BUYER BEHAVIOUR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BUYER BEHAVIOUR - Essay Example to as consumer behaviour is an essential component of marketing because it helps in the determination of pricing incentives, mode of advertising and brand differentiation among others. This paper therefore seeks to identify and illustrate the concepts that facilitate understanding of buyer behaviour as well as evaluate the various models or theories of buyer behaviour with close association with the concept of neuroscience. Another area that will be looked at is the area of decision making process in consumption that gives rise to the various types of consumer purchases. To begin, buyer behaviour generally refers the process in which consumers take in order to make decisions on acquiring certain goods or services for their own use. Consumer buying behaviour is therefore a multi-staged process that involves the identification of a specific need and even goes beyond the consumption stage to an evaluation one. It is for this reason that consumers are likely or unlikely to consume one product as opposed to the other in cases where there is indifference between two products. The consumer buying process is a complex one because of the influences it relies on and the characteristics of human diversity that makes us act differently. Some research studies have also indicated that the buying behaviour can also be linked to neuroscience. It is therefore important to understand the process of consumer buying behaviour as shall be discussed in the following section. The consumer buying decision-making process model adopts a five stage interconnected process that illustrates how individuals or consumer groups will always conduct themselves before and after purchase of a product or a service (Riley 1). The first stage is the need identification and problem awareness stage. At this stage, an individual identifies a need within him or her that needs to be satisfied. The utilitarian theory has been associated with this stage of decision making. Since an individual identifies that

Application of Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Application of Theory Paper - Essay Example The theory makes use of the fourteen components which are solely based on the wants of human beings. The theory works on two major assumptions which are â€Å"Care givers also known as nurses have a responsibility of looking after the client until they are in a position where they can adequately look after themselves’ and â€Å"Nurses are always on the look and selfless in ensuring that the patients recover for their ailments† and lastly â€Å"Nurses will be more effective when they obtain an undergraduate certificate in both arts and sciences†. This paper will examine the problem in nursing leadership by providing scholarly evidence to support the issue. In addition, it will present one strategy and the concepts and principles where the nursing theory are applicable, provide a rationale for the chosen strategy and one ethical strategy for the theory. Nursing leadership has been an emerging issue over the years because of the numerous challenges which various sectors of nursing encounter. Globalization in today’s society has really changed the shape of nursing and nurses across the globe require effective leadership to maintain to the required standards and generate a new generation of nurses. Quality in many health cares is determined by the efficacy of the leadership available. On the other hand leadership is extremely essential in all institutions or organizations. It can be defined as the process through which goals are identified by providing accurate support and motivation(McEwen & Wills, 2007). Nursing practice requires accurate evidence that is only obtained through extensive research. Putting together the evidence collected into nursing practice is necessary for quality to be achieved in the nursing filed. Therefore the behaviors of most health care providers have been wanting as they have not been able to accurately determine the kinds of involvement needed to

The Birth of Baseball :: essays research papers

The Birth of Baseball Baseball. The American Pastime. A true love of mine and of many Americans. The game's objective is to outscore your opponent by having more baserunners come across the final of four bases, called home plate. It's ironic in a way. The more these athletes "go home," the more successful they are. There is a reward in a "walk" and batters can be among the game's greats by failing seven out of 10 times. Although baseball is usually traced to the mid-19th century, games involving bats and balls started long before that. In fact, the first recorded "batting contests" began more than 5,000 years ago when Egyptian priests engaged in mock combat with bats. Balls which sometimes symbolized the sun and other deities, eventually found their way into the game. These games were gradually brought to Europe and eventually America. When these games reached England, they became classified as "stoolball." The "pitcher" attempted to hit an upturned stool with a ball before a "batter" could bat it away with a "stick." Legend has it that when this game moved out of the churchyard and into the countryside, more "stools" or "bases" were added. These bases had to be circled after the ball was struck. This led to the creation of English game "rounders," and a rule was added. A base runner could be put "out" by being struck with a thrown ball. Imagine that ruled had stayed. You'd have Roger Clemens firing fastballs at rookie infielders, who would run for their lives. Posts called "goals" or "bases" were driven into the ground.

