Friday, September 6, 2019
The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Example for Free
The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Dorian Gray is a wealthy and incredibly handsome young Englishman. He meets Basil Hallward, a great, well-known artist during his time at a social gathering. After their meeting, Dorian decides to have his portrait painted by Basil. Basil is greatly taken by the magnificence of Dorian’s physical appearance. As an artist, Basil becomes inspired, to great extent, by Dorian’s seemingly exceptional exquisiteness. Dorian becomes Basil’s â€Å"muse†. This results in Dorian sitting for quite a few portraits by Basil. A friendship also ensues because of their frequent encounters. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Through his portrait sitting sessions with Basil, Dorian Gray meets Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Wotton is a very close friend of Basil’s. He is a nobleman and is quite the intellectual. A very articulate, witty and interesting conversationalist, Dorian Gray is instantly taken by Lord Wotton’s charm. Lord Wotton’s ideas are radical and endeavor to challenge the widely-accepted conservative concepts of truth. Lord Henry Wotton’s thoughts and theories reveal that he is a staunch believer of self indulgence. He is an exponent of the quest for both proper and immoral life experiences. However, his lifestyle reveals the opposite. He takes part in the social activities of London high society but he is careful enough to not involve himself in distasteful conduct. He is eager to take Dorian under his wing and teach him the principles of â€Å"new hedonism†. Basil confides in Lord Wotton that he finds Dorian’s Gray’s physical attributes enchanting and overpowering. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Upon hearing Basil’s confession, Lord Wotton sought to influence Dorian by his ideals. In one of their encounters, Lord Wotton seeing Dorian’s portrait by Basil leaves a distressing message to Dorian that youth and beauty are fleeting. Dorian, the vain person that he is, is greatly trouble by this statement. He agonizes over the preordained fact that his handsomeness, which he considers his best trait is vanishing as each day goes by. Dorian unknowingly puts a curse on his portrait, wishing that he could change places with image in the painting. He hoped that the painting would grow old and he would stay the same, vibrant and youthful. Basil gives Dorian the portrait to calm him down. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Dorian falls in love with Sibyl Vane, a young, poor actress. In spite of her brother, James’ warnings that a relationship with Dorian will not do her any good, she still persisted. She gets engaged with Dorian. One night, the raving Dorian proudly brings Lord Wotton and Basil to the theater to watch Sibyl. As the play unfolded, the two guests openly disapprove of Sibyl’s acting prowess. It is Dorian’s nature to be overly concerned of other peoples’ thoughts about him and his choices that he takes the criticism to heart. His guests try to console him that it does not matter if Sibyl is a good actress or not as long as they love each other but instead of calming down, he asks them to leave. Dorian tells Sibyl about this and the young and promising Sibyl who is swept away by her feelings for Dorian decides to abandon her love for acting for Dorian. In return, Dorian ruthlessly breaks off their relationship. This leaves Sibyl heartbroken and greatly distressed. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Upon returning home, Dorian gazes at his portrait and he observes that the expression on the portrait’s face had changed from a calm expression to a scornful look. Seeing this, he feared that his wish to change places with the image on the portrait had come true and that his transgressions will be documented on the canvas. He decides to reconcile with Sibyl the next day. Unknown to him, Sibyl had taken her own life. The next day, Lord Wotton tells Dorian the news of Sibyl’s suicide. When he first heard of the terrible news, Dorian was distraught. To console Dorian, Lord Wotton advises Dorian to see Sibyl’s death in a different light. Lord Wotton counseled Dorian to treat Sibyl’s death as rather, a creative feat by being the epitome of tragedy and put this misfortune behind him. Simply put, Lord Wotton advised Dorian to consider Sibyl’s death as just another case of life imitating art. Dorian hides his portrait for fear that someone else would see the changes in the portrait. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Given the conduciveness of the situation, Lord Wotton decides to take his â€Å"mentorship†with Dorian further by giving Dorian the ‘yellow book’ containing the exploits of the book’s hedonistic lead character. The book becomes Dorian’s ‘bible’. Dorian’s obsession with the book and hedonism signals the start of his corruption. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) After many years, Dorian’s appearance remains the same but his corrupt reputation precedes him by stories of his scandalous deeds and immoral exploits that hound his persona in London’s high society. A direct opposite of his physical appearance, his portrait by Basil had change considerably. The person in the portrait now looks repulsive, unbeknownst to many. When news of Dorian’s reputation reaches Basil, he decides to confront Dorian about his behavior. During the confrontation, Dorian shows the now hideous painting and the terrified Basil entreats Dorian to repent. In a fit of rage, Dorian kills Basil. This is followed by other atrocious deeds until one night, Dorian, overcome by fear and guilt tries to destroy his portrait. In his struggle to do so, he collapses on the floor and his servants are baffled to see the dead body of a disfigured, old man, a knife in his heart, in the place of their master. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Homoerotic love This novel is replete with instances that show homoerotic love. Both Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton are vying for Dorian Gray’s attention. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Basil is instantly won over by Dorian’s physical attributes during their first meeting. He becomes so obsessed over his physical attraction to Dorian that it is expressed in his portraits. Basil was so drawn to Dorian to the point where he said â€Å"as long as I live, the personality of Dorian Gray will dominate me†. Basil is very much concerned over Dorian’s behavior and his reputation. This is very evident in the scene where he confronts Dorian in hopes to get him to repent from his wrongdoings. In the novel, Dorian does not reciprocate Basil’s feelings. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Lord Henry Wotton senses Dorian Gray’s adoration of his sophistication and radical ideals starting from their first meeting. This sparks an attraction where Lord Wotton coached Dorian in the ways of hedonism. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Dorian Gray’s fascination towards the hedonistic ideals of Lord Henry Wotton overshadows his other relationships. His obsession reaches to the point that he is easily influenced by the mere words that Lord Henry Wotton speaks. He is greatly affected when Lord Wotton expresses disapproval in any aspect of his life. One particular case in point is his reaction when Lord Wotton and Basil Hallward openly criticized the acting skill of Sibyl, the woman with whom he was once engaged. Lord Wotton’s twisted stamp of approval became Dorian’s measure of success. Dorian’s idolization of Lord Henry Wotton and the principles of hedonism eventually led to his downfall. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2007) Works Cited Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (2007, November 6). The Picture of Dorian Gray. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray#Homoeroticism
Thursday, September 5, 2019
The Making of Fermented Beverages
The Making of Fermented Beverages The making of fermented beverages was discovered many thousands of years ago by primitive humans. This process of making fermented beverages has been practiced as an art over the years. However, within the past century, this art has evolved into a highly developed science. The beverage industry has a lot in common with other food industries. These common factors include taste, odour, colour individual preference. These factors force the manufacturer or brewer as he would be called to exert his greatest skill and experience in producing palatable beverages of great variety. The main criteria for quality even with all the refinements of modern science, still lie with the human sensory organs of smell, taste and sight. Hence, a good brewer would have to be a great engineer, a good chemist a good bacteriologist. Alcoholic beverages can be classified as: Distilled Liquors. Fermented Wines. Malt Liquors. Beer and ale require malted or germinated grain to make the carbohydrates present in them fermentable. Wines are generally produced by the action of yeast on the sugar of fruit. Distilled liquors are fermented liquors which are further distilled to increase their alcoholic content. In India, today when one thinks of alcoholic beverages the first thing that comes to mind is the variants like Beer, Wine, Whisky, Brandy, Scotch, Rum, Vodka, Gin, etc. One would also think of the local alcoholic beverages called Desi or Country Liquor. However, the concept of non conventional wine or beer is completely new to the country. Non Conventional Wines: When it comes to wine what comes to mind is grape wine (wine made from grapes) and for several thousands of years wine has been traditionally made by the fermentation of the juice of the grape. Wine is believed to be the most popular beverages associated with happiness, festivities and celebrations all over the globe. The global market for wine is estimated at around 25 billion liters. Many varieties of wine are made throughout the world and the French wines are considered to be the most popular all over the globe. In general wines would be classified as: Red Wines these are made from grapes without removing the skins. White Wines these are made from grape juice. Sparkling Wines these are considered to be carbonated white wines. Wine like other beverages can also be easily made from other fruits, roots grains. These beverages are also referred to as wines. However these wines would have a prefix or suffix of the raw material fruit, root or grain. The concept of wine made from fruits, other than that of grapes is widely accepted all around the world but is still slightly new in India. Although there are some manufacturers that also make Apple Cider (wine made from apples) Orange wine (wine made from oranges), this hasnt really taken off in the country. Wines made from certain roots herbs are believed to be very healthy in nature. Although alcoholic in nature, it is a proven fact that these other variants of wine are god for health. These healthier wine variants were considered as traditional remedies. We had wine made from Ginger that would be used to treat a common cold or wine made from Beetroot that could be used to control ones blood pressure. Compared to other nations, wines manufacture i.e. production or consumption in India is relatively insignificant. This could probably be attributed to the earlier period of prohibition within the country. Another factor, with which wines poor consumption in India can be attributed to, is the higher prices of wine in comparison to spirits like brandy and whisky making it less attractive. These spirits are manufactured within the country and are referred to as Indian made liquors. In India, wine was made mainly on a small scale and generally made domestically. Wine manufacture on an organized scale first commenced in the country with the setting up of the Champagne Indage Ltd. (Chateau Indage) plant in the state of Maharashtra in 1984. A few more units have set up after that within the country. These units are mostly located in the Nasik district of the state of Maharashtra as the climate is found to be more suitable and favorable for grapes used in wine making. In todays world since people are becoming more health conscious, catering to this class of people will definitely be beneficial. It is believed that many positive aspects can be attributed to wine and its consumption both socially health wise. Wine Market in India: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Indian