8 people that got radiation exposure and 7 of them died because of it. In the past, there were very many nuclear accidents. One of these was in 1982. International Nutronics in Dover, New Jersey, which used radiation baths to purify gems, chemicals, food, and medical supplies, experienced an accident that completely contaminated the plant, forcing its closure. A pump malfunctioned, siphoning water from the baths onto the floor; the water eventually was drained into the sewer system of the heavily populated town of Dover. The NRC wasn’t informed of the accident until ten months later. In 1986, the company and one of its top executives were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy and fraud.

Population Explosion in India Essay

Population explosion is a problem which is faced by the country at an alarming state. The way at which the population of the country is increasing is a cause of concern and so me of the causes of population explosion are: High birth rate which is caused by: Universal marriage system where everyone necessarily needs to get married in the country. Early marriage where the average age of marriage is extremely low as compared to other countries of the world. Illiteracy is a problem which is facing the country and the low literacy rates lead to traditional, superstitious and ignorant population. Poverty is another issue which faces the country and needs to be solved. Poor people are illiterate and see a child as a â€Å"gift of God† which indirectly leads to population explosion. Tropical climate of the country leads to girls and boys attaining puberty at an early age which is also one of the reasons for a huge population. The joint family system also leads to a division of socio-economic responsibilities among everyone in the family which leads to Women are given a low status in the society and are seen as a person for cooking and begetting and are not free to speak up for their rights. Along with this the decreasing death rate is also one of the reasons for population explosion. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted. There was a marked shift from the target-oriented approach of the 70? s and 80? s to the one that envisioned the ‘development is the best pill’ outlook. The demographics experts, women’s groups, health organisations, social activists and academicians were able to convince the policymakers that in order to achieve the socio- demographic goals of the reduction of inequalities, provision of education, services and creation of awareness were to be taken on a priority. The main causes of big size and high growth of population can be broadly categorised into social and economic causes which are as below: i) Marriage is almost inevitable among men and women; (ii) Motherhood is nearly universal among married women; (iii) The custom of early marriage followed since many centuries has facilitated a wider range of reproductive period; (iv) The Net Production Rate (NPR) is greater than one, which means that women replace themselves by giving birth to more than one daughter which leads to constant rise in birth rate; (v) Wide ¬spread illiteracy among people, especially woman is also a major contributor.  It has been proved that there is a direct relation between illiteracy and fertility; (vi) Superstitious beliefs and myths that a male child is a must for salvation, social security and continuation of the family tree; and (vii) Misconceptions that the use of birth control measures lead to diseases, defects or general weakness. The economic causes include (i) Children are considered to be an asset not a liability by the poor who look at them as source of income; (ii) Statistics also prove that the cost benefit ratio for a child is favourable to the poor; (iii) Lack of proper medical facilities and high mortality rate of infant to want more children; and (iv) There is also total lack of economic security for widows and elderly people which makes people go for children as economic security. There are other reasons which cannot be classified as either social or economic reasons like lack of proper family planning techniques and facilities, high birth rate and low death rate. Overpopulation has far-reaching consequences on every aspect of life of a country. These consequences will have to be studied in length before we can find appropriate measures to stem the root. Overpopulation not only leads to but also perpetuates poverty. The economists are of the opinion that there are four main factors that make a country rich or poor: 1. National factors like location features and mineral resources available in the country. 2. Historical factors, i. e. whether a country has remained a colony of some other country and has suffered long economic exploitation, e. g. India under British rule. 3. Demographic factors, i. e. the size and growth of population. 