Marketing Visual Merchandising Essay

How visual merchandising helps improving sales and its effects on retailing? ABSTRACT Visual Merchandising is the way or art of displaying goods and products in a manner that is appealing to the eyes of the customer. It sets the context of the merchandise in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, presenting them in a way that would attract the attention and convert the window shoppers into prospects and ultimately buyers of the product. A creative and talented retailer can use visual merchandising to breathe in new life into his store products. Passion for design and creativity are essential and the key to be a good visual merchandiser. A perfect design process and the ability to create ideas that are different are required. Awareness of happenings in fashion world is needed so as to keep up-to-date with the dynamics of the market constantly to ensure whatever merchandise displayed make a good comeback to attract shoppers. Keyword: visual merchandising, window displays, signs, interior displays, cosmetic promotions. 1. Introduction Visual Merchandising has been gaining more importance and attention from retailer of late as part of the emerging marketing industry. Research shows most of the people who went to shopping centre did not have an idea of what to buy or which shop to go, most of them get attracted by the display inside or outside the retailer. â€Å"Seventy percent of consumers in-store purchases are unplanned, which means they came to the store to buy something else,† says Greg Smith, director of communications for the Chicago-based Point Of Purchase Advertising Institute (POPAI). The main goal of display is to showcase the products within the overall display area to attract customers to give in three to five seconds of their attention to the window display The retailer visual message should be conveyed to the customer in that short period of time. It should not be like an unsuccessful TV advertisement, where the product is forgotten altogether and only the concept of the commercial remains in the mind of the viewer. The arrangement of window display should go with the product and should not suppress them to make it discernible to the eye. According to Dolan and Thomas G (2012), It’s important to realize that no matter how much advertising you do on a particular product or brand, most shoppers can be swayed by the in-store display. It is why nowadays it had become a popular trend among retailer to apply visual merchandising in their stores and retailer outlet. 2. Consumer Emotion and Affective Response Emotion is the core factors in affective perspective. It affects an individual’s luminal and subconscious level, and serves as the internal motivator that attracts us to the things that makes us feel good or positively associate with our minds (Williamson, 2002). Individuals tend to focus on information selectively, which is consistent with one’s mood state and later, recall the information that is mood-consistent (Mattila and Wirtz, 2000). Mood-based evaluations are common in individual judgment of products or services (Schwarz, 1997). Russell and Geraldine (1980) assumed that affect is an individual’s internal state comprising of both pleasure and arousal. 3. Visual Merchandising and Consumption Visual merchandising enhances the attractiveness of a store and its perceived image from the viewpoint of customers. A positive mood serves as a contextual cue for evaluating the perceived quality, image of a product and store, and purchase intention (Bakamitsos, 2000). The impact of a pleasant store atmosphere is also positively related to customer satisfaction (Spies et al., 1997). Atmospheric stimuli which please the actual and emotional needs of consumers enhance the degree of consumer participation in a store, leading to favourable purchasing behaviours (Wright et al., 2006). In general, the store exterior and interior are the two major areas covered in Visual Merchandising and a variety of components (colour combination, product placement, lighting arrangement, layout and highlight design, mannequin and props selection, fixtures and fittings selection) are involved in creating a favourable shopping atmosphere. For instance, Babin et al. (2003) found that the combination of colours and lighting plays a critical role in influencing the purchase intention of consumers and store patronage. Intangible store elements, such as sprayed fragrance, can stimulate one’s affective state and help boost mental imagination (Fiore et al., 2000). Chebat et al. (2001) found that appropriate music can affect the cognitive activity of consumers. A positive imagery also helps in associating a better cognitive experience between consumers and products, and intensifying purchase intentions (Macinnis and Price, 1987). However, consumers’ responses can be affected by cultural difference. Chan and Tai (2001) found that Chinese Hong Kong people rely on culture values (e.g. practical realism) to evaluate store displays and less susceptible to environmental cues than American consumers. Also, Chinese cultural values had a direct relationship with store atmosphere evaluation in apparel consumption (Fok and Chong, 1996). For Vietnamese consumers, hedonic shopping motivations were directly related to store atmosphere evaluation in supermarkets (Nguyen et al., 2007). For Korean consumers, different cultural expectations were found in store environment expectations in discount stores (Park, 2005). Therefore, cultural difference is important to influence store atmosphere evaluation. 