Bank of China †Survey of products and services provided Essay Example for Free

Bank of China – Survey of products and services provided Essay Personal Banking. In the personal banking segment one of the principal products and services include deposit products. The Bank of China provides a variety of deposit products including foreign currency deposits. It has also included multifunctional debit card which can assist financial planning. (Deposits, 2006). It has also got a facility for deposit collections at different places which facilitate those with transferable jobs or changing residences frequently to follow up their deposits without any geographical constraints (Deposits, 2006). Deposit Certificates are being issued by the Bank for people’s needs for studying abroad, visiting relatives or for domestic requirements. (Deposits, 2006). The bank also provides facilities for payment of fees, providing pay to employees, stock fund transfer service and handling of securities trading services. (Deposits, 2006). In addition Personal Checks are provided for high value account holders for making large purchases which are beyond the credit card limits allotted. (Personal Check, 2006). In the loans segment, Bank of China is providing a variety of loans to its personal customers. The primary loans include educational loans which can be commercial or state. The latter are at discounted interests by the central financial authorities in China, while commercial loans are for financing tuition and other fees which is supported privately. (Loans, 2006). Auto loans include financing for purchase of cars. In addition there are travel loans to facilitate in board as well as out board travel which however has to be only through approved travel company services as per bank norms. (Loans, 2006). There are petty consumer credit loans which are provided for facilitating normal consumption needs of customers such as labor service and fee payments. (Loans, 2006). For such purposes the client is required to be credit worthy. A normal service provided by the Bank is renting of safe deposit box. (Loans, 2006). Another important service provided by the bank is that of Bancassurance, which involves a tie up with the insurance companies, providing the client a full range of services to include insurance, premiums on policy and preservation at a savings outlet in BOC. (Bancassurance, 2006). Corporate Banking. In the corporate banking sector, the Bank of China has a strong presence with a global profile. Its experience and expertise is seen to be of particular benefit to the Chinese businessman seeking to do business globally. (Corporate, 2006) The bank claims to provide unique services based on its ability to assess market sensitivity. The various corporate services provided by the bank include financing for trade, risk controls, protection of risk of debt and is extending even further to management of ledger and collection. (Corporate, 2006). In the loans segment the various types of loans include providing working capital to the companies, for financing projects, real estate businesses, fixed assets and loans on foreign currency. (Corporate, 2006) Business is provided finance in various forms of credit such as a normal credit line, credit for export buyers, finance lease guarantees, credit for export sellers, accounts receivable purchases and labor service contracts. (Corporate, 2006). For international businesses, the services provided include both inward and outward remittance, collection of letters of credit for both imports and exports, bill discounting, packing loan and guarantees for businesses and shipping. (Corporate, 2006). The investment banking services include a financial advisory service, cash management, loan trusts and agent bank business. The bank has also developed extensive e banking services to include i-banking, telephone banking and mobile phone banking. These services are seen to be highly effective in providing the corporate a variety of mediums of interaction on the World Wide Web. (Corporate, 2006). In the segment of foreign exchange and settlement, it is the lead bank in China and hence enjoys considerable leverage in the Chinese banking industry. This caters for individual and personal foreign exchange needs. (Forex, 2006). It has also facilities for forward transactions in foreign exchange Global business facilities include same day facility of funds transfer with the GLOBAL NICS programme in place which enables transactions across 581 overseas branches in 26 countries and regions on a single computer network. (Global, 2006). Linked to SWIFT communications, it enables a safe and speedy transaction for business persons. This is particularly significant with the extensive network of the Bank within China comprising of over 12,000 branches. It also facilitates international clients to transfer money within China speedily. (Global, 2006). Overseas Presence. The Banks overseas presence has been consistently growing after the China Development Finance Company (HK) was established in 1979, followed by Bank of China Groups Securities Limited in 1983, Bank of China International UK Ltd 1996 and Bank of China International in Hong Kong in 1998. (BOCI, 2006). The subsequent entry of BOCI into mainland has provided it added opportunity to establish close links with stable Chinese corporations to include China National Petroleum Corporation, State Development Investment Corporation, China General Technology (Group) Holdings Limited and so on. (BOCI, 2006) This enables strengthening of the financial link of the Bank providing it greater stability in the international as well as national banking domains. (BOCI, 2006). Banking Facilitation. The BOC is also an agent bank for a large number of other banks providing them the services of consignment banking to manage loans between borrowers and the agent bank. The consignment banks include China Import and Export Bank and the State Development Bank. (Agent, 2006). This provides the client bank the advantage of drawing upon the experience, expertise and network of a larger bank with an international presence as the BOC. A relatively high quality of service is said to be provided to the agent bank by BOC. Generally a tripartite agreement is signed between the BOC, the client bank and the borrower. (Agent, 2006).

Impact of Natural Disasters on the Economy of Pakistan

Impact of Natural Disasters on the Economy of Pakistan Natural disasters are an increasingly phenomena that we all evidently observe and identify that may have a direct bang on the interests of an area where it hits and also on explicit domestic meters in such areas. Depending of where we live, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, droughts, etc, are intimidation to living, belongings, industrious assets, and also can have an impact on societal pointers. The increasing occurrence of natural disasters is extremely interrelated to the increasing susceptibility of homes and communities in emergent nations, as earlier socioeconomic vulnerabilities may aggravate the shock of a natural disaster, making harder the course of revitalization (Vatsa and Krimgold, 2000). Therefore, the impact of such events could consequence in an instant raise in poverty and deficiency (Carter et al, 2007). The literature has been still conflicting to a few amounts. For example Benson and Clay (2003) have discussed that the long-standing shock on development of natural disasters is depressing, at the same time as Skidmore and Toya (2002) explain that such tragedy may upbeat impact development in the long run as there is a decrease to returns on physical assets but a boost in human capital, leading to advanced development. Strobl (2008) for the US coastal areas discover that tornados reduce countys development originally by 0.8 per cent, whereas getting your str ength back after in 0.2 per cent. This writer also figures out for Central America and the Caribbean that the impact from a critical cyclone is a diminution of 0.8 percent of development (Strobl, 2008a). The impact of a natural disaster may also origin discriminations. The poor, who undergo from profits rise and fall, and also have imperfect access to monetary services, in the consequences of a disaster may be extra flat to lessen use and have a declining upset in other domestic indicators as a result. Additionally, there are a many non poor, or close to be, who are not insured in opposition to such threats, and then may plunge into scarcity as result of recapitalizing when dealing with with the upset, depending the shock and probability of diminishing into scarcity of the original stock assets and coping means. Furthermore, susceptibility to natural disasters is a multifaceted issue, as it is strong-minded by the financial structure, the phase of growth, prevailing of communal and fiscal conditions, coping means, risk evaluation, rate of recurrence and concentration of catastrophes, etc. The impact on deprived ones could be losing contact with a few vital services, reversals in accretion of corporeal and human funds, and possibly an augment in child employment and unlawful behavior. Lindell and Prater (2003) summarize the significance of shaping the impact and the pretentious agents in natural disasters. First, that information is helpful for policy makers, as they can be acquainted with the need for peripheral support and which may be more efficient; second, definite sections of affected can be acknowledged, e.g. how low income families are affected; and third, it may be also practical for setting up assistance for natural disasters and the latent results. Overall, growing literature has emerged over the last few years on the macroeconomic and development impacts of natural disasters. Amusingly, there is as up till now no harmony on whether disasters are significant from a macroeconomic point of view, and two situations can be identified. The first believes natural disasters a hinder for economic development and is well symbolized by the following reference: It has been argued that although individuals are risk-averse, governments should take a risk-neutral stance. The reality of developing countries suggests otherwise. Government decisions should be based on the opportunity costs to society of the resources invested in the project and on the loss of economic assets, functions and products. In view of the responsibility vested in the public sector for the administration of scarce resources, and considering issues such as fiscal debt, trade balances, income distribution, and a wide range of other economic and social, and political concerns, governments should not act risk neutral (OAS, 1991). The other position sees disasters as entailing little growth implications and consider disasters and their reduction a problem of, but not for development (e.g. Albala-Bertrand, 1993, 2006; Caselli and Malhotra, 2004). These authors find natural disasters do not negatively affect GDP and if anything, GDP growth is improved (Albala-Bertrand, 1993: 207). This paper can be understood as an attempt at reconciling this