wine industry has been steadily growing over the last decade. Wine is now slowly becoming an integrated part of the urban Indian lifestyle. Rising incomes of the Indian population, changing demographics and an exposure to foreign cultures is adding to the higher consumption of wine. The Indian wine industry is growing at 25% 30% per annum and for the year 2008; it was estimated at 1.1 million per 9 liter cases and valued at Rs.2400 crores. The wine market is expected to grow to 4 million cases by 2015. The market for wine in India is expected to grow at around 20 % per annum. The per capita consumption of wine in India is still extremely low. However, there is a growing consumer interest in wines with a number of wine clubs opening in cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Nearly 80% of the wine sales in India are accounted for by the major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Bangalore. West India accounts for over 41% of the total sales volume of wine in the country, followed by North India which accounts for 29% of the total sales volume. Nearly 90% of wine sales are for still wines i.e. white red wines. Sparkling wines target that select segment of affluent consumers. Wines that are being seld in the market are generally around Rs.300 per bottle. Even though cheaper variants of wine are available in the market, the market for these varieties is not growing as fast as medium pr iced wines. These developments and statistics show that it is definitely promising to set up new manufacturing units within the country. These statistics are for conventional wines i.e. the grape wines. There is an entirely new market for the non conventional wines i.e. wines made from other fruits, roots and cereals that is completely untapped within the country. This market would includes wines made from ginger, beetroot, etc which are very healthy in nature wines made from tropical fruits like mangoes, berries (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, etc), oranges, apples, etc and even wines made from rice. India has a vast range of fruits growing in the country, some which are more seasonal in nature. Thus we can harness this opportunity of the countrys vast variety of tropical fruits and favorable climate to manufacture non grape wines which could prove to be much cheaper and lesser time consuming. This can help to develop an entirely new wine market within the country capture the same. Hence this non conventional wine could meet part of the demand from the growing domestic market and part of this production can also be exported. It will also be very easy to set up a winery for manufacturing non conventional wines in Maharashtra easily as it will be backed by the government support and encouragement as this is an emerging industry that will contribute to the development of the economy. This is one of the reasons why Excise department of the state of Maharashtra imposes strict control of alcohol taxation, distribution and sale. Thus it fiercely protects its wine market and industry. Non Conventional Wine Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The quality of wine is largely dependent on the main raw material, the soil and sun. Slight differences in the three would result in a variation in the flavor, texture and aroma. The colour of the wine depends largely on the nature of the fruit, root or cereal. It would also depend on whether the skins (in the case of fruits) are pressed out before fermentation. Wines are technically classified as: Natural Wines (Alcohol content 7% to 14%). Fortified Wines (Alcohol content 14% to 30%). Sweet or Dry Wines. Still or Sparkling Wines (Carbonated). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The method for manufacturing these non conventional varieties of wine is more or less similar to manufacturing the grape wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The method for manufacturing beetroot wine on a small scale is as follows: Grating of Beetroot. Alcoholic Fermentation. Bulk Storage. Iterative Filtration. Maturation of Wine. Clarification and packaging. Raw Materials: Beetroot. Water. Fresh Lemon juice. Strong tea Source of tannin. Sugar. Yeast. Potassium Metabisulphite Preservative (Check the growth of wild yeast). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The proportion of the quantity of each raw material requirement varies depending on quantity to be produced in liters and capacity of storage tanks. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Eg:- To produce 4 liters of beetroot wine, the requirements would be 1 Kg of beetroot, 1 Kg of Sugar, few lemons for lemon juice, 100 ml of strong tea, 4 liters of water and 1 tbsp of Yeast. This is to produce it of a homemade level. Plant Machinery: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The plant and machinery would consist of grating equipment, cleaning and washing equipment, mixing tanks (mixer), juice extraction unit, hot water tanks, storage tanks, fermenters, filters, pumps and bottling equipment. Utilities: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Good quality water power are the essential utilities. Technology: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wine making technology is very simple in nature and is still considered as an art and hence the guidance of a master wine maker is very essential. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A proportional quantity of beetroot depending on the quantity of wine to be produced is taken and initially undergoes grating. Grating is essential in the case of beetroots as it easily helps extract the juice from it. It is more efficient than crushing or boiling chunks of beetroot which gives lesser yield. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The grated product is then sent to a mixer with hot boiling water and is boiled in the water for a period of 45 60 minutes. By this time most of the juice gets extracted and the colour of the water turns to blood red. Potassium or sodium metabisulphite in small quantity is added which acts as a preservative to check the growth of wild yeast. Proportionate amounts of lemon juice (obtained from the juice extraction unit) and strong tea are added to the mixing tank where this entire mixture is blended for about 30 minutes. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This mixture is then sent to the first filtration tank that filters out the beetroot juice from the grated beetroot, lemon seeds, tea leaves and other particles if present. The waste from this filtration unit is disposed off. The juice after being filtered is then sent to another mixing tank with a jacket that brings down the temperature of the juice to around 30oC. In this mixing tank a proportionate quantity of powdered sugar is added. Powdered sugar is essential as it can easily be saturated in the juice i.e. easily be dissolved. After another 30 40 minutes after all the sugar has been dissolved, the sweetened juice is then sent to fermenters where an active culture of selected and cultivated yeast equal to 3 to 5 percent of the volume of juice is added. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â During fermentation the temperature rises and hence cooling coils are essential to maintain the temperature below 30oC. This process of fermentation takes around 3 to 5 days. The carbon dioxide evolved during fermentation carries any unfiltered particles to the top. When the fermentation slows down, the juice from the fermenter is pumped out from the bottom of the vat and over the top. This wine is finally run into closed storage tanks in the storage cellar, where during the period of 2 3 weeks the yeast ferments the remainder of the sugar. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The wine is then given a cellar treatment to clear it, improve the taste, and decrease the time of aging. During this treatment the wine is first allowed to stay quiet for 6 weeks to remove part of the matter in suspension, and then racked for clarification. During clarification and the following period the new wine would undergo a complicated series of reactions, resulting in the removal of undesired constituents and development of the aroma, esterification of the acids by alcohol. Bentonite may be used for clearing and 20 185 g can be added and stirred into every 100 liters of wine. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Extra tannin (strong tea) may be added to the wine which can be then racked and filtered through asbestos or paper pulp. It is a standard procedure to chill some wines for the removal of argols or crude potassium acid tartate. This treatment gives a more stable and finished wine. By quick aging methods it is possible to produce a good sweet wine in 4 months. Quick aging methods include pasteurization, refrigeration, aeration and agitation. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After a final filtration the wine can be sent to the bottling plant where it can be bottled and sealed and placed in cases ready for shipment for domestic or export purposes. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Similarly, other non conventional wines like ginger wine, mango wine, berry wine, etc. can be manufactured in a similar manner with slight variations in the process depending on the core raw material. Cost of Project: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The cost of setting up a plant with a capacity of 5 lac liters of wine per year would work upto an initial investment of Rs. 5 crores to Rs. 6 crores. This however, does not include the cost of a plantation. Statistics Source: Statistical data obtained from the report on Comprehensive Study of the Indian Wine Market Conducted by JBC International Inc. Values of Parameters in manufacturing process Source: Shreves Chemical Process Industries George T. Austin. Marketing Non Conventional Wines in India: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The concept of non conventional wines in India is completely new and hence as per Ansoffs Matrix it will follow the Product Development Strategy. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus it is essential for a marketer to ensure that efficient new product development strategies are implemented like minimizing cost, improving marketability, etc. for this product to be a success in the market. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Statistics show us that a large part of the Indian wine market is partly driven by the upper class and upper middle class Indians. The upper class and upper middle class Indians are estimated to be around 2% of the population and therefore approximately 20 25 million people. Many of these Indians have an increasing level of disposable incomes, and have a greater experience with international lifestyles. This exposure is either through work, studies or travel. These individuals are also now diverting their attention to healthier lifestyles i.e. they are now becoming health conscious. It is also a proven fact that a glass of wine a day is good for health. Thus a glass of beetroot wine or ginger wine or any other variant will be more beneficial. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus targeting this segment of the population is much easier on account of their changing lifestyles and preferences along with their higher levels of disposable income. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Now that the target segment has been identified, the marketer needs to position the product in the minds of the consumers. Thus the marketer can position the wines made from roots, herbs and cereals as a healthy alcoholic beverage and wines made from fruits other than grapes as a tropical alcoholic beverage. However, it should be positioned in such a way that there is no misuse of this positioning that could possibly lead to alcoholism. The marketer cannot use media like advertising as advertising for alcohol is not permitted within the country. Thus the marketer can organize wine tasting events for the upper class upper middle class Indians wherein the different wines can be sampled and sold also. This can also be a PR event where the press can be invited to write reviews on this new range of wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Another aspect that the marketer can carry out is targeting the Hospitality sector, i.e. targeting the major Hotels and restaurants where it is possible to reach the target customer. Such wines could also be served at media events to spread awareness and increase demand for the product. SWOT Analysis of the Wine Industry in India. Strengths: Domestic Wine industry is a new and emerging industry in India. Few wineries in the country and most of the wineries are located in Maharashtra. Complete Government support as this industry can produce products at a cheaper rate to be exported. 