4. Visual merchandising and Sales Today, customer walks through any mall or large stand-alone store where they moves through a continuos themes promotional mix of visual merchandising. The visual campaign starts with the outside window and continues through the use of end-aisle displays, layout, fixtures, and signage, continuing to the point of purchase displays where one final push is made ( Bell and Ternus, 2002). Once considered ‘’making the store pretty,’’ visual merchandising has become its own department in larger stores. The visual merchandising process promotes sales without the need for a sales associate ( Bell and Ternus, 2002). Research confirms the importance of visual merchandising (Janiszewski, 1998; Mckinly, 2003); it has been found effective in increasing sales (Edwards and Shackley, 1992) and imperative in enchancing store image. Visual merchandising that can be effective include exterior displays, window displays (Edward and Shackley, 1992; Gubernick, 1986), in-store display as well as the separate display components of signage ( Edward and Shackley, 1992) and lighting. Given the possilities of visual marketing, one might expect that all retailers would use it. For many small business owners, however, the need to create visual displays is just one more task (Yu and Muske, 2003). Successful visual merchandising and brand delivery is all about understanding and satisfying customer needs. So the more that a company understands its consumers, brand and competitors, the better it can define and refine its own visual merchandising practice to deliver better solutions instore to improve the customer experience (Mckeever, 2007). 5. Physical In-store Environment It has frequently been suggested that â€Å"good† interior design within a store can maintain customer interest, encourage customers to lower their psychological defences and make a purchase (Kotler, 1974). In examining this potential, the physical in-store environment has been examined in relation to various elements, for example, orienting factors, signage (Bitner, 1992); spatial factors (Bitner, 1992); and ambient conditions (Bitner, 1992), which Kotler (1974) termed â€Å"atmospherics†. These elements are in many ways redolent of the facets of merchandise display identified above. This high degree of congruence between merchandise display facets and the elements identified when concerning the physicality of the in-store environment would appear to add further weight to the use of such â€Å"borrowed† approaches in this research. The work regarding the physicality of the in-store environment focuses on the â€Å"communication† of elements through cues and stimuli that the customer digests through a number of sensory modalities (visual, aural, olfactory, haptic and taste). Within the research on in-store environments it has been suggested that some people are better at â€Å"digesting† environmental stimuli than others (Bitner, 1992). Given that up to 90 per cent of the cues provided by an environment are digested through sight (Edwards and Shackley, 1992) it follows that many environmental cues in the retail context are visually communicated. The twin threads of visual communication and legibility highlighted in the environmental literature echo the sentiments raised in the definition of visual merchandising above. This then further strengthens the links between the visual merchandising and considerations of the physicality of the in-store environment. Therefore, from either perspective, understanding how to communicate product and brand images to customers through individual visual stimuli is vital. 6. Aims of Visual Merchandising They are several aim of the usage of visual merchandising. Successful way of using visual merchandising will be able to send out quality message to potential and prospective customer and also enticing them to buy from the store(Kerfoot et al., 2003). Visual merchandising not only function as a configuration of space, layout and consumer flow, but visual merchandising itself is also a powerful communication and experience enhancer for the customer(Kotler, 1974). * Generate Experience Experience generation pertains to stimulation and management of the entire domain of the consumer’s senses and managing sensuality so as well as to be congruent with the consumer’s desires Visual merchandising able to manage the visual senses whereby affect experience generation in retailing. * Maximize Sales Effective visual merchandising helps in increasing sales through facilitation of consumer sampling and exposing the best of merchandise to the consumer . * Strengthen the Brand Visual merchandising can add brand strength to the retail store brand where the experience occurs if being properly managed. For example, Apple store who use visual merchandising have been a successful icon in the technology market and been known for their merchandise being visualized in their store. * Help Expansion of Product Categories Through Optimizing Display Effective visual merchandising also packs more through optimum display of merchandise. Thereby devouring empty spaces in the retailer where it is not necessary, making it feasible to display larger number of products and product categories, enhancing higher total spending and hence contributes to the profits of the retailer. 