body of literature. There are two entry points for the analysis. The first is to look at counterfactual vs. observed GDP, the second entry point is to assess disaster impacts as a function of hazard, exposure of assets (human, produced, intangible), and, importantly vulnerability. Overall, the evidence reveals adverse macroeconomic consequences of disasters on GDP. In a medium-term analysis, natural disasters on average seem to lead to negative effects on GDP. The negative effects may be small, yet they can become more pronounced depending on the size of the shock. We tested a large number of vulnerability predictors and found that higher aid rates as well as higher remittances lessen the adverse macroeconomic consequences, while capital stock loss is the most important predictor for the negative consequences. In July-August 2010, Pakistan experienced the worst floods in its history The floods have affected 84 districts out of a total 121 districts in Pakistan, and more than 20 million people one-tenth of Pakistans population More than 1,700 men, women and children have lost their lives, and at least 1.8 million homes have been damaged or destroyed (UN 2010, p.1). In attacking poverty in developing countries, due considerations need to be paid to the vulnerability of households against natural disasters. Poor households are likely to suffer not only from low income and consumption on average but also from fluctuations of their welfare once such disasters occur. These households are vulnerable to a decline in their welfare level because they have limited ability to cope with shocks and also they are subject to substantial shocks, such as weather variability (Dercon, 2005; Fafchamps, 2003). This concern has led to an emerging literature on vulnerability measures in development economics (Ligon and Schechter, 2003; 2004; Kamanou and Morduch, 2005; Calvo and Dercon, 2005; Kurosaki 2006a). We broadly think people as vulnerable when (i) they cannot mitigate income volatility and (ii) their consumption expenditure is volatile over time (they lack reliable coping mechanisms). Vulnerability is thus a forward-looking concept. As an example of low-income countries subject to substantial vulnerability, this paper examines the case of Pakistan. Pakistan is located in South Asia, where more than 500million people or about 40% were estimated to live below the poverty line at the turn of the century (World Bank, 2001). Economic development in South Asia has been characterized by a moderate success in economic growth with a substantial failure in human development such as basic health, education and gender equality (Dr`eze and Sen, 1995). This characteristic is most apparent in Pakistan (World Bank, 2002). Although the overall economic growth rates were improved during the 2000s, poverty reduction was slower than expected. Using a two period panel dataset spanning three years from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), one of the four provinces comprising Pakistan, Kurosaki (2006a) and Kurosaki (2006b) show that rural households were indeed vulnerable to substantial welfare fluctuations. Using a three-year pan el dataset from Pakistans Punjab, Kurosaki (1998) shows that farmers consumption was excessively sensitive to idiosyncratic shocks to their non-farm income. Similar findings have been accumulated for rural India as well (Townsend, 1994; Kurosaki 2001). The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 reviews the literature on the macroeconomic impacts of disasters and locates the proposed analysis within the disaster risk management paradigm. In section 3, we present the data and methodology used for projecting the economic impacts for a medium term horizon (up to 5 years after an event), as well as the regression analysis used for identifying predictor variables explaining potential impacts. Section 4 ends with a discussion of possible implications of our analysis. Literature Review The literature on impacts of natural disasters and economic effects is still inadequate and can be separated generally into three different categories. One part of the literature has focused on how several factors intensify susceptibility to natural events. They have maintained a natural vulnerability framework in view of climate change, deforestation and geophysical factors (McGuire, Mason and Kilburn, 2002), other than rising urbanization which brings ecological risks and exposure to threats from deficiency of sufficient urban development and dual political discourse (Pelling, 2003 and 2003a), or even environmental immediacy to exposure, access to property and public conveniences as well as political and social networks (Bosher, 2007). All these parts become a thread to population, their assets and possessions and their dynamic competence, becoming then an expected risk. And when such danger is realized, then it turns out to be a natural adversity (see McGuire, Mason and Kilburn, 2002). Although this thread of the literature distinguishes that such risk factors influence the impact of the natural tragedy, they just briefly point out essentially the number of losses, or some irregular overheads. A second thread of the literature spotlights on the impact of natural disasters on macroeconomic pointers. Auffret (2003) examined the impact of natural catastrophe on Latin America and the Caribbean, and figured out the impact very considerable, particularly for the Caribbean, where the explosive nature of expenditure is higher than in other parts of the world, where insufficient risk-management instruments have been available in the region. This part of the literature has been still conflicting to some extent. For example Benson and Clay (2003) have also explained that the lasting impact of natural events on economic development of any country is negative, while Skidmore and Toya (2002) reveal that such tragedies may also have a constructive impact in the future growth, resulting from a decrease to returns to physical assets but an enlargement in human capital. Strobl (2008) discovers for the US coastal counties that cyclones cut districts intensification at first by 0.8 per cent, at the same time as recuperating after in 0.2 per cent. This writer also figures out for Central America and the Caribbean that the impact from a unhelpful storm is a decline of 0.8 percent of fiscal increase (Strobl, 2008a). When investigating what extra features cut or amplify the impact of such natural tragedies on macro pointers, Kahn (2005) and Toya and Skidmore (2007) explain that organizations, top education and trade openness, in addition to well-built economic segment and smaller governments are significant aspects in shaping the impact that natural events have on growth at global level. The third tributary of the literature takes care of the impact and coping means for such tragic events generally at the domestic and township levels. At this point, natural adversities are upsets that family units have to face as they are unpleasant proceedings leading to a decline in earnings or utilization, and in addition a loss in industrious property. Alderman et al (2006) by means of data for family units in Zimbabwe spotlighted on height growth of kids as result of a deficiency and civil war in Zimbabwe, result that kids influenced by such upsets have less schooling and could have been tall; if not. Dercon (2004) focused on development in utilization amongst family units in chosen villages in Ethiopia, and did not discover that upsets have an effect in the diminution of assets. Carter et al (2007) examined the impact of droughts in Ethiopia and of cyclone Mitch in Honduras on development of belongings at the village level. For Ethiopia they uncover a model of assets leveling between low income family units, i.e. such families keep hold of their assets even they are little in phases where profits and usage drops off, for instance the big deficiency aroused. They discover for Honduran families that comparatively well-off families recovered earlier from the upset than short income households, and that a poverty corner is put below a specified point of income. Baez and Santos (2007) also examined the sound effects of Mitch on households pointers, discovering no outcome on school admissions of kids, but a noteworthy add to their labor contribution. Others have investigated how some coping methods inside families have an effect on revival from a shock resulting from such an adversity. De Janvry et al (2006) explains that uncertain cash transfer accessibility before a disaster provide as a shelter for those who are affected, while those dependent and helpless people utilize as coping method an add to child labor, and savings in food and school expenses. Alpizar (2007) also discovers that access to proper economic services takes the edge off pessimistic outcomes from natural disaster upsets for farmers in El Salvador, as it leads to further proficient production. On the other hand, a less urbanized region is the impact at local level. Yamano et al (2007) explain about industries and production. These writers makes use of region-wise data for employment and production, guessing that financial fatalities are not in proportion to the sharing of manufacturing activities and people attention, signifying that strategies to improve losses should be measured from a top order. Burrus et al (2002) also examined how low intensity typhoons can shock local financial systems from side to side interruption of actions. They exercise statistics from the local Chambers of Commerce surveys and as a result of their regularity the bang could be a decrease between 0.8 and 1.23 per cent of yearly production and up to 1.6 per cent of local employment. Though, there is a slit in the study of how local communal indicators are exaggerated by natural events. This is significant to bring to the front as the effects give the impression of being stretch around all unlike points, macro, micro and local, and how strategies to deal with those upsets can be premeditated in a good way. Whereas families emerge as the natural component of investigation for researching the consequences of natural disasters, it can also seem right to balance the study up as families react to risks are frequently influenced by the broader strategy framework. Certainly, households have substantial and insubstantial assets at their clearance, and their capability to preserve or gather together such assets in such situations will be produced by the arrangements and procedures for instance governance and institutional planning, broader strategies and open circumstances at metropolitan and district level. Additionally, the experience of family units to danger loss can and has been conventionally balanced up to top levels of aggregation (UNDP, 2008). It is the number of citizens situated in definite parts joint with the individual, material and ecological conditions of families and the regions where they live that forms their communal potential to deal with a natural disaster. For that reason, we refer to the community level of study while thinking of