Summary Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Summary - Coursework Example This being said, Day and Schoemaker (2005) develop a strategic eye exam that will help managers to examine the most problematic strategic areas. First, the authors recommend defining the scope of the company’s peripheral vision. Neither too much nor too little peripheral vision is good for the company: those with too much peripheral vision can end up being too neurotic to deal with change. Second, Day and Schoemaker (2005) proceed to the questions every manager should ask while analyzing companies’ peripheral vision: these questions relate to companies’ past and present, as well as future prospects and ideas. Finally, the authors suggest that the peripheral vision of any company can be strengthened. The article can readily serve the source of valuable advice in the development of useful peripheral vision and thinking within organizations. Day, GS & Schoemaker, PH 2005, ‘Scanning the periphery’, Harvard Business Review, November, pp.135-148. Are You S ure You Have a Strategy? Strategy is a buzzword in contemporary organization studies, but few organizations have a clear understanding of what strategy really means: in this article, Hambrick and Fredrickson (2005) develop a framework for strategy design that includes five basic elements. According to Hambrick and Fredrickson (2005), researchers have developed abundance of various strategic analysis frameworks, but all these frameworks ignore the fundamental question of what strategy is and how it works. As a result, it is not clear how these strategic frameworks should be applied and how they can benefit organizations. In this situation, strategic managers and business owners create confusion and reduce their professional credibility (Hambrick & Fredrickson 2005). This is why the authors of this article propose their vision of strategy and its elements. Based on the article, the main elements of strategy include Arenas, Vehicles, Differentiators, Staging, and Economic Logic. For ea ch element, Hambrick and Fredrickson (2005) provide a question every company should ask in the process of formulating its strategy. For example, in terms of the Arenas element, executives should first decide where exactly, in what arenas, their business will operate (Hambrick & Fredrickson 2005). The substance of any strategy is made of arenas, vehicles, and differentiators, which also require that executives define the main stages of strategy implementation and develop a clear idea of how exactly they want to generate profits (Hambrick & Fredrickson 2005). To support their claims, the authors provide a number of case studies. These case studies illustrate the strengths of the proposed strategy framework. Finally, Hambrick and Fredrickson (2005) conclude that strategy is not about planning but about informed and well-integrated choices and the proposed framework can well serve the basis for the development of the major strategic initiatives. Hambrick, DC & Fredrickson, JW 2005, â₠¬ËœAre you sure you have a strategy?’, Academy of Management Executive, vol.19, no.4, pp.51-62. The Irrational Side of Change Management In this article, the authors identify and discuss nine insights into the way human nature becomes a barrier to implementing the four conditions of behavioral change and fostering positive organizational shifts. Also, the authors show how different companies have succeeded in overcoming these obstacles,

Supermarket Company Strategic Analysis Assignment

Supermarket Company Strategic Analysis - Assignment Example The report below provides an insight into the supermarket company, Tesco, with emphasis on its external environment analysis and company's analysis of resources, competence and culture. Two future strategic options are suggested in regards to the resources based strategies. Tesco is one of the largest food retailers in the world, operating around 2,318 stores and employing over 326,000 people. It provides online services through its subsidiary, Tesco.com. The UK is the company's largest market, where it operates under four banners of Extra, Superstore, Metro and Express. The company sells almost 40,000 food products, including clothing and other non-food lines. The company's own-label products (50 percent of sales) are at three levels, value, normal and finest. As well as convenience produce, many stores have gas stations, becoming one of Britain's largest independent petrol retailers. Other retailing services offered include Tesco Personal Finance. Operating in a globalised environment with stores around the globe, Tesco's performance is highly influenced by the political and legislative conditions of these countries, including the European Union (EU). For employment legislations, the government encourages retailers to provide a mix of job opportunities from flexible, lower-paid and locally-based jobs to highly-skilled, higher-paid and centrally-located jobs (Finch, 2005). Also to meet the demand from population segments such as students, working parents and senior citizens. Tesco understands that retailing has a great impact on jobs and people factors (new store developments are often seen as destroying other jobs in the retail sector as traditional stores go out of business or are forced to cut costs to compete), being an essentially local and labour-intensive sector. Tesco employs large numbers of; student, disabled and elderly workers, often paying them lower rates. In an industry with a typically high staff turnover, these workers offer a higher level of loyalty and therefore represent desirable candidates. Economical Factors Economic factors are of concern to Tesco, because they are likely to influence demand, costs, prices and profits. One of the most influential factors on the economy is high unemployment levels, which decreases the effective demand for many goods, adversely affecting the demand required to produce such goods. These economic factors are largely outside the control of the company, but their effects on performance and the marketing mix can be profound. Although international business is still growing (Appendix A), and is expected to contribute greater amounts to Tesco's profits over the next few years, the company is still highly dependent on the UK market. Hence, Tesco would be badly affected by any setback in the UK food market and are out in the open to market concentration risks. Social/Cultural Factors Current trends indicate that British customers have moved towards 'one-stop' and 'bulk' shopping, which is due to a variety of changes in social trends. Tesco have, therefore, increased the amount of non-food items available for sale. Demographic changes such as the aging population, an increase in female workers and a decline in home meal preparation mean that UK retailers are also focusing on

IT Strategy and Network Design Proposal Essay Example for Free

IT Strategy and Network Design Proposal Essay The GFK School of Motoring was established in 1960. Since then, the school has grown steadily and now has a several offices in the London area. However, the Organization is expanding and a new branch is to be built that will link with the existing network and also utilise the latest technologies such as simulators, the internet and the World Wide Web. Furthermore, improvement is needed in the communications and sharing of information between offices spread around the London. The Director wants to take advantage of the Internet to change the way the company operates. The new branch will allow prospective clients to browse the website and make an initial registration. Interview and the checking of documents can then be arranged on-line. Once a client has been registered any payments due can also be made on-line via any of the various credit and debit cards. Flexibility in the provision of services to clients also requires that once registered, a client can take a driving lesson at any of the centres. Hence an integrated and up-to-date database system is to be implemented. The Director of the organization feels that too many mistakes are being made with the current system and that the success of the organization will be short-lived if he does not do something to overcome the situation. He knows that a good IT strategy and network design could help in part to solve the problem and has approached our team to help create a new branch and implement an efficient and reliable information system to support the running of the organization as a whole. 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF GFK OPERATIONS. Each office has a manager (who tends to be a senior instructor), Several senior instructors, instructors and administrate staffs. The staff hierarchy is as follows: Manager Senior instructors Instructors Office personnel. The manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office. Clients must first register on-line or at an office and this requires that they complete an application form, which records their personal details. Before the first lesson, a client is requested to attend an interview with an instructor to assess the needs of the client and to ensure that the client holds a valid provisional driving license. A client is free to ask for a particular instructor or to request that an instructor be changed at any stage throughout the process of learning to drive. After a successful interview, the first lesson is booked. A client may request individual lessons or book a block of lessons for reduced fee. An individual lesson is for one or two hours which begins and ends either at the clients home or at the office. A lesson is with a particular instructor in a particular car at a given time. Lessons can start as early as 6a.m. and as late as 8p.m. After each lesson, the instructor records the progress made by the client and notes the mileage used during the lesson. The Organization has a pool of cars, which are adopted for the purpose of teaching. Each instructor is allocated to a particular car. As well as teaching, the instructors are free to use the cars for personal  use. The cars are inspected at regular intervals for faults. Once ready, a client will be given a test date by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that the client is best prepared for all parts of the test. The instructor is not the responsible for testing the client and is not in the car during the test but should be available to drop off and pick up the client before and after the test at the testing centre. If a client fails to pass, the instructor must record the reasons for the failure. 