Knauf Corporation Case Study

Knauf Corporation Case Study The following assignment is a case study, in which we are going to analyze the Knauf Corporation worldwide, but mostly the operation of the business in the European countries. The objective of this assignment is, by analyzing the operation of the company inside Europe to be able then to recognize, whether we see a common strategy or if there are any differences on it. In the first part, there is a research about the organizational function and the activities of Knauf worldwide and mainly in the European environment, starting from the past until the year 2009, where you can see the latest actions of the company. In the second part I will concentrate my analysis regarding how the general strategy of the company is differentiated depending on the local requirements, laws, cultures, market potentials, etc. In the end of the assignment we will make an analysis of the Greek market in order a close idea about the business operation. 1. Companys history and profile Knauf Group is a multinational producer of building materials and construction systems based in Germany, in Iphofen, where the head quarters and the master plan are located. In Iphofen exists also the historical museum of the company. Knauf is a family name. The Company began its operations in 1932, when the brothers Dr. Alfons N. Knauf and Karl Knauf established the firm Gebr. Knauf. It was a difficult beginning and at this time, no one could have thought the future big development of the company. Knauf finally became a multinational producer of building materials and construction systems, operating with more than 150 production facilities worldwide. Today the company ranks among one of the worlds leading manufacturers of building materials. Knauf has a workforce of 22,000 employees in 40 countries and in 2009 the company achieved sales of 5, 5 billion Euros. The product portfolio varies from the traditional plasterboard to the production of conveying machinery for construction site logistics, including the segments of gypsum plasters for interior and exterior use, insulation materials made of glass fibers or expanded polystyrene. The wide-ranging assortment also includes some other very special products as gypsum fiber boards for walls and floors, as well as a variety of special ceiling systems. The final aim, which comes out from this wide range of products, is that Knauf Group always focuses its efforts in being the leader producer in the construction sector by fulfilling any requirement of the architects, planners, building developers, etc. A strong characteristic of Knauf is the continuous courage for visions, innovation and investments as well as simple decision-making processes and a wealth of ideas on the part of its personnel. Despite the fact that the company is so large the CEOs of the company Nicolaus and Baldwin Knauf insist that the company is a family business, since it is still managed worldwide by the second and third generation of the family Knauf. The company doesnt belong in any stock market and every investment is created by their own profits without loans from the bank or any other external fund. 2. Companys structure and operation Gypsum plasters (core selling material of the company) The Group started to go international as early as the beginning of the Seventies of the last century and the trend has continued until today. Today the Group produces and sells its products in all European countries. In the developed countries such as E.E. countries, Turkey, Russia etc., the company has production facilities. According to the market demand in some occasions there are two or even three plants, whereas in small countries as Cyprus for example, there is only a local branch and the market is supplied with materials from Knauf Greece. Furthermore, there are factories located in North and South America, in the CIS states, in Northern Africa, in China and in Indonesia. Insulation materials Whereas in earlier times the sectors of dry construction and here we mention plasterboard as the primary product and gypsum plasters were the traditional areas of activity of the Group, meanwhile the insulation materials segment has developed into a further mainstay of the Group. The foundation stone for this was laid in 1978 when a glass fibre manufacturing company in Shelbyville, USA, was taken over. Today the company bears the name Knauf Insulation USA and operates a total of four production sites in the United States. The production of insulating materials on the basis of glass wool and mineral wool becomes more and more important. For about 30 years, the company has gained experience in the production of glass wool in North America. Within the last 5 years, Knauf has acquired 10 glass wool and mineral wool factories throughout Europe and additionally built new plants in Eastern Europe and Russia. Emerging and acquisitions activities Focusing before some years in the developing strategy into further segments of construction, where Knauf didnt have experience, the Company needed the knowledge and the facilities of existed companies well known for their quality in their field. Some of them were bought from the group in order to serve all the local Knauf companies with the special products that theyre producing. Some of the companies that have been bought and managed now from the group are AMF, Danogips, Marmorit, Sacret, Richter Systems, Knauf Perlite, Knauf PFT, Knauf Alutop. EUROPAK3 Most of these companies are selling their products only via local Knauf businesses. The interesting point is that the group doesnt hesitate to change its policy according to the target groups, different distribution channels and market needs. Being more specific, for example AMF Company is operating as a different business in the local markets, who sells products to the local Knauf businesses, but also to several wholesalers for example. PFT Company, which is occupied in machinery equipment (totally different market segment), is also developing separately from the local Knauf businesses in the European markets in order to serve other distribution channels and target groups. Knauf insulation, which is a totally different company is as well acting separately in the markets and sell its products directly to wholesalers without local Knaufs help. In many occasions in the European countries they are also selling only via local Knauf businesses. An interesting history is about a merging that the group has made with its one of the biggest competitors. The company USG is the market leader in United States producing and selling the same range of materials. United States of America is too much mature market in constructing with dry wall systems. Knauf group realized a big gap before some years in their product variety. They didnt have a board suitable for exterior constructions. Then the idea came from USG that had been producing a cement board, which is the ideal product, if someone wants to construct exterior walls facades for example. Then Knauf group in order to gain the technical knowledge and experience in cement board market, has been cooperated with USG. They have created together a joint ventured company under the name Knauf USG Systems, which is an independent company located in Germany and its aim is to produce and sell cement boards in Europe, Middle East, and Africa but only via the local Knauf businesses. 3. Organizational structure Knauf local businesses are managed by CEOs that usually are locals. The Local CEOs are supervised by the regional CEOs who are usually coming from the Knauf family. The local CEOs are fully responsible for the local organizational structure. Usually there is the plant manager, a logistics manager, sales and marketing managers, IT managers, technical department and sales department. Depending on how big the market is, sometimes as in Greece for example the technical department is merged with the sales department, which is finally consisted from sales engineers. 4. Vision and Mission The Knauf vision stems from the model on which the company is based: From a family company to a family of companies  [i]  . Knaufs mission is to remain a family which will always include its employees, customers and consumers. The company mainly emphasizes its philosophy on the following: Sustainability, Ecology and economy. The company produces economic construction systems based on raw materials that come straight from the earth and are completely friendly to people and the environment. Plan innovations to meet tomorrows requirements. To be the market leader in the building materials industry Focusing in long term growth and continuous increase of companys value To be as good as the sum of its total employees. The company depends on its employees skills, efficiency and creativity. In that sense production plants are designed to be pleasant to work in, efficient and to ensure a conscientious approach to resources and the environment. Quality management is a key factor for the group 5. Knauf Business and Marketing Strategy model 5,1 DISTRIBUTION Knaufs general strategy is to sell their products only via wholesalers. These dealers can then sell products further to second hand dealers, contraction companies and technicians (Knauf system installers). This model can be changed if a local market is used to work with another way, as for example in Northern Africa countries. In Europe this strategy is generally followed. 