Analysis Of The Enders Game - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3216 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Enders Game Essay Did you like this example? Bibliography: Card, Orson. Enders Game.   New York: Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1991. 370 pages Title: It is called Enders Game because the main characters nickname is Ender. He ends the final game by winning the battle for Earth against the buggers. It is also called Enders Game because if they didnt win everything was over for Earth.   The human race was going to be extinct and the buggers were going to colonize Earth.   Characters: Ender is the protagonist and the main character of the story. Everything in the book and movie is based around him. Physically he is skinny, has a large head, and is not athletic. He is also portrayed as nice, but strict and a good leader. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Analysis Of The Enders Game" essay for you Create order Petra is a main character and one of Enders first female friends at battle school.   She is athletic, fast, and strong. She is also nice, open minded, and a strong leader too. Alai is Enders first friend straight out of the fresh group of Launchys. He is skinny, has a small head, and he is also not athletic. He is also kind, open minded to all, and a good group leader. Dink is Enders second best friend while in Rat Army under command of Rose the Nose. He is athletic, fast, and strong. He is also commanding, a teacher, and a leader. Graff is the Colonel of the International Fleet who first came to recruit Ender from his house back on Earth. He is fat, slow, and not athletic. However he is also smart, tricky, and a mental torturer. Bean is Enders best friend while he was commanding Dragon Army. He is small, skinny, and athletic. He is also smart, quick minded, and a take charge person. Major Anderson was in charge of all the battles that Enders army fought against other armys. He is overweight, tall, and not athletic. He is also kind, outgoing, and a giver. Valentine was the main lover in the book. She was Enders older sister who loved him with all her heart and he loved her with all his heart. She is athletic, tall, and skinny. She is also known as a lover, is open minded, and intelligent. Setting: The main events take place on Eros at the command training center. The Protagonists childhood occurs on Earth through the age of 6. Eros is a dark and scary place where an alien species colony was murdered by the humans to make a space outpost. In the book, Earth is turned into a war zone between all the worlds leaders countries and are hungry for world control. Plot: Chapter 1: Third The first chapter begins with Colonel Graff and Major Anderson having a conversation about if Ender Wiggin is the one to save the human race from the buggers. They also are debating whether he is the same as his brother or sister or a good mix of both. Graff and Anderson decide to see what Enders reaction would be to the kids at school if he were to have his monitor chip, in the back of his neck, removed. This same thing happened to his siblings, but not for the same reasons. Him losing his monitor chip creates others to hate him. A bully named Stilson was picking on Ender and pushing him around.   Ender defended himself with a sharp object.   Stilson fell to the ground and Ender began kicking him repeatedly. Friends of Stilson asked Ender to stop, so he did. Chapter 2: Peter Chapter two begins with Colonel Graff approving of how Ender reacted to the beating of the school bully Stilson. They then start thinking that they dont need to make Ender happy. They need to make it to where hell save the world for them. They start comparing Ender to Mazer Rackham who died in the second Invasion at Earth against the buggers. Mazer was a man who Ender grew up watching and studying on videos through his young ages.  Ã‚   Chapter 3: Graff Graff and Anderson talk about how they need Ender to come with them to battle school. But arent sure if he will love his sister. They had a very strong bond. So Graff goes to get Ender from his household. He first brings up the fight with Stilson as if they are there to punish him. Then they ask why he did it and Enders answer was, I wanted to end all the battles to come, not just that one. Then Graffs reply was, Ender I would like to invite you to our Battle School. Chapter 4: Launch Graff and another adult are deciding on what to do with Ender. They then decide that Ender must be isolated to become the soldier they want him to be. They want him to be a super smart genius and have authority and leadership skills. Enders first observation of the other children there is they act like kids, laughing and playing. He knows they are being watched by the adults and commanders. He decides he must be serious and show he is a leader.   He begins to realize that the gravity will affect them differently in space than on Earth. He begins to think of how things look to people in space because of the foreign gravity to all the children. This are the kinds of things that make Ender stand out from the other children. Chapter 5: Games Graff continues to insist that isolation is best for Ender. They want him to think no one will ever help him, in and out of a battle. Ender and his other launchies in his group are introduced to Dap who is going to be taking care of them. Ender then goes to the game room to get the feel of it. He then challenges an older student to best out of 3 matches. Ender loses the first by a lot. Then barely takes the victory the second time around. Then on the final game Ender sweeps the student making him furious and forcing that boy and his friends to remember the six year old Ender Wiggin. Chapter 6: The Giants Drink At the start of this chapter Graff is discussing with another adult that Enders launchy group is split apart because there is a bully that dislikes Ender because they know how he is favored by Colonel Graff. Ender begins playing a video game called Fairy Land to escape from the others. This game messes with Enders head and makes him have suicidal thoughts.   It had been known to do that. Ender and the other launchies take their first trip to the battle room to get a feel of null gravity. They arent used to the suits and how they feel. Ender and Alai quickly figure out how to rebound in null gravity and start experimenting with their freeze guns on themselves and other launchies. Chapter 7: Salamander The chapter begins with Graff having a conversation with General Levy about Levy being concerned and having doubts about Ender being a kid. Graff is happy now that Ender got past the Giants Drink, an extremely difficult level on the game Fairy Land that Ender has been playing. Levy is concerned that none of the students at the battle school act like actual kids at all. Levy tells Graff not to hurt Ender any more than he has to. Ender ends up finding out later that not that he has been transferred to the Salamander Army under the command of Bonzo Madrid. Graff felt that it was time for Ender to leave as he was starting to see Ender get close to some of the other launchies, isolation was key to them. The salamander Army has a battle when Ender first arrives. Commander Bonzo informs Ender to stay back. Ender defies orders and goes in anyways and was the only soldier to be totally untouched. Chapter 8: Rat Graff wants Anderson to set up unfair battle simulations for Enders army. So it challenges him and puts him to the limit. She objects, saying the school is based off the fairness of the battles. Ender is again transferred to Rat Army which is in command by Rose the Nose. Rose says he cant sue his desk where he plays games and cant practice with launchies anymore. But then a boy named Dink in the same army says Rose cant do anything to stop him from doing either of those. They then have a battle against Centipede Army. Ender is sent out first just so he can get frozen. But before he is frozen he freezes a couple of the enemy players. He then talks to Dink and finds out he was promoted to commander twice, but denied the promotion every time. This is because he didnt like bossing people around. Chapter 9: Locke and Demosthenes Graff is enraged that the computer threw an image of Peter, Enders brother, into the game Ender plays. Graff asks a computer expert why it is doing this .He explains because the game is between the computer and Enders mind. He said the computer must think that it will help Ender in some way, shape, or form and that is the only reason. Enders 8th birthday arrives and Valentine is at home and lights a fire in honor of Ender who is up in space. While she is doing this, her brother Peter is torturing a squirrel. She asks why he would be doing that. He tells her to shut up or he will kill her too.   