the inferences that dangers can have. Governments have a tendency to go on board in various approaches to deal with natural happenings. In the past, they have usually reacted through disaster relief, but more lately there has been a propensity to highlight cash transfers as well. Even if both methods are adopted extra efficiency could be consummate by adopting danger diminution and improvement means that deal with the structural aspects which make families more uncovered to natural risks. Having system in position previous to the awareness of dangers is primary. At the macro level, premature warning systems and the public disaster-preparedness agenda look as if mostly significant, so as sufficient economic assets to promote revival, over and above tax inducements for households or public to take on mitigation procedures. Another type of protecting the value of material goods at the macro level could be through financial diversification. Increasing primary, secondary and tertiary sector activities along with spatial activities in the economy, can offer an open pool to multiply the risk of anguish danger losses, and extra prospects to amplify and steady profits. Equally, the concentration of financial and sector-wise activities would be reliable with condensed capability of families to administer and react to natural disasters. Still, there is a set of insubstantial facts which might improve the family hard work to get through the outcome of natural vulnerability on them, just as adverse socio-economic opportunities. The political economy and organizational aspects of the situation where assets are positioned together with the system of belief, norm and ideas set in the activities of communities members might bear out elementary while utilizing and mobilizing assets for confronting disasters. If possible, one should be capable to clarify how civilization and supremacy provision come into play when they act together with the broader surroundings of risks, assets and wellbeing results. However, most of these features will be tough to get into work empirically for the period of our technical study. Flourishing coping against natural disasters is difficult to achieve in a situation of small efficiency, staled financial development, not having access to industrious possessions, deficiency of economic reserves and safety nets in place, and broad difference crossways geographic, financial, or tribal lines. Lack of health conveniences, remoteness and low rate of education may also complex these susceptibility. Consequently, the covariate life of various natural hazards and the policy-tempted macro circumstances upsetting the rate and likelihood of effectively coping with them might reflect unreliable welfare shocks across region and sub-region levels. At last, societies can make worse these natural, site and practice-specific aspects through not making any investment in substantial and communal infrastructure at the household and district level (roads and bridges). In case of rural areas, these deficiencies can be multifaceted by a high frequency of hazards because of being covered hazard-prone areas, extending the vulnerability of families to experience any losses. Although the impact a natural disaster is an outside factor, susceptibility of causes, making the shock of the event high or low, is not. Susceptibility to natural hazards is a composite subject, as it is determined by the monetary model, the phase of growth, current social and fiscal situation, coping means, risk evaluation, rate of recurrence and greatness of hazards, etc. Lindell and Prater (2003) summarize the significance of shaping the impact and the influenced agents in natural hazards. First, that information is helpful for policy makers, as they can recognize the need for outside support and which may be extra effectual. Second, exact sections of affected can be recognized, e.g. how short income families are influenced, uniqueness of regions etc; and third, it may be also helpful for setting up backing for natural hazards and the possible penalty. They also summarize how the impact of natural hazards should consider other means. One of the main questions concerning the impact of natural hazards on families or towns is how accidental they may be. Donner (2007) examined the effects of hurricanes in the US and figured out that the effects are not accidental, because some aspects such as ecological, society, demographic, and scientific, have an occurrence on the impact of such events. On the whole the flow of impact of natural hazards can be sketched as in Figure 1. figure1.PNG Figure 1. Model of Disaster Impact Other aspect is how establishment have defined practices concerning natural events and how they systematize help in the outcome can also be determinant of the crash. Such as, Peacok and Girard (1997) explain how the revitalization process after tornado in Florida was determined more by governmental obstructions rather than lack of resources. Limited Literature is available which studies the quantitative relationship between the economy and the natural disasters. Zarrar et al (2009) studied the impact of natural disasters on the Irans Gross domestic product. They adopted a auto regressive distributed Lag model in order to study the impact. The findings showed that natural disasters have negative impact on the GDP per capita and on Per captia investment. The result of the model test was that investment had a positive impact on the economy while negative impact on GDP from the damages from the loss of Physical capital. Macro economic variables determine the impact of these natural disasters on the long run economic growth. Aaron (2007) found that financial crises caused by these disasters hurt the long run growth through inflation. This inflation is the result of increased debt burden. Other reason for this inflation could be that central bank print excess notes to pay the external and internal debt. Also the tax collection is also affected which hurdles the government efforts in compensating the losses. However the loss in revenue is compensated by the help of the Loans and aid given by the international institutions. They include the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the European Union. These loans and aid influence the economic growth in the short as well as the in the long run. Pelling (2002) in his work identified that the most important macroeconomic impact of natural disaster can be studied by examining the inflation trends in the economy. More over the public expenditures by the government and the aid flowing as foreign direct investment influences the GDP growth rate. The used a comparative analysis technique of comparing different case studies to determine the macro-economic effects. These effects are measured by plotting the trends in GDP against macro economic factors i.e Inflation ,FDI and Loans. The literature review discusses the direct and indirect impact of economic variables on the economy. However in this research work only the impact of macro economic variables is studied. From the support of Literature review the macro economic variables which can be used to measure the quantitative impact of natural disasters on the GDP growth of Pakistan are Inflation, Internal and external debts, Foreign Aid and foreign direct investment flowing in the country. In next section of research we will take into account the above macroeconomic variables with the purpose of concluding the impact of natural disasters on the economy of Pakistan. Methodology Research Type In order to identify the macroeconomic effects of disasters, we suggest comparing a counterfactual situation ex-post to the observed state of the system ex-post. This involves assessing the potential trajectory (projected unaffected economy without disaster) versus the observed state of the economy. This contrasts with observing economic performance post-event and actual performance pre-event, as usually done in similar analysis. Our analysis requires projecting economic development into a future without an event. In short, the type of research would be purely Quantitative. Sources of Data Our two main sources of Data are: The open-source EMDAT disaster database (CRED, 2008) maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Università © Catholique de Louvain. The proprietary Munich Re NatCat Service database. Data type and Research Periods Our sample consists of all major natural disaster events during 1950-2010. The sample is based on information from two databases and was compiled by Okuyama (2009) with the threshold for a large event defined arbitrarily to a loss exceeding 1 percent of GDP.One database is the open-source EMDAT disaster database (CRED, 2008) maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Università © Catholique de Louvain. Primary data are compiled for various purposes, such as informing relief and reconstruction requirements internationally or nationally, and data are generally collected from various sources and, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, insurance companies, research institutes and press agencies. The other database is the proprietary Munich Re NatCat Service database, which mainly serves to inform insurance and reinsurance pricing. We focus on the monetary losses. In both datasets, loss data follow no uniform definition and are collected for different purposes such as assessing donor needs for relief and reconstruction, assessing potential impacts on economic aggregates and defining insurance losses. We distinguish between sudden and slow onset events. Key sudden-onset events are extreme geotectonic events (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, slow mass movements) and extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones, floods and winter storms. Slow-onset natural disasters are either of a periodically recurrent or permanent nature; these are droughts and desertification. We broadly associate the loss data with asset losses, i.e. damages to produced capital. This is a simplification, as indirect impacts, such as business interruption, may also be factored into the data. Yet, generally, at least for the sudden onset events, analysts generally equate the data with asset losses, and an indication that this assumption can be maintained is the fact that loss data are usually relatively quickly available after a catastrophe, which indicates that flow impacts emanating over months to years are usually not considered. Losses are compared to estimates of capital stock from Sanderson and Striessnig (2009), which estimated stocks using the perpetual inventory method based on Penn World table information on investments starting in 1900 and assuming annual growth and depreciation of 4 percent. Theoretical Framework and variables under consideration Theoretical Framework to be used in this essay to explain Economical Impacts on Pakistan due to Natural Disasters. Economical Impacts GDP Exposure Socioeconomic Susceptibility Direct Risks Produced Resources Environment Resources Human Resources Type of Hazard Physical Susceptibility