Economic principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic principles - Essay Example The shift in supply curve upwards as shown in the diagram below will results to increase in price of tomatoes from P1 to P0. On the other hand, the quantity supplied will reduce from Q1 to Q0. The equilibrium price and quantity shifts to P0 and Q0 as a result of shift in supply curve upwards. Henderson (2008) claims that the equilibrium price and quantity of tomato is determined by the interactions between demand and supply. There are several factors, which determine changes in equilibrium position. They include shift in the supply and shift in demand curve, which may shift the demand curve either upwards or downwards. Figure 1: the diagram shows the new equilibrium price and quantity as a result of upward shift in the supply curve which is caused by reduction in supply of tomatoes Question 2 (a) According to Johnsen (2002), price elasticity refers to the degree of responsiveness of the demand for a particular good or services to the changes in the price of goods or services in quest ion. Moreover, determinants of price elasticity refer to the factors that cause price elasticity. There is a host of factors, which affects the price elasticity. The factors include the presence of substitute, expected changes in price, amount of income, necessity, duration, and brand loyalty. Availability of substitute implies that increases the price elasticity because a slight difference in price would result into consumers shifting base to a rival product, which are cheaper. However, the same condition does not apply if the goods are not close substitute. Tomatoes have close substitutes such as onions and green paper. As such, if the prices of tomatoes increase due to reduction in supply, the consumers will shift to the close substitutes. The other determinant of price elasticity is level of income. Kiley (2011) assert that when the consumers have a considerably high level of income then it implies that they are less sensitive to changes in price. On the other hand, if the level of income is low then the consumers are very sensitive to changes in prices hence any slight change in price would result to consumers buying less of the product. This situation implies that despite the fact that the prices are expected to rise because of the eminent shortage, some consumers with high income will still buy tomatoes because they have low price elasticity. Necessity is yet another determinant of price elasticity; products such as food staff are basic good hence they have low price elasticity. On the hand, luxury products have high price elasticity hence consumers will buy less of the product if the price increases. Tomato is a basic good hence; it does not have high price elasticity (Klein, 2003). The other factor that affects the price elasticity of goods is duration. In the short term, the price elasticity is low while the reverse is true in the long run. The justification for this trend emanates because in the short term, the consumers have not adequately adjusted to the changes in the market. However, in the long run, the consumers have had adequate time to adjust to changes in the market and as such, they are in a position to exhibit high price elasticity. The fact that the issue of shortages of tomatoes in the market has lasted for quite some time, it means that price elasticity is also high since the consumers are responding adequately to high tomato prices, which is occasioned by the shortage of tomatoes in the

Business Accounting Ratio analysis is one of the many tools that can Essay

Business Accounting Ratio analysis is one of the many tools that can be used to evaluate financial performance of business entities - Essay Example Having produced 137.2 million barrels of oil equivalent for one year as of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, BHP is not surprising selling its crude oil production to refiners worldwide at market prices (Reuters.com, 2010a). The following ratios are needed for purposes of evaluating BHP: Gross Profit/Profitability ratio, Return on Capital Employed. Gearing Ratio, Liquidity ratio/acid test ration and Price earnings ratio. Each is computed and explained below using data from The Annual Report of BHP for 2009 (BHP, 2010) and London Stock Exchange (2010). Return on equity (ROE) is computed by dividing Net income to Total Equity, Return on Sales or Net Profit Margin is computed by dividing Net income to Total Revenues, while Gross Profit ratio is from dividing gross profit with Total Revenues. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This also measures the company’s profitability and efficiency of the company for the past two years. The formula is to Earnings before tax (EBIT) as numerator and to have Capital Employed, which is equivalent to Total Assets less Current liabilities as denominator. Below is the resulting ratio. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This also measures the company’s financial leverage for the past two years by dividing Total liabilities to Total equity. Below is the resulting ratio. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This measures the company’s capacity to pay its maturing obligations for the current year. This current ratio is computed by dividing Current assets to Current liabilities while Acid test ration is by dividing Quick assets to Current liabilities. Quick assets equals current assets less inventory, prepaid expenses and other current assets. Below are the resulting ratios. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A This measures the

Coca-Cola Nepal Essay Example for Free

