Psychosocial Stage Essay Example for Free

Psychosocial Stage Essay Psychological development is generally accepted as product of the interaction among social and psychological forces which directly affect and shape the personality of every individual (Erikson, 2000). This may also encompass changes in self-control, and prosocial behavior. In relation to this, Erik Erikson established a unifying theory on the social and psychological aspects of human development throughout life span. In his eight developmental stages, each individual should, from infancy to senescence, accomplish psychological tasks in line with his or her social experiences. In addition, his theory, often called as â€Å"the stages of man,† is primarily grounded on the notion that every individual develops self-images through others perceptions and his or her own perceptions (Erikson, 2000). Erikson described the development of personality and the process by which an individual acquires societal role and shapes his or her identity. In contrary to Freuds psychosexual emphasis, Erickson accentuated the development of ones attitudes, skills, and the sense of responsibility. Further, Erikson argued that individuals undergo the different developmental stages, each with crisis or dilemma, and expected to resolve specific conflict in every stage. Unresolved conflicts in the previous stage will pass on the succeeding stages which impart negative traits in ones personality (Erikson, 2000). On the other hand, as an individual successfully confronted every developmental crisis, he or she achieves positive traits or psychological attributes. Generativity versus Stagnation Erikson viewed â€Å"development† as a continuous process of facing the complexities of life (Santrock, 2002). A young professional, for example, to ensure success and intimate relations, he or she must perceive and accomplish the task of creating and caring his or her life role or style. Ericksons 7th stage of psychosocial development, generativity versus stagnation, coincides with the middle adulthood period of humans. As defined by Erikson, generativity is the desire to take an active role in establishing the society and nurturing the youth to ensure the continuity of human generation (Lerner, 2002). In this stage, individuals should develop concern for the next generation in order to prevent personal stagnation (Santrock, 2002). While some individuals accomplish this through active community involvement and participation, some contribute for the welfare of the society through responsible parenthood. In any means, the dynamic that must be attained is the outward shifting from the well-being of one’s self to the consideration and care for the humanity. As such, the strength of care is achieved through creating, parenting, volunteering, and mentoring. For instance, by means of genuine care and concern, the generative religious teachers indoctrinate traditional religious view on development. Generative adults, on the other hand, may take responsibility on the cycle of life by leading and guiding their children in the first five stages of psychosocial development (Santrock, 2002). Meanwhile, a key element of â€Å"generativity versus stagnation† is the continuity of stages and cumulative implications of various experiences in life (Santrock, 2002). The adults sense of generativity is stimulated by encouraging and supporting the future of the next generation. However, individuals who fail to bestow the continuity to the next generation may possibly become engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually become stagnated. Influences on my Personality The psychosocial development constructs of Erickson encompasses every experience of an individual that processes and shapes his or her personality, generativity, and perceptions. These processes are deemed universal; that is, although individuals experience family, social, and cultural life differently, the variations are minor. The minor variations account for other individual variables such as socioeconomic status, age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, education, and culture (Lerner, 2002). Hence, the psychosocial processes in the middle adulthood show variations on themes but of similar dynamic of change. Erikson outlined these changes in every developmental stage through specific conflicts or tasks that one needs to attend to or resolve. As such in middle adulthood, generativity versus stagnation is the conflict that needs to be resolved. However, as the resolution of conflicts in the early adulthood influences this stage, the outcome in this stage will directly affect the late adulthood period (Lerner, 2002). As well, as individuals are expected to provide inspiration, care, and guidance for the youth, they are also challenged to acquire productive roles for the societal development and continuity. Generativity then should not only be confined in parenting but should stretch out to community involvements through projects, leadership, and commitment. It must be deemed with respect to the manner by which an individual handle his or her relations with his or her family, societal institutions, friends, relatives, and with other individuals. Whereas every social behavior is determined by myriad of factors, the commitment and concern for the welfare of the next generation must be the primary motivation in all those aforementioned social responsibilities and activities (Lerner, 2002). As I learned the middle adulthood psychosocial stage of Erikson, about 35-40 years of ages, I examined the present state of my personality in terms of generativity and stagnation. That is, I assessed my self if I am productive in my field of endeavor and geared towards inspiring and guiding my children and other youngsters and young adults. I became concern with the achievement of generativity for Erikson argued that it is crucial for a positive outlook during midlife. As such, I formulated my developmental goals of preparing my self for my senescence period and caring for and guiding the youngsters for adulthood. However, life experiences in this stage of life are not identical among individuals; some are still single adult while others are happily married or divorced during this period. Generally, the middle adulthood has developmental discontinuity and continuity. In particular, psychological attributes like cognitive functioning may rapidly change while the others such as intelligence and personality may attain stability during midlife (Lachman, 2001). I realized then that in defining life’s success, experiences in midlife have significant roles. During middle adulthood, every individual compensates for and copes with life’s losses which tend to be apparent as senescence life approaches. As revealed by psychological researches, life satisfaction is at its peak in midlife; this is the period of life where subjective happiness and well-being are rated best as compared to other stages of life (Lachman, 2001). Thus, midlife is known as the prime of one’s life, where most middle adults are at the summit of their family and professional careers, and income generation. In addition, middle adults experience a very satisfactory psychological well-being; they have positive outlook in life, autonomy, and aim for both personal and professional growth (Lachman, 2001). They perceived midlife as the period where one should function best. Thus, my consciousness on my work performance, multiple-role playing, and parenting styles were awakened. Nevertheless, at the other extreme of middle adulthood are the midlife crises. Based on psychological reports, middle adulthood is battered by worries in life such as the feelings of individuals of life losses and failures, non-achievement and underachievement, and trivial and non-essential goals (Lachman, 2001). Yet, amidst these crises and as compared to other stages of life, middle adulthood is the period of less depression and higher well-being. In this period, most individuals attained their professional and personal goals. Those who are susceptible to