4. Economic factors, i. e. availability of capital, technology, infrastructure, etc. The demographic factors assume greater importance because natural factors remain constant and history cannot be changed. The large size of population means employment of lion’s share of the resources for the production of goods for the satisfaction of the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. The high rate of growth of population means continuing additional burden on these resources. It is only due to unfavourable demographic factors that poor countries remain in perpetual poverty. The per capita income which is the indicator of richness of a country does not increase even with an increase in total income because the population which is a divisor in this equation also increases. The economists affirm that the sure way for a poor country is to increase its productive capacity by producing more capital goods like machinery. But as the overpopulated countries need consumer goods in large quantities to satisfy people’s wants it becomes difficult for them to employ their resources for the producing ‘producer’ goods and thus they remain under the vicious circle of poverty. Another drawback of population explosion is that it makes all plans made for development of the country go haywire. Our own country created an autonomous Planning Commission and started a series of Five-Year Plans from the year 1951-52. But we have not been able to bring rapid development because our population which was 36. 1 crore in 1951 has grown about three times today at approx. 108 crores. Naturally any development plan made for one person cannot be adequate for three. The age composition of our population is also not favourable. It has been found that the working age group constitutes 60% of the total population falls in the dependent age groups of a high dependency ratio of 67% calculated as follows: If we take into account the unemployment disguised unemployment and quasi unemployment into factor this would present a gloomier picture of our economy. Still further, if we consider that a high portion of those who are engaged in some type of work or the other are not technically trained and fall in the category of unskilled labour, we shall realise that our productive capacity is quite low. Under such conditions a high growth of population adds to the burden of our economy. The large size of population also has an adverse impact on our natural resources. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals and forests are being excessively used to set up more industries to manufacture various consumable articles to satisfy ever- increasing wants. As these resources are limited and exhaustible, they have been dwindling so drastically that soon they would exhaust completely. Forests are being cleared to bring more land under cultivation to provide food for increasing population and to make more settlements for their living. Burning of fossil fuels in factories, vehicles and households has created another menace of environmental pollution. Injudisions use of water resources like rivers like, ponds, wells, streams and even oceans has caused water pollution. Many diseases have arisen to afflict human beings and affect vegetation as it is, the deforestation is likely to continue unabated which would further aggravate the problem. Yet another problem is the migration of rural people to urban areas in search of better earning opportunities. The statistics show an alarming increase of 57% from 34% after independence. The crowding of urban localities demand more infrastructure, civic services, transport, health, sanitation and educational facilities providing which is not only a challenging task but also means an additional burden on the already inadequate economic resources. As the stabilisation of population is the most significant task ahead of us, stringent measures are required in this direction. Some countries have sought to enforce legal remedies for this chronic malady. For example, China has applied the one child norm lay law. Some Indian states have barred the candidates having more than two children from any election. Such strict measures may work but their side effects may outweigh their benefit to society and country. We need to address the problem of overpopulation in the broader sense and in a socially controlled way. This an be done by creating awareness among people and providing them the required means. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted.

Defining 18th Century Gender Roles

The Renaissance spirit of inquiry renewed the debate about the role of women in society, a theme, which resonated in the visual arts of the era. Traditionally, â€Å"chastity, compliance, delicacy and modesty† were the qualities ascribed to a truly virtuous female, whom was essentially excluded from a real participation in society. Scholars and painters alike glorified male power and achievement in the social sphere, while â€Å"the greatest female accomplishment lay in obedience, rather than intellectual pursuits†. Artemisia Gentileschi, was one of the first female artists to challenge the traditional monopoly over the passive female ideal, as her life and art redefined feminine accomplishment in terms of the conventional masculine standards of achievement. Many have thus interpreted Artremesia as a pioneer of modern feminism; however, the legitimacy of this assertion is