Coca-Cola Nepal Essay The Marketing, Sales Distribution strategy for Bottlers Nepal Limited is entitled â€Å"Refresh the Marketplace† and includes: A robust Consumer Response System to address any consumer/customer concerns, ideas, suggestions – either on product and its quality or on stock supply – maintenance of equipment etc†¦ All consumer concerns are dealt with in a fair, timely and friendly manner, so as to satisfy them and resolve their concerns. Marketing and advertising communications are focused on POS (point-of-sale), Radio, TV, hoardings, truck backs, etc†¦ Emphasis is also placed on Consumer Price to enforce Price Compliance. Marketing and advertising communications are customized to suit to local sentiments – social, religious, ethnic. Innovative packages and pack sizes are offered to give better value to consumers and ease of storage to retailers. Prices and packs are introduced in a format that is affordable to all segments of society. General Information Population: 27,5 million (28. 9 million as of July 2007 estimate) GDP per capita (purchasing power parity): US$ 1,5 million (estimated and not exact) Location: Kathmandu and Bharatpur Employees: 469 Number of MDCs: 32 Job creation multiplier effect:  ± 10,000 Local operating name: Bottlers Nepal Ltd 2 Bottling Plants Sales Manager- Bottler Nepal Mr. Madhav Kafle is the Deputy Sales Manger of the bottlers Nepal. He has been with the bottlers Nepal since 1998 he joined bottlers Nepal as a sales officer and then he was promoted to the Sales Executive and later promoted to Area Sales Manager. Qualification: Masters in Arts. Number of years with Bottlers Nepal: 10 years Territory: Katmandu (which is the largest territory and the highest sales generating territory) Key Responsibility: Forecasting sales plan / preparing sales budget Sales forecasting is done looking at the past trends. He normally takes in account the sales volume of past 3 years, activity in the market and then set the target. He considers the average growth in the sales volume and then tentatively adds 5% to 10% to the previous year’s growth and fixes the target for the year. He also consults the existing sales force for their valuable inputs in order to make the forecasting more accurate and feasible. The territory sales forecast is done according to the capacity of the territory and the sales force capability i. . some territories grow fast where as some grow slow, these factors are kept in mind while forecasting the sales target for the particular territory. The sales forecast for a particular territory is also based on the individual sales officer. He also decides on the amount of the promotional support need in order to meet the target sales. He does this by looking back to the amount of post sales support and then plans for the pr omotion. While doing this he also keeps in mind the impact on future product sales. Weekly reporting to the country manager His report to the country manager consist of the overall weekly achievement in terms sales volume of his territory and any other major issues if any which need to be addressed to the higher level management. His report is a consolidated report sent by the Area sales manager and it contains the report on the previous week’s achievement and his new plan for the coming week and the month. The plans consist of volume of production for the coming month and sales on the basis of the production. This plan is also forwarded to all the departments’ viz. arketing and production so that the departments can plan accordingly. Communication with the other departments He interacts with the production manager on regular basis to decide on the volume of production. He also works together with the Marketing Manager in order to come up with promotion for pushing sales and to develop marketing strategies for future sales target. Area sales survey for a particular area is done by the market ing department. Suggestion is taken from the marketing department before formulation of the sales plan for a particular territory. Hiring and selection of Sales force: Sales manager is responsible for hiring salespeople with the appropriate skills and backgrounds to implement the sales strategy. Good sources must be found for new hires, and those who are weak in these areas are carefully screened out. The normally advertise through newspaper. The other sources of candidates are references of current employees. The Applications and the CVs received are first collected by the Human Resource Department and then full scrutinized it. The short listed candidates are then invited for a written test. The further short listed candidates are invited for an interview with the sales Manager and the Human Resource Manager. The selected candidates are called for the training. Training Sales Force: In addition to hiring qualified people, salespeople’s competencies are usually developed through training before they are sent into the field. He identifies the training needs of the individual sales person and then informs about it to the Human Resource department. The Human Resource department in turn coordinates with the trainer. They are given 1 to 1 and half months training depending upon the sales person. Sales managers are responsible for making sure that training is completed, and they often conduct some of the classes. Most initial training programs are designed to familiarize salespeople with the company’s products, services, and operating procedures, with some time devoted to development of selling skills. Because sales training is expensive, the sales manager is responsible for selecting the most cost-effective methods, location, and materials. Training is normally imparted by the trainer form Bangkok. Motivate, Develop and inspires the sales force: Builds and maintains relationships that motivate, guide, and/or reinforce the performance of others toward goal accomplishments. Weekly sales meets are done and those who are the achiever of the highest sales in the territory are appreciated and acknowledge in the meeting. The have a program of the monthly achiever wherein the highest achievers name is put up on the board. If the performance is consistent for couple of months they are given bigger territories. Promotions are performance based. Core Competencies of the Sales Manager Communicate the principles and values of The Company through personal contact with consumers and dignitaries from around the valley in order to further enhance the consumers connection to the brands. Delegate work assignments and tasks to sales representative, providing sufficient direction so desired business outcomes can be achieved. Drives Innovative Sales Improvements: Develops new insights into ideas that result in organizational improvements; promotes a work environment that fosters the development of the sales force and increase the overall sales volume.