environmental factors, limited resources, and poverty, are at risk to psychological and physical distress (Lachman, 2001). It was then clarified in my mind that during midlife, individuals may either enjoy the fruition of their respective labors or suffer the cumulative deficits of their life due to unresolved conflicts in previous stages. Therefore, middle adulthood, as generativity versus stagnation implies, is not only a period of fulfillment and accomplishment but also a transition period for the past and present events of life basically influence the later life’s transition. Midlife is the stage of life when individuals, more frequently, have already decided for a lifestyle and other social context like vocation, routine, neighborhood, and support network. Thus, I postulated that personality molds the life of an individual, rather than life experiences shapes the personality of an individual. In particular, only specific aspect of personality is altered by dramatic life events during middle adulthood. For example, career or marriage failure, affliction due to mental or physical disorder, and death of a loved one may alter the behavioral trait of an individual which in turn only causes minor shifts in personality but do not reflect in the holistic personality structure. Moreover, the concept of midlife crisis, perceived as inevitable in middle adulthood, was found to be false (Lerner, 2002). Even though midlife is a stage of reflection, increased anxiety, midcourse correction, and unpredictable transformation, researches revealed that during middle adulthood, individuals still undertake the shifting of life perspective from birth until to their last years to live (Lerner, 2002). The nature of an individual’s response to midlife challenges is largely affected by personality attributes and less by the individual’s present developmental stage or chronological age. As proposed, the enduring nature of midlife crisis is possibly related to the capability of an individual to cope with the tragic life events and in the end still considers his or her self as fairly fortunate. In sum, Erikson suggested the importance of finding oneself in another during midlife developmental stage. By merely serving oneself or own family, an individual becomes engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually ends as stagnated. Hence, I must not confine my self in looking at and working only for the welfare of my family. Bringing up my children into the best that they can be is inadequate contribution for the welfare of the society. I need to acquire the sense of altruism in order to contribute whatever resources I have, actively involve myself to community projects, and to extend whatever support I can give for the welfare of the next generation. In addition, since midlife crisis is inevitable in middle adulthood, I realized that in order to face every travail, empathy and support to others are crucial so as to establish a network support where I can lean on as I resolve any form of midlife crisis. References Erikson, E. H. (2000). The Erik Erikson Reader. Coles, R. Ed. New York: Norton. Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lachman, M. E. (2001). Handbook of Midlife Development. New York: John Wiley. Lerner, R. M. (2002). Concepts and Theories of Human Development, 3rd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Economic Benefits of the Commonwealth Games: Manchester

Economic Benefits of the Commonwealth Games: Manchester Economic benefits that Manchester gained by hosting the Commonwealth Games 2002 This paper discusses Manchester’s hosting of the 2002 Commonwealth games, and how it was used as a catalyst for urban regeneration. It discusses the theory and history behind hosting Mega events.  The rationale behind cities bidding for mega events has shifted. They bid not only to raise the image of their city on the world stage, button use the new facilities as a catalyst for urban regeneration. The Manchester case study is drawn from the local council websites and reports published during and after the event. This gave an insight into the long term economic gains for the city. The paper concludes that the hosting and the urban regeneration were successful for Manchester. This success has promoted other cities to bid for Mega events. 2.0 Introduction There are three advents that are described as mega events, the Football world cup, the Olympic and Commonwealth games. These events are held every four years, with cities around the world bidding to host them. For the purpose of this paper the discussion will be on the Olympic and Commonwealth games. The main Focus will be on Manchester hosting of the2002 Commonwealth games. Mega events as steeped in tradition, they are a platform for host cities to show what they can do. Cities plan for them years in advance, putting their bid forward so they can succeed on the world’s stage. When a city is successful in a bid, there are other cities that are disappointed. This paper discusses Manchester’s successful Commonwealth games bid after two failed Olympic bids. When a city hosts a Mega event it is in the public eye, everybody remembers the spectacle of the opening and closing ceremonies. What is not so public is all the planning behind the scenes, committing resources to the success of the games. These resources are committed at an early stage; the bid has to be viable to be considered. The rational for hosting games has shifted from the prestige associated with the attention of the world’s media, to a tool for regenerating rundown areas of the host city. Therefore the planning of the venues has shifted from temporary buildings, to long term facilities for the local communities. Some cities hosting mega events are looking at the long term usage for the new facilities after the event, in the past a lot of these buildings were built as temporary structures and pulled down shortly after the closing ceremony. This is viewed by some commentators as waste of resources, with prolonging the life of these buildings cities, can benefit long after the games are finished. This shift has attracted new cities to bid for Mega events, with the justification that it will lead to economic growth both short and long-term. The benefit can be two fold, raising the image of the city and regenerating a rundown area. Although not all host cities have been successful at obtaining growth, some are still repaying the debt that was run up to host the games. The resources that each city has ploughed into holding these prestige games are immense. To succeed they require the backing of local residents, council, sports providers, grants, the government and their agencies. This should be incorporate at the planning stage to increase the chance of a successful bid. The value to local residents of a city hosting a mega event is immense in economic terms. It is not only the new facilities that can generate income, if the games are a success, the city can attract tourism long after the event. The games cannot be viewed in isolation of the sporting stage, there is the build-up to the bid, the planning of hosting the games and the long term value they van add to the city. All these factors make up a successful mega event bid. Manchester spent a long time planning for the games. This is illustrated in the time line that appears in the appendices of this paper. This was not an easy ride, as financial problems affected the plans. Manchester overcame these and held the 2002 Commonwealth games. 3.0 Aims and objectives The aim of this paper is to assess the economic impact of cities hosting mega event; this will concentrate on the 2002 common wealth games held in Manchester. The objectives are †¢Ã‚  An in depth analysis of the history of mega events, with the resources and planning to host such an event   †¢Ã‚  An analysis of the economic benefits that can be gained and the disadvantages of hosting a major sporting event. 4.0 Methodology This chapter discusses the research methods used for the project and the rationale for their choice. It discusses methods that were not used, with justification of why they were not included.  