Valentine knows that Peter will never actually kill her. This is because Peter only does things that are calculated to help what he needs, there is no reason to kill her. She thinks he is planning to do something bad very soon to Earth though. Peter convinces Valentine into making fake net profiles to try and gain control in government. Peter is Locke and Valentine is Demosthenes on the fake profiles. Chapter 10: Dragon Graff issues the order to make Ender commander of a retired army called Dragon Army. The only catch is that Graff is picking the list of members in the army. Also Ender isnt allowed to make any trades with other armys. That day right after Ender meets all army members he takes them straight to the battle room to test their skill levels. Bean, who is a short dragon army member, asks to be a toon leader. Ender denies the request. He thinks about why he did that to Bean and realizes the same thing happened to him when Graff isolated him. He realizes that by doing to Bean, what the commanders have been doing to him all along, he will be a better platoon leader later on. Chapter 11: Veni Vidi Vici Graff and Anderson discuss what they think of Dragon Army and how well they will do. This is because Anderson has scheduled a lot of battles for them, sometimes they will have three in a day instead of one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Their first battle is an easy one for them they destroy their opponent Rat Army. Enders Army functions weirdly and different from others. Each of his five toons can work without the others help. Ender starts realizing that because of his successc Petra and Dink dont seem like they are friends with him anymore. The next day Dragon Army beats Phoenix Army which Petra is commander of. Ender knows this didnt make anything better for their friendship. Chapter 12: Bonzo The chief of the I.F. police comes to see Graff because of a report saying that the battle school is an unsafe environment. That there is nothing stopping kids from fighting or bullying others. Graff says that Ender needs to stick up for himself because no one can help him against the buggers besides himself. Ender gets a warning from Petra about him being in real danger with Bonzo. Ender doesnt care and goes to sleep. He later wakes up and goes to take a shower.   While there he gets ganged up on by seven people including Bonzo. He convinces Bonzo to fight him alone without his back up to help him. Dink comes and tries to tell Bonzo not to fight him. Bonzo attacks anyways. Ender dodges and hits him in the face then hits him in the crotch, but notices that Bonzo is not moving once he fell. Dink takes him away before anything else could happen. Bonzo later dies, but Graff never told Ender that directly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This incident makes Ender want to quit and leave school. Chapter 13: Valentine This chapter starts with two officers talking about Peter and Valentine stirring trouble on the net. Graff tells them to leave the two alone. Valentine likes being her fake profile and her and Peter know that the world is preparing for war. They believe that a war is going to break out as soon as the buggers are defeated. They believe that no compromise can stop this event from occurring. Valentine is brought to see Ender who has been staying at a Lake House on Earth for two months. Graff believes that Valentine is the only person that can get through to Ender and get him to attend with him to command school. Graff tells her they need to prepare for the attack that is coming soon. Valentine goes out with Ender on the lake and goes for a swim. Her presence convinces Ender to return to school. They part ways and say goodbye while Ender goes to the shuttle take off station. They depart to Eros to command school. Chapter 14: Enders Teacher An admiral greets Graff at command school when they arrive and wonders whether the 3 month trip vacation to Eros was good for Ender or not. Ender begins to spend his time all by himself or with Graff. The next morning Ender wakes to an old man waiting in his room on the floor. They begin to fight and Ender learns a valuable lesson from the man, that he isnt always going to win. The man introduces himself as Mazer Rackham the pilot that supposedly died saving Earth in the second invasion. Ender begins to ask how he could be alive. In response Rackham shows him deleted footage of his cockpit cam of him ejecting right before he crashed into the mother ship. Ender begins to do simulations with his crew including all his once friends from battle school. They win every battle simulation once a day every day for months. Then they have their graduation simulation. They succeed on destroying all the buggers ships. They then use the biggest and newest little doctor, a machine that tears apart molecules and turns it to dust. It destroys the entire planet, setting off a chain reaction destroying all the buggers. However, it also destroy all the I.F. military ships, including all the human men on board.   They were sacrificed, but the Enders army did not know this at the time. They always thought the battles were simulations. Afterwards all the high ranking officials come and thank Ender and his commanders. Ender is confused on why they are so happy. They tell him that all the battles were never simulations, but actual battles. Then that hits Ender. He just then realized that he killed off an entire race and thousands of Earths soldiers. They trank him so he doesnt overreact. Chapter 15: Speaker for the Dead Ender awakes to find out that he is being prosecuted for murder against Stilson and Bonzo. Ender stays in Eros through all of the trials. The court finally comes to the verdict not guilty because they found it to be self-defense both times. Ender wants to return home, but cant according to Valentine. Valentine claims that she made it to where Ender can never go back to earth. Her and Peter had made a pact with all of the government officials on Earth to not allow Ender to ever come back to Earth for his own safety. He stays on Eros and starts the first outer space colony for the humans. He also begins to search the universe for a colony spot for the Buggers final queen egg to hatch. Ender was the only one that knew that the queen egg was never actually destroyed. He looks for a long time to find the right place.   He realizes now that they meant no harm to the humans. So he feels that is his duty to do this for them as payment for what he did. Symbols: The first symbol is Peter as a reminder to Ender to never to purposely become a bully and a killer like him.   One instance is when Ender retaliated against Stilson for picking on him.   Another example, is when Ender got ganged up on by Bonzo in the showers. Ender didnt want to harm them, in fact, he didnt want to fight them at all. He only did in self-defense. He always thought of his brother as a reminder of how he did not want to become.   The second symbol is Valentine who represents love and family and someone that will always be there for Ender.   One main example of this is when Valentine creates the pact to never allow Ender to return to earth. She loved her brother so much that she couldnt risk him coming back to be harmed, even if that meant sacrificing being with him again.   Another example is how Valentine was always there to support Ender, she always had a strong love for her brother and it showed. Theme: I think that the message to be learned from Enders Game is that love and compassion conquers all.   I feel this theme was present through a lot of the book.   For example: Enders sister Valentine risked having her brother ever returning home to be with her.   This was done out of love for her brother and his best well-being.   Another example, is the compassion that Ender showed the Queen Bugger at the end of the story.   He understood that they didnt want to harm the humans and they didnt need to fight anymore. He was compassionate by finding a safe place for the queens egg to hatch, so it would not be found.   I believe the authors purpose for telling the story was to show the hardships a young boy faced.   He encountered isolation, hate, murder, and war.   However, in the end all Ender wanted was love and compassion for all. For all humans and non-humans to love one another.   Movie and Book difference description:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the book Ender goes from Salamander Army to Rat Army then to command of Dragon Army. But in the movie he went from Salamander Army to command of Dragon Army. In the book he met Dink in Rat Army. In the movie he meets him in Salamander Army. In the movie Ender goes by himself to discover the queen Bugger egg. In the book he goes with a little boy from his colony on Eros. In the movie he discovers the egg then leaves right away in the book he consults with Valentine about leaving with him. Also in the movie Valentine never travels to Eros with the first colony. In the book she comes to Eros to see Ender and help him with the colony. Those were the major differences between the book and movie.

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Environement Essay Example For Students

Environement Essay Features of Argumentation The logic of everyday argumentation should be based upon common data or information that is accepted by everyone. A warrant need to be used in order to relate the evidence that is presented in an argument to the claim that is being made. When creating an argument, one usually uses grounds that are well known by their peers of the same field of study. In this way, most arguments are specific to a certain area of study; however, information that is considered common knowledge is easily warranted in other fields of study besides philosophy. Once an argument is written, a very important warrant is distinguishable. The language that is used in the argument can be interpreted as grounds for the actual argument. The style that is used represent how strongly the author believes in the argument, and where their position is on the conclusion of the claim as well as playing an enormous part in convincing the reader to think further about the claim that is being presented. A claim is presented that give a possible conclusion to an argument and then evidence is presented that supports the claim. This is not enough for a, Complex academic argument, the author also has to create warrants that link the evidence to the claim being made. Often times a narrative can is used as a basic warrant. In this method the author gives details and describes events and situations that can establish a relationship between the grounds being made about the claim. A Complex Academic Argument, is based on a claim and the grounds that are made to support it. In previous papers I have used this technique in supporting my argument. The mistake that I made in the past was that I always to a pro or con position. A Complex Academic Argument, only gives the reader a single view on a subject, not an overall decision of pro or con.