Physiological Effects Of Chronic Stress On Personality Psychology Essay

Physiological Effects Of Chronic Stress On Personality Psychology Essay Stress can cause physical effects to a persons body and mind. Stress may have an effect on blood pressure, blood sugar levels, increased heartbeat, and a lower digestive rate. On a physical level stress can produce shoulder, back, and neck muscle tension, stomach and bowel upset, and if the stressful state persists over a long period of time it can lead to the weakening of the immune system (What are the Effects of Stress, 2007). Stress affects a person psychologically by causing a decrease in concentration, moodiness, irritability, quick temper, unreasonable anger, less memory recall, less patience difficulty making decisions, and uncertainty towards the future due to not being able to cope with the present. If stress continues for a long period of time, it may lead to depression, crying, apathy, overall sense of doom, fear of failure, and a loss of confidence (What are the Effects of Stress, 2007). There have been many studies done that have researched the effects of stress on the mind and body. The causes of stress and the effects that it has on a persons mind and body are numerous. Some of these will be looked at in detail here. Job stress is one that can lead to various system dysfunctions, but until now no reliable biomarkers for its assessment have been identified. Allostatic load (AL) is an index that allows the cumulative effect on the body of chronic stress to be reviewed, and is derived from a set of relevant biological measures. In a study done by Sun, Wang, Zhang and Li (2007), a 13-parameter index was used to examine the relationship between job strain and AL. Participants were 1219 healthy Chinese employees. Job strain was measured using the Job Content Questionnaire, and AL was assessed by various possible stress responses, including blood pressure, cholesterol, indicators of glucose metabolism, and hormone and inflammation markers. AL in the high job strain group differed sharply from that in the low job strain group. The AL score was positively linked with age and educational level. Several individual factors also differed between the two groups. Men scored considerably higher on AL and cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes, whereas for women the associations appeared in the biological indicators. Analyses showed that decision latitude (DL) and job demands were extensively related to AL. Job demands connected significantly with the primary biological indicators and DL with the secondary health outcomes. The conclusion of this study provided evidence of the value of measuring allostatic load in assessing the chronic effects of job stress. Job strain was positively and significantly associated with higher body mass index, systolic blood pressure, serum levels of TG, TC/HDL, and overnight excretion of cortisol. It was also found that long-term chronic stress may lead to neuroendocrine perturbations that may have consequences for blood pressure and obesity (Sun, Wang, Zhang and Li, 2007). Nursing is an emotionally demanding job and this contributes to interactive stress and to the daily stress of nurses work. In addition, stress leads to more emotion focused coping which is not constructive and causes nurses to seek social support. Stress is a normal reaction to a range of circumstances but can have negative consequences, one of which is emotional exhaustion; it has been demonstrated that factors leading to stress, such as increasing patient load, also lead to emotional exhaustion. The aim of a study done by Watson, Gardiner, Hogston, Gibson, Stimpson, Wrate and Deary, 2009), was to examine how a range of demographic, personal, circumstantial/environmental factors and stress contribute to differences in psychological distress in newly qualified nurses and nursing students. Psychological distress, stress levels and life events are all associated within time and across time. It was shown that life events and stress contributed significantly to psychological distress. S tress, adverse life events, individual traits and psychological distress are all interrelated. The first scientific report regarding physiologic responses to stress was actually submitted in response to Walter Cannons study on the results of stress on the esophagus in 1896. It was during his first year as a Harvard medical student, he had been given the task to investigate the mechanisms of swallowing by taking advantage of the newly discovered Roentgen rays. These x-rays could show a faint image of inner body structures using a fluoroscope, but it was essential to sit in a very dark room or wear red goggles to get the best pictures. Cannon included bismuth in foods since it was opaque and blocked x-rays, which noticeably improved his ability to differentiate the peristaltic motion of waves that progressively propelled the contents of the gut forward. Bismuth was subsequently replaced by barium sulfate, which