5, 2 TARGET GROUPS If we follow the whole chain of construction industry, we all know that Architects are planning the projects which means, that theyre specifying materials (they create the demand). This means that they are the main decision makers in the construction chain. Contractors are taking over to complete the project, and the technicians as sub contractors they are installing Knauf systems. As you can easily realize, Knauf target groups are all the above mentioned groups. Companys concept, is to follow the projects from the early start of the planning until the final procurement. And that means, that they support all the phases of the construction by being present and service with technical support all the groups referred. In addition they focus a lot to the individuals (private investors). Individuals are Knaufs long term objectives, since they strongly believe that they are at the end of the day the basic mean of continuously adding value in the company and make their products even better known to the market. This sector is going to empower the already famous Knauf brand in the market, and of course the materials demand. 5, 3 COMMUNICATION PR ADVERTISEMENT In this paragraph, Im going to show you a small part of the general ideas regarding the companys marketing approach. Knauf in Europe proceeds in specific advertising actions to introduce its products variety in its all target groups. This marketing approach operates since the start of the company and it is already very successful. A very important thing in business is to follow up your customers. Thus, Knauf via its CRM system saves its contacts and post them direct mails. In addition they are also sending e-direct mails, as is the Knauf monthly newsletter or any other subject they would like to promote. Moreover, theyre participating in exhibitions which are usually taking place in the construction concept with target groups from architecture, planning, decoration, etc. Another way of advertizing is by creating inputs in magazines for architects, contractors and technicians. Except of magazines, they also make inputs in newspapers and daily free presses, so they could be able to approach also the individuals. TV spots, radio spots are as well important ways of advertising their systems. Knauf invests a part of each turnover to offer free advertising gifts to its customers. These gifts might be templates, banners, signs, flags, samples, vehicles and memorial gifts, all having as design the Knauf logos and the Knauf partner s logos as well. Local technical documentation and web sites are other ways to find information for the companys products. These documents are very well developed and they obviously offer an assured technical support to the customers. The corporation invests a lot in education regarding its systems installation. Every local business has its own training center where seminars are taking place in certain dates every year. Those who have participated in the seminars are taking in the end a Knauf graduate clarification that writes Mr à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ has successfully participated in the Knauf seminars the datesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ And this small thing makes them feel that they belong in a special group. Consequently they spread this idea to other people. 5.4 POSITIONING Knauf continues to increase a premium brand and separate its position against competition. Thats why the corporation always invests in developing new products and improving the old ones. 6. Gypsum Industry Market Analysis Europe The gypsum industry belongs into the broader industry of building materials. For the scope of our assignment we will only analyze the gypsum industry and especially the European Gypsum Industry as Knauf is mainly active into the European market. The European Gypsum Industry is characterized as a growing industry in comparison with the US or Australian Gypsum Industries which are already in the maturity face of their life cycles. With a turnover of over 10 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, the European gypsum and anhydrite industry operates 160 quarries and some 200 factories and generates employment directly to 28.000 people and indirectly for 85.000 people. It is one of the few fully integrated industries within the construction products field. Thirty years ago, the Gypsum Industry was made up of many small manufacturing enterprises mainly producing building plaster and stucco for local markets. The emergence and growth of the plasterboard and the plasterboard solutions market in the 1980s requiring high capital investments, equipment, RD and securing access to natural resources led to a consolidation process within the European Gypsum industry. Currently in the industry nowadays three main operators cover 80% of the gypsum product market  [ii]  . These are Knauf Group of Companies, BPB (British Pasterboards) and Lafarge. BPB, a UK based manufacturer, acquired by Saint Gobain in 2005 and organized within the Saint-Gobains Construction Products Sector  [iii]  and Lafarge, the well known building material manufacturer, established in 1833 in France initially as a limestone mining company  [iv]  . 6.1 PEST Analysis In analyzing the macro-environment via a PEST analysis, we can configure the environment which gypsum industry producers compete and identify the factors that might in turn affect a number of vital variables that are likely to influence the organizations supply and demand levels and its costs. The European building material industry is not that vulnerable to Political issues but into the Greek Construction Industry political issues arise more frequently as the support from the European Union funds have major role into Construction Industry growth rates. From 2001 till 2009 where more and more privately funded big real-estate projects were implemented the industry was growing very fast but the economic pressure that affects, for the last year, all companies and investors involved is slowing down the rates of the industry. In such critical times, most governments are identifying its policies with social and environmental care policies. Into the construction environment there is the need, more than any other time, of energy efficient buildings and construction techniques that exploit those advantages, and governments in assessing the socioeconomic impact of energy spending reduction are already subsidizing such constructions through government or EU fund raising. Technology i tself was always the main concern of producers in order to find ways of reducing their production cost as well as to invest in new RD fields, such as antiseismic technology, for exploiting the unique advantages of gypsum. 6.2 SWOT analysis European Gypsum Industry is a growing one and most European countries only now capitalize the advantages that gypsum offers as a building material. Gypsum is virtually indispensable for the interiors of homes and offices and all types of building where people congregate, such as schools, shops, airports, etc. Its superior performance in providing everyday comfort, in fire resistance and in insulation, heralds an ever greater role for it in buildings of the future. In fact, the safety and protection of people and property against fire, and effective thermal and acoustic insulation of buildings depends, more often than not, on the unique properties of gypsum. And many of the attractive features of the modern interior would be impossible without the versatility of gypsum as a building material. The gypsum wallboard industry is highly competitive. Because wallboard is expensive to transport, does not travel well in large quantities and lacks of product differentiation, producers compete on a regional basis, primarily based on price, product range, product quality, and customer service. The sector is highly competitive especially in Europe and North America with production mostly concentrated among few international players. The drywall solutions are seen in growing countries as a substitute for traditional construction solution like for example cement and brick and block constructions. The unique advantages that systems offered to the engineers made them a huge threat of substitute for the traditional techniques. But, soon the industry will be into the maturity face and new innovative and evolution building materials like magnesium or perlite have already started to threaten gypsums raising empire. The industry has to invest into new materials, new technologies and diversify towards innovative building material and construction system solutions. The capital investment that is required in order to enter into the gypsum industry is high. Equipment is expensive, know how is difficult to acquire, access to natural resources is prohibited and investment in RD is mandatory. That is why in very few years