7. Diccusion Visual Merchandising was conceptualised in the western countries around the 60s. The basic tenet was to â€Å"differentiate† the brand in question, build â€Å"tactile† attributes at the point-of-sale which will reinforce the product attributes (directly or subtly) & act as a â€Å"call for action†, for the favourably disposed customer to â€Å"touch & feel† the brand experience. By the 90s visual merchandising had scaled the status of â€Å"art† & spilled on to a scientific territory. Organised retail contributed a lot to this development, as they were open to experimenting and it was an adding to the consumer purchasing experience. Visual merchandising is the art and science of retailing. It’s the thoughtful design of the store. It’s the aisle layouts, product adjacencies and the product sets themselves. Visual merchandising understands the target customer’s needs/desires and delivering an environment that encourages spending and increases purchases. Visual Merchandising aids customers’ buying decisions by placing the product where customers expect to find it. VM provides information about the product where it can easily be seen. Seeing, Smelling, Tasting, Feeling, Selling and Merchandising is all tied together. Often time, about a 250% sales increase when retailer offer a â€Å"try before you buy† type sales process and in this condition where visual merchandising had fulfilled all the condition. In this case, visual merchandising definitely has an impact on sales and helping increasing the fortunes of retailer. 8. Conclusion This research investigates how visual merchandising plays an important role in upgrading the fortunes and sales of retailer and the relationship of it between visual merchandising and retailer. It is found that attention should be paid to the overall store displays which include in-store and out-store display to attract consumer and products should be displayed at area which could easily catch up potential and prospective consumer view. Visual merchandising is known as a very common strategies that be used in the trend nowadays as research shows that more than 70% of people who went to a mall haven’t decided what they want to buy so it is important how visual merchandising play a role in luring potential buyer to the retailer. Visual Merchandising is everything that customers sees, both interior and exterior, that creates a positive image of the business and results in attention, interest, desire and action on part of the customer. Creative and great visual merchandising attracts attention, creates interest and invites customer to the store, directly gives impact on the sales of the whole retailer. So it is important how a retailer present the interior and exterior of the store. Furthermore, a good display is also act as a silent salesperson. When salespeople are busy with other consumer or the shop is closed, a strong window display showcases spoke to the consumer itself. Visual merchandising should complement and enhance the image of your store. Combined with good lightning, strong signage and professional fixtures, visual merchandising generates excitement and of course, lead to an increasing in sales. Therefore, visual merchandising is definitely a major determinant for a customer to enter a store to spend as a consumer. REFERENCES [1] Babin, B., Hardesty, D. and Suter, T. (2003), â€Å"Color and shopping intentions: the intervening effect of price fairness and perceived effect†, Journal of Business Research, 56(7), 541-51 [2] Bakamitsos, G.A. (2000), â€Å"Mood effects on product evaluations: when and how does mood makes a difference†, doctoral dissertation, Northwestern University, Evanston and Chicago, IL. [3] Bell.J., and Ternus, K. (2002). Silent selling; Best practices and effective strategies in visual merchandising (2nd ed.), New York: Fairchild Publications. [4] Bellizzi, J.A. and Hite, R.E. (1992), â€Å"Environmental color, consumer feelings and purchase likehood†, Psychology and Marketing, 9(5), 347-63. [5] Bitner, M.J. (1992), â€Å"Servicescapes: the impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees†, Journal of Marketing, 56(2), 57-71. [6] Chan, Y.K. and Tai, S. (2001), â€Å"How do in-store environmental cues influence Chinese shoppers? A study of hypermarket customers in Hong Kong†, Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 13(4), 73-103. [7] Chebat, J.C., Chebat, C.G. and Vaillant, D. (2001), â€Å"Environmental background music and in-store selling†, Journal of Business Research, 54, 11-123. [8] Edwards, S., and Shackley, M. (1992). Measuring the effectiveness of retail window display as and element of marketing. International Jornal of Advertising, 11(3), 