was less toxic, and is still used in GI series, barium enemas and other x-ray imaging procedures today (Rosch, 2007). His study showed that there was a definite connectio n between stress and the way in which the esophagus functioned. Chronic psychosocial stress can lead to a destructive, self-perpetuating cascade of neuroendocrine, metabolic, inflammatory, and neuropsychological changes that promote the development of insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), atherosclerosis, and ultimately, cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic stress and related psychosocial factors can exert a powerful influence on the pathogenesis of both IRS and CVD. Given the importance of neuropsychological factors and sympathetic activation in the development of insulin-resistant states and the synergistic, mutually exacerbating effects of these and other IRS-related risk factors, mind-body therapies may have considerable potential in the prevention and management of CVD (Innes, Vincent and Taylor, 2007). Anxiety and tension encourage the release of stress hormones like adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol into the body. This is fine when dealing with short-term stressors, but when a person sustains a high stress level for an extended time, these hormones begin to interfere with the bodys natural healing abilities. Over an extended period of time, a high level of stress can weaken tendons and ligaments, thin bones, cause muscle spasms, elevate blood pressure, increase cholesterol production and disrupt digestion, among many other negative effects (Dennis, 2004). Recent studies have shown that stress or distress may have a significant effect on the onset, the course, and the management of many, if not all, diseases. Being able to understand a patients underlying stress physiology and coping mechanisms may help physicians to better understand various clinical disorders and treat their manifested symptoms (Selhub, 2002). The primary-care physician can learn to address and recognize distress by first understanding the concept of stress itself. Not just a result of medical illness, stress is ever present. In the workplace, while driving, while speaking on the phone, while visiting the doctors office, or while watching world events transpire on television, individuals experience stress or feel threatened daily. These threats or stressors can be as minor as a change in the weather and the threat of being late, to more severe stressors, such as physical or emotional trauma or abuse. The mind does not distinguish between physical, psychological, or emotional threats and every time a threat is perceived, the physical response is virtually automatic; a response that is activated in order to help the individual adapt to stressors and survive. In fact, stress and the stress response are inherent to life. The response helps individuals rise out of bed in the morning, prevents them from being late to work, and a llows them to be accomplished and to succeed. The response enables wounds to heal, athletes to run marathons, and individuals to survive traumas (Selhub, 2002). Often, the stress response is neither well regulated nor contained and pathological consequences arise. Constant elevations in blood pressure and blood volume can result in wall thickening and tears. Excess production of fatty acids and glucose may lead to deposition in these tears and formation of atherosclerotic plaques, eventually resulting in atherosclerotic heart disease. Constant muscle tension and/or inflammatory activation may instigate various pain and musculoskeletal disorders. Chronic production of cortisol can lead to immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to infection and, some believe, tumors. Lack of blood flow to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and an increase in hydrochloric acid secretion may result in destruction of mucosal wall barriers and formation of peptic ulcer disease. Continuous production of cortisol may also decrease the availability of tryptophan, the precursor for serotonin, resulting in depression, other mood disorders, and changes in appetite and sleep. Hyperactivity of the stress response has been implicated in the pathophysiology of melancholic depression, anxiety, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, and cardiovascular disease. Conversely, hyporeactivity of the stress response has been associated with disorders such as atypical depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, and obesity (Selhub, 2002). It has been shown that there is a definite connection between chronic stress and physical and psychological responses in the body. Stress in small amounts is fine, but chronic stress over a long extended period of time has been shown to manifest itself in a number of different physical and physiological aliments. It is believed by many experts that people should take steps to decrease their stress levels in order to fight off the ailments that are sure to follow.