the European Gypsum Industry from the state of many locally situated small producers it transformed into an extremely concentrated market where three companies cover approximately 80% of the market. In global level the same concentrated situation is observed where 81% of the market is covered by 7 players (Georgia Pacific, Knauf, Lafarge, National Gypsum, Saint-Gobain, USG and Yoshino) The Gypsum Industry covers the whole life-cycle of the product. Indeed, the companies which extract the mineral gypsum also process it and manufacture the value-added products and systems. The full integration that characterizes the industry is a fact that removes any danger of suppliers bargaining power but at the same time it leads to higher production costs for the producer. The ownership of the gypsum reserves is a power game between the main competitors of the industry as it is at the same time a main clue of product differentiation and product quality resulting from the mineral gypsum purity. Gypsum reserves are now rare around Europe and that turned the producers to invent new technologies by producing synthetic gypsum mainly from fly ash which is a byproduct of energy production plants. The industry is mainly selling through an extensive dealers network in each country. Those dealers are commercial companies selling a series of building materials either to contractors or consumers. In Western Europe more mature markets dealership is also concentrated into few very big companies (Praktiker, Leroy Marlene, OBI etc) which due to its size and concentration they have already obtained a big bargaining power over the producers. Into the Greek market the dealers network is still based on small, unorganized depots with no special power over the industry but big retailers are already into the market and soon the situation will change. 7. Key Success Factors of the Gypsum Industry The following factors have played a major role in a gypsum companys prosperity: Cost advantages and economy of scale: The recent trend of acquisitions and mergers exploit potential cost advantages to be found in RD facilities serving global operations. They create larger and more diversified market focused organizations. All the top performing companies in the industry have faced, at least once, a major merger in the past. In 2005, BPB, one of the top 3 companies of the industry in Europe, was acquired by Saint Gobain which invested 5.9 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, for setting itself a step ahead from its major competitors in the building materials industry. Access to natural resources: As previously noticed, the Gypsum Industry covers the whole life-cycle of the product and producers strive for securing reserves all over the world. In that industry, due to the cost structure, privileged access to the raw material is vital for the companys growth. For that reason, companies started investing either in finding new ways of composing synthetic gypsum from several sources (e.g. energy plant waste) or by implementing systems for recycling their the products at the end of their life cycle (demolition waste). Differentiation through technical specifications and customer service quality: The main target for all producers is to offer a complete solution with their systems of products in order for engineers to be able to substitute traditional ways of building. They managed to specify with standard norms the use of the plasterboard walls, ceilings, floor or any other use as well as their technical characteristics like fireproof, sound insulation, thermal insulation etc. With the combination of professional sales and technical support as companies are using only engineers for sales reps with extensive and professional training, in order to serve customers and specify the systems in a market that is constantly gaining market share from the traditional construction methods. 8. Greek market analysis As we previously noticed, into the Greek market there is also one competitor to Knauf, Rigips Hellas (BPB) with one production site situated in West Greece. Both companies have their own reserves of the raw material close to their factories which are both situated into the same geographical area resulting to equivalent quality levels of raw material. A main difference is the production capacities as well as the plants sizes. Knauf operates a plant that was build from scratch in 1991 in Amfilochia, while on the other hand Rigips acquired some years after Knaufs establishment in Greece an old gypsum factory from a local producer. That explains the estimated difference in local production capacities for the two producers. Having the appropriate capacity levels, Knauf can control its production cost and overheads better than the competitors and therefore result to higher margin levels. Knauf from 1991 invested a lot of money for differentiating through technical specifications and customer service quality. In order to achieve that high level engineers were recruited and were extensively trained into Germanys headquarters. The experience and professionalism of the mother company was soon transferred into the Greek subsidiary and the company culture was quickly transformed according to the following: The future lies in the hands of talented and highly motivated employees. An important aspect is the family culture which prevails in the company: Learn from one another, hold together, pass on knowledge, assume the role of mentor, take fast and direct paths and press for special achievements  [v]  . In very few years, almost 10 professional engineers were covering all the Greek territory offering technical support to contractors, extensive training to installers and professional customer service to retailers. Rigips which was established a few years later used same techniques for expanding into the Greek territory but always by following Knaufs steps. That was something that reduces its cost for training the market into new building materials but cost them the reputation of the leader in the market. Knauf was and still is characterized as the leader industry in the gypsum market in Greece. Their competitive advantage in the market is the ability of its people to open the market, train the customers and lead to a new age in construction industry. All the above are mainly achieved by the following: A huge database of active engineers is informed once every month by direct mail regarding new and innovative solutions. Over 7.000 installers are trained for efficient installing drywall systems into Knaufs Training Centre in Amfilochia. Retailers are supported by professional sales engineer all over Greece. Finally, Knauf has invest a lot in marketing by extensive advertising into press, technical magazines, radio and TV, by providing signs to all its retailing network and by participating into all main fairs in Greece. Rigips havent tried to differentiate significantly from Knauf into the market. They have not invest as much as Knauf into penetrating and training the market and their main position in the market is to let the leader open the way and then to follow. The main differentiation point for the two companies was the price. Knauf is the leader and for that the customer has to pay a premium. 9. Strategic recommendations Conclusion As we saw in this assignment Knauf Corporation is developing in Europe with a certain way which is driven by the values, the culture, the ethics and the historical success model, that the family developed for their business. However, we also saw that several differences exist, depending on the needs and the culture of the local markets. Such differences for example could be the style of the management, the variety of products, the developing of the other corporate businesses and so on. Knauf family believes a lot in the different local adaptation of their business model and this is visibly proven from their willing and trust to choose local people as general managers to run the business in the countries. They invest a lot of money and efforts in order to find the correct person who is going to implement Knauf successful business style according to the local needs. Knauf group has proven its ability to penetrate, train and lead new markets. As a group it has a promising future as it is in line with the major key successful factors for the industry. Its competitive advantage is very strong and it is implemented into most countries in the world as it is into the Greek market. The industry is highly competitive and it is getting more and more concentrated. In order for Knauf to continue growing into such a competitive environment it needs to diversify its building material portfolio into more developing and profitable markets. Such a market is the insulation material industry in which the group recently invested by acquiring a lot of local producers in Europe and becoming the worlds fastest-growing insulation manufacturer with full ownership of its activities since 2002. Finally, Knauf should invest into countries that are structurally unexploited like for example in Asian or growing African countries initially by securing raw material reserves into strategic places.