1.4. AIMS OF THE PROJECT. 1. To design and implement a network solution for the new Barking branch . 2. To redesign or upgrade the companys existing network system. 3. To connect GFK to the Internet and provide full internet service. 4. To design a desktop and its delivery to all GFKs client computers. 5. To address security and back-up issues. 6. To design a network monitoring policy to maintain and/or improve performance in the future. This particular aspect of the group work is investigated in detail by Student number: 0212251 in Part B. 1.5 BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED NETWORK SYSTEM. The design of the Local Area Network for the new branch and its communication  with the rest of the GFK network will be approached in view of satisfying two fundamental business functions: Information sharing: refers to having users access the same data files, exchange information via email, or use the internet. Resource sharing: refers to one computer sharing a hardware device (e.g., printer) or software package with other computers on the network to save costs. The main benefit of information sharing is improved decision making, which is one of the goals of the GFK School of Motoring. Any application, e.g. a web browser, on the GFK LAN will have the following functions: 1. data storage 2. data access logic 3. application or business logic 4. presentation logic Based on these functions we will be implementing client/server network architecture at the new branch. We will be using 3-tier client/server architecture to spread the load between the clients (microcomputers) and the servers (more powerful microcomputers). This is illustrated in the diagram below: (FitzGerald Dennis, page 46, top). In this case, the software on the client computer is responsible for presentation logic, an application server is responsible for the application  logic and a separate database server is responsible for the data access logic and data storage [1, page 45]. Since the main advantage of a client/server architecture is also its weak point i.e. enabling software and hardware from different vendors to be used together, we will recommend a middleware software such as CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture). It will perform two vital functions: 1. It enables a standard way of communication by translating between software from different vendors 2. It manages the message transfer from clients to servers (and vice versa) so that clients need not know the specific server that contains the applications data. The application software on the client sends all messages to the middleware, which forwards them to the correct server. The application software on the client is therefore protected from any changes in the physical network. If the network layout changes (e.g., a new server is added), only the middleware must be updated [1, page 44]. By choosing this architecture for the new branch, we have achieved two things: 1. Better load balancing between the servers on the network 2. Scalability. In the future, if due to business demands the system needs to be extended, this can be easily done by adding one or more servers. 1.6 REQUIREMENTS ACQUISITION. In order to obtain valuable information about the GFK School of Motoring, the group decided to send out questionnaires to members of the organization who uses the old system regularly and have a good knowledge of it. We decided on questionnaires because we believe that the users, being under no pressure as they answer questions about the existing system, will provide a reliable feedback. 1.6.1 QUESTIONNAIRE 1. User: Mr A. Patel. Position: Instructor. Time at Company: 3 years. Branch: Stratford Branch. 1. Question: How often do you use the system? Answer: Daily. As many as 20 times a day, when at work. 2. Question: Are you comfortable using the company network? Answer: Sort of. 3. Question: What do you normally use the system for? Answer: Browsing the internet, enquiring about client information, entering client details, sending and receiving emails etc. 4. Question: Which of these tasks do you found most daunting and why? Answer: No doubt, it is obtaining information about clients. The process is very slow and frustrating especially during peak hours. For some reasons the system is sluggish and it slows down the business. 5. Question: From question 4, do you sometimes have to abort the task? Answer: No, because a client details got to be entered. Its frustrating, but you wait until its done before moving on. As a result we tend to record client details at the whenever the system tend to be responsive. This might be a couple of days later. 6. Question: Which of these tasks do you find easiest to do and why? Answer: No doubt, surfing the internet, sending emails, registering clients on-line. 7. Question: Have you had experiences of viruses causing disruption on the system and how? Answer: Certainly on many occasions. I can remember on one occasion a few of my clients and me couldnt use our computers because it was totally corrupted and my section had to be closed down while the techie people sorted it out. We lost most of the files on our computers. 8. Question: From question 7, on how many occasions did this happen? Answer: Ive experienced it about 6 or 7 times. 9. Question: What advice were you given about using the systems in terms of avoiding virus infection? Answer: The normal stuff. Dont open email you dont the source, log-off the system before you close for the day, etc. But despite taking these measures, we still have the problem. 10. Question: Do you normally back-up your files yourself and how often? Answer: Yeah, files are supposed to be backed up on cd-roms at the end of every working day but not everybody does it. 11. Question: Do you case of lost customer files and how often? Answer: Yeah, we do. I know a few of my mate who do. We just try to re-acquire it from the customer without the knowledge of management. Someone has been reprimanded for it in the past. Sometimes, its the fault of the  system. As I said earlier, it can be frustratingly slow. 12. Question: If you can change the system, what will you change and why? Answer: Definitely, it will be the enquiry procedure. Anything that makes the process faster will do.

Land Resources Land As A Resource Environmental Sciences Essay

Land Resources Land As A Resource Environmental Sciences Essay Land or soil is one of the natural bases for human life and social development. Soils are defined and characterized on the basis of their morphological profiles because the assemblage of obvious physical features represented by these units are often related to the less obvious features of their chemical composition, chemical properties, and fertility. Men have tilled the soil and irrigated and drained it for at least six millennia. This is basic to civilization. Systematic scientific study of agriculture began in the first half of the nineteenth century, along with physical studies of the soil. In its natural state, the soil is normally a three-component porous medium consisting of solid soil particles, water, and air. Much of the water involved in the hydrologic cycle is located in soil between the time of its arrival as rain at the soil surface and that of its return to the atmosphere. The processes of water movement in soil play a central part in the scientific study of the terrestrial sector of the hydrologic cycle and in the problems of dry-land and irrigated agriculture, of plant ecology, and of soil biology. These determine the transport of materials in solution such as natural salts, fertilizers, and urban and industrial wastes through the soil. Properties such as infiltration, drainage, and retention of water in the soil layers; extraction of water by plant roots; and the evaporation of water from the soil are also important. The solid phase of the soil has mineral and organic matter, which is usually highly colloidal, seldom exceeds 5-10% by weight of soil. In an agricultural context, the main interest in soil structure is in terms of soil tilth, which is related to the ability of aggregates to maintain their integrity when the soil is irrigated, tilled, or otherwise worked so that water retention and drainage and aeration are kept at favorable levels. As soil is a complex mixture of many components there is usually little value in determining the amount of a chemical element present without any indication of the fraction of the soil in which it occurs and its form of combination. Indeed, fractions that comprise only a small proportion of the total soil mass are often very important in determining its behavior. The following is a convenient classification of soil fractions: The Organic Fraction, The Mineral Fraction, Soluble in water: Simple inorganic ions, Soluble in dilute acids: Carbonates, Insoluble in dilute acids. Primary minerals mainly occur in sand and silt fractions; secondary minerals usually occur in the clay fraction ( Organic Fraction Organic materials are added to soils as dead plant and animal remains. They are decomposed by the microflora and microfauna to form humus, an amorphous material distinct from undecomposed litter. Well-humified organic matter contains about 58 % carbon, so the amount of the soil organic fraction is usually specified by determining the organic carbon content and multiplying it by 1.73. Organic contents range from zero in some mineral subsoils, through 1 to 10 % in arable topsoils, to nearly 100% (of the dry weight) in some peat and muck soils. The amounts in surface soils depend on the balance between accumulation and decomposition, and these processes in turn are influenced by temperature and moisture content. Apart from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the organic fraction contains nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. The proportions of these elements are often expressed as ratios compared to nitrogen taken as 10, and typical