Oprah :: essays research papers fc

Oprah Winfrey's Biography Through the power of media, Oprah Winfrey has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world. As supervising producer and host of the top-rated, award-winning The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has entertained, enlightened and uplifted millions of viewers for the past two decades. Her accomplishments as a television pioneer, producer, publisher, educator and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today. Television Pioneer Magazine Founder & Editorial Director Producer/Actress Online Leader Philanthropist Television Programming Creator Cable Network Co-Founder Honorary Achievements TELEVISION PIONEER Oprah began her broadcasting career at WVOL radio in Nashville while still in high school. At the age of 19, she became the youngest person and the first African-American woman to anchor the news at Nashville's WTVF-TV. She then relocated to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the Six O'Clock News and later went on to become co-host of its local talk show, People Are Talking. In 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago to host WLS-TV's morning talk show, AM Chicago, which became the number one local talk show—surpassing ratings for Donahue—just one month after she began. In less than a year, the show expanded to one hour and was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. It entered national syndication in 1986, becoming the highest-rated talk show in television history. In 1988, she established Harpo Studios, a production facility in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio. The Oprah Winfrey Show has remained the number one talk show for 18 consecutive seasons*. Produced by her own production company, Harpo Productions, Inc., the show is seen by an estimated 30 million viewers a week in the United States** and is broadcast internationally in 111 countries. back to top MAGAZINE FOUNDER AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR In April 2000, Oprah and Hearst Magazines introduced O, The Oprah Magazine, a monthly magazine that has become one of today's leading women's lifestyle publications. It is credited as being the most successful magazine launch in recent history and currently has a circulation of 2.7 million readers each month. In April 2002, Oprah launched the first international edition of O, The Oprah Magazine in South Africa, extending her live your best life message to another broad audience. In 2004, O at Home, a newsstand-only quarterly shelter magazine designed to help readers create a home that reflects their personal style, made its debut.

Play in Childhood Essay

Play is one of the most defining features of childhood in Western society. It is something that all children have in common and what makes a child’s world different from adults. In answering the question, this essay will first examine the different opinions held by theorists as to why children play. I will then look at role play, which is one of the many types of play that children engage in. Finally I will look at children’s play as a social process using examples from other cultures and then briefly consider the reasons that children themselves believe they play. It is wrong to assume that children have always played. Historian, Aries (1962 in Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 2) claimed that childhood was a social construction and that the view of childhood as a separate state did not occur until around the 16th and 17th century – before this, children were economically useful and not valued for the simple joy that children can bring. This was further illustrated by Mayhew (1861 in Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1), who’s observations from his meeting with the watercress girl led him to state that she had been deprived of her childhood. This was largely due to the fact that the girl’s work responsibilities did not allow time for play and she had no knowledge of parks or anything associated with play. From this it could be deduced that Mayhew felt children should play. Mayhew’s example also showed that play is a social construction, as although it was clear that the ‘watercress girl’ did not play, the fact that Mayhew suggests this is abnormal may simply be constructed from his own opinions that childhood should be a time of play. One of the first attempts to explain the importance of play came from the publication of Emile by Jean Jacques Rousseau in (1762 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1). In this, Rousseau emphasized that childhood should be a time of play and children should have the freedom to do this. For Rousseau, play is consistent with a happy healthy childhood, which is often linked with the romantic discourse. This is in contrast with the Puritan discourse which believes that allowing children to play is a risk to the civilization processes, as this can only be achieved through strict discipline. It also believes parents should be responsible for channeling children’s play into creative forms of work which will help  children to learn morally and intellectually. It is obvious therefore that these theories differ in their approaches to play. For the Romantic perspective – play is a way that children can express themselves, but for the Puritan approach, play is the way throu gh which children learn. Other opinions, such as those from developmentalist’s like as Piaget (1896 – 1980 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) saw play as an opportunity where children learn, practice and consolidate new skills and furthermore play provides them with a time where failing during a task was not going to have disastrous consequences. Vygotsky’s view on the reason why children play is different (1896-1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) as he believed that play was a crucial part in children’s social development in that it helps them acquire skills to learn to cop-operate with others. Play is also important for children’s cognitive development as children use psychological tools during play