Festivals and Holidays in Bolivia

Festivals and Holidays in Bolivia A festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival. Among many religions, a feast is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable. However, the term feast has also entered common secular parlance as a synonym for any large or elaborate meal. When used as in the meaning of a festival, most often refers to a religious festival rather than a film or art festival. In the Christian liturgical calendar there are two principal feasts, properly known as the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas) and the Feast of the Resurrection, (Easter). In the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican liturgical calendars there are a great number of lesser feasts throughout the year commemorating saints, sacred events, doctrines, etc. For a list of festivals in the USA, please see List of festivals in the United States. Bolivia The annual tradition of Alasitas involves buying tiny replicas of the things you want the coming year, and offering them to the Ekeko, who carries them (literally, the things are supposed to be sown or somehow attached to him) during the year. In Bolivia, Ekeko is a character associated with abundance and prosperity, and he is the central figure in the Festival of Alasitas. This event is based in the city of La Paz, but can also be seen in other cities of Bolivia. Juan Apaza writes about some of the scenes from Alasitas in El Alto Hoy [es]. Alasitas Alasitas is a 3-week long fair that, in La Paz, takes place beginning on the 24th of January and in Santa Cruz takes place in September. Everything is in miniature! This festival originally took place in September throughout the country when its spring time in Bolivia and farmers prayed for a good crop so their harvest would be bountiful. Alasitas is an Aymara festival Bolivia celebrates in reverence of the indigenous god of bounty or abundance called the Ekkekko. Therefore, Alasitas has been called the Festival of Abundance. It takes place at the Parque Urbano in La Paz and the 5th Ring between Tres Pasos al Frente and Cumavi in Santa Cruz. As it grows each year, its location is sometimes moved. Tradition that has spread to other parts of Bolivia as immigrants move around; however, in the Andean regions of the country the date was switched to January to commemorate an indigenous uprising that took place in 1781, let by Tupac Katari. The Aymara have a god called the Ekkekko (meaning midget or dwarf). Hes the god of abundance. They purchase a statue of the Ekkekko which usually has a poncho made of aguayo fabric. The aguayo is the colorful handloomed lambswool or alpaca wool fabric that Aymara women use to carry produce or their children on their backs. During Alasitas, which takes place just prior to Carnaval, everything you can possibly think of is sold in miniature. You can find miniature houses, cars, grocery store products, university diplomas, little tools and kitchen utensils, clothing, even passports and visas. The Aymara purchase in miniature everything they hope the Ekkekko will grant them during the coming year. They then pin these things to his poncho and leave them there as a sort of altar in their homes throughout the year, in the hopes that he will help them acquire these things during that time. When they first pin the miniature things to his poncho they put a cigarrette in his mouth and light it. They then pray to him as he smokes. Sometimes they drink alcohol and toss him a little drop or drop some onto the floor in front of the Ekkekko before drinking from the glass themselves. This, Im told, is because you must always give to the Earth before taking for yourself. Alasitas is a great place to visit as a tourist. Its incredibly interesting. But because it has also become very touristic, you can now purchase just about anything you want at Alasitas in the form of handcrafts and art pieces for tourists. In fact, it has become so popular that artisans come all the way from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and other places to sell their handcrafts too. You can also find things that are not in miniature like great ceramics and leather goods. Definitely visit this month-long fair if youre in La Paz in February or in Santa Cruz in September. You can sample all kinds of great baked goods and dried fruits. I suggest trying the anticuchos. Anticuchos are like shish-kabobs. Theyre little pieces of meat and potatoes stuck on to a thin metal stick and roasted on an open grill. Prior to handing the anticucho to you, the griller will slather a spicy sauce over it. The sauce is absolutely delicious and is made from peanuts and hot peppers. (Oh! And did I mention the meat is beef heart? Yum.) Alasitas has become one of the best and largest venues for people to sell their goods and handcrafts each year. They sell so well that theyve completely broken with tradition and now sell all kinds of things just for tourists. In addition, what used to be a 10-day fair has been extended to 30 days and they now move to Santa Cruz every year in September and stay a whole month there too. Its rather amusing, really, since most of the people who sell at Alasitas claim to be staunchly anti-capitalist. During the Alasitas Fair devotees buy miniatures of items they would like to own and offer them to Ekeko, the God of Plenty, while the Virgin of La Paz is also honoured. Alasitas is Bolivias festival of small wishes, yearly held in different towns at different times. The largest fair is held yearly in the capital of La Paz, on January 24, when Bolivians buy miniatures representing the material goods they aspire to own and offer them to Ekeko, the God of Abundance. The History of the Festival of Alasitas in Bolivia There is not one conclusive theory about how and where the festival started. In the Aymarà ¡ language, alasitas means buy from me and in pre-colonial times Alasitas was celebrated in September [Bolivian springtime], to ensure a good crop. It is said that the Spanish changed the date to January 24 in commemoration of an indigenous uprising in 1781: the siege of La Paz by Tupac Katari. During the colonisation the Spanish tried to force Catholicism on the indigenous people. They partly succeeded, many Bolivians became Catholics, but in fact the Bolivian religion became a mix of Catholicism and traditional Andean beliefs and rituals. Ads by Google Having Doubts About the LDS Church? Mentoring by former Mormons www.irr.org You Can Make a Difference God wants to work through you. Transformation soul winning helps harvestevan.org/bookstore.html Who Celebrates the Alasitas Fair? Alasitas has become a potpourri where Catholicism is mixed with centuries-old Andes traditions. The main divinity is Ekeko, but Catholic priests give their blessing to the newly acquired miniature goods as well, while simultaneously the Virgin of La Paz is honoured. Whereas the Franciscans focus on the Virgin, the yatiris the local wizards focus on Ekeko; the average Bolivian cares about both. Alasitas is a festival for everybody and celebrated by Bolivians from all levels of society. It is celebrated by the inhabitants of villages, cities and countryside, by the highlanders and the lowlanders, by the indigenous and the criollos, as well as by western orientated entrepreneurs. Who is Ekeko, Bolivias God of Plenty? Ekeko [dwarf in Aymarà ¡] is the household god and it is not unusual for Bolivians to have a representation of this short and chubby, happy-looking fellow in their home. To ensure good luck the statue should be received as a gift and not be personally bought. Ekeko brings wealth into the family and keeps misfortune at bay. To obtain the favour of fortune, Bolivians like to present Ekeko with miniatures mostly made of a sugary substance of products they would like to own. These can be a house, a car, furniture, clothes, an airplane but also food. A miniature passport may be bought if one has the wish to travel, a university diploma in case one wants to study or when graduation is near. Read on   La Paz, Bolivia Forms of Public Transportation The Archaeological Museum in La Paz, Bolivia Three Good Reasons to Travel to La Paz, Bolivia Perfectly copied miniature dollar and euro notes are favoured over local bolivianos in case one wants wealth. Ekeko loves smoking, his statue has a special hole in the mouth to offer him a cigarette. Where in La Paz is La Fiesta de las Alasitas Celebrated? Calle Sagà ¡rnaga is the commercial centre of the indigenous handicraft of miniatures. This is the heart of the tourist centre where thousands of tourists stroll down the alleys in search of souvenirs and to admire the local curiosities of miniatures and other products that bring good fortune. The Bolivians especially come for the latter during Alasitas, and the streets are crammed with locals who need to buy their miniatures replicas in time the blessings will take place around noon and they should be prepared by then. The location of the ritual of blessings may change yearly. It is best to ask at a Tourist Information, or another tourist location such as a hotel, restaurant or museum where the main activities will be held. The Alasitas Festival in La Paz, Bolivia Alasitas is one of La Paz important festivals. On January 24 Bolivians buy miniatures of products they would like to own and offer them to their God of Abundance, Ekeko. This festival gives tourists an