values are C:N = 80-150:10, S:N = 1.2-1.5:10, and P:N = 0.2-3.0:10. Metals such as aluminum, iron, manganese, and copper are also found in small amounts in humic complexes. The organic compounds in humus are very different. The main portion appears to consist of polymers, some of which are formed by random condensation of phenols, amino acids, and other related microbial degradation products. A large number of compounds have been isolated from humus extracts, but many of these must be artifacts. Of particular interest, apart from the polyphenols, are amino acids (implying that humus contains protein), sugars (indicating carbohydrate fractions), and amino sugars. The sulfur seems to be part of the main humus fraction, probably as sulfur-containing amino acids and organic sulphates. In some soils, much of the organic phosphorus is present as inositol polyphosphates, which appear not to be an integral part of the humus. Water-soluble Components The soluble-salt content of most soils is low so that the soil solution typically contains between 5 and 25 mmol/L of calcium and magnesium salts, mainly as nitrate. In saline soils, however, the salt content is of the order of 100 mmol/L, and although still less than 1% of the soil mass, the soluble salts dominate the behavior of the soil and include also sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), and sulphate (SO4) ions. The salt content is normally determined in a saturation extract prepared by wetting the soil until it is just saturated with water and filtering off the extract under reduced pressure. The filtrate may be analyzed chemically, but a rapid indication of the degree of salinity is given by measuring its electrical conductivity. Conductivity values above 4 milliSiemens (mS) indicate that crop production may be reduced by salt damage, while above 20 mS only salt-tolerant species can survive. The approximate conductivity at 25Â °C of a 100 mmol/L solution referred to above is 8-10 mS. The reaction of soil is one of its most important diagnostic parameters. It is given by a pH measurement on the saturation extract or on a suspension of soil in water or in a dilute electrolyte solution. Strongly acid soils may have pH values down to 3.5, and strongly alkaline soils as high as 9.5, but more typical pH values of soils range from 5 to 8. Carbonates In soils formed from limestone rocks or other carbonate-containing sediments, carbonates occur mainly as calcite (CaCO3) but sometimes also as dolomite [(Ca, Mg)CO3]. They are important in the buffer system that controls the pH and cation balance of soil, and also for their reactions with anions, particularly phosphate. In their reactions with anions, the particle size and surface area of the soil carbonates are more important than the amount. Amounts of soil carbonate are estimated from the carbon dioxide evolved when the soil is treated with dilute acid, the results being expressed as a percentage by weight of the soil. In a leaching environment, soil carbonate is gradually removed by solution in carbonated water [CaCO3 + H2O + CO2 = Ca(HCO3)2] so that topsoils contain less carbonate than subsoils or the parent material. The leached carbonate may be concentrated by chemical precipitation at depth in the soil profile. Primary Minerals Soil analysis includes the separation and determination of sand, silt, and clay fractions by sieving and sedimentation. The mineral matter of soils is directly inherited from the parent material, although its composition is usually different depending on the age of the soil and the resistance of minerals to weathering. The minerals in the sand and silt fractions are mainly quartz and feldspars, plus a host of accessory minerals. Only the most resistant primary minerals remain in advanced stages of soil development, i.e., quartz (SiO2) as the major component, with smaller amounts of heavy metal oxides such as hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), and rutile (TiO2). Secondary Minerals The clay-sized ( Land Degradation Land degradation making the land unsuitable for habitat construction and agriculture has become a major problem in recent times. This has threatened the world food production as soil quality degradation results in severe reduction in crop yield. It is estimated that 15 percent of the worlds total land area has not maintained its quality due to a number of problems that include erosion, nutrient decline, salinization and physical compaction. The countries which are mainly dependent on agriculture as a national resource suffer more from the effects of land degradation. Some of the major soil degradation processes and the causes for them are given below. Loss of topsoil by erosion/surface wash. This results in a decrease in depth of the topsoil layer due to more or less uniform removal of soil material by run-off water. The possible causes are inappropriate land management especially in agriculture (insufficient soil cover, unobstructed flow of run-off water, deteriorating soil structure) leading to excessive surface run-off and sediment transport. Terrain deformation is an irregular displacement of soil material (by linear erosion or mass movement) causing clearly visible scars in the terrain. The possible causes are inappropriate land management in agriculture forestry or construction activities, allowing excessive amounts of run-off water to concentrate and flow unobstructed. Fertility decline and reduced organic matter content resulting in a net decrease of available nutrients and organic matter in the soil. This is likely to be due to imbalance between output (through harvesting, burning, leaching, etc.) and input (through manure/fertilizers, returned crop residues, flooding) of nutrients and organic matter. Soil contamination indicates the presence of an alien substance in the soil without significant negative effects and soil pollution signifies soil degradation as a consequence of location, concentration and adverse biological or toxic effects of a substance. The source of pollution may be waste dumps, spills, factory wasted, etc. The source can also be diffuse or airborne (atmospheric deposition of acidifying compounds and/or heavy metals. Eutrophication with the presence of an excess of certain soil nutrients, impairing plant growth. The possible causes are imbalanced application of organic and chemical fertilizer resulting in excess nitrogen, phosphorus; liming. Compaction resulting in deterioration of soil structure by trampling by cattle or the weight and/or frequent use of machinery. The possible causes are repeated use of heavy machinery, having a cumulative effect. Heavy grazing and overstocking may lead to compaction as well. Factors that influence compaction are ground pressure (by axle/wheel loads of the machinery used); frequency of the passage of heavy machinery; soil texture; soil moisture; climate. Sealing and crusting which is clogging of pores with fine soil material and development of a thin impervious layer at the soil surface obstructing the infiltration of rainwater. The possible causes are poor soil cover, allowing a maximum splash effect of raindrops; destruction of soil structure and low organic matter. Waterlogging that results from effects of human induced hydromorphism (i.e. excluding paddy fields). The possible causes are rising water table (e.g. due to construction of reservoirs/irrigation) and/or increased flooding caused by higher peak-flows. Lowering of the soil surface resulting from subsidence of organic soils, settling of soil. The possible causes are oxidation of peat and settling of soils in general due to lowering of the water table; solution of gypsum in the sub-soil (human-induced) or lowering of soil surface due to extraction of gas or water Loss of productive function which results from soil (land) being taken out of production for non-bio-productive activities, but not the eventual secondary degrading effects of these activities. The possible causes are urbanization and industrial activities; infrastructure; mining; quarrying, etc. Aridification, which is the decrease of average soil moisture content. The possible causes are lowering of groundwater tables for agricultural purposes or drinking water extraction; decreased soil cover and reduced organic matter content. Salinisation / alkalinization which is a net increase of the salt content of the (top)soil leading to a productivity decline. The possible causes are a distinction can be made between salinity problems due to intrusion of seawater (which may occur under all climate conditions) and inland salinisation, caused by improper irrigation methods and/or evaporation of saline groundwater. Dystrification, which is the lowering of soil pH through the process of mobilizing or increasing acidic compounds in the soil. Worldwide, almost 2,000Â  million hectares of land show at least minor signs of degradation, corresponding to approximately 1% of the ice-free surface. Around 300Â  million hectares of land surface are already seriously degraded. Soil degradation situation in India is shown in Fig. 2.10. Population growth and soil Population growth exerts enormous pressure on soils, and the soil degradation is due to additional migration and urbanization processes. The higher the rate of global population growth, the higher is the demand on the soil functions. There is already a growing disparity between growth-related demand and the availability of land. Many states are no longer capable of feeding their own populations with domestic agricultural products because they do not have enough land. Given the speed of population growth and the level of soil degradation already apparent, an increasing scarcity of soils available for meeting competing demands is expected. Two case studies of soil degradation 1. The Sahel Region The problems of soil degradation and desertification in the Sahel can be attributed to changes in nature as well as to socioeconomic causes. The nomadic groups in the Sahel are increasingly restricted in the mobility and flexibility that once provided them with a secure basis for ecological adaptation. Growing competition from other forms of land use, political measures and unclear or disadvantageous land-use rights led to their sedentarisation; they were pushed into more marginalized locations much less suitable for grazing livestock. The sensitive soils and ecosystems in the region are degraded as a result, mainly due to overgrazing. Subsistence farmers are similarly affected by displacement to marginal land that is unsuitable for farming. Greater mechanization without parallel soil protection measures (erosion protection, and suitable irrigation) has negative effects on the soils. Finally, cash crops (cotton, groundnuts) on fertile soils is not pursued in a sustainable fashion. These monocultures are farmed with the help of machines and pesticides, both of which can cause great problems. The Sahel also undergone tremendous social changes caused by internal and external conditions. Of importance is the general neglect of rural concerns and the orientation to agrarian export production through large-scale capital-intensive projects in the agricultural sector. External factors can be identified both in the global economic conditions (agricultural subsidies and/or export policies of the industrial nations, international debt) and in the practice of international development organizations, which in the past were not geared to the principle of sustainability, and which through their orientation to production technology gave too little consideration to the existing development potential. If the complex problems faced by the Sahel are to be solved, greater attention must be given to the socioeconomic causes and to organizational and financial decentralization. 