193-203. [9] Fiore, A.M., Yah, X. and Yoh, E. (2000), â€Å"Effect of a product display and environmental fragrancing on approach responses and pleasurable experiences†, Psychology and Marketing, 17(1), 27-54. [10] Fok, V.S. and Chong, V.K. (1996), â€Å"Chinese cultural values and segmentation of youth apparel market: a Hong Kong experience†, Management Research News, 10(9), 55-69. [11] Gubernick, L. (1986, August 11). Through a glass, brightly. Forbes, 139(3), 98 [12] Janiszewski, C. (1998). The influence of display characteristics on visual exploratory search behaviours. Journal of Consumer Research, 25(3), 290-301. [13] Kerfoot, S., Davis, B. and Ward, P. (2003), â€Å"Visual merchandising and the creation of discernible retail brands†, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 31(2), 143-52 [14] Kotler, P. (1974), â€Å"Atmospherics as a marketing tool†, Journal of Retailing, 49(4), 48-64. [15] Macinnis, D.J. and Price, L.L. 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(1980), â€Å"A description of the affective quality attributed to environment†, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38(2), 311-22. [22] Schwarz, N. (1997), â€Å"Moods and attitude judgment: a comment on Fishbein and Middlestadt†, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 6, 93-8. [23] Spies, K., Hesse, F. and Loesch, K. (1997), â€Å"Store atmosphere, mood and purchasing behavior†, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 14(1), 1-17. [24] Williamson, M. (2002), â€Å"Emotions, reason and behavior: a search for the truth†, Journal of Consumer Behavior, 2(2), 196-202. [25] Wright, L.T., Newman, A. and Dennis, C. (2006), â€Å"Enhancing consumer empowerment†, European Journal of Marketing, 40(9/10), 925-35. [26] Yu,H., and Muske, G. (2003). Small retailer and the use of the web. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Individualism in Early American Literature Essay - 1099 Words

Early American literature is full of the spirit of individualism. This spirit can best be described by Emerson when he says, Good men must not obey the laws too well. This view has long been an inspiration for future generations of Americans to start some of the greatest reformations of our history. Among the literary units that show support for Emersons idea, there are three that are more powerful at conveying this spirit. The Revolutionaries, the Transcendentalists, and the Dark Romantics, all support Emersons quote because they show that a truly righteous individual is not one that conforms to societys standards, but rather judges his/her actions based on his/her reason and what he/she has discovered†¦show more content†¦Thoreau instead offers an alternative, The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right (Thoreau 250). This relates back to Emersons idea of self-reliance; a person, according to Thoreau, must be reliant on himself/herself and not on the government. The power of change is in the people, the government does not keep people free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate (Thoreau 250). Thoreaus view on the importance of the individual over the government supports Emersons quote because a good persons laws are entirely based on what the person has decided right for himself/herself. Although the Dark Romantics do not have the optimism if the transcendentalists, they still believe in the importance of a persons independence from accepted standards, as evident in Hawthornes The Ministers Black Veil. Mr. Hooper is the only person who is willing to admit the truth that every person in his community has secret sin, represented by his black veil. However, the society is afraid to admit this truth; not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr. Hooper, wherefore he did this thing (Hawthorne 303). Although this admittance makes a Mr. Hooper a fearful person for the community, he is only feared because the congregation is actually afraid of its own secret sinfulness. WhenShow MoreRelatedThe Emergence Of Self Concept1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe Emergence of Self Throughout our history the idea of self has developed and proved to be a dominant concept that Americans have come to understand. Not defined or found in lineage, religion, or history, the concept of self is defined by a collection of values. 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This created a diverseRead MoreSocial Anxiety : America s National Identity991 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendental thought is responsible for generating an American ideology of individualism, civil disobedience, and an emphasis on Man s individual affiliation with God. Within a generation of the revolution, American authors were initiating an exploration of an emergent American sensibility with a neoteric literary conviction. This new authorship of philosophical thought is characterized as â€Å"literary nationalism† and is furthermore expressed as an American Renaissance, yielding intellectually influentialRead MoreAnalysis Of Our Divided Political Heart By John F. Kennedy Essay777 Words   |  4 Pages† he talks about how American citizens cannot agree on who we are because we cannot