questionable. One of her most infamous paintings, Judith Beheading Holofernes, provides insight into the consequences of her bold confrontation with conventional female gender limitations. The piece explicitly depicts two heroic female subjects imbued with traditionally masculine characteristics. The women are thus afforded a position of power, which would have otherwise been inaccessible to them. While, Gentileschi thus succeeds in creating a feminine ‘power outlet', in her depiction of Judith and her maidservant, she markedly fails to acknowledge a feminine virtue which is unique and distinct from the traditional masculine ideal. Artremesia's painting does courageously challenge the conventional societal perception of the feminine role, however, her prescribed solution undermines the validity of the feminine perspective, as it asserts that ‘greatness' is achieved through a possession of solely masculine virtues. In view of the fact that Artremesia's work, undercuts the legitimacy of ‘feminine' achievement, it should consequently be denied recognition as early feminist art. This essay will provide an in depth critical analysis of Atremesia Genteleschi's Judith Beheading Holofernes within the context of the painters particular life circumstances. Firstly, the archetypes of eighteenth century femininity and masculinity will be explicitly defined, in order to determine the influence such social pressures had on women of this era. Atremesia's biography will then be placed within the context of the prevailing gender roles, as an illustration of her unique confrontation with the patriarchal societal structure of her day. Finally, an evaluation of, Judith Beheading Holofernes, will shed insight into Gentileschi's artistic challenge of traditional feminine ideals, as well as her ultimate failure to acknowledge the value of a purely feminine perspective. Defining 18th Century Gender Roles According to Bridget Hill's Anthology of Seventeenth Century Women the characteristics generally attributed to the ideal woman of Gentileschi's era were: â€Å"modesty, restraint, passivity, compliance, submission and most important of all chastity. â€Å"(17) These accepted social views were widely circulated and espoused, and would have thus been tremendously difficult to ignore or challenge. Accordingly, â€Å"The vast majority of middle class women unquestioningly conformed to the role assigned to them†(3) The first significant characteristic of the feminine ideal, worthy of discussion is that of restraint and modesty, as this trait necessitated an alienation of women from the social sphere, and even themselves. Proper ladies were expected to avoid public attention, and conversation in a social setting. Moreover, â€Å"it was indelicate for women to have to view their own naked bodies, just as all references to bodily functions and even pregnancy were taboo. â€Å"(17) The following passage constitutes a primary account of a father's advice to his daughter concerning the importance of modesty to the female temperament: One of the chief beauties in a female character is that modest reserve, that retiring delicacy, which avoids the public eye, and is disconcerted even at the gaze of admiration†¦ When a girl ceases to blush, she has lost the most powerful charm of beauty†¦ That modesty, which I think is so essential in your sex, will naturally dispose you to rather silent company, especially a large one. (19) The feminine ideal of modesty and restraint thus primarily confined women to the private sphere of social relations, allowing them little to no voice in public reality. The influence of women within the private or domestic sphere was also muted by the subsequent feminine virtue of submission and compliance. According to the constraints of this womanly asset, a virtuous wife would have been expected to obey her husband, while allowing him the authority to harmoniously govern his household. She†¦ who marries ought to lay it down for an indisputable maxim, that her husband must govern absolutely and entirely, and she has nothing else to do but please and obey. She must not attempt to divide his authority, or so much as dispute it, to struggle with her yoke will only make it gall more, but must believe him to be wise and just and in all respects best, at least he must be so to her. She who can't do this is in no way fit to be a wife. (20) The preceding passage illustrates the limitation of control, which women of this time period were expected to contend with (even within the private sphere of social influence). As, all of the decisions of the virtuous wife were expected to be in concurrence with her husband's asserted authority. Finally, the most important feminine asset was considered to be that of chastity. The particular significance of this virtue was grounded in the fact that men were considered naturally un- chaste, and unable to control their passions. Women were thus, responsible for the preservation of their innocence, and the up holding of sexual moral values. Additionally, as the following quote explicitly indicates, the social consequence incurred by a loss of honor was often drastic. A