Risk Management The literature on the monetary impacts explained can be associated with framework above. Independent Variables: Independent Determinants of such impacts and dangers can be renowned as: Hazard Variable: This variable is related to the type of Natural disaster/Hazard that jolts any part of Pakistan. Exposure: This variable deals with the geographical area and spatial scale of impact from the particular disaster. Economical Structure: This variable deals with the overall structure of the economy in the country and in particular region affected by the disaster (if needed). Development: This determinant deals with risks that might directly or indirectly affect the stage of the development of the country. Socioeconomic Environment: It is related to the current socioeconomic conditions in the country. Risk Management: This takes care of the availability of formal and informal mechanisms to share risks in a particular part of the country. The last four variables are related to economic susceptibility. Research Hypothesis H0: Natural Disasters do not have any significant negative follow-on effects on the economy of Pakistan. H1: Natural Disasters do have significant negative follow-on effects on the economy of Pakistan. Techniques We use autoregressive integrated moving average models, also called ARIMA (p,d,q) (Box and Jenkins, 1976) for forecasting GDP into the future after the disaster event. ARIMA modeling approaches are chosen because they are sufficiently general to handle virtually all empirically observed patterns and often used for GDP forecasting (see for example Abeysinghe and Rajaguru, 2004). While such a type of modeling may be criticized for its black box approach (Makridakis and Wheelwright, 1989), it here serves well due to the large number of projections to be made and the difficulty identifying suitable economic model approaches. The ARIMA process Recall, an autoregressive process of order AR (p) can be defined as x t = à Ã¢â‚¬  1x tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 + à Ã¢â‚¬  2x tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 ++ à Ã¢â‚¬  px tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢p + ÃŽÂ µt A moving-average process of order MA (q) may be written as xt =ÃŽÂ µ t +ÃŽÂ ¸1ÃŽÂ µ tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 +ÃŽÂ ¸ 2ÃŽÂ µ tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 +à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦+ÃŽÂ ¸ qÃŽÂ µ tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢q and an ARMA(p,q) process, with p autoregressive and q moving average terms can be defined to be xt =à Ã¢â‚¬  1xtà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 ++à Ã¢â‚¬   p xtà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ p +ÃŽÂ µ t +ÃŽÂ ¸1ÃŽÂ µ tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 ++ÃŽÂ ¸ qÃŽÂ µ tà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢q Where à Ã¢â‚¬   and ÃŽÂ ¸ are parameters to be estimated and ÃŽÂ µ are white noise stochastic error terms. Now, let yt be a non-stationary series and define the first order regular difference of yt as Άyt = yt à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ytà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 or more generally using a back-shift operator denoted as Bk zt = ztà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢k yt B d yt Άd = (1à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ) An ARIMA (p,d,q) model can then be expressed as yt q B t B B d à Ã¢â‚¬   p ( )(1à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ) =ÃŽÂ ¸ ( )ÃŽÂ µ with B p à Ã¢â‚¬   p (B) = 1à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  1B à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬   p and Bq ÃŽÂ ¸ q (B) = 1à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸1B à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ q Data Analysis The Box-Jenkins methodology (Box and Jenkins, 1976) is applied for determining the components of the ARIMA process; i.e. we test different ARIMA(p,d,q) models with p and q to be smaller or equal 4 (due to the limited amount of data) and estimate à Ã¢â‚¬   and ÃŽÂ ¸ using Maximum likelihood techniques and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) as well as diagnostic checks to detect a suitable model. The data requirements were set thus that at least 5 observed data points are needed for projections into the future. This is the smallest number of observations which are needed to estimate ARIMA (4,1,4) models (however, the majority of the sample (greater 90 percent) has at least 10 data points). Furthermore, all models are tested to be stationary (usually d=1 suffices to assure a stationary process) and all series are demeaned. To include uncertainty in the projections, also 95 percent confidence forecasts were calculated and analyzed. Forecasts into the future are performed with the selected models and then compared to the observed variables. Increases or decreases of GDP in future years are measured as a percentage increase or decrease to baseline GDP (i.e., baseline =100) which is defined to be GDP a year before the disaster event. Furthermore, the differences between observed values and projected ones are calculated and called Diff(t), which indicates the percentage difference between the observed and projected value of GDP in year t. We focus on projections with a medium term perspective (up to 5 years into the future). This limitation is due to important data constraints for the ARIMA models within

The Spirituality And Architecture Theology Religion Essay

The Spirituality And Architecture Theology Religion Essay Spirituality  is an ultimate or an alleged immaterial  reality. The essence of spirituality is the search to know our true selves, to discover the real nature of consciousness. In other words, it is a constant discovery of the incredible, our real self, and a quest of our true being, why we are, who we are and where we belong. This has been a part of the eternal quest of man from times immemorial. These questions have been answered differently by many but are subject to ones own belief interpretation and perception. Sri Aurobindo in Indian Spirituality and Life (1919)says Man does not arrive immediately at the highest inner elevation and if it were demanded of him at once, he would never arrive there. At first he needs lower supports and stages of ascent, he asks for some line of thought, dogma, worship, image, sign, and symbols, some indulgence and permission of mixed half natural motive on which he can stand while he builds up in him the temple of spirit.(Sri Aurobindo, Indian Spirituality and Life, 1919) Mans quest of truth, reality and peace has been unending. Overawed with the infinite nature, whatever he could not comprehend he attributed that to the glory of nature. Mans intellect cannot accept anything that is unknown, unseen and has no fixed shape or form. Thus to satisfy his intellectual curiosity man gave physical form to the divine being. Spirituality is our attempt to become aware of our spirit. Spiritual architecture refers to any building system that facilitates this awareness. It is, an act of highlighting or bringing forth the self, not by rejecting matter but by manifesting it in matter, at various levels and in multiple forms. E.V. Walter in Placeways, defines spiritual space as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a specific environment of phenomena that are expected to support the imagination, nourish spiritual experience, and convey spiritual truth (Walter,E.V., Placeways: A Theory of the Human Environment, 75). Spiritual spaces can be found in nature or they can be a constructed space. A spiritual space found in nature is a place designated by individuals or groups as such a place. It is a distinct space, a place whose character sets it apart from its surroundings. They are distinct from typical or commonly found places. The designation of a place as spiritual comes from the human need to establish a connection with inner truth. A place that is spiritual to one person or group of people may not be spiritual to others. Architecture of a space can invoke all the senses, help one concentrate ones positive energies to calm a disturbed mind and take a peaceful stable mind beyond the physical. It is an inevitable part of life. It attempts to reflect mans source and the reason of being in several varied ways. Architecture is more than mere physical shelter or symbolic artefacts. They are catalyst towards our dwelling, between our being and the world. Architecture, together with the other arts, has, since time immemorial, been one of the most powerful means to pursue and realize this quest and give it physical-symbolic expression: how to create an identity and a place for our being from within the vast, shapeless and infinite extent of time and space; how to affirm our presences and gain a foothold, in the universe. (Gunter Dittmar, Upon the Earth, Beneath the Sky: The Architecture of Being, Dwelling Building, 2001) Successful architectural expression is one, which is able to do both; provide an enriching experience and an unforgettable image. It becomes more important while expressing spirituality in material to provide for an experience of, both the form and the formless, one perceptible by the senses and other beyond senses. Since sacred spaces are separate from everyday places in a designated precinct, value is placed on the journey and arriving at the sacred place. The path and the ritual journey are part of the sacred experience. It is a universal goal of mankind to seek or to create spiritual spaces. What is a spiritual space, and what are the qualities which describe that space? What defines spirituality and the space it makes and how does this form relate to us today? RESEARCH QUESTION What are the attributes of spiritual spaces? 1.2 NEED FOR JUSTIFICATION The current crisis of environmental degradation is also a crisis of places. People are systematically building meaningless places. We must develop a way of understanding the built environment and the natural landscape. True renewal, will require a change in the way we structure experience for understanding both the natural land and the constructed world. Since, the spiritual dimension and moral obligation have been discarded by the modern. Materialism divorced from ethics has corrupted the society. Therefore, more and more people are turning to Spirituality, Yoga and Meditation. Religious people are searching for the lost grid of spirituality in religion. Thus, there is a growing need of buildings to cater this need of people. There are spatial qualities and architectural elements based on experiential background and emotional attachments. To identify and define these connections, one has to go beyond the basic observation of signs and symbols, and analyse the spatial qualities and architectural elements which stimulate senses. 