2. The Leipzig-Halle-Bitterfeld region The soils in the Leipzig-Halle-Bitterfeld region are contaminated, in some cases alarmingly, by depositions of airborne pollutants through deliberate depositing of inorganic and organic substances. A prime cause of this contamination was the concentration of chemical industries, mining and energy production, all of which used outdated production methods. Since the turn of the century, there have been five brown coal mining fields, and large-scale chemical plants developed in Bitterfeld (paints and dyes), Leuna (methanol, nitrogen) and Buna (synthetic rubber). For economically and environmentally sound development of the region, soil remediation and the removal of contaminated soil are a matter of urgency, which requires considerable support from the state or from outside the region. Fig. 2.10. Soil degradation in India Landslide In a landslide, masses of rock, earth, or debris move down a slope. Landslides may be small or large, slow or rapid. They are activated by: storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, fires, alternate freezing or thawing, and steepening of slopes by erosion or human modification. Debris and mudflows are rivers of rock, earth, and other debris saturated with water. They develop when water rapidly accumulates in the ground, during heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt, changing the earth into a flowing river of mud or slurry. They can flow rapidly, striking with little or no warning at avalanche speeds. They can travel several miles from their source, growing in size as they pick up trees, boulders, and other materials. Landslide problems can be caused by land mismanagement, particularly in mountain, canyon, and coastal regions. In areas burned by forest and brush fires, a lower threshold of precipitation may initiate landslides. Land-use zoning, professional inspections, and proper design can minimize many landslide, mudflow, and debris flow problems. Protection from a landslide or debris flow (a) Guidelines for the period following a landslide: Stay away from the slide area. There may be danger of additional slides. Listen to local radio or television stations for the latest emergency information. Watch for flooding, which may occur after a landslide or debris flow. Floods sometimes follow landslides and debris flows because they may both be started by the same event. Check for injured and trapped persons near the slide, without entering the direct slide area. Ask for rescuers and give them correct locations. Help a neighbor who may require special assistance infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations. Inform appropriate authorities about damaged roadways, railways, electricity lines and other utilities. Reporting potential hazards will get the utilities turned off as quickly as possible, preventing further damage. Check building foundation, chimney, and surrounding land for damage. Damage to foundations, chimneys, or surrounding land may help assess the safety of the area. Replant damaged ground as soon as possible since erosion caused by loss of ground cover can lead to flash flooding and additional landslides in the near future. Seek advice from a geotechnical expert for evaluating landslide hazards or designing corrective techniques to reduce landslide risk. A professional will be able to advise you of the best ways to prevent or reduce landslide risk, without creating further hazard. (b) During a Landslide or Debris Flow What one should do if a landslide or debris flow occurs: Stay alert and awake. Many debris-flow fatalities occur when people are sleeping. Listen to radio or television for warnings of intense rainfall. Be aware that intense, short bursts of rain may be particularly dangerous, especially after longer periods of heavy rainfall and damp weather. If you are in areas susceptible to landslides and debris flows, consider leaving if it is safe to do so. Remember that driving during an intense storm can be hazardous. If you remain at home, move to a second story if possible. Staying out of the path of a landslide or debris flow saves lives. Listen for any unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together. A trickle of flowing or falling mud or debris may precede larger landslides. Moving debris can flow quickly and sometimes without warning. If one is near a stream or channel, he should be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water. Such changes may indicate landslide activity upstream, so be prepared to move quickly. Dont delay! Save yourself, not your belongings. Be especially alert when driving. Embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides. Watch the road for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other indications of possible debris flows. (c) What to do in case of Imminent Landslide Danger Contact your local fire, police, or public works department. Local officials are the best persons able to assess potential danger. Inform affected neighbors. Your neighbors may not be aware of potential hazards. Advising them of a potential threat may help save lives. Help neighbors who may need assistance to evacuate. Evacuate. Getting out of the path of a landslide or debris flow is your best protection. Curl into a tight ball and protect your head if escape is not possible. (d) Before a Landslide or Debris Flow Protect yourself from the effects of a landslide or debris flow: Do not build near steep slopes, close to mountain edges, near drainage ways, or natural erosion valleys. Get a ground assessment of your property. Contact local officials, geological surveys or departments of natural resources, and university departments of geology. Landslides occur where they have before, and in identifiable hazard locations. Ask for information on landslides in your area, specific information on areas vulnerable to landslides, and request a professional referral for a very detailed site analysis of your property, and corrective measures you can take, if necessary. If you are at risk from a landslide talk to your insurance agent. Debris flow may be covered by flood insurance policies. Minimize home hazards Have flexible pipe fittings installed to avoid gas or water leaks, as flexible fittings are more resistant to breakage (only the Gas Company or professionals should install gas fittings). Plant ground cover on slopes and build retaining walls. In mudflow areas, build channels or deflection walls to direct the flow around buildings. Remember: If you build walls to divert debris flow and the flow lands on a neighbors property, you may be liable for damages. Recognize Landslide Warning Signs Changes occur in your landscape such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes (especially the places where runoff water converges) land movement, small slides, flows, or progressively leaning trees. Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time. New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick, or foundations. Outside walls, walks, or stairs begin pulling away from the building. Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways. Underground utility lines break. Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope. Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations. Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move. Faint rumbling sound that increases in volume is noticeable as the landslide nears. The ground slopes downward in one direction and may begin shifting in that direction under your feet. Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, might indicate moving debris. Collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other indications of possible debris flow can be seen when driving (embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides). Desertification The most critical and increasing threat to sustainable land use is desertification. It is estimated that desertification affects one-quarter of the total land area of the world, or about 70 percent of all dry lands, and threatens the livelihoods of over 1 billion people in more than 100 countries. Desertification is closely linked with rural poverty and hunger. It exacerbates conditions leading to famine, migration, internal displacement, political instability and conflict. Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various climatic variations, but primarily from human activities. Current desertification is taking place much faster worldwide and usually arises from the demands of increasing population that settle on the land in order to grow crops and graze animals. A major impact of desertification is loss of biodiversity and productive capacity, for example, by transition from grassland to perennial shrubs. The change in vegetation induces desertification. In the Madagascar, 10% of the entire country has been lost to desertification due to zoom agriculture by indigenous people. In Africa, with current trends of soil degradation, the continent will be able to feed just 25% of its population by 2025 according to one estimate. Deserts may be separated from the surroundings by less arid areas, mountains and other landforms. In other areas, there is a gradual transition from a dry to a more humid environment, making it more difficult to determine the desert border. These transition zones have very fragile, delicately balanced ecosystems. Desert fringes are a mosaic of microclimates. Small hollows support vegetation that picks up heat from the hot winds and protects the land from the prevailing winds. After rainfall the vegetated areas are distinctly cooler than the surroundings. In these marginal areas human activity may stress the ecosystem beyond its tolerance limit, resulting in degradation of the land. By pounding the soil with their hooves, livestock compact the substrate, increase the proportion of fine material, and reduce the percolation rate of the soil, thus encouraging erosion by wind and water. Grazing and collection of firewood reduce or eliminate plants that help to bind the soil. In large desert areas, sand dunes can encroach on human habitats. Sand dunes move through wind. In a major dust storm, dunes may move tens of meters. And like snow, sand avalanches, falling down the steep slopes of the dunes that face away from the winds, move the dunes forward. Droughts by themselves cannot cause desertification. Drought is just a contributing factor. The causes are social and economic, having to do with access to resources, power and economics. Droughts are common in arid and semiarid lands, and well-managed lands can recover from drought when the rains return. Continued land abuse during droughts, however, increases land degradation. Increased population and livestock pressure on marginal lands has accelerated desertification. In some areas, nomads moving to less arid areas disrupt the local ecosystem and increase the rate of erosion of the land. Nomads are trying to escape the desert, but because of their land-use practices, they bring the desert with them. Some arid and semi-arid lands can support crops, but additional pressure from greater population or decreases in rainfall can lead to the disappearance of the few plants present. The soil becomes exposed to wind, causing soil particles to be deposited elsewhere. The top layer becomes eroded. With the removal of shade, rates of evaporation increase and salts become drawn up to the surface. This is salinisation, which inhibits plant growth. The loss of plants causes less moisture to be retained in the area, which may change the climate pattern leading to lower rainfall. The degradation of formerly productive land is a complex process. It involves multiple causes, and it proceeds at varying rates in different climates. Desertification may intensify a general climatic trend toward greater aridity, or it may initiate a change in local climate. Desertification does not occur in linear, easily mappable patterns. Deserts advance erratically, forming patches on their borders. Areas far from natural deserts can degrade quickly to barren soil, rock, or sand through poor land management. The presence of a nearby desert has no direct relationship to desertification. Unfortunately, an area undergoing desertification is brought to public attention only after the process is well under way. Often little data are available to indicate the previous state of the ecosystem or the rate of degradation. Combating desertification is complex and difficult. Over-exploitation of the land and climate variations can have identical impacts, which makes it very difficult to choose the right mitigation strategy. Measures like reforestation cannot achieve their goals if global warming continues. Forests may die when it gets drier, and more frequent extreme events could become a threat for agriculture, water supply, and infrastructure. Current desertification Overgrazing and to a lesser extent drought in the 1930s transformed parts of the Great Plains in the United States into the Dust Bowl. During that time, a considerable fraction of the population abandoned their homes to escape the unproductive lands. Improved agricultural and water management have prevented a disaster of the earlier magnitude from recurring, but desertification presently affects millions of people with primary occurrence in the less developed countries. Desertification is widespread in many areas of the Peoples Republic of China. The populations of rural areas have increased along with an increase in the livestock; the land available for grazing has decreased. Importing of European cattle, which have higher food intakes, has made things worse. Human overpopulation is leading to destruction of tropical wet and dry forests, due to widening practices of zoom cultivation. Deforestation has led to large scale erosion, loss of soil nutrients and sometimes total desertification. Overgrazing has made the Rio Puerco Basin of central New Mexico one of the most eroded river basins of the western United States and has increased the high sediment content of the river. Overgrazing is also an issue with some regions of South Africa such as the Waterberg Massif, although restoration of native habitat and game has been pursued vigorously since 1980. The Desert of Maine is a 40-acre dune of glacial silt near Freeport, Maine. Overgrazing and soil erosion exposed the cap of the dune, revealing the desert as a small patch that continued to grow, overtaking the land. Ghana and Nigeria currently experience desertification; in the latter, desertification overtakes about 1,355 square miles of land per year. The Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, are also affected. More than 80% of Afghanistans land is subject to soil erosion and desertification. In Kazakhstan, nearly half of the cropland has been abandoned since 1980. In Iran, sand storms were said to have bur

Plagiarism: Students Are Not To Blame Essay -- Critical Thinking Essays

Is plagiarism really occurring on college campuses? Should it be considered a serious offense? Do the students who plagiarize know that what they are doing is wrong? These are some of the questions that Edward M. White discusses in his essay â€Å"Student Plagiarism as an Institutional and Social Issue.† Being a professor himself, White sees firsthand the occurrence of cheating on college campuses. He claims that blatant plagiarism â€Å"subverts the very nature of education and reflects some aspects of what is worst in American society† because it is morally wrong (202). The backing for his claim is the fact that plagiarizing is stealing someone else’s words. Thus he warrants that anything morally wrong undermines education and shows the worst side of our society. There are many instances in which it is completely clear that the student is knowingly plagiarizing. There are also instances in which the student may be confused about plagiarism. This essay discusses the fact that student plagiarism is rampant on college campuses, but the blame may not lie entirely with the students. In his essay, White claims that the amount of student plagiarism is shocking, but the teachers need to make sure that students have been taught about citing sources. Many professors automatically assume that students have been taught everything they need to know for the class beforehand. If the students were supposed to learn something in a previous class they may have a good reason not to know it. The teacher may not have gotten through all the material or may have missed something. The student may have been sick and missed a day. Another reason teachers need to be held accountable for a small part in student plagiarism is because many ... ...not wholly be the students’ fault. This may make the readers who think the students are out of control reconsider their beliefs. Some people may not have thought about students who have not been taught any better. They might automatically think the worst of the students. White has valid claims and reasons in his essay. He uses logos, ethos, and pathos well. This essay appeals to colleges and universities all over the United States. Most, if not all, colleges have problems with plagiarism on campus. One thing to be learned from White’s essay is that â€Å"plagiarism is outrageous because it reverses education itself† (207). Colleges and universities need to â€Å"make academic honesty not only the best but the only possible policy† (White 206). Both faculty and students need to work together to rid these institutions of such immoral behavior as plagiarism.

Anthem Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthem Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As one reads Ayn Rand’s significant quotes from the story of anthem, there is always a main theme that is trying to escape, just as Prometheus escaped in her story. All three of the listed quotes work as a trio to sing that We; as society, works to defeat individuality. The quotes emphasize that we cannot survive without individualism and being alone brings out our unique personalities. It is true that all the quotes work as one, but at the same time they have their own individualism. Each quote holds a purpose of its own and the author wants to express the quote to each persons understanding. Rand’s quote, â€Å"The word ‘We’†¦ crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the tray of it,† implies that the black and white are the independent people in society. It is shown that as people are made on in society by gathering they lose their independence. As one all the minds of the people mix their black and white paint to produce a lost tray. They no longer have their own ideas, but now they have a conclusion of everyone’s ideas All the unique qualities of the people are crushed and the group gets all the credit for being unique. People do not want to be put together and treated equally. People want to be treated with respect for what they have done. In the novelette, Prometheus invents electricity by using his own mind. He wants credit for this invention and wou...