insight into the typical Bolivian mixture of Catholicism and local beliefs. Holidays and Festivals in Bolivia Alasitas This is a colourful, happy event tinged with poignancy. At the end of January the streets in the centre of La Paz fill with people from the city and the countryside, many of them in traditional dress, eagerly buying finely-crafted miniatures from street stalls and vendors. The figures represent material goods that the people aspire to own. It might be a tiny automobile or a bag of cement to represent a new home. A miniature passport or postage stamp might secure a dream of travel and tiny banknotes might bring wealth. One of the most popular figurine is Ekeko, The God of Abundance, a popular, generous and all encompassing divinity. At the end of frenzied buying and selling there is a procession to visit the Yatiri, a wizard who blesses all the objects. Virgen de la Candelaria The festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria, in many images, is celebrated on February 2 in various Hispanic Catholic countries, including Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela and Uruguay. The celebrations in Peru and Bolivia are centered around Lake Titicaca, in Puno and the small village of Copacabana. In Bolivia, the Virgen is also known as the Dark Virgin of the Lake, and the Patroness Of Bolivia. She is revered for a series of miracles, recounted in Nuestra Seà ±ora de Copacabana and has another festival on August 5. Normally, Copacabana is a quiet, rural village with fishing and agriculture the mainstays. However, the week before and the day of the fiesta, the village changes. There are parades, colorful costumes, music and a lot of drinking and celebrating. New vehicles are brought in from all over Bolivia to be blessed with beer. People gather for days ahead to pray and to celebrate in a mixture of Catholic and native religions. Bolivian celebrants believe the Virgen prefers to stay inside the Basilica erected in her honor. When taken outside, there is a risk of storm or other calamity. Carnaval de Oruro and Diablada Festival Say Carnaval and what images come to mind? Fantastically and scantily garbed dancers, pounding samba rhythms, parades, incessant revelry? Carnaval de Oruro, Bolivia? In Bolivia, Oruro, Santa Cruz, Tarija and La Paz hold carnavals but the carnaval in Oruro,is the most famous. It takes place for the eight days preceeding Ash Wednesday. Unlike carnaval in Rio where the escolas de samba choose a new theme each year, carnaval in Oruro always begins with the diablada or devil dance. The diablada is a centuries-old ritual surviving unchanged from colonial days. Next are hundreds of devils in monstrous costumes. The heavy masks have horns bulging eyes fangs long hair and in contrast to the frightening masks the devils wear sparkling breastplates silk embroidered shawls and golden spurs. Between the devils groups of dancers dressed as monkeys pumas and insects caper to the music from brass bands, or pipers or drummers. The noise is loud and frenzied. Out of the devil dancers comes China Supay, the Devils wife, who dances a seductive dance to entice the Archangel Michael. Around her dance the members of local workers unions, each carrying a small symbol of their union such as pickaxes or shovels. Dancers dressed as Incas with condor headdresses and suns and moons on their chests dance along with dancers dressed as the black slaves imported by the Spaniards to work in the silver mines. Family members led by the matriarchs in yellow dresses appear in order: first the husbands dressed in red, next come the daughters in green, followed by the sons in blue. The families dance their way to the football stadium where the next part of the celebrations takes place. Two plays begun, as medieval mystery plays, are enacted. The first portrays the Conquest by the Spanish conquistadores. The second is the triumph of the Archangel Michael as he defeats the devils and the Seven Deadly Sins with his flaming sword. The results of the battle are announced the Patron Saint of the Miners the Virgen del Socavon and the dancers sing a Quecha hymn. Although the references to the Spanish conquest and the downtrodden state of the Bolivian peasants are very clear, this festival is based on the pre-Colonial ceremony of giving thanks to the earth-mother Pachamama. It commemorates the struggles of good and evil and the early Catholic priests allowed it to continue with a Christian overlay in an effort to pacify the local natives. The celebration of carnaval continues for days as the diablada dancers break into smaller groups and continue dancing around huge bonfires. Onlookers join the procession at any point and with the consumption of strong Bolivian beer and the very potent chicha made from fermented cereals and corn they get rowdy. Many sleep in doorways or where they fall until they awake and continue celebrating. If you plan to be in Oruro or any of the towns celebrating carnaval, follow the basic safety precautions: Dress comfortably Allow yourself time to get acclimated to the altitude Watch what you drink chicha hangovers are awful! Leave your valuables behind Carnaval de Santa Cruz Refleja el espà ­ritu alegre del pueblo cruceà ±o. Comienza un mes antes con las fiestas precarnavalerasen las que participan todas las comparsas juveniles encabezadas por su Reina. Una semana antes del carnaval se lleva a cabo el minicorso en el cual se realiza la proclamacià ³n de la soberana anual del Carnaval . A partir del atardecer del sà ¡bado y hasta el amanecer del domingo de carnaval tiene lugar el deslumbrante Corso en el que saltanalrededor de 300 comparsas. Las mismas recorren las calles de la ciudad al ritmo de bandas y tamborita. En el recorrido el visitante podrà ¡ admirar un marco desbordante de lujo y colorido en hermosas fantasà ­as, impresionantes carros alegà ³ricos que transportan a las reinas, tambià ©n percibirà ¡ el intento por rescatar los motivos regionales y el respeto al medio ambiente. El espectà ¡culo adquiere su mà ¡xima fastuosidad cuando ingresa la reina del carnaval cruceà ±o con toda su corte constituida por los integrantes de la comparsa coronadora. En estas fiestas la mujer es la principal protagonista pues, al estar completamente disfrazada, hace de las suyas escogiendo pareja, coqueteando e invitando a bailar a los varones que asisten a dichas fiestas. El pà ºblico podrà ¡ apreciar que la entrada de los grupos està ¡ dividida en tres bloques folklà ³ricos: regional, nacional e internacional. Tambià ©n participan de esta fiesta conjuntos tà ­picos, entre los que destacan los de la Chiquitanà ­a que entran acompaà ±ados de tamboristas al son de chovenas (ritmo oriental). El frenesà ­ continua el domingo, lunes y martes , dà ­as en que la poblacià ³n baila y se divierte en las calles cà ©ntricas de la ciudad jugando con agua, pintura y espumas, viviendo momentos de total alegrà ­a. Pujllay or Phujllay in Tarabuco, Sucre The Pujllay or Game begins with a Catholic mass in Quechua language it stops then to continue with the party and the rejoicing for the victory of the Battle of Jumbata in a parade of nonpareil coloring, the peasants move to the place where the Pucara is and they dance in circles to its surroundings to the they are of the Tokoros, Pinquillos, Spurs, Bells and Drummers. The Pucara that consists on a support or stairway covered with great variety of agricultural products, besides drinks, breads and others taken place by the peasants of the region. Labor Day or May Day If you are traveling in Latin America on the first day of May, you can expect to find banks, government offices, stores, post offices and businesses closed for the day as people celebrate the Dà ­a Internacional Del Trabajo with parades, demonstrations and other symbols of solidarity with the worker. Bolivia celebrated Dà ­a Internacional del Trabajo for the first time on May 1, 1936. Day of the Worker, or May Day, had already been established in Europe, and would shortly sweep across the Latin American countries. The communist and socialist countries embraced the day, and over time, May Day became associated with those political systems in many non-English speaking countries. In Paris in 1889 the International Working Mens Association (the First International) declared May 1st an international working class holiday in commemoration of the Haymarket Martyrs. The red flag became the symbol of the blood of working class martyrs in their battle for workers rights. The Origins And Traditions Of Mayday Who were the Haymarket Martyrs? They are all but ignored in the history of the United States, who moved the May Day labor celebrations to September. May Day: what happened to the radical workersholiday? The first Monday in September is now the Labor Day holiday, but it has very little to do with the reason for a working mans holiday. This history is detailed in May Day the Real Labor Day. Long before May Day, The WorkersDay, born in the struggle for the eight-hour day came to be, the first of May was a traditional day of feasting, celebrating spring, fertility, romance and more. The Pagan Origins of May Day asks Why did the Labour Movement choose May Day as International Labour Day? Its more that May Day chose the Labour Movement. Unlike Easter, Whitsun or Christmas, May Day is the one festival of the year for which there is no significant church service. Because of this it has always been a