Traditional malaysian music

Traditional malaysian music INTRODUCTION: A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL MALAYSIAN MUSIC The history of Malaysian music needs to be viewed from the perspective of the old Malay world which covered Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia, along with parts of Thailand. Within this cultural entity, one can find numerous similarities of musical instruments and musical structures which are the result of a common cultural heritage moulded by musical elements from the West Asia, India and China In addition to the Indian and Islamic factors, Malaysian art forms have also been influenced by the countrys neighbours, particularly Indonesia and Thailand. Indonesia immigrants, especially Javanese and Bugis, along with Minangkabau, Achinese and other Sumaterans who are traditionally concentrated in the south-western part of the Malay Peninsula (ex: Johore, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor) brought with them several of the performing arts which are now considered Malaysian (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). Among them are the Javanese wayang purwa, a form of shadow play which is different from those of Kelantan and Kedah; the ketoprak, a dance drama; kuda kepang, another traditional dance; and the angklung, a musical ensemble consisting of bamboo chime instruments. In addition, the Bugis brought to Terengganu the joget gamelan from the Riau Archipelago, and also the rodat from Acheh in Sumatera via Sambas in Borneo. The Malaysian performing arts in the northern part of the Peninsula have been greatly affected by Thais cultural influences. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) In the wake of the decline of Majapahit during the course of the 14th century, the Thais started their move southwards and tried to assert their claim to over lordship of all the Malay Peninsula and forcing Malay Rulers to send ‘tribute to Ayuthia, and then later to Bangkok. Nevertheless, the rise of Malacca checked this southward expansion, and even after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511, Thai influence was successfully confined to the three northern Peninsular Malay states of Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu. The British helped in containing Thai influence to theses states as their own power and influence grew in the Peninsula. Finally in 1909 sovereignty over these four northern states (which now included Perlis) was formally handed over to the British by the Treaty of Bangkok. Nevertheless, for over 500 years these for northern states of the Peninsula Malaysia had been periodically subjected to Thai political and cultural influences. It is, therefore, not surprising to find elements of the Thai performing arts such as the Wayang Kulit Siam of Kelantan, the Wayang KulitGedek of Kedah and Perlis, and the menora dance drama within these states. ). (Terry E, Miller, Sean W 2008) The more recent major influence on the performing arts of Malaysia, was effected by the Portuguese are credited with the introduction of the violin and the guitar, while British cultural influence in Malaysia has been much more generalized. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In addition to popularizing western music, dance, and theatre, the Europeans have also directly influenced the development of semi-modern syncretic musical forms such as the asli, keroncong, ghazal and bangsawan, which combine both western and traditional musical elements. As a consequence of these influences, traditional Malaysian music exhibits multi-faceted musical styles which combine regional as well western and West Asian elements. For example, the musical styles and instruments of northern Peninsula Malaysia resemble those of the Thais, while those in the southern part of the Peninsula have incorporated Indonesian musical elements. Furthermore, all over Malaysia western musical influences are glaringly evident. Shadow puppet theatre The shadow puppet play (wayang kulit) is an ancient form of traditional theatre in Malaysia. The stories are told by a puppet master (dalang) who manipulates the puppets (called wayang) which are seen in shadows projected on a screen. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In this very old form of theatre a small ensemble plays the music to accompany the movement of puppets and events in the stories. In Malaysia there are four types of shadow puppet play, each with a specific name and distinctive style. These are Wayang Kulit Jawa (Javanese shadow puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Gedek (mixture of Thai and Malay folk styles of shadow puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Melayu (Malay court form of shadow puppet play) and Wayang Kulit Kelantan (Kelantanese shadow puppet play) The presence of foreign influences in puppets, repertoire or music does not in itself prove that the technique originates from the same source as these influences. Wayang Kulit Jawa The Wayang Kulit Jawa, Javanese influenced and originated in Indonesia and is performed today by the descendants of Javanese immigrants who settled in the southern state of Johor many decades ago. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In Malaysia, this form of shadow play still maintains the basic features of the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia, including the use of the stories, characters from the Mahabharata epic and the musical accompaniment of the Javanese Gamelan. The gamelan in this shadow play includes singers as well as xylophones, metallophones, and knobbed gongs just as in Indonesia. Malaysia maintains the basic feature of Wayang Kulit Purwa which consist the characteristic of Mahabharata epics and gamelan ensemble accompaniment. Wayang Kulit Jawa Wayang Kulit Gedek This Wayang Kulit Gedek, performed in the northern peninsular states of Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan, is called Nang Talung in Thailand. