Community Relations of MAS holdings

Community Relations of MAS holdings In any company, the greatest challenge is managing the business. To support this end, a companys relationship with the community plays a pivotal role. In terms of corporate social responsibility MAS Holdings has done a considerable amount of work towards uplifting Sri Lankans in a social context. It has also worked to retain customer attraction through achieving their targets and maintaining customer compliance standards by ensuring the employees work in a safe working environment. This report illustrates MAS Holdings relationship with the community and provides recommendations for improving community group relationships for business well-being. Company Background MAS Holdings is a company, which has focused on the apparel manufacturing business for the last 20 years. It has great success to date with a consolidated turnover of approximately more than 400 million USD and has a massive growth in operations. The majority of the success has been achieved within the US market, which accounts for almost 60% of sales. Europe and UK provides the majority of the balance. In terms of customer focus, the company gains 50-55% of turnover from Victoria Secret, 14% from Gap another 10% from Marks Spencer. In terms of global presence, the company is present in more than 5 locations globally, including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico, India, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Maldives and US. The company is made of multiple investments mostly in the form of joint ventures in Intimate Apparel Manufacturing, Elastic Manufacturing, Knit Fabrics, Lace, Bra Accessories and recently Design Development. Key stakeholders and their level of influence and impact on the company 2a). Benefits of stakeholders analysis for MAS Holdings Undertaking a taking stakeholder analysis benefits the company as follows, Opportunity to identify the interest of the all stakeholders on the company Recognizing the groups that affect or affected by the company The power level of each stakeholder and ways to reduce negative impact on the company Identifying the stakeholders who have decrease association with MAS and getting them involved in company events at particular stages Identify potential issues that might disrupt the company It also helps to visualize the risk factors and plan strategic responses 2b). Key community groups and their impact on the company Stakeholder mapping provides insight in to which parties have the most impact on the company (See appendix 2). Described below is the influence and impact of each stakeholder. CEO and The Board of Directors (High Interest + High Power) This includes companys major players and potential stakeholders. In it consists of the chairperson, Mahesh Amalean and the board of directors which includes the other two Amalean brothers and 7 directors. (Refer appendix 2 figure) From the beginning MAS was a benchmark for being a superior employer. All the main key players of the company are responsible for sustainability in community development. By looking at the significant steps that have been taken by them to develop the community and their employees it is clear that they have made a big difference. As per Ajay Amalean it was the right thing to do. We had absolutely no idea that 20 years down the road, the things we were doing would be called CSR. Venture Capital and Customers of (High Interest + High Power) According to the power interest mix (Refer appendix 2 Figure 2) there is a clear indication that this is a category with high interest and power. Without these key individuals or groups, such as joint ventures, with Speedo and strategic partners such as Nike, Makes Spencer, Victorias Secret and Gap MAS Holdings part of the business operations would not have its current success. When MS selected MAS for their green manufacturing plant project (As mentioned in appendix 2 page ii) it demonstrated their recognition as a global customer that MAS is an organization that is conscious of environmental and social sustainability. This recognition will results in better relationship with worlds leading brands that are under pressure to maintain sustainability and it will help to maximize the profit of the company by attracting new customers and through customer retention. Employees (High Interest + Low Power) The higher management at MAS Holdings has set its employee objectives which are called as KPIs (Key performance indicators). However the drivers of these main KPIs are the employees themselves. It is noticeable in the Mendelows matrix (Refer appendix 2 Figure 2) this category holds high interest and low power on decision making. This group includes the executives and the machine operators of the company. In MAS, 92% of the employees are women. Focusing the women in the company MAS has launched an empowering program which is called Women Go Beyond (Refer appendix 2 page v). The men, who are working at MAS, enjoy the same benefits as women. These activities result in company growth through employee attraction and retention. Thus recruiting process is easier and the annual labor turnover is much less. As mentioned in appendix 2 these activities also results in higher productivity of operations, which is a one of the main achievements of a manufacturing plant. Community ( Low Interest + Low Power ) As mentioned in the mendelows matrix this category has a low interest and a power, but the company point of view its important to have a close relationship with the communities MAS operators. Hence they need more man power for their operations and its a great advantage when having a close relationship with the community specially in recruiting people and also in retaining them which will be discussed future in the report. How MAS use relationship marketing and approach the community through its concept 3a). Relationship marketing Relationship marketing refers to all marketing activities directed towards establishing, developing and maintaining successful relational exchanges Morgan hunt 1994 It is important to understand the benefits of maintaining good relationships with the community groups. Not only in FMCG companies but also within business to business companies, manufacturing plants benefit by having close relationships with the community groups that are relevant to them through the practice of sustainability within these communities. Though it doesnt have a direct impact on the company with regards to profits, sustainability, helps to increase the company standards, reputation and profits in a way that is mutually beneficial to the community and the company. By developing such enduring relationships the company can gain trust within the community, build employee commitment and loyalty towards the company. These things give long lasting benefits to the company. MAS Holdings is a company that gets these positive results out of such community relationships. 