strong secular festival, particularly among working people who in previous centuries would take the day off to celebrate it as a holiday, often clandestinely without the support of their employer. It was a popular custom, in the proper sense of the word a peoples day so it was naturally identified with the Labour and socialist movements and by the twentieth century it was firmly rooted as part of the socialist calendar. So now you know why everything shuts down on May 1. Its a good idea to play it safe that day and stay away from parades and rallies that might prove explosive. Gran Poder The merging of pre-Columbian religions and the Roman Catholic faith created a number of religious observations, including the Fiesta del Gran Poder celebrated primarily in La Paz, Bolivia. The event began in the late 1930s with a small number of dancers and is today a huge event. The festival centers around the devotion to Christ as the second person in the Holy Trinity based on an anonymous painting of the Trinity dating from the early XVII century. The three entities were painted withIndian or mestizo features. Though the Catholic church had forbidden human representations of the Holy Trinity, a young novice named Genoveva Carrià ³n took it with her when she entered the Monasterio de la Purà ­sima Concepcià ³n. When the religious order downsized, the painting found its way into different lay hands, finally ending up with Plà ¡cido Là ³pez who lived in the barrio Chijini in la Paz. A small chapel was built to honor the Holy Trinity and then Bishop Augsto Scheifert direct two not-quite-expert artists to paint over the two side figures. They did so, but one, wanting to retouch the eyes, came back one night. When the remaining figure moved its head, the artist fled, but many favors or miracles were attributed to the Christ figure. Devotion grew and in 1939 the chapel was officially named Iglesia Parroquial del Gran Poder. In the years since, the festival of El Gran Poder has grown into an international celebration. Parades and processions with the dark figure of the Christ (see photo), music and costumed dancers honoring cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Of these, La Morenada is the most famous. Held annually at the beginning of June, the Fiesta del Gran Poder is La Pazs biggest street party. Copious amount of local beers and food are consumed. Visitors wanting a place to stay during the celebrations make advance reservations. Columbus Day October 12 (or the nearest Monday to it) is traditionally celebrated throughout the Americas as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. In English speaking countries, the day is celebrated as Columbus Day or Native American Day. In Spanish speaking countries and communities, is is known as Dà ­a de la Raza, the Day of the Race. Dà ­a de la Raza is the celebration of the Hispanic heritage of Latin America and brings into it all the ethnic and cultural influences making it distinctive. It is celebrated on October 12 in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela, Not anymore in Bolivia, because the strong feelings about the real situation of native americans on Spaniards Rule. A few historical facts behind the holiday: Cristà ³bal Colà ³n, born Cristoforo Colombo, following the newly accepted theory that the world was round and not flat, sailed west from Spain to find a new route to China or the East Indies. He wanted also to prove his calculations of the earths circumference. He was off on his calculations and he didnt find a new spice route. Instead, on October 12, 1492, he and his small fleet of three ships, the Nià ±a, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, landed on one of the islands now known as the Bahamas. The exact island is a matter of debate and conjecture, but from there, he went on to Cuba and Hispaniola, now the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and went back to Spain to recount his adventures. With royal approval and funding, he set forth in 1493 with a fleet of 17 ships and retraced his earlier voyage. This time he explored Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands, founded a colony on Hispaniola. He did not find any spices, nor gold in great quantities, but returned again to Spain. He made his third journey to the New World in 1498, where he explored the coast of Venezuela and was awed by the sweet water of the Orinoco where it flowed into the Atlantic. For his efforts, Columbus was made admiral and Governor General of the new colonies until he was sent back to Spain in disgrace in 1500. He overcame that humiliation sufficiently to make a fourth and final voyage in 1502, landing in Costa Rica. When he died in 1506, Columbus was dishonored and all but forgotten. Whether he should be celebrated as the man who opened Central and South America to exploration and colonization, or excoriated for the same thing is a continuing debate. Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day are reviled in places because he is blamed for bringing the evils of slavery, the encomienda system and the diseases of Europe to Latin America. He was avaricious, cruel and paved the way for the conquista. Now, 500 plus years later, we recall his deeds and celebrate not Columbus the man, but the actions and influences of all the people who came after him, who melded their European culture with the indigenous cultures and, with difficulty, blood and years of battle, misunderstandings and treachery, have created the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society we now celebrate with the Dà ­a de la Raza. Note: It was up to others to name the places where he had landed or to discover the route to China. Amerigo Vespucci named Venezuela afer his native Venice, and Vasco da Gama sailed round the Cape of Good Hope and the Indian Ocean to the Far East, opening the Spice Route for Portugal. All Saints Day November 1 is celebrated throughout the Catholic world as Dà ­a de Todos Santos, or All Saints Day, to honor all the saints, known and unknown, of the Catholic faithful. Every day of the year has its own saint or saints, but there are more saints than calendar days, and this one major holy day honors them all, including those who had died in a state of grace but had not been canonized. And, to keep things fair, November 2 is celebrated as the Day of All Souls. Dà ­a de Todos Santosis also known as Dà ­a de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Like many other Catholic celebrations, in the New World it was grafted onto existing indigenous festivities to meld the newCatholicism with the oldpagan beliefs. In countries where the Europeans eventually reduced the indigenous populations, by one means or another, the celebrations gradually lost their native meaning and became more of a traditional Catholic event. In Latin American countries where the indigenous culture is still strong, such as in Guatemala and Mexico in Central America, and in Bolivia in South America, Dà ­a de Todos Santosis an important meld of many influences. In Central America, the dead are honored by visits to the their gravesites, often with food, flowers and all family members. In Bolivia, the dead are expected to return to their homes and villages. The Andean emphasis is agricultural, since November 1 is in spring south of the Equator. It is the time of returning rains and the reflowering of the earth. The souls of the dead also return to reaffirm life. During this time, the doors are opened to guests, who enter with clean hands and share in the traditional dishes, particularly the favorites of the deceased. Tables are bedecked with bread figurines called tantawawas, sugarcane, chicha, candies and decorated pastries. At the cemeteries, the souls are greeted with more food, music, and prayers. Rather than a sad occasion, the Dà ­a de Todos Santos is a joyous event. In Peru, November 1 is celebrated nationally, but in Cuzco its known as Dà ­a de todos los Santos Vivos, or Day of the Living Saints and celebrated with food, particularly the famed suckling pig and tamales. November 2 is considered the Dà ­a de los Santos Difuntosor Day of the Deceased Saints and is honored with visits to cemeteries. Wherever you are in Latin America on the first and second of November, enjoy the local holidays! Virgen de Copacabana A religios festival for the virgin of the snow. Mass, folkloric dancing and processions. 