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). This type of shadow puppet play originated in Southern Thailand and features small-sized, flat leather puppets. In Malaysia Wayang Kulit Gedek is performed by Thai and Malay peoples using a mixture of Thai and Malay language or just the southern Thai dialect, depending upon the audience. The stories feature local tales and episodes from the Ramayana epic (called the Ramakien in Thailand). The style of performance, music and puppet design show a distinct mixture of southern Thai and Malay traits including the small orchestra of drums, knobbed gongs, cymbals and bowed stringed instruments. In former times the wind instrument called pi or pi Jawa (a quadruple reed shawm) was included in this ensemble, and it is still often featured in the Wayang Kulit Gedek orchestra in Malaysia. However, today in southern Thailand the bow lutes called saw oo and saw duang (originating from the huqin family of Chinese bowed flutes) are preferred in place of the pi. The drums in this ensemble include klong khat, thon and klong khaek, similar to the Malay geduk, gedumbak and gendang,(Figure 1-3), respectively, a small pair of finger cymbals and the gong-chime called mong (2 knobbed gongs placed horizontally in a wooden box) are also used. WAYANG KULIT GEDEK Wayang Kulit Melayu Wayang Kulit Melayu, also named as Wayang Kulit Jawa, is strongly influenced by the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this type of shadow play developed under the patronage of the sultan and existed as entertainment mainly for the aristocrats connected to the palaces of Kelantan and Kedah. In earlier times it was also performed in the Malay Sultanate of Patani. Today this Sultanate is no longer exists, but the location of the former kingdom is still located at southern Thailand. The stories of the Wayang Kulit Melayu focus on episodes of the Mahabharata epic, and the form and design of the puppets are nearly identical to the style of puppets from Java and Indonesia. During World War II this type of shadow puppet theatre was not performed; after the war years it was revived as entertainment for villagers without the patronage of the sultans. By the 1980s experienced puppet masters were difficult to find ant the Wayang Kulit Melayu. Today in Malaysia, this shadow play is rarely performed. The orchestra consists of several bronze gongs including a pair of large, hanging gongs called tetawak(Plate 1), a single knobbed horizontal gong called the mong, and a set of six or more small horizontal gongs called the canang(Plate 2). In addition, a pair of kesi cymbals (Plate 3), a pair of elongated barrel, double-headed drums called gendang (Plate 6) and one 2-stringed rebab is used. The rebab exhibits a mixture of Malay and Javanese features using only two strings in Javanese form, but with the body construction of the Malay rebab. A specific musical repertory existed for this type of shadow play, but today only a few pieces are still known. Wayang Kulit Melayu WAYANG KULIT KELANTAN The Wayang Kulit Kelantan is a folk theatre and is to be referred as Wayang Kulit Siam. This shadow puppets originally from and play around states in Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and formerly in Perak and Pahang. This is the most famous traditional puppet theatre among all in Malaysia. The former time, this performance is for ritual purpose, but today it been revived and to be performed as an entertainment. The Ramayana epic is the main focus for the trunk and stories for Kelantanese shadow play. The shadow play is one of the oldest theatrical art-forms in Asia and is found as far north as China and as far west as India and Turkey. Each country has its own form and style of shadow play, and there are variations within each of these forms. The home of the shadow play still has not been identified with certainty, as an evident from the controversies regarding its origin. According to Otto Spies, Sabri East Siyavusgil and William Ridgeway, it originated in India. Berthold Laufer, citing China as its home, tells of a legend about the later Han Emperor Kuang Wu Ti (25-57 A.D.) who instructed the court shaman to cast shadows on a screen in an effort to recall the spirit of his departed wife. Hazeu, on the other hand, credits Java as its place of origin because of the Javanese terminology in the Wayang Kulit Purwa. There are scholars who support the India origin of the shadow theatre because of the repertoire of the South-East Asian shadow plays which mainly portray episodes from the two Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. But as noted by Alessio Bombaci, the shadow play could have emerged on its own in all these places – India, China and West Asia, and from these separate areas spread to other countries throug h economic, political and cultural interaction. However whatever its genesis, the shadow play doubt began as an animistic ritual. Even since its inception, the shadow play has been influenced by the religious beliefs prevalent in those countries where it has become established, to the extent that each variety reflects in microsm the religious history of its land of domicile. This is particularly true of the Malaysian shadow play whose rituals combine elements of animism, Hinduism and Islam. As we have already seen, through the ages Malaysia has been influenced by strong Indian, Chinese, Thai and Javanese cultural influences, with the result that her shadow plays bear striking resemblances to the Thai nang talung, the Khmer nang trolung, and the Javanese Wayang Kulit Purwa. The four types of Malaysia shadow play adapted from Javanese Wayang Kulit purwa, Wayang Kulit Melayu and Wayang Kulit Melayu both display similarities in structure, technique and performance with their Javanese counterpart. What differentiate is the one from the other of the configuration of the puppets and the nature of their musical ensembles. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, the puppets of the Wayang KulitMelayu, which are highly stylized, have two moveable arms, while those of the less stylized Wayang Kulit Melayu have only one moveable arm. While a gamelan ensemble accompanies the Wayang KulitMelayu, the Wayang Kulit Melayu uses an indigenous musical ensemble. The repertoire of both the shadow plays consist of episodes from the Javanese and Malay versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, tales from the Panji cycles, the Islamic tales of Amir Hamzah, and local lore and legend. (Endon S 1999) Wayang Kulit Kelantanuses the technique of the Javanese Wayang Kulit Jawa to perform the Thai version of the Ramayana, as well as containing elements of local lore and legend. It differs from the Wayang Kulit Gedek, in the configuration of its puppets and in the nature of the accompanying musical ensemble. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) The puppets of Wayang Kulit Kelantan are only seen in profile, puppets of Wayang Kulit Gedek uses combination of full-faced and profiled. Furthermore, the Wayang Kulit Kelantan musical ensemble is larger than that of Wayang Kulit Gedek. Wayang Kulit Kelantan Shadow Play Music There are seventeen repertoires in Kelantan shadow theatre and to be divided into four categories Ritualistic, emotional, designate individual character, and variety of occasions and designate action. Two examples are show below: Bertabuh and Tuk Maha Siku Mak Yong pieces are included in some of the repertoire in shadow play, for instance Lagu Yong Bertabuh, Sang Gendang, Pakyung Muda, and Lagu Barat. Younger troupe insert several modern pieces such as Lagu Joget Kelantan and Lagu Berlari Yong Muda, This is innovation of shadow play but was not appreciate by the older troupes to adulterate the music of shadow play; they only stick to their principle by performing traditionally pieces. For my opinion, innovation of shadow play is a significant issue for the sake of entertainment effect and also self satisfaction to make an improvement of music element aspect. Lagu Perang (war music) is the most common piece to be play Kelantan shadow theatre. It is show in the opening continuation as Lagu Bertabuh, combat in between two Dewa Panah (mystical warriors); the whole repertoire is all about fighting and battle in the play. A few pieces were often to be played in the shadow play are Lagu Hulubalang which indicates all warriors; it accompanies Sri Rama when he is ready for war, Hanuman, lesser princes, and all warriors. On my opinion, within the play proper of the shadow play performance, dramatic action is essential to be played in the music piece, but the structural format is remain a definite ritualistic opening of the actual play performance. Before the proper performance start, Dalang Tua (elder Dalang) will manipulate the puppets, sing and speaks every characters part and conduct the orchestra. The buka ponggang( opening ceremony) emerged in Mak Yong repertoire to portrayed his acts of connecting the real and nether worlds. Lagu Bertabuh is a start of informing the villagers that the play is to begin; in another way is also a conclusion of the ritualistic ceremony. Shadow play ensembles or orchestras and instruments The musical ensembles of the shadow play are percussion-dominated with either a solitary aerophone (wind) or a chordophone (string) instrument. An example for Wayang Kulit Kelantan ensemble has the following instruments: Idiophonic (Brass) Orotund material is to make to Idiophones instruments. Tetawak, kesi and canang occurs as a pairs in idiophone structure. The pair of tetawak (Plate 1) are knobbed gongs which hung between wooden racks, and padded beater is to hit the knob. The larger tetawak played lower pitch which calledâ€Å"tawak ibu† (mother tawak), tawak anak (child tawak) played the high pitch. Major third or perfect fifth is the tuning in between one set to another. The standardization of the tuning of tetawak so as canang is not the main important issue in music. Canang(Plate 2) is made of iron or metal, and it consists of two knobbed gongs, which hung horizontally on the wooden rack. The two gongs are hit by a pair of peddar beater, both gongs (anak canang and ibu canang ) played in different pitches( high and low pitch). Both gongs tuning interval may range from majors second to sixth. Kesi Cymbals (Plate 3) have a cup-like protruding with a small hole to enable to two cymbals to be connected. It is made of booze or iron. Resonant, ringing sound occurs when striking by player on the pair of cymbals. Unison are played in two pieces of timbres with canang, canang anak (high pitch) played ringing timbre whilst canang ibu (low pitch) played damped timbre. Kesi is similar to the western cymbal. Aerophonic (Wind) The serunai(Plate 4) is a double reed instrument which falls into the shawm category, varying in length from 12 to 18 inches and constructed from variation of woods such as batang lada, lebam and nangka. It is divided into three sections, namely kepala (head), batang (stem) and pipit (mouth-piece) .Daun lunta, a type of fern leaf, is used for the reed. Altogether there are eight sound holes on the serunai, seven on top and one below. It is adorned with intricate carvings and painted with various shades of colour. Membranophone (Percussion) Three types of drum constitute the membranophone category. The first is a pair of mother and son cylindrical-shaped geduk (Plate 7), with the mother being the larger of the two. Its dimension varies from 12 to 20 inches in length, with a front circumference between 30 to 37 inches and a back circumference of between 27 to 33 inches. The body of the geduk is mostly made from kayu nangka, but kayu sena or kayu merbau is sometimes used. Both sides are covered with cow or buffalo hide. The two legs located at one end of the geduk serve to tilt it towards the drummer to facilitate his playing, which is done with a pair of drum sticks. The pair of gendang (Plate 6), mother and son, are both barrel-shaped, with the mother being the larger of the two. The mother drum measures from 20 to 22 inches in length, and has a front circumference which varies between 24 to 33 inches and a back circumference of between 24 to 29 inches. The length of the gendang anak (son drum) varies from 19 to 22 inches with a front circumference of between 22 to 25 inches and a back circumference of between 19 to 22 inches. More often than not, the body of the gendang is made from kayu nangka rather than from kayu merbau. Both the front and back faces of the drum are covered with animal skins, cow hide for the mother drum and goatskin for the son drum. Rattan strands are coiled around one end of the body as an anchor to stretch the skin and vary the tension of its surface. The drums are played with both hands, one for striking each face. Texture and Form The texture of shadow theatre can be categories into melodic line played by serunai, variety of drum rhythmic pattern and bronze instruments play the element of gong. The form and structure in each piece of shadow play is determined and defined by colotomic structure or gong unit in the music. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) .The gong unit is a time unit marked at its end by lowest pitches gong is the tetawak ibu, which is stuck at the last beat of gong unit. Gong unit is to be served as a basis element to be play in shadow plays and Mak Yong, multiples of two beats are based on the total number of colotomic structure. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Hence, in the gong unit, there are no 2- beat but continuously with 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- and so on. The gong unit is to be identifying by particular gong tone to played specific beat, as a result binary form is occurs in gong unit as the subdivision of internal gong to be played. Division of half occurs in first gong unit, for example gong tones occurs in beat 8 and 16 in a 16- beats gong unit. Another significant trait in 2-beat stress in the gong unit, firstly it( pulse weakly on the first beat and continue with a strong stress on the second beat. Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Repetition of the weak and strong stress in the repertoire is to gain the appropriate number of beat at variety gong unit. Canang gong chime play the 2-beat stress gong unit in shadow play, sometime ding-dong vocalized syllabus will be use as ding to be the first weak beat by canang anak (high pitch); whereas dong is to be played on the second strong beat by canang ibu ( low pitch). At the meantime, kesi cymbals are played to mark a resounding timbre in the weak beat and damped timbre in the strong beat. In the piece of Pak Dogol, the gedumbak and gendang anak produce specific 4-beat rhythmic patterns that combine to give a complete resultant rhythmic pattern for piece. Because the piece Pak Dogol based on 8-beat unit gong unit, the 4-beat resultant drum pattern is played twice in the time one complete gong unit. (Example 1) Scale Pentatonic, hexatonic and heptatonic are the main three scales in shadow play pieces. These three scales type are established in the repertory, hexatonic and heptatonic scales accent on five specific pitches which may contemplate a pentatonic core within the larger scale system. Semitone or whole tone are contains at all level of intervals. For example, third interval include in some scales. Sampling to be shown below: (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) DALANG Dalang can be found at padi harvest, the wayang season thus beginning of the rainy season. A popular dalang may expect to receive invitation to perform which will keep him occupied throughout the season, extending from about March to October. Dalang incomes (Amin.S 1972) entirely from the wayang and those that attempt to do so have a meager existence during the rainy season when they are forced to live on what has been saved during the wayang season which is seldom much. The dalang have a secondary occupation, and where the dalang does not enjoy much success, the wayang will be his secondary occupation. The performance definitely entertainment for humans not spirits. These rituals are performed for various purposes, propitiation of spirits, releasing a person from a vow, and initiating a pupil, but their form is basically the same and consists of a synthesis of Javanesse wayang ritual and local spirit medium ship. The importance of these rituals is that performed to ward off the threat of cholera by placating the local spirits. The dalang learn their art from a teacher, the few exceptions to this merely imitating the performances of others. The teacher is rarely the dalangs father and the art is not hereditary. (Amin.S 1972). Comparison of the repertoire, performance and ritual of a dalang with those of his teacher reveals, almost without exception, considerable differences. There are several reasons for this: It is rare that a dalang learns everything from one source and it is not unsual to have had more than one teacher, though this may not be admitted. A dalang may further learn pieces of repertoire from persons who are not even dalang and information are also gleaned by observing the performances of other dalang. It is clear, therefore, that every dalangs knowledge is to a greater or lesser extent a pot pourri gathered from several sources. (Amin.S 1972) Several reasons for becoming a dalang but the primary motive is nearly always that he experiences intense pleasure from observing the wayang and that he has the urge and desire to perform himself. Dance Theatre – Mak Yong Human characters but not puppet play performed the traditional theatres known as Mak Yong. Mak Yong is forms by three integral- dance, dialogue and music with the legend story from local place. While there are common denominators in dramatic, musical, and dance structure, there are, however, marked difference among them in dance and music styles. The Mak Yong has been noted as an ancient Malay form of theatre as witnessed in legends, myths and by its close ties to the traditional healing ceremony called the main puteri. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) Besides that, Common feature are shared in these various traditional theatres. The performances are usually to anticipated and down mainly from stories and legend known to the community. Generally, plots are episode and long enough to allow audience members to drift in and out during the performance. Mak Yong is a traditional form of dance originated in Southern Thailand, it appears in Kelantan since last two hundred years, and is one of the popular traditional dances in Terengganu and spread to Kedah. In the early 20th century, Mak Yong was given royal patronage by the court of Kelantan which established a â€Å"theatrical village† known as the â€Å"Kampung Temenggung† in the town of Kota Bahru. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) This form of theatre was supported and patronized by His Highness Temengung Ghaffar from the Kelantan palace at that time. But the patronage did not last long until the death of Sultan Mohamad IV at 1920, although Mak Yong was originally about rural regions as a folk tradition, through its years of royal patronage the music, dance, costumes and other theatrical aspects were refined because of the constant opportunities for practice and performance in Kampung Temengung. In between the changes; Mak Yong became popular as an entertainment in the public and lost its artistic quality which is normally connected with a court oriented performance. When time goes by, the court dance eventually turn to a normal performance to the public and created new audience, portraying the folk life. Mak Yong performs at many occasions, but emphasize specifically on padi harvest, that is a thanksgiving ceremony for bounteous crop. Wedding, kings birthday and national holiday were the occasions Mak Yong to be performed. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, Mak Yong traditional performances have a connection with ritual and the world of spirits. Mak Yong served as healing rituals. Main Puteri is the healing person and the healing section involves soporific dance and spirit possession. In some traditional cities, the healing rituals are still pursuing but they are mainly frowned nowadays. It reflects the inner, the significant and mysterious of stories. High ritual performance sometimes occurs in Mak Yong. A good example: sembah guru (paying homage to ones teacher) ceremony and performance in which a student, who is ready to go on stage as a principal, performs certain rites within connection of a performance itself. The main puteri healing ceremony for the intention of healing a sick people will sometime found in the main structure element of Mak Yong. Shaman (bomoh) take the lead to communicate with the spirit world to discover the root of an illness and the main actress (the Pak Yong character), a lthough main puteri ceremonial elements become dominant in the performance, the music used is still that of the Mak Yong. Troupe of women performed the main role whilst men played the clown roles. This form of dance was established as a court form (C.1875) that became well known to villages. The women sing, dance and perform improvise dialogue especially in the clown and contemporary section. The action takes place in the round, with all nonnative cast members sitting casually around the outside of the circle. (Anonymous n.d) Performers are considered to be off-stage or members of the chorus when not in the central acting space. Performers work towards the creation and identification character types, stylized motion, poetic language and rhythmic language. Along with dialogue and notated passage, music, song and dance is also incorporated into traditional performance. Serious or tragic events are intermingling with comedy. The original story in the Mak Yong dramatic repertory is called the Dewa Muda, which is a Malay folk tale. The stories Dewa Muda come along with about twelve other tales consist the dramatic repertory. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Several of these stories are also performed in other local theater forms such as the wayang kulit, menorah and the bangsawan. The stories focus on folk heroes, heroines, their fantastic adventures, and are told using dialogue, singing and dance by the characters along with the accompaniment of vocal and instrumental music. Some of the especially important roles are the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda (the king and prince), the queen or Makyung and the princess or Puteri Makyung, the old and young clown-servants known respectively, as the Peran Tua and Peran Muda, and the astrologer or expert of some kind called Tok Wak. In the 20th century, and still today, all principal roles are taken by women who dress according to the role played. However, before the 1020s m en played the roles of the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda and not women. Performance practice The Makyung performance begins with an opening ceremony called the Buka Panggung (opening of the stage) with prayers, offerings of food and the consecration of the musical instruments and other items. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Immediately following the official opening is the performance of several pieces before the story itself actually begins. These pieces each have a special function and serve to introduce the characters or carry out some other special purpose. For example, the actors and actresses come onto the stage with the accompaniment of the piece called Pakyung Turun (The king descends), an instrumental piece. This piece is followed by a ritual song and dance called the Menghadap Rebab (paying homage to the rebab), which salutes the musical instrument called the rebab. The opening section of the performance continues with the pieces entitled Sedayung Mak yong and Sedayung Pak yong. These two pieces are performed to introduce the Mak Yong and Pak Yong characters. Another piece entitled Ela is performed by the Pak Yong character to introduce the character he will play in the story for the evening. All of these pieces (except the Pak Yong Turun) also involved specific dances, which are performed by the main singer along with the members of the chorus (the jong dondang). This group of sung and danced pieces comprises a fixed opening, which is performed each time a Mak Yong performance takes place. A given story takes several nights to complete and, before its continuation from night to night, the fixed opening of sung and d

State and Local Government Essay