1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY A brief study of design tools, which are capable of making the experience soul stirring. These include form, space, volume, geometry, scale and proportions, light and colour. Historical and symbolic aspects of spiritual spaces have already been discussed. (Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol. 2; Sir Banister Fletchers a History of Architecture, Sir Banister Fletcher,  Dan Cruickshank; Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Period), Percy Brown) Thus this study will be focused towards the very fundamental architectural criterion and spatial impression on individuals mind. The study does not discuss in detail many issues, like evolution, construction, etc. But focuses on the internal design aspects, concerning the designing of a spiritual space, which are known and acknowledged. Study should avoid commenting on the beliefs and rituals of various religions, but should debate towards the evolution and change of spatial qualities and form. 1.4 LIMITATION FOR THE RESEARCH Study of sacred spaces of all faiths is not possible within the limited time frame. A study of the built environment shall be undertaken which shall include only the spiritual aspect, the qualitative parameters and not the technical evaluation of the built form. Considering the time frame provided for the completion of the study, primary case studies taken are done from Delhi only. It would have been desirable to study how sacred can be woven into the everyday as well. 1.5 METHODOLOGY The study is intended to be broken into subheads that will make it easier to understand the topic that talks about spiritual dimensions in sacred spaces and architectural qualities influencing human behaviour. STAGE 1 IDENTIFYING NEED FOR THE STUDY Trying to find the objectives of study. Setting up the scope and limitations. STAGE 2 LITERATURE SURVEY Through the survey of all possible data related to the topic or on architecture and human behaviour. This stage of the research includes collecting data that is directly or indirectly related to spiritual aspect of architectural spaces. This has been done through the printed form or from the internet, articles and discussions of peoples relating to the study. Literature survey aims at sorting out case studies both inside and outside India and also at getting an review of what are the recent developments and events that are taking place in the field of spiritual architecture. STAGE 3 LITERATURE SURVEY 2 A study has been undertaken to understand the mental conditions of a man in different spaces and its relation with the creator. Through this the topic got defined and the question got framed. STAGE 4 INTERRELATING DIFFERENT SACRED STRUCTURES As our concern is on human being, the structures affecting human mind around the world should have similarities. Search for the overlapping of spatial qualities in sacred structures around the world. STAGE 5 FRAME WORK To make a framework of different issues and principles studied which can be applied on case studies. List of issues formulate questionnaire for the case studies and interviews. List of issues: Open and closed space Portal or entrance Path and surrounding landscape Destination point Form, geometry, proportion and scale Articulation and symbolism Light, colour and sound Touch, smell and taste STAGE 6 Fig 1.1 ISKCON Temple, New Delhi Fig 1.2 Cathedral Church of Redemption, New Delhi Fig 1.3 Jama Masjid, New DelhiCASE STUDIES ISKCON TEMPLE, NEW DELHI CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF REDEMPTION, NEW DELHI JAMA MASJID,NEW DELHI Case studies are selected to understand the sacredness and the spiritual consciousness through the built, the purpose behind it. Case studies will throw some light on the spatial qualities of spiritual spaces. Suitable case studies will be undertaken to examine the need of the topic and its negligence in present day scenario. STAGE 7 CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDY All the information collected so far was then analysed thoroughly. An analysis of experiencing the sacred buildings to out the design tools that an architect can employ to create the desired spiritual experience. STAGE 8 DESIGN IDEA FORMULATION After assimilation of all matter and analysis of material collected, conclusions are derived, as to, how an architect can use design tools to stimulate all the senses and make the experience of a spiritual space spiritual. CHAPTER 2: SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2.1 SPATIAL QUALITIES AND HUMAN MIND The sacred is never intentionally chosen, but in some way or the other revels itself. -Eliade (1963) The meaning of structured space, a meaning which we believe lies in its dynamic relationship to its human personality and to our mental health. Fig 2.1 The self- Hindu thought (Source: Prof. H.D. Chayya)The environment in which humans operate has an important influence on their wellbeing and performance. Our structured environment is so important and, influence direct or indirect, on the shaping of personality and the choice as well as the attainment of goals. Emotional design and tangible interaction are compelling forms of enhancing user engagement. The combination of these modes of interaction can create a new dimension of human experience when physical movement in space or the manipulation of objects triggers emotions within an individual. By seamlessly integrating expressive tangible interaction techniques with ambient intelligence, that is, by creating environments that are sensitive and responsive to human gestures, meaningful experiences can be constructed. Leon Festinger, Stanley Schachter and Krik Bach found in their detailed studies of one urban situation, that physical spaces play a very large part in the formation of community relationships à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and even minor architectural feature, such as the position of staircase and mailboxes, had important effects on the social life of people. The architect who builds a house or who designs a site plan, who decides which direction the houses will face and how close together they will be, also is, to a great extent, deciding the pattern of social life among the people who will live in those houses.(Strengthening Weak Ties: Social Networks and Student Housing, Thesis, B. Design in Architecture, University of Florida, 2011) Geoffrey Scotts book The Architecture of Humanism, 1914, he said, The architect models in space as a sculptor in clay. He designs the space as a work of art; that is, he attempts through his means to excite a certain mood in those who enter it. The view has been elaborated by others, among them Bruno Zevi, Architecture as Space, 1957: the facade and walls of house. Church, or palace, no matter how beautiful they may be, is only the container, the boxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦; the content is the internal space. As Geoffrey Scott suggests, Space itself is not obvious, cannot be visually perceived; one sees only objects in space; or the structural members that encloses the space. Space itself can only be sensed- that is, felt; its quality is apprehended by means of the senses, but its effect is upon the emotions, and cannot readily be rationalized, measured or depicted. One can only gauge and describe accurately enough the adequacy or structural soundness, its provision for warmth, ventilation, sanitation, light, and other physical factors. One can criticize its components in terms of proportion, texture, colour and other aesthetic considerations. Fig. 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 (Source: F.D.K.Ching, Architecture Form, Space and Order 3rd edition) Fig. 2.5 Non-sign II-art installation by  Annie Hans  and  Daniel Mihalyo But beyond all of these, there is an overall effect exerted upon ones consciousness by architectural space which defies precise definition.(Scott, Geoffrey, The Architecture of Humanism, 1914) Architecture truly conceived, is nothing less than the conscious and careful determination of our whole structured environment and leaves an impression on individuals mind, which can be controlled. Like a stage setting that controls the movements of actors and defines where and under what circumstances they can meet, our habitat channels our movements and influence our contacts. If we think of buildings at all, it is usually when we are jolted by some outrage, such as a stalled elevator or a leaky roof, long columned corridor, a double height space. (Walter, E.V., 1988, Placeways: A Theory of the Human Environment) Table 2.1 The concept of the spirit of a space (Source: Author)Some of the architectural integrant which affect human psychology are: Five senses Hearing Touch Sight Taste Smell The basic elements Space Air Fire Water Earth Instruments of perception (to acquire inward) Ear Skin Eyes Tongue Nose Work organs (to act outwards) Speech communication (exit) Hands work (finger) Feet mobility Anus discard Genitals procreate Control centre force Mind (flow of thoughts and emotions) Intellect (power of discrimination) The presiding force (PRANA or the life force) The cosmos consciousness or the supreme energy Architecture Silence Climate Light Plumbing Landscape transformation Acoustics Weather Colour Cooling Related technological fields Vibrations Texture surfaces Texture forms Repose odour Emotional Design Emotion is a fundamental aspect of what makes us human; it shapes our cognition, perception, memory, and learning and it colours our past, present, and future experiences. Emotional value is important in design for enhancing user experience as Donald Norman explains: Our attachment is really not to the thing, it is to the relationship, to the meanings and feelings the thing represents. Emotional design then, provides an aesthetic interaction that engages users on an emotional, meaningful, and psychological level. Whereas affective computing focuses on the system recognizing and adjusting to what it believes the user is feeling, emotional design focuses on the emotional experience. Physical and Tangible Interfaces Human movement is often spurred by intention and motivation within people. Tangible user interfaces allow users to interact with virtual information by sensing and manipulating physical environments through objects, surfaces, and spaces. Relation of architecture and human psychology is far interrelated. Appropriate use of various architectural components has the capacity of enlightening the atmosphere whereas inappropriate use does the opposite. The building forms, the functions incorporated in it, colours, negative and positive spaces in and around it may be the few points but architecture is directly attached with human psychology from conscious to subconscious level. 