Included is a critique of methods selected, and with hindsight identifies any changes that would have enhanced the research.   This paper critically evaluates the impact of the 2002 Commonwealth games on the city of Manchester. This paper will investigate the economic impact of a mega event and the subsequent urban regeneration. This will be compared to other host cities, both with the Commonwealth and Olympic games. Selection of the topic was stimulated and formed out of heightened publicity on the topic. The aim of holding the games was not only publicity for the city but to use it as a tool of urban regeneration. The nature of the research was discussed with colleagues and fellow students this not only added practical ideas and suggestions, it opened new avenues of thought.  This was the discussed with lecturers sounding out ideas, gauging opinions and clarifying the question.  Focusing in on the question was obtained by employing relevance trees, narrowing the research area.  This gave direction to the research, although with reviewing the literature this changed several times (Buzau, J. 1995).   Next, a research proposal was compiled, with the benefit of organising ideas and setting a time-scale for research.  Theoretically, the proposal would highlight any difficulties with the research question and access to data.  Creating a time-scale would focus on targets and meet deadlines in the completion of the paper.   The literature review, discussing theories and ideas that exist on the topic formed the foundation of the paper.  The findings from the research are then tested on theories for validity (Saunders, M. et al1997).  The literature review was challenging, there is very little academic research on the topic area. Most of the literature focused on individual’s performances at the games, and the impact of hosting the Olympic Games. This information proved relevant in understanding the justification for bidding for mega events. Journals and newspaper articles were the back bone for the review, together with internet sites and reports. Tertiary data sources, such as library catalogues and indexes were used to scan for secondary data.  This produced journals and newspaper articles, and Internet addresses.  With the amount of literature, it took time to sort out relevant material to the research.  Narrowing down the search Bell’s (1993) six point’s parameters was applied.  Applying key words that were identified in the first search produced relevant and up-to-date material (Bell, J.1993).  A limitation on the literature search was the amount of time to read all articles and books on the subject. Whilst reviewing the literature references to other publications were followed and reviewed.  Bells checklist on identifying the relevance of literature found was a practical method to reduce the amount of reading (Bell, J. 1993). A case study on the impact on the city of Manchester of the 2002Commonwealth games was chose to replace primary research. This would report the actual benefits gained by staging such a major event. There is a lot of information presented in articles on the benefits of hosting Mega games, but little on the problems.  Therefore a lot of information was rejected due to the bias of the content. Articles and web sites were used to form a picture of the impact. This would then be compared with the literature and previous host cities To produce primary data the success of a mega event proved to be vast task, taking a lot of time to produce results. Internal and external operations of several organisations, providers, spectators and competitors would have to be compared to reach any level of validity. Instead it was decide to review a case study. This was then compared to the literature review. 5.0 Literature Review This section will review all the relevant literature on mega events, including cities that have bid and hosted them together with the history of the games. The review will also discuss the rationale behind bidding and the benefits it can bring to a City who hosts an mega event. 5.1 Mega Events Mega events are regularly defined as special events, these have unique status. Hamilton, (1997) characterise these events containing similar features, including international dimensions, short-termed, and may be either a one-off occurrence or conducted on a regular cycle. From the literature, size emerges as a dominant distinguishing feature separating mega from non-mega events. Both the Olympics and the commonwealth games fall into this category, they are international, short termed and held on a regular cycle. They are held every four years, at different locations (Hamilton, L 1997:124). Sporting events are rapidly increasing in popularity as a means of attracting attention to particular geographic locations (Getz, 1998).Increasingly, cities are basing their marketing around Mega events(e.g. Manchester and the Commonwealth Games), in order to maximise the benefits to be achieved from event-driven tourism, sponsorship, and media exposure. Sporting events make up an important part of the overall Mega event industry. In reality there are a limited number of Mega sporting events that exist. This has led to fierce competition among cities to be successful in winning the business of playing event host (Getz, (1998) cited in  Westerner, H et al 2002:303). 5.2 Resources Required The size of an event can be discussed in four different ways. First is determined by the noticeable involvement of national and regional government authorities. Government agencies provide an event with the development of policies, infrastructure or making resources available supporting the attraction of events to major cities  (Westerner, H teal 2002). Higher technical competencies are required, such as advanced facilities, suitable event location and skilled personnel; these are directly related to size of the event. The demands placed on services provided by host cities to deliver an event is of superior quality when compared to other event types. The technical competencies must satisfy number of requirements. This includes the technical standards set by international federations pertaining to competition, non-competition elements (accommodation and transport) and personnel issues competition management, and personnel issues  (Westerner, H et al 2002). The higher competencies are a requirement for the event management team, made up of both bid and operational teams, it is composed of expert people capable of carrying out professional relations with event owners and organisers prior to and throughout the event as well as having the technical expertise to stage the event  (Westerner, H et al2002). The hosting City requires broad support from both direct and indirect stakeholders. Overall approval must come from the general public, government, (target) markets and other business sectors. The large amount of capital invested from the public purse in bidding for and staging an event, it is essential for strong community support for the process (Ernst Young, (1992) cited in  Westerner, H et al2002:305). 5.3 Planning for the Games International and worldwide events are more important now than ever before. In most countries major events are significant to all levels of society and institutions, whether at local or national level. Sporting events dominate large sections of the press, television and radiobroadcasts. Therefore event management has become an industry in its own right, with both specialist organisations and individuals(Torkildson, G 2005). The decision making process for the bid will develop a long term strategic plan (Johnson G, , Scholes, K 2004). This strategy is the direction and capacity of an organisation, (i.e. the committee forth games) which achieves advantages through its configuration of resources within the changing environment. The strategy answers both the questions where do you want to go? and how do you want to get there?  