What is Federalism? The United States has one of the most complicated forms of government in the world. With many levels and subdivisions, this form of government is called federalism. Within the United States, federalism is marked by a continuous change in the system of connections between the national, state, and local governments. At times, the different levels of government act independently and at other times, the levels became so entangled that it becomes impossible to tell apart the responsibilities of one from the other. Federalism is just one of the three main systems of power used by the United States. There are two ways, other than pure federalism, to organize power among national and regional governments. Pure federalism is also known as a federal system. In a federal system, the central and regional governments are divided in power and responsibilities, and the governments do not depend on each other for their power. Voters elect candidates into both the regional and central levels within a federal system allowing the United States to have a representative government, meaning that people elect representatives to legislate on their behalf. Another system of government is the unitary system. In a unitary system, power is concentrated in the central government. The central government then grants special powers to the regional governments. Voters elect people into the central government and then the central government assigns people to the regional governments. France’s government is an example of a unitary system. The third system of government is the confederal system or confederacy. In a confederacy, power is concentrated more in the regional governments than the central government. Voters elect people into the independent regional governments and then these independent regional governments grant legal authority to the central government. An example of a confederal system would be the Confederate States of America. The federal system describes the system of power that the United States has. This means that the regional governments (states and localities) and the central (national) government are independent equals. Because of this, the  federal system allows for these regional governments to experiment with policy. These experimental acts by the regional governments give them the label of laboratories of democracy. However, for some years now, federalism has been linked with the concept of devolution. Devolution is the process of powers and responsibilities being taken from the national government and given to the state governments, which clearly goes against the â€Å"independent equals† idea in federalism because states are gaining more power. This could be a result of the states abusing their power of experimenting with policy. Although states might abuse their power of experimenting, the actual practice of experimenting is considered an advantage. Experimenting is one of the many advantages of federalism. Federalism allows for flexibility among state laws and institutions as well as reduces complications because the states are able to accommodate citizens’ interests, which is shown by how much easier trade is now. Another advantage of federalism is that it enables the achievement of national goals, which is shown when the goal of creating an interstate highway system was achieved in the 1950s. Although federalism is full of advantages, it comes with a price. Unfortunately, federalism increases complexity and confusion, which could be a great inconvenience for people. Federalism can cause confusion between state and federal governments because of the vagueness of the exact division of powers among them. Federalism promotes the duplication of efforts and the reduction of accountability. It also makes it difficult to coordinate, which is shown when police or fire departments in different cities or states can’t communicate with each other. This was clearly shown during the Three Mile Island accident that almost caused a huge catastrophe. Another drawback would be that federalism creates inequality in services and policies. Federalism is not a perfect ideal, but rather it plays host to a balance of both advantageous and disadvantageous outcomes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA, is a classic example of how federalism shapes policy. In trying to aid in the relief for hurricane Katrina, FEMA was unsuccessful in their efforts. They were not  able to communicate with state and local governments and coordinate procedures in providing relief. However, during hurricane Sandy, FEMA provided great help and relief for people because they were able to efficiently communicate and coordinate proper procedures. This shows how coordination can go from bad to good because of the resiliency of FEMA in federalism. Federalism in the United States has a Constitutional base. The Constitution grants powers to the different levels of government. Enumerated powers are grants of authority that are explicitly given to the federal government, meaning that they are written in the Constitution. One of the most important pieces in the Constitution is the national supremacy clause, which states that federal law takes precedence over all other laws. This allows the process of the federal government overriding areas regulated by state law, called preemption. Exclusive powers are also another set of powers stated in the Constitution. These are powers given solely to the federal government. The powers of creating and upholding an army and navy, declaring war, and regulating commerce are all exclusive powers. Education is run by the states because running education is not stated as an exclusive power. Another set of powers stated in the Constitution are concurrent powers. Concurrent powers are powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments. The right to tax, borrow, and spend are all powers that can be exercised by the federal and state governments. Implied powers are another set of powers given to the federal government through the Constitution. These powers are broad, but undefined, powers that were essentially created on the idea that not all powers could possibly be listed to meet the needs of the developing nation. These include the general welfare clause, the necessary and proper clause, and the interstate commerce clause. The general welfare clause gives Congress the authority to provide for the â€Å"general welfare†. The necessary and proper clause gives Congress the right to pass any law that they think is â€Å"necessary and proper† to help in carrying out the responsibilities of the federal government as they are defined in the Constitution. The interstate commerce clause gives Congress the right to regulate interstate commerce. These clauses have been broadly interpreted which, in result, has been giving Congress more and more implied  powers. While the Constitution has been shifting more