The roles of learning and motivation in total quality management Essay

The roles of erudition and motivation in integral quality management - Essay Examplewidely acknowledged and practiced by successful organizations and firms on a world wide basis the philosophy originates with the concept of continuous improvement but expands to a wide array of different processes to ensure that quality is the utmost objective of all organizational operations (Terziovski et al., 2000). In addition to that TQM highlights the critical issue of customer satisfaction as a benchmark for measuring, assessing, evaluating and achieving at last high quality standards in the provision of both services and products.While Total Quality steering is considered a systematic approach to quality, the majority of researchers argue that it is more(prenominal) of a philosophical perspective and mickle of the organization rather than a practical implementation of systems and tools. According to Coyle-Shapiro (1999) the objective of TQM is to transform an organizational burnish towa rds a culture of quality. Ambroz (2004) posits that the culture is the dominant issue in TQM and most importantly the culture becomes a key ingredient for achieving successful TQM. Within the framework of culture two critical issues emerge the skill orientation of the organization and the employees motivation and participation towards managing and continuously improving quality (Dimitriades, 2000 Wilkinson et al., 2003 Yeh, 2003). This paper discusses the role of the learning orientation and the motivation of employees towards this respect.Total Quality Management is the philosophy which places quality at the very guide of every organizational operation or process. Adopting a TQM approach to managing quality fairly implies that the organization is change to a quality oriented organization this further implies that the culture of organization is transformed towards a more quality-drive and quality-focus culture. This transformation is not only theoretical but it becomes practical too, when processes and procedures are redesigned or re-configured in tell to

Risk Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Risk Assessment - Essay ExampleThe participants involved in the fortune assessment includeJack Philips, Hewlett-Packard chief IT officer who reviewed the safety of the entire report after completion.Patrick Michaels, Hewlett Packard ranking(prenominal) IT technician that uses the discipline risk management to ensure that the operation of the company runs smoothly and providing additional information on what needs to be improved within the firm (Loughman et al., 2011 p 45).James Williams, Hewlett Packard systems administrator who provided information on how secure the system was for use online. The information was obtained through the completion of questionnaires.John Wallace, Hewlett Packard Data administrator provided information on the same through the completion of various reports after having done assessments and questionnaires.Mike Johnson, Hewlett Packard computer earnest officer, gave information on the security system through doing reports and filling questionnaires.Contr ol objectives needed to secure an organization.This spirit will help in identifying the risks associated with the information system installed at Hewlett Packard. This will be effective in analyzing the various vulnerabilities that the systems may be exposed to. The systems may also be exposed to a frame of threats within the company, for instance, environmental factors and various human factors (Calow 2009 p 12).The process that was used to identify involveda) credit of the susceptibility of the organizations information system

Seminar Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Seminar Question - Essay ExampleSimply put, if you promise that you will do something for another person and in return, that person agrees to pay you something, then you and that person have made a contract. A contract can be in verbal or written form and the most important thing is that there would be an cartel especially between two parties. Likewise, consort to the labour laws of many countries, both the worker and the employee are bound by certain statutory regulations that would chequer that no party will breach the agreed contract. Indeed, when a person has decided to enter into an agreement with someone, both parties should have a common ground of understanding of the nature of the contract they would be agreeing upon so as to avoid conflict and misunderstanding in the future.Thus, the case involving Will Bearing can be attri scarcelyed to as unfair firing or termination of contract as a result of foreseen helping that were meant to benefit the foreman but which he appar ently refused to endorse as a driver. The foreman cherished Will Bearing to falsify a tachograph reading in the lorry which he was to drive but he refused which led to an altercation between the two leading to a fight. Unfortunately, the consequences led to Wills dismissal without notice and he was denied any representation. Legally, he is entitled to be represented in much(prenominal) a situation under the terms of agreement in the contract. His dismissal is unfair as sound as the allegations of subsequent discovery that Will had been pilfering with some of the loads which he carried. This could have been brought to his attention earlier his dismissal if that could have been the case. One thing that is disturbing and unfair in Wills dismissal is that he has not been given the reason for instant termination of his contract and he stands better chances of attractive his case in the court of law.In the event of a successful claim, Will stands better chances of organism reinstated to his

Microevolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microevolution - taste ExampleCompetition in the wild is the ultimate solution to survival. Animals with unique features survive while those with unsought features die. Iguanas that could not survive the evolution process had no option but to die. Iguanas had to attach themselves to their parents to protection until they were mature. They fit to feeding cacti and flowers in the wild. Competition among organisms in the same environment eliminates the weaker generation from the society. Darwin noted that the tortoises in Galapagos Island were classifiable in their particular manner. They were very distinct, and individuals could quickly tell the island of origin. There is a close relationship amid the land iguanas and the finches.That sets in another theory whose postulation supports why land iguanas are dominant in Laguna de Manialtepec, South Mexico (Darwin&Quammen, 12). The choice of food eaten by organisms and the time food takes to reach the gastrointestinal portion of the ig uanas is vital in the evolution of the animal. Natural foods are broken down for energy, nitrogen, calcium among other authoritative minerals. The system of the iguanas processes high-quality foods. According to Darwin, not all organisms piss equal chances in the fight for survival (Darwin&Quammen, 23). The plants that have adapted to the environment are healthy and have a better chance of surviving. The fittest animals survive grating conditions. Land iguanas reproduce to their full potential and adapt to the conditions of Laguna de Manialtepec.

IKEA Analysis Report (Operations management)1 Assignment - 1

IKEA Analysis Report (Operations management)1 - grant ExampleThe pass judgment proposition provides benefits both to the fellowship and the stakeholder. It encourages the roles and tasks undertaken by the stakeholders to be in like with fraternitys objectives. It becomes the promotion proposition to potential clientele, the reason they ought to do trade with party, rather than its rivals. It communicates to the entire company a sense of precise purpose and course, coordinating their labours toward the overburdening common purpose of generating a satisfied customer. IKEA, the Swedish furniture industrialized company have applied Co-productivity to its complete exploitation. IKEA sells its commodities to customers in a kit instance which the customer assembles themselves, at a lower pricing. The cause that this technique is successful is that customers do not moorage a worth on their own energy and time in assembling the merchandise. In near scenarios, the amount of extra effor t inputted by the clients can be a greater cost than it could be if the get-together of the furnishings were done proficiently (Porter, 2001). IKEAs specialization positioning system the fundamental nature of a differentiation policy is to be exceptional in manners that are precious to clients in a sustainable method. Differentiation needs an in-depth comprehending what clients foster most, where down the value range of mountains to generate the differentiating variables, and what facilitates and capabilities are required to beat this exceptionality. It is that the corporation services a small number of market segments by offering a value intention that satisfies each section on a few key scope which creates this positioning strategy gainful. The key is to create product stand out from competitive provisions by having merchandise that provides a few highly valued elements. Distinctive capabilities are those potentials that a company can do reveal than competitors and are not si mply imitated. For instance, IKEA can be said to have an idiosyncratic capability in comprehending the customer. When this characteristic capability lies in a major accomplishment area, or a movement which is requirement if the company aspirations to stay alive in the long-term, it becomes a competitive gain. The value Chain The value chain is the organization of various products or segments of the company to offer valuable items. It involves proper planning, coordination and control of the company segments such(prenominal) as production, marketing, service and design and development. IKEA value chain is summarized as the value proposal is the conclusion of the value sequence. There are two parts to the value plan the consumer and the company. The company covers all of the domestic and orthogonal procedures that are executed throughout the value chain. The accomplishment or failure of the value plan give mirror how the members of the value chain recognize the external pressures o n the value chain (Sheehy, Bracey, and Frazier, 1996). If these discernments are inaccurate, wherefore the worth proposition will be outdated. The value chain encompasses the customers and stakeholders expectations that must be considered. Manage the logistics of the company that ensure smooth flow of procedure. Ikea intangible products and benefits Currently IKEA has not concentrated on assessing the tangible advantages of its environmental

Human Resources Management Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Human Resources Management Report - Essay ExampleIn 2005 a subject argona was conducted and it was reported by the management of the party that they had all over 275 gazillion hits on their website. The motto of the company is that they are trying to create a better life for some population through their products and the business desire of the company also supports the vision of the company and that is it provides article of furniture at reasonable and affordable prices so that many people can afford their products. The objectives it to make profit and as well as serve the clubhouse and the environment. The turnover for IKEA in 2007 was $26.1 billion. The objective of this paper is to show that how can IKEA increase its market share in the industry through the effective use of human resource management. As we know that this paper is nigh how to increase market share of IKEA in the furniture industry through effective human resources management.IKEA is a privately owned, inte rnational establish company. It is an international retail store that sells flat pack furniture, bathrooms, accessories and kitchens all over the world. The company when it started off, it used to sell flat pack designed furniture at reasonable prices precisely now it is considered to be the worlds largest manufacturer of furniture. IKEA has somewhere around 278 outlets in 36 countries, most of the outlets are based in Europe, United States, Australia, Canada and Asia. ... IKEA has somewhere around 278 outlets in 36 countries, most of the outlets are based in Europe, United States, Australia, Canada and Asia. In 2006 IKEA had opened around 16 more stores and by 2008 they plan to at least 30 more outlets or relocate them. The company has somewhere around 12,000 products available on their website, which is actually near to their products range. In 2005 a survey was conducted and it was reported by the management of the company that they had over 275 million hits on their website. T he motto of the company is that they are trying to create a better life for people all over the world through their products and the business desire of the company also supports the vision of the company and that is it provides furniture at reasonable and affordable prices so that many people can afford their products. The turnover for IKEA in 2007 was $26.1 billion. Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in Almhult, Sweden by in 1943, when he only a boy of 17 years. The record book IKEA is the abbreviation of Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. The company first started out by selling all kinds of products like pens, runners, wallets, picture frames, watches, jewelry, furniture and stockings etc. anything that Kamprad thought that would sell at a reduced but reasonable price. It is the business idea of IKEA that they offer a wide range of home furnishing products at process which are affordable by many people. (IKEA)In 1948 IKEA introduced furniture in their range. The furniture was produced by the local manufactures in the forest walking(prenominal) to Ingvar Kamprads home. The response to the furniture was a positive one. Kamprad first started to sell the products out of his home and then he used mail order to deliver the products to his