Back to the Future: the Work and Influence of Filippo Marinetti & Umberto Boccioni

Back to the Future The work and influence of Filippo Marinetti & Umberto Boccioni In Europe the transition from the 19th to the 20th century witnessed the emergence of a number of artistic and social movements which left a great impact on societies, not only in Europe but also worldwide. Movements such as Futurism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and Constructivism played an important role in changing society for the better by using their design and art practices.This era also witnessed a number of ideological and cultural changes in many fields such as psychology, philosophy, arts, and technology. Behind the popularity of Dada, Surrealism, Constructivism, Art Deco, and also Vorticism, there was a strong idea of Futurism which incorporated elements of technology, speed, violence, and mechanical objects such as cars, airplanes, and bicycles. Futurism was largely an Italian based movement, however there were other versions of the movement happening around the world, including Russia, and England. .Most Futurists practiced in various mediums of art. According to Anonymous (2010), sculpture, painting, architecture, ceramics, industrial design, interior design, graphic design, theatre and film, textiles, and literature were all acceptable mediums for The Futurists. Two of the more notorious Futurists were Filippo Marinetti, and Umberto Boccioni. Marinetti’s Manifesto of Futurism and Boccioni’s plastic dynamism and sculpture, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space are two very well known pieces of art which played an important role in the popularity of Futurism.The works of the two futurists inspired many artists of their time and are still well known amongst contemporary artists. When the French newspaper, Le Figaro, published on its front page a manifesto about an artistic group, no one knew about the author. The manifesto was written by an EgyptianItalian named Filippo Marinetti, who was based in Milan and was one of the founding fathers of Futurism. The literary p iece was about Le Futurism, the foundation manifesto of the artistic group which was in the process of forming. Marinetti was a natural born writer he wrote from a very young age.He studied in Paris, where he furthered his love for literature. Marinetti’s rebellious nature caused him some difficulties even at this age. He faced the threat of expulsion when he tried to publish Emile Zola’s scandalous novels through the school magazine. (Harrison 2003, 35) Shortly after the manifesto was published Marinetti was thrust into the public eye, gaining notoriety amongst his contemporaries who saw that he would introduce large changes in the art world. However he was severely criticized by some artists because of his passionate hate for old art and politics.In the article, Marinetti idealized the beauty of modern life and discussed the benefits of machinery, speed, violence, and youth. He talked about the transformation of Italian culture in a new artistic world. According to H enning (2006), Marinetti’s manifesto was not welcomed by most historians who saw it as an attack against history, and historicism. They were of the view that Marinetti joined anti-musuem sentiment with nationalism. Even though the manifesto was published in a French newspaper, it received a large response from Italy. The manifesto was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro, but he emphasized its source -’from Italy’- at the same time as he rejected the museum culture of Italy, and by implication France too, in the effort to pronounce himself of the present, and of the future. Marinetti associated museums with an obsessions with the past which was corrupting and infecting the body of the nation. † (Henning 2006, 39) Marinetti’s manifesto continued to gain popularity from contemporary artists and draw criticism from contemporary historians.His opposition to museums were considered a threat to the connection between ancient art and literature. In 1916, when Marinetti introduced the manifesto ‘The New Religion-Morality of Speed’, it was clear that it had some connection with the past. Though Marinetti adorned this manifesto with technological excitement, he used the parody of religious language, which confused his critics. ‘The New Religion’ has received a strong response from authors over time. For example Blum (1996) see in the manifesto a strong logic for Futurism. The binary structuring of reality is tied to the founding of a new religion. In ‘La nuova religione-role della velocita’ (The New Religion-Morality of Speed; 1916), Marinetti argues that speed, whose essence is ‘the intuitive synthesis of all forces in movement,’ is, by nature, pure. † (Blum 1996, 34) Despite a strict Catholic upbringing, Marinetti was an open opponent of religion, especially the influence of The Vatican in Italy. He was greatly influenced by his fathers interest in the history of religio n. He had great command of the use of religious language, but always with an anti-clerical tone.For example, in his manifesto, ‘Against the Papacy and the Catholic Mentality, Repositories of Every Kind of Traditionalism’, Marinetti launched a campaign for the liberation of Italy from The Vatican. Despite there being clear anti-Catholic tirades in his two manifestos-Against Spain, and Against the Papacy and the Catholic Mentality- one can easily find a solid religious foundation within his writings. Bru and Martens (2006) see a connection between the manifestos. They are of the opinion that despite a gap of over nine years between the publication of the two manifestos, little change is seen in his views of religion. Marinetti expressed his anti-Catholic sentiments in the manifestos, Against Spain (1910) and Against the Papacy and the Catholics Mentality, Repositories of Every Kind of Traditionalism (1919). He was fervently supported by Settimelli, whose brochure Svatican amento: Dichiarazione agli italiani, attacked the Vatican in such strong term that it was sequestered and its author taken to court. † (Bru and Martens 2006, 179) Berghaus (2009) has found genuinely innovative elements in the manifestos of Marinetti. He is of the opinion that Marinetti’s manifestos propagate the futurist reform of lifestyle. Marinetti was opposed to any fetishization of the muscular body and was highly critical of the Fascist adoption of sporting spectacles for the purpose of indoctrination. He was interested in healthy bodies with agile minds. Modern physical culture was an ally in his battle against decadence, materialism, and outdated values. † (Berghaus 2009, 33) Therefore, it can be said that the hidden religious characteristics of Marinetti helped to construct his anti-Catholic and anti-clerical campaign. It is obvious that he developed this quality because of his father’s close connection with religion and religious symbolism.Marinet ti’s role in giving a significant position to Futurism in the cultural history of the twentieth century cannot be ignored. Italian painter and sculptor Boccioni is considered to be one of Italy’s most important Futurists. He laid a strong foundation for the concept of Futurism in Italy. Boccioni, who studied art in Rome’s Scuola Libera del Nudo a the Accademia dil Belle Arti, launched a campaign in 1914 to transform Italy, and introduce Plastic Dynamism. His encounter with Futurism came after many years of studying the psychology of artistic dilemmas.He used powerful plastic forms to convey a concept of movement both intrinsic and relative to the object’s environment. After studying the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in Paris. Boccioni played a very important role in the establishment of Futurism in Italy in 1911. This was time when Futurism had formed an idiosyncratic and vibrant style, with earl stages of pointillism giving way to a softer, less distinct neo-impressionisitic aesthetic. Smith (1997) says that because of Boccioni’s stern anti-traditional notions, researchers often find a similarity between himself and Marinetti’s ideologies.The response of the two Futurists towards tradition and the influence of religion on society in Italy is very similar indeed. However, according to Smith, Boccioni is differs slightly in his ideas about modernism. â€Å"Although most writers on Futurism accept that Boccioni was caught up by Marinetti’s ideology, most have isolated his work from his proto-Facist politics. His work is thus discussed primarily in terms of his use of the formal devices for the representation of modernity that the Futurists advocated in their manifesto; theories of modernism and various forms of contemporary philosophy are also invoked. (Smith 1997, 111) Like Marinetti, Boccioni audaciously attacked traditional values in his book ‘Pittura e scultura futuriste (dinamismo plastico)â⠂¬â„¢. He announced that his ideas n Plastic Dynamism would function as an anti-traditional idea, and revive not only Italy, but the whole world. In plastic dynamism, Boccioni tried to find a connection between plastic form, and it’s surrounding space. Boccioni has received great attention from Hays (2000) who has closely researched the development of Plastic Dynamism.The author gives credit to Boccioni in the development of new