3b). What MAS Holdings does to attract their community groups and reach their hearts When building a relationship it should be done from a combination of Trust, commitment and cooperation. Trust According to Morgan hunt trust is defined as confidence in an exchange partners reliability and integrity Trust can be seen as a long term investment for the business. It works as glue in building business relationships with all stakeholders. Building trust among the customers and suppliers of will allow the MAS business to gain the upper hand to improve business with the US and European countries. In the same way MAS holdings most important resource is labor. As mentioned before 92% of the employees are women. Sri Lankan women are very particular in selecting the working place. Considering the culture, tradition of Sri Lanka, its important for women to have a safe working environment in manufacturing plants which will enhance their trust and the trust of the community. For an instance when started first EPZ in Katunayake and the country is declared as a free trade area most of investors started garment factories in those areas. 90% of the works become women, most or 18 25 of age and they came from rural area of the country, lived in boarding houses near the factory. In this period most of the employees suffered from sexual harassment and assault. They also had long working hours even without prior notice. Breaking through these grey clouds MAS become one of the best employers in Sri Lanka by creating a safe working environment. In addition the Amalean brothers made sure that their work force worked in an air conditioned environment, had free meals, and were given transportation to and from the factory. Commitment This is one the most important element which strengthens relationship marketing. As per Morgan and hunt, commitment is an enduring desire to maintain a valued relationship (Morgan and Hunt 1994, 23) Commitment could be considered in different ways, 1.Commitment towards the organization by the employees, commitment towards the brand or the product also the commitment towards the community etc. In order to foster this commitment MAS Holdings, created incentives based on service period giving gold coins to employees that had completed 5 years of service, providing increments each year so that an employee knew that if they stayed one more year their salary would increase and giving bonuses based on performance which encouraged the employees to be committed to continuous improvement. Co-operation with community groups In order for a business to operate in a geographic location it is important that the people living there are ready to accept the presence of this business. As MAS Holdings has many plants in many locations it has found it useful to co-operate with various community groups in order to establish their presence. For example through the Shadeline factory in the remote area of Mahiyanganaya, various projects were undertaken. These included assistance in building houses funding for primary education and assistance in social welfare. Some of the community assistance was provided through the Buddhist temple in the area which provided access to large portions of the community. Further to that association with the local police and welfare societies provided inroads to the lives of the people. The Level of influence and impact applied by pressure groups on MAS Holdings 4a. Pressure groups Pressure groups are organizations that seek to influence government the public and private business or advance a cause. Often they advance a political or ideological goal. These groups can be placed in to two main categories. Sectional Pressure groups Causal Pressure groups 4b. Sectional Pressure groups Sectional pressure groups represent a section of society. The pressure cause by these groups is often directly beneficial to the members. Religious groups (High impact) -Often in the rural areas of Sri Lanka where several of the MAS Factories are situated the Buddhist temple in that area is the central meeting place and many decisions are made there. MAS as an organization is encouraged to follow the local customs and cultural habits. The Employers Federation (High impact) -is a legal organization that MAS is part of. Adhering to the guidelines set by this organization is beneficial for MAS Holdings goal of ethical hiring and employment 4c. Causal Pressure groups Causal Pressure groups are associated with a set of ideas rather than people. The agendas they pursue may not be directly beneficial to their members. As a member of certain key groups MAS must adhere to standards they set. Some of these are listed below: The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) (Low impact) is the leading umbrella organization concerning the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Making Sri Lanka the number one ethical destination for garment manufacturing (the Garments without Guilt initiative) is one of its chief objectives. MAS Holdings is a special invitee to this Forum and is expected to conform to the directives set by this forum. Several sub organizations are part of the JAAF. FAAMA Fabric Apparel Accessory Manufacturers Association FTZMA Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association NAEA Apparel Exporters Association SLAEA Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association SLCGE Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters SLGBOA Sri Lanka Garment Buying Offices Association Various SBUs of MAS Holdings are involved in many of these sub organizations as well. Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) (High impact) -MAS Holdings is a member of and must adhere to their standards as well. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (Low impact) As a member MAS must adhere to certain standards. While these organizations are quite influential in Sri Lanka, MAS has lead the way in Ethical and Responsible employment therefore it is MAS that often sets the standards for these organizations. New communities that MAS can expand their services fro the betterment of the society In the tradition of MAS to lead in the area of CSR in Sri Lanka and sometimes the world, this could be taken for further by analyzing new community groups will always give the opportunity to connect to the community. Its proven that MAS is one of the fast growing companies in the world. Its very important to have a good relationship with the local government, society that they operators since it need more man power and carry out their operations in the respective communities. MAS has been doing all community projects targeting the employees and society such as women go beyond and other CSR activities (Refer appendix 2, page v vi). It needs to look in to future prospect in terms of building a close relationship and the target audiences of the new community groups are, Skilled future generation for Srilanka Target Group -School leavers of MAS employees Providing educational opportunities to the community in areas of English language education and IT Lets learn the importance of environmental sustainability Target Group -Schools (Students) Achieving sustainability Practicing and teaching Environmental sustainability 4 a) Why MAS should choose these two community groups Since MAS is targeting on the community itself it gives greater results to the company and the country when considering future leaders, minds in the country. By providing education which is required in the current business world it helps the young generation to foundation their career paths. By creating a strong and stable generation, it will eventually strengthen the communities of Srilanka, starting from the area that, MAS manufacturing plants operators. This will also benefit the country. When looking company point of view this program will not directly impact, but this will increase imagine and the good will of MAS among the communities which will help the company in recruitments and also in retaining employees. As per the 2nd community group, by helping the schools and spreading the massage about the importance of environmental sustainability by teaching them from their small ages it will give a give impact in their personal lifes as well as the country, environment. Also as mentioned before by establishing the name of MAS in their hearts by doing a worthwhile project to their lifes and the community MAS always be company that is socially responsible. Hence most of the MAS customers are particular on the CRS projects that MAS does, these kinds of projects gives positive marks and will strength the relationship with the customers as one of the responsible suppliers in the world which will attract more customers around the world. 4b Skilled Future generation for Srilanka Providing educational opportunities to the community in areas of English language education and IT MAS competes in the global market and deals mainly with the US and Europe. In order to communicate with its customers the most relevant language is English. No business that is global can survive without information. MAS recognized this need early in the game and is dependent on Information Technology for all information needs both internal and external. While there have been government initiatives to foster the teaching of English and IT these have often failed due to a lack of funding or will power. Having a community that is fluent in English and adept in IT provides MAS with a greater pool of individuals to select from for employment. Before looking at the all the school leavers MAS could target on the family members of employees at MAS. The selection criteria of this could a relative of a employee at MAS, who is 18 -27 age and has completed G.C.E advance level 2 passes and unemployed. While providing primary education to these communities can be carried out by supporting the government initiatives, family members of employees can be chosen out of the community to provide scholarships for further education. In this way MAS can give back to those who support the business while building trust, commitment and sustainability in the community. 4c Lets learn the importance of Environmental sustainability Achieving sustainability Practicing and teaching Environmental sustainability MAS was the first company to recognize the need for Environmental sustainability as a key global concept and put this knowledge into action by creating the first green plant in Sri Lanka. In order to take this message to the community in general MAS will have to create awareness and provide education. Currently there is no provision in the Sri Lankan school curriculum to teach environmental sustainability. Target group could be taken as 15-18 year old students hence it is the best age group that can be thought the importance of environmental sustainability and make it their way of life. To communicate this massage to the selected audience would be schools which are located in the areas that MAS manufacturing plants. As this area of education is most relevant to the future generation it is important that this area of study be included in the Schools curriculum. It is possible that MAS can team up with experts in the field from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to get government approval and support to introduce this vital area of education. By conducting this program in schools, MAS is creating educated youth to the