Theories of Internationalisation and Relevance in Explaining Global Essay

Theories of Internationalisation and Relevance in Explaining Global Patterns of Foreign condition Investment - Essay ExampleIn effect, countries can gain profits if they direct their activities to the generation of products and serve which argon most profitable. This surmise relates the situation where a country creates products and services for its people, and for export in terms of surplus. As a result, it is favourable for countries to bit the products and services where they also have an stinting disadvantage (Morgan and Katsikeas, 1997). The economic advantage and disadvantage may be base on differences in available resources, labour, and technology. The classical theory argues that the foundation of international trade would come from the differences in the qualities of production and available resources which are also based on differences in natural and acquired advantages (Morgan and Katsikeas, 1997). A nonher theory of internationalisation contrasts with the classical trade theory. The factor parity theory discusses that countries usually produce the export products and services which support significant production advantages that they have, and they will import the products and services which would need large scores of production factors that may be limited (Hecksher and Ohlin, 1933). This theory supports the desire of economic advantage by evaluating the endowment and costs related to factors of production (Morgan and Katsikeas, 1997). The supra theories do not completely explain the latest trends in international trade. For one, the rise of technological development and of multinational corporations during the sixties called for new theories on international trade. At such time, the product life cycle theory relating to international trade was considered a significant basis in explaining trade patterns and MNC expansions (Morgan and Katsikeas, 1997). Such theory... This essay stresses that financial merchandise is also another opportunit y for securing strategic flexibility for FDIs. MNCs can circumvent the restrictions imposed by the host government, mostly those which relate to finance, remittance, and foreign exchange in order to secure and support their new and advanced products. Another opportunity relates to the transfer of information. Flexibility ensures that MNEs can benefit from the act of singling out available opportunities, assessing the orb markets to match the involved buyers and sellers and avoiding the barriers to effective trade relations. This paper makes a conclusion that based on the above discussion, the theories of internationalisation like the classical trade theory acknowledges the fact that trade relations and investments are located by the needs of investors and of the consumers. Where the need is great and the profit would best be gained, the FDIs would likely be made. The current global trends in investments indicate how the emerging economies have manifested the greatest need and th e most profit for investments, for which discernment investors have directed their economic activities to these areas. The internationalisation theory generally indicates how the current trends in the economy are gravitating towards more open forms of trade and economic relations. These FDIs are but another manifestation of internationalisation, and these investments would likely produce bigger avenues for investment in the years to come.

Black Water security and what they do in Iraq as security contractors Essay

Black Water security department and what they do in Iraq as security contractors - canvas ExampleBlackwater is one of the around high profile private security firms working in Iraq. Blackwater oecumenical along with its subsidiaries, Blackwater Training Center, Blackwater Target Systems, Blackwater gage Consulting and Blackwater Canine is engaged in the task of providing security to American officials in Iraq, in keeping with the companys aim of employing a new generation of capability, skills, and throng to solve the spectrum of needs in the world of security (Blackwater Security.com.)The services the company renders, include providing security for the American military bases, the Green Zone, infrastructure, weapons demolition, cash transport, guarding important military, civilian and establishment dignitaries, gathering of intelligence, covert operations, psychological warfare, and most importantly, training Iraqi security forces. (Government Accountability Office, Rebuildin g Iraq Actions Needed to Improve Use of Private Security Providers (July 2005) (GAO-05-737).)Being the security provider for sensitive and important officials of the government and also the military, Blackwater personnel have to much engage in fights with the locals and in one such incident in Baghdad on family line 16, 2007, 14 Iraqi civilians and 18 others were wounded, while escorting a convoy through the city. This incident pushed the company into the brilliance and it has had to face some hard truths about the way in which it is running its operations in Iraq.The government of USA has been able to increase the number of ground staff by employing private security operatives. This has helped them to celebrate the troop levels on the ground without resorting to draft. These private security operators are a part of a tail army which is better trained and equipped than some of the militaries of many countries.In August 2003, Blackwater officially became the security provider fo r the U.S. civilian

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 14

Sociology - Essay ExampleThe link between social year and educational attainment canister be proved to exist if evidence is found for the existence of a relationship between ability and social class since good abilities are very essential for unfathomed education, since good abilities are essential for sound education and learning. A person is gifted with good abilities by nature. Though practice makes a lot of difference but a practicing person can neer be as precipitate as the one who is mentally smart. Therefore, good abilities are in born(p) and can non be developed. Secondly, it involve to be evaluated whether a social class is inherited or a higher social class is attainable through difficult work or not. Thirdly, it needs to be clarified whether social class is needed to ensure sound educational attainment, or fault versa.It can be observed in the society that money can not buy everything. galore(postnominal) rich parents fail to educate their children despite prov oketing them admitted in expensive schools. Many schools guarantee that they can educate students the best but the fact is that it is not true unless the students themselves take interest in their studies. On the other hand, we come across many cases where poor parents have succeeded in educating their children good enough to get them high posts and good salaries, and accordingly they social class of the children gets upgraded as compared to their parents. Thus, it is proved that money can not buy learning and a higher social status is quite attainable through hard work and luck. Expensive schools are not necessary for the attainment of good education. A mentally sharp and hard working person can get the highest level of education. All he / she needs is to be at the right place and the right time and a good luck. Education is not the lieu of the rich. Thus, there is no significant relationship between social class and educational

Successful Marketing in Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Successful Marketing in japan - undertake ExampleThis piece of paper addresses major factors that are to be considered by foreign parentagees that intend to rear their lucrative business in lacquer and explain what they should do to respond to the cultural myopia that prevails in Japan. Mastering the marketing in Japan Japan, being the second largest economy of the world, occupies a significant smear in almost completely industries and business activities worldwide. From the 1940s onwards, the country has been able to build a dominant, forward-looking and internationally-oriented industrial economy which was based on innovative product designs, risque quality production, modernistic services, change magnitude domestic consumption etc (Genzberger, 1994, p. 1). Japan is not only a strong economy in footing of production, exports, innovation, advanced services etc, but also a powerful market that large numbers of businesses from new(prenominal) countries seek opportunities i n Japan. But, administering and mastering the marketing in Japan is considered to be a difficult task. in that respect are different barriers to marketing in Japan. Some of the major barriers to selling to Japan are upshot barriers, obstructive bureaucrats, non-transparent regulations, huge language barrier, conglomerate monopolies etc (Genzberger, 1994, p. 175). For any businessman from other countries to launch, run, operate and succeed in Japans market is therefore a difficult task, but there are many an(prenominal) lucrative businesses that earn strategically approached the market and found success in its path. As Reid (1999, p. 41) observed, even though Japanese market has long been considered to be obstructive to penetrate, experts on business in Japan concur found that this is quite misleading. Various business strategies have been found to have helped foreign businesses in Japans market. Goodnow and Kosenko (1993) identified key strategies that North American companies used for marketing in Japan. Management philosophy, high technological capability, acceptance of Japanese subsidiary etc are some of such effective strategies. Reid (1999, p. 41) pointed that foreign companies have not only succeeded in marketing in Japan, but also established leadership positions principally in Japanese consumer products market. Many foreign players have turned to be established leaders in the Japanese market. For instance, Coca-Cola generates around 30 percent of its total profits from Japan, 70 percent of Dunhills gross revenue are from Japanese people and IBM employs around 20,000 Japanese people. Factors to be considered by foreign corporations to conduct business in Japan Cost element While comparing the relative costs that may bring in marketing in different countries, it can be found that marketing in Japan is more costly than marketing in many other countries (Genzberger, 1994, p. 175). When it comes to various business expenditures, almost both thing in cluding rent, salary, transportation, advertising, banking etc are highly expensive than that of other countries. Cost has been accounted to be 50 percent of all the reasons behind the failure of companies in marketing in Japan. For those corporate who have a quality product, advanced technology, innovations and more importantly those who are willing to undertake the high initial costs for market presentation in the

Economic Crisis And Opportunity For Entrepreneurship Research Proposal

Economic Crisis And Opportunity For Entrepreneurship - Research Proposal ExampleAn innovative entrepreneur is expect to experience high- risk of infection lust when starting a venture with the clear understanding of the correlation between risk & uncertainty which can be mensural by applying known probabilities and impacts. Knowing the industry dynamics, the entrepreneurs are expected to take calculated risks into account to knuckle under the uncertainty of production & trade. The payoff is the profit earned by the entrepreneur which is the primary motive. In this context, the venture capitalist plays the role of trusting the innovation & risk appetite of an entrepreneur and providing funds for transitioning the ideas into action thus helping in the formation of good performing start-ups. A nation having the effective framework of capitalists (Banks, Financial Institutions, Private lenders, etc.) ensures better development of entrepreneurship thus boosting the economic growth. .. .Entrepreneurs let parvenu ideas by virtue of innovations which may comprise of (a) Introduction of a clean product in the marketplace (b) Introduction of a new technology in the market (c) Introduction of a new methodology of production in the industry (d) Opening a new business potential & market in the region which has remained untouched largely by other companies (e) Discovery of a new quotation of supply of raw materials, support & services which is not known to other companies (f) Building a new organization system with the innovative business model not tested by other organizations (g) Overall, bring on new profit opportunities An innovative entrepreneur is expected to possess high-risk appetite when starting a venture with the clear understanding of the correlation between risk & uncertainty which can be calculated by applying known probabilities and impacts. Knowing the industry dynamics, the entrepreneurs are expected to take calculated risks into account to bear the uncertainty of production & trade.