theories in the genre. â€Å"A more essential evolution of these problems, and one closer to the scientific movement that emancipated physical theory from the old notion of matter and its correlative space, is the basis of the new plastic theories developed by the Futurist Umberto Boccioni in his writings on Plastic Dynamism. † (Hays 2000), 592) Boccioni, in his writing severely criticized the traditional aesthetic taste of a democratic states, and said they were largely comprised of pseudo-intellectuals, anarchists, and socialists.He held Enri co Ferri, the socialist editor of L’Avanti in high regard, but was also supportive of Enrico Corradini, the nationalist novelist and journalist. Despite Boccioni’s criticism of the Italian Nationalist Association for it failure to assist the futurists in promoting the movement politically, he was of the view that Corradini’s nationalist beliefs were a beacon of hope in a corrupt society. Boccioni studied closely both the nature of an object in motion and its visual revolution in relation to the environment through which it travels.Contrary to traditionalists, his plastic dynamism was a regeneration of plastic consciousness which rejected the devastating effects of democratic-rationalist education. (Kwinter, 2001, 61) Therefore it would not be wrong to say that the aesthetics of Plastic Dynamism which Boccioni highlighted in his writing was anti-democratic as well as anti-traditional. According to Harte (2009), Boccioni, despite his inspiration from the Avant Gar de art movements of Picasso and Braque, presented his ideas in a different style. Unlike the cubists, Picasso and Braque, who fragmented the painted object with little regard for its relationship to the surrounding world, Boccioni and his fellow futurists emphasized an aestheticised object’s interaction with that world, regarding this interaction as critical to a successful expression of rapid movement on the static canvas or through three dimensional, sculpted forms. † (Harte 2009, 18) Boccioni’s understanding of the fourth dimension successfully bound the theory of space to a temporal idea of revolution.This understanding makes Boccioni prominent amongst other Futurists. The study of the work and writings of both Boccioni and Marinetti make it clear that without an understanding of these two figures, it is difficult to understand the concept of Futurism itself. These two Futurists played an important role in sparking people’s interest in the Futurist mov ement, created a template not only for artistic ideas, but also for cultural and social disobedience and a fundamental opposition to traditional aesthetic, moral and political opinions.They each attempted to clarify the Futurist’s ideals and their work left a great impact on society. Smith (1997) provides further evidence of the ideological connection between Boccioni and Marinetti. â€Å"Boccioni and Marinetti founded a movement based on speed. With the death of it’s leading artists, Boccioni, Futurism died fast. † (Strickland and Boswell 2007, 139) References Anonymous (2010) Futurism: Futurist Manifesto, Suite Vollard Enrico Prampolini, General Books LLC, New York Anonymous Berghaus, G. 2009) Futurism and the Technological Imagination, Rodopi, Amsterdam Blum, C S. (1996) The Other Modernism: F. T. Marinetti’s Futurist Fiction of Power, University of California Press, California Bru, S. , and Martens, G. (2006) The Invention of Politics in the European Avant-garde, Rodolphi, Amsterdam Harrison, A. (2003) D. H. Lawrence and Italian Futurism: A Study of Influence, Rodopi, Harte, T. (2009) Fast Forward The Aesthetics and Ideology of Speed in Russian Avant-Garde Culture, University of Wisconsin Press, Wisconsin Hays, M. 2000) Architecture Theory Since 1968, MIT Press, Cambridge Henning, M. (2006) Museums, Media, and Cultural Theory. McGraw-Hill International, London Smith, T E. (1997) Invisible Touch: Modernism and Masculinity, University of Chicago Press, Chicago Strickland, C. , and Boswell J (2007) The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post Modern. Andrews McMeel Publishing, Riverside, NJ Figure 1. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913, Umberto Boccioni From: http://www. octorhugo. org/synaesthesia/art/ Figure 2. Dynamism of a cyclist, painting, 1913, Umberto Boccioni From: http://artsforhealthmmu. blogspot. com/2011/08/blog-post. html Figure 3. Futurist Manifesto, newspaper article, 1917, F ilippo Marinetti From: http://www. collezioni-f. it/marinetti01. jpg Figure 4. Parole in Liberta, book illustration, 1917, Filippo Marinetti From: http://blanchardmodernart. blogspot. com/2010/10/cubism-and-futurism. html Back to the Future: the Work and Influence of Filippo Marinetti & Umberto Boccioni Back to the Future The work and influence of Filippo Marinetti & Umberto Boccioni In Europe the transition from the 19th to the 20th century witnessed the emergence of a number of artistic and social movements which left a great impact on societies, not only in Europe but also worldwide. Movements such as Futurism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and Constructivism played an important role in changing society for the better by using their design and art practices.This era also witnessed a number of ideological and cultural changes in many fields such as psychology, philosophy, arts, and technology. Behind the popularity of Dada, Surrealism, Constructivism, Art Deco, and also Vorticism, there was a strong idea of Futurism which incorporated elements of technology, speed, violence, and mechanical objects such as cars, airplanes, and bicycles. Futurism was largely an Italian based movement, however there were other versions of the movement happening around the world, including Russia, and England. .Most Futurists practiced in various mediums of art. According to Anonymous (2010), sculpture, painting, architecture, ceramics, industrial design, interior design, graphic design, theatre and film, textiles, and literature were all acceptable mediums for The Futurists. Two of the more notorious Futurists were Filippo Marinetti, and Umberto Boccioni. Marinetti’s Manifesto of Futurism and Boccioni’s plastic dynamism and sculpture, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space are two very well known pieces of art which played an important role in the popularity of Futurism.The works of the two futurists inspired many artists of their time and are still well known amongst contemporary artists. When the French newspaper, Le Figaro, published on its front page a manifesto about an artistic group, no one knew about the author. The manifesto was written by an EgyptianItalian named Filippo Marinetti, who was based in Milan and was one of the founding fathers of Futurism. The literary p iece was about Le Futurism, the foundation manifesto of the artistic group which was in the process of forming. Marinetti was a natural born writer he wrote from a very young age.He studied in Paris, where he furthered his love for literature. Marinetti’s rebellious nature caused him some difficulties even at this age. He faced the threat of expulsion when he tried to publish Emile Zola’s scandalous novels through the school magazine. (Harrison 2003, 35) Shortly after the manifesto was published Marinetti was thrust into the public eye, gaining notoriety amongst his contemporaries who saw that he would introduce large changes in the art world. However he was severely criticized by some artists because of his passionate hate for old art and politics.In the article, Marinetti idealized the beauty of modern life and discussed the benefits of machinery, speed, violence, and youth. He talked about the transformation of Italian culture in a new artistic world. According to H enning (2006), Marinetti’s manifesto was not welcomed by most historians who saw it as an attack against history, and historicism. They were of the view that Marinetti joined anti-musuem sentiment with nationalism. Even though the manifesto was published in a French newspaper, it received a large response from Italy. The manifesto was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro, but he emphasized its source -’from Italy’- at the same time as he rejected the museum culture of Italy, and by implication France too, in the effort to pronounce himself of the present, and of the future. Marinetti associated museums with an obsessions with the past which was corrupting and infecting the body of the nation. † (Henning 2006, 39) Marinetti’s manifesto continued to gain popularity from contemporary artists and draw criticism from contemporary historians.His opposition to museums were considered a threat to the connection between ancient art and literature. In 1916, when Marinetti introduced the manifesto ‘The New Religion-Morality of Speed’, it was clear that it had some connection with the past. Though Marinetti adorned this manifesto with technological excitement, he used the parody of religious language, which confused his critics. ‘The New Religion’ has received a strong response from authors over time. For example Blum (1996) see in the manifesto a strong logic for Futurism. The binary structuring of reality is tied to the founding of a new religion. In ‘La nuova religione-role della velocita’ (The New Religion-Morality of Speed; 1916), Marinetti