Iphone Vrio Model Essay Example

Iphone Vrio Model Paper Apple Inc. Case Study # 1 iPhone [pic] Professor Chug-Shing Lee BUSA 499 Capstone October 1, 2008 Analysis Conducted By Apex [pic] Ryan Boykin Ashley Fiorini Lance Tanaka Matt Webb Executive Summary Apple has demonstrated that innovation can lead to market dominance with products like the iPod. With products such as this, Apple has developed a brand that has built a customer base with astonishing loyalty. According to Business week, Apple was thirty third for top brands in the world. (Businessweek. om, 2007) Since they have developed innovative products with intuitive designs it has helped establish it as the premiere business for handheld electronics. Over the past few years Apple turned its eyes on the cellular phone market which created some issues that our team has been able to identify. Team Apex discovered that the current price did not appear appropriate for the target market. At present the current marketing for most of Apple’s products seems to be for a more youthful and technologically advance demographic. It is difficult to imagine the target market being able to afford the iPhone. This demonstrates that Apple’s target market may not be the right one for the current iPhone. Apple has had success over the past few years with mass production of electronic devices and would appear reasonable for them to exploit their brand to its full potential by developing new products. Currently Apple creates immense value for their consumers by offering products that are difficult to imitate. Unfortunately, this will not stop current and possibly new companies from copying Apple’s success by developing similar products and launching similar target methodologies. One way Apple has continued to be successful is by staying ahead of their competition and keep up on a constant stream of new products. When entering the cellular phone market Apple is facing numerous competitors and must offer a product that is unique to those counter parts. After analyzing Apple’s new product, the iPhone, it seems that there are a few courses of actions that could be taken. We will write a custom essay sample on Iphone Vrio Model specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Iphone Vrio Model specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Iphone Vrio Model specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When addressing the issues we have identified it seems that Apple should continue with the theme of developing multiple versions of the same product. Team Apex would suggest that Apple create a cheaper version of the iPhone more suited for business professionals and would be primarily used for phone calls, e-mail and web-browsing. This phone would have less memory then the current iPhone allow them to charge a lower price. This would in turn increase the volume of iPhones being produce and allow Apple to charge lower prices for all of their phones. This case study has helped our team discovered new aspects about business that we never believe to be good courses of action. Apple has demonstrated to us that if you are not reaching the right market creating a new product specifically designed for that market. Looking at Apple’s line of iPods it seems almost ridiculous the amount and variety they have developed but when looking at it with the insight from the classes we have taken it can see that Apple has developed a digital music player for almost any type of consumer. In the long term that is what our team would like to see happen with the iPhone. We also found that using strategic analytical tools such as Porter’s Five Forces and VRIO models, can help determine key issues a company faces while determine how they can create a competitive advantage. Developing these competitive advantage has been a key to Apple’s success and they must continue to determine how to sustain in order to stay dominate in the electronics. In our analysis of Apple Computer, now known as Apple Inc. , we will unveil the company’s intricacies and how Apple has successfully positioned themselves within the communication industry. Apple Inc. esigns, manufactures, and sells computers, music players, and now mobile communication devices. Apple Inc. has always been known by its users as a revolutionary and innovative company that never fails to deliver quality products that make you say â€Å"wow†; the iPhone is no exception. With its introduction to the public at the Macworld convention in 2007 the vision for the iPhone was introduced as a bold, risky, and amazing concept with the focus on revolutionizing handheld devices and their total package capabilities. The ultimate goal for Apple Inc. s to transform and dominate the handset industry. In this study we will use proven industry testing methods such as Porters 5 Forces Model and Strategic Analysis to show the strengths and weakness of the corporation. Both me thods will help us understand how Apple Inc. is currently functioning within the communication industry and where its real impact is on the structure of the $11 billion dollar a year mobile phone market. 2. Background Apple Computer Inc. was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in April 1976. It began as a computer software and hardware manufacturer. Apple Computer Inc. s noted as having one of the largest and most loyal customer bases that have helped solidify consistent growth for the company. In 2007 Apple Computer Inc. became Apple Inc. to reflect its expansion into the consumer electronics market while still maintaining its traditional focus on the personal computer. Apple Inc. has metamorphed from being known as strictly a computer company into a diverse technology company that is known for its art, video, graphics, and always pushing the envelope as a content creator. CEO Steve Jobs is not only the company leader he is one of it principal visionaries. Jobs latest creation is the iPhone. He refers to it as a â€Å"magical device that will change the world. † 3. Mission and Objectives 3. 1 Apple Inc. Mission Statement Apple Computer is committed to protecting the environment, health and safety of our employees, customers and the global communities where we operate. We recognize that by integrating sound environmental health and safety management practices into all aspects of our business, we can offer innovative technological products and services while conserving and enhancing recourses for future generations. Apple Inc. strives for continuous improvement in our environmental, health and safety management systems and in the environmental quality of our products, processes and services. (Apple) 3. 2 Issues Problems With careful analysis of Apple Inc. ’s current market positioning we have collectively agreed that there are two major criteria that Apex strongly suggests Apple Inc. re-evaluate in regards to the manufacturing, marketing, and selling of the highly recognizable iPhone. The first problem that the group identified is the current pricing of the iPhone. Cost is extremely high and not within the budget of its target market. The second problem is the target market. To date Apple is focusing on the younger â€Å"techno† crowd. Though these consumers do covet the phone few actually have the resources to actually purchase it. 4. Strategic Analysis 4. 1 Porters 5 Forces Model v ^ ^ 4. 1. 1 Threat of Entry Apple Inc. not only had to face a number of barriers to entry in the development of the iPhone but they must also worry about potential competitors overcoming them as well. Although Apple currently has an advantage with its innovative products it must always be aware of the ease that a competitor can copy its products, especially in the extremely competitive field of cellular phones. However those new companies to the market will not only have to compete with the strong brand that Apple Inc. has built but will also have to face barriers more strenuous then what Apple had to face. 1. Economies of Scale Apple Inc. had an existing experience in manufacturing mass-market consumer electronics devices, many of which share similar components of the iPhone; so Apple Inc. was not negatively affected by this barrier. Since Apple Inc. had the production lines and personnel to make advance electronic products such as, the iPod and their line of computers, it wasn’t difficult to develop a production line capable of mass production of the iPhone. New entrants may not have that comfort as the cell phone market is almost defined by its mass-market environment. A new company entering this market would have one of two choices available: 1) They sell their product at a higher price to make up for the fact they can’t sell the same volume as a company like Apple Inc. and must hope that the consumer sees the higher price as a indicator of better quality. Or 2) They sell their product at a lower price probably occurring a loss per unit in hopes of selling a high volume and banking on sales of applications that can be purchased for the phone. In either situation it is extremely risky as both could lead to the company’s collapse. 2. Access to Distribution Channels Although Apple Inc. has had success with the distribution of its products it does face issues with this barrier due to the limited retailers of the iPhone and the fact that there is currently only one service provider. The iPhone is only available through a limited number of distribution channels those being Apple Inc. nd ATT stores and auction websites, like eBay, and it is only supported by the ATT network. A future entrant to the market could create an advantage by make their product more available for multiple carriers and multiple retailers. 3. Product Differentiation In general this trait is favorable for Apple Inc. because the iPhone is significantly different th an most of its competitors. First and foremost, the iPhone 3G is a revolutionary phone with a high call quality as its main point of parity. A list of the iPhone’s highlighted features includes the iPod, Internet tool (Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE network). Apple Inc. also has a certain amount of protection through the strength of its brand identity. The problem with cell phones is product differentiation can be emulated, to a certain extent. Cell phones are pretty uniform in functionality and use and not overly differentiated between each other. However, recently LG with Verizon have just release the Dare, an iPhone like product, in hopes of attacking some of Apple’s market share. Not to mention companies like, Samsung and Nokia, have released designs and plans to develop their own versions of an iPhone. 4. Capital Requirements Since Apple Inc. ad already been successful with their computers and the iPod they had an advantage with having the capital required to start mass production of a new product. Apple Inc. also has experience with developing software and hardware, which gives them another advantage as they do not need to spend as much time and money in the research and development stages as a new phone manufacturer would. S o, to most effectively compete with the iPhone they will need to invest significantly in certain areas. Apple Inc. itself did not face much resistance with this barrier because of their experience creating both software and hardware. Companies looking to enter this market with have difficult barriers to overcome in order to compete at the same level as Apple Inc. and unless a company has experience in developing consumer electronics it seems very unlikely that they can experience similar success. 5. Government Policy Any company looking to enter this market has two governmental factors they must consider before entering the market: 1) the strength of current manufactures patents and 2) the regulatory obligations and approval requirements of the FCC (Apple Insider, 2007), which governs communication technologies in the United States. Apple has gained another advantage by acquiring a patent and FCC approval for the IPhone. This will make it more difficult for competitors to copy the iPhone but we are sure will not stop companies from developing their own versions of this successful product. 4. 1. 2. Threat of Substitutes Porter’s five-force model validates that all forms of communication devices threaten the mobile phone industry as a whole. The iPhone’s top priority is to provide its customers with a complete solution in the mobile phone industry with added features and benefits. Quoting Steve Jobs â€Å"the original iPhone, it combines three products in one — a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser† (Steve Jobs, 2008). Examples of substitute industries include landlines, pagers, walkie talkies, computers, fax machines, and snail mail. If the mobile phone industry cannot meet the needs of its customers at a reasonable price, then substitute products play a key threat. Landlines are evolving to be more of a direct competitor to the mobile phone industry, but they still provide its services at a different vantage point. Landlines are non-wireless receivers that are offered at a much lower cost than mobile phones. Computers (notebook and desktop) offer numerous options in the communication sector, which include electronic mail, live chat, and communication software. Collectively, fax, snail mail, pagers, and walkie talkies make up a small portion of the market share, but still pose a threat for unsatisfied customers in the wireless industry. . 1. 