Arguments for and Against Capital Punishment

Arguments for and Against Capital Punishment Jump to: Arguments in favor of Capital Punishment  | Arguments  Against Capital Punishment Introduction Capital punishment is a legal process in which a person is put to death by the country or state law as a punishment for a crime. It is also known as death sentence or death penalty. Capital punishment sends the message that such criminal acts will not be tolerated in the society. It works on the simple theory that people desist from doing a particular action when they know that they will have to pay a high price for the same. There is no doubt that death penalty is one of the most debatable issue in our society. In support of death penalty people argue that it discourage others from resorting to similar crimes, those who oppose it are of the opinion that it is not as effective it is promoted to be. Many countries still keep the capital punishment in their penal laws. This is a practice that has been there since time immemorial as a sign of the Law of Moses, which integrated a retributive approach that was characterized as an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  [1]   There are 7 types of capital punishments known to world. These are:  [2]   Death by Hanging Execution by Firing Squad Lethal Injection Gas Chamber Executions Death by Stoning Death by Beheading Electrocution. Capital Punishment in Bangladesh The capital punishment is one of talkative issue in present day Bangladesh. In the international environment death penalty is actively implemented and well protected. In some cases, it is also a debatable matter in the domestic area. According to Amnesty International report, Bangladesh is a retentionist country.  [3]  That means Bangladesh is the promoter or supporter of capital punishment. There is a lot of evidence which support the statement of Amnesty International report. The practical natures of the explanations or evidences support the elimination of the death penalty in Bangladesh. Crimes punishable by death in Bangladesh There is a wide range of crimes are currently subject to the capital punishment in Bangladesh. According to the Penal Code 1860, here is a set of crimes which are subject to the death penalty in Bangladesh: Section 121: Waging war against Bangladesh 132: Abetting mutiny 194: Giving false evidence upon which an innocent person suffers death 302: Murder 305: Assisting the suicide of a child or insane person 307: Attempted murder by life-convicts 396: Kidnapping of a child under the age of ten (with intent to murder, grievously hurt, rap or enslave the child) and Armed robbery resulting in murder. According to the Special Powers Act 1974: Section 15: Sabotage 25: Hhoarding of goods or dealing on the black market, counterfeiting, smuggling, and poisoning or contamination of consumables or attempt of any of these offences. In addition, there is an act, Women and Children Repression Prevention Act-2000, to prevent violence against women and children. Under this act the capital punishment is available for: murder or attempted murder involving burning, use of acid, trafficking of women and children for illegal or immoral acts, sexual assault of women or children occasioning death etc. Criminals Excluded From the Capital Punishment The persons who are below 18 years old at the time of committing crime will be excluded from the capital punishment.  [4]  In 2009, the U.N. Committee on the Rights reiterated this alarm and suggested that Bangladesh explain its clarity of the child to include all people under the age of 18. U.N. papers point out that Bangladeshs situation is that it does not implement persons for crimes committed while under the age of 18, that capital punishment for such individuals are infrequently-if at all-meted out by courts and that Bangladesh is allowing for altering the 1974 Children Act to assure a clear legal exclusion.  [5]  Women are not applicable for death penalty during pregnancy period. Women with new born children also will not punishable by death sentence.  [6]  The people who are mentally sick are excluded from death penalty. During committing the criminal act if the person is in unsoundness of mind or is incapable of knowing the nature of the act will not be punished by capital punishment.  [7]   Courts and the Judiciary of Bangladesh Bangladesh operates under a judicial system. It was mainly come from the British common law tradition. The Supreme Court is the highest appeals court in Bangladesh. It is divided into the Appellate Division and the High Court. The High Court hears appeals from subordinate courts. Under the writ jurisdiction, the High Court issues orders to enforce fundamental rights and grant other available summons. From the High Court division, the Appellate Division hears appeals. An important function of the Appellate Division is supervising the subordinate courts and tribunals.  [8]   Legal basis of Capital Punishment in Bangladesh Capital punishment is subject to prior approval of the honable high court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. All capital punishments in Bangladesh are carried out by hanging according to the Bangladesh government law.  [9]  Like other nations in the region, Bangladesh does not have a jury system: suspected criminals are tried and sentenced by a judge.  [10]  Those sentenced to death have an automatic appeal hearing before the High Court. If that appeal fails, the person also has the option to lodge additional appeals with the High Court and, if those fail, with the Supreme Court. Should all these avenues of appeal fail, the condemned persons final chance is to appeal to the President for clemency.  [11]  The Jail Code also affords an avenue for appeal, whereby prisoners can appeal to the jail authorities within seven days of being brought to jail this appears to apply to those prisoners extradited from overseas. Additional to these safeguards, is the requirement that the High Court approve all death sentences pronounced by a lower court before they can be put into effect. A hea ring is held in which all documents relating to the case, including the lower courts judgment, are compiled.  [12]   Clemency process The Code of Criminal Procedure specifies that executions require not be permitted by the executive.  [13]  The main executive obstacle to execution of a capital punishment is the privilege of mercy, approved by the Constitution and defined under the Code of Criminal Procedure and Penal Code. Damned persons petition the President for clemency. In addition, the government which may mean the legislature or some other executive official-may alter capital punishment.  [14]   Available statistics on Capital Punishment in Bangladesh The information or statistics about capital punishment are not publicly reported in Bangladesh. It only comes in publicly, when it is about a sensational or political matter. For example, the February 2010 hanging of 5 persons accused and tried for the murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was widely reported; the same holds true of the 2007 hanging of members of the JMB who were accused in the 2005 bomb attacks on two judges at Jhalakathi.  [15]  There is No official information are available regarding the number of death penalty handed down, or the number of capital punishments carried out. According to the International Federation for Human Rights (2010), there are about 75,000 prisoners all over Bangladesh and 40-45 percent of them are convicted prisoners. In one district jail outside Dhaka, out of the 2,300-2,400 estimated total prison inmates, 90 prisoners are on death row.  [16]   The following table includes the number of capital punishments reported in Amnesty Internationals annual reports for the past five years, as well as the numbers reported by Hands Off Cain. Number of Executions, Bangladesh, 2005-2010:  [17]   Capital Punishment and the attitude of Bangladesh Government Bangladesh is a country where there is actually no right to life. Exercising the capital punishment violates the common human rights. In 2010, five people were given the death penalty within a day. On January 28 of the same year, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh made the decision to execute death penalty of the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  [18]   On the contrary, on 7th September 2010 Zillur Rahman, President of Bangladesh, pardoned 20 prisoners death row. Those people were sentenced to death in 2006 by a Speedy Trial Tribunal (2002) for the murder of a then-ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist Sabbir Ahmed Gama.  [19]  In the history of Bangladesh it was the first where President gave pardon a huge number of death prisoners at a time. The important thing is that the benefited prisoners are supporters of the present governing party (Awami League). Amnesty International welcomed the pardon of President Zillur Rahman in their international report. At the same time it also argued that it is not ethical to favor only supporters of the governing party.  [20]   Though the death sentence is a permanent punishment, the legislative authorities should ensure that criminals are not released by the politically motivated grounds. Problems of Bangladeshs criminal justice system Lack of fairness and transparency. Political interference and arbitrary police control over the complaint mechanisms. Criminal justice system is politicalized, inefficient, and unprofessional. As far the administration of justice, the judiciary system does not enjoy independence. Lack of judicial competence and commitment to upholding the rule of law. The countrys medico-legal system still is not acceptable by international standards. Lack of interpersonal respect between lawyers, judges, political parties, medico-legal experts seriously hampers effectiveness of the administration of justice. Is the Capital Punishment an Effective Crime Deterrent? Capital punishment is based on the principle that the peril of death makes probable criminals think twice before doing to some serious crimes such as murder, rape and makes them totally give up on such criminal act. The effectiveness of death sentence to prevent criminal from doing serious crimes is questionable, whether it really discourages people to do crimes. A study in America discloses that 88 percent of American criminologists believed that capital punishment was not effective crime prevention. In this study about 87 percent of the respondents thought that capital punishment would have no major impact on crime rates in the country as such.  [21]   On the other hand, many criminologists think that death penalty in itself is one of the several factors which makes a person indulge in crime. The example of Canada wherein the murder rate decreased after elimination of capital punishment in 1976.  [22]  One important thing is that the criminal who is planning to do any crime, he or she will never get affected by the threat of being caught and convicted. In addition, the time gap between the sentencing of convict and his actual execution is quite lengthy. As time elapse the preclusion effect of sentencing a person to death starts decreasing. Now the people who support the death penalty may argue that to speed up legal process and execute the death sentence early. But then, speedy trials would again mean more chances of an innocent person being sent to the gallows, and that is something which we cant afford to do. There are some studies which support the death sentence as crime prevention. A study showed that eighteen lives are saved for every criminal death penalty.  [23]  The legislative authorities of Bangladesh argue that the capital punishment is essential for control the serious crimes like murder. They also think that capital punishment will transmit the message of ultimate results of murder to the potential criminal. This so-called prevention of criminal act is shown to not be working effectively, as incidents of serious crimes rise each year. For example, according to the Bangladesh Police website, there were 3592 murders during 2005 and 4219 murders in 2009.  [24]   Arguments in favor of Capital Punishment There are two types of criminals in our society ones who commit crimes under unavoidable circumstances and other ones who commit crimes intentionally. The people who commit crimes intentionally, they do not feel any kind of guilt for their actions and they do not hesitate to do same again. So, it is important to implement capital punishment for making such criminals to realize that they are not the decider of life and death. Here is some supports behind the capital punishment: Fear of Death: All people have the fear of death, even though death is inevitable. Implementing death penalty for serious crimes like murders or rapes will absolutely make the criminal think twice before doing any brutal crimes. There are some killers who are commit killing only for fulfill their hobby. Capital punishment will send the message to the criminal that, he or she is preparing own grave by killing someone else. No Escape: No one can getaway from the death, but any one can escape from imprisonment. There are so many evidences of jail escaping illegally by managing political leader or prison inspector. After escaping the criminal commit crimes again and making the innocent suffers. So this is unethical to let innocent people die and criminal live. Justice not Killing: Sometimes the people who do not support capital punishment, they think death penalty is all about revenge in the name of law or justice. However it is very important for our society to teach criminals about the importance of life. Saving the Innocent: To save innocent people there is no other alternative way without death penalty to the serious criminals. If we allow criminals in the imprisonment, then suffer for the innocent people will be huge. Law Should Provide Justice: Capital punishment issued by law is fair and justified for the society. The innocent victims do not get any chance do crime, then why should we give the chance to the criminal with imprisonment. Arguments against Capital Punishment Some people think that reason of the death penalty is to send a right message to the society. Such harsh punishment means that no serious crime will be tolerated and the responsible must be punished for his or her act. Denial of basic right: Death penalty violates human right the right to life. Human being life has a essential value. The holiness of human life is denied by the capital punishment. Life is priceless. The possibility of error: Capital punishment is decided by the collected evidences against the individual. Sometimes those collected information and investigation might be wrong or manipulated. So in case of imprisonment, after finding error in judgment individual may be released and compensated for the injustice. However, in case of capital punishment judge can do nothing without feeling guilty for taking innocent life. Lack of Deterrence: The goal of capital punishment is to deter serious criminal activities from the society. However, according to the available information, the capital punishment has not been effective in controlling the murder rate. For example, according to the Bangladesh Police website, there were 3592 murders during 2005 and 4219 murders in 2009.  [25]   Racist Factor: Death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment for human being. Most of the people in all over the world think that death penalty is a way of minimizing the number of minorities in a particular country. Killing is Expensive: Keeping one person in the prison for entire life is less expensive compare to give death penalty. Long and complex process of death penalty cases is the biggest drawbacks of capital punishment. Justifying circumstances: There is possibility for individuals to suffer from emotional trauma, violence, destructive social environment to commit such terrible crimes. So it is unethical to blame only them for their activities. Recommendation Observe existing law with a view towards diminishing the scope of crimes that attract the death sentence to only those with deadly consequences. All mandatory death sentences should be revoked as unconstitutionally controlling the judgment and freedom of the judiciary, as required under international standards. Other convicts may under no situation be entrusted to carry out a capital punishment, a practice that is not in conventionality with the domestic legal structure and constitutes an inhuman and degrading treatment for concerned prisoners. Make public information about the death penalty and executions to permit an informed public debate on the capital punishment. Assign a committee of high level jurists to inform on the purpose and situations of implementation of the capital punishment in the country. Conclusion Death penalty is as basically wrong as a cure for crime as charity is wrong as a cure of poverty. Bangladeshs constitutions Article 35 prohibits torture, cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment or treatment.  [26]  There can hardly be any argue that the capital punishment does not amount to brutal punishment, which is banned in the countrys supreme law. In fact, such brutal punishment comprises a violation of the Constitution by deflation the natural dignity of human beings. The reality concerning the criminal justice system must be understood to assess how hazardous the use of the capital punishment can be in Bangladesh. Essential policies or steps should be taken to reduce the reappearance of crimes that are presently penalized by the death sentence in the place of continuing with this unsuccessful prevention. Bangladesh should obey to national and international statement for human rights. And Bangladesh government should eliminate the death sentence system immediately, if they believe on human rights.