Management Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Dynamics - Essay moral? No part of the assignment/product has been written/produced for me by any other person move out where collaboration has been authorised by the subject lecturer/tutor concerned. ? I am aware that this subject area whitethorn be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future plagiarism checking). Signature ______________________________________ use Relations Employment relation refers to an economic exchange, an agreement that is established between the employees and employers in relation to the capacity of work or labour power. Balnave and Maconachie (2007, p.2) contend that employment relation is deceptively simple, since thither is a need for hiring employees in cast to produce goods and services, and the employee is expected to undertake some task for succumbment. Nevertheless, the experiment seeks to discuss the way Unit arist and Pluralist approaches to betrothal, would be utilise in a situation of industrial implement, which was taken by the Construction Forestry and Mining Employees Union in forming the Barangaroo picket line, and identify the approach that offers a better explanation. The conflict that will be explored in this essay involved the Construction giant Lend remove as employers and the employees, who were members of a union, whereby the employers were expected to respect the rights of employees by dint of improvement of job and income security in the building industry (Lend Lease, 2012, p 1). The employees had taken industrial action for a period of forty-eight hours on a Tuesday after unsuccessful bargaining that entailed an agreement that was to covering fire Lend Leases project management and construction business (ABC News, 2012, p. 1). The union was interested with ensuring equitability concerning employee pay and condition for employee of subcontractors on Lend Lease sites , and this included the Barangaroo project in Sydney (McIllroy, 2012, p. 1). The employers were also being condemned collectable to their failure in provision of jobs to apprentices in Australia, and the union was calling for better rights for contract as a way of dealing with Howe inquiry regarding job insecurity (ACTU, 2012, p.1). The case concerning Construction giant Lend lease as and its employees is an example of the multidimensional nature of employment relation that establishes a potential for a conflict to occur between parties involved. In fact, the conflicts between employers and employees are termed as industrial conflicts, which relates to issues like employment conditions, managerial prerogative, wages, social or political concerns. On the other hand, the nature of the employment relationship is depicted by the conflict manifestation, whereby the employees can bargain, hold balance of power, commitment and effort. It entails collective action such as detachment from work in situation of a strike, absenteeism, stop-works, while in other situation other s may decide to remain in work, but undermine the objective of the management through a go-slow or sabotage (Balnave & Maconachie, 2007, p.7). In order to resolve the situation that involve the conflict between employers and employees, there is a need to understand the frame of reference, which refers a person

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 13

Case Study - adjudicate ExampleOn the other hand, Ralph has low energy but he has significant experience and he is a potential candidate because of his experience and expertise in the industry. The third candidate Yingzi is a in truth talented woman and she can bring new innovative managerial practices in the company and retaining her in the organization is very important.The first solution is to promote Carmen because for being an honest organization, company has to show tint towards employees especially the women and minority. Carmen is one of those who is both an African American and she is also qualified for the position. However, following is the SWOT summary of making this decision.Image of company concerns towards employees will further emend. From maternal ethics concept, the consideration given towards mother-child blood can improve the nature and quality of workplace interactions (Frederick, 2002).Company will be able to improve its public relations through this decis ion. Actually in business world activities which appear as a result of generosity are the attempts of companies to make public relations (Flynn, 2008). The promotion of Carmen can appear as a strong example of it, if she is promoted.No doubt Carmen and Yingzi are the suitable candidates for the managerial position however, Ralph should be promoted because he has worked twenty years with the company and he is the most experienced as compared to other two. What should be the criteria of the company while promoting people? Most of the policies of organizations promote employees based on seniority bases however, even the ethical nature of policy is sometimes challenged. The promotions which are based on seniority alone seem nitwitted whereas, the decisions which are based on qualification seem heartless, therefore, companies should take it as a challenge to flow the dual responsibilities of qualification

Analysis and implications for practice of quantitative research report Essay

Analysis and implications for practice of valued research report - Es severalise ExampleThis work, hence, aims at analyzing the theory use in qualitative approaches in research as applied in qualitative end-of-life studies. Qualitative end-of-life studies are reviewed in order to adorn theory application to the designs and findings of the field of operations Purpose of the Study As nurse researchers turn theory in order to gain guide investigations and conceptualize research problems, the application of such theory lacks consensus and consistency because qualitative research, in such a case, rarely articulate with the theory. Therefore, an analysis of this report is very significant to treat because it will be applied by nurses researchers to improve their qualitative research and hence ensure consensus and consistency. On the other hand, nurses will learn to articulate application of qualitative research with theory thus meliorate their designs and findings. ... Finally, nurse researchers apply theory into approaches of qualitative research in end-of-life studies. Study Variables The dependent variables in the study are theory, and end-of-life, while the independent variable is qualitative research. Conceptual Model / Theoretical Framework system and research are characterized in many ways, in regard to their alliances. Research and theory have correlative effects, that is research problems and questions are conceptualized by theory. On the other hand, research can either support or reject theory. Studies that incorporate the link between theory and research are more effective, theory colligate research, unlike theory isolated research. Therefore, in this study, theoretical framework is used to conceptualize, conceptual model, research problems and questions so as to develop, test and refine the theory, as applies in qualitative research to address end-of-life studies. Review of associate Literature The reviewed literature supports the needs of this study in various ways. First, reviewed literature has been used to outline the relationship between theory and qualitative research. Fawcett (1998) says that the relationship between theory and qualitative research resembles that of a picture helix DNA molecule. That is, they are interdependent. On the other hand, Polit & Beck (2006) describes their relationship as reciprocal. Review of literature has in like manner been used to give definition of theory and qualitative research. Fawcett (1999) says that authors should intelligibly define the terms they use clearly because many researchers and theorists use theoretical framework, theory and conceptual framework to mean the same thing. Polit & Beck however say

International Marketing - Project 2 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Marketing - Project 2 - Term Paper ExampleAbaya the name, originated from the Arabian Peninsula meaning, crosscut the whole body (Tarrant &Marjorie 301).Abaya does not produce casual wear it is strictly religious and conventional in its productions and has stores in Pakistan, Turkey, Arabia and many other countries worldwide(Tarrant &Marjorie 311). China revolves around its tradition, culture, and beliefs on a daily basis. Religious and traditional clothing in china is an important part of their lives since it gives individuals personal identity. Abayas will definitely succeed in producing these different types of religious clothing to China since it is a daily part of their lives. However, two factors require circumspect analysis in coif to enter the market and launch the product with a successful accomplishment. These two key factors are targeting market, positioning in market and the marketing mix of the company. This report will dramatise on the factors that w ill determine the success in launching and penetration to the market.Traditional and religious clothing will target a wide range of individuals in china. There are several traditional clothing in China does not vary with age group, all the individual practice their piety and traditions and are committed to them including children and old people. There are several ethnic groups with different preferences in their traditional and religious clothing. The hun, Manchu, zhuang and hui are among the largest ethnic communities in China. The best way to target all of these ethnic groups is to divide the whole into segments. This will make it possible to treat each market uniquely with its own need and marketing mix (Madura 89). During the division of the market into segments, it is necessary to note characteristics of each segment in order to realize the capableness segments. In the case of China, these different ethnic groups can create the segments. Select the potential segments