5th 6th Virgen de Copacabana Copacabana (La Paz). Celebration for the Virgin of Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Dancing, processions, folkloric displays. Virgen de Urcupià ±a or Virgen de Urqupià ±a Festival in Quillacollo (Cochabamba). One of the most important religious festivals in Cochabamba. It is a colorful religious festival with a large mass, folkloric dancing, processions, typical food and the sale of miniature handicrafts. Chutillos The Chutillos festival in Potosi is definitely worth it. Especially the first day with the authentic dances and costumes is marvelous. Virgen de Guadalupe Festivals celebrated in Viacha (La Paz), Sucre (Chuquisaca) and Valle Grande (Santa Cruz), but by far in Sucre is the biggest. A religious festival in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Folkloric dances, bull fights, music, dancing and typical food and drink. San Roque Festival in Tarija, (Although the fiesta day of San Roque is officially on the 16th of August). An 8-day long celebration for the patron saint of dogs, San Roque. Unique costumes, processions, music and dancing. The biggest party and typical of the Tarija region with its unique music style. Each year on January 24 a large marketplace in La Paz, Bolivia, is full of merchants who traditionally call out, Alasitas, an Aymara word meaning buy from me, to potential buyers of their miniature wares. Shoppers can find tiny replicas of just about every kind of object-cars, houses, foods, furniture, clothes, tools, household goods, and, especially, money-and seek those which represent items they would like to have in the coming year. After purchasing the miniature object of ones desire, the next step is to take it to church to have it blessed. Presiding over all this downsized commerce is Ekeko, an Aymara god of material wealth, fertility, and good luck. Ekeko is represented as a portly little man who wears a backpack full of goods and whose arms are stretched out, as if in an attitude of acquisition. Many people keep ceramic figures of Ekeko in their homes for good luck. Maldives The Maldives will hold a Hay festival starting October 14 with the intention of celebrating ideas, conversations and fun. The festival will bring together international and local experts in literature, art, science, drama, music and poetry, according to a statement from the Presidents Office. Maldivian writers including Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed and Fathmath Nahula will join historian and biographer Jung Chang (author of Wild Swans and Mao), novelist Ian McEwan (author of Atonement) and environmental campaigners Montagu Don, Tim Smit, Mark Lynas and Chris Gorell-Barnes. Mauritian-born, electronic fusion artist Ravin will perform and local bands will include Fasy Live. Lectures will also be delivered online by prominent artists, scientists and historians. The Maldives has been a multi-party democracy for only two years and this new freedom has opened up a host of new opportunities both culturally and politically, the statement said. Some events will be held on the Presidential Retreat on Aarah, allowing rare public access to the island. The Hay Festival began in the Welsh book town of Hay-on-Wye in Brecon Beacons National Park in the UK, and has fostered the exchange of ideas for more than twenty years. Hay Festival Maldives will commission a series of lectures to be delivered online by prominent artists, scientists and historians. These will debate environments that are facing transformation over the next one hundred years and what this means for the people living there. Speakers include historian and biographer Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans and Mao, the novelist Ian McEwan, author of Atonement, and environmental writers and campaigners Montagu Don, Mark Lynas and Tim Smit. They will appear alongside Maldivian writers including Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed and Fathmath Nahula. Mauritian-born, electronic fusion artist Ravin provides musical enchantment, and local bands performing include Fasy Live. As well as the live events, Hay Festival Maldives

Steven Levitt

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner shows that in life, everything has a hidden side. The book also discusses many topics, such as: incentives are the cornerstones of modern life, the conventional wisdom is frequently wrong, dramatic effects often have distant causes, â€Å"experts† often use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda, and knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes a complicated world much less so. (Levitt & Dubner 12).In this essay, I will be focusing on how incentives are the cornerstones of modern life, conventional wisdom is often wrong, and how â€Å"experts† often use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda. â€Å"An incentive is always a tiny object with astonishing power to change a situation. † (Levitt and Dubner 17) All incentives can be categorized by three types of incentives: moral, social, and economic. Some of which, may have adverse effects, such as with daycare in Israel de cided to start charging people a $3 fine per child for anyone that was more than ten minutes late.One would assume that in response to this, parents would be more likely to pick up their kids in a timely fashion, but instead, the opposite happens. The amount of late pick-ups increase dramatically. The logic behind this is parents were able to pay off their guilt for being late. In other words, they saw paying the extra $60 a month as a way to substitute a moral incentive. (Levitt & Dubner 19-20). These adversaries, nevertheless, can be predicted and used to the advantages of others.In illegal drug-dealing countries, such as Brazil, the government is legalizing all drug use and treating it as an addiction problem, rather than a crime. Surprisingly, this has lowered the amount of drug-related matters. In the United States, we try to crack down on drug use with strict laws and police enforcement. Consequently, this has caused the amount of drug-related delinquencies to sky-rocket in th e past decade. It is like a teenage kid. If you tell them not to do something, they are most likely going to do it anyways just to spite you and rebel; opposed to allowing them to do it and them just not doing it.Most incentives though, can be predicted and used to stimulate or punish people, but like in the â€Å"Daycare Dilemma,† are stronger and more enhanced for some circumstances than others. For example, police departments started posting pictures of johns and prostitutes in local papers and news stations to shame the guilty party. As Levitt & Dubner put it, â€Å"Which is a more horrifying deterrent: a $500 fine for soliciting a prostitute or the thought of your friends and family ogling you on www. HookersAndJohns. com? † (Levitt & Dubner 18).In this case, a social incentive was more humiliating and punishing to them than an economical one. Another key value in Freakonomics, is that â€Å"conventional wisdom† is often wrong. We form certain â€Å"notion s† about how things and people should be. Such as a women’s rights activist. Studies have shown that they actually dramatize the statistics they give to guilt more people into standing behind their foundation. Most people would think that if anyone wanted to the right thing it would be activists, but that’s not always the case. In chapter 6, we learn about two boys named Winner and Loser.Some might think â€Å"Well, with a name like Winner, he is better off to succeed. Unlike his brother, Loser, who is set up to fail. † Conversely, Loser went on to thrive. â€Å"He went to prep school on a scholarship, graduated from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and joined the New York Police Department, where he made detective and, eventually, sergeant. † (Levitt & Dubner 182) Winner however, was not so â€Å"inspired† by his name. He grew up to be a criminal with more than thirty arrests. Most people would think that with a sure-fire name like â€Å" Winner† he was bound to succeed, so how did he end up in jail?Well, another example of someone not quite living up to their â€Å"destiny† is Ted Kazinsky, also known as the Unabomber. Kazinsky grew up in a white-suburban neighborhood with two parents. As a child he was known to be incredibly bright, like his parents. He later went on to attend and graduate from Harvard. In this case, he had everything going for him, yet, he became an infamous terrorist. These are just a few instances of orthodox thinking and knowledge being proven to be mistaken. W. C. Fields once said, â€Å"A thing worth having, is a thing worth stealing.† (Levitt & Dubner 21)In this case, knowledge is used to exploit consumers. It happens every day, to almost everyone; professionals use their information to their benefit. A common example is in autorepair shops. Most people have gone in to get an inspection or to have a small problem fixed, and gotten a bill for WAY more than expected. Even a fter the mechanic has assured you that it won’t be costly. Furthermore, another example of it is in real estate. One would think that since real estate agents work off commission that they would want to get you the maximum profit  possible; which they do, but they don’t at the same time.Studies have shown that real estate agents will hold out for the best deal possible when selling their own home, but encourage you to take the first decent deal to come along. (Levitt & Dubner 8). The best way to stop this, is to do a little research on your before consulting an â€Å"expert. † In conclusion, economics is the study of incentives and how people react to them. Freakonomics, however, studied the hidden meanings beyond that and the cases where incentives not only reacted as expected, but where they were reacting differently as well  Levitt and Dubner did that by sticking to five main philosophies in their book, knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes a complicated world much less so, â€Å"experts† often use their information to their advantage, dramatic effects often have more subtle causes, â€Å"conventional wisdom† is often wrong, and incentives are the cornerstones of modern life. (Levitt & Dubner 12).Three of which, I believed to be the most important: â€Å"specialists† often use their information to their advantage, â€Å"conventional astuteness† is recurrently false, and incentives are the keystones of contemporary life.