agree on whom we have been. The American custom, Dionne expresses, points not to be self-sufficient and selfish, but to even out our compassion of individual freedom and our loyalty to the public. Understanding of our nation’s history, Dionne shows an insightful examination of how self-reliance is toxic to our present political ambience. He participates the Tea Party’s involvement with American history, but also showsRead MoreSteven Cran es Role in the Literary Revolution and an Analysis of The Red Badge of Courage1210 Words   |  5 PagesIf it takes a revolutionary to topple the general way of thinking, Stephen Crane is that revolutionary for American literature. The dominant literary movement before Crane’s time, Romanticism, originated in Germany and England as a response to classicism and soon dispersed worldwide. (McKay 766). Romanticism stressed the power of the human conscience and the intensity of emotion. It was essentially a spiritual movement, fiercely conflicting with the rigid rules and standards of classicism and theRead MoreThe Age Of The Enlightenment1646 Words   |  7 Pagespassionate, individualistic expression of the late 18th and early 19th century in his highly influential pamphlet entitled Common Sense. In this short, easily accessible pamphlet, Thomas Paine uses excellent command of the English language to inspire passionate hatred for the tyrannical English government and love for the American colonies among the common people. Due to the emphasis on individualism, Paine’s perception of the American colonies is that of an individual separate from England thatRead MoreThe Individualism Of The American Colonies1693 Words   |  7 Pagespassage, Paine emphasizes how the unique individualism of the American colonies cannot exist under Great Britain. While it may be a rational and more peaceful decision to remain under Great Britain’s control, the oppression of the American colonies’ individualism is one that goes against common sense and is a situation that calls for a passionate revolution. The emphasis on individualism and passionate expression of the self during the late 18th and early 19th century is also exemplified in theRead MoreA Metanarrative Is Described By Professor Worthington As1667 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribed by Professor Worthington as â€Å"a big story that causes a culture to survive, ties everything together, and gives us a universal truth†. Understanding America’s past is vital to understanding both the values of the nation and the country’s literature. James Faulconer defines the metanarrative as â€Å"a story we tell about ourselves, what we do, what is expected, its is a story that links our smaller stories together and gives us unity, social, psychological, and intellectual†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . 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The shift can be easily shown through works of literature, art, and in the everyday actions of the ones around us. There was once an atmosphere of humility and love, the atmosphere transformed into a black hole of of arrogance

Hastings Banda, Life President of Malawi

Continued from: Hastings Banda: the Early Years After an extra-ordinary but altogether unassuming life as an ex-patriot black African doctor in Britain during the colonial era, Hastings Banda soon became a dictator once in power in Malawi. His contradictions were many, and he left people wondering how the doctor had become Hastings Banda, Life President of Malawi. Extremist: Opposing Federation and Supporting Apartheid Even while abroad, Hastings Banda was being drawn into nationalist politics in Nyasaland. The tipping piont seems to have been the decision by the British colonial government to join Nyasaland with Northern and Southern Rhodesia to form the Central African Federation. Banda was vehemently against federation, and several times, nationalist leaders in Malawi asked him to return home to lead the fight. For reasons that are not completely clear, Banda remained in Ghana until 1958, when he finally returned to Nyasaland and threw himself into politics. By 1959, he had been jailed for 13 months for his opposition to federation, which he saw as a device for ensuring that Southern Rhodesia – which was governed by a white minority – retained control over the majority black populations of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.   In Africa Today, Banda declared that if opposition made him an â€Å"extremist†, he was happy to be one. â€Å"Nowhere in history,’ he said, â€Å"did the so-called Moderates accomplish anything.†Ã‚   Yet, despite his stance against the oppression of Malawis population, as a leader Banda had too few qualms, many people thought, about the oppression of South Africas black population. As President of Malawi, Banda worked closely with the Apartheid South African government and did not speak out against the radical segregation to the south of Malawis borders. This juxtaposition between his self-proclaimed extremism and the  real politique  of his international rule was just one of the many contradictions that confused and bewildered people about President Hastings Banda. Prime Minister, President, Life President, Exile As the long awaited leader of the nationalist movement, Banda was an obvious choice for Prime Minister as Nyasaland moved toward independence, and it was he who changed the name of the country to Malawi. (Some say he liked the sound of Malawi, which he found on a pre-colonial map.)   