3. Threat of Buyers The buyers market consists of a large amount of individuals or corporations that own one or multiple cell phones. Due to the large market, the lost of a buyer is not a key threat. When a buyer is purchasing a new cell phone, the process at times is overwhelming due to the wide variety of differentiated products. Buyers play an important role in the strategic pricing for a new cell phone b ecause they have no obligations in purchasing a cell phone from a single supplier. Buyer’s spending habits will change accordingly with the economy’s position. For example, if economic profits are high then buyers are willing to spend versus saving their disposable income. Mobile phones have become integrated as a point of parity in the American lifestyle, and economic profits will determine the price a buyer is willing to pay for a cell phone. 4. 1. 4 Threat of Rivalry The number of competing firms within the mobile phone industry is increasing, while a few firms make up the majority of the market share. Provided by CNET is a list of suppliers that operate within the same industry as Apple’s iPhone, and a count of their product offerings. [pic] Direct competition includes all mobile phones that can be subcategorized as a basic, smart, camera, mp3, or videophone. The industries large selection of mobile phone manufacturers creates a strong threat of rivalry. The iPhone has made its debut as a smart phone targeting the higher-income demographic, but this does not eliminate the fact that all subcategories of cell phones contribute to the strengthening threat of rivalry. According to CNET Senior Editor Kent German (2008), the editor’s top cell phones include the LG Dare, RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320, Nokia N95, Samsung Instinct, Sony Ericsson W760i, and the newest edition of direct competition comes from Google introducing the T-Mobile G1. 4. 1. 5. Threat of Suppliers There are several suppliers of component parts in the mobile communication industry; therefore, manufacturers are able to make preferable purchasing agreements, allowing their manufacturing cost to then be reduced. The low cost from suppliers puts pressure on manufacturing to in turn pass on the savings to the end consumer. Other suppliers offer specific applications to be used on mobile phones, including the use of digital games (Electronic Arts, 2008). Employees also are a key component as they supply knowledge and expertise to the development of mobile communication products. Without their skills, innovation would be limited, an imperative factor for survival in this industry. Research and development in this industry is vital to the success of a mobile communication product. Suppliers in this industry are fundamental to a product’s successful development and its competitive advantage. 5. Assessment for Competitive Advantage 5. 1 Internal Strengths and Weaknesses A firm strives to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace to maximize value, and this is achieved using the VRIO framework. The VRIO framework consists of four questions that are used to analyze a firm’s internal strengths and weaknesses that determine its current situation. Provided by Barney, J. B. , and Hesterly, W. S. (2008) is a compiled list of the VRIO framework’s four questions, 1) The question of Value: Do resources and capabilities enable a firm to exploit an external opportunity or neutralize and external threat? 2) The question of Rarity: Is a resource currently controlled by only a small number or competing firms? 3) The question of imitability: Do firms without a resource face a cost disadvantage in obtaining or developing it? 4) The question of Organ ization: Are a firm’s other policies and procedures organized to support the exploitation of its valuable, rare, and costly-to-imitate resources? 5. 1. 1 VRIO Model VRIO | | | | |Value |Rarity |Imitability |Organization |Competitive Implications | |Brand |Yes |Yes |Yes |Yes |Sustained Competitive Advantage | |Design |Yes |No |Yes |Yes |Temporary Competitive Advantage | |Logistics |Yes |No |No |Yes |Competitive Parity | |Marketing |Yes |No |Yes |Yes |Temporary Competitive Advantage | Apple Inc. relies heavily on its brand’s reputation to sustain a competitive advantage in the marketplace no matter what product or service is being sold. They are recognized as a top performance firm because they have learned to exploit the brand name into the marketplace creating a high-perceived value by customers, which are not easily imitated. The question of rarity defines the iPhone’s highest internal threat because other firms are able to share this field of expertise, which include its design, logistics, and marketing. The iPhone’s design and functions are unique, and the bar is set high for competing products. The question of imitability has allowed the iPhone as an emergent product to have a temporary competitive advantage, until firms were able to launch its competitive products. Depending upon the imitation product, the value detracted from the iPhone is strengthened as a variety of direct and substitution products are developed. Apple Inc. apabilities in exploiting their resources and capabilities to its fullest have landed the firm a spot as the seventh contender in Fortune’s top 20 most admired Amer ican companies of 2007. Provided below is eight key attributes in scoring brand reputation (Fortunes, 2007). [pic] 5. 1. 2. Resources and Competencies In the resource-based view, the resources of Apple Inc. , the developer of the iPhone, include both tangible and intangible assets. The corporation’s tangible assets are its numerous factories and equipment, and its iPhone brand product (along with the Macintosh Computer and iPod). Another tangible asset of Apple, Inc. is its distribution system which consists of online retailers including Amazon. om; the Apple website; Apple stores; major retail stores including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Circuit City; and through cellular providers (Klazit, 2007). An organizational resource is its reputation among customers. Apple is known for its creativity and innovation which is an intangible asset. An effective capability of the company is its superior development of innovative products. Human resources are imperative to the success of Apple Inc. ’s iPhone, as every employee provides innovation, experience, intelligence and important relationships. 6. Industry Trends The wireless industry has experienced a tremendous growth in both its suppliers and buyers. According to Plunkett Research, â€Å"There were more than 3 billion global cellular telephone subscribers by mid 2008, including more than 260 million in the U. S. alone† (2008). The mobile phone industry exploits its product’s lifecycle that continuously update its technology between the growth and maturity phase. This sequence has allowed for numerous amounts of technology to enter the mobile industry’s boundless lifecycle. The increasing competition in the wireless industry has plummeted pricing strategies for manufacturers and service providers. Cellular phones are becoming a necessity in today’s demand for immediate communication. Previously mentioned is the growing numbers in wireless subscribers, and there is a large market opportunity in potential buyers hat include first time subscribers and those who are ready to upgrade in technology. Quoting Plunkett Research (2008), â€Å"new cell phone handsets have been selling at a rate of more than 1. 2 billion yearly-making the cellular phone the fastest-selling single item of consumer electronics by far. † The following statistics do not reflect Apple Inc. ’s target market for the iPhone, but its does demonstrate the industry’s increasing demand. According to the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (2008), â€Å"today, approximately 79% of all teens (17 million) have a mobile device – a 26% increase since 2005, and most teens have a conventional cell phone while about 15% own a smart phone. Economic variables will affect consumer behavior in purchasing a cellular phone, but it is inevitable that mobile communication devices have become integrated into the human lifestyle. 7. Strategic Development Recommendation 7. 1 Strategic Option 1 The first option that we think Apple Inc. can implement helps cover both of the dilemmas we have identified. This option would to develop a new marketing campaign that would start to target business professionals. This would consist of dual advertising with one set of ads directed to the consumers who want an iPhone for personal use and media aspect of Apple Inc. ’s products, such as music and videos. The other advertisements would be directed to business professionals with a stronger emphasis on more business useful applications like web browsing and e-mail. 7. 1. 1. Disadvantages of Strategic Option 1 However, there are advantages and disadvantages to this option. The first and largest disadvantage would be the capital and resources required to develop this new stream of marketing. Since Apple Inc. has had great success with their products, thanks to intelligent marketing campaigns, it seems that this would not be a major issue for them. Another disadvantage of undertaking a duel marketing campaign is that it could dissuade one of their target markets. One of the markets could start to feel that the iPhone is not a good product for them because of advertisements suggesting that the product is more suited for business professionals or media users. The last disadvantage we have identified is that with any new marketing there is a chance of failure which could lead to a loss of capital for Apple Inc. 7. 1. 2. Advantages to Strategic Option 1 One advantage of this new campaign would be that Apple Inc. could tap into the professional market and create a new source of revenue. This would also allow Apple Inc. to being to receive a portion of the market share that Blackberry has over business professionals. Another great advantage is that Apple Inc. could begin to create corporate accounts; these would be a lower price per unit to companies willing to buy a large volume for employees. By offering lower prices to companies purchasing mass quantities not only creates incentives for businesses but could also lead to a lower price across the broad for the iPhone. Due to economics of scale if Apple Inc. could begin to sale a large volume of iPhones they could eventually drop the price for all consumers. This could also allow Apple Inc. to start building more relationships with corporations and begin to interest companies into building their IT departments around Apple Inc. roducts. Currently Dell is the largest retailer to corporation as a majority of businesses have developed their computers systems around Dell personal computers. If Apple Inc. could build on relationships established by accounts for iPhones they could possible create incentives for business to convert to their line of comp uters. 7. 2 Strategic Option 2 The next option our team discussed and believes would work best for Apple would be to approve the research and development of a new iPhone. The new product would be specially designed for the business professional while leaving the current iPhone for a more youthful or media oriented consumer. Our team believes that Apple could design an iPhone with better business applications and wouldn’t require the memory and storage the current iPhone needs for media options. An idea our team had was to develop an iPhone with which a professional user could possible view a power point while taking a call so that person could view and hear a presentation anywhere. 7. 2. 1. Disadvantages of Strategic Option 2 The disadvantages here are even more severe then the first option as the money and time required to develop such a product would be great. This also gives time to the competition that are already targeting business professional to strengthen their grip on that market. Other disadvantage are similar to our first strategic option as consumers might choose a different brand if they feel they can’t get all the options they are looking for with either iPhone. Apple Inc. could also end up spending a great deal of money on an unsuccessful product as they not only would have to create this new product but again would need to create marketing for it as well. 7. 2. 2. Advantages of Strategic Option 2 One advantage would be the ability to offer this new iPhone at a lower price than the current one. Since the new iPhone would not have to have as many applications and storage space as the current one, they could sell it at a lower cost to the consumer. Again building corporate accounts could be another benefit of developing this product and businesses could have more of an incentive for this product as they would feel that it is a product built for business uses. Apple could also begin to sell a large number of this new product and could lead to them being able to offer both iPhones at a lower cost and take control of both markets. Apple Inc. could also become more actively involved with corporations and could again work on building relationships to interest companies in purchasing computer systems by them. 7. 3 Measurement The strategy chosen will be measured in a number of ways. One way that the results will be measured is through Apple Inc. ’s market share of the mobile communication industry. This will be calculated as a percentage of the total market share in sales. Another way the strategy will be measured is through an increase of sales. Taking into consideration external forces including competition, the economy, and other influences, an increase of sales may indicate whether the implemented strategy has been successful. 8. Strategic Implications 8. 1 Managerial Implications Evaluating the mobile phone industry as a whole, we better understand the difference between root causes and symptoms when analyzing Apple Inc. The issues we have identified in this case helped instill the fundamentals of obtaining a sustainable competitive advantage.