Referee Report for Economics Manuscript Essay Example for Free

Referee Report for Economics Manuscript EssayDifferent Risk-Adjusted Fund Performance Measures A ComparisonSummary This paper compares various risk-adjusted transaction measures for a set of mutual funds. The authors beseech that performance measures based on Value-at-Risk (var) or Extreme Value Theory (EVT) are much appropriate than otherwise popular performance measures such as the Sharpe ratio (SR), the Treynor index (TI) or Jensens Alpha (JA) . They put forward a performance index similar to the SR and the TI based on losses metrical by way of life of VaR together with EVT. They find that EVT-VaR measures are more appropriate in the strawman of non-normal data.Main Comments The pass byic of the paper is of relevance for financial practitioners as well as academics and it is certainly applicable to the current financial stability context. The paper is to a fault generally wellwritten. However, I have some comments for its improvement. 1. The theatrical role of the paper is not producely stated. In the 6th paragraph of the introduction, the authors suggest that their main contribution is the plait of a performance index based on EVT-VAR. However, it is not very clear why the cutting proposed measure should be better in relation to breathing measures as it is now explained. It is true that VaR or EVT should be more reliable measures for extreme events but when looking at formula (13) it is not apparent why this measure should be more reliable than the traditional measures. The denominator has, in fact, an extreme make pass as opposed to the SR or TI which have strictly second moments, so it is not very straight forward to relate these measures.A better job should be done at explaining the implications of such VaR based measure, how it relates to other measures and why it should be better. 2. Why have the measures been compared only in a static way? It is widely known in the finance literature that asset lessen excitableness is time-vary ing, and to some extent, in any case expected returns.It would be possible to go around the latter by arguing market efficiency (which is also questionable) but it is certainly much more difficult to argue against time-variability of the standard deviation in the VaR measures (or in the SA and TI ratios). This is very important as the full(a) or bad applicability of a particular performance measure could be sample reliant and as it is now with unconditional measures, this is hard to uncover. For instance, while the authors account for nonnormality of returns in the modified-VaR measure by means of a Corner-Fisher quantile,they assume a constant standard deviation which means that in periods of high volatility they could still understate the VaR. So at the minimum, the performance comparisons should be done for the full sample and variant sub-samples and it should be tested whether the measures obtained are significantly different over different samples. 3. The authors concentrat e on top 10 and undersurface 10 funds for their analysis and discarded the other funds for the sake of relief. However, by choosing only the tail funds, the authors are giving from the start an advantage to EVT or VaR measures. It would be more appropriate to also report results on (say) 10 mid funds.4. It is not very clear why the top 10 funds show more departures from normality in relation to butt ending funds. This finding should be expanded and the intuition behind it should be better explained. One could argue that losers could be more volatile than superiors as the level of uncertainty with respect to the fund might increase which could depart to more extreme returns. In fact, in the 3rd paragraph of the empirical result section it says the bottom 10 funds have, in general, higher VaR values than the top ones, which means that they are more susceptible to extreme events which is somewhat contradictory with the finding that the top 10 funds exhibit more departures from no rmality.Moreover, one of the main findings of the study is that the VaR and EVT performance measures perform best in relation to other measures when there are more departures from normality in returns. A better attempt to adapt the findings of nonnormality, the winner vs. looser funds and the results on the performance measures with some previous studies or satisfactory intuition should be done. opposite comments 1. The contributions of the paper should be stated earlier in the paper and not almost at the end of the introduction as it is now. The contributions should be clearer (see also point 1 above) and should be better related to the existing relevant literature. 2. The conclusion is too long. The concluding remarks should be much shorter and should only summarize the main findings and reconcile them with the issues raised in the introduction as well as highlight possible extensions for future work.3. The tables should also be improved. They should have a short description of t he contents to facilitate reading. As it is now, the reader has to eternally come back to the main text to find out what the contents mean. 4. The figures are hardly visible, they should also be improved and a short explanation should be given.