12 major wine producers in the country and most of them manufacturing grape wines. Very few manufacturers of non conventional wines. Target customer segment located majorly in metros like Delhi Mumbai. Weaknesses: Most wineries in Maharashtra thus intense competition in the state to manufacture at cheapest price. Heavy taxation on distribution and sale. Competing with established Indian brands and well known foreign brands. No provision for advertising in electronic and print media, thus making the target audience aware becomes a challenge and a difficulty. Opportunities: Non conventional wines are healthier in nature and may prove to be appealing to target audience. Tremendous opportunities for export on account of Government support. More and more exposure to foreign cultures through television, work, travel, etc. and hence an expanding customer base. Threats: Major threat of competition from foreign players and established Indian players. Treat or competition from other alcoholic beverages like beer, vodka, white rum that are more appealing to the younger generation of the upper middle class upper class segment. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus although capturing the market may be a challenge to the marketer, there indeed is tremendous potential for non conventional wines in India. Non Alcoholic Beverages: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â When it comes to the non alcoholic beverage industry one would think that it refers to the soft drink beverage industry. However, this is actually not the case. The soft drink industry is divided into just three categories. These include the black soft drinks (cola), orange soft drinks the white soft drinks (include anything other than cola and orange). The leaders in the cola segment are Coke and Pepsi with Thums Up falling in third. In the orange segment the leaders are Fanta Mirinda. In the white segment the undisputed leader is Limca with close competing followers like Sprite, 7 Up, Lemonade, Mountain Dew, etc. The total soft drink market is estimated at 284 million crates a year or $1 billion. In 2006 it was valued at $3.8 billion and is estimated to have a value of $5.6 billion by 2011. The market is highly seasonal in nature with consumption varying from 25 million crates per month during peak season and 15 million crates per month during offseason. This market is predominantly urban with a 25% contribution from rural areas. The market leader is Coca-Cola due to Coke Thums Up. India being a highly diverse nation with a huge population, there exist tremendous potential in the beverage industry. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Non Alcoholic beverage industry includes categories like fruit vegetables juices, energy drinks, non-carbonated drinks, etc. This includes the health beverages. This market is now continuously growing as people are becoming more and more health conscious. The reason being it is believed that consumption of aerated beverages leads to diseases lie obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental decay and low nutritional levels. It has been witnessed that cola sales have reduced drastically due to health concerns and this has benefited the non-carbonated drinks market in the country like energy drinks and juices. The Indian non alcoholic drinks market was estimated at Rs.216 billion in 2008. It is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of around 15% during the years 2009-2012. The highest growth in this segment is generally seen in the fruit or vegetable juice market. This is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 30% in terms of value from the years 200 9-2012. It will be closely followed by the segment of energy drinks which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29% during the period 2009-2012. There is a greater awareness now among the masses of the functional benefits of health beverages and a greater willingness to pay a premium price for such beverages. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Due to these strong drivers of growth, it is evident that the beverage industry in India has begun responding to products that are marketed on a health platform. The non alcoholic beverage industry is classified again into carbonated and non carbonated beverages. The carbonated segment includes drinks like energy drinks, ginger ale, root beer, etc. The non carbonated segment includes juices of fruits vegetables, bottled water, non alcoholic wines, coffee, tea, etc. *Statistics Source: Report on Indian Non-Alcoholic Drinks Forecast to 2012. Non Alcoholic Wines: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In India, few wine manufacturers are now trying to attract customers by manufacturing non alcoholic wines. However there is not much demand that has been observed for the same. A non alcoholic wine is a new concept that has not been popularized much in India. One of the major reasons of its low popularity is that there are myths that it still contains a certain percentage of alcohol. This however is not true. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Non alcoholic wines need not necessarily be made from grapes. It can be made from various fruits like apricots, mangoes, apples, oranges, berries etc. These are like beverages that could be carbonated or non-carbonated. A typical known non-alcoholic wine beverage in the United States of America is the Almost Wine Cooler. It is known as a virgin wine cooler. This is an aerated beverage that is made from wine and other fruit juices without any alcohol content. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â These beverages are believed to be healthier than the normal aerated beverages like cola, etc. These can be served to people of all ages. However since these are made originally from alcoholic beverages it is mandatory for the manufacturer to put a label on the packaging showing a minimum alcoholic content percentage in the USA. Hence in America, kids below the age of 21 are not allowed to purchase non alcoholic beverages. Non Alcoholic Wine Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wines are made non alcoholic in nature through the process of reverse osmosis. Firstly wine is manufactured through its normal process and it then undergoes a process of reverse osmosis where the alcohol is separated from the wine to give a concentrated wine solution. This then undergoes carbonation where the concentrated non-alcoholic wine is carbonated depending on requirement. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In the case of the beetroot wine example as mentioned above the process for manufacturing the wine will remain the same. After the last clarification or filtration stage, instead of bottling the wine, the wine is sent to a tank where it gets carbonated with CO2 under pressure. After this stage it goes through the bottling process. Reverse Osmosis: It is a patented method and is much more efficient than the evaporation and distillation method. Equipments: Storage tanks, Pumps, Reverse osmosis unit and a valve. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In the reverse osmosis method a tank is initially filled with the alcoholic wine. This tank is connected to a pump that pushes the wine into a reverse osmosis unit. The reverse osmosis unit consists of a membrane having very small pores encased in cylinders. The wine flows through the membrane at very high pressure and through the small pores. The mesh like membranes that are encased in cylinders separate the wine into a syrupy concentrate and an alcohol water mixture. Thus the membrane separates out the syrupy concentrate from the alcohol and water. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The alcohol and water mixture is sent to a storage tank that collects all the alcohol and water. The syrupy wine concentrate gets recycled back to the original tank containing the wine thus reducing the percentage of alcohol in the tank. The syrup is recycled through a valve that controls the flow. This cycle is repeated around 10-20 times till the alcohol concentration or alcohol percentage is reduced to completely zero. After this, water gets reintroduced to the tank with the concentrated syrup to obtain the final product. The finished product taste is almost similar to that of the original wine if not sweeter and the percentage of alcohol in this product is almost zero. It is believed to be around one half of one percent of alcohol. Hence non alcoholic wines are also called zero alcoholic wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This finished product then passes to a tank for carbonation under high pressure depending on requirement for carbonated beverage. This product can also be reasonably priced to compete effectively with the soft drink beverages like the colas, and also to effectively compete against juices and energy drinks. Root Beer: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Another concept that is completely new in the country is root beer. Root beer is the biggest non alcoholic beverage in the west. It is extremely popular and is accepted as a healthier drink as compared to Coke, Pepsi, etc. Other variants of root beer include fruit beer, birch beer and ginger ale. These again are non alcoholic beers prepared from various fruits and Ginger syrup (for ginger ale). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Root beer can be manufactured either as alcoholic or non alcoholic (i.e. soft drink). However the non alcoholic root beer is still more popular in the USA. The main ingredient initially in the manufacture of root beer was Sarsaparilla or Sweet Sarsaparilla. However now a days it is more favorable to make root beer from root beer extract. This is due to the carcinogenic nature of this plant. Root beer extract consists of caramel colour, imitation vanilla, water and alcohol. It consists of a very small proportion of alcohol. Studies show that root beer made from root beer extract has around 0.35% alcohol. This can be easily removed by reverse osmosis. Root Beer Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Root beer is much simpler and easier to manufacture as compared to actual beer. Raw Materials Required: Root Beer Extract, Water, Yeast Sugar. Equipment: Storage tanks, Mixer, Filtration unit, Fermenters and pumps. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sugar in a proportionate quantity to the quantity of the root beer to be manufactured is added to the mixer with an agitator. This would ensure the powdering of the sugar. Next a small quantity of yeast is added to the mixer and this mixture is blended well. After blending the mix from the mixer is sent to the fermenters. The fermenters are fermentation tanks where a proportionate quantity of root beer extract is added. This extract mixes well with the mix of powdered sugar and yeast. To this mixture in the fermentation tank water is added. The minute water is added the temperature of the mixture in the tank rises up. This is due to the fermentation of sugar carried out by the yeast. Thus the tank can be provided by cooling coils or a jacket to maintain the temperature to below 30oC. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This mixture from this tank is sent to a sealed tank with a pressure relief valve to release the pressure being developed and to ensure that there is no explosion. The sealed tank also ensures no outside activity of air or oxygen on the mixture in the tank. Fermentation takes place in around 5 days and after 5 days the mixture is passed though a filtration unit where any undissolved yeast or sugar is separated out. The solution is then moved into a storage tank maintained at cooler temperatures to ensure no yeast enzyme activity and to ensure no further fermentation. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After storage, when the fermentation process has completely slowed down the finished product can be sent to the bottling plant for packaging. This solution or finished pr The Making of Fermented Beverages The Making of Fermented Beverages The making of fermented beverages was discovered many thousands of years ago by primitive humans. This process of making fermented beverages has been practiced as an art over the years. However, within the past century, this art has evolved into a highly developed science. The beverage industry has a lot in common with other food industries. These common factors include taste, odour, colour individual preference. These factors force the manufacturer or brewer as he would be called to exert his greatest skill and experience in producing palatable beverages of great variety. The main criteria for quality even with all the refinements of modern science, still lie with the human sensory organs of smell, taste and sight. Hence, a good brewer would have to be a great engineer, a good chemist a good bacteriologist. Alcoholic beverages can be classified as: Distilled Liquors. Fermented Wines. Malt Liquors. Beer and ale require malted or germinated grain to make the carbohydrates present in them fermentable. Wines are generally produced by the action of yeast on the sugar of fruit. Distilled liquors are fermented liquors which are further distilled to increase their alcoholic content. In India, today when one thinks of alcoholic beverages the first thing that comes to mind is the variants like Beer, Wine, Whisky, Brandy, Scotch, Rum, Vodka, Gin, etc. One would also think of the local alcoholic beverages called Desi or Country Liquor. However, the concept of non conventional wine or beer is completely new to the country. Non Conventional Wines: When it comes to wine what comes to mind is grape wine (wine made from grapes) and for several thousands of years wine has been traditionally made by the fermentation of the juice of the grape. Wine is believed to be the most popular beverages associated with happiness, festivities and celebrations all over the globe. The global market for wine is estimated at around 25 billion liters. Many varieties of wine are made throughout the world and the French wines are considered to be the most popular all over the globe. In general wines would be classified as: Red Wines these are made from grapes without removing the skins. White Wines these are made from grape juice. Sparkling Wines these are considered to be carbonated white wines. Wine like other beverages can also be easily made from other fruits, roots grains. These beverages are also referred to as wines. However these wines would have a prefix or suffix of the raw material fruit, root or grain. The concept of wine made from fruits, other than that of grapes is widely accepted all around the world but is still slightly new in India. Although there are some manufacturers that also make Apple Cider (wine made from apples) Orange wine (wine made from oranges), this hasnt really taken off in the country. Wines made from certain roots herbs are believed to be very healthy in nature. Although alcoholic in nature, it is a proven fact that these other variants of wine are god for health. These healthier wine variants were considered as traditional remedies. We had wine made from Ginger that would be used to treat a common cold or wine made from Beetroot that could be used to control ones blood pressure. Compared to other nations, wines manufacture i.e. production or consumption in India is relatively insignificant. This could probably be attributed to the earlier period of prohibition within the country. Another factor, with which wines poor consumption in India can be attributed to, is the higher prices of wine in comparison to spirits like brandy and whisky making it less attractive. These spirits are manufactured within the country and are referred to as Indian made liquors. In India, wine was made mainly on a small scale and generally made domestically. Wine manufacture on an organized scale first commenced in the country with the setting up of the Champagne Indage Ltd. (Chateau Indage) plant in the state of Maharashtra in 1984. A few more units have set up after that within the country. These units are mostly located in the Nasik district of the state of Maharashtra as the climate is found to be more suitable and favorable for grapes used in wine making. In todays world since people are becoming more health conscious, catering to this class of people will definitely be beneficial. It is believed that many positive aspects can be attributed to wine and its consumption both socially health wise. Wine Market in India: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Indian wine industry has been steadily growing over the last decade. Wine is now slowly becoming an integrated part of the urban Indian lifestyle. Rising incomes of the Indian population, changing demographics and an exposure to foreign cultures is adding to the higher consumption of wine. The Indian wine industry is growing at 25% 30% per annum and for the year 2008; it was estimated at 1.1 million per 9 liter cases and valued at Rs.2400 crores. The wine market is expected to grow to 4 million cases by 2015. The market for wine in India is expected to grow at around 20 % per annum. The per capita consumption of wine in India is still extremely low. However, there is a growing consumer interest in wines with a number of wine clubs opening in cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Nearly 80% of the wine sales in India are accounted for by the major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Bangalore. West India accounts for over 41% of the total sales volume of wine in the country, followed by North India which accounts for 29% of the total sales volume. Nearly 90% of wine sales are for still wines i.e. white red wines. Sparkling wines target that select segment of affluent consumers. Wines that are being seld in the market are generally around Rs.300 per bottle. Even though cheaper variants of wine are available in the market, the market for these varieties is not growing as fast as medium pr iced wines. These developments and statistics show that it is definitely promising to set up new manufacturing units within the country. These statistics are for conventional wines i.e. the grape wines. There is an entirely new market for the non conventional wines i.e. wines made from other fruits, roots and cereals that is completely untapped within the country. This market would includes wines made from ginger, beetroot, etc which are very healthy in nature wines made from tropical fruits like mangoes, berries (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, etc), oranges, apples, etc and even wines made from rice. India has a vast range of fruits growing in the country, some which are more seasonal in nature. Thus we can harness this opportunity of the countrys vast variety of tropical fruits and favorable climate to manufacture non grape wines which could prove to be much cheaper and lesser time consuming. This can help to develop an entirely new wine market within the country capture the same. Hence this non conventional wine could meet part of the demand from the growing domestic market and part of this production can also be exported. It will also be very easy to set up a winery for manufacturing non conventional wines in Maharashtra easily as it will be backed by the government support and encouragement as this is an emerging industry that will contribute to the development of the economy. This is one of the reasons why Excise department of the state of Maharashtra imposes strict control of alcohol taxation, distribution and sale. Thus it fiercely protects its wine market and industry. Non Conventional Wine Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The quality of wine is largely dependent on the main raw material, the soil and sun. Slight differences in the three would result in a variation in the flavor, texture and aroma. The colour of the wine depends largely on the nature of the fruit, root or cereal. It would also depend on whether the skins (in the case of fruits) are pressed out before fermentation. Wines are technically classified as: Natural Wines (Alcohol content 7% to 14%). Fortified Wines (Alcohol content 14% to 30%). Sweet or Dry Wines. Still or Sparkling Wines (Carbonated). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The method for manufacturing these non conventional varieties of wine is more or less similar to manufacturing the grape wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The method for manufacturing beetroot wine on a small scale is as follows: Grating of Beetroot. Alcoholic Fermentation. Bulk Storage. Iterative Filtration. Maturation of Wine. Clarification and packaging. Raw Materials: Beetroot. Water. Fresh Lemon juice. Strong tea Source of tannin. Sugar. Yeast. Potassium Metabisulphite Preservative (Check the growth of wild yeast). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The proportion of the quantity of each raw material requirement varies depending on quantity to be produced in liters and capacity of storage tanks. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Eg:- To produce 4 liters of beetroot wine, the requirements would be 1 Kg of beetroot, 1 Kg of Sugar, few lemons for lemon juice, 100 ml of strong tea, 4 liters of water and 1 tbsp of Yeast. This is to produce it of a homemade level. Plant Machinery: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The plant and machinery would consist of grating equipment, cleaning and washing equipment, mixing tanks (mixer), juice extraction unit, hot water tanks, storage tanks, fermenters, filters, pumps and bottling equipment. Utilities: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Good quality water power are the essential utilities. Technology: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wine making technology is very simple in nature and is still considered as an art and hence the guidance of a master wine maker is very essential. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A proportional quantity of beetroot depending on the quantity of wine to be produced is taken and initially undergoes grating. Grating is essential in the case of beetroots as it easily helps extract the juice from it. It is more efficient than crushing or boiling chunks of beetroot which gives lesser yield. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The grated product is then sent to a mixer with hot boiling water and is boiled in the water for a period of 45 60 minutes. By this time most of the juice gets extracted and the colour of the water turns to blood red. Potassium or sodium metabisulphite in small quantity is added which acts as a preservative to check the growth of wild yeast. Proportionate amounts of lemon juice (obtained from the juice extraction unit) and strong tea are added to the mixing tank where this entire mixture is blended for about 30 minutes. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This mixture is then sent to the first filtration tank that filters out the beetroot juice from the grated beetroot, lemon seeds, tea leaves and other particles if present. The waste from this filtration unit is disposed off. The juice after being filtered is then sent to another mixing tank with a jacket that brings down the temperature of the juice to around 30oC. In this mixing tank a proportionate quantity of powdered sugar is added. Powdered sugar is essential as it can easily be saturated in the juice i.e. easily be dissolved. After another 30 40 minutes after all the sugar has been dissolved, the sweetened juice is then sent to fermenters where an active culture of selected and cultivated yeast equal to 3 to 5 percent of the volume of juice is added. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â During fermentation the temperature rises and hence cooling coils are essential to maintain the temperature below 30oC. This process of fermentation takes around 3 to 5 days. The carbon dioxide evolved during fermentation carries any unfiltered particles to the top. When the fermentation slows down, the juice from the fermenter is pumped out from the bottom of the vat and over the top. This wine is finally run into closed storage tanks in the storage cellar, where during the period of 2 3 weeks the yeast ferments the remainder of the sugar. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The wine is then given a cellar treatment to clear it, improve the taste, and decrease the time of aging. During this treatment the wine is first allowed to stay quiet for 6 weeks to remove part of the matter in suspension, and then racked for clarification. During clarification and the following period the new wine would undergo a complicated series of reactions, resulting in the removal of undesired constituents and development of the aroma, esterification of the acids by alcohol. Bentonite may be used for clearing and 20 185 g can be added and stirred into every 100 liters of wine. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Extra tannin (strong tea) may be added to the wine which can be then racked and filtered through asbestos or paper pulp. It is a standard procedure to chill some wines for the removal of argols or crude potassium acid tartate. This treatment gives a more stable and finished wine. By quick aging methods it is possible to produce a good sweet wine in 4 months. Quick aging methods include pasteurization, refrigeration, aeration and agitation. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After a final filtration the wine can be sent to the bottling plant where it can be bottled and sealed and placed in cases ready for shipment for domestic or export purposes. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Similarly, other non conventional wines like ginger wine, mango wine, berry wine, etc. can be manufactured in a similar manner with slight variations in the process depending on the core raw material. Cost of Project: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The cost of setting up a plant with a capacity of 5 lac liters of wine per year would work upto an initial investment of Rs. 5 crores to Rs. 6 crores. This however, does not include the cost of a plantation. Statistics Source: Statistical data obtained from the report on Comprehensive Study of the Indian Wine Market Conducted by JBC International Inc. Values of Parameters in manufacturing process Source: Shreves Chemical Process Industries George T. Austin. Marketing Non Conventional Wines in India: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The concept of non conventional wines in India is completely new and hence as per Ansoffs Matrix it will follow the Product Development Strategy. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus it is essential for a marketer to ensure that efficient new product development strategies are implemented like minimizing cost, improving marketability, etc. for this product to be a success in the market. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Statistics show us that a large part of the Indian wine market is partly driven by the upper class and upper middle class Indians. The upper class and upper middle class Indians are estimated to be around 2% of the population and therefore approximately 20 25 million people. Many of these Indians have an increasing level of disposable incomes, and have a greater experience with international lifestyles. This exposure is either through work, studies or travel. These individuals are also now diverting their attention to healthier lifestyles i.e. they are now becoming health conscious. It is also a proven fact that a glass of wine a day is good for health. Thus a glass of beetroot wine or ginger wine or any other variant will be more beneficial. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus targeting this segment of the population is much easier on account of their changing lifestyles and preferences along with their higher levels of disposable income. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Now that the target segment has been identified, the marketer needs to position the product in the minds of the consumers. Thus the marketer can position the wines made from roots, herbs and cereals as a healthy alcoholic beverage and wines made from fruits other than grapes as a tropical alcoholic beverage. However, it should be positioned in such a way that there is no misuse of this positioning that could possibly lead to alcoholism. The marketer cannot use media like advertising as advertising for alcohol is not permitted within the country. Thus the marketer can organize wine tasting events for the upper class upper middle class Indians wherein the different wines can be sampled and sold also. This can also be a PR event where the press can be invited to write reviews on this new range of wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Another aspect that the marketer can carry out is targeting the Hospitality sector, i.e. targeting the major Hotels and restaurants where it is possible to reach the target customer. Such wines could also be served at media events to spread awareness and increase demand for the product. SWOT Analysis of the Wine Industry in India. Strengths: Domestic Wine industry is a new and emerging industry in India. Few wineries in the country and most of the wineries are located in Maharashtra. Complete Government support as this industry can produce products at a cheaper rate to be exported. 12 major wine producers in the country and most of them manufacturing grape wines. Very few manufacturers of non conventional wines. Target customer segment located majorly in metros like Delhi Mumbai. Weaknesses: Most wineries in Maharashtra thus intense competition in the state to manufacture at cheapest price. Heavy taxation on distribution and sale. Competing with established Indian brands and well known foreign brands. No provision for advertising in electronic and print media, thus making the target audience aware becomes a challenge and a difficulty. Opportunities: Non conventional wines are healthier in nature and may prove to be appealing to target audience. Tremendous opportunities for export on account of Government support. More and more exposure to foreign cultures through television, work, travel, etc. and hence an expanding customer base. Threats: Major threat of competition from foreign players and established Indian players. Treat or competition from other alcoholic beverages like beer, vodka, white rum that are more appealing to the younger generation of the upper middle class upper class segment. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thus although capturing the market may be a challenge to the marketer, there indeed is tremendous potential for non conventional wines in India. Non Alcoholic Beverages: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â When it comes to the non alcoholic beverage industry one would think that it refers to the soft drink beverage industry. However, this is actually not the case. The soft drink industry is divided into just three categories. These include the black soft drinks (cola), orange soft drinks the white soft drinks (include anything other than cola and orange). The leaders in the cola segment are Coke and Pepsi with Thums Up falling in third. In the orange segment the leaders are Fanta Mirinda. In the white segment the undisputed leader is Limca with close competing followers like Sprite, 7 Up, Lemonade, Mountain Dew, etc. The total soft drink market is estimated at 284 million crates a year or $1 billion. In 2006 it was valued at $3.8 billion and is estimated to have a value of $5.6 billion by 2011. The market is highly seasonal in nature with consumption varying from 25 million crates per month during peak season and 15 million crates per month during offseason. This market is predominantly urban with a 25% contribution from rural areas. The market leader is Coca-Cola due to Coke Thums Up. India being a highly diverse nation with a huge population, there exist tremendous potential in the beverage industry. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Non Alcoholic beverage industry includes categories like fruit vegetables juices, energy drinks, non-carbonated drinks, etc. This includes the health beverages. This market is now continuously growing as people are becoming more and more health conscious. The reason being it is believed that consumption of aerated beverages leads to diseases lie obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental decay and low nutritional levels. It has been witnessed that cola sales have reduced drastically due to health concerns and this has benefited the non-carbonated drinks market in the country like energy drinks and juices. The Indian non alcoholic drinks market was estimated at Rs.216 billion in 2008. It is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of around 15% during the years 2009-2012. The highest growth in this segment is generally seen in the fruit or vegetable juice market. This is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 30% in terms of value from the years 200 9-2012. It will be closely followed by the segment of energy drinks which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29% during the period 2009-2012. There is a greater awareness now among the masses of the functional benefits of health beverages and a greater willingness to pay a premium price for such beverages. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Due to these strong drivers of growth, it is evident that the beverage industry in India has begun responding to products that are marketed on a health platform. The non alcoholic beverage industry is classified again into carbonated and non carbonated beverages. The carbonated segment includes drinks like energy drinks, ginger ale, root beer, etc. The non carbonated segment includes juices of fruits vegetables, bottled water, non alcoholic wines, coffee, tea, etc. *Statistics Source: Report on Indian Non-Alcoholic Drinks Forecast to 2012. Non Alcoholic Wines: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In India, few wine manufacturers are now trying to attract customers by manufacturing non alcoholic wines. However there is not much demand that has been observed for the same. A non alcoholic wine is a new concept that has not been popularized much in India. One of the major reasons of its low popularity is that there are myths that it still contains a certain percentage of alcohol. This however is not true. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Non alcoholic wines need not necessarily be made from grapes. It can be made from various fruits like apricots, mangoes, apples, oranges, berries etc. These are like beverages that could be carbonated or non-carbonated. A typical known non-alcoholic wine beverage in the United States of America is the Almost Wine Cooler. It is known as a virgin wine cooler. This is an aerated beverage that is made from wine and other fruit juices without any alcohol content. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â These beverages are believed to be healthier than the normal aerated beverages like cola, etc. These can be served to people of all ages. However since these are made originally from alcoholic beverages it is mandatory for the manufacturer to put a label on the packaging showing a minimum alcoholic content percentage in the USA. Hence in America, kids below the age of 21 are not allowed to purchase non alcoholic beverages. Non Alcoholic Wine Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wines are made non alcoholic in nature through the process of reverse osmosis. Firstly wine is manufactured through its normal process and it then undergoes a process of reverse osmosis where the alcohol is separated from the wine to give a concentrated wine solution. This then undergoes carbonation where the concentrated non-alcoholic wine is carbonated depending on requirement. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In the case of the beetroot wine example as mentioned above the process for manufacturing the wine will remain the same. After the last clarification or filtration stage, instead of bottling the wine, the wine is sent to a tank where it gets carbonated with CO2 under pressure. After this stage it goes through the bottling process. Reverse Osmosis: It is a patented method and is much more efficient than the evaporation and distillation method. Equipments: Storage tanks, Pumps, Reverse osmosis unit and a valve. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In the reverse osmosis method a tank is initially filled with the alcoholic wine. This tank is connected to a pump that pushes the wine into a reverse osmosis unit. The reverse osmosis unit consists of a membrane having very small pores encased in cylinders. The wine flows through the membrane at very high pressure and through the small pores. The mesh like membranes that are encased in cylinders separate the wine into a syrupy concentrate and an alcohol water mixture. Thus the membrane separates out the syrupy concentrate from the alcohol and water. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The alcohol and water mixture is sent to a storage tank that collects all the alcohol and water. The syrupy wine concentrate gets recycled back to the original tank containing the wine thus reducing the percentage of alcohol in the tank. The syrup is recycled through a valve that controls the flow. This cycle is repeated around 10-20 times till the alcohol concentration or alcohol percentage is reduced to completely zero. After this, water gets reintroduced to the tank with the concentrated syrup to obtain the final product. The finished product taste is almost similar to that of the original wine if not sweeter and the percentage of alcohol in this product is almost zero. It is believed to be around one half of one percent of alcohol. Hence non alcoholic wines are also called zero alcoholic wines. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This finished product then passes to a tank for carbonation under high pressure depending on requirement for carbonated beverage. This product can also be reasonably priced to compete effectively with the soft drink beverages like the colas, and also to effectively compete against juices and energy drinks. Root Beer: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Another concept that is completely new in the country is root beer. Root beer is the biggest non alcoholic beverage in the west. It is extremely popular and is accepted as a healthier drink as compared to Coke, Pepsi, etc. Other variants of root beer include fruit beer, birch beer and ginger ale. These again are non alcoholic beers prepared from various fruits and Ginger syrup (for ginger ale). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Root beer can be manufactured either as alcoholic or non alcoholic (i.e. soft drink). However the non alcoholic root beer is still more popular in the USA. The main ingredient initially in the manufacture of root beer was Sarsaparilla or Sweet Sarsaparilla. However now a days it is more favorable to make root beer from root beer extract. This is due to the carcinogenic nature of this plant. Root beer extract consists of caramel colour, imitation vanilla, water and alcohol. It consists of a very small proportion of alcohol. Studies show that root beer made from root beer extract has around 0.35% alcohol. This can be easily removed by reverse osmosis. Root Beer Manufacturing Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Root beer is much simpler and easier to manufacture as compared to actual beer. Raw Materials Required: Root Beer Extract, Water, Yeast Sugar. Equipment: Storage tanks, Mixer, Filtration unit, Fermenters and pumps. Process: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sugar in a proportionate quantity to the quantity of the root beer to be manufactured is added to the mixer with an agitator. This would ensure the powdering of the sugar. Next a small quantity of yeast is added to the mixer and this mixture is blended well. After blending the mix from the mixer is sent to the fermenters. The fermenters are fermentation tanks where a proportionate quantity of root beer extract is added. This extract mixes well with the mix of powdered sugar and yeast. To this mixture in the fermentation tank water is added. The minute water is added the temperature of the mixture in the tank rises up. This is due to the fermentation of sugar carried out by the yeast. Thus the tank can be provided by cooling coils or a jacket to maintain the temperature to below 30oC. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This mixture from this tank is sent to a sealed tank with a pressure relief valve to release the pressure being developed and to ensure that there is no explosion. The sealed tank also ensures no outside activity of air or oxygen on the mixture in the tank. Fermentation takes place in around 5 days and after 5 days the mixture is passed though a filtration unit where any undissolved yeast or sugar is separated out. The solution is then moved into a storage tank maintained at cooler temperatures to ensure no yeast enzyme activity and to ensure no further fermentation. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After storage, when the fermentation process has completely slowed down the finished product can be sent to the bottling plant for packaging. This solution or finished pr
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Toomer Challenges Racial Identity English Literature Essay
Toomer Challenges Racial Identity English Literature Essay Karintha, reapers and November cotton flowers, all have similar settings in rural Georgia which is located in the south where we see a lot of racism going on. The south for black Americans functioned as a site for trauma as well as a symbolic reference for their homeland. It is also a symbolic connection between slavery and sexualized black women. Its is all embedded in Toomers quest for racial identity as a mulatto. Toomer tries to represent the black womans sexuality as an act of sexual union scarred by traumatic history by depicting Karintha as an innocent prostitute. The book cane is regarded as a passing era associated with the trauma of slavery. Toomer was trying to create a connection between racial and cultural continuity generated by modernity to the regulation of black female desire. The major theme in this story which is death and sex relate to the Black American historical content of slavery and lynching. We see that in Cane, Toomer uses nature to describe the bodies of t he black females but nearly all the females are either tortured or violated in the rural settings which projects displacement of nature. The haunting rhythm of folk songs in the rural landscape draws attention to the women who are objects of male desire and transforms this women into lost objects. Toomer portrays the gender issues and social barriers that hindered black women. Her skin is like dust on the eastern horizonwhen the sun goes down (page 5). This description Toomer gives of karintha as dusk shows that what she represents is fading away. Karintha introduces the themes of movement in life and death that reoccur in the book Cane. The interest of men, who wishes to ripen a growing thing too soonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (page5) shows that men hastened her sexual development. Karintha represents the folks spirit that is fading away due to modernity in the south, she is over sexualized and that means that black men still have urges to be reconnected with the past. In Reapers, we see major racial themes here; the idea of slavery takes major precedence in ones mind when we start reading the poem. Toomer lays emphasis on the word black (Page 7) used to describe the black Americans that were slaves at that time in the south. The reapers were tied to a life of monotonous work. The introduction of the mower disrupts the peace in the cultivation of the weeds and brings war; this brings out the theme of racism, where there is constant social war between the colored and the white. The poem Reapers is suggestive of Black field laborers in the early 20th Century. Toomer also tries to depict the problem of racial economic inequalities that were also present in the south at that time. The word continue (page7) connotes the constant labor the black male did in the fields. We also have a view on how in the early 20th century, black males who had their lands would have to work and pay a certain amount back to the whites thereby leaving them with little profit . All their turmoil and hard work was always in vain. We also see an introduction to violence that emerges with the blood-stained scythe that has cut a rat in the poem, an issue that Toomer readdresses later in cane. November cotton flower is another poem that ensues after Reapers, the poem talks about environment in the south were we all know was difficult for the colored skin at that point in time. The poem describes how the cotton flowers survived the harsh south weather and still strived through the hard times it went through. We see Toomer use the idea of racial identity, he uses the images of scarcity, drought and death to express the black race during the time the poem was written. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Brown eyes that loved without a trace of fear, Beauty so sudden for that time of year. (Page 8) Toomer depicts the sudden urge that the African American race have to fight against racism. The description of a hope for the cotton flower shows that Toomer believes there is hope for the African American; he tries to create a link between the oppression of race to the growing of a cotton flower. In Cane, Toomer tries to create a hybrid structure, where we see a combination of short stories and poems. Karintha, Reapers, and November cotton flowers portray death, labor, racial identity and racism which portray major themes in the book cane as a whole. The book cane is designed in a circle, Toomer starts from the south up into the north and back into the southern regions again. Since, Karintha, Reapers, and November cotton flowers are the first three consecutive pieces in the book Cane, Toomer gives us a shadow or a hint of what is to proceed in other poems and stories in the book. The three pieces are set in the rural south where a lot of racial identity is taking place, the description of Karintha as a November cotton flower, also gives us an imagery of how the south and its environment looked at that point in time. In karintha, Toomer describes her as an innocent prostitute who men constantly came to for gratification of their sexual desires just to fend a living for herself. Toomer reechoes the themes labor and economic inequalities also found in the poem Reapers and November cotton flower. Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade (page 7) shows how the African Americans in the south had to continually labor to fend for themselves and family. In the south, the blacks grew cotton for a living but in November cotton flower, they had turmoil but seen no rewards of their labor, the natural resources were depleted thereby leaving the fields empty. And cotton scarce as any southern snow (page 8) Toomers cane is compiled of encounters with both blacks and white and black. In Karintha, we see encounters between blacks and white. Karintha was a black woman who was sexually appealing to both the white and black men in her community. However, in Reapers and November cotton flower we see the opposite of such encounters. Even though white men are attracted to karintha, in Reapers, and November cotton flowers, we see that they belittle the dusk skin color and subject them to a life of constant labor. Toomer also paints the theme death in these three consecutive pieces that start the book cane, as it would also be discussed in the other poems and stories that followed. In karintha, we see towards the ending that she mysteriously has a child who dies, Toomer likens the death to smokes that curl up in the community. Furthermore, Toomer uses animals in Reapers and November cotton flowers to signify death. In reapers, And there a field rat, startled squealing bleeds, (page7) Shows the black reaper slays the rat and leaves it bleeding without offering any sympathy to it. Toomer also describes the features of a dead land in November cotton flowers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦dead birds were found (page 8). Toomers description of Karintha as a November Cotton flower shows the idea of double consciousness because karintha was depicted by Toomer as a violent child who was mischievous and always stoning the cow, yet the preacher convinced himself that there was nothing wrong in her acts and regarded her as a November cotton flower. Toomer tries to portray how the whites thought their maltreatment of the blacks were justified and lawful. Which, is also the same thing seen in Reapers when the reaper refuses to acknowledge the fact that he had hurt the rat. The introduction of the mowers by Toomer in the reapers also signifies the birth of modernism and the new Negro movements, which, is also repeated in November cotton flowers when the cotton flowers begins to unexpectedly grow and the blacks see a hopeful future after the death of karinthas child which signifies the death of the old negro and old cultural style because as soon as Toomer transitions to the rural setting, the folk song setting seems to vanish. Jean Toomers cane is a book that takes into cognizance, the lives lived by Negros at that particular era and his work was considered as the New Negro art that led other black poets or writers to write other books in that light.