The first question is answered when the bid is accepted and the second is answered when the strategies are planned (Mullins L2005). Planning is the first stage of implementing the development of the city for the capacity to hold the games. Managers are required to step back to look at the environment, competitors, market place and review both the internal and external strengths and weaknesses. A SWOT analysis will focus the managers on both internal and external factors that can affect a new strategy. The host city must recognise its strengths and utilise them, and reduce weak areas through planning (Groucutt, J. teal 2004). Managerial decisions are made to identify what is required to implement the new strategy. What are the new resources are required? I.e. Property, finance or employees, and how will the city gain these resources?  Then the risk should be assessed for its long term value to the host. Strategies should not only be considered on how they will affect existing resource capabilities, but also if needed new resources and how they will be controlled. The costs to the host should be weighed against the long term gains, and if needed it can be reviewed, accessed and amended accordingly (G, Johnson K, Scholes, 2004). Mega Events are a dynamic and multi-dimensional phenomena, there are at the same time, urban events, tourist events, media events and international global events. They are the subject of collective corporate recourse, with action in each of the sections. Therefore amulet dimensional approach is required in the planning and managing of the games. This requires multi-disciplinary team based approach(Torkildson, G 2005).   5.4 Marketing Kilter et al (1993) identify several target markets to which place marketers direct their attention. These include visitors’ athletes, officials, spectators and the media, residents and workers, business and industry, and export markets. The focus of sporting events is on the visitor segment, including business and non-business visitors. Business visitors include persons who travel to a place for meetings, conventions, to inspect sites or to buy or sell a product. Non-business visitors include tourists who travel to see the place and travellers who are visiting family and friends. Individuals travelling to particular destination to attend the event or teams and participants attending events as well as organizing committees and such can also be categorized as non-business visitors (Kilter, P et al 1993). The increase in the competition and the globalisation has not only saturated the extent of competition in the markets but mainly saturated the target markets itself as argued by Brassington and Pettit (2003).This is mainly because of the fact that the high level of competition among the participating organisations in a given market segment has increased the product range leaving the customers with an endless variety of products to choose for satisfying their requirements. This level of saturation has also increased the need for further development in the market in order to achieve competitive advantage as well as sustainable growth in the business (Brassington, F and Pettit, S 2003). Therefore mega events will if correctly marketed stand alone as a once only product. This product offers a unique entry into a market, there is little comparative competition, although all sport and leisure will compete for their market share. Although a Mega event is no normally at the same level as the existing competition. This approach is accomplished through the geographical spread either nationally or internationally by the host (Lynch, R 2003). The domestic and/or international media, coupled with the selling of broadcasting rights, are important characteristics of mega events The support of the media prior to or during an event guarantees exposure and consequently raises world-wide awareness of the event and host city. The 2000 Olympics in Sydney generated in excess of $1.3 billion in revenue from broadcasting the Games, indicating the substantial financial returns for event owners, organisers and the host city brought about by media support for the event ( Westerner, H et al2002). 5.5 Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship of sports and other events is one of the fastest growing forms of marketing communications used to reach target audiences. The rate of growth in sponsorship expenditures is greater than for traditional media advertising and sales promotion. Corporate spending on sponsorship worldwide was estimated to grow 12 present in2001 (Roy, D and Cornwell, T 2003). Sponsorship is viewed as a means of avoiding this clutter by enabling sponsors to identify and target well-defined audiences in terms of demographics and lifestyles. Linking a brand with an event via sponsorship enables firms to gain consumers attention and interest by associating with events that are important to them. Despite the increased use of sponsorship to reach market segments there has been little research on the impact of sponsorship on consumer behaviour(Roy, D and Cornwell, T 2003). While sports sponsorship activities range from providing athletes with uniforms to funding entire stadiums, the basic principle behind such sponsor ships appears to be their proposed ability to increase brand equity by means of enhancing brand image. There are several key goals associated with corporate sponsorship of events such as (1) enhanced brand image via associations with positively perceived events; (2)increased goodwill via perceptions of corporate generosity; and (3)elevated brand awareness due to increased exposure (Miyazaki, A and Morgan, A 2001). The high prices paid for Olympic sponsorships reveals that at least some organisations find these efforts to be worthwhile. This is illustrated by comments from top corporate officials that the Olympics are â€Å"the most important marketing opportunity of the decade† and management suggestions that this investment will heighten global recognition and increase revenue (Miyazaki, A and Morgan, A 2001:9). 5.6 Tourism In the 1980s and 1990s, political, economic, and technological developments that led to the global economy became a feature of the environment within which cities compete for economic growth. This trade in goods and services has become increasingly open and internationally competitive; cities had to compete with cities from around the world for investment capital, businesses, and tourists. Cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo have become â€Å"global or world† cities in the urban hierarchy. These cities contain the largest variety of cultural and entertainment facilities of the highest quality, such as museums, galleries, opera houses, theatres, and concert halls (Burbank, J et al2002) Therefore other cities are a disadvantage when competing for tourism. The pursuit of hosting a mega-event is a mechanism for economic growth. This strategy relies on obtaining a single event large enough to be seen as a way to generate future economic growth. Many events can bring tourists and attention to a city, but the mega-events sufficiently large that it creates a single focal point and timeframe for completing event-related development. It is also noted that stadiums and sports teams are luxuries that financially strapped cities can ill afford; therefore holding a mega event can provide the city with these facilities for the future (Burbank, J et al 2002) The number of tourists to an area where a mega event is due to take place increases.  Individuals are drawn to destinations because of omega (sporting) event rather than the region itself. For example, tourism estimates of visits to Sydney between 1997 and 2004, as direct response to the Olympic Games, have been set at 1.7 million. Actual visits for the period during 2000 have been estimated to be 20 percent of this total (Forecast, 2001). Arising from the growth of the tourism industry has been an emphasis on place (or city) marketing and promotion and the emergence of mega sporting events to support and enhance this promotion. Place marketing represents the techniques utilised by certain organisations to raise the awareness of their particular destination to specified target markets.  