woman who has lost her honor imagines that she cannot fall lower, and as for recovering her former station, it is impossible; no exertion can wash the stain away. Losing thus every spur, and having no other means of support, prostitution becomes her only refuge, and the character is quickly depraved by circumstances over which the poor wretch has little power, unless she possesses an uncommon portion of sense and loftiness of spirit (30) Conversely, the eighteenth century masculine ideal, according to John Tosh, author of A Man's Place could be associated with the specific attributes of: â€Å"reason, authority and resolve. â€Å"(47) The public sphere of social relations and intellectual endeavourers was thus designated as the realm traditionally, and justly dominated by the influence of men. The following quote spoken by a women of the time, suggests that this conception of masculinity was embraced by both men and women alike: â€Å"Let men enjoy in peace and triumph the intellectual kingdom which is theirs, and which, doubtless, was intended for them†(47) Biography Artemisia Gentileschi's, life blatantly challenged the passive feminine ideal, as she achieved recognition in the male-dominated world of post-Renaissance art by disregarding traditional gender precepts. Laura York, author of The ‘Spirit of Ceaser' and his Majesty's servant: The Self Fashioning of Woman artists in Early Modern Europe thus, defines Gentileschi as, â€Å"no ordinary artist and no ordinary woman. She is one of handful of female professional painters in Baroque Italy, who created a successful career in the competitive, masculine world of seventeenth century artistic patronage. In the process, she constructed a self identity virtually unknown in her time: the woman artist†(1-2) Atremesia was born in 1593 to Prudentia Montone and her husband, noted painter Orazio Gentileschi. Orazio exposed his daughter to art at an early age, and supported her artistic development by providing her with a formal education normally denied to women of her time. As, she would have been unable to join guilds or study with various established masters, Artremesia's training with her father, was her only chance for a real apprenticeship. Although Orazio kept his daughter confined to the house, according to the custom among respectable Romans of the time, â€Å"the Gentileschi domicile also functioned as his studio, with its constant traffic of models, colleges and patrons. Such company allowed Artemisia contact with many influential male artists, yet it also fueled rumors that marred her reputation. On May 6, 1611, gossip turned to real injury. â€Å"Having entrusted his 17 year old daughter's supervision to a family friend, Orazio was away from the house when his business associate and fellow painter, Agostino Tassi entered the home and raped Artremesia. † At the time, rape was viewed more as a crime against a family's honor than as a violation of a woman. The virtual lack of a legal identity in women, often made it very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain any redress for wrongs committed against them. â€Å"(137) Thus, only when the married Tassi reneged on his promise to marry Atrmesia did Orazio bring charges against him. In the ensuing eight- month trial, Artremesia testified that she was painting when Tassi came into the room shouting, â€Å"Not so much painting, not such much painting. † He ten grabbed the palette and brushes from her hands and threw them to the floor. She fought and scratched to no avail, finally attacking him with a knife. To establish her truthfulness, authorities administered a primitive lie detector test in the form of torture by thumbscrews, a common practice of the time. As the cords were tightened around her fingers, she was said to have cried out to Tassi, â€Å"this is the ring you give me, and these are your promises. † She must have passed the test; Tassi was convicted and sentenced to five- year banishment from Rome (a punishment apparently never enforced). Soon afterwards Artemisia married a â€Å"well born but debt ridden† young Florentine painter named Pierantonio Stiattesi and moved to Florence with him. There in the company of luminaries such as Galileo Galilei and Michelangelo Buonarroti, she entered upon a career that would have been the envy of most male contemporaries. Gentileschi rebelled against the dominant model of passive womanhood by cultivating an image of herself as strong, active, intellegent and powerful. Traits, which would have been considered as masculine to the seventeenth century mind. The following striking statement, uttered by Artemisia herself provides revealing insight into her perception of self. â€Å"I will say no more, except what I have on my mind, that I think Your Most Illustrious Lordship will not surlier any loss with me, and that you will find the spirit of a Ceaser in the soul of a woman. â€Å"(4) Gentileschi's appropriation of Ceaser's masculine spirit, distances herself from all other woman of her time. Artremesia, does not acknowledge any value within her perception of feminity, and thus choses to conform to traditionally masculine ideals.