The Benefits of Concept Definition Essay Topics

The Benefits of Concept Definition Essay Topics New Questions About Concept Definition Essay Topics The large part of your essay is the assortment of your topic, if you've selected a topic that's very controversial, then, it will be useful for you. As a way to create a brilliant essay, it's required to pick a topic that interests you so that you are inclined and prepared to plunge in the research. You can pick any of the suggested topics to create an intriguing definition essay. When picking a definition essay topic, you have to understand the topic before you pen the essay for other people to read. Facts, Fiction and Concept Definition Essay Topics Such kind of writing does not require a normal thesis. There are various philosophy paper topics, so it may be hard to pick the one which can help you earn a great grade. You have to be wondering what makes philosophy papers different from the remainder of the writing tasks you get at college. You might want to know that psyc hology demands philosophy. The Downside Risk of Concept Definition Essay Topics The standard of definition paper is contingent on the topic you pick. The teacher may offer several words to discuss to create the paper longer. As it's such a huge subject, you are going to want to narrow your paper down to a particular angle. In the next article you're going to be in a position to locate numerous flabbergasting post-graduate, graduate, undergraduate philosophy paper topics that you're going to be capable of using as a way to compose your special bit of writing. What Does Concept Definition Essay Topics Mean? For the large part, nonetheless, your essay should describe the notion of economy and think about why economics have started to take up such an important part in social studies. The seventeenth century was the start of a modern era for France and for nearly all of the eastern world. The Greeks, on the flip side, were a society full of thought and in a number of other face ts of life. Essay writing is regarded as a talent. Essay writing guideline will allow you to create a winning one. There is an extensive array of definition essay ideas a student could utilize to compose an essay about. Among the different kinds of essay, there's a definition essay that could appear to be among the most simple assignments. Among the things to contemplate in essay writing is to understand how to begin an essay. A concept essay is a sort of a literary essay piece that's utilized to present an idea or a topic with the sole goal of providing a very clear definition and explanation. When you wish to explain an idea, you must have the correct quantity of vocabulary so you can explain your thoughts in great information. At length, you define what the term isn't, which can help further clarify the meaning to the reader. To get the maximum grade for your essay, you need not just to fill it with pertinent info and dependable facts or examples from your own personal life. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Concept Definition Essay Topics Regardless of the sort of te rm being defined, there are 3 significant measures that have to be followed when completing a definition paper. While trying to define or explain a notion, you must bear in mind that concrete (real world) concepts are lots simpler to explain than abstract ones. The next thing to do is to research the idea. Focus on the idea of economy. The Appeal of Concept Definition Essay Topics A definition essay is much as with any other report except that it requires students to execute a particular task working with a specific report format. What's more, you can make well deserved top marks by obeying the directions below on how to compose a definitive essay. Similar to any other essay, a definition one has its peculiarities and content requirements that should be met to be successful in the writing. There is not going to be a last examination. You may write Definition Essay for a course or only attempt writing it to increase your English abilities, make it something like a language ch allenge. Regardless, it's far better to fulfill your vocabulary by looking for its meaning and revealing new knowledge in another kind of academic writing definition essay. It is possible to turn into a word artist with the aid of your pen or computer only! So keep on reading to discover some helpful methods and techniques on definition essay writing. Your essay might incorporate the explanations for teen pregnancy and talk about the recent rates of teen pregnancy and potential solutions. There are an endless number of words which can be defined in the period of an essay. Otherwise, it is best to switch to another one. Consider two basic sorts of definition essays. Rephrase the key portions of the definition and be sure you summed up everything you planned on saying. If you need assistance with a definition essay, or just do not have a sufficient amount of time to write it by yourself, no worries! To start with, your key to winning essay is a crystal clear comprehension o f what it is that you're likely to take care of. Place an order today to receive your definition essay punctually. The Concept Definition Essay Topics Pitfall You will learn the way to compose a definition essay, how to select the topic you love the most, how to deal with defining the intricate provisions. Definition essay explains the significance of a word or an idea. A definition essay is a particular sort of assignment that simply explains the significance of a specific term. Separate the various parts of the definition into separate paragraphs. An extensive type consists of issues which aren't referents of the notion. Mention the way the definition you were speaking about affected you. Instead, you should explain the significance of the word in your terms. Your essay might think about the ways a definition of friendship evolves as an individual gets older, and you may think about what exactly is or isn't critical in a friend. Defining a great partner means you will have to choose what qualities an individual must have in order to be appropriate for you. You ought to think about what their expectations are and what type of concept essay topics could possibly be appealing to them. For example, if the topic of your paper is associated with friendship, the definition essay body paragraphs will describe this phenomenon in various facets. Sometimes people just can't begin writing their essay without looking at a whole illustration of somebody else, seeing the structure and the way it's written. Naturally, you may use all o f your imagination, but nevertheless, it is only going to lead to wordiness. Usually, it's simpler to write about real word concepts in comparison with abstract ones. It's only logical to presume that the absence of understanding of the subject prevents you from communicating your ideas in a very clear and persuasive way. The Downside Risk of Concept Definition Essay Topics Definition essays are merely one of many different report types that students are inclined to be assigned. The level to which our metaphysical worldview is correct is the level to which we are in a position to comprehend the Earth, and act accordingly. In most instances, you're writing for your instructor and classmates, but it's vital to consider different individuals who might be considering your subject. Students are anticipated to come punctually.

Controversy over the Drinking Age - 958 Words

For decades now, the issue of what age should be considered the proper age to drink alcohol has been intensely debated. Since the 1980s, the nationwide legal drinking age has been 21 and older for the United States. However, this age limit imposed on the consumption of alcohol was controversial then, and it continues to be so today. In 2008, John McCardell, leader of Choose Responsibility and former president of Middlebury College, joined a campaign known as the Amethyst Initiative, which proposed lowering the drinking age to an unspecified number (Amethyst Initiative). In conjunction with this initiative, McCardell wrote an article entitled â€Å"Rethinking the drinking age of 21†. On the other hand, an article in the Chicago Tribune called†¦show more content†¦Yet the Chicago Tribune challenges McCardell’s belief that lowering the drinking age will result in safer drinking. The Chicago Tribune states, â€Å"legalizing something generally invites more indulge nce, not less.† It is the belief of the Chicago Tribune that taking part in a greater consumption of alcohol can hardly be safe. The Chicago Tribune reinforces this belief with a statistic, stating that â€Å"when states lowered their drinking ages in the 1970s, alcohol-related crashes involving teens rose.† For this reason, the Chicago Tribune disagrees with the claim that a lower drinking age will result in safer drinking. Although McCardell and the Chicago Tribune seem to be at irreconcilable odds on the matter, both appear to share a common value: the safety of individuals. For instance, McCardell argues that statistics do not really prove why the legal drinking age of 21 results in greater safety for everyone, and he worries about the repercussions that the drinking age has had on the safety of college students. Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune uses statistics to express its belief that the drinking age of 21 is safer than that of a lower drinking age, and that lower ing the drinking age will only cause more harm to individuals, not result in their safety. Both essays are primarily concerned with which drinking age will lead to the optimal safety of the individual. Perhaps this common ground can lead to a compromise within the debate concerning the legal drinking age.Show MoreRelatedLowering The Legal Drinking Age857 Words   |  4 PagesAs we know, the United States has the highest drinking age in the world. By 1988 the entire U.S had adopted the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act, which set the drinking age to twenty-one. However, in 1920 the United States banned the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcohol. This era known as the Prohibition sparked the popularity of hidden underground bars and events. The Prohibition Era is a prime example of how people did anything to intake alcohol and eventually this ledRead MoreEssay about Drinking Age Controversy1076 Words   |  5 PagesDrinking Age Controversy In the United States, a citizen is considered an â€Å"adult† at the age of 18, and with that new title comes many responsibilities, such as the right to vote and to join the army. However, the legal drinking age in America is twenty-one. This issue has been a major controversy for some time now that faces both national and state governments. Should the drinking age be lowered to the age when legally a person becomes an adult and assumes all other adult responsibilities,Read MoreControversial Analysis: Drinking Age1278 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 102 The Drinking Age and Young Adults. Because underage drinking is a major problem for young adults, the drinking age has become a very controversial issue. In the 1990s, the drinking age was 18, but it was changed to 21 in 1984. The Federal Government informed states to choose between raising the drinking age to 21 or foregoing highway funding. This decision obviously affected 18 to 20 year olds who could no longer buy alcoholic beverages. As in every controversy, there are supportersRead MoreThe Problems Associated with Underage Drinking Essay1137 Words   |  5 Pagesability to seen more grown up can intensify drinking at a younger age. Consequently, as alcohol is seen as the â€Å"Forbidden Fruit,† it encourages the want to drink for people under the age of twenty-one. The use of alcohol by adolescents is widely viewed as disobedience in American society. Although, alcohol use is technically illegal until the age of twenty-one (in 19 states the consumption of alcohol in not specifically illegal for people under the age of twenty-one), there is still an excessiveRead MoreLegal Drinking Age : Should It Be Altered?1408 Words   |  6 Pages Legal Drinking Age: Should It Be Altered? The legal drinking age has been an ongoing controversy for decades, consisting of people who are for lowering, raising, or keeping the age with multiple reasons behind each side. It is commonly known that consuming alcohol can have life-threatening effects on the human body, but these effects can be much harsher at a younger age. Reducing the age for eighteen year olds may result in senseless acts from the drug. Statistics prove that maintainingRead MoreSociety s Attitude Towards The Drinking Age1294 Words   |  6 Pages Society’s attitude towards the drinking age has been a major controversy in the United States. The attitudes regarding the drinking age have been based off statistics and society’s varying opinion. Alcohol is a toxic depressant that has a damaging effect on the human body. As a result, to prevent excessive alcoholic consumption, the ratification of the 18th amendment took place from 1919 to 1939. This established the Prohibition Act, which banned the transportation, manufacturing and selling ofRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1692 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum Drinking Age Act. This act stated that all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21. Individuals under the age of 21 would now be prohibited from purchasing or being in public possession of any alcoholic beverage. Though not every state was keen on this idea, they all jumped to raise the minimum drinking age due to the government threat that they would lose up to 10% of their federal highway funding if they ignored the request. However, since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act wasRead MoreDo not Lower the Legal Drinking Age825 Words   |  3 Pagesdrink. Today’s controversy is a lot less infringing on personal rights. It’s regarding whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. This has been a huge controversy geared exclusively towards college students due to the fact that alcohol consumption at universities is the definitive part of campus life even though the greater part of students are not legally permitted to drink. It is apparent that through the regularity and risks of binge drinking across universitiesRead MoreEssay about Keeping the Drinking Age at 211662 Words   |  7 PagesWhen it comes to the subject of drinking and teenagers, what is the first thing that comes to mind? To me its the legal age limit of when teens should be able to drink. Having it lowered is controversial because according to prior experiences , data shows that younger age drinking is well known for its fatalities. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), on one of the most popular prom nights in 1999, as many as 62 percent of the traffic deaths were alcohol-related (). The most importantRead MoreThe Problems of Underage Drinking Essay526 Words   |  3 PagesThe controversy of underage drinking has been a serious and difficult issue for many colleges, communities, and parents over the past several years. Fifty states in the U.S have already set their minimum alcohol drinking and purchasing age to twenty one. Yet many people, especially teenagers, oppose this legal drinking age and want it to be lowered. Nevertheless, the legal drinking age should not be lowered from twenty one to eighteen because of three main reasons. The higher minimum drinking age

Military Discipline Essay - 1033 Words

Military Discipline Where to start, lets see discipline in the military from the beginning to now. Well from the start of the civil war the military was not as it is now. Then solders was a solder 24-7 back then, and the only time they had to them self was when the war was over. Now, we still solders 24-7 but we have more personel time to deal with familys and to start a family. But that is up to the solder, anyway over the years the military had to change to keep the morale up in the military. So the military came up with some rules to keep people in the military and add to the ranks. Discipline is key to a good unit or any thing dealing with the military. If you look in any book that the military put out, discipline is in†¦show more content†¦That was when the UCMJ came in to play, that was when discipline was key in and out of work. As the times changes so did the UCMJ as well, from the way we act to killing people and other things that i dont even like to take about. Discipline can hurt you or help you as far as moving up in the ranks. Back then, solders that did wrong things got killed on the spot or got the rope from a tree. Now a days, people go to jail or put to death depening on where you are in the world. If you show that you got the discipline to be a great leader, then great things will happen for those who show the that the military is a good thing to happen to a persons life. Because of discipline in the military i have seen people go from shit bag to a great NCO. Reason for that is once again of discipline can change a persons way of life. Back then it was the same. You show that you can lead then you move up the ranks. That havent change in over the years. Today the military got different people as far as color of skin or backgrounds. In the civil war, the south had white people in the ranks. But the north had blacks and whites fighting for the samething. As the times change so did the military when it came to race or color of skin. T he discipline in units when it came to that was hard but we as the United States over come that with discipline and UCMJ. The military came with EO reps inShow MoreRelatedEssay Military Discipline2926 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿Military Discipline 1. General. The word discipline comes from the Latin word disciplÄ «na which means to instruct. Discipline is a specific form of instruction which develops self-control, character, and efficiency. Military discipline is that mental attitude and state of training which renders obedience instinctive under all conditions. It is founded upon respect for, and loyalty to properly constituted authority. While it is developed primarily by military drill, every feature of military lifeRead MoreDefining Military Discipline and Values1563 Words   |  7 PagesMilitary Discipline is a state of order and obedience existing within a command. Self discipline in the military is where soldiers do the 4 rights without being told, even in the absence of the commander. Discipline is created within a unit by instilling a sense of confidence and responsibility in each individual. To strengthen discipline, senior leaders need to give praise to their subordinates, either individually or as a whole, for tasks done well. By doing this, it will accomplish every commandersRead MoreEssay on Defining Military Discipline and Values1385 Words   |  6 PagesMilitary Discipline is a state of order and obed ience existing within a command. Self discipline in the military is where soldiers do the 4 rights without being told, even in the absence of the commander. Discipline is created within a unit by instilling a sense of confidence and responsibility in each individual. To strengthen discipline, senior leaders need to give praise to their subordinates, either individually or as a whole, for tasks done well. By doing this, it will accomplish every commandersRead MoreMilitary And Civilian Discipline : The Effect On The Organization2316 Words   |  10 PagesMilitary and Civilian Discipline: The Effects on the Organization Without military discipline, members of military wouldn t be able to function as one team during missions, exercises and training (Spector, Hayes, Shaw, 1978). Discipline and standards provide the foundation for any organization. Through teaching and the infusion of standards and discipline, an organization can ensure their success. Discipline needs to be legally and morally correct to instill trust in your personnel and trustRead MoreMilitary Discipline and Respect for Authority Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesMILITARY DISCIPLINE AND RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY Discipline is used in the civilian world as of coarse the military world. As a basic everyone is expected to address everyone by their proper tittles. In the Army, saluting is to show respect toward an officer, flag, or our country. When talking to an officer, stand at the position of attention unless given the order â€Å"at ease†. discipline is a specific form of instruction which develops self control, character, and efficiency. Discipline is theRead MoreEssay about Article 92 - Good Order and Military Discipline2619 Words   |  11 PagesArticle 92 Good order and Military discipline: The Disciplinary Regulations of the United States Army define military discipline as a strict and honorable compliance