Winnebago Tribe Of Nebraska Essay Example For Students

Winnebago Tribe Of Nebraska Essay At the time of first contact with Europeans in 1634, the Winnebago tribe inhabited Red Banks, the South Shore of what is now Green Bay, Wisconsin (Radin 1990). Although it appears that the tribe migrated into the area during the second of four Siouan migrations from the East, the tribe has no migration stories. The Winnebago tribe asserts that their people originated at Green Bay. All other locations mentioned within the tribe’s creation stories are also located in modern day Wisconsin. The tribe is thought to have migrated to the area along with the Iowa, Oto, and Missouri tribes. Sometime after the 16th century, they were isolated from other Siouan groups and formed their own distinct way of life. We will write a custom essay on Winnebago Tribe Of Nebraska specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As is common throughout Native American history, the name given to the Winnebago by Europeans is the name used through another tribe of people when referring to them. â€Å"Winnebago† is not what the tribe initially called themselves, but what their neighbors, the Algonquin peoples and the tribe’s geographical neighbors, called them. Many similarities exist between the two groups as a result of their close proximity. Prior to contact, the Winnebago’s called themselves â€Å"Hotcangara,† which has been interpreted to mean â€Å"big fish people† by tribal observers. The Winnebago tribe, and their geographical area are associated with numerous effigy earth mounds. During anthropologist’s first attempts to interpret the mounds in the 19th century, the earthen mounds were thought to be antiquarian. After speaking with tribal members, however, researchers found that many of the tribal elders remembered when some of the mounds were erected. The moun ds themselves were built as an effigy to the particular clan’s animal, and it appears that the mounds were essentially property markers that were erected near clan habitations and plantations. Similar effigies are also seen in porcupine quillwork, on war bundles, and on woven bags still used by the tribe today. The Winnebago speak a Siouan dialect called Chiwere (Sultzman). With the exception of the Dakota Sioux who were originally located at the western edge of Lake Superior, the Winnebago were the only Siouan speaking tribe of the Great Lakes. Their language is nearly identical to that of the Iowa, Oto, and Missouri. These tribes acknowledge that they separated from the Winnebago not long before the tribe’s first contact with Europeans. Despite the fact that the Siouan language family is named after the Sioux tribes, Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota, the Winnebago are probably a more important branch of that particular language family. This is because it is closer in relat ion to the Dhegiha dialect of the Osage, Quapaw, Omaha, Kansa, and Ponca, many of whom refer to the Winnebago as grandfathers or elder brothers. Prior to contact, the Winnebago resembled the Algonquin in many ways. They fished using dugout canoes, and hunted buffalo from the prairies of southern Wisconsin. The Winnebago also gathered a form of wild rice from the nearby lakes during the fall. The tribe supplemented their hunting and gathering with horticultural crops. In fact, the Winnebago were one of the northernmost horticultural groups in North America. Despite the limited growing season at Red Banks, the Winnebago managed to grow three types of corn in addition to beans, squash, and tobacco. The tribal members used pottery for cooking and food storage, and copper implements created using resources from the south shore of Lake Superior. The Winnebago also resembled the Algonquin in that they were patrilineal with respect to descent and clan membership (Sultzman). This means that clan membership is determined through the father. Clan membership is important because the twelve Winnebago clans served both ceremonial and socia l functions. In Winnebago society, the clans were grouped into two major moieties, an Upper Sky group with four clans, and a Lower Earth group consisting of eight other clans. Clan membership was also extremely important among the Winnebago tribe for political reasons. The Winnebago’s Chiefs governed the tribe with the aid of a Tribal Council composed of a principal member of each individual clan. Traditionally, the Thunderbird and Bear clans were the most important groups in Winnebago society because the hereditary Chiefs of the tribe were always chosen from the Thunderbird (Upper) and Bear (Lower) clans (Radin 1945). The Upper Chief of the Thunderbird clan was the tribe’s representative of peace. Despite the tribe’s apparent emphasis on war, the Upper Chief could not go to war, or participate in any of the tribe’s war ceremonies. He was responsible for pleading for clemency for an accused criminal, and for providing refuge to prisoners in order to maint ain their safety. His lodge was a sacred asylum, and no one dared violate it. The Lower Chief’s duties, on the other hand, were a sharp contrast from those of the Upper Chief. He was associated with the policing of the tribe, as well as responsible for disciplinary and war functions. The Lower Chief was charged with inflicting punishment on criminals, housing prisoners, and guarding the village. In addition, he took charge of the tribe when they were on a communal warpath, or hunt. His lodge is where the sacred war bundles were stored and guarded against contamination. .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .postImageUrl , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:hover , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:visited , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:active { border:0!important; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:active , .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u488ad220e17c7053290dff14e1e0df2c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: SINGLE PARENTHOOD EssayFrom five years of age, both boys and girls in the Winnebago society were exposed to a series of talks from an older male relative in order to teach them various tribal customs (Radin 1990). This training ended abruptly at puberty when both sexes were sent out to fast. Boys were sent out overnight after their faces were painted with charcoal and instructed not to return until dawn. If they were not blessed, then they were sent out for progressively longer periods of time to fast and pray until they were blessed by the Spirits. This was the only puberty rite for male adolescents. Females, on the other hand, had a different puberty custom. Although als o encouraged to fast and become blessed, girls were required to do so while residing in a menstrual lodge. From the onset of menses to menopause, Winnebago women were required to reside in a menstrual lodge for a few days each month over the course of their entire adult lives. A lodge may contain anywhere from one to three women at any given time, but no reason was given as to why a limit of three women was placed on each lodge. Women were required to retire to the lodge because it was believed by the Winnebago that if a menstruating woman were to come into contact with sacred objects, the object would lose it’s power. Great care was taken in this society to keep menstruating women away from anything of value, even other tribal member’s food. It was almost as if the menstruating woman was cursed. As soon as a girl returns to her parent’s lodge after her first menses, she is then considered ready for marriage. Both men and women were married off as soon as they r eached the appropriate age, and their spouses were chosen by their parents. No ceremony was involved aside from the exchange of presents. Polygamy was permitted in Winnebago society, but rarely chosen. If a man did choose to take a second wife, it was generally a female relative of his first wife such as a sister or niece. The religion of the Winnebago is difficult to describe. It appears to have been a close spiritual relationship with perceived supernatural powers (Radin 1990). The Winnebago of the past, and many of today, believe in guardian spirits. They attempted to bring such spirits into close relations with themselves through fasting, prayer, mental concentration, offerings, and sacrifices. In their religion, the concept of evil, death, reincarnation, an afterlife, and the soul all exist. Origin myths, such as the origin myth of the medicine dance, placed an Earthmaker, or Great Spirit, as the giver of life, and other spirits as his intermediaries. Through both the spirits and shamans, the Earthmaker bestowed blessings upon the Winnebago people. The tribe also believed in a creature dubbed the Trickster (Radin 1956). The Trickster is an impulsive creative and destructive force who does not consciously make any decisions. He does not understand the concepts of good or evil, but he is nonetheless responsible for both. He is not moral or social because he possesses no values, yet somehow it is through his actions that all values came into being. He is not however the only being in the Winnebago religion that possesses such powers, other various supernatural beings, as well as man and the animals are connected with the same characteristics. In recent times, other religious ideas have permeated into the Winnebago society. Two apparently related revival movements have occurred within the Winnebago society (Radin 1990). The first is the teachings of the Shawnee Prophet. He proposed that all Native American tribes must return to the older, purer way of life that they lived before contact with the Europeans. The second is the peyote (mescal) religion. Peyote was apparently brought to the tribe by a man named Rave when he returned from a trip to Oklahoma in the early 1900’s. The man claimed that eating peyote cured him of disease. Later, elements of Christianity were mixed w ith the ingestion of peyote. The peyote cult spread quickly along family lines and is still practiced today in many Native American tribes, including the Winnebago. The Winnebago tribe first encountered white men in 1634 when Jean Nicollet, an agent for Governor Champlain of France, sent him to the Green Bay area. The tribes pre-contact population is estimated to be about 8,000 people. Many believe that it was likely much higher. When Nicollet revisited the Winnebago in 1639, he estimated that the tribe had about 5,000 warriors. Such a number suggests a total population of around 20,000 Winnebagos living in the area. The higher figure, if true, would be consistent with the Winnebagos oral tradition which states that, due to over-population, several large groups, such as the Iowa, Oto, and Missouri tribes, left the Winnebago tribe a short time before Nicollets initial visit. For many reasons, such as epidemic disease and war in the region, when the French returned to the area 30 years later, the Winnebago consisted of fewer than 500 people. .