community and also who will be a example to the society and a person who carries a massage on how important sustainable development. These will also benefits MAS indirectly by establish a reputation among the community which the plant operates. Coordinated Communications mix for new community groups projects In order to have success in these two ventures it will be necessary to have a coordinated communication plan. The communications mix must target all the relevant stakeholders. As these are non-profit initiatives the communications mix must be adapted to suit the situation Internal stakeholders Management, Employees External stakeholders- Community, Government, Partners, Customers 5a. Internal stakeholders Management In order for both these initiatives to be successful the management must be aware of them and back them. As most of the decisions for funding will come from this group of individuals it is recommended that direct contact is made (personal selling) and the use of presentations would be advisable. An e-newsletter sent directly to their e-mail account and linked to a website with Links on Facebook and Twitter will provide them with any additional information they need and provide regular updates on the status of these projects. Management can also form a committee or working group to oversee and monitor the process of teaching and the progress of these initiatives. This group will report back to the management. Employees The employees too can receive the same newsletter and management can communicate the needs and progress to the employees at meetings. Making it possible for the employees to get involved in the teaching programs and funding is also recommended so that there is a greater employee ownership for these initiatives. 5b. External stakeholders Community By far the most effort and resources must go to making the community aware of these initiatives and the benefit thereof. While the employees in the community will take part of the message by word of mouth assuring that the correct communication is conveyed will require further effort on the part of MAS Holdings. At the inception of these initiatives the best option would be to start with a public relations campaign which includes press conferences, announcements at town meetings and branding. Having a Brand ambassador (such as one of the members of the Sri Lankan cricket team that work for MAS and are highly regarded by both urban and rural communities)would give a face to these initiatives. The most important part of these communities are the individuals that will receive the benefits of these programs. The teachers and students will receive their curriculum via an approved government syllabus. But programs and workshops can be organized (personal selling) to assure that quality information is available to theses two groups. Having exams to measure English and IT competency and contests to select the best idea for environmental friendliness with prizes awarded t best student or best idea will assure the students interest in these subjects (promotions). Government The shareholders of MAS have demonstrated their goodwill and capability they will not find it difficult to obtain government approval for these initiatives. Recently the government too took the stand that the way forward is through English education and IT. Furthermore if it is demonstrated to them that environmental sustainability is the way forward they too will join the process of becoming green direct selling is the most efficient method of communication here. Partners A great strength of MAS in carrying out a project is working together with partners who have the expertise. Involving The British Council for English education, Microsofts teaching services for fundamental IT education would provide a first step in these areas. For environmental sustainability United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Consumer Citizenship Networks (CCN) and the Looking for Likely Alternatives (LOLA) toolkit provide information and know-how. Having joint ventures with the above organizations would be beneficial to MAS and will lean credibility to the efforts. Customers Many customers are interested in the CSR projects undertaken by MAS. In MAS communiquà ©s it is possible to include the websites and social networking sites so that the customers can access more information about these projects. Allowing the customers to get involved through sponsorship will afford them an opportunity to pass on to their customers or the end customer the knowledge that they are not only receiving guilt free environmentally friendly products but also [part of the purchase is going towards community building and the education of the less fortunate. The garments could carry labels such as produced in eco-friendly factories, or your purchase provides for the education of a child in Sri Lanka. Measuring the success of the communications mix for both new community relationships In order to measure the success of the communications mix the standard evaluation criteria must be adapted to reflect the non-profit nature of this venture. Quantitative Measures Managements and employees contribution both financially and through time allocation can be easily quantified. That can then be used as an indicator of the success of the marketing communications. In the long run the number of individuals that are retained by MAS that have attended these programs can be counted and both the success of the internal communication strategy and the success of the programs can be evaluated. Community awareness can be measured by the number of individuals attending the programs. Also the exams that are held for the individuals and the response to the contests will give an indication of the success of the community communication strategy. Using benchmarking tools that the partners have developed over the years it may be possible to measure the success of the communications that have been carried out. For Government, Partners and Customers the main indication of the success of the communication strategy will be their financial participation. Targets must be set