Financial services Essay Example for Free

m matchlesstary run EssayHSBC wants to be know as the grounds local bank and this tag commercial enterprise reflects HSBC pose as a globe spanning financial institution with a unique focus on parcel local commercialises. The Hong Kong and Shanghai jargoning Corporation Ltd (HSBC) was effected in 1865 to finance the acquireing trade between china and the United Kingdom and currently, it is the second largest bank in the world. In spite of serving to a greater extent than blow billion customers through 9500 branches in 79 countries, the bank whole kit and boodle hard to substantialtain local posture and local knowledge every(prenominal)(prenominal) area. Its fundamental operating schema is remaining close to its customers. As chairperson Sir John Bond verbalize our aim as the Worlds local bank enables us to approach each country uniquely, blending local knowledge with a worldwide operating platform. Ads for the HSBC press depict 2 different ways of cultur e Profile of community and the description of the market where HSBC operates HSBC has got bothwhere 7. 500 offices in 87 countries. It is very widespread and has around 220. 000 shareh hoarers in 124 countries and territories.It provides a full surf of financial services being Personal Financial Services, Commercial asserting, Corporate Investment Banking and Markets Private Banking. HSBC in the main operates in Europe, Hong Kong, Asia-pacific region, Australia and America. It is interested in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific region and is continuously heavily investiture in these regions. The major(ip) top UK competitors of HSBC are Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland and Those are the corporations surgical procedure where HSBC concernfully investigates and tracks at alone propagation. until now HSBC is not a bank that follows the ideas and the management manners of its competitors. HSBC Holdings PLC has sh protest steady growth in share outlay over the last five years and clearly indicates that a partnership is worth investing in. HSBC mathematical association to a fault demonstrates constant growth and is a very safe corporation. These enable us to recommend investing in HSBC because of its growth opportunities and b decline profitable prospects. The HSBC banking corporation is on third position in the world in regard to assets ownership. Almost 22% of HSBCs profits go through been derived from Hong Kong, which is a well known operational affection.Known as the worlds local bank, HSBC has a history of helping millions of customers spherically in coif to achieve their financial aspirations. They understand the importance and functioning of different markets through their finger in international trade. As a result, HSBC has grown into a company or banking institution that has the deepest pry for different cultures and people connected to these cultures. Their motto is to look at their customers as individuals and strive towards providing them with a individualized service and credit card harvest-tides that will fit each of their peculiar(prenominal) needs.Simultaneously, HSBC convocation has been trying to progress to up a good reputation in the US and conquer the markets of HSBC North America, proudly stands one of the top 10 financial services companies in the United States. Its combined team gifted more than 53,000 employees utilizations with the common goal of meeting the needs for about 100 million customers. After achieving the goals in US, the company foc utilize on developing countries and is more interested in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific region and is continuously heavily investing in these regions. Furthermore HSBC is considering moving its head office from capital of the United Kingdom to Hong Kong.Britains greatest bank, warned key shareholders that this was unavailing full-year results drop do arguments for shifting HSBCs domicile to Hong Kong unsatisfying. The investors ha ve been shocked by the swift gear-change in HSBCs review of its domicile but roughly others have already told the HSBC that they would sponsor the move. Some other investors said that they understood the move and that the bank had been a change of tone as HSBC reviews its domicile. UKs capital statuss for the main banks, now is one of the greatest in the world and according to the Basel terms, is expected to go even higher.Although HSBC calibrate to the investors that if the terms in Hong Kong is more relaxed requirements, that laughingstock cost less and develop more profit by making it the trump use of its balance sheet. The loss of HSBCs head office in London, despite the occurrence that abused for months because of the raise in financial typesetments, would be a severe blow to the Coalition which, admitting some of its banker criticism is relying on a private-sector-led recovery. However, HSBC supported that it elects to hang on in UK and told that an approaching change in its position was entirely hypothetical. Marketing milieu of HSBCThe most important intention of the report is to investigate the crinkle environment of HSBC Holdings PLC. HSBC Holdings alike is one of the market leaders in todays banking world. HSBC head office it laughingstock be found at Londons Canary Wharf on the HSBC tower. HSBC stands for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, which was established by a man from Scotland, named Thomas Sutherland, in 1865. The report presents training about the companys activities, financial performance and market environment. Going through few major topics will provide investors with comely overview.The first-year case of the main body will primarily focus on the Companys Profile and Activities, afterwards the analysis of macro-environment and the micro-environment of the company, evidence of an audit of key managences within the company followed with the recommendations and conclusion. Macro-Environment Analysis swearing a bbreviation POLITICAL Government is responsible for protecting the public interest. Political stability affects business decision. Consumer protection. Regulations of business activities. ECONOMIC Competitor activity. Competition for resources. Savings.Unemployment government issues. SOCIAL Work life balance. Trends in consumer behaviours. Lei accredited. Lifestyle. TECHNOLOGY Technological arrange is speeding up. Technology develops now products (internet). Improven communication. Internet business. POLITICAL ANALYSIS HSBC banking has been sheltered by the regulations and policies do by different governments in the countries where they are working. The company has been able to remain to the policies agreed by each government to get ahead sure that the company will be able to accomplish business operation successfully and hard-hittingly.HSBC Company also formu latterlys their own defence strategies besides any governmental restrictions and limitations. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS Being on e of the worlds leading and completive businesses in conditions of banking and finance HSBC said to have a secure and successful economic strength. In spite of lots of dangers that they meet in umteen split of the world, the management of HSBC make what they need to be able to go beyond such struggles and to have a better economic condition and create a shield against unemployment. SOCIAL ANALYSIS HSBC is being touch by the circumstances of the society in which they are in use.By the side of this HSBC tries harder to make sure that each society is given the same chances to bump off the benefit of the resources given by the geological formation. The company amaze to having good name and relations in the society that be hanker to secure that everything will be normal and under control. TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS The urgent situation of information engineering science, internet and generally the improvement of technology effects how HSBC has been working in the preceding(a) years . The company calculate for different systems and used internet to consume to their costumer all over the world and also help them know the latest trends in the global business.Except from these, the company also uses special facilities which help then to advance their productions and operations and also make them to achieve their goal. Technological breakthroughs potty create newly industries which might prove a danger to presented organizations. To total PEST analysis looks at the business strategies to understand the environment that the company is working and also to read the returnss and benefits to minimize the threats and the dangers for the business. Micro-Environmental Analysis -Porters Five ForcesPotential entrants HSBC has many threats from Tesco, Sainsburys and a large number of other markets consider to enter into banking industry as a result of high profits that the specific kind of industry offers. Large super-markets in UK seek to enter without considering tha t those threats sometimes breakdown fundamental laws such as HSBC. Although, HSBC received several threats from the market, they were still able to create high standards for the emulation. Strong rating images are used from HSBC, so the company will not result in loss of customers.Bargaining power of customers An organisation created a value which has affected the occupation from one of the two important forces customers power. The role of this force contains the customers stringency along with the size. In other words, HSBC managed their customers as a result of allowing the company to gain customer loyalty. The strategy that was used by HSBC allows them to have a chance becoming a world leader in banking industry. Threat of substitutes Another significant threat that HSBC faces is that competitors provide new products and services.This threat gives the opportunity to the company to work hard as a result of being sustain to its position. HSBCs strategy focuses on the intraveno us feeding different customers sections. Bargaining power of suppliers Customer power mirrors to supplier power. This force focus on two important points. The first one is the significant size and concentration of suppliers and the second one the differentiation in the materials being supplied. HSBC use the strategy of charging markets with different prices according to differences of the price of each buyer. Rivalry among current competitors at that place have many rivals in the banking and financial sectors. HSBC used efficient strategies to ensure its leadership position in the market among rivalries. Moreover, due to the capabilities of other rival companies, HSBC develops strategic plans to confirm that they are permanently being the first choice of their customers in banking industries. Nowadays, as we cross the mountain of financial crisis, a number of banks went to liquidation . rise Analysis STRENGTHS International Finance. Record Profits. Listed in London. chinaware. WEA KNESSES Poor Performance. Brand Name.OPPORTUNITIES Growth on emerging economies. Biggest Bank in fondness eastside. Low mortgages interest rates. THREATS Moving back to China. New Regulations. Fewer Revenues from the integration of financial markets. STRENGTHS International Finance Since HSBC is a global company itself is well qualified to advise other companies on aspects of international business. With offices around the world, for the international client HSBC often cannot be defeated in this area. HSBC knows how to succeed in Mergers and Acquisitions (M E) and the organic and the effective development.Record Profits Last year, HSBC acceptd the most profits ever for a UK high street bank. HSBC have revealed their profits more than doubled in 2010 to ? 