2.2 PLACEBO EFFECT: SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION For decades, scientists have tried to understand the mysterious power of what is called the placebo effect. Placebo studies prove how powerfully we are influenced not just emotionally but physiologically by how we perceive the world around us. Articulation and architectural conditions in homes can have powerful and long-lasting psychological impact. The placebo effect offers a clue that points to how we might create curative environments. The placebo effect as a therapy, the fact that believers in a wide variety of ancient faith systems also claim similar effects, as have modern scientists who study mind/body medicine. Fig 2.6 Illustration of the interrelationship of stress, belief and how they may impact on the placebo effect and the relaxation response. (Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com)In other words, it impacts an ancient part of our brain which we share with many other species. Endogenous opioids, which are naturally produced by the brain in small amounts and play a key role in the relief of pain and anxiety, have been implicated in placebo analgesia. CHAPTER 3: SACRED SPACE AND SPIRITUALITY 3.1 OPEN SPACES: AS SACRED SPACES Does spirituality needs sacred spaces and vice versa? Does spirituality really is incomplete without architecture? Is it not the quality of the inner life, open to a virtual dimension that transcends the sensible, that matters? Fig 3.1 Lodhi Garden, New Delhi (Source: Author)Open space has two different meanings that work together to create sacred places that are inclusive and aware of many elements that may be exclusive to any potential user of the space. An open space is open to the public, meaning anyone of any race, faith, culture, or belief is able to enter the space. The space is for the whole community of different people rather than just one particular group. Or, an open space is one that feels welcoming and non-threatening to those that spend time in it; it feels like home for the soul. The design of the space and the placement of features such as portals, paths, universal symbols that have meaning across all religions, nations and ethnic groups, lend to the openness of the space by inviting those outside of the space to enter it. The combination of a space being open on both a physical and spiritual level is what makes up Open Spaces, Sacred Places. 3.2 ATTRIBUTES OF A SPIRITUAL SPACE Architecture is the first pioneer on the highway toward the adequate realization of inner self. For this means it levels space for self-realization, informs his external environment, and builds a fit place for the aggregation of those assembled having similar faith, as a defence against the threatening of tempest, against rain, and savage animals. Besides the variety of buildings and design approaches in the effort to create a space where man can feel spirituality, there can be found some common design tools that help to create the soul stirring experience. The following discuss some of these parameters. The portal or threshold is the entryway into the sacred space, which helps to separate the space from the greater surrounding space and invites you to step inside. A portal can be created with a hardscape such as a gate or a portico, or with simple planting. Fig 3.2 Portal to Garden, (Source: http://www.luminous-landscape.com) Fig 3.4 Open space, (Source: http://www.luminous-landscape.com) Fig 3.3 Pathway in a Garden, (Source: http://www.luminous-landscape.com)The path invites exploration and discovery along the route. It meanders through spaces, fuels the imagination and entices one to see where it may lead. The destination point is an end point within a space that inexplicably draws visitors. It may be a resting place, such as a bench, or a beautiful natural feature, such as a gurgling fountain or rain curtain. It is a point within the sacred space where those who visit always end up. Sacred spaces may have more than one destination point. Space and Volume Fig. 3.5 Space defining elements, Source: F.D.K.Ching, Architecture Form, Space and Order 3rd edition) Space, whether of the individual or the universal, possesses a unique quality of experiencing. It is hyper sensitive, besides being super potential. Sense of surround defines the space as separate and apart from the overall outdoor environment. Visitors who enter the space feel as though they are entering into a room. There are natural or man-made boundaries (or a combination of both) that delineate the space within the greater environment. These boundaries provide a subtle feeling of shelter, enabling people to feel safe and enjoy their time spent in the space. (Nicolas, W. Robert Leo A Daly, 2004, building Type Basics for Places of Worship) By generating a continuous flow of spaces, each act movement becomes an experience. Each component of architecture becomes important and provides for this linkage. It can be by repetition of elements, alteration in scale and proportion, staggering, light, texture, and colour and also by using perspective as a device to accentuate the drama. (Robinson,J., 1979, Religious Buildings) Fig. 3.6 Form and Space, Source: F.D.K.Ching, Architecture Form, Space and Order 3rd edition) Form and Geometry Architectural form is the point of contact between mass and space Architectural Form required to fulfil its functional requirements for that is the reason for its being both physical and spiritual. (Saarinen, E., op.cit. pg 14)Every form conveys a meaning. It is important to understand how form can transmit a spiritual meaning. Certain shapes and forms are conventional associated with certain meanings. Scale and Proportion Fig. 3.7 Vastupurusa (Source: Charles Correa, Vistara; Architecture of India) Fig. 3.8 Vitruvius Man (Source: Leonardo Da vinci.stanford.edu)Scale refers to the size of something compared to reference standard or size of something else. Deciding the scale of a sacred space is a common design concern. Some blend into the fabric of the neighbouring community and landscape; others stands out as landmarks, easily recognized for their special purpose. Generally the sacred spaces take monumental scale to create an atmosphere of awe, mystery and magnificence. The scale of the interior spaces, the size and weight of doors, and the exposed structural columns and beams all serve to denote the special quality of the sacred space. Fig. 3.9 LeCorbusier modular Man (Source: Corbusier, The modulor)Proportion refers to the proper or harmonious relation of one part to another or to the whole. While the designer usually has a range of choices when determining the proportions of things, some are given to us by the nature and the man himself. Human body proportions are used not merely as numbers with an inherent harmony, but as a system of measurements that could govern lengths, surfaces, and volumes. It can lend itself to an infinity of combination; it ensures unity with diversity; the miracle of numbers. Proportional buildings and scale link spiritual architecture to the mathematical structure of the cosmos. The building should relate well not only to the human scale but also the psyche. Light and Colour Fig. 3.12 Khajuraho Temple (Source: Kota Kesava Karthik) Fig. 3.11 Prayer at Church (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org)Light is regarded to be the most important component in definition of space or the manifestation of form in an architectural space; it not only defines the space but also gives meaning to it. In this study one looks at how light can create a place of worship; how to make a quiet, enclosed, isolated space, space full of activities, filled with vitality. Fig. 3.10 Khirki Masjid (Source: Jegmet Wangchuk) Colour is the attribute that most clearly distinguishes a form from its environment. We respond to bright colours, for instance red, with the emotional part of our brain. First, our muscles get tense, and then we lean towards the colour. Our respiration and heart rate goes up and the blood pressure starts rising. The opposite reactions occur when we see light colours such as blue. Our muscles relax, the heart and respiration rate drops and the blood pressure lowers. It also affects the visual weight of a form. Gradation of colour exist; from pale to brilliant; from cold to warm. Thus colour expression is also full of meaning. Texture is an important asset of colour. It is the visual and especially tactile quality given to a surface by shape and arrangement, and the proportions of the parts. Texture also determines to which the surfaces of a form reflect or absorb incident light. It gives an expression to the surface, thereby contributing to the overall impression. Color Colors Characteristics Colors Actions Red Stimulating, exciting, provocative, dynamic Increased enthusiasm, interest, and energy Pink Happy, sweet, spirited, romantic, youthful Calm and relaxing feelings Brown Wholesome, rich, durable, rustic, sheltering A connection with the natural earth and the stability this brings Orange Friendly, vital, tangy, energizing, inviting Increases creativity and gives relief from things becoming too serious Blue Dependable, cool, serene, constant, quiet Broadens your perspective in learning new information Green Refreshing, healing, fresh, soothing, nature Gives freedom to pursue new ideas Purple Sensual, elegant, mysterious, regal, spiritual Calms over activity or energizes from depression Black Strong, classic, elegant, powerful, mysterious Opens the door to mystery and prepares for the unknown Yellow Warming, sunny, cheerful, luminous, enlightening Gives clarity for decision making and sharper memory and concentration skills white Pure, bright, innocent, lightweight, pristine Starts a fresh beginning Fig. 3.13 Colours in Culture (Source: www.informationisbeautiful.net) Table. 3.1 Concept of Colours (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org)Symbolism Symbolism We can identify iconography depicted in architecture of these buildings as the signs and symbols and the inspirations taken directly from some other structure or theories and thoughts spread across the world. A symbol is the juxtaposition that is, a co-optation of visible forms brought forth to demonstrate some invisible matter. One needs to identify with ones religion that is where symbols play an important role.( JosePereira, 2004, The Sacred Architecture of Islam) Table. 