for the anticipated contribution and measuring the success of achieving these targets will give a clear indication of the said success. Hits on the website can also be used to quantify interest and communication success. Qualitative Measures Feedback can be obtained from Management and Employees as to their perception of the programs through an e-mail survey. Feedback can also be obtained from the students to ascertain their perceptions and attitudes towards the program. Furthermore community inquiries regarding the program can be accumulated and categorized to measure and determine the success of the communications mix. Conversations with the partners and customers can indicate their observations and thoughts on the endeavor. All this information can be used to measure the success of the marketing mix. Recommendation Continue doing community projects more which will support to sustain the relationship with the community and will also visualize the organization as a good responsible citizen Internally set key performance indicators to measure the amount of CSR projects completed and the quality of the program and the no.of impacts in order to understand value of the programs and can forecast the type programs should given to the community Conduct programs for male members in the company while carrying out women go beyond for the female team members to all employees motivated Manage communication campaigns to the new community groups in a strategic way to attract them to the projects conducted and built trustworthiness among the company Prepare booklets, including CSR projects that has made a difference in the community and also use modern technology to spread the good will of MAS holdings and attract customers Always keep the employees informed on the CRS projects that are done by the company and make feel them that they work for a socially responsible organization Implement a system to collect feedback from all the participants of the CSR projects. Also for new ideas for new projects from employees as well as external groups Conclusion Its very important to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship all the stakeholders since each of them are directly or indirectly involve with the company. MAS has become one of the best multinational companies in terms of business also in community relationships they have maintained. By establishing a good reputation among the communities they operators, local government, customers also the pressure groups it has been easy to execute their business activities anywhere in the country and the world. References Appendix 1 Company Background It was in 1987 when the three brothers, Mahesh, Sherad and Ajay Amaleans took their first step to begin as a small entrepreneurial and to make it one of the largest south Asian intimate apparel manufacture and a competitive sportswear provider in the region. Now a company, with an annual turnover of USD 700 million. MAS Holdings which operates globally includes design studios, and 28 world class manufacturing plants. Thus giving career opportunities for over 45000 people to, excel through their talents and capabilities. MAS Holdings consists of four main divisions namely Intimates, Active, Fabrics, and Investment which are overseen by Corporate Solutions which centralizes the operation in all four strategic business units. Furthermore MAS Holdings has taken a step forward by launching its own lingerie brand Amante in fall 2007 and have made it their strategy to be the premium lingerie brand in Asian region. Vision and the Mission of Vision No.1 preferred partner of the world is leading brands of Intimates Sportswear with a turnover of USD 1Bn by 2010 Mission We provide the worlds leading brands of Intimates Sportswear with reliable innovative design to deliver solutions. Strategic partners and customer portfolio MAS has become one of the strategic vendor for some of the best brands in the world such as Victorias Secret, Nike and Marks Spencer also it services other global brands as Adidas, Reebok, Columbia, Lulu lemon, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Soma Intimates, GAP and Speedo and much more. Victorias Secret Stores and Nike selected MAS as Vendor Partner of the Year 2006. One of the key factors of MAS success is the ability to forge partnerships with the leaders if the industry such as The Limited Inc,  Triumph International, Speedo International, Stretchline UK, Noyon Dentelles, Prym Intimates Group, Dogi International, Textprint SA and Brandot International. Product range portfolio MAS products can be categorized as below. Competitors of and the market position As a large manufacturing company MAS has international and local competitors. Internationally competitors would be Ace which is a large intimate manufactures in Hong Kong, Clover, Luen Thai which operates in several countries and Tefrone the main competitor in the seamless market and Brandix apparel which is the local rival. Victoria secret positions MAS as their main preferred vendor and the company is regarded as one of the the top 10 intimate manufactures in the world. Analyzing all the information motioned above its clear that MAS holding is a successfully driven family owned company. The brothers decided to stick to their joint venture criteria of choosing partners who brought in technology expertise, marketing knowledge or access to certain markets. Background for Best Ethical practices MAS holdings as a history of ethical business practices that predate the concept of CSR. In addition, it ensures a healthy and safe work place, which regarded as a good business practice. However, the ethical approach to manufacturing is setting the organization apart from the competitive apparel sector. To support the vision of itself developed their own CSR strategy called MAS Go beyond, this program empower the organizations 92% of the female workforce also develop a sustainability-mined n youth, future employees and leaders of the organization. Source Company website, Researches on the web, Company Magazines

Biomes of the earth Essay