Promotional objectives relate to capturing the attention of international visitors and to providing information in an endeavour to entice them to travel to a specific destination (Moutinho, L and Wits 1994). 5.7 Attendance of Events A standard set of economic factors would be expected to affect demand for attendance. Price of admission and, more generally, the opportunity cost of attendance (including cost of travel, car parking, food and beverages at the venue, and programme), would be predicted to be negatively related to attendance. Income of the potential audience at sporting contest, and size of population in the potential market for contest, would be expected to be related positively to attendance. Availability and price of substitutes would also influence attendance. Some substitutes might be considered â€Å"direct†, such as the live broadcast of the event. Other substitutes will be â€Å"indirect†, for example, attending a different sporting event or contest; or other types of entertainment alternatives such as theatre or movies (Borland and  Macdonald, R 2003) Macroeconomic factors could have an impact on attendance such as threat of unemployment. Although it has been suggested that attendance at sporting events may constitute a social outlet for unemployed persons, therefore the attendance is higher as the rate of unemployment increases (Borland, J and  Macdonald, R 2003) The infrastructure of the venue has a direct impact on attendance to the events. The quality of viewing, the facilities at the stadium, the quality of seating; the impact of adverse weather conditions; distance from contest and extent of vision to different parts of the sporting field. Catering and bathroom facilities can also have an impact(Borland, J and  Macdonald, R 2003) 5.8 Economic Benefits The national government’s involvement in bringing events to a city is on the increase. The level of spending dedicated to biding for an event demonstrates the strength of governments backing. This is to the detriment of the competition with other (cultural) activities undertaken by government and other interest groups. Openly supporting abide increases the pressure of accountability to the public and hence support will only be given, if it is clear that justifiable and measurable benefits for all stakeholders are generated by hosting the event (Westerner, H et al 2002). The economic activity associated with staging mega sporting event can create significant economic benefits for the host destination. Howard and Crompton (1995) defined the economic impact as â€Å"the net economic change in a host economy that results from spending attributed to sports event or facility†. Economic impact studies enable the quantification of the benefits to a community to be ascertained in order to justify the investment in the event (Howard, D and Crompton, J1995:55). The Olympic Games provide an obvious example of significant economic contribution by a mega sporting event. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics made a profit of US$125 million with the Seoul Olympics exceeding that profit by a further US$50 million. Outcomes of this magnitude serve to encourage cities to bid for high status events (Law, C 1993). In September 1990, Atlanta won the bid to host the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. In spite of the approximately $2.5 billion price tag, the benefits derived from hosting the Olympic Games were expected to outweigh the costs. Positive media attention, construction of facilities and infrastructure, and employment increases were identified as the primary beneficial output of this massive endeavour. The cash in flow during mega games is relatively easy to identify, the legacy â€Å"of the games in terms of long-term benefits is more difficult to measure. The positive employment impact of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, led to a 17% increase in long term employment in the surrounding area (Hotchkiss, J et al 2003). It must be noted at this point that not all events are successful financially. While focusing on the economic benefits presented by mega sporting events, there are significant financial burdens that such events place on host communities. This financial commitment to events often requires a degree of community assistance through public funding. The external benefits associated with mega sporting events enable this financial assistance to be classified as an investment, with clear reciprocal benefits to the host community (Westerner, H et al 2002). Once the mega-event policy is underway, extra-local interests become increasingly vital to a successful outcome. Hosting modern games requires the authority and cooperation of not only the host city, but other state and local governments and agencies as well. Moreover, the financial demands of the games require support from local public and private sources, but are increasingly dependent on multinational corporations and the government (Burbank, J et al 2002). Several global cities have had their fingers burned by over ambitious sports development plans. Sydney found itself in trouble finding permanent use for Stadium Australia. The Manchester bid, while ambitious, was also realistic. It already had the G-Mix Centre and MEN arena, Old Trafford and Maine Road football grounds. It has added to this the velodrome, an aquatics centre, Sport-city, and the City of Manchester stadium. These facilities are part of the long term regeneration, the aquatic centre has been appropriately sited for the city’s three universities; Sport-city is to become one of 10 regional centres of excellence in sport; and the stadium will be used jointly by Manchester City football club and community teams (Anonymous 2002). 5.9 Urban Renewal The Olympic Games are regarded as the world’s most prestigious sporting occasion. They are typical of mega events in that they are transitory, bring short-term international participation and attention and can have long-term consequences for the host city. There is considerable investment in both sporting facilities and the supporting infrastructure, although after the games these then become legacies to the host city.  The costs involved in hosting the Games are now so high that host cities can often only justify the expenditure when it is seen as leading to a major programme of regeneration and improvement (Essex’s and Chalked, B. 1997). Harvey (1989) has discussed that urban policies to compensate Forde-industrialisation have become more proactive and entrepreneurial often involving some form of interurban competition for jobs and investment. The use of ‘urban spectacles’, such as major sporting events, as a strategy for urban renewal are being seen as one of the main products of post-modern society This is also a means by which cities express their personality, enhance their status and advertise their position on the global stage. Urban politics have shifted to ales bureaucratic, more entrepreneurial and autonomous stance (Harvey 1989).  