by all servicemen with the order and rules prescribed by laws, military regulations and orders of commanders (superiors). Military discipline is a special form of military relations. Its specifics lie in coordinating the conduct and actions of military personnel and in serving to establish such relations as are required forRead MoreMilitary Discipline965 Words   |  4 PagesDefinition of Military Discipline Military Discipline is a state of order and obedience existing within a command. It involves the ready subordination of the will of the individual for the good of the group. Military discipline is an extension and specialized application of the discipline demands habitual but reasoned obedience that preserves initiative and functions unfalteringly even in the absence of the commander. Discipline is created within a command by instilling a sense of confidence andRead More The Lords of Discipline - Life in a Military Academy Essay526 Words   |  3 PagesThe Lords of Discipline - Life in a Military Academy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To the average person, school is a place to learn where one may speak their mind freely, yet stay orderly through a light set of values and order. In The Lords of Discipline, we learn of a different type of school. The Institute is a military academy with rigorous mental and physical standards, and very straight-forward and rigid policies. What is learned at the Institute is to stay loyal to your classmates. The upperclassmen do theirRead MoreLeadership As A Military Discipline1035 Words   |  5 Pages I consider myself fortunate to be in the Army for many reasons. What’s relevant here is the leadership experience. Many books have been written by people much smarter than me on the subject. Leadership as a military discipline is as old as war. Why has it been so studied, refined, debated and generally given so much attention? I would propose the reason lies in the fact that everyone both receives and provides leadership. Secondly everyone has had so me experience for good or ill, and formedRead MoreThe Military And Its Structure, Order And Discipline Of The Servicemen And Servicewoman1518 Words   |  7 PagesThe military is known for its structure, order and discipline of the Servicemen and Servicewoman, but mostly for its great leadership throughout the ranks. The military is structured by the ranking system. In the Navy, the Service member s level of authority and responsibilities is based on his or her rate. There are the entry level rates Seaman Recruit, Seaman Apprentice and Seaman; Petty Officer Third Class, Petty Officer Second Class and Petty Officer First Class. Lastly, there are the senior

Business Plan E-Commerce Application “Learning Disability Service”) Free Essays

I. Summary of the Group’s Business Idea Our group’s business plan involves an e-commerce application that provides services to the people having learning disabilities. The business is named as LDS for learning disability service. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Plan: E-Commerce Application â€Å"Learning Disability Service†) or any similar topic only for you Order Now LDS will operate as a commercial entity with an underpinning social agenda. It will provide a platform where all the stakeholders related to social care including people with learning disabilities, their care providers, service providers and product stores, local authorities and relevant NGOs and the community at large will interact, socialize and undertake commercial activities. Strengths In our view, one of the greatest strength of this business idea is that is combines the advantages of socialization and e-commerce on a single platform. Online retail activity has been growing steadily over the years. According to Jeffrey Grau (2012), the retail e-commerce chief for E-Marketer, e-commerce sales will undergo a double digit growth through the year 2016 (see Fig. 1). This sales growth is partly affected by the rise in social networking trends. Online socialization trend has been at its peak due to the popularity of online social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Marketing practitioners and commentators contend that socialization over the internet is going to have an increased impact over e-commerce activities in the year 2013. According to them, social media plays an influential role in generating awareness towards services and products and has a notable affect on direct sales. According to their estimates, sales through social media have grown 30% year-ove r-year (Dishman, 2012). Many commentators are of the view that the emergence of Smartphone and tablet technologies will further boost online socialization and shopping trend. Smart phones and tablets enable people to socialize and shop online anytime and from anywhere. With these technologies, consumers are able reach more and more people, research and discover products with much ease than before. Our proposed LDS application provides modules for registered users over its website to socialize, where they can share opinions and experiences regarding services and products related to learning disabilities. This information will help users to make more informed and accurate purchase decisions which will subsequently enhance commercial trade over LDS. This will ultimately attract more users, businesses and social bodies towards the website, making our business idea a success. Weaknesses Due to the tightening of social services budgets and an emphasis on smart spending, people with learning difficulties and their carers will be more careful regarding their social services spending. This will heighten the stake of users in spending their money wisely. Resultantly, their purchase decision will become more extensive ((Hawkins 1998) due to their increased level of involvement. This will require our website to build a significant rapport with the aforementioned stakeholders before they will entrust this service and consider it as a competent market place. Fig 1: Growing Trend of E-commerce II.Process of Idea Initiation The idea of this project originated when our group started to define the goal of our new business venture. In one of our groups’ foremost meetings, we decided to plan for a business that would not only be focused upon profit maximization, but also create immediate value for the society in general through a social, environmental, agenda. However, we were doubtful whether a business (which is primarily run for profit) can have a social agenda at its core. Therefore we decided to search some literature, and discovered the concept of ‘social entrepreneurship’ (Dees, 1998; Dees et al. 2001). Over the years, the phrase social entrepreneurship has earned a great deal of attention from the business and marketing practitioners and professionals and scholars. The phrase â€Å"social entrepreneurship† can be regarded as the one that is best suited to the present times as it serves as a combination of social mission and the discipline of business-innovation. The present scenario is the time which gives an opportunity to address the social problems with the entrepreneurial approaches. Of late we have witnessed that most of the large multinational and global corporations are increasingly undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in order to sustain their brand image and ultimately their profitability (Beurden and Gossling, 2008). Being socially responsible has its payoffs in the modern business era. Therefore, we thought it would be wise to have a balance between both the commercial as well as social agendas for our business plan. The group members were of the view that having a strong social agenda will ultimately benefit our commercial aim. With that in our mind, we identified several areas of social benefit where we could initiate a business. Out of several different options, we decided for LDS. III. Team Work Our team comprising of 4 members was tasked to formulate the business plan and present it in a written report and through an oral presentation. All the members of our team were already familiar with each other as we were already part of a wider academic group. We were determined to work for these tasks and contribute towards its successful completion. The entire project was divided into several small tasks such as environment and market analysis; marketing plan; service development and operation plan, financial projection; drafting final report and developing the presentation of the project. These tasks were delegated among the members of the team in a way that everyone would have equal workload. This process was completed with consensus. According to William Tuckman’s theory of Group Stage Development, this phase of our team work qualifies for the â€Å"forming Stage†[1] (Tuckman, 1965) where each member of a group acquires his/her roles. My role was to finalize the pr oject report. This part required me to coordinate with each of the groups’ member to get their input regarding different parts of the report. The storming’ phase of our group development was mostly uneventful. This was followed by a ‘norming’ phase wherein we had several meetings to discuss the progress of the work and jointly prepare the presentation. Subsequently, our group reached the ‘performing’ stage and we completed all the project tasks. While I was following up for the work, I observed that some of the group members required constant oversight and assistance in making decisions and proceeding with the work while some individuals were doing relatively well on their own. I tried to understand these behavioural patterns in light of William Schutz’s theory of ‘fundamental interpersonal relationship orientation’ (FIRO Theory, 2004). I learned that some people, as contended by Schutz, are deficient in terms of inclusion (i.e. wanting others to call them, invite them in a meeting, seek their opinion) and control (i.e. wanting others to help them decide, seek advice) and resultantly they desire others to make an effort to include them and exert control over them. By catering their interpersonal relationship needs, these members turned out to be as much productive as any other. IV. Presentation Experience During the course of this assignment, I have learnt that regardless of the merits of a proposal, its approval depends largely upon how well it is presented in front of its respective stakeholders (audience). Information of any length can be conveyed through written communication in