Earth Abides Essay -- essays research papers

Imagine waking up and looking around, only to realize that while you were asleep ninety percent of the world population had vanished. In the novel Earth Abides, George Stewart creates this scenario and makes it a reality. The novel is centered on the life of Ish, who wakes up only to find he is one of the few left on earth. Having to survive and adapt, Ish is faced with the responsibility of making contact with other survivors of the Great Disaster. In doing so, Ish meets several characters and together they form a tribe to fit the new lifestyle. Ish becomes the leader of the group and the main focus of the story; however, he is not the only important character. Some members of the community immerge and become important figures as well. In the novel Earth Abides, we see a tribe with only a few members, grow and develop into a community with over three hundred members. In a new world and with such hard conditions, The Tribe managed to survive successfully. This task was not easy, considering all the other people in the world who had failed. Many other survivors of the Great Disaster, killed themselves, drank their life away, and did not look for reason to live in a civilized manner. However, The Tribe overcame all of that and aimed itself in the right direction for yet another try at Mother Nature. Their success was mainly based on the fact that the members from the Old Times were able to adjust and adapt. They made use of the resources and in some way put the Great Disaster behind them. These members found their place in The Tribe and built a strong foundation for their children. Of such roles, one of the most important is that of a leader. The leader has to take charge of the group, make heavy decisions, and have knowledge and understanding of the world around him. It is the leaders' duty to prepare his people and make sure that they are able to survive and care for themselves. In the novel, we can see this in the character of Ish. From the moment Ish realized what had happened to the he had the desire to be a leader. When he met the black family in his cross-country trip and thought to himself, "I could be a king here if I remained." Later in the novel Ishs desires for leadership are even more noticeable when The Tribe first comes into contact with Charlie. Ish is the only one who feels hostility towards Charlie and act awkwardly around ... ...bers. Both groups often thought differently because of the different times they grew up in, and Ezra understood both cultures. Ish did not often understand what others were thinking, even the children who were his own. Ezra on the other hand could relate to everybody andcommunicate with The Tribe. The survival of The Tribe was dependent on each of the older generation members in some way. Ish had to lead, Ezra had to communicate and Em gave them all courage. There was also George; the repairman who fixed everything for everybody and made sure peoples homes did not fall apart. Molly, Jean, and Maurine, were all simple folks, but brought to The Tribe ideas. Just like in buildings, the foundation of a community or society is the most important part. All the other layers on top depend on the layer below them. The Tribe could not survive with out having a strong foundation to hold on to and build on top of. The older generation members set this foundation using themselves as examples. In the end, everything the Old generation members taught their children had paid off. The new generation were prepared for the future and were well aware of the world around them, they were survivors.

Kachina/Katsina Doll :: essays research papers fc

We believe they (Kachina Dolls) are personifications of the katsina spirits, originally created by the katsinam in their physical embodiment. ..." - Alph H. Secakuku To understand the meaning of the kachina dolls, it is necessary to understand Hopi culture, because one does not exist without the other. It has been found that the Hopi's main ancestors were the Anasazi, a group of people who at about the time of Christ came to depend on agriculture. They represent various beings, from animals to clouds. They are believed to be in some form of hierarchy, a form of kingdom. Kachina dolls are depictions of masked men impersonating supernatural beings that predominate the Hopi, Zuni and Pueblo Spirit dances. These Spirits are believed to be descendants of a prehistoric people. They have lived in the Northern parts of New Mexico westward into Arizona near Flagstaff for some fifteen hundred years. To honor them they have many sacred dances throughout the year. The dolls which contain the kachina spirits are often given to children to remind them of their heritage and of their Gods. However, the Kachina Dolls are not just toys, but objects to be treasured and studied. Through these dolls they learn about Kachinas as part of their religious training and background. In Pueblo Indian religious practice, any of more than 500 divine ancestral spirits who act as intermediaries between man and god. They will allow themselves to be seen by the community if the men properly perform a traditional ritual while wearing kachina masks. The spirit painted or carved on the mask is thought to be actually present with the performer, temporarily transforming him into a Kachina spirit. The identity of the spirit is depicted not by the form of the doll, which is usually simple and flat, but primarily by the applied color and elaborate feather, leather, and, occasionally, fabric ornamentation of its mask. Also the identity of a true Kachina doll is depicted and then carved of cottonwood root. One of the purposes is to help bring the rain for the crops to grow and since the cottonwood is always found near water, the Kachinas are carved from it’s roots. The roots from which the dolls are carved are chosen with care, since they are seen to draw life and precious moisture from the earth. Very few dolls were carved out of a single piece of wood. The arms and legs and head were carved separately and glued to the torso.

War and Terror - It’s Time to Stop the Killing :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

War and Terror - It’s Time to Stop the Killing Somewhere within the last 120,000 thousand years, our ancestors began migrations quite different from any that appear in the archeological record preceding that time and somewhere between forty and fifty thousand years ago those migrations accelerated to the point that Cro Magnon hominids, our forebears, settled every nook and cranny on the planet. The last major migration occurred when the land bridge opened up in Siberia, as the glacier receded ten thousand years ago, and Homo Sapiens, who our species had become by then, trudged all the way to Tierra del Fuego within a thousand years or so. Jared Diamond (â€Å"The Third Chimpanzee† & â€Å"Guns, Germs, and Steel†) makes a case for some biological change, probably related to speech, as the variable making such migrations possible. He also makes the observation that these human migrations were coincident with the extinction of large mammals. The archeological evidence seems to bear this out. All over the planet there is fossil evidence of the extinction of one large mammal after another at approximately the same time the human migrations happened in that part of the world. Some scientists speculate that the cause of these extinctions is more complicated than the fact that they are coincident with the expansion of the number of humans and they are probably right; but something of major proportions in the evolution of our species definitely changed to allow humans to sweep across all but the most uninhabitable places on earth in a relatively short period of time. Dr. Diamond is careful to temper his speculation with the caution that all the facts are not yet in, and probably never will be, I might add. As a biology-oriented scientist, he continues to look to some physical/anatomical change to account for the advances made by humans resulting in our capacity to take on the unknown dangers lying beyond the next range of mountains or across the next river. For a couple of million years humans had evolved fairly slowly toward that point when a â€Å"great leap† occurred in the pace of our development. Anatomically we are about the same now as we have been for the last 125,000 years, so the guess is that some language advancement made the difference. Linguists have traced the capacity to speak back through a few proto languages to a point where the development of the ability to speak gets lost War and Terror - It’s Time to Stop the Killing :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays War and Terror - It’s Time to Stop the Killing Somewhere within the last 120,000 thousand years, our