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .postImageUrl , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:hover , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:visited , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:active { border:0!important; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:active , .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63362acf7ede6554925477ea1259926d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: America In Gilded Age EssayFrom near-extinction, the Winnebago tribe began a slow repopulation. In 1736, the French estimated the tribe to contain only about 700 members. Their population soon grew rapidly through intermarriage with neighboring Algonquin. As a result, the purest Winnebago bloodline may actually be the Iowa, Oto, and Missouri tribes. It should be noted, however, that even after intermarriage with Algonquin, the Winnebago made few changes to their traditional social and political structures. Remarkably, at a time in history when other native populations were declining, the Winnebago’s numbers actually increased. In 1825, American Indian agents in Wisc onsin estimated the Winnebago tribe’s population to be around 5,800 people. Even after a smallpox epidemic in 1835, the tribe’s numbers only dropped to about 4,500 members. The first accurate count of Winnebago peoples was done in 1842 after they were removed by the United States Federal Government from Wisconsin to Fort Atkinson, Iowa. At the time, there were 2,200 Winnebago living in Iowa, and an unknown population attempting to remain in Wisconsin. With Iowa statehood in 1846, the Winnebago were removed again. In 1845, the Winnebago exchanged their Iowa lands for an 800,000 acre reservation in Minnesota. The move placed the Winnebago as a buffer between the warring Dakota Sioux and Ojibwe tribes. Some Winnebago managed to remain in Iowa, but most of the tribe was removed to Minnesota during the late 1840’s. The new location consisted of poor soil and a short growing season, not to mention the constant battles taking place there between the Dakota Sioux and the Ojibwe. The Ojibwe used the Winnebago reservation as a battleground to attack the Dakota Sioux. As a result, in 1856, the Federal Government allowed the Winnebago to exchange the reservation for another located farther south in Minnesota. Unfortunately, as the Winnebago tribe’s population declined, they were forced to surrender a portion of their reservation in 1859 because it was deemed by the Federal Government to be â€Å"excess lands.†In 1862, the Winnebago were again forcibly gathered together and deported by the Federal Government. This time, they were sent by steamboat to the Crow Creek reservation of the Yankton Sioux in South Dakota. Conditions were unbearable at the Yankton Sioux reservation. Many members of the Winnebago tribe attempted to return to Minnesota or Wisconsin. The remaining 1,200 Winnebago living in South Dakota fled down the Missouri River to the Omaha reservation in eastern Nebraska for refuge. In 1865, the Federal Government finally accepted the Winnebago self-relocation and purchased 40,000 acres from the Omaha tribe to provide them with their own reservation. Again in 1868, in the Federal Indian Bureau’s infinite wisdom, a plan was proposed to once again relocate the Winnebago tribe. This time, they wanted to remove the Winnebago to North Dakota so that they could act as a buffer between the Lakota Sioux and the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes. The Winnebago promptly declined the offer, an d unbelievably, the Federal Government left them in Nebraska. During this time, Winnebago men and women were regularly being arrested in Wisconsin and returned to their reservation in Nebraska. Within a month, the same individuals were usually already back in Wisconsin. In 1875, after ten years of arresting the same Winnebago over and over again, the Federal Government purchased homestead lands in Wisconsin for the Winnebago, and let them remain there if they wished. As a consequence of this purchase, over half of the Nebraska Winnebago returned to Wisconsin in the late 1800’s and have remained there sprinkled across ten counties ever since. The Winnebago who remained in Nebraska eventually lost a portion of their reservation to whites through the Allotment Policy which took effect in 1887. Currently, both the Nebraska and Wisconsin Winnebago tribes are federally recognized. For this paper, due to their close geographic proximity to myself, I chose to concentrate on the Winnebago tribe of Nebraska. The Winnebago tribe of Nebraska currently operates under a constitution consistent with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska). They are governed by a tribal council which consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and nine other elected council members. The Chairman is elected from within the tribal council and acts as the administrative head of the Tribe for a one year term, while other Council members serve three year terms. The Winnebago Tribal Headquarters is located on the 30,647 acre Winnebago reservation which houses 1,204 members in Thurston County, Nebraska. At this time, 3,736 Winnebago Indians have tribal membership in the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Remarkably, unlike many other Native American tribes, the Winnebago still own over ninety percent of reservation lands, despite the fact that much of it is allotted to individual tribal members. The majority of employment available on the reservation is currently provided by â€Å"WinneVegas† (the tribal Casino), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, and the tribe itself. Anthropology

Report of the Tomb of the Warriors essays

Report of the Tomb of the Warriors essays In 1947 two Chinese farmers accidentally stumbled onto a huge tomb of a king that died over c.2200 years ago the kings name was Qin Shi Huang. The special thing about this tomb is that it is guarded by several self firing cross bows and approximately 6000 fully armed terracotta life size statues containing archers, cavalry troop, charioteers, infantry and even horses guarding the tomb. State of the find and the treatment of the find A lot of the soldiers are still standing but a part of the tomb collapsed and knocked over several of the warriors. But so far 38 columns of soldiers have been excavated and approx 1000 soldiers have been restored to there original state. A museum has set up a little firing room so they can make duplicates of the men and sell them to other museums. Age of the find and dating methods used The vault is approximately 12500sq Km in size, it is believed that the tomb was built just after the king past away so that means its approximately 2200 years old as the king died in 210B.C. Back in this era it was common that people were superstitious. So I think the only reason king Qin surrounded himself in his army was to protect his soul from evil spirits and no man could last that long so he built his own life like army out of terracotta to protect him forever. ...

How Effective is Special Education Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Human Resource Management - Essay Example In order to keep an open mind to the situation of both the employees who are asking for lighter workload it is a good idea to start will looking at the client portfolios that each of the employees are currently holding. Those who have a tougher client listing should thus be catered to first as they are managing more than others. David has a more demanding client and as he has done his job in an efficient manner he should be considered above Jane for the time off. Not only this, but David has given his ideas on how he will make up his time off by working the extra hours which are certainly a plus for him. However, even David has conceded that there may be some effect of his lighter workload on his clients who are the main priority and so it then becomes difficult to let his off. In deciding the time that the employees have spent in the company and their track record there is also of great importance. In the end thought there will be an effect on either parties and there may well be th inking that will be established in the company that those who have kids have an easier job getting a lighter workload as compared to those who need it for other personal reasons. Electronic employee monitoring has taken off since the technological age has made it easier to do so. In certain cases there has been a lot of hue and cry over the idea of employees being monitored all the time in the workplaces. It, however, makes sense at times to be able to track the use of office time and resources. Employers should be able to gauge how much of the time employees spend doing work and how much is being spent otherwise as this can determine how employees are promoted and given other benefits. It is also necessary for companies to avoid espionage from the inside even and monitoring helps to do this. To avoid these threats call monitoring is perhaps within certain permissible limits. There is a downside, as such practices erode the privacy of the employees and certain ethical

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The best ideas Essay It is ingrained among most people that important discoveries and concepts are results of concerns about problems of huge complexity. Nevertheless, if we allow more reasoning about that, we are bound to find out that is not always the case since history has been showing us plethora of , say, cientific development triggered by investigation over facts often dismissed as trifles. In order to bolster the argument just stated, it will be useful to refer to the pioneer of Genetics, namely Mendel. Those who would doubt a reclusive monk could make any good science out of growing peas will be appalled by his outstanding achievements. Mendel, tending the pea trees as usual, realised that the collor of the pea beans, whether green or yellow, could be predicted under some controlled unaccuracy provided the parents trees were known. Moreover, after several experiments sedulously carried out, he came to the conclusion that the collor outcome in question was result of the crossing of the parents features following some determinative selection rules. Then gene concept was born and proved to be correct and useful through nowasdays. Apart from the preceding historic report, we can think of a number of other instances in which everyday facts conceal valuable information just waiting to be uncovered such as symmetry in a snowflake, shape of droplets, reflection upon a lake, waves ruffling around a bathtube, wings of a butterfly etc. Were we to look carefuly into them, we would come up with a lot of physical facts almost ubiquitious in nature whose consequences are more complexes than one can imagine. Therefore, it is seems to be clear that the best ideas quite often result of looking into passionately into simple thing surrounding us. Methaphorically speaking, nature tell us her secrets in the silence of commonplace things rather than in the hustle and bustle that builds up in our minds clustered in a noisy complexity.