A Biome is all of the life zones, all plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as the physical environment in a particular area. A biome is characterized by its plant life, which is determined by its location. For example, northern coniferous forests exist in sub-arctic portions of North America and Asia, but further north, the conditions are simply too harsh and the season too brief for trees to grow. Instead of trees, the short vegetation of the tundra thrives in these areas. The same occurs with altitude, as trees give way to short alpine vegetation in high mountainous regions. A biome is composed of many ecosystems, which are smaller communities of plants and animals and their habitats, the physical parts of their environment that affect them. Whereas, the boundaries of a biome are determined by climate, the boundaries of ecosystems are physical features, such as ridges or riverbanks, which separate one community from another. Any given place may have several different ecosystems that vary in size and complexity. A tropical island, for example, may have a rain forest ecosystem that covers hundreds of square miles, a mangrove swamp ecosystem along the coast, and an underwater coral reef ecosystem. No matter how the size or complexity of an ecosystem is characterized, all ecosystems exhibit a constant exchange of matter and energy between the biotic and abiotic community. The ecosystems of a particular biome tend to have plants with similar growth forms and animals with similar feeding habits. Major biomes include tropical rain forest, northern coniferous forest, tundra, desert, grassland, savanna, and chaparral. The tropical rain forest is the most complex biome in the world. This biome is found at low elevations in the tropics where it is always warm and wet. Rain forests are characterized by a dense tree canopy tree top branches and leaves that overlap with each other, creating a shaded forest interior. These canopies may reach up to 160 feet high. The thick canopy allows little sunlight to penetrate, so rain forest floors have little ground cover. The soil lacks nutrients, and most plants are able to store what few nutrients  they can absorb. There are more species of plants in rain forests than in any other ecosystem in the world. Deep within the clutter of dense foliage, individual species boast unique characteristics suited to their highly specialized existence. Middle-story plants, for example, often have large leaves to capture what little light filters through the canopy, while epiphytes have overlapping leaves that trap and store water. The northern coniferous forest, also known as the taiga in Russia, is found in a broad subarctic band across Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, and China, where the winters are long and cold. Conifers, such as spruce, larch, and fir, are the dominant plants, but lichens and mosses are abundant too. These forests usually occupy formerly glaciated regions and occur in association with lakes, bogs, and rivers. The tundra is the treeless plain that lies north of the northern coniferous forests and on the Antarctic Peninsula in the southern hemisphere. Trees cannot survive in this biome because of the cold temperatures, high winds, and heavy snowfall, as well as the permafrost, a layer of permanently frozen subsoil. Plant life tends to grow low to the ground. In the summer, large numbers of birds migrate to the tundra to feed on insects. Other animals found in this area include reindeer, wolves, fox, voles, and lemmings. A similar biome, called the alpine biome, is found in high mountain areas around the world. Similar harsh conditions cause vegetation to grow low to the ground in alpine meadows. Desert biomes are characterized by less than 10 inches of annual precipitation and high temperatures. To combat this lack of moisture, desert plants have developed water-conserving features, such as leaves that are light-colored, small, thick, or waxy. Animals that live in the desert are often light-colored, blend in well with their surroundings, and are usually more active at night to avoid the blazing heat during the day. Grassland biomes are found on every continent except Antarctica, accounting for about one quarter of the Earth’s land surface. Typically found on flat or rolling terrain, grasslands tend to occur in the interior of continents  where precipitation is lower. Periodic droughts occur in most grasslands, accompanied by searing heat that scorches most vegetation in the area. Grasslands are covered with grasses, sedges, and other low-growing, perennial plants. Drought, fire, and grazing by herbivores, such as bison and deer, restrict tree growth. Most grasslands have been extensively cultivated and are now regions where major crops of wheat, corn, and other grains are grown. Temperate natural grasslands develop in regions characterized by an annual rainfall between 10 and 30 inches. Tropical savannas are expansive grasslands dotted with trees. The world’s largest and best-known savanna is the African savanna, which covers much of the continent south of the Sahara desert. In the African savanna, herds of animals graze on the tall grass, and giraffes browse on the trees. Other tropical savannas are found in South America, India, and Australia. The chaparral biome is dominated by dense thickets of mostly small-leafed evergreen shrubs. It is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This biome can be found in the foothills of California and Mediterranean climate regions. Chaparral plants have adapted to the frequent fires that result from lightning and dry conditions. The chaparral shrublands of California, with mixed communities of low-growing evergreen or deciduous shrubs, represent a distinct habitat in large parts of western North America. Some of the most well-developed chaparral shrubland is found in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range mountains of California and in mountainous areas of Arizona and Utah. All of these biomes contain different animal species. However, all of these biomes have the same purpose in the world. That purpose is to support and sustain life on our planet.