Abduction and Computer Game Design :: Technology Doom Myst Essays
Abduction and Computer Game Design Introduction In this paper, I will look at the process of abductive reasoning and show the implications of this concept as it applies to computer game design. While my comments will relate to most computer games, I will specifically discuss two games: Doom, which is produced by the Id software company, and Myst, which is produced by Broderbund software. Doom First, a little information about the game Doom. The first version of Doom was released as shareware (free demonstration software) in 1993, and its successors have included Doom II, Ultimate Doom and other variations. It has also inspired many similar games from other companies. Estimates put the number of players of this multiple-computer-platform software program at 10 million worldwide. One of the developers of Doom once boasted, "In 1994, we fully expect to be the number one cause of decreased productivity in businesses around the world. â€Å" What characteristics have led Doom and its many imitators to such success? I would argue that the most important reason is that game puts the player in an immersive environment. There is a compelling sense of â€Å"virtual reality†(to use a term that is more a cliche than any real description) in Doom. The action of the game is presented from a first-person point of view; that is, what you see on the computer screen is approximately what the character you are playing would see. Your character is invisible, just as you cannot see yourself but in a mirror; however, the weapon the character is holding is visible in the lower center of the screen. This technique of first-person presentation (fig. 1) serves to involve the player in the game action more directly than a third-person, overhead view might, and it makes for a more 'realistic' presentation of the "3D" action. As the player moves from room to room, lights flicker and fade and sounds get louder or softer. Doom has a frame (or image) rate greater than that of film or television, which has been shown to create an effect of heightened 'reality.' Players have been observed exhibiting physical responses to the game's action: ducking and leaping back from the screen, and trying to peer 'around' the walls displayed on the monitor. Doom can be played by a single person alone, by two people over a modem, or by up to four connected to a computer network, and these networked players can either cooperate or compete against each other.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
aristotle Essay examples -- essays research papers
Aristotle Politics Aristotle in his book politics, argues that the political association is the highest form of human association , and making all his conclusions based on the assumption that ‘polis’ is the best and only sensible political system. He further adds that political association is the most sovereign and aims at the highest good Politics is largely an attempt to determine or rather prove that political association is the best suited way for securing the happiness of its members or as called in ‘politics’ the citizens .The interest of the polis and its citizens were seen to be the same since both the city and man aimed for happiness as the ultimate goal. According to Aristotle, life has no existence outside the confines of the city and that it is not the city that exists to serve the needs of the individual but is a mere part and the city is more important than the individual Aristotle’s admiration of the social system in a polis shows his support to the slavery. The polis consisted of citizens which men were born to citizen parent’s women children and slaves. Men were considered to be the only rational creation and had to engage and contribute in the political association of the city, while slaves were used for work. Aristotle’s above argument had some major weakness and flaws in it, he address the salves as non-rational, and it’s in there best interest to serve there masters, who would give them a rational vision. The main drawbac...
Monday, September 2, 2019
Foundations of Learning and Collaborative Working Essay
â€Å"Discuss the concept of collaborative working within your professional area†To be able to understand the rationale, the different factors influencing the outcome of collaborative working and how this can be applied to Perioperative practice, it is important to have a sound understanding of the concept â€Å"Collaborative Working.†This concept has many terminological variations, one of the more frequently used is â€Å"Inter-professional working.†Hornby and Atkins (2000) state that collaborative working is â€Å"a relationship between two or more people, groups or organisations, working together to define and achieve a common purpose.†Barrett et al (2005) declares that inter-professional working is â€Å"the process whereby members of different professions and/or agencies work together to provide integrated health and/or social care for the benefit of service users.†Disregarding what is seen as the correct/incorrect terminology, the common denominator here is that all health care staff/ agencies’ are working together to provide the best healthcare possible for patients and service users. There have been many debates about the variation in terminology, Leathard (1994:5) refers to it as â€Å"terminological quagmire†that has been created due to rapid developments in practice, and in her analysis of terms, Leathard (1994:6) prefers to use the term multi-professional as it â€Å"infers a wider group of professionals.†In this instance the term â€Å"Collaborative working†will be used. Over the years there have been many drivers behind the rationale for collaborative working dating as far back as the 1960’s in the USA, where Henderson (1966) reports that â€Å"one hospital has weekly inter-professional ward conferences.†The idea of collaborative working is therefore not a relatively new concept. In recent years increased emphasis has been placed on collaborative working and the need to work together due to changes in technology, accountability and government reports. Technological advances such as telecommunication is now used by surg ical staff to live feed surgical procedures to other parts of the world. This has aided remote-area surgeons in their own practices (Shields & Werder 2002) Similarly, the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) direct advice line has created a way in which doctors can consult patients over the telephone. However a study by the Economic and Social Research Council (2005) concluded that â€Å"telemedicine is disappearing†compared to NHS direct advice line. The introduction to new machinery which takes blood pressures automatically rather than manually, this and other technological advances have all required healthcare staff to change the ways in which they work collaboratively. On the other hand, Government reports also change the way in which healthcare professionals work as they are often mandatory measures. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) was introduced in 1999 under the Agenda for Change. Day (2006) claims that the use of KSF will â€Å"enable team leaders to identify gaps in the knowledge and skills of their inter-professional teams.†KSF is an essential requirement carried out every year to ensure pay progressions. Collaborative working is also brought about by accountability. All healthcare professionals are governed by a professional body such as the Health Professions Council (HPC) in which it is their duty to ensure compliance with the legislation on the use of protected titles (HPC, 2008) Not only are registrants accountable to the HPC they are also accountable to statutory and criminal law which means healthcare professionals must interact with patients and staff on an acceptable level at the risk of being prosecuted for their actions. Another driver for collaborative working is seen through the ever scrutinizing media. A recent news report by Hughes (2011) titled â€Å"Emergency surgery patients’ lives at risk, say surgeons†is one of the many examples of negative media that is putting more pressure on healthcare professionals to work more collaboratively. On the other hand, many of the publi c viewers do not see the bias in the majority of these news reports and many examples of good collaboration is missed. Resulting from the rationale behind why people work together it is important to understand the ways in which people do work together. Safe Surgery Saves Lives was an initiative that arose in 2006 by the World Health Organization and in 2008 a Surgical Safety Checklist was released globally. Research proved that â€Å"postoperative complication rates fell by 36% on average†and the checklist has also â€Å"improved communication among the surgical teams.†(Haynes, B.A et al, 2009, Pg: 496) Many trusts also have a theatre list policy and this ensures that staff are working collaboratively to ensure the lists are correct, accurate and the most important procedures have been prioritised. The idea differentiates among the trusts, but is most commonly referred to as a â€Å"Group hug.†This is carried out each morning before any surgical procedures commence and it is a chance for staff to collaborate and share any ideas or concerns over that day’s list. A big part of collaborative work, especially in peri-operative care, is about recognising each other’s skills and importance thus the idea of â€Å"inter-professional learning.†Kenward & Kenward (2011, pg; 35-39) outlines the importance of mentors, stating that â€Å"mentors should act as role models for students of all professions.†Further promoting this the General Medical Council (2006) document on Good Medical Practice propounds that doctors also act as role models to try and â€Å"inspire and motivate others.†It is evident that there are many ways in which healthcare staff work together, however major issues are still identified around the factors that influence the outcomes of collaborative working. Miscommunication has been identified as a reoccurring problem. Certain behavioral patterns among peri-operative staff which included ignoring requests they did not understand, failing to seek clarification, failing to speak loudly enough to be heard an d communicating information to the wrong person. (Gardezi et al 2009, pg: 1390-1399) This can be fatal especially in the case of Elaine Bromiley who had undergone a routine sinus surgical procedure. Due to a breakdown in communication between surgeons, Elaine unfortunately died. A video titled â€Å"Just a routine operation,†(LaerdalMedical, 2011) released after the death of Elaine Bromiley, identifies the breakdown in communication between the surgeons and the theatre nurses who had actually witnessed the surgeon’s distress and suggested an alternative method to intubating the patient which was ignored. This concept has been previously recognised as â€Å"professional separatism.