such as language and memory. Through play children learn, explore and extend their skills, for example Vygotsky suggested that when children play ‘make-believe’, they can experiment with adult roles and ways of that otherwise wouldn’t’t be possible for them. It is obvious therefore that for Piaget and Vygotsky, the reason children play is to learn. However, psychoanalysts like Freud(1920 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) were more interested in the significance of play for their emotional development, suggesting that a child’s psyche could be revealed through their play. Freud suggested from his research that play could have a therapeutic effect as it allowed children to rid themselves of negative feelings. Freud’s views were the building block for others like his daughter Anna who set up nursery for children during the second world war and recognised that observing children’s play had potential as a method of diagnosis, as well as being of therapeutic value for children who had experienced emotional trauma in their lives. Similarly, Klein used miniature dolls as resources that children could use to enact out their inner feelings and anxieties. This shows that psychologists such as Klein and both Anna and Sigmund Freud felt that children play to deal with emotional events in their lives. There are several different types of play, but I shall concentrate on role play now and why children engage in this type of play. This has been widely researched by Mead (1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1),who felt pretend and make believe situations are crucial for children’s personal development. Through role play, children are able to imagine themselves in other roles which helps their developing sense of identity, and through this children develop a sense of who they are and also how others see them. This was highlighted in Activity 2 (p8 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which contained an extract from Bascom’s (1969 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) research in Nigeria. It involved interviewing a father while his 3 children observed the process and invented a new game from these observations. The activity asked us to think about the significance of this new game. The first child sat on ‘Bascom’s’ chair holding a pen and paper; the second child sat in the ‘interpreter’s’ chair (occupied previous to this by their father) while the third child sat on the bench imitating the ‘informer’. In the example, the second child told the third child to tell the first child about Odua. The third child then replied and from this the second child ‘interpreted’ this and relayed it to the ‘anthropologist’ in a string of meaningless sounds, supposedly echoing the English language. The first child who was meant to be the anthropologist then wrote on the paper and replied in more meaningless sounds, and so the sequence was repeated. The role-play that the Yoruba children undertook involved skilful imitation to impersonate the 3 adults and their gestures, even their language and the sequence of events. A similar study occurred in the UK by Kehily et al (2002in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) whose research was carried out through extensive interviews which were audio taped with children in their school. It was found that children incorporated the tape recorder into their games and discussions often imitating the structure of the interview process, even when they weren’t being recorded. Both of these researches on role play support Meads theory (1934 in Book 3  Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that children have the ability to observe others and then use these observations to imitate others. The reasons children do this according to Mead is that it helps them to make sense of new and unfamiliar situations. Role play is further explored in video 3 band 3 ‘pretend play’ featuring Melissa and Hadleigh aged 4, playing mummy and baby at nursery school. This example further supports Mead’s claim by showing that pretend play helps children to act out imaginary roles. Perhaps one of the most important features of play is that it is a social process. Thomas Gregor (1977in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) studied children’s games in Mehinaku, Brazil, and believed that games mirrored the structure and values of adult society. He observed a game of teneju itai (women’s sons), this involved children marrying and carving a baby from a lump of earth. The ‘mother’ then mimics cradling the baby, which later dies, and is ‘buried’ in a hole. As early childhood death is a common occurrence for this Brazilian tribe, this game prepares children for the possible death of a sibling or playmate. This game also shows it is non competitive, did not involve hierarchies and did not identify winners or losers. In contrast, in the UK, Laura and Aalliyah (Video 3 band 3) use their imaginations in their role play acting out difficult emotions such as rivalry, conflict and death. These children are in a culture where they are protected from issues such as death and pretend play may offer children a way of exploring themes and issues that are not part of their daily life. Both examples also support Freud’s theory that children use play to act worrying or troublesome situations, and that play is a way in which children can express their feelings. Play, as a social process is not always a positive experience as Mead’s theory seemed to suggest. During play children can have many decisions to make and negotiate such as who can or can’t play, meaning play can sometimes produce power relations and social hierarchies amongst children. This was shown in research by Thorne (1999 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) who’s observations found that in the games that they played, children  created gender boundaries with single sex friendships, and that children may use play to achieve a position of high status within their group. Furthermore, play helps children’s identities develop as research with boys in Western societies showed that the play which