power into the hands of Congress, there isn’t much stated for the state governments. It does, however, state the full faith and credit clause. This clause requires that states recognize each other’s public records and acts, meaning that contract, wills, and marriages that are valid in one state are all valid in all other states. In essence, this clause is the financial backbone of state and local government. Another clause that was stated in the Constitution for state purposes is the privileges and immunities clause. Under this clause, states are prohibited from discriminating against the citizens of other states. The Bill of Rights was also something put into the Constitution to promote individual and state rights by limiting the power of the federal government. The Tenth Amendment addresses the power of the states. It guarantees a broad and undefined set of powers be reserved for only the states and people. The Fourteenth Amendment also deals with specifying the powers of states. This amendment makes it so that the states cannot deprive individuals of the rights and privileges of citizenship and it also requires states to provide due process and equal protection guarantees. The Constitutional basis for federalism in the United States is a big part of its government. Federalism is not a cut and dry system, however. There are many different types of federalism. One of these types is dual-federalism. It is the idea that federal and state governments have powers and responsibilities that are separate and different. Dual-federalism is the midpoint between nation-centered federalism and state-centered federalism; nation-centered federalism being the belief that the nation is the basis of the federal system and that the national government should take superiority over the states, and state-centered federalism is the exact opposite. Advocates of states’ rights agree with the compact theory and believe in a government for the states. Whoever advocates states’ rights believes that states should be able to make their own decisions without any interference from the federal government. The compact theory is the idea that the Constitution represents an agreement among the sovereign states to form a common government. It  took the practice of nullification to an extreme back during the 1820s and 1830s. Eventually, national policies kept upsetting the southern states in the U.S. and that led to secession arguments. The concept that it is impossible for state and federal governments to have different and separate jurisdictions and that both those federal and state governments must work together is called cooperative federalism. Cooperative Federalism comes in different forms as well. The first form of cooperative federalism is â€Å"Layer Cake Federalism†. This form of federalism consists of delineated lines that separate federal, state, and local governments. â€Å"Layer Cake Federalism† is rarely used. The second form of cooperative federalism is â€Å"Marble Cake Federalism†. In â€Å"Marble Cake Federalism†, federal, state, and local governments are so thoroughly mixed with each other that they are impossible to separate from each other. This form of federalism is more common in the United States. The third form of cooperative federalism is â€Å"Picket Fence Federalism† or centralized federalism. Centralized federalism is the concept that the federal government should take the leading role in setting national policy, with state and local governments helping to implement the policies. Centralized federalism has shifted power from the states to federal government. The power shift can be seen through grants given to the state governments by the federal government The federal government supplies many different forms of grants-in-aid. The first form is a categorical grant, which is money given for specific programs, leaving the state and local governments with little discretion on how to spend it. The second form of a grant-in-aid is a general revenue sharing grant. These grants come with few constraints and they leave the state or locality with almost complete discretion over how they want to spend the money. All grants given by the federal government come with constraints crosscutting requirements. Crossover sanctions are federal requirements that mandate the grant recipients to pass and implement certain laws or principles as a condition of receiving the fund. Sometimes the federal government issues action-requiring direct orders to the states and localities but don’t provide any financial support for that action. These  orders are called unfunded mandates. These grants have all helped in shifting power from the state governments to the federal governments, but there has been a new form of federalism that has been shifting power back to the state governments. This form of federalism is called new federalism. New federalism is the belief that states should receive more power and authority and less money from the federal government. Block grants were the type of grants that were preferred in new federalism. They are federal grants-in-aid that are given for general policy areas and leave states and localities with wide discretion on how to spend the money within the designated policy area. Unlike new federalism, ad hoc federalism is a form of government that could differ from time to time. Ad hoc federalism depends on the issue at hand. It is the process of choosing a state-centered or nation-centered view of federalism on the basis of political or partisan convenience. In other words, ad hoc federalism can be swayed either towards the states or towards the federal government by whichever party has the dominant hand in Congress. The Bush-era was described as entering the United States into ad hoc federalism. This type of federalism is not definitive. To sum things up, federalism cannot be described in one single sentence. Federalism has its ins, outs, ups, downs, and can be all over the place. Federalism’s many forms are what make this system of government unique and different from the others. It has taken the United States into some fortunate and some not-so-fortunate times. It is a complicated concept that will continue to change as the United States advances even further into the future.