argues that speed, whose essence is ‘the intuitive synthesis of all forces in movement,’ is, by nature, pure. † (Blum 1996, 34) Despite a strict Catholic upbringing, Marinetti was an open opponent of religion, especially the influence of The Vatican in Italy. He was greatly influenced by his fathers interest in the history of religio n. He had great command of the use of religious language, but always with an anti-clerical tone.For example, in his manifesto, ‘Against the Papacy and the Catholic Mentality, Repositories of Every Kind of Traditionalism’, Marinetti launched a campaign for the liberation of Italy from The Vatican. Despite there being clear anti-Catholic tirades in his two manifestos-Against Spain, and Against the Papacy and the Catholic Mentality- one can easily find a solid religious foundation within his writings. Bru and Martens (2006) see a connection between the manifestos. They are of the opinion that despite a gap of over nine years between the publication of the two manifestos, little change is seen in his views of religion. Marinetti expressed his anti-Catholic sentiments in the manifestos, Against Spain (1910) and Against the Papacy and the Catholics Mentality, Repositories of Every Kind of Traditionalism (1919). He was fervently supported by Settimelli, whose brochure Svatican amento: Dichiarazione agli italiani, attacked the Vatican in such strong term that it was sequestered and its author taken to court. † (Bru and Martens 2006, 179) Berghaus (2009) has found genuinely innovative elements in the manifestos of Marinetti. He is of the opinion that Marinetti’s manifestos propagate the futurist reform of lifestyle. Marinetti was opposed to any fetishization of the muscular body and was highly critical of the Fascist adoption of sporting spectacles for the purpose of indoctrination. He was interested in healthy bodies with agile minds. Modern physical culture was an ally in his battle against decadence, materialism, and outdated values. † (Berghaus 2009, 33) Therefore, it can be said that the hidden religious characteristics of Marinetti helped to construct his anti-Catholic and anti-clerical campaign. It is obvious that he developed this quality because of his father’s close connection with religion and religious symbolism.Marinet ti’s role in giving a significant position to Futurism in the cultural history of the twentieth century cannot be ignored. Italian painter and sculptor Boccioni is considered to be one of Italy’s most important Futurists. He laid a strong foundation for the concept of Futurism in Italy. Boccioni, who studied art in Rome’s Scuola Libera del Nudo a the Accademia dil Belle Arti, launched a campaign in 1914 to transform Italy, and introduce Plastic Dynamism. His encounter with Futurism came after many years of studying the psychology of artistic dilemmas.He used powerful plastic forms to convey a concept of movement both intrinsic and relative to the object’s environment. After studying the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in Paris. Boccioni played a very important role in the establishment of Futurism in Italy in 1911. This was time when Futurism had formed an idiosyncratic and vibrant style, with earl stages of pointillism giving way to a softer, less distinct neo-impressionisitic aesthetic. Smith (1997) says that because of Boccioni’s stern anti-traditional notions, researchers often find a similarity between himself and Marinetti’s ideologies.The response of the two Futurists towards tradition and the influence of religion on society in Italy is very similar indeed. However, according to Smith, Boccioni is differs slightly in his ideas about modernism. â€Å"Although most writers on Futurism accept that Boccioni was caught up by Marinetti’s ideology, most have isolated his work from his proto-Facist politics. His work is thus discussed primarily in terms of his use of the formal devices for the representation of modernity that the Futurists advocated in their manifesto; theories of modernism and various forms of contemporary philosophy are also invoked. (Smith 1997, 111) Like Marinetti, Boccioni audaciously attacked traditional values in his book ‘Pittura e scultura futuriste (dinamismo plastico)â⠂¬â„¢. He announced that his ideas n Plastic Dynamism would function as an anti-traditional idea, and revive not only Italy, but the whole world. In plastic dynamism, Boccioni tried to find a connection between plastic form, and it’s surrounding space. Boccioni has received great attention from Hays (2000) who has closely researched the development of Plastic Dynamism.The author gives credit to Boccioni in the development of new theories in the genre. â€Å"A more essential evolution of these problems, and one closer to the scientific movement that emancipated physical theory from the old notion of matter and its correlative space, is the basis of the new plastic theories developed by the Futurist Umberto Boccioni in his writings on Plastic Dynamism. † (Hays 2000), 592) Boccioni, in his writing severely criticized the traditional aesthetic taste of a democratic states, and said they were largely comprised of pseudo-intellectuals, anarchists, and socialists.He held Enri co Ferri, the socialist editor of L’Avanti in high regard, but was also supportive of Enrico Corradini, the nationalist novelist and journalist. Despite Boccioni’s criticism of the Italian Nationalist Association for it failure to assist the futurists in promoting the movement politically, he was of the view that Corradini’s nationalist beliefs were a beacon of hope in a corrupt society. Boccioni studied closely both the nature of an object in motion and its visual revolution in relation to the environment through which it travels.Contrary to traditionalists, his plastic dynamism was a regeneration of plastic consciousness which rejected the devastating effects of democratic-rationalist education. (Kwinter, 2001, 61) Therefore it would not be wrong to say that the aesthetics of Plastic Dynamism which Boccioni highlighted in his writing was anti-democratic as well as anti-traditional. According to Harte (2009), Boccioni, despite his inspiration from the Avant Gar de art movements of Picasso and Braque, presented his ideas in a different style. Unlike the cubists, Picasso and Braque, who fragmented the painted object with little regard for its relationship to the surrounding world, Boccioni and his fellow futurists emphasized an aestheticised object’s interaction with that world, regarding this interaction as critical to a successful expression of rapid movement on the static canvas or through three dimensional, sculpted forms. † (Harte 2009, 18) Boccioni’s understanding of the fourth dimension successfully bound the theory of space to a temporal idea of revolution.This understanding makes Boccioni prominent amongst other Futurists. The study of the work and writings of both Boccioni and Marinetti make it clear that without an understanding of these two figures, it is difficult to understand the concept of Futurism itself. These two Futurists played an important role in sparking people’s interest in the Futurist mov ement, created a template not only for artistic ideas, but also for cultural and social disobedience and a fundamental opposition to traditional aesthetic, moral and political opinions.They each attempted to clarify the Futurist’s ideals and their work left a great impact on society. Smith (1997) provides further evidence of the ideological connection between Boccioni and Marinetti. â€Å"Boccioni and Marinetti founded a movement based on speed. With the death of it’s leading artists, Boccioni, Futurism died fast. † (Strickland and Boswell 2007, 139) References Anonymous (2010) Futurism: Futurist Manifesto, Suite Vollard Enrico Prampolini, General Books LLC, New York Anonymous Berghaus, G. 2009) Futurism and the Technological Imagination, Rodopi, Amsterdam Blum, C S. (1996) The Other Modernism: F. T. Marinetti’s Futurist Fiction of Power, University of California Press, California Bru, S. , and Martens, G. (2006) The Invention of Politics in the European Avant-garde, Rodolphi, Amsterdam Harrison, A. (2003) D. H. Lawrence and Italian Futurism: A Study of Influence, Rodopi, Harte, T. (2009) Fast Forward The Aesthetics and Ideology of Speed in Russian Avant-Garde Culture, University of Wisconsin Press, Wisconsin Hays, M. 2000) Architecture Theory Since 1968, MIT Press, Cambridge Henning, M. (2006) Museums, Media, and Cultural Theory. McGraw-Hill International, London Smith, T E. (1997) Invisible Touch: Modernism and Masculinity, University of Chicago Press, Chicago Strickland, C. , and Boswell J (2007) The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post Modern. Andrews McMeel Publishing, Riverside, NJ Figure 1. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913, Umberto Boccioni From: http://www. octorhugo. org/synaesthesia/art/ Figure 2. Dynamism of a cyclist, painting, 1913, Umberto Boccioni From: http://artsforhealthmmu. blogspot. com/2011/08/blog-post. html Figure 3. Futurist Manifesto, newspaper article, 1917, F ilippo Marinetti From: http://www. collezioni-f. it/marinetti01. jpg Figure 4. Parole in Liberta, book illustration, 1917, Filippo Marinetti From: http://blanchardmodernart. blogspot. com/2010/10/cubism-and-futurism. html