ancestors began migrations quite different from any that appear in the archeological record preceding that time and somewhere between forty and fifty thousand years ago those migrations accelerated to the point that Cro Magnon hominids, our forebears, settled every nook and cranny on the planet. The last major migration occurred when the land bridge opened up in Siberia, as the glacier receded ten thousand years ago, and Homo Sapiens, who our species had become by then, trudged all the way to Tierra del Fuego within a thousand years or so. Jared Diamond (â€Å"The Third Chimpanzee† & â€Å"Guns, Germs, and Steel†) makes a case for some biological change, probably related to speech, as the variable making such migrations possible. He also makes the observation that these human migrations were coincident with the extinction of large mammals. The archeological evidence seems to bear this out. All over the planet there is fossil evidence of the extinction of one large mammal after another at approximately the same time the human migrations happened in that part of the world. Some scientists speculate that the cause of these extinctions is more complicated than the fact that they are coincident with the expansion of the number of humans and they are probably right; but something of major proportions in the evolution of our species definitely changed to allow humans to sweep across all but the most uninhabitable places on earth in a relatively short period of time. Dr. Diamond is careful to temper his speculation with the caution that all the facts are not yet in, and probably never will be, I might add. As a biology-oriented scientist, he continues to look to some physical/anatomical change to account for the advances made by humans resulting in our capacity to take on the unknown dangers lying beyond the next range of mountains or across the next river. For a couple of million years humans had evolved fairly slowly toward that point when a â€Å"great leap† occurred in the pace of our development. Anatomically we are about the same now as we have been for the last 125,000 years, so the guess is that some language advancement made the difference. Linguists have traced the capacity to speak back through a few proto languages to a point where the development of the ability to speak gets lost

Sophie’s World

Philosophy 101 Mr. Trembley While reading Sophie’s World Jostein Gaarder identifies and tackles large philosophical questions. Using Sophie as the â€Å"fresh† child mind, Gaarder attempts to portray how a young mind would react to large philosophical questions. By the time I got to page 13 in the text, I noticed that the major philosophical questions were simply stated by the mysterious teacher of Sophie. One major question that Sophie asks and tries to answer is â€Å"who are you? At first, on page 3, Sophie blatantly focuses on the physicality of the question. She is the girl staring back at her self-reflected image on the mirror. She then concluded by saying â€Å"you are me,† and â€Å"I am you,† to her mirror image. Once again, it was a very obvious and physical truth in regards to who she was. However, by page 7 she takes a more philosophical approach and understands that there are many levels after she ponders about it more. After pondering, she e ssentially concludes that the questions are riddles.Yet, coming from narrator verbatim, â€Å"For the first time in her life she felt it wasn’t right to live in the world without at least inquiring where it came from. † She went from a mentality of specific perspective to understanding the general concept that finding a philosophical answer isn’t the purpose†¦but pondering and asking questions about who she was and where the world came from was more beneficial. In my perspective, the acknowledgement of these philosophical questions is a massive step for Sophie.I definitely agree with Sophie because sometimes the questions are very annoying, because no one will really know the answers to the questions the teacher asked her. The narrator states on page 7 that the questions â€Å"jolted Sophie out of her everyday existence and suddenly brought her face to face with the great riddles of the universe. † I find this particularly interesting because to me t he questions asked by philosophers are not meant to be confusing, time wasting questions. Instead, the questions spark of wonder that leads to creative, varied perspectives on extremely large questions. Sophie’s World The book review that I will be doing is about the book Sophie’s World (Norweigan: Sofies verden), a 1991 novel written by Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder. According to the book itself, Sophie’s World is Gaarder’s first book to appear in English because he is a Norweigan. . It was originally written in Norwegian and became a best seller in Norway. The novel was later translated into fifty-three languages, with over thirty million copies in print. It follows the events of Sophie Amundsen, a teenage girl living in Norway and Alberto Knox, a middle aged philosopher who introduces her to philosophical thinking and the history of philosophy. II. SUMMARY: Sophie Amundsen is fourteen years old when the book begins, living in Norway. She begins a strange correspondence course in philosophy. Every day, a letter comes to her mailbox that contains a few questions and then later in the day a package comes with some typed pages describing the ideas of a philosopher who dealt with the issues raised by the questions. Although at first she does not know, later on Sophie learns that Alberto Knox is the name of the philosopher who is teaching her. He sends her packages via his dog Hermes. Alberto first tells Sophie that philosophy is extremely relevant to life and that if we do not question and ponder our very existence we are not really living. Then he proceeds to go through the history of western philosophy. Alberto teaches Sophie about the ancient myths that people had in the days before they tried to come up with natural explanations for the processes in the world. Then she learns about the natural philosophers who were concerned with change. Next Alberto describes Democritus and the theory of indivisible atoms underlying all of nature as well as the concept of fate. At the same time as she takes the philosophy course, Sophie receives a strange postcard sent to Hilde Moller Knag, care of Sophie. The postcard is from Hilde's father and wishes Hilde happy birthday. Sophie is confused, and moreso when she finds a scarf with Hilde's name on it. She does not know what is happening but she is sure that Hilde and the philosophy course must somehow be connected. She learns about Socrates, who was wise enough to know that he knew nothing. Then Alberto ends her a video that shows him in present day Athens and somehow he seems to go back in time to ancient Athens. She learns about Plato and his world of ideas and then about Aristotle, who critiqued Plato, classified much of the natural world, and founded logic and our theory of concepts. Then, as Sophie's education continues, the Hilde situation begins to get more complicated. She finds many more postcards to Hilde, and some of them are even dated on June 15, the day of Sophie will turn 15. The problem is t hat June 15 is still over a month away. She discovers some of this with her best friend Joanna, and one of the postcards tells Hilde that one day she will meet Sophie and also mentions Joanna. Strange things are happening that the girls cannot figure out. Sophie's relationship with her mother becomes somewhat strained as she tries both to cover up the correspondence with Alberto and to practice her philosophical thinking on her mom. Meanwhile, Alberto teaches Sophie about Jesus and the meeting of Indo-European and Semitic culture. She learns about St. Augustine, St. Aquinas, and the christianization of Greek philosophy that occurred in the Middle Ages. By this time, Sophie has met Alberto and he begins hinting that the philosophy is about to get extremely relevant to the strange things that are happening to her. Sophie learns about the focus on humanity in the Renaissance and the extremes of the Baroque and then Alberto focuses on some key philosophers. Urgently, he teaches her about Descartes, who doubted, and by doing so knew at least that he could doubt. They move on to Spinoza as it becomes clear that Hilde's father has some awesome power over them. Then Sophie learns about the empiricists. Locke believed in natural rights and that everything we know is gained from experience. Hume, an important influence on Kant, showed that our actions are guided by feelings and warned against making laws based upon our experiences. But Berkeley is most important to Sophie because he suggested that perhaps our entire lives were inside the