†D’Amour et al (2005) argued that because professional groups are educated separately they are then socialised into â€Å"discipline-specific thinking.†Research concluded that 69% of respondents to a questionnaire they set out reported disagreement between surgeons and nurses. And that 53.4% reported experiencing aggressive behavior from consultant surgeons (Coe and Gould, 2008, Pg: 609-618) Thus meaning the outcomes of collaboration will suffer if all professionals do not interact and recognize the importance of other professionals’ skills. It is evident that collaboration and inter-professional working largely exists but with the constant changes in peri-operative practice as mentioned previously and the way healthcare is constantly observed, especially by the media, it is evident that collaborative working is a continuous development or a lifelong learning process. As technology changes and government policies are continually released it is inevitable that the ways in which healthcare professionals work together will also change and develop. References Barret, G, Sellman, D and Thomas. J (2005) Inter-professional working in Health and Social Care: Professional Perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Coe, R and Gould, D (2008) ‘Disagreement and aggression in the operating theatre.’ Journal of Advanced Nursing. Volume: 61, Issue: 6, Pg: 609-618. Day, J (2006) Inter-professional working: An essential guide for health-and social-care professionals. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. D’Amour, D, Ferrada-Videla, M, San Martin Rodrigues, L and Beaulieu, M (2005) ‘The conceptual basis for inter-professional Collaboration: Core concepts and theoretical frameworks.’ Journal of Inter-professional Care. Supplement: 1, Pg: 116-131. Economic and Social Research Council (2005) Telemedicine revolution is ‘disappearing’ from the NHS. [Online] Available at: www.esrc.societytoday.ac.uk. (Accessed: 8 October 2011) Gardezi, F, Lingard, L, Espin, S, Whyte, S, Orser, B and Baker, G.R (2009) ‘Silence, po wer and communication in the operating room.’ Journal of Advanced Nursing. Volume: 65, Issue: 7, Pg: 1390-1399. General Medical Council (2006) ‘Good Medical Practice guidelines: working in teams.’ [Online] Available at: http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/good_medical_practice/working_with_colleagues_working_in_teams.asp (Accessed: 9 October 2011) Haynes, B.A, Weiser, G.T, Berry, R.W, Lipsitz, Sc.D et al (2009) ‘A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population.’ The New England Journal of Medicine. Volume: 360, Issue: 5, Pg: 496. Health Professions Council (2008-09) Continuing professional development annual report. [Online] Available at: http://www.hpc-uk.org/publications/reports/ (Accessed: 8 October 2011) Henderson, V (1966) The nature of Nursing: A definition and its implications for practice, research and education. New York. Macmillan. Hornby, S and Atkins, J (2000) Collaborative Care: Inter-professional, interagency and interpersonal. Oxford: Blackwell. Hughes, D (2011) ‘Emergency Surgery patients’ lives at risk, say surgeons.’ BBC news. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15098114 (Accessed: 8 October 2011) Kenward, L and Kenward, L (2011) ‘Promoting Inter-professional Care in the Perioperative environment.’ Nursing Standard. Volume: 25, Issue: 41, Pg: 35-39. Proquest [Online] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com/ (Accessed: 9 October 2011) Laerdal Medical (2011) ‘Just a Routine Operation’ [Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzlvgtPlof4 (Accessed: 9 October 2011) Leathard, A (1994) Going Inter-professional: Working Together for Health and Welfare. London: Routledge. Shields, L and Werder, H (2002 ) Perioperative Nursing. Cambridge University Press.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
(Cyp 3.1.2.3)
Explain how theories of development and frameworks to support development influence current practice (CYP 3. 1. 2. 3) Jean Piaget is the most widely known of all educational theorists and perhaps the main contributor to current practice of education. Piaget made vast contributions to the direction, meaning and understanding of contemporary constructivism. Examples of Piaget's contributions include his ideas that knowledge should be actively constructed by a child and learning activities should match the level of the development stage of each child. Also, several major approaches to the national curriculum and instruction are based on Piaget’s theory. For instance, Piaget influenced many teaching techniques such as the focus on the process of the child's thinking and the active role of the learner. Piaget's focus on the process of the child thinking promoted the development of the stages of cognitive development. Teachers use the stages in today's classroom as a way to gauge a child's cognitive functioning. This permits the development of activities and learning experiences that are at the correct cognitive development stage for the child's ability to learn. Piaget recognised that children must be self-initiated and actively involved in learning activities. A current application of this concept today can be found, many of the national curriculum material include interactive activities and even educational software for the child to engage in self-controlled learning. Another well known, and perhaps one of the most controversial theorists to date, is Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalytic theories of development began with the work of Freud, who believed that early childhood experiences had a lasting effect on further development of the individual thus having a lasting influence over the way children are educated today and the psychology behind the way this is executed. For example, early education through play, making it both an enjoyable and positive experience for children. Abraham Maslow developed a humanistic theory that has influenced education. This wide influence is due in part to the high level of practicality of Maslow's theory, many people find they can understand what Maslow says and they can relate to some features of their experience or behaviour which they have never put into words. Humanists do not believe that human beings are pushed and pulled by mechanical forces, either of stimuli and reinforcements (behaviorism) or of unconscious instinctual impulses (psychoanalysis). Humanists focus upon potentials, they believe that individuals strive for an upper level of capabilities and seek the frontiers of creativity, the highest reaches of consciousness and wisdom. Maslow calls this level â€Å"self-actualisation†within his ‘hierarchy of needs’. Maslow believes that the only reason that an individual would not move well in the direction of self-actualisation is because of hindrances placed in their way by society. He states that education is one of these hindrances, he recommends ways education can switch from its usual person-stunting tactics to person-growing approaches. JOANNE CORBETT Maslow states that educators should respond to the potential an individual has for growing into a self-actualising person and this has had great influence over the way education is now taught. Teachers are striving for holistic individual learning experiences rather than mass class lead approaches, current practice includes ability grouping and resources put in place for ‘gifted and talented’ children. The frameworks for current practice are mainly based around an holistic approach. Social pedagogy supports development and assumes a holistic approach to children’s needs – health, schooling, leisure, family life, spiritual life and so on – the whole child. It collaborates education with all other areas involved in how a child develops. Albert Bandura plays a major part in holistic development today; he is thought to be one of the most influential theorists of current education, with his social learning theory which believes people learn new behaviour through observational learning of the social factors in their environment. For example, if people observe positive, desired outcomes, then they are more likely to model, imitate and adopt the behaviour themselves. Teachers now understand the importance of providing a professional, positive role model for children to look up to. Burrhus Frederic Skinner is the American theorist behind operant conditioning which deals with the modification of â€Å"voluntary†(operant) behaviour. Operant conditioning is maintained by its consequences of reinforcement and punishment, both positive and negative. One of the distinctive aspects of Skinner's theory is that it attempted to provide behavioural explanations for a broad range of cognitive phenomena. For example, Skinner explained motivation in terms of deprivation and reinforcement schedules therefore perant conditioning has been widely applied within teaching with the use of positive reinforcement particularly for motivation and classroom management. Which bring us to our final theorist, John Watson who developed behaviourism with classical conditioning, most controversially with â€Å"Little Albert†a 9 month old boy he (along with Rayner) conditioned to be afraid of a white rat, where the stimuli was moderated (as oppose to Skinner, who moderates the response). Teachers are able to apply classical conditioning in the class by creating a positive classroom environment to help children overcome anxiety or fear. Pairing an anxiety-provoking situation, such as performing in front of a group, with pleasant surroundings helps the child learn new associations. Instead of feeling anxious and tense in these situations, the child will learn to stay relaxed and calm. This essay is not exhaustive of the many theories which have enriched education and the way it is currently practiced but merely gives an overview of some of the leading theorists that are utilised within schools today. 901 WordsJOANNE CORBETT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)