3.2 Iconography in major religions (Source: JosePereira, The Sacred Architecture of Islam, 2004)Sacred symbolism is considered to be present in every major religious building, around the world. Iconography of sacred geography in three major religions of the world: TEMPLE MOSQUE CHURCH MOUNTAIN Shikhara Minaret Lofty towers STONE Idol One that in Kabba Altar TREE Present in courtyard Cross WATER Sarovar Ritual ablutions in courtyard Place of Baptism But is it signs and symbolism only which draw an impact on our behaviour. When we get in to some space, is the aesthetical and visual perception only gets conceived in our mind. Fig. 3.15 Temple Bells (Source: Author) Fig. 3.14 Prayer at church (Source: http://www.mlive.com) Fig. 3.16 Reciting Quran in Mardrsa (Source: http://www.mlive.com)SOUND The reverberant sound quality created by the proportions and the materials of sacred spaces set them apart from the ordinary. Sacred music, singing, chanting, the ringing of temple and church bells and intoning of prayers characterize specific rituals. The change in sound quality from the cacophony of the street to the harmony resonant silence signifies entry into a sacred space. TOUCH The experience of touch identifies a sacred space; the weight of the door handle, the textures of materials on walls and seating, and the hardness of stone underfoot. A change in temperature, such as the transition from the blazing heat of a busy city street into the cool and solitude of an interior can also denote a sacred space. Most of the textures are touched by vision, iconography, formed an integral part of a temple and a church architecture to convey the complete narrative. Though the following two are not translated into architectural terms, but they form an indispensable part of a complete spiritual experience. SMELL Fig. 3.20 Garlands for devotees (Source: Author) Fig. 3.18 IItr, scented oil Fig. 3.19 Votive Candles (Source: Author) Fig. 3.17 Agarbatti (Source: http://www.mlive.com)Incense is used extensively in the Roman Catholic and Buddhist traditions as a symbol of prayers going up to the deity. The smell of agarbatti and the flowers offered to deity are indispensable parts of the rituals for Hindu as well as many other faiths. The incense sticks are used even in meditation centers as the intoxicating smell stimulates your senses to the positive and calms you down. TASTE Fig. 3.23 Christmas cake (Source: www.google.com) Fig. 3.22 Korma (Source: Author) Fig. 3.21 Laddo (Source: Kota Kesava Karthik)Though this sensory experience is missing in many of the architecture, it still is an integral part of many religious experiences. All the Hindu temples have Prasad and Chanramrit (sweet water) as an indispensable part of the worshipping ritual. Some believe that this custom of sharing sweets is a memorial of the sweetness of the deities. Christians offer holy water in a similar manner. The prasad is obligatory in the Gurudwara too. 3.3 SPIRITUAL DIMENSION IN EXISTING BUILDING TYPOLOGY 3.3.1 THE HINDU TEMPLE The Hindu temple is essentially the House Of God. It is not a place for congregational worship. Though congregation for religious ceremonies do take place, but the worshippers communication with the divine is his own personal experience. The worshipper goes individually to the house of God and invokes his blessings. Stella Kramisch, in her book, The Hindu Temple says, the intellect of the age, absorbed largely in divine contemplation, is reflected in the temple idol

Male Superiority within Domestic Life :: essays research papers

Male Superiority within Domestic Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, there are many burdens upon relationships in the storyline. One such burden is that of male superiority; through the belief of male superiority relationships are stressed because males constantly need to prove that they are better then females. This stress causes problems within marriages and affects the domestic life of husbands and wives. The unspoken problem between the sexes causes tension and affects thoughts shown within internal monologues more then it directly affects events.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men in this novel need sympathy from the women in order to prove their superiority because by getting sympathy from a woman the man is acting superior over the woman. Mr. Ramsey proves this fact when he works to receive Lily’s sympathy. This is shown when Lily thinks, â€Å"You shan’t touch your canvas, he seemed to say, bearing down on her, until you’ve given me what I want from you† (150); about Mr. Ramsey as he approaches her while she is painting. In this scene what Mr. Ramsey wants from Lily is sympathy and he acts as if he is in control over Lily and therefore can force her to give him sympathy. Eventually, Lily gives Mr. Ramsay the sympathy he wants which is shown when she thinks to herself, â€Å"Why, at this completely inappropriate moment, when he was stooping over her shoe, should she be so tormented with sympathy for him that, as she stooped too, the blood rushed to her face and thinking of her callousness (she had called h im a play-actor) she felt her eyes swell and tingle with tears?† (154) and thus feels sympathy for Mr. Ramsay even when she decidedly did not want to. Not only does Lily feel sympathy for Mr. Ramsay but she also feels bad about thinking negatively about him. Lily’s feeling of guilt shows Mr. Ramsay being superior to her that is in turn an example of male supremacy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the dinner table discussion, Mr. Tansley shows male supremacy when he thinks, â€Å"he was not going to talk the kind of rot these people wanted him to talk. He was not going to be condescended by these silly women† (85). Mr. Tansley’s thoughts in this quotation show that he is putting himself above women by staying independent of their conversation therefore showing that they have no power over him. Mr. Tansley continues to exhibit male supremacy when his need to assert himself arises.

What is Clinical Depression? Essay -- depressed mood, diminished press

What is depression? Depression is an illness that can take over a person’s life---it can take their happiness and their will to live. This illness can effect adults, teenagers, and even kids. â€Å"Depression is an equal opportunity disorder---- it can affect anyone of any group, any background, any race, any gender, and any age. It is the great leveler of all groups and can take the greatest and the smallest of us all and reduce us to the pain and nothingness that is depression (Nydegger 1)†. Depression is an emotion most people may feel they have experienced, but little do they know it’s just the basic emotions we feel. It is important to identify the symptoms of depression, the types of depression, who can get them and how they manifest, in other to be able to treatment them. The experience of depression has a profound effect on the lives and health of millions of people around the world. We all experience mood swing, and most of us think that we have experienced true depression and think they understand clinical depression and even know what it feels like; to be honest those emotions we feel are not half as much as what a depressed person goes through. Depression is more than experiencing a difficult day or event or being in a bad mood. Sometimes, people seek help even though they are not clinically depressed because they think they need the help they get from a psychologist. When speaking to a depressed individual, it is very important to know the occasion that lead to their emotional trauma. Depressed mood is not the same as a depressed disorder. According to Nydegger, â€Å"Depressed mood is a negative affective or emotional quality such as feeling sad, miserable, gloominess for a period of time. Depressive disorder refers t... ...oxepine) †¢ Surmontil (trimipramine) †¢ Toframil (imipramine) †¢ Vivactil (protriptyline) Depression is a serious and common problem that affects people of all social class and racial group throughout the world. They are good and affordable treatment for depression. Most people who have depression do not receive adequate treatment. We must do more and do better to take care of ourselves. It is not easy for any of us to tackle a problem of this magnitude, but by being responsible and taking care of our own health and mental well-being needs, we can also reach out to help others who are dealing with depression or other mental issues by sharing with them information’s and pointing them in the right direction to find the help they need. Work Cited Rudy V. Nydegger Understanding and Treating Depression: Ways to Find Hope and Help. Praeger, August 30, 2008

My Life Learning Experience with R.S.V Essay

R. S. V My Life Learning Experience with R. S. V Name Course Title Teacher Date Abstract Many individuals have experienced problems with their hospitals or health care facilities. An important concept that I learned from facing this family crisis that will be examined in this paper is that, when a family member becomes seriously ill, they need quality medical care. Sometimes, when a person’s life is at stake, the further a person lives from medical facilities which can offer quality care can be a grave factor. R. S. V 1 R. S. V in Infants This paper will examine several lessons and concepts which I learned from personal life-learning experiences. Three examples that will be addressed in this paper will examine a different aspect of a certain life-learning experience. In researching and analyzing each aspect of a life-learning experience, this paper will examine the four elements of Kolb’s Model of Experimental Learning. The first aspect of the lessons I learned after enduring a family crisis which this paper will explore includes how I learned about an illness that frequently affects infants called Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is a respiratory virus which has many of the same symptoms as the common cold and is usually contracted by children during winter months. After my newborn son, Carter Forrest Barnhart began displaying symptoms of a common cold, my husband and I took Carter to his local pediatrician. Unfortunately, the pediatrician improperly diagnosed the virus as a simple common cold and sent Carter, my husband and I back home. However, after we returned home, his symptoms did not improve. Instead, he began coughing profusely and did not want to eat. I became greatly concerned about our son’s health. Within a few days, Carter had lost weight and become weak. Then his breathing appeared to be abnormal, and my husband and I began to suspect that something else was wrong with Carter. R. S. V 2 By April 7th, 2002, Carter’s breathing problems got considerably worse, and my husband and I thought that he could possibly suffocate. So, in a desperate attempt to help Carter’s health, we brought our son to the nearest hospital. He was then hospital, arrangements needed to be made to send him to Charleston Area Medical Center. Carter later arrived safely at the Women and Children’s Hospital, a division of the Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia. He was then placed in the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where he remained for five days. Looking back, I now realize the high importance of residing in communities which have high quality health care facilities. I learned that the first doctor who diagnosed my son did not diagnose Carter properly by failing to recognize that what looked like the common cold was actually Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The pediatrician’s error could have cost my son his life. After Carter was taken to the emergency room at our local hospital, I learned that, when someone’s life is at stake, the distance from a medical facility which can provide quality care is sometimes a life and death matter. Thus, one of the lessons that I learned by this life-learning experience is that it is important for all individuals to have quick access to a state of the art hospital or medical facility. A medical facility must be able to provide the excellent care that a seriously ill R. S. V 3 ndividual needs. In this example, a baby needed to be