10 billion with every region in the black for the first time since 2006. Listed in London HSBC is listed primarily in London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, which saves the company a lot of grief in complying with new U. S. legis lation Sarbanes-Oxley law. Many companies have chosen to list on distant stock exchanges, except America, because of expensive new regulations. China HSBC has one hundred forty years of experience in China.Since China is the place to be today for companies and banks, HSBC benefits for being so old Chinese company and accepted by the Chinese people. The best news for HSBC is that, like other companies grow in China, it does too. The reason this happens is that it wins new customers and new global opportunities with each passing day. The HSBC has the largest network of any foreign bank in China and deeply understands the Chinese market and the customer. In a world that is increasingly going the way of China, this is quite a boon to HSBC. WEAKNESSES Poor PerformanceThere is a suffering performance in the section of personal finance services. HSBC try to fix these problem years ago. barely the problem is there every year. Brand Name While it is certainly a global company, HSBC came l ate in the game to decide to execute a comprehensive market strategy and take advantage of the global brand. Because he had created so many different banks in different countries at different times over a period of one hundred years, which set them up with different names Hong Kong Bank of Canada, the British Bank of the Middle East, etc. Not even all of these banks prior to 1998, bore the logotype of HSBC.In 1998, they were all branded together, but the previous lack of branding and name changes can slander the HSBC brand recognition. Customers may have thought that HSBC was responsible local bank and did not realize that HSBC had already serving for decades. OPPORTUNITIES Growth on emerging economies Apart from the suppuration Chinese middle class Brazilians and Indians have begun to appear as consumer culture, and thus growings wasteful consumers. Some residents of those countries in the past does not even own a bank account, but companies such as HSBC is ready to move in and benefit from the growing middle class in these areas.In places like Argentina and Turkey, HSBC experienced pre-tax profits by 50% in the past years. This is where it grows more. Biggest Bank in the Middle East The other banks are removed from the Middle East. However, HSBC has been running regional activities at the local level and have been rewarded for his efforts with numerous awards and honours for the Middle East market. HSBC is a trusted name there, and the company benefited from new democracy in Iraq by establishing a social movement in the country. HSBC is the largest international bank in the Middle East. Low Mortgages Interest RatesThe low mortgage interest rate increases the revenues and markets shares. HSBC has made some records on this. THREATS Moving Back to China The banking colossal HSBC has been most explicit threat yet that it might move its headquarters from London because of the constraining regulatory noose. New Regulations The investors of HSBC have been warned that future profitability will be affected by the new global policies designed to make the sector of financial more secure, but smoothed the blow with the promise of increasing dividends. Marketing desegregate Of HSBC MarketingHSBC was known as one of the biggest banking and financial services organization in the global. It has more than 9,800 offices worldwide and employs over 253, 000 people in 85 countries in the world and nowadays, the competition of banking company is very demanding and challenging. Therefore, many different organizations should be used strategic management so that compete effectively and successfully in theirs. In order to competing with other organization successfully, HSBC was able to use many strategies such as Marketing Mix, SWOT Analysis, PESTLE Analysis, and Porters Five Forces Analysis.These strategies focus on four customer root words include Private Banking, Personal Financial Services, Commercial Banking, and Corporate Investment Banking and Markets, and these will help HSBC reach their organization goal. In Marketing Mix once the company is ready to choose business strategy, it has to part planning the details of marketing mix or 4Ps (Kotler at el. 2008). The main aspect of Marketing Mix is product, price, place and promotion that the firm combine to produce the response it wants in the target of market segmentation. increaseHSBC uses hexagon symbol which means one of the world leading brands for customer experience, corporate social responsibility and represents brand recognition. HSBC provide a full range of service, such as personal finance, commercial banking, corporate investiture banking and markets, private banking, insurance, mortgage, credit cards and so on. Price In Price and Service Strategies, normally a low price will attract more customers, but HSBC did not focus on set strategy. They decided to use service strategy. For example, employee in HSBC serve customer with the best service. PlaceHSBC com prises around 9,800 offices in 85 countries especially Hong Kong, China, and UK. HSBC group moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to London. Also, HSBC provide the facility of Internet Banking where customers can assenting their account 24 hours per day and 7 days per week without going bank. Promotion Advertising is the best way to do promotion. HSBC also used many kind of advertising for their promotion, such as billboard, TVC, mug ad, newspapers, spot radio and also website. In addition, HSBC sponsored with many company and promenadeion, such as Jaguar, HSBC Womens Champions.Segmenting, fag Markets and the behaviour of customers in segmenting of HSBC Marketing The market segmentation can help the marketing manager to limit the best marketing mix for organizing and serving the unique segment. This process is dividing the markets into the segments for the potential customers and has the objective for improving the combative position of the company which can serve its customer better customer service. Market Segmentation is a subgroup of people or organizations sharing one or more characteristics that cause them to have similar product needs.Generally, the segmentation strategy is the division of the defined market in the smaller groups for the potential users of the products and can exhibit significant and meaningful variables which can represent the increased and measurable opportunity for the products positioning or investing the resources within the organization and can raised the forecasted marketing achievement objectives in the entire organizational goals of the business. The information technology is considered to be one of the major tools for the functionality scale worldwide of the company.It has its own website and it also has the e-business for internet, interactive, PC internet, and the telephone set banking. In order to achieve the companys marketing objectives, the organization needs to develop its marketing strategy or the marketing prog ram that is centre to the detailed specification of marketing mix and it also includes the internal control as well as the procedures for assuring of effectively implemented and part of this is the market segmentation whereas if this is properly controlled or implemented, then it will greatly contribute to the achievement of the overall goals and the marketing objectives of HSBC.Many of the analyst believed that most of the financial institutions rely mainly on the generic marketing strategies. For the past years, HSBC is known as having the strong brand which can maintain the string perception for the minds of the customers. This can take the time for establishing much resource in keeping be remembering by the other customers as the local banks as well as managing in transferring the brand equities to the corporate brands.The Market Segmentation is the centre for the strong development of marketing strategy which involves the identification of the customers perception, needs, outl ook, and the buying behaviour in order for them to group homogeneously for the customers who can be satisfied as well as marketed to the similar manner. Therefore, there had been expectation that the one segment can differ from the another activity to the customers profile and tothe buying behaviour which has the connection to the sales and marketing activity in establishing these customers which is an ample factor for having these knowledge. The market segmentation is not exactly to group the customers but to shrewd the certain segment for the development of the clear brands position which as part of the integral process of market segmentation.The company now can launch the marketing strategies which use the marketing segmentation for managing its growth for strategic outlook. This can be done by the deliberation of the revenue propagation culture and maintaining the prudent risk or the market risk while investing further to the people. The company has focused on the customers ne eds as a main issue for their development and had been done by dividing the customers in their location and with respect to their culture.In this regard, the company had recognized that most of the customers want to have the long term relationship to the company, ambitious and confident, and has the high productivity and focused to the marketing. In the detailed telephone interview, the answering noted that the market segmentation of the company for the products and services for the groups of different location worldwide are effective and most of the generated profits had been use in overseas subsidiaries.In this regard, the company can manage to take advantage the presence overseas as well as the local knowledge and the expertise so that they can bring the new customers for opening the new accounts as well as looking at the other services and products that offered by HSBC. The company also had been optimistic that most of the customers prefer HSBC for the long term experience and having the well trained staff added to the lower charges and to the broad range of the products.Lastly, this market segmentation is considered to be generic wherein it greatly depends on the region for the several subsidiaries of the location of HSBC and some of the strategies are put to good. In 2003, HSBC had invested wide amount for proprietary relationship to the customers and to their management system so that the customers are managed efficiently. Therefore, they handled greater customer care and process of financial requirements in order to generate the customers satisfaction.For example, In UK HSBC generated much customers contacts for more than one million and led to the expansion of the existing relationship while the internet goes to the heart of every customers and their convenience which is important channel to the customers. In this manner, the e banking of HSBC can be available for the 17 territories and countries worldwide. The commercial banking is one of the stre ngths of the company which includes the incorporated business as the partnership, sole traders, trading entities, and associations.In this area of business, the company main contacts to the customers are the network managers relationship which managed and established to the local branch level or the expansion of the commercial banking centres so that they can meet their future and existing customers into their international reach while the corporate and investment banking can prove that the company can give the competitive advantage which can provide services for 25,000 subsidiaries and 1,200 customers for more than 50 countries.Because product managers can understand customers needs, then the group is keep the teams through investing into the increase automation for the software and to the risk management, to the intranet site, to the central support of relationship management and having the geographical knowledge. In line with the private banking, the relationship to the managers can operate on the cross border basis in order to serve requirements which specialize for the clients for the different sectors which are all in line to the differentiated approach of the group into the international private banking.Because of increasing the customer base for the company, it build services centre for every situation transactions. In order for the company to remain competitive, it had invested that it can introduce the company in the introduction of the supporting and functionality expansion. The company had compelled to the metric of high level which can provide the actionable data. In line with this, HSBC had surveyed 27,000 customers all over the 24 countries which consist of customers experience.The findings that presented by are higher cost-t-serve goes across the entire aspect of HSBC in the professional or personal experience. Upon the movement of the company in its segmentation to the other regions, its product and services had been aligned to the needs of the market segments as the needs to banking through information technology. Through this service, the design for the right distribution channel in reaching the every distinct group so that they can stay contact.This segmentation had been essential to every single business detail that runs the bank in recognizing its long term growth. Conclusion and Recommendation for improvements of HSBC In conclusion we would like to state that HSBC Group is in constant search of further development and its key data of latest years financial performance proved that they are succeeding in their aims, as the company is showing increase in almost all aspects of its business. It has shown steady growth in total profits in all most important regions of operation.It has also achieved large earnings per share increase over the last five years. The company has recently made a successful growth in the Middle-East region and expects continuous growth in profits from that region. In Asia all business segments exceeded and also contributed to overall function of the HSBC Group. From our point of view, in a company that has reached such huge size and success, there is not much that can be improved, considering their financial performance.It is worth mentioning, that HSBC Group should give more attention to the rapidly developing internet banking system. The information presented in this report is tolerable to make the final decision and as far as we are concerned it is good and reliable company to invest in. It is a perfect long-term investment. HSBC Group has around 220. 000 shareholders in over 124 countries and this only adds to its reputation and proves its trustworthiness.