An example of these new urban politics is Manchester’s Olympic bids of the 1980s and 1990s, in which local government-based decision-making and bureaucratic politics were essentially replaced bay dynamic business leadership (Essex, S and Chalked, B. 1997). For the host cities there is important justification for bidding to stage the Games, particularly in recent years, the stimulus to economic development and urban regeneration. The event can promote economic activity as a result of the jobs created by the vast numbers of tourists visiting the city before, during and after the event. The construction of sports facilities can also play a role in programmes of urban renewal by, for example, introducing new sporting and recreational facilities into previously under-provided areas. On broader scale, preparations for the event can also provide a means of justifying new investment in transport infrastructure and in projects to enhance the city’s landscape and physical appearance (Essex, S andChalkley, B. 1997) 5.10 History of Mega events There are several games that are held on a four yearly cycle; these include the Olympics, Commonwealth, and the world cup. Each has grown in stature with more cities bidding for the right to stage them. The information below was extracted from both the Olympics and Commonwealth Games web sites. The first Commonwealth Games were the product of discussions and ideas shared over a thirty year period. John Cooper proposed sports and cultural gatherings for English speaking nations in 1891. In 1911 sport competitions were part of the Festival of the Empire in London, in which athletes from England, Canada, South Africa and Australasia competed (www commonwealthgames.org). The first games in Hamilton Ontario, Canada consisted of six sports, with around 400 athletes from 11 nations. The name of the games has changed frequently. The first four games were known as the British Empire Games. The name was changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games for the 1954-1962 editions. From 1966 to 1974 the name British Commonwealth Games was used and from 1978 to the present the Commonwealth Games Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia hosted a very successful 1998 edition of the Commonwealth Games. The Queen’s Baton was carried to the stadium on an elephant and presented to Prince Edward by Malaysia’s first ever Commonwealth medal winner Kohl Eng. Tong, a bronze medallist in weightlifting from the 1954 games   The Olympic Games are steeped in history. Today, the Olympic Games are the worlds largest pageant of athletic skill and competitive spirit. They are also displays of nationalism, commerce and politics. These two opposing elements of the Olympics are not a modern invention. The conflict between the Olympic movements high ideals and the commercialism or political acts which accompany the Games has been noted since ancient times According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles son of Zeus. Yet the first Olympic Games for which we still have written records were held in 776 BCE (though it is generally believed that the Games had been going on for many years already). Approximately1500 years later, a young Frenchmen named Pierre de Coubertin began their revival. The revival of the ancient Olympics in 1896 attracted athletes from 14 nations. The largest delegations came from Greece, Germany, France and Great Britain. Winners were awarded a silver medal and an olive branch   To conclude the games are steeped in history and are a prestige event for any city to host. They can raise the city’s image on the world wide stage, thereby attracting tourism in the future. But an emerging factories they can be a catalyst for urban regeneration, therefore the value of holding the games can be immense to host city, if it is conducted right.   6.0 Case Study Manchester This section will present the facts of Manchester successful bid forth 2002 Commonwealth games. The information is from the City Council’s web site, reports and articles. The second part will pre

Lincoln :: essays research papers

Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, 1809, near Hodgenville, Kentucky, the son of Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln , pioneer farmers. At the age of two he was taken by his parents to nearby Knob Creek and at eight to Spencer Co., Ind. The following year his mother died. In 1819 his father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kindly widow. Lincoln grew up a tall, gangling youth, who could hold his own in physical contests and also showed great intellectual promise, although he had little formal education. After moving with his family to Macon Co., Ill., in 1831, he struck out on his own, taking a cargo to New Orleans, La., on a flatboat. He then returned to Illinois and settled in New Salem, a short-lived community on the Sangamon River, where he split rails and clerked in a store. He gained the respect of his fellow townspeople, including the so called Clary Grove boys, who had challenged him to fight, and was elected captain of his company in the Black Hawk War . Returning from the war, he began an unsuccessful venture in shopkeeping that ended when his partner died. In 1833 he was appointed postmaster but had to supplement his income with surveying and various other jobs. At the same time he began to study law. The story of his romance with Ann Rutledge ,a local young woman whom he knew briefly before her untimely death, is unsubstantiated. Defeated in 1832 in a race for the state legislature, Lincoln was elected on the Whig ticket two years later and served in the lower house from 1834 to 1841. He quickly emerged as one of the leaders of the party and was one of the authors of the removal of the capital to Springfield, where he settled in 1837. After his admission to the bar he entered into successive partnerships with John T. Stuart , Stephen T. Logan , and William Herndon , and soon won recognition as an effective and resourceful attorney. In 1842 Lincoln married Mary Todd , the daughter of a prominent Kentucky banker, and despite her somewhat difficult disposition, the marriage seems to have been reasonably successful. The Lincolns had four children, only one of whom reached adulthood. His birth in a slave state notwithstanding, Lincoln had long opposed slavery. In the legislature he voted against resolutions favorable to the â€Å"peculiar institution† and in 1837 was one of two members who signed a protest against it. Elected to Congress in 1846, he attracted attention because of his outspoken criticism of

Symbols and Symbolism - Houses and Cars in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism of Houses and Cars in The Great Gatsby      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, is full of symbolism, which is portrayed by the houses and cars in an array of ways. One of the more important qualities of symbolism within The Great Gatsby is the way in which it is so completely incorporated into the plot and structure. Symbols, such as Gatsby's house and car, symbolize material wealth.    Gatsby's house "[is] a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy" which contains "a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy" is a symbol of Gatsby's large illegal income (Fitzgerald 9)(9). Gatsby's large income isn't enough to keep him happy. He needs "The house he feels he needs in order to win happiness" and it is also the perfect symbol of carelessness with money which is a major part of his personality (Bewley 24). Gatsby's house like his car symbolizes his vulgar and excessive trait of getting attention. Gatz's house is a mixture of different styles and periods which symbolizes an owner who does not know their true identity. The Buchanan's house is symbolic of their ideals.    East Egg is home to the more prominent established wealth families. Tom's and Daisy's home is on the East Egg. Their house, a "red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay" with its "wine-colored rug[s]" is just as impressive as Gatsby's house but much more low-key (Fitzgerald 11)(13). East egg and Tom's home represents the established wealth and traditions. Their stable wealth, although lacking the vulgarity of new wealth, is symbolic of their empty future and now purposelessness lives together. The House also has a cold sense to it according to Nick. This sense symbolizes Tom's brutality, and as Perkins's says in his manuscript to Fitzgerald "I would know...Buchanan if I met him and would avoid him," because Tom is so cold and brute (Perkins 199).    Nick lives in West Egg in a rented house that "[is] a small eye-sore" and "had been overlooked"(Fitzgerald 10). Nick lives in a new-rich West Egg because he is not wealthy enough to afford a house in the more prominent East Egg. His house symbolizes himself shy and overlooked. Nick is the Narrator and also the "trust worthy reporter and, ...judge" that has ties to both the East and West Egg crowd(Bruccoli xii).