The Minoans Civilization - 1325 Words

The Minoans were a civilization who flourished from 3000 BCE until 1100 BCE on the island of Crete, were greatly influenced by the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Syrians and the Anatolians (Britannica Encyclopedia). This civilization made major contributions to Western European development in the areas of language, architecture and art. It was the famous archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans who made the astounding discoveries at Knossos in the early 1900’s that introduced to the world the fascinating and wonderful sophistication of these early Greeks (Britannica Encyclopedia). The history of the island has been molded by its proximity to the Aegean Sea. Its geographical location gave it control over the sea and the lucrative trade routes. The Minoans traded with Egypt, the Levant, the Aegean, and beyond to Italy, and Sicily. The great Minoan civilization of Crete formed around palaces such as those at Knossos, Phaestus, Ayia Triada, and Tyliossos. The extremely important Palace of Minos at Knossos gives us crucial evidence of a continuous architectural brilliance and highly developed artistic sense, bringing together all aspects of architectural style, art, and innovation during the Minoan period between 1700 BCE and 1580 BCE and continuing until the invasion of the Achaeans in the 12th century BCE (Britannica Encyclopedia). The most famous palace is the palace of Minos of Knossos which demonstrates a specific arrangement of blocks: â€Å"The overall view of the palace of KnossosShow MoreRelatedCauses Of Minoan Civilization993 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Civilization is an important part of people’s live. It develops when the environment of a region can support a large and productive population. Civilization is a social, economic, and political entity distinguished by the ability to express itself through images and written language (H.Sayre, 2011, P.1). Minoan civilization is the first advanced civilization of the prehistoric Aegean region that was developed on a small island of Crete, where Sir Arthur Evans an English archaeologistRead MoreThe Minoan Civilization : An Aegean Bronze Age Civilization2164 Words   |  9 PagesThe Minoan civilization was an Aegean Bronze Age civilization that was rich with culture, art and architecture. They were so intellectually advanced for their time period, that they have made a significant contribution to the development of the Western European civilization. The Mycenaean civilization flourished in the late Bronze Age. Unlike the Minoans, the Mycenaeans were militaristic and more calculating people. They had very specific reasons behind their actions. Both civilizations had differencesRead MoreThe Minoan Civilization On The Mediterranean Island Of Crete Essay1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe Minoan Civilization began on the Mediterranean island of Crete. It was first excavated by Sir Arthur Evans. The possible civilization sparked his interest when a charm that the Minoans use to wear was found, and it was brought to his attention. He started at Knossos, where the possible civilization became a reality. He uncovered multiple palaces, which have all been named since then. They are named: Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros. Each one shows signs of religion, trade, and politics. TheyRead MoreThe Minoan Civilization2030 Words   |  9 PagesHistory Of Architecture Building: Palace Of Minos. Dates: 1700-1400 BC. Time period : Bronze Age. Location: Knossos,Crete. Civilization :The Minoans. In the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, South of Greece, lays the island of Crete refuge of the lost civilization of the minions.The island is first refereed as Kaptara at the Syrian city of Mani dating from 18 000 BC; Also known as Keftiu† from the fresco of the Tomb of Rekhmire in the valley of the kings in Egypt. The islands length is 260 kmRead MoreA Reflection On The Lost Palace Of Sparta1186 Words   |  5 PagesClassical Studies, I happened to found an interesting article on The Lost Palace of Sparta Possibly Uncovered in Live Science. My main reason for choosing this news story was because I have always been interested in Late Bronze Age Mycenaean Civilization, since Mycenaean culture appears to be connected with Homer s Iliad s Trojan War. Secondly, I took a course on Classical Archaeology as an undergraduate student in Classics. Therefore, I studied the nineteenth century archaeologist HeinrichRead MoreEssay on Ancient Crete1632 Words   |  7 Pagesalready adapted some stages of productivity such as possessing domestic animals (?Minoan,? Dilos).? Modern archeological findings date handmade ceramic pottery, which was frequently decorated with incised geometric motifs and made to imitate vessels made of straw, wood, or hide, to this early time period (Koutsoupakis).? Minoan Civilization ?Around 3000 BCE, Crete became the home of the early Minoan civilization, a Bronze Age culture, named after the legendary ruler Minos.? It is uncertain whetherRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Minos And Mycenaean On The Sea By Trade Essay920 Words   |  4 Pagesimpresses and honor to this masterpiece. The Minoan built an unusual and distinctive type of column. It referred to as an â€Å"inverted column because unlike the later Greek column, it tapers downward, the diameter being smaller at the bottom than at the top. And the columns were made of wood rather than stone and were painted bright red. Minoan civilization that developed on the island of Crete around 3000 B.C.E. â€Å"According to later Greek myth, the Minoan civilization was created by an off scoring god ZeusRead MoreMinoan Demise1145 Words   |  5 PagesThe Decline of the Minoan Civilization Makeeba Charstaon Strayer University Professor Anne Keyes Hum111 11/3/2015 The Decline of