boys engaged in involved language and physicality which was often competitive, and that they engaged in this type of play in order to help them achieve their masculine identity. This was further supported by research by Epstein (1997 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which suggested that children engage in skipping rhymes and games such as ‘kiss chase’ in the playground in order to help construct their gender identity. Finally, it was also suggested by Back (1990 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that the play that these boys engaged in was not just play for playing sake but was also a method used to test the boundaries of friendship, and to decide who was or was not included in their ‘group’. Finally, as the research so far has been from adults, it is important to consider what children’s views are on why they play. One reason why children play is that it is a time when they can withdraw from reality and create their own fantasy world. This is seen with Joshua, (VIDEO 3 BAND1) who’s favourite type of play seems to be reading. He states that he reads because through doing this he can escape into an imaginary world. He reads, believing it to be important as it broadens his imagination and aids his learning. This example also shows that as well as being a social process, play can also be solitary. This video also shows Tinco who states that he plays at the temple to find peace and freedom which he does not experience in his home village. The reason Sean seems to play is that he enjoys being in the dark tunnel with his friends playing scary, daring games. These examples show simply that children themselves play for reasons such as to learn, find enjoyment and to have peace and freedom away from adults. These examples showed that it is evident all children play but the way they play can vary depending upon culture. This was also highlighted by Opie and Opie (1969) who researched on children’s playground culture which found that  the same rhyming games had been around for a long time, they just varied from culture to culture. We have seen therefore that different approaches have contrasting reasons as to why children play, and furthermore that children have different reasons as to why they play.One type of play which children engage in is role play which has been said to play an important part in the development of children enabling them to make sense of situations and form identities. Furthermore, children play as it is a social process which allows children to act out roles in order to help them make sense of situations around them, enabling them to gain an understanding of how others see them which in turn aids their identity development. REFERENCES Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 2 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 6 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Chapter 1 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Study Guide Audio and Visual notes, Unit 16 U212, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3, Understanding Childhood,; Video 3 band 1; My SpaceU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University. Book 3, Understanding Childhood,; Video 3 band 3; Pretend PlayU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University.

Why Did the Japanese Take over Manchuria?

There are a few reasons why the Japanese chose to take over Manchuria. One reason is that the Japanese had owed a rail line and had claimed that the Chinese had sabotaged the railway; this was called the Mukden incident. The Japanese then sent in their own troops to Manchuria and claimed that they had acted in self defence and were just resolving that issue.Another reason is that the Japanese had suffered from the great depression and was seeking a way to overcome the depression by expanding its empire, the Japanese was at the time being run by the military and therefore was building up its army and therefore the Japanese invaded Manchuria to show how powerful their military was.Finally, Japan felt they needed to take over Manchuria was because Manchuria had much raw materials and by making Manchuria part of Japan they would have an unlimited supply of resources that there country was in need of and they will be able to expand their economy and therefore Japan wouldn’t be in s uch an economical crisis. The League of Nations had responded by sending over some officers to asses which country was the aggressor although it was thought from beginning that Japan was the aggressive country.The league took a long time to respond and we see that the league wasn’t as powerful as before, as when they did impose economical sanctions Japan had not listened. Japan carried on with their invasion and the League was powerless to stop them as they had no army to stop them with. Another reason the League didn’t stop them was as they were a powerful country and we see that the league only sorted out successful disputes when dealing with countries that didn’t have much power.As well as that, Britain and France were also suffering from the great depression and focused on restoring their countries problems rather than sorting out disputes. Japan was also far away from Europe so the league didn’t feel as responsible to deal with the affairs that were not in Europe. One main reason the league was unsuccessful was because the Japanese had left the League of Nations when the League instructed them to leave and the League was then left powerless against them.The Leagues response indicated that they were weak in forcing a strong country to listen to them and as well the League was falling apart as all the major countries involved in the League were more interested to restore their country after the great depression than actually invest in the League and force its sanctions. The League was also powerless as when they had imposed economical sanctions it didn’t really destroy the country’s economy as Russia and the USA were not part of the league and as they were powerful countries their not being part of the League reflected on the Leagues ability to enforce these sanctions.