Rationalism vs Empiricism Using Descartes 2nd Meditation & Hume Essay

Q3:What are the main differences between rationalism and empiricism as approaches to knowledge? Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each, using Descartes (Second Meditation) as the example of a rationalist, and Hume or Locke as the example of an empiricist. In your view which approach better explains the common-sense knowledge of the world that we take for granted? Common-sense knowledge is information we know and understand unproblematically. It could be that a spider has six legs, your two times tables or that in answering a multiple choice test, it is a good idea to bring a rubber and fill in your answers in pencil. It is information gained from ordinary life. Epistemology is a philosophical term in reference to the nature and limitations of knowledge. It addresses firstly what is knowledge, secondly how is knowledge acquired and thirdly the limitations of knowledge. Rationalism and empiricism are two approaches which seek to provide answers to these questions (Cottingham, 1988). Empiricism perceives that the development of concepts and ideas are dependent on the senses (Markie, 2008). Alternatively rationalism ascertains that reasoning, intuition and deduction are the ultimate vehicles to acquiring knowledge, not sensory experience. These theories do not necessarily exist in opposition of each other, but can co-exist to describe how one views the acquisition of knowledge in different fields (Markie, 2008). Throughout this essay, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each view using Descartes’ ‘Second Meditation’ in contrast to Hume’s ‘Enquiry Concerning the Human Understanding’. I will then elaborate how the Empiricist perspective provides a better explanation to common sense knowledge of the world we live in. Rationalism Rationalism is a method in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive. The rationalistic perspective survives on the assumption that firstly, there is a rational structure to the world and secondly, that people have the capacity to comprehend it. It utilises the deductive methods of logic to provide a model for all human knowledge and relies on intuition (Markie, 2008). This is not always the case, so this philosophy cannot be relied in all circumstances. Rationalism is founded on the thesis of Intuition/Deduction, thesis of Innate Knowledge or Innate Concept thesis separately or in some combination (Markie, 2008). The Intuition/Deduction thesis proposes that in a particular subject area, some information is known by intuition alone or that knowledge is gained by deduction from intuited propositions. Experiences are incapable of developing one’s knowledge but can catalyse thinking causing knowledge to progress from unconsciousness to consciousness (Cottingham, 1988). The Innate Knowledge thesis asserts that some knowledge is inherent within humanity like DNA, as part of our rational nature. The Innate Concept theory is based on the assertion that some of our concepts are not gained from experience (Markie, 2008). The rational nature organically possesses an individual’s concepts. Sense experiences might catalyse a process by which concepts are better understood but experience does not provide the concepts or determine the information they contain, rationality does (Markie, 2008). Other minor theories which are used less significantly to endorse Rationalism are the Indispensability of Reason Thesis and the Superiority of Reason Thesis. The Indispensability of Reason theorem states that we gain knowledge in a certain area when we utilise deduction and employ intuition. The Innate concepts and instances could not have been gained through the sense experience. The second strain stems that knowledge gained â€Å"a priori† through reasoning is superior to that gained through experience (Markie, 2008). In reference to Descartes’ Second Meditation, he explains how rationality can be used to pick up information that is not completely provided by the senses through the example of the hats and coats (Descartes, 1984). Rationalism can provide knowledge which is otherwise unattainable â€Å"Something which I thought was seeing with my eyes is in fact solely grasped by the faculty of judgement which is my mind. † Empiricism Empiricism is the other branch of epistemology, where knowledge is discovered through experience and observation, modelled on natural sciences. Knowledge is â€Å"a posteriori† catalysed by a sensory experience (Markie, 2008). Empiricism is not based on a definitive complete rational system of knowledge but does provide verifiable understandings and information, useful for everyday life (Hume, 1975). In David Hume’s piece â€Å"An enquiry concerning the human understanding and concerning the principals of morals†, Hume purports that the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦most lively thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation. † Hume interjects