Impact of widowhood on elderly women in nigeria

Impact of widowhood on elderly women in nigeria The paper examines the social structured context and implications of widowhood in Southeastern Nigeria. It argues that in spite of the efforts by formal and informal agencies to alleviate the burdens of widowhood, the gender informed discriminatory practice of mourning which exacts a heavy toll on women persists. In this case, widows are exposed to harsh and often cruel mourning practices which are especially tasking for elderly women who have to contend with frail physical health, loss of partners and the mental, psychological and physical stress of widowhood. Therefore, while these practices are norm oriented they expose the elderly widows to psychological and social coping challenges. However, these elderly widows are also often led into activities and social strategies perceived as capable of alleviating the burdens of widowhood. Equally interesting is the finding that widows who are actively engaged and enjoy social support cope better with the challenges of widowhood than other s. In view of the above, the paper argues for a more active role by social workers in informing care provisioning and policies for lessening the burdens of widowhood on elderly women. INTRODUCTION The plight of widows has been a recurrent theme in the efforts to address perceived or real gender imbalance in African societies even in contemporary times. In spite of this the traditional conception of mourning which places a higher burden on women has obviously defied reform efforts. Hence the focus on widows actually derives from the traditional and patriarchal nature of African societies in which women are often regarded as the silent role players. In such a situation a woman who loses her partner may confront culturally structured scenarios different from the case of a man in the same situation. Therefore, the imaginings of widowhood in African societies are socio-culturally structured and reinforced and generate significant gender imbalance. Widowhood, meaning loss of ones spouse whether early or later in life entails a lot of things, mostly problems for the bereaved. Its effects may even be worse when the bereaved is an elderly person. Her self identity also changes in the sense that it brings on an era of identity crisis. This is because the widows feel that the real essence of their being married has been lost by the death of spouses. Coping with this identity crisis depends to a large extent on the individuals capacity and will. For traditionally oriented women, the role of wife is central to their lives, structuring their lives not only in their house holds but also on the job and in answering the question who am I and these women often put wife of at the top of their lists (Atchley, 1996). Social recognition and acceptance also pose a problem to widows because often times, widowhood in African societies goes with the erosion of social recognition. Widows often face problems of declining social recognition and acceptance after the death of their spouses and this can be linked to their losing their central roles of wife. In dealing with the societal attitude, these women get involved in other activities that they think will help them get recognition from the public and this can be seen in their active involvement in politics. The elderly people in the society are often stereotyped as lazy, wicked, hard to please disgusting, sickly and sometimes even diabolical (Korieh, 2005). This can be explained by the fact that they are viewed as burdens and distractions from ones immediate family and responsibilities. This stereotype is wrong because in the society, old people who are kind, peaceful and God fearing can still be found and this shows that one being evil or nice has nothing to do with age but the persons character and dispositions in life. According to Hazelrigg (1977), age by itself is not the cause of anything and it gets meaning only from how we use it to sort people. Thus, although age is used systematically to distinguish and categorize people, age in itself explains very little or nothing at all. The loss of a spouse can be a very traumatic experience particularly for many older women who devoted most of their lives to their marriages, husbands and children. Widowhood has thus been called the exemplar of a stressful life event and perhaps requiring more adjustment than any other life transition. (Hatch, 2000; Gallagtor et al, 1983). In addition to this, isolation and exclusion from the social environment sets in all in the name of widowhood practices and rituals and the woman is not expected traditionally to look after herself or freshen-up. This is often defined crudely as not bathing or combing her hair (See Basden, 1966). He aptly captured this practice in traditional Igbo society. According to him the woman mourning: Moves from her deceased husbands house to a small but in another part of the compound. While dwelling in this hut, she wears no clothes unless perhaps a rag; she must sit on a block or wood and nowhere else. Instead of a sleeping mat, a banana leaf must suffice (Basden, 1966; 278). A prominent theoretical orientation in gerontology, the activity theory of aging argues that normal aging involves maintaining as long as possible the activities and attitudes of middle age (See, Havighurst, 1963; Brehm, 1968). The basic assertion of this theory is that individuals should be just as active and involved in a variety of different roles and responsibilities in their later years as they were in their middle years. Judging by the loneliness and feeling of aloneness these widows experience after living for decades with their spouses and losing them when their companionship is most needed- at retirement one would agree that the activity theory to a large extent captures the situation of these widow (See Atchley1996). Thus, according to Brehm (1968), except for the biological and health changes older people have essentially the same psychological and social needs as middle aged people. From our study, it was discovered that this activity theory is of very great significance as a reasonable number of elderly widows used in the study agreed that active involvement in occupation helped them deal with widowhood and its related stress. For them, it helped them overcome loneliness, provide them with resources and kept time moving. This is in live with the contention of Kunkel (1979), that working class widows adjust better during bereavement than those sick, jobless or incapacitated. Based on both the likely erosion of social recognition and insurmountable loss which widowhood occasions, widows have often had to face socio-psychological challenges. These challenges result from both the societal attitude to widows and more crucially the psychological and even physical health of widows. As the above discussion shows, the case of elderly women may be worse given the unexamined stereotype about their attitudes and behaviour (See Korieh, 2005). Therefore this study sought to ascertain the socio-psychological impact of widowhood on elderly women in a typical traditional setting in Nigeria. Such an exercise has undoubted policy and research implications since discrimination against widows form part of the much decried harmful traditional practices against women. Hence the outcome of this study may be instrumental in informing social policies for protection of women as well as pinpointing empirical and theoretical social work response to the problems of widowhood. The study was conducted in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Three quarters in the local government area viz Nkpunano, Nru and Ihe-owere were purposively chosen for the study. A total of 500 respondents were chosen through purposive sampling in the above three quarters. All the respondents were identified elderly widows above fifty years of age in these communities. The multi-stage sampling technique was used in actually selecting the above respondents while the questionnaire and interviews were used as instruments of data collection. The findings of the study reported below was based on a total number of 448 elderly women who fully responded to the study instruments. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL/EMOTIONAL STRESS AND WIDOWHOOD IN ELDERLY WOMEN IN NIGERIA. One glaring socio-psychological impact of widowhood identified in the study sample is mental/emotional stress. In the case, quite a good number of the respondents reported experiencing this type of psychological imbalance. As the table below indicates, the enormity of responsibilities widowhood lays on them triggers off mental/emotional stress in addition to physical stress. Table i: Distribution of Respondents by Nature of Health Stress. Stress Respondents Percentage Mental Stress 7 1.6 Physical Stress 280 62.5 None 161 35.9 Total 448 100 From the table above, apart from the 161 widows (35.9%) who declared they had no stress at all, 280 (62.5%) suffered from physical stress while 7 (1.6%) suffered from mental stress. This was as a result of the weight of responsibilities handed down to them after the death of their spouses. As has been indicated in the literature (See Basden, 1966), the isolation of the widow and the shabby treatment meted out to her in the name of culture in Igboland can generate and heighten emotional and mental stress. In fact as one of our respondents stated, most of the times I fall sick, it is because I think of how to care for my family and I dont seem to come up with any solution. Therefore in the Igbo area of Nigeria generally, as our study reveals, widows are confronted by social practices and observances such as disinheritance, and isolation which have adverse effects on their mental and psychological balance. Mental/emotional stress is a situation in ones mental well being or emotional state occasioned by tragedy (See Atchley, 1996). According to Atchley this stress can be manifested in the form of extreme anxiety, worries, frequent head-ache, high blood pressure, insomnia, heartache and regular hospital visits precipitated by mainly by worry. In patriarchal societies, especially where the widows are suspected of killing their husbands widows are left entirely without social support (see Korieh, 1995). This is usually worse for the women who do not have adequate educational background or who were prevented from obtaining further education. According to one of our respondents, a close relative of her deceased husband tried justifying the treatment meted out to her by asking her how come it was our brother who died? Therefore, the death of a womans spouse in Igboland is usually a great psychological and physical challenge to the widow and her children. The woman who is bereaved is usually expected to be the chief mourner, assisted by relatives and friends, the wailing, weeping and hysteria are expected to go on for days before the mans burial and even afterwards (Afigbo,1989). As has been reported in the literature such wailings and bitter lamentations are culturally expected (Basden, 1966; Meek 1937 cf Afigbo, 1989). This practice of prolonged wailing and anguish enforced by culture may often affect the psychological and mental balance of the woman (See Afigbo, 1989). In addition to this, widowhood may also occasion psychological and mental imbalance in some women especially older women whose mental faculties and emotions have been weakened by the challenges of living. Another key practice of widowhood in Africa which affects a womans psychological balance is the compulsory period of seclusion and isolation (Nwoga, 1989). In this case, the woman is isolated from the community for a specified period. According to this scholar, the isolation is combined with a regime of total neglect of the hygiene and body needs of the woman and incidentally, the practice of widowhood known as Igba-nkpe has also been noticed among Islamic communities. According to Trimmingham (1959), this period is known as iddat or idda among the Moslems and covers an average period of four months and ten days but in Igboland, the period lasts full 12 calendar months though radical Christianity has reduced it in some cases nowadays to six months. Due to their ages also, there are more reports of depression, poor health or new or heightened illnesses among these widows than there is among non-bereaved elderly widows and some of them do not live longer than one year after the deaths of their spouses (Gallagher and Thompson, 2001). This is because depression sets in at the loss of a spouse and most of them tell themselves that there is nothing to live for anymore. At some other times, married women friends see these widows as threats to their own still existing marriages and as a result terminate their relationships with these widows at the death of their spouses. ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT IN OCCUPATION AND COPING WITH WIDOWHOOD AMONG ELDERLY WOMEN Women across the globe have shown enviable courage, resourcefulness and residence in carrying on despite the trauma caused by widowhood, the isolation imposed on them by widowhood and the difficult tasks of earning a living and protecting themselves and their dependent family members. These women work outside the home as the breadwinners, make decisions, head their households and sometimes organize other women in areas of public life (ICRC, 1999). The above is no less the case with elderly widows in Southeastern Nigeria whose burden may have been doubled by the reality of aging. However, the women as our findings indicate see maintaining a sense of balance through engagement in occupation or meaningful economic activity as critical to surviving the coping challenges of widowhood in old age. Therefore, as can be noted from the table below, most of the widows were actively involved in one form of occupation or the other in order to earn a living for their families, and maintain some le vel of socio-economic functioning considered necessary to coping with widowhood: Table ii: Distribution of Respondents by Perceived influence of Active Involvement in Occupation on Coping: Active Involvement Respondents Percentage Yes 399 89.1 No 49 10.9 Total 448 100% It can be noted that 399 respondents (89.1%) stated that active involvement in occupation helped them deal with the stress of widowhood. This is in agreement with the literature which asserts that active involvement in occupation assists widows to deal with widowhood (See Kunkel, 1979). These widows when further questioned expressed different reasons for their involvement in active occupation but given that finance usually is a big problem to widows, 126 (31.6%) and 154 (38.6%) respondents respectively believe in active involvement because it provides money for the upkeep of the family and prevents too much thinking for the widows: Table iii: Distribution of Respondents by Importance of Active Involvement in Occupation. Importance of Active Involvement Respondents Percentage Prevents loneliness 56 14 Prevents thinking 154 38.6 Provides money resources 126 31.6 Keeps time moving 63 15.8 Total 399 100 Apart from involvement in occupation, these widows engaged themselves in some sort of social activities. These they did most times to get their minds off their problems especially at those periods the pains of loss of a love one and maltreatment by in-laws were very intense. The table below goes to show that a reasonable number of widows get themselves occupied socially in one thing or the other as a way of avoiding being engrossed in the throes of pain or endless contemplation of life without ones partner: Table iv: Distribution of Respondents by Social Strategies Adopted by Elderly Widows: Social Strategy Respondents % Active involvement in meetings 77 17.2 Stepped up interaction with family 42 9.4 Move involvement in religion 259 57.8 Introversion 14 3.1 Just keeping busy 56 12.5 Total 448 100 Given that most of the respondents were Christians, it was not out of place to discover that majority of them adopted or resorted to prayers as a social strategy to cope with widowhood. In the interviews as well, it was observed that a good number of them adopted church activities as a solace from the loneliness and difficulties associated with widowhood. Apparently, the widows as the interviews revealed held strongly to the popular notion that when all things fail, God never fails. One of them said in vernacular, Ekpere bu ikem. Chukwu bu onye nkwado m. This simply means in English, Prayer is my strength, God is my provider. From the foregoing therefore, the study revealed that most of the elderly widows at one point or another adopted economic strategies to help them cope the hardship associated with widowhood. Such strategies ranged from petty trading down to taking up additional jobs. On the other hand, they also adopted social strategies to assist them in their daily affairs as widows. These womens involvement in occupations and church activities as means of coping or overcoming widowhood are largely in agreement with the views of some scholars who have written on widowhood (see, Kunkel, 1979; Atchley, 1997). SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE AND THE ALLEVIATION OF PROBLEMS OF WIDOWS IN NIGERIA. As the study revealed, widowhood in Southeastern Nigeria poses a variety of problems to women ranging from low social prestige, disinheritance, and forceful remarriage amongst others. Widows in Southeastern Nigeria often encounter the most severe forms of these discriminations in spite of the increasing modernity of all spheres of the society. One dimension of this gender discrimination is that once the man dies, the widow faces the incidence of disinheritance by in-laws. In western societies, a woman is entitled to all she ever had or shared with her deceased husband but as this study found out in Southeastern Nigeria widows, though preferring to continue to work on the lands owned by their late husbands cannot do so because land inheritance is impossible for them as a result of cultural norms which forbid this (Korieh, 2005). According to Oluwa (2005), though in paper the statutory and customary laws indicate that widows should inherit or be sole beneficiaries of their dead husbands properties (especially where children exist), this does not apply in practice. Rather in some cases where the woman is desperate for these lands and property, she is forced to conform to the tradition of widow inheritance. In this case, the woman is treated as part of the properties of the dead men and is also available for inheritance. She b ecomes the legal wife of her inheritor and the children inherited and those born by the inheritor are considered to belong to the new husband (Evans Pritchard, 1951). The study also discovered that for fear of ostracism and related punishments, widows suffer in silence, especially when they are denied traditional sources of support. This usually causes economic hardships and deprivation. They lose their honour and respect as soon as they lose their husbands. Their husbands being traditionally their main sources of honour and respect, once dead gives room for them to be treated with disregard as humans especially by in-laws (ICRC, 1999). This can be explained by the popular Igbo adage which says that Di bu ugwu nwanyi, (a husband is a womans honour). It was further discovered that widowhood in Igboland is usually a great psychological and physical challenge to the elderly widow. The wailing, weeping and hysteria are expected to go on for days, before the mans burial and even after wards; as is obvious in the literature, such wailings and bitter lamentations are cultural expected (Basden, 1966, Meek, 1937 of Afigbo, 1989) and this prolonged wailing and anguish enforced by culture may often affect the psychological and mental balance of the woman. The list of problems is almost in exhaustible and these call for the intervention of social work services to help alleviate if not eradicate them entirely. From the study it was noticed that those widows who involved themselves in occupation cope better than those who did not. Social workers should therefore take cognizance of the need to sensitize the idle widows to get busy in order to overcome both the financial and emotional hazards of widowhood rather than wallowing in self pity. In this case social workers can go the extra mile of linking widows with systems or organizations where these jobs no matter how small can be found. They can also act as advocates for these widows on the issue of in-laws maltreatment. This role of advocacy should be extended to the policy makers bringing to their notice the ills suffered by the widows especially the elderly ones so that ways of enforcing already existing policies will be found and new ones established. These policies should cover areas such as Medicare for widows, living arrangements (this can be achieved by building low cost houses), changing or eradication of harmful widowhood practices etc. Perhaps beyond the above public policy responses is the critical need for a widow oriented social work practice which while cognizant of the socio-cultural and psychological burdens of widowhood in Southeast Nigeria sees the elderly widows as a special group. Basically, aging and its resultant physical infirmities and socio-psychological withdrawal makes the elderly widow particularly vulnerable to widow induced stress. Hence, social workers acting in their capacities to function as enhancers of coping capacity, linking agents and promoters of effective humane operation of social systems (see, Ekpe Mamah, 1997 on the functions of social work) can do a lot to improve the situation of elderly widows in a male dominated society like the Igbo Southeastern Nigeria. The re-examination of the main findings of this study indicates that the situation of elderly widows can be explained along the lines of the popular continuity theory in social work. According to this theory the individual in the course of growing older is predisposed towards maintaining stability in the habits, associations, preferences and lifestyle that he/she developed over the years (Peterson, 1976; McCrae and Costa, 1984). According to these Scholars, peoples habits, preferences, associations, states of health and experiences will in large part determine their ability to maintain their lifestyle while retiring from full time employment and perhaps adjust to the death of a loved one. Therefore in accordance with our findings in the study, it can be inferred that activity at old age helps the elderly overcome loss of their loved ones especially their spouses and this activity if possible should be in the areas preferred and chosen by the individual with which he/she had been accustomed to over time.