Thomos Hardy The Mayor Of Cast :: essays research papers

Thomas Harding does an admirable job narrating the, The Life and Death of The Mayor of Casterbridge, Mr. Henchard, as well as the various other characters that influenced the phases of Mr. Henchard's downfall to prosperity and than again to his self-inflicted destruction. As self-inflicted as King Saul's death in Samuel 1 in the Bible. The narrative of King Saul's life follow comparable steps as Mr. Henchard's. In both narratives both men engage in a trusted consanguinity with another man who were existent for the majority of the protagonists' chronicle. In Thomas Hardy's, The Mayor of Caterbridge, the relationships between Mr. Henchard and Donald Farfrae are overwhelmingly alike as distinct as that to King Saul and David. In the beginning of the novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Mr. Michael Henchard is described "of fine figure, swarthy, and stern in aspect" and had a "walk of the skilled countryman" and "showed in profile a facial angle[…]to be almost perpendicular." (I,1). Also stated is that Mr. Henchard's "elbow almost touched (his wife's) shoulder" while walking beside each other, implying that he was a very tall man. (I,1) Saul from the Bible is also described as "as a handsome young man" who "stood head and shoulders above the people." (1 Sam 9:2) While both men were accompanied with someone of inferior status, Henchard with his wife and Saul with his servant, they were in search of something, Saul of his asses and Henchard of work, when their lives were altered. Mr. Henchard and Saul both fell asleep in a dining establishment and awoke to find that their lives had changed perpetually. Spouseless and childless Mr. Hencha rd moves and spends the bulk of his life in Casterbridge. It is later revealed in the story that he the mayor of Casterbridge. Saul is also chosen to be a governmental leader of all of Israel as Mr. Henchard of all of Casterbridge. In Casterbridge, Mr. Henchard sought for an assistant, and this is where Donald Farfrae is first introduced. Alike in the Bible King Saul seeks a man to "remain in [his] service" (1 Sam 19:22) for, he also needs a partner to help him in some manner. Both new characters are described as musicians, but Mr. Farfrae is just passing though Casterbridge, and has no intentions of staying. At first, Farfrae declines Henchard's invitation to stay and help him run business of Casterbridge, but later agrees to stay because of Henchard's persistence. Thomos Hardy The Mayor Of Cast :: essays research papers Thomas Harding does an admirable job narrating the, The Life and Death of The Mayor of Casterbridge, Mr. Henchard, as well as the various other characters that influenced the phases of Mr. Henchard's downfall to prosperity and than again to his self-inflicted destruction. As self-inflicted as King Saul's death in Samuel 1 in the Bible. The narrative of King Saul's life follow comparable steps as Mr. Henchard's. In both narratives both men engage in a trusted consanguinity with another man who were existent for the majority of the protagonists' chronicle. In Thomas Hardy's, The Mayor of Caterbridge, the relationships between Mr. Henchard and Donald Farfrae are overwhelmingly alike as distinct as that to King Saul and David. In the beginning of the novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Mr. Michael Henchard is described "of fine figure, swarthy, and stern in aspect" and had a "walk of the skilled countryman" and "showed in profile a facial angle[…]to be almost perpendicular." (I,1). Also stated is that Mr. Henchard's "elbow almost touched (his wife's) shoulder" while walking beside each other, implying that he was a very tall man. (I,1) Saul from the Bible is also described as "as a handsome young man" who "stood head and shoulders above the people." (1 Sam 9:2) While both men were accompanied with someone of inferior status, Henchard with his wife and Saul with his servant, they were in search of something, Saul of his asses and Henchard of work, when their lives were altered. Mr. Henchard and Saul both fell asleep in a dining establishment and awoke to find that their lives had changed perpetually. Spouseless and childless Mr. Hencha rd moves and spends the bulk of his life in Casterbridge. It is later revealed in the story that he the mayor of Casterbridge. Saul is also chosen to be a governmental leader of all of Israel as Mr. Henchard of all of Casterbridge. In Casterbridge, Mr. Henchard sought for an assistant, and this is where Donald Farfrae is first introduced. Alike in the Bible King Saul seeks a man to "remain in [his] service" (1 Sam 19:22) for, he also needs a partner to help him in some manner. Both new characters are described as musicians, but Mr. Farfrae is just passing though Casterbridge, and has no intentions of staying. At first, Farfrae declines Henchard's invitation to stay and help him run business of Casterbridge, but later agrees to stay because of Henchard's persistence.