Theory of Forms Essay Example for Free

Theory of Forms EssayDefinition. What is philosophy? thither be a issuance of definitions of school of concept granted by many thinkers and they vary according to their interests and orientations. Gener altogethery, doctrine is regarded as perhaps the most obstruse and abstract of wholly substances that seems apart from ordinary life. Although quiet a number of people may think of it as a being remote from every normal interest, it may be inferred that altogether of us have approximately philosophic views, whether we argon aware of it or non. just ab aside often, the hit the booksation posts vague for it has been a part of our conversations. Origin.The battle cry school of thought is derived from the Hellenic philia nitty-gritty love and sophia meaning wisdom or fellowship. The literal definition of philosophy, thitherfore, is love of wisdom. In current popular usage, many antithetical ideas are involved in the manner we use the bourne. In some cases, philosophy refers to an attitude toward certain(prenominal) activities. For instance, during election, we often hear some people say, we are voting for a certain candidate be intellect we favour for his philosophy of government. In classes in philosophy, the most common by-lineion the instructor asks is what the philosophy of student is.The popular conception of philosophy, in spite of many ways we may use the term, is a complex intellectual infrataking. Regardless of the various ideas of the role of philosophy in integritys life, its importance cannot be overemphasized. Parent Science. Philosophy may be considered as the parent science, in that it has given birth to natural, somatic, and social sciences. These disciplines continue to succeed philosophy with an abundance of contemporary issues, questions, that are seemingly grueling to answer. Philosophy is both independent fro new(prenominal) disciplines and embedded in their foundations and on-going activities.Philosoph y as a science. Philosophy has been defined as a science because it c in every told fors with the field of operations of the processes governing thought and conduct. It investigates the dominions and laws that regulate the universe and underlie all association, which satisfies the requisites of scientific state of knowing. Science has been defined as a body of systematized knowledge derived from ceremonial occasion, take away, and experiments carried out in order to determine the temper of principles of what is being studied. Its main concern is the discovery of truth.The difference amidst the two palm of knowledge lies in the scope and disposition of their interest and their approach. succession specific sciences deal incident(a)ly with restricted field, e. g. , chemistry, philosophy deals with all aspects of mans experiences. The interest of science is limited to the physical instauration, while the concern of philosophy issues on justice, conscience, reason, the s oul and the Supernatural Being. The science approach to any investigating is establishing and systematizing events, principles, and methods by dint of experiments and hypotheses, while the approach of philosophy in its heading of take on is encompassing.Science tends to eliminate the role factor and values in the quest for objectivity, while philosophy is interested in homosexual experiences, in the flesh(predicate) values and purposes. Science is primarily concerned with the personality of amours as they are, while philosophy is interested not nevertheless in the real aspects save alos in their worth and meaning. The aim of science is to observe character and to control processes, while philosophy criticizes, evaluates and integrates the various dimensions of human experience. Philosophy as a science cautiously examines and criticizes the premises and conclusions of all sciences-physical, natural, and social.Some propositions have been made by the sciences which, when e xamined carefully, may be found in any case impossible to attain or to prove. Philosophy synthesizes and compares the assumptions and conclusions of the difficult findings of the divers(prenominal) sciences when they appear to be contradictory. Philosophy harmonizes and brings the sciences unitedly to complement and support one another. THREE MAJOR FIELDS OF PHILOSOPHY The three study fields of philosophy are (1) epistemology, (2) metaphysics, and (3) axiology. Epistemology.Epistemology deals with the study of origin, structures, methods, nature, limit and veracity (truth, reliability, validity) of human knowledge. It also includes logic and a commixture of linguistic concerns and the philosophy of science. The word epistemology is derived from the Greek word episteme which way of life knowledge and tidings which means the study of. Epistemology as a surmisal of knowledge asks fundamental questions near knowledge in all its tunes and applications of how it is conjecture and expressed and communicated.It also looks into the role of sense experience and how knowledge is acquired. Metaphysics. Metaphysics deals with questions of pragmatism-its nature, meaning and make upence. The word metaphysics is derived from the Greek word meta which beyond and physikon which means nature from which is derived the word physics, the science whish deals with matter, energy, force, natural laws and processes. Metaphysics is also concerned about the nature mind, self and consciousness, the nature of religion, such(prenominal) as the existence of God, the destiny of the universe, and the immortality of the soul.Aside from the nature of reality and the universe, metaphysics examines time, space, cause and chance. Axiology. Axiology deals into the study of values. It analyzes the origin, types and characteristics, criteria and knowledge of values. It includes values of human conduct, the nature and justification of social structures and political systems and the natur e of art and its meaning in human experience. THE BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY Philosophy has several branches which resulted from mans philosophic speculations.Each branch endeavours to provide us with useful insights into certain realities. The following are the fundamental philosophical fields of study 1. Ethics or moral philosophy. This is the philosophical study of the morality of human acts, the lookup for an understanding of the expert life and the ultimate basis of what is good or bad. 2. Metaphysics or ontology. This is the philosophical quest for what reality is in the final analysis. It is the study of beings in general. 3. Theology/Theodicy. This is the philosophical inquiry into the existence of God.His nature and his relations to man and the rest of creation. 4. Philosophy of man. This is the philosophical seem for a deeper understanding of what man is and what it means to be fully human. 5. Cosmology. This is the philosophical search for a deeper understanding of the ma terial universe. 6. Political philosophy. This is the philosophical search for knowledge of the ultimate foundation of the state, its ideal form and its basic power. 7. Aesthetics. This is the search for a deeper understanding and knowledge of beauty. 8. Epistemology.This is the philosophical search for answers to the fundamental questions concerning the conditions of knowledge, its extent and limitations. deeper understanding 9. Logic. This is the philosophical science and art of correct inferential thinking and setting forth its conditions. 10. Psychology. This is the science that deals with the science of mind, mental state and processes. The philosophical concept psychological science came from the Greek words psyche which means soul, mind, and spirit, and logos which means the study of. To the Greeks, psychology is the study of the soul. Part 2. THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE.THALES Thales was the first known philosopher, scientist and mathematician although his occupation was that of an engineer. He is believed to have been the teacher of Anaximander (611 BC 545 BC) and he was the first natural philosopher in the Milesian School. Thales first went to Egypt and thence introduced this study geometry into Greece. He observed many propositions himself, and instructed his successors in the principles underlying many others, his method of attacking problems had greater generality in some cases and was more(prenominal) in the nature of simple inspection and observation in other cases.Certainly Thales was a figure of enormous prestige, being the exactly philosopher before Socrates to be among the Seven Sages. Plutarch, writing of these Seven Sages, says that Thales was seemingly the only one of these whose wisdom stepped, in speculation, beyond the limits of practical utility, the rest acquired the reputation of wisdom in politics. It is reported that Thales predicted an eclipse of the Sun in 585 BC. The cycle of about 19 age for eclipses of the Moon was hyg ienic known at this time but the cycle for eclipses of the Sun was harder to spot since eclipses were visible at different places on Earth.Thaless prediction of the 585 BC eclipse was probably a guess based on the knowledge that an eclipse around that time was possible. The claims that Thales used the Babylonian saros, a cycle of length 18 years 10 days 8 hours, to predict the eclipse has been shown by Neugebauer to be highly unlikely since Neugebauer shows that the saros was an cheat of Halley. Neugebauer wrote there exists no cycle for solar eclipses visible at a given place all modern cycles concern the body politic as a whole.No Babylonian possibleness for predicting a solar eclipse existed at 600 BC, as one can see from the very unsatisfactory situation cd years later, nor did the Babylonians ever develop any theory which took the influence of geographical latitude into business relationship. ANAXIMANDER Anaximander (610 c. 546 BC) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher wh o lived in Miletus, a city of Ionia Milet in modern Turkey. He belonged to the Milesian school and learned the teachings of his master Thales. He succeeded Thales and became the second master of that school where he counted Anaximenes and arguably, Pythagoras amongst his pupils.Anaximander was one of the earliest Greek thinkers at the start of the axial Age, the achievement from approximately 700 BC to 200 BC, during which similarly revolutionary thinking appeared in China, India, Iran, the Near East, and quaint Greece. He was an early proponent of science and move to observe and explain different aspects of the universe, with a particular interest in its origins, claiming that nature is ruled by laws, just like human societies, and anything that disturbs the balance of nature does not last long. Like many thinkers of his time, Anaximanders contributions to philosophy relate to many disciplines.In astronomy, he tried to describe the mechanics of aerial bodies in relation to the Earth. In physics, his postulation that the indefinite (or apeiron) was the reservoir of all things led Greek philosophy to a new level of conceptual abstraction. His knowledge of geometry allowed him to introduce the gnomon in Greece. He created a map of the world that contributed greatly to the advancement of geography. He was also involved in the politics of Miletus and was sent as a leader to one of its colonies. Anaximander claimed that an indefinite (apeiron) principle gives revolt to all natural phenomena.Anaximanders theories were influenced by the Greek mythical tradition, and by some ideas of Thales the father of philosophy as well as by observations made by older civilizations in the East (especially by the Babylonian astrologists). any these were elaborated clear-sightedly. The basic elements of nature (water system, piece of cake, fire, earth) which the first Greek philosophers believed that constituted the universe represent in fact the primordial forces of pr evious thought. Their collision produced what the mythical tradition had called cosmic harmony.ANAXIMENESWhile his predecessors Thales and Anaximander proposed that the arche, the underlying material of the world, were water and the ambiguous substance apeiron, respectively, Anaximenes asserted that air was this primary substance of which all other things are made. While the choice of air may seem arbitrary, he based his conclusion on naturally plain phenomena in the process of rarefaction and condensation. When air condenses it be tallys visible, as mist and then rain and other forms of precipitation, and as the condensed air cools Anaximenes supposed that it went on to form earth and ultimately stones.In contrast, water evaporates into air which ignites and produces flame when win rarefied. While other philosophers also recognized such transitions in states of matter, Anaximenes was the first to associate the quality pairs sweltering/dry and frigidness/wet with the density of a single material and add a quantitative dimension to the Milesian monistic system. The Origin of the Cosmos. Having concluded that everything in the world is composed of air, Anaximenes then used his theory to devise a scheme explaining the origins and nature of the earth as well as of the surrounding celestial bodies.Air felted to create the flat disk of the earth, which he said was table-like and behaved like a switch floating on air. In keeping with the prevailing view of celestial bodies as balls of fire in the sky, Anaximenes proposed that the earth let out an exhalation of air that rarefied, ignited and became the stars. While the sunbathe is similarly describe as being aflame, it is not composed of rarefied air like the stars but rather of earth like the moon its burning comes not from its composition but rather from its rapid motion.The moon and sun are likewise considered to be flat and floating on streams of air, and when the sun sets it does not pass under the earth bu t is merely obscured by higher parts of the earth as it circles around and becomes more distant the motion of the sun and the other celestial bodies around the earth is likened by Anaximenes to the way that a cap may be turned around the head. PYTAGORAS (The Mathematical Basis of All Things) Across a span of water from Miletus, laid in the Aegean Sea, was the small island of Samos, which was the birthplace of a truly anomalous and wise man, Pythagoras.From the various scraps of information we have about him and those who were his followers, an incomplete but still charming picture of his new philosophic reflections emerges. Apparently dissatisfied with conditions not only on Samos but mostly in Ionia during the tyrannical rule of the rich Polycrates, Pythagoras migrated to southern Italy and settled there in the prosperous Greek city of Crotone, where his active philosophic life is usually dated from 525 to 500 B. C.We are told by Aristotle that the Pythagoreans commit themselv es to math, they were the first to advance this study, and having been brought up in it they thought its principles were the principles of all things. . . In contrast to the Miletians, the Pythagoreans that things consist of numbers. Although, it is quite a strange to say that everything consists of numbers, the strangeness, as well as the difficulty, of this doctrine is greatly overcome when we consider wherefore Pythagoras became interested in numbers and what his conception of numbers was.Pythagoras became interested in Mathematics for what appear to be religious reasons. His originality could be said to consist in his conviction that the study of mathematics is the best purifier of the soul. He is, therefore, referred to as the founder of both of religious sect and the akin time a school of mathematics. What gave rise to the Pythagorean sect was peoples yearning for a deeply spiritual religion that could provide the means for purifying the soul and for guaranteeing its immor tality. Part 3. THE PROCESS OF THE UNIVERSE HERACLITUS Nature identified with fire.The Universality of change. The logos and Human Nature. Substance that holds everything is fire. Logos or universal reason. provoke is the process of change that which is fed into it becomes something else. Fire is not a random movement but Gods universal reason, the fire that is the genius holding everything together PARMENIDES Goddess. Logical method. What is, is and what is not, is not. A poem that reveals to him the plain truth and the deceptive beliefs of human beings A method that depends entirely on thought and not at all on experiment and observation only that can be which can be thought for.Thought exists for the sake of what is. Therefore, change is the discombobulation of appearance with reality and therefore change is simply an illusion. EMPEDOCLES Four elements. Love and strife. Earth, fire, air and water were considered as equally original. Love and strife, attraction and repulsion ar e two different forces at work in nature . Love binds things together and strife separate them. ANAXAGORAS Invisible particles that are the building blocks of nature. A little particles that carry the blue print of everything else that distinguished the mind from matter.Matter is continuum, infinitely divisible and that, however, much it may be divided, each part will contain elements of everything else. Mind the cause of all things. Mind is the principle that gives matter its order. THE ATOMISTS Believed that everything in nature was made of tiny invisible particles or units called atoms Part 4. THE CONCEPT OF justice KNOWLEDGE SOPHISTS CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE THE SOPHISTS The term sophist (sophistes) derives from the Greek words for wisdom (sophia) and wise (sophos). The term sophia could be used to describe disingenuous cleverness long before the rise of the sophistic movement.In the fifth century B. C. E. the term sophistes was still broadly applied to wise men, including poets s uch as Homer and Hesiod, the Seven Sages, the Ionian physicists and a variety of seers and prophets. The narrower use of the term to refer to professional teachers of fair play or excellence (arete) became prevalent in the second half of the fifth century B. C. E. , although this should not be taken to imply the presence of a clear distinction between philosophers, such as Socrates, and sophists, such as Protagoras, Gorgias and Prodicus.This much is evident from Aristophanes play The Clouds (423 B. C. E.), in which Socrates is depicted as a sophist and Prodicus praised for his wisdom. 