mind of God. And Alberto says that their lives are inside the mind of Albert Knag, Hilde's father. At this point the story switches to Hilde's point of view. On June 15, the day she turns fifteen, Hilde receives a birthday gift from her father entitled Sophie's World. She begins to read and is enthralled. We follow the rest of Sophie's story from Hilde's perspective. Hilde becomes certain that Sophie exists, that she is not just a character in a book. Alberto has a plan to escape Albert Knag's mind, and they must finish the philosophy course before that can happen. He teaches Sophie about the Enlightenment and its humane values and about Kant and his unification of empiricist and rationalist thought. Things in Sophie's life have become completely insane but she and Alberto know they must figure out a way to do something. It will have to occur on the night of June 15, when Hilde's father returns home. They learn about the world spirit of Romanticism, Hegel's dialectical view of history, and Kierkegaard's belief that the individual's existence is primary. Meanwhile, Hilde plans a surprise for her father on his return home. They rush through Marx, Darwin, Freud, and Sartre, desperate to come up with a plan to escape even though everything they do is known by Hilde's father. Then at the end of Sophie's World, the book that Hilde is reading, while at a party for Sophie on June 15, Alberto and Sophie disappear. Hilde's father comes home and they talk about the book, and Hilde is sure that Sophie exists somewhere. Meanwhile, Sophie and Alberto have a new existence as spirit—they have escaped from Albert Knag's mind but they are invisible to other people and can walk right through them. Sophie wants to try to interfere in the world of Hilde and her father, and at the end of the book she is learning how to do so. III. PROPER BOOK REVIEW: The day that this book was handed to me, I thought it was boring at all because it’s about philosophy. But then, when I started reading, I became interested and even more interested in the plot of the story in which Sophie Amundsen received a letter from an anonymous sender. I became to wonder who it came from. Did it come from a suitor or maybe from school? Those were just the things that came up to my mind while reading the first page of the book. When the questions were revealed, such as such as â€Å"Who are you? † and â€Å"Where did the world come from? , I myself were interested to know the answers too. It was like it was me who was in Sophie’s situation. It’s really funny how I became attached with the story though I don’t really read novels. As the story progresses, the reader becomes attached to Sophie and follows her on the quest for answers. We are reminded of the beauty in the genuine thirst for knowledge and f or answers that we often devalue as we get older. This book can be approached in different ways. It is on one hand the story of a few individual lives, and on the other a philosophy book. Seeing it only as the story of Sophie Amundsen brings little satisfaction, but regarding it only as a reference on philosophy does not fulfill its purpose. To me, its theme is an expression of people's propensity to become caught up in their daily lives and lose the desire to question. And though the characters seem two-dimensional at times, I viewed them as tools of the writer, commenting on what Gaarder saw in the world. The style of the novel is similar to a detective story which emphasizes Gaardner’s idea that philosophy’s search for answers to the fundamental questions of life is much like a detective’s investigation. Throughout the book, we are reminded that philosophy is not the pursuit of someone who has spare time to sit and ponder; rather, it is essential for every living, thinking human being. This novel is a great substitute for a boring philosophy book. Sophie’s World is probably the best way to learn about philosophy. Even more redeeming is the fictional portion of the novel, so although readers may grow bored and want to skip over the philosophy lesson bits, you'll still find yourself being pulled in enough to finish the entire lengthy book. Sophie’s world took me in a wild and crazy ride while also learning about the history of philosophy. I liked this book because it was never preachy and is not trying to force any grand idea down my throat. Instead it gave me a bunch of really good ideas and let me form my own philosophy and let me choose the ideas I wanted to believe. I also loved the crazy plot twists of the story. Just like when the story revealed that Sophie and Alberto Knox were just part of another story and when Hilde wanted to believe that Sophie and Alberto were real people as opposed to some characters in a book written for Hilde’s 15th birthday. I think it was great how the author just kept making the story weirder and weirder. First Sophie kept getting mysterious post cards, then they started popping up everywhere, then a banana said â€Å"Happy Birthday Hilde†, then the dog talked and when she found out she was in a book she started seeing Winnie the Pooh and Little Red Riding Hood. This book was just a bunch of jumbled insanity that kept my attention every step of the way. I absolutely loved it I think everybody on the planet should read this book. Personally I thought the philosophy lessons were boring, but Jostein Gaarder paints such a beautiful picture and story that Sophie's World truly is compelling.

Attributes of Professional Bartender Essay

Bartenders know the difference between art and science. They understand that bartending is a science because in mixing drinks there are rules to follow, standards to obey and procedures to do. It is not just pouring all the drinks together in one glass and then serve it. Bartending is also an art because bartenders make an art form out of their profession. Aside from following the standards, they also use their creativity, imagination and individual way of enhancing the usual preparation of the beverage for the purpose of visual perception, odor detection, and taste stimuli. Professional bartenders possess many skills and characteristics that make them successful. 1. Good personality A bartender must have an ability to interact well with different people. He knows how to show his best asset as a bartender when he is in front of the guest. The totality of the bartender can be seen not only with his physical attributes but also through his words, actions and way of thinking. 2. Sense of humor Bartending is a serious job. This needs focus and presence of mind. But, a good bartender knows how to work properly, yet, laugh that sometimes, cracking jokes is being part of his functions. It is nice to learn that laughing is still the best medicine especially in front of unpredictable guests. 3. Well – groomed A bartender must have good personal hygiene; maintaining oneself healthy, wearing clean clothes and proper attire, keeping hair, teeth and fingernails clean and sanitary. A well – groomed appearance helps bartenders seem more approachable and professional. 4. Physical stamina Bartending is a job that requires long hours standing while preparing, mixing, serving and bussing out soiled glasses behind the bar counter. Sometimes, part of this is lifting heavy boxes and cases of drinks to set up the bar. A bartender must be physically fit and strong enough to do the day-to-day activities in the bar. 5. Basic skills in Math In bartending, the fundamental operations in Mathematics are applied. The skills learned about this in school allow the bartenders to make changes and measure drinks accurately and quickly. It also helps the bartender as well as the managers to realize their profit versus expenses at the end of every operation. 6. Multi – tasking Bars are busy especially peak nights and salary days. The bartender must make sure everything runs smoothly during his shift by learning what and how to do other tasks aside from mixing and preparing drinks. 7. Good memory Bartenders need to remember everything from drink recipes to customers’ names. Even brands of drinks, proof, country of origin, and major ingredients are needed to remember when a bartender presents and serves beverages to guests. 8. Great smile A great smile is a key since bartenders smile a lot. It does not only makes the bartender good looking and presentable, but this helps attract guests, let them feel that they are very welcome and a smile will make the first time guest, a regular guest. Bartenders must be aware of everything around them at all times. They have to know the drink levels of everyone’s beverage, and must see new customers as they approach the bar. A second set of eyes in the back of their heads would be a remarkable evolutionary improvement and in failing that, bartenders need to be constantly alert.