form of reports; however, they lack the persuasive powers of face to face communication (RoAne, 2009). Presentations, which allow face-to-face communication, play an important role in this regard (RoAne, 2009). Therefore, high impact presentation skills are very important in the modern competitive business world. During my presentation, I have learnt that it is important to utilize modern technologies to present right ideas. Modern technologies, such as computer aided presentation software Microsoft PowerPoint provide an exciting improvement to the most traditional types of presentation. Therefore, it is important for me as a business management undergraduate to have adequate proficiency in using such tools. Apart from the visual aids, other environmental and technical arrangements are also vital to ensure distractions and mishaps are avoided. While presenting in front of the panel, I learned that visual aids including PowerPoint slides, should only add to the presentation. A presenter should rely primarily on his/her knowledge of the subject, enthusiasm, energy and communication skills for a brilliant presentation. The traditional presentation technique of speaking effectively is of utmost importance in delivering effective presentation that captures the attention of the audience. V. Alternative Scenario Looking back at the financial prediction of our group’s business plan, I am of the view that it was just about right. Although it may seem very optimistic to generate more than ?5 million in revenue in three years, it can be achieved considering the merit of our business idea. However, doing so would require rigorous efforts and expertise in web designing, business analysis, human computer interaction and project management. Since we do not possess adequate proficiencies in all these areas, it would be very difficult for us to implement this plan. Since most of the cash flow and profit and loss calculations are based on assumptions, it would be logical to take into account both best case scenario and worst case scenario for financial calculations. For instance, the economy of UK can take a stark turn for the good and the government may announce significant increase in social service spending, rendering our services as less significant. Or NGOs and local bodies may decide to use our platform more extensively, instilling great value in our service. These changes can have contrasting affect of the financial performance of our proposed business idea. Therefore, having alternate growth projections can help improve our business plan. References Beurden P Gossling T (2008), The Worth of Values – A Literature Review on the Relation Between Corporate Social and Financial Performance, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol 82, pp. 407-424 Dees, G. J. (1998) The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship. Stanford University. Dees, J. G., Emerson, J. Economy, P. (2001) Enterprising Non-profits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs. New York: Wiley Sons, Inc. Dishman, L. (2012). Three Important Retail Trends for 2013. Forbes. Available from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lydiadishman/2012/12/17/three-important-retail-trends-for-2013/ (cited on 26th Feb, 2013) ‘FIRO Theory’ (2004) People Performance Power: Corporate and Personal Consulting Group. Available from http://www.peopleperformancepower.com/FIRO_Theory.htm (cited on 20th March, 2010) Grau, J. (2012). Retail Ecommerce Forecast—Challenging Economy Drives Online Shopping. E-Marketer. Available from http://www.emarketer.com/Webinar/Retail-Ecommerce-ForecastChallenging-Economy-Drives-Online-Shopping/4000055#ezkpFzGkLHHE4Pwe.99 (cited on 26th Feb, 2013) Hawkins. D (1998), Consumer Behavior. Tata McGraw-Hill, p. 560-565 RoAne, S. (2009) Face to Face: How to Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World. Simon and Schuster Tuckman, B. W. (1965) Developmental Sequences in Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin No. 63 p. 384-399 Tuckman B and Jensen M (1977) Stages of Small Group Development. Group and Organizational Studies. 2:419-427. [1] Tuckman’s theory relates to four stages of group development namely forming, storming, norming and performing. How to cite Business Plan: E-Commerce Application â€Å"Learning Disability Service†), Essay examples

Freelancers Respond to Monetary Incentives Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Provide a broad overview of Freelancer Ltd and Identify and Discuss the rights, roles and responsibilities of Freelancer's Shareholders. 2.Explain why these rules are in place and how they contribute to an Efficient Stock Exchange, support the Interests of listed Entities, maintain Investor Protection and Impact will these have on the liquidity Management of the firm and firm value? 3. Within the Context of the ASX, Explain why there is a requirement and need for Continuous Reporting. Answers: 1.Freelancer Ltd. is the world's largest crowd resourcing and freelancing market by amount of clients and assignments. They have a connection of over23 millionmanagers, owners and freelancers across the globe i.e. from more than 247 countries, areas and territories. In the course of the market, employers can take into service freelancers for carrying out the work in regions such as development of software, texting, data entry and drawing correctly through to production, the sciences, marketing and sales and the services of accounting and legal frameworks (Moore et al., 2016). Freelancer Limited is buying and selling on the stock exchange i.e. the Australian Securities Exchange as ASX: FLN. The requirements for Australian companies seeking general admission to the ASX and the ASX profit test and asset test requirements are as follows: Number of Shareholders: Minimum 300 non-affiliated investors @ A$2,000 Free Float: 20% Profit Test: A$1 million aggregated profit from continuing operations over past 3 years + A$500,000 consolidated profit from continuing operations over the last 12 months. Assets Test: A$4 million net tangible assets or A$15 million market capitalization The corporation must have a minimum of 300 non-affiliated investors with holdings worth at a least amount of $2,000 each (Lewis, 2015). One does not have a need to comprise of the necessary spread or free float previous to the forming of the application of listing. The authorization for listing is approved subject to the corporation meeting the investors spread obligation through the recommendation of stocks and securities connected with the application of listing. 2.The conformity with an appropriate supremacy code may well be a measurement of personal agreements of listing. In some cases, the listing standards include elements of the code of governance. In further authorities, supplementary standards of governance over and above the code of governance have been introduced as division of the requirements of listing. For example, the TSX and the Stockholm Stock Exchange together impress such standards as component of their requirements of listing (Tricker Tricker, 2015). Similarly, Nasdaq markets and NYSEs commercial governance necessities for issuers of listing are element of the standards of listing. A number of stock exchanges have a scale of judgment in introduction of these necessities. The function of standards to potential issuers in many instances is area under discussion to the prudence of the stock exchanges that find their own selves facing escalating struggle for the issuers. For illustration, the NASDAQ OMX unambiguously affirm that they keep hold of the power to approve the recording even though if a company does not carry on the fulfillment of all the necessities for listing (Mayne Power, 2013). It has an occurrence as lengthy as it is contented that the goals at the back of the listing requirements are not negotiated or that they can be attained by other ways. The TSX also has a reservation of the right to work out its carefulness in application of the least amount of listing and de-listing decisive factor. A number of interactions have come under condemnation accurately on this explanation. The ASX was recently criticized, together with the advisors of proxies, fo r having a waiver to its requirements of listing that has decided, in spite of the fact that like NASDAQ OMX, it has a lawful foundation for carrying out the same (Wilkinson, 2014). 3.The ASX Rules of Listing surrounds constant disclosure necessities that a listed company needs to assure. Continuous disclosure is the appropriate and timely directing of material data to maintain the market knowledgeable of proceedings and expansion as they take place. Flaws to meet up the revelation obligations may have an end result in penalties of civil and criminal nature for the business and also the company officers in some cases. The most important and universal rule for continuous disclosure is that on one occasion an entity is or gets conscious of any data relating to it. The entities should instantaneously inform the ASX of the required information. By means of a non-comprehensive record of illustrations, the company must make available notices to the ASX if the business formulates a takeover bid or carry out a share buy-back or signs a substantial agreement. The availability must also be done in cases of transformations in its officers. In case there is a non compliance of the continuous disclosures, it would be a contravention of the rules and regulations to reveal the information and the same concerns an unfinished suggestion or cooperation (Lau, 2015). The data consist of matters of hypothesis or is inadequately definite to necessitate disclosure. ASX may also have need of revelation of information by the corporation if ASX believes that there could be a forged marketplace in the securities of the company. References Lau, A. (2015). Why bidder shareholders should get a say.Equity,29(6), 21. Lewis, K. (2015). Revised ASX guidance on trading policies.Governance Directions,67(1), 8. Mayne, S., Power, C. (2013). Policies under review as ASA names the longest serving directors.Equity,27(8), 5. Moore, J., Shoven, J., Shelef, O. (2016). Payment Schemes in Online Marketplaces: How Do Freelancers Respond to Monetary Incentives?. Tricker, R. B., Tricker, R. I. (2015).Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices. Oxford University Press, USA. Wilkinson, S. (2014). Key changes to proposed ASX listing rules.Governance Directions,66(4), 223.