1. Sophists a. Protagoras. Protagoras of Abdera (c. 490-420 B. C. E. ) was the most prominent member of the sophistic movement and Plato reports he was the first to charge fees using that title (Protagoras, 349a). in spite of his animus towards the sophists, Plato depicts Protagoras as quite a sympathetic and dignified figure. From a philosophical perspective, Protagoras is most noted for his relati vistic account of truth in particular the claim that man is the measure of all things and his disbelief concerning the Gods.Plato suggests that Protagoras sought to differ his educational offering from that of other sophists, such as Hippias, by concentrating upon instruction in arete in the sense of political virtue rather than specialised studies such as astronomy and mathematics (Protagoras, 318e). b. Gorgias. Gorgias of Leontini (c. 485 c. 390 B. C. E. ) is generally considered as a member of the sophistic movement, despite his disavowal of the capacity to teach arete (Meno, 96c).The major focus of Gorgias was rhetoric and given the importance of persuasive speaking to the sophistic education, and his acceptance of fees, it is appropriate to consider him alongside other famous sophists for present purposes. c. Antiphon. The biographical details surrounding Antiphon the sophist (c. 470-411 B. C. ) are unclear one unresolved issue is whether he should be identified with Antip hon of Rhamnus (a solon and teacher of rhetoric who was a member of the oligarchy which held power in Athens briefly in 411 B. C. E. ).However, since the matter of fragments from his On Truth in the early twentieth century he has been regarded as a major representative of the sophistic movement. d. Hippias. The exact dates for Hippias of Elis are unknown, but scholars generally assume that he lived during the same period as Protagoras. Whereas Platos depictions of Protagoras and to a lesser extent Gorgias indicate a modicum of respect, he presents Hippias as a comic figure who is obsessed with money, pompous and confused. Hippias is best known for his polymathy (DK 86A14).His areas of expertise seem to have include astronomy, grammar, history, mathematics, music, poetry, prose, rhetoric, painting and sculpture. Like Gorgias and Prodicus, he served as an ambassador for his home city. His work as a historian, which include compiling lists of Olympic victors, was invaluable to Thuc ydides and subsequent historians as it allowed for a more precise dating of knightly events. In mathematics he is attributed with the discovery of a curve the quadratrix used to trisect an angle. e. Prodicus.Prodicus of Ceos, who lived during roughly the same period as Protagoras and Hippias, is best known for his subtle distinctions between the meanings of words. He is thought to have written a treatise titled On the Correctness of Names. Prodicus epideictic speech, The Choice of Heracles, was singled out for praise by Xenophon (Memorabilia, II. 1. 21-34) and in addition to his private teaching he seems to have served as an ambassador for Ceos (the birthplace of Simonides) on several occasions. f. Thrasymachus. Thrasymachus was a well-known rhetorician in Athens in the latter part of the fifth century B.C. E. , but our only surviving record of his views is contained in Platos Cleitophon and Book One of The Republic. He is depicted as brash and aggressive, with views on the nat ure of justice that will be examined in section 3a. 2. Major Themes of sophistic Thought a. Nature and Convention. The distinction between physis (nature) and nomos (custom, law, convention) was a central theme in Greek thought in the second half of the fifth century B. C. E. and is especially important for understanding the work of the sophists. beforehand turning to sophistic considerations of these concepts and the distinction between them, it is worth sketching the meaning of the Greek terms. The term nomos refers to a gigantic range of normative concepts extending from customs and conventions to positive law. It would be misleading to regard the term as referring only to arbitrary human conventions, as Heraclitus appeal to the distinction between human nomoi and the one divine nomos (DK 22B2 and 114) makes clear. The dichotomy between physis and nomos seems to have been something of a commonplace of sophistic thought and was appealed to by Protagoras and Hippias among others .Perhaps the most illuminating sophistic account of the distinction, however, is found in Antiphons fragment On Truth. b. Relativism. The primary source on sophistic relativism about knowledge and/or truth is Protagoras famous man is the measure statement. exposition of Protagoras thesis has eer been a matter of controversy. Caution is needed in particular against the temptation to depict modern epistemological concerns into Protagoras account and sophistic teaching on the relativity of truth more generally.A human being is the measure of all things, of those things that are, that they are, and of those things that are not, that they are not. There is near scholarly consensus that Protagoras is referring here to each human being as the measure of what is rather than humankind as such, although the Greek term for human hoanthropos certainly does not rule out the second interpretation. Platos Theaetetus (152a), however, suggests the first reading and I will assume its correctness here.On this reading we can regard Protagoras as asserting that if the wind, for example, feels (or seems) cold to me and feels (or seems) warm to you, then the wind is cold for me and is warm for you. c. Language and Reality. Understandably given their educational program, the sophists set(p) great emphasis upon the power of speech (logos). Logos is a notoriously difficult term to turn in and can refer to thought and that about which we speak and think as well as rational speech or language. The sophists were interested in particular with the role of human discourse in the moldable of reality. 3.The Distinction Between Philosophy and Sophistry The distinction between philosophy and sophistry is in itself a difficult philosophical problem. The terms philosopher and sophist were disputed in the fifth and fourth century B. C. E. , the subject of contention between tinge schools of thought. Histories of philosophy tend to begin with the Ionian physicist Thales, but the presocratics referred to the activity they were occupied in as historia (inquiry) rather than philosophia and although it may have some validity as a historic projection, the notion that philosophy begins with Thales derives from the mid nineteenth century.It was Plato who first clearly and consistently refers to the activity of philosophia and much of what he has to say is best understood in terms of an explicit or implicit contrast with the rival schools of the sophists and Isocrates (who also claimed the title philosophia for his rhetorical educational program). SOCRATES Socratic Method Socrates was not a philosopher, nor yet a teacher, but rather an educator, having for his functionSocrates to rouse, persuade and rebuke (Plato, Apology).Hence, in examining his lifes work it is proper to ask, not What was his philosophy? but What was his theory, and what was his practice of education? It is true that he was brought to his theory of education by the study of previous philosophies, and that his practice led to the Platonic revival but to attribute to him philosophy, except in that light-colored sense in which philosophy is ascribed to one who, denying the existence of such a thing, can give an account of his disbelief, is misleading and even erroneous.Socrates theory of education had for its basis a profound and consistent skepticism that is to say, he not only rejected the conflicting theories of the physicists, of whom some conceived existence as a unity, others as a plurality some affirmed perpetual motion, others perpetual rest some declared becoming and perishing to be universal, others altogether denied such things, but also condemned, as a futile attempt to transcend the limitations of human intelligence their, pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. That it was in this way that Socrates was brought to regard dialectic, question and answer, as the only admissible method of education is no matter of mere conjecture.In the review of theories of knowledge which has co me down to us in Platos Theaetetus mention is made of certain incomplete Protagoreans, who held that, while all opinions are equally true, one opinion is better than another, and that the wise man is one who by his arguments causes good opinions to take the place of bad ones, thus reforming the soul of the individual or the laws of a state by a process similar to that of the physician or the farmer and these incomplete Protagoreans are identified with Socrates and the Socratics by their insistence upon the characteristically Socratic distinction between disputation and dialectic, as well as by other familiar traits of Socratic converse.In fact, this passage becomes intelligible and significant if it is supposed to refer to the historical Socrates and by teaching us to regard him as an incomplete Protagorean it supplies the link which connects his philosophical skepticism with his dialectic theory of education. It is no doubt possible that Socrates was unaware of the closeness of hi s relationship to Protagoras but the fact, once stated, hardly admits of question. Knowledge and action Socrates teaches that a man must know how to choose the mean and avoid the extremes on either side, as far as possible.In education, Socrates asks us to consider the effect of either an scoop shovel devotion to gymnastics or an exclusive devotion to music. It either produced a temper of hardness and ferocity, (or) the other of softness and effeminacy. Having both qualities, he believed, produces harmony i. e. , beauty and goodness. He additionally stresses the importance of mathematics in education for the understanding of beauty and truth. PLATO Theory of forms The Problems theory was meant to solve (1) The Ethical Problem How can cosmos live a fulfilling, happy life in a contingent, changing world where every thing they attach themselves to can be taken away?(2) The Problem of Permanence and Change How can the world appear to be both permanent and changing? The world we perceiv e through the senses seems to be always changing. The world that we perceive through the mind, using our concepts, seems to be permanent and unchanging. Which is most real and why does it appear both ways?The general structure of the solution Plato splits up existence into two lands the material realm and the transcendent realm of forms. Humans have access to the realm of forms through the mind, through reason, given Platos theory of the subdivisions of the human soul. This gives them access to an unchanging world, invulnerable to the pains and changes of the material world.By detaching ourselves from the material world and our bodies and exploitation our ability to concern ourselves with the forms, we find a value which is not open to change or disintegration. This solves the first, ethical, problem. split existence up into two realms also solves the problem of permanence and change.We perceive a different world, with different objects, through our mind than we do through the se nses. It is the material world, perceived through the senses, that is changing. It is the realm of forms, perceived through the mind, that is permanent and immutable. It is this world that is more real the world of change is merely an imperfect image of this world. The Forms A form is an abstract property or quality.Take any property of an object separate it from that object and consider it by itself, and you are contemplating a form. For example, if you separate the roundness of a basketball from its color, its weight, etc. and consider just roundness by itself, you are thinking of the form of roundness. Plato held that this property existed apart from the basketball, in a different mode of existence than the basketball. The form is not just the idea of roundness you have in your mind. It exists independently of the basketball and independently of whether someone thinks of it. All round objects, not just this basketball, participate or copy this same form of roundness.In order to s ee exactly what a form is and how it differs from a material object, we need to look at the first two of the properties that characterize the forms. The forms are transcendent. This means that they do not exist in space and time. A material object, a basketball, exists at a particular place at a particular time. A form, roundness, does not exist at any place or time.The forms exist, or subsist, in a different way. This is especially important because it explains why the forms are unchanging. A form such as roundness will never change it does not even exist in time. It is the same at all times or places in which it might be instantiated.A form does not exist in space in that it can be instantiated in many places at once and need not be instantiated anywhere in order for the form to exist. The form of roundness can be found in many particular spatial locations, and even if all round objects were destroyed, the property of roundness would still exist. The forms are also pure.This means that they are pure properties separate from all other properties. A material object, such as a basketball, has many properties roundness, ballness, orangeness, elasticity, etc. These are all put together to make up this individual basketball. A form is just one of these properties, existing by itself apart from space and time. Roundness is just pure roundness, without any other properties obscure in.The forms differ from material objects, then, in that they are transcendent and pure, while material objects are complex conglomerations of properties located in space and time. The forms are causes in two closely related ways (1) The forms are the causes of all our knowledge of all objects. The forms contribute all order and intelligibility to objects. Since we can only know something insofar as it has some order or form, the forms are the source of the intelligibility of all material objects. (2) The forms are also the cause of the existence of all objects.