treated by a special infant care unit, which our local hospitals did not have. Therefore, the baby did not have ready access to the kind of medical facility that he needed. The proper medical facility can mean the difference of life or death, thus, I now understand that the quality of the medical facilities, and the services received from those facilities provided, is one of the important issues facing people today. Learning about the importance of living near a high quality health care facility helped me become amiliar with the idea that a person should be fully educated about the health services in his or her community before something critical occurs. I regretted the fact that we were not more prepared to deal with this crisis. Thus, I have since learned that I need to research the qualifications of any professional my child will be receiving treatment from. In the future, I will research hospitals or schools before enrolling my child in them. I can also apply the concept that quality care is an important aspect of a person’s life to other situations as well. For example, I will have o make sure that my child has a qualified pediatrician and dentist to take care of his health needs in the future. I will also have to ensure that my child gets his vaccinations. Moreover, I learned that there is no substitute for being prepared for an emergency situation. I plan on researching the response time of our police and fire departments and plan to learn about the efficiency of our ambulance services. Another part of the lessons I learned while confronting this family crisis is how I learned that high quality heath care is best provided by highly qualified doctors. I lso learned that an unqualified doctor may easily misdiagnose a patient’s symptoms. The discussion below will show how I have learned to ask questions before selecting a pediatrician. My son was initially treated by a pediatrician who misdiagnosed the baby’s medical symptoms and declared that our infant was we were told to take our child home and give him some cold medicine. This was our child’s only treatment, and the medicine did not work. Carter’s symptoms did not improve after a reasonable period of time. Thus, my husband and I began to suspect that something else could be wrong. Then, when our baby turned pasty in color, started to cry inconsolably, refused to eat or drink anything, lost weight, and then hardly cried or moved in his crib, my husband and I became more concerned. We later learned that Carter had RSV and double pneumonia. Since then, I have spoken to many doctors about rural medicine. One of the doctors I spoke to that works at our local hospital explained in a recent personal interview which I conducted with him that many people do not ask enough questions of their doctors after they have been told the results of a diagnosis. He advised that potential atients should ask about all terms that describe the problem and that the doctor should fully explain the R. S. V 5 condition to the patient. More importantly, when the patient is a baby, the infant’s parents need to understand the complete diagnosis of their child’s condition The doctor also said that a great deal of rural patients do not know how to properly ask their doctors specific questions related to the diagnosis. Therefore, rural doctors need to take more time to explain things to their patients, especially in cases where doctors are not absolutely sure of the diagnosis. I was also told that some patients have no reason to be told when something is misdiagnosed as nothing more than the common cold, especially when a child’s doctor confidently tells an infant’s parents that the symptoms should improve when the baby took the cold medicine. The lesson is that parents must be very careful when choosing a pediatrician. I learned that a good pediatrician knows how to check a baby for a variety of diseases. In the case of my son, the first pediatrician failed to properly diagnose the baby because he was, at the very least, was not familiar with the symptoms of RSV. Thus, I learned that receiving treatment from a qualified pediatrician is an essential part of a child’s health care. I also realized, in other areas of my life, I need to be certain that I am qualified to perform any Job that I might later want to undertake. So it is imperative that I take my education as serious as possible so that I will later be prepared to succeed in my chosen career. R. S. V6 Another important concept that I learned through my life-learning experience is that Just like other people, doctors make errors too. Unfortunately, a doctor’s mistake can cause the loss of ones life. Any professional should avoid making unnecessary mistakes at all times. Therefore, I would like to avoid making mistakes which would be considered negligence in my chosen career. Thus, I now believe that I need as much training in the field of health care management as possible, because that is the field which I intend to begin my professional career once I have received my Bachelors Degree. I also now would like to become actively involved in professional organizations and associations in which school friends and successful will help me exchange information with other health care management professionals hich will hopefully help me keep atop of current developments in my field. The third aspect of the lessons I learned which this paper will explore is that many rural health care facilities in America do not have up to date equipment. I also learned that, for the past several years, many local family health care facilities have suffered from recent cutbacks in federal grant money. This paper will now discuss my findings about the importance of selecting a health care facility which has up to date equipment and employees that keep on top of current developments in the medical ield. R. S. V7 Not only were the doctors more knowledgeable at the Women and Children’s Hospital in Charleston, but the doctors at the hospital in Charleston also had more current equipment and also performed their duties much more quickly and efficiently than the doctors at the local hospital. I learned that, when the life of a loved one is at stake, a hospital with modern equipment and trained staff can mean the difference between life and death. I also now believe that parents should visit the local hospitals before their first child is ever born to make sure those hospitals re not understaffed, dirty, or not funded properly. While larger hospitals may charge more money for visits, the money paid for a proper diagnosis at a quality facility is far less than the money one might pay if an illness is misdiagnosed. In addition, local medical care facilities need to provide quality, up to date services to their patients. In this situation, Carter needed to be treated in a special care unit in which â€Å"patients are attached to electronic monitors which track vital functions as well as to other equipment that support breathing† (Roberts, 1993, p. 170). Unfortunately, only larger acilities usually have modern pediatric intensive care units, and large hospitals are not all cities. I have learned that a high quality health care facility should have up to date equipment. Modern equipment is essential to provide patients with the best possible R. S. V8 health care. However, a lot of rural hospitals cannot afford this. The issue of a facility which does not have modern equipment is a very important one, and the concept applies to other situations which I may have to deal with later on. For instance, I will want to make sure that, any school my child is enrolled in should have adequate acilities. I will want to ensure that the school has smoke detectors in every classroom and that the fire extinguishers are in proper working order. This paper analyzed the various lessons and concepts that I learned from some â€Å"life-learning† experiences. Each of the paper’s three parts explored a different aspect of my experiences. This paper used the four elements of Kolb’s Model of Experimental Learning to detail how I used the lessons during a family crisis. R. S. V9 References Mesa, CA: ICN Pharmaceuticals. Roberts, M. J. (1993). Your Money or Your Life: The Health Care Crisis Explained. New York: Doubleday.

Compare and contrast life Essay

Belmont is totally different to Venice in some respects and ways, yet startlingly similar in others. Life in Belmont is at a slower, more relaxed pace than with life in Venice, where it is all hustle and bustle with the merchants. Belmont is also set back in the hills and countryside, which makes it a much more peaceful place to live simply because there is no noise from the markets and the Rialto in Venice. Venice is where all the merchants do their trading and selling, and Belmont is for the better off people, the aristocrats and the like, who prefer a more tranquil outlook on life, rather than rushing around with all the others. It is very fitting that Portia lives in Belmont, rather than Venice, because she seems to be the type who would prefer the quietness of the countryside, this also reflects her mind also, the calm collected way she acts, compared with the hot – headedness of some of Venice`s merchants. The similarities between Belmont and Venice are quite startling in some instances, because people have differring views on the word beautiful – for example in a modern world, big business people find large cities beautiful, and walkers in the countryside find that beautiful – it depends on the angle you look at it. Venice is a beautiful city in modern sense, so it must have been awesome in its heyday, back in Shakespeares time. Belmont is a different style of beautiful, peaceful, serene, idyllic, like a warm summers day it is like a small piece of heaven on earth. In Venice however, you get the racial demoralisation of the Jews and the feeling that they are second – class citizens, in Belmont however, there is no demoralisation of the jews, which proves that the two places are a world apart yet so close together. The main characters in each of these places helps us to understand the settings more easily. Antonio in Venice likes to be in all the hustle and bustle of things, right in the centre of everything, making the most of his wealth and his trading expertise to further his business, and to help his friends. Portia in Belmont on the other hand, seems happier keeping out of the hustle and bustle of Venice, keeping to the quietness of her house and the grounds surrounding it. I think this is better suited to her persona. Underlying each of the settings however, there is a sense of wearyness. When Portia says to Nerissa â€Å"By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world † she seems to be longing for a change to her usual life. She may be hinting that she wants to leave Belmont and go to Venice for a while, just to change the monotony of her life, welcoming suitors to her home, then despatching them at almost the same instant. This is almost the same as Antonio`s opening speech † In sooth, I know not why I am so sad : It wearies me; you say it wearies you; â€Å"