It was soon evident how Banda intended to rule. In 1964, when his cabinet tried to limit his powers, he had four of the ministers dismissed. Others resigned and several fled the country and lived in exile for the rest of their lives or his reign, which ever ended first.   In 1966, Banda oversaw the writing of a new constitution and ran unopposed for election as Malawis first president. From then forward, Banda ruled as an absolutist. The state was him, and he was the state. In 1971, the parliament named in President for Life. As President, Banda enforced his rigid sense of morality on the people of Malawi. His rule became known for oppression, and people feared his paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers group.   He supplied the largely agrarian population with fertilizer and other subsidies, but the government also controlled prices, and so few but the elite benefited from surplus crops. Banda believed in himself and his people, though. When he ran in a contested, democratic election in 1994, he was shocked to be roundly defeated. He left Malawi, and died three years later in South Africa. A Fraud or a Puritan? The juxtaposition of Bandas demeanor as the quiet doctor in Britain and his later years as a dictator, combined with his inability to speak his native language inspired a number of conspiracy theories. Many thought he was not even from Malawi, and some claimed that the real Hastings Banda had died while abroad, and been replaced by a carefully chosen imposter.    There is something fiery about most puritanical people though. The same inner drive that leads them to renounce and denounce such common acts as kissing (Banda banned public kissing in Malawi and even censured movies he thought had too much kissing) and it is in this thread of Bandas personality that a connection can be drawn between the quiet, kind doctor and the dictatorial Big Man he became.    Sources: Banda, Hastings K. â€Å"Return to Nyasaland,† Africa Today 7.4 (1960): 9. Dowden, Richard. â€Å"Obituary: Dr. Hastings Banda,† Independent 26 November 1997.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Hastings Banda,† Economist, November 27, 1997. Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer, The Boy who Harnessed the Wind. New York: Harper Collins, 2009.      Ã¢â‚¬ËœKanyarwunga’, â€Å"Malawi; The Incredible True Story of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda,† History of Africa Otherwise blog, November 7, 2011.

Theoretical Perspectives on Iraq War 2003 - 2293 Words

INTRODUCTION In this paper, I intend to analyze Iraq war of 2003 from Realist and Marxist/ Critical perspectives. I intend to draw a conclusion as to which theoretical framework, in my opinion, is more suitable and provides for a rational understanding of the Iraq War. While drawing comparative analysis of two competing approaches, I do not intend to dismiss one theory in entirety in favour of another. However, I do intend to weigh on a golden balance, lacunas of both theories in order to conclude as to which theory in the end provides or intends to provide a watertight analysis of the Iraq war. REALIST PERSPECTIVE Followers of Realist school of thought argue the case of 2003 Iraq war from the standpoint of power and Security. The Bush†¦show more content†¦Thus, in this context of a unipolar system dominated by U.S., it is highly unlikely that a great power like U.S., motivated by its relentless pursuit of power and security, would allow itself to be deterred by U.N. resolutions that do not comply with its own interests. This also reflects the realist interpretation of international system which is characterized by anarchy and therefore, it is not considered prudent for a State to entrust its safety and survival on another actor or international institutions such as United Nations. CRITICAL THEORY / MARXIST PERSPECTIVE Critical theory, on the other hand, as propounded by Robert Cox is a rejoinder to Neo-realism. According to Mark Rupert, Neo-Realism â€Å"only describes patterns in the operation of power among States without inquiring as to the social relations through which that power is produced.† Critical theory assumes that power is not given in the form of accumulated material capabilities; in fact, it is a product of social processes. Robert Cox adopted a method of â€Å"historical structures† in which â€Å"state power ceases to be sole explanatory factor and becomes part of what is to be explained†. Critical approach provides a historical background to Iraq war of 2003 which, according to historical materialists, has its roots in U.S. sponsored Fordist Industrial Capitalism linked with geopolitics of petroleum. According to Andrew Basevich (2005 a, 2008, 2010) the very nature of U.S. State policy is characterized byShow MoreRelatedPower, Realism And Constructivism. 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