‘Good Friday’ by Edwin Morgan

‘Good Friday’ by Edwin Morgan In this essay I will show how Edwin Morgan uses different poetic techniques to highlight central themes in the poem. The poem is about a slightly drunk working class man Morgan encounters on a public bus in Glasgow at Easter. One of the main themes with features in this poem is religion, in particular about how society is becoming more secular. The title ‘Good Friday’ immediately refers to the date Jesus was crucified, bringing religion into the poem from the start. Also, ‘3 o’clock’ is the time Jesus is thought to have died, another biblical reference.The fact that the man is going to get ‘Some Easter eggs for the kiddies’, but isn’t really sure at all about the relevance of them to the holiday he is celebrating, shows that they have no real relevance to him even though he is spending money on them, though to Christians, they symbolise the stone covering the tomb where Christ was buried. It shows how religion has faded, and busine sses commercialise these holidays for profit. Another key theme in the poem is social-class; in particular how the fact that this man is working class affects the way he treats the holidays.The man explains ‘I’ve had a wee drink’, but the way he ‘flops’ into the seat suggests differently. He must have seen a difference between himself and Morgan because he feels the need to explain ashamedly, almost, ‘I like to celebrate when I’m no working’, and the way his speech is broken up suggests embarrassment, ‘I don’t say it’s right -I’m no saying it’s right – ye understand – ye understand? ’ The repetition of the question shows he feels pressurized; he doesn’t want to be judged, and it shows an eagerness to be approved.It shows that even by appearances he can see the line between himself and Morgan, and in saying ‘You’re an educatit man,’ he is sort of putt ing himself down, sounding as though he thinks he is below Morgan. He gives off the impression of being slightly angry, and emotional, when he says ‘Its been seen time and time again, the working man has nae education’. He describes himself as ‘bliddy ignorant’. His emotional, chatty persona may partly be because of the ‘wee drink’ he has had, the aftermath has left him feeling slightly depressed.The Scottish dialect that Morgan uses for the drunken man also give the poem a sense of place, the ‘fae’, ‘aye’, and ‘wasny’, all give the impression a Glaswegian man, as well as the poor sentence structure, ‘rose fae the dead like, see what I mean? ’. It further adds to the impression that the working-class man is poorly educated. The verbs that are used ‘lurches’, ‘flops’, ‘lunges’, and ‘swings’ are all quite erratic and violent movements, and the fact that the poem is in the present tense add to that feeling of immediacy and make you feel in the poem.At the end, the structure of the last sentence, ‘On very nearly steady legs’ could be describing the man’s movements as he steps off of the bus, because the words are used as a sort of calligram, the words look like steps. In conclusion, ‘Good Friday’ is a poem in which strong poetic techniques such as speech, verbs, repetition, and symbolism , and they are used to highlight central themes in the poem such as social class issues, and the way society is becoming increasingly secular.

Descartes and Skepticism

Descartes and the problem of skepticism| Question: In Meditation III, Descartes argues that his idea of God could not have come from him, and so God must exist. How does this argument go? | Overview Rene Descartes was a great scientist, mathematician and philosopher. He was known for his extensive work on skepticism, and in particular a piece called â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† (written in 1641) which is still widely used by modern philosophers. In this publication, Descartes’ aim was to demonstrate that a persons’ soul is eternal and that God exists. He explains in Meditation One that it is possible to question the existence of all things; in Meditation two he goes on to give details regarding the existence of the mind and the soul. In the Third Meditation he gives arguments of proof of Gods’ existence; and in Meditation Four he explains the difference between truth and error. In the Fifth Meditation Descartes provides further arguments to prove the existence of God and in the Sixth and final meditation he brings it all together as he demonstrates how knowledge of the mind can be guided by God and therefore validates the knowledge we have of physical world. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). This essay will explain Descartes argument of the existence of God with specific reference to the Third Meditation discussed in the class handout- ‘Descartes and the problem of Skepticism’. Meditation ?- God’s Existence In the Third Meditation, subtitled â€Å"On God’s existence,† Descartes is certain that he is a â€Å"thinking thing† (pg 142) and sets out to prove God’s Existence. There were two major standpoints noted in his argument, though they were found to be closely linked. Firstly, he tackles the idea that his own existence and thoughts must have come from somewhere or something. He goes on to explain that the thought he has of God is one of an â€Å"eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, creator of all things† (pg 143). As a result, Descartes argues that the idea of God must therefore be far more complex than his mind alone can perceive- since his idea of God is that of an infinite, perfect being and Descartes himself is a finite being lacking enough formal reality to create such an idea on his own will. Put simply, Descartes believes that the idea of God could not have been created in his own limited mind; and he establishes that God must be the originator of his thoughts and therefore God exists. Secondly, Descartes battles with the idea that his existence must have a cause. He discusses the various possibilities that might have caused his existence including that he might have created himself; he might have always existed; his parents created him; that he was created by something less benevolent and perfect than God; and lastly, that it was God who created him. Descartes takes on an elimination process to figure out which one of these possibilities are likely true. He discusses that he could not have created himself because as he says â€Å"I would have given myself every perfection† (pg 146). Next he dismisses the idea that he always existed simply because as he describes that he is a dependent being that needs to be continually sustained by another. Descartes establishes that the idea of his parents being his creator only reintroduces the same problem regarding their own existence. He then thought of the possibility of a less than perfect God being his creator- but he argues that the idea of perfection that exists in his mind could not have originated from a non-perfect being. With this established, Descartes concludes that there must be a perfect God who is the cause of his existence and his perfect idea of God. In analysis of Descartes position, the observation is made that the basis of his argument is causal reasoning. This is shown when he suggests that there must be a cause of the idea of a perfect God and that this perfect idea must come from God himself. In my own reflection, I thought that living a predominantly Christian society might be the cause of my own idea of God. I have learnt all that I know about God from my parents and by extension the society. It therefore follows, that my parents' idea of God might have come from their parents also, whose idea somewhere along the line came from the church- which is also made up of men who has parents. Descartes argument supports that at the end of this causal chain, there has to be a first cause, which is God. Since there is no direct of evidence proving or disproving the existence of God, the belief in his existence is widely ccepted today, and the search for such a proof would always be a highly debatable and controversial topic. While there is still disagreement over Descartes argument as to whether or not God exists, it is generally agreed that God's existence cannot be proved through the capacity of the mind and therefore we rely on such concepts as skepticism and reasoning to guid e what we choose to believe of God. References * Smith, K. (2010, September 20). Descartes' life and works. Retrieved October 11, 2011from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works * Class Handout- Descartes and The Problem of Skepticism