that thoughts and ideas are less lively perceptions in contrast to impressions where we are encouraged to feel, experience and will (Hume, 1975). He labours his point through the example of the man in a fit of rage, as opposed to someone thinking of espousing those feelings. Rationalism only recalls the information or experience. It is incomparable to the intensity from the original experience provided by empiricism. It might appear that thoughts are without the same restrictions the body possess (Hume, 1975). In reality they have ‘narrowly confined limits with no more creative power than compounding, transposing, augmenting or diminishing the materials provided by the senses’. If a person is without the capacity of one of the senses, they are devoid of the information provided by that sense and are incapable of understanding information attached to that sensation (Hume, 1975). Restoring that sense enables them to receive sensory input, enabling them to conceive the attached ideas. This proves the importance of the sensory experience and that without it understanding is impossible. Comparison In my opinion, Empiricism better explains the common-sense view of the world. This is because knowledge gained through rational thought however much you can understand it, is not engrained or integrated into your core beliefs to the same degree as that gained through tangible experience. Knowledge gained through experience is more strongly felt and can be considered to be superior to knowledge gained by reflection (Hume, 1975). Without an experience of the subject in focus, the information is detached and reflection cannot proceed to occur. Intuition and deduction, however relevant, are open to deception and can lead to inaccurate assumptions. People previously believed the earth was flat and the earth was the centre of the universe, as this â€Å"information† fit their current schemas. It made sense but lead to wrong conclusions as it lacked testing. It is through empirical observation that accurate insight was reached. Their rational thinking followed logical deduction and was believed to be correct due to their intuition, but even rational thinking can be fallible leading to wrong assumptions (Descartes, 1984). It is proven that when people possess strongly held beliefs, they perceive information in such a way to support their current understanding and deny opposing views, filtering out information that does not fit their current schemas like putting blinkers on a horse. Although they believe their thoughts to be rational, their powers of deduction are compromised and can be rationally wrong. This significantly limits their ability to gain knowledge (Descartes, 1984). Conclusion Rationalism and Empiricism are two distinctly different views relating to epistemology and the degree of input that the senses provide in the formation of knowledge. Rationalism through intuition, deduction and rational logic ascertains certain knowledge which perhaps cannot be scientifically proven through observation (Markie, 2008). On the other hand, Empiricism understands the role of sensory experience and observation in order to develop one’s knowledge. In reality, both are useful and even essential to the formation of any knowledge. References Cottingham, P (1988) The Rationalists, Oxford University Press. Oxford; New York Descartes, R. (1984) Meditations. Second Meditation, ‘The nature of the human mind, & how it is better known than the body’, translated by Cottingham, J. in The Philosophical Writings of Descartes, vol II (Cambridge U. P. , 1984) pp 16-23 Hume, D. (1975) An enquiry Concerning Human Understanding [Section 2, ‘Of the Origin of Ideas’ (P. H. Nidditch, ed. , Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975), pp17-22. Markie, P (2008), â€Å"Rationalism vs. Empiricism†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, viewed 2nd October 2011, http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/.

The Completion Of My Degree Program At Northeastern State...

At the completion of my degree program at Northeastern State University, commencement exercises were rapidly approaching. As most of my classmates and friends were filled with excitement, I was experiencing mixed emotions, most of all fear of the unknown as to where I would end up. To be completely honest, I was fearful of leaving Tahlequah and Northeastern State simply due to so many unknown variables as to what steps I would take next in my life. I dreaded the fact that I was leaving Tahlequah, as it was a place that helped me to grown intellectually, emotionally, and physically. The influence of Dr. Kent Lashley had motivated me to become more scholarly and instilled a desire of life-long learning. Emotionally, I was forced to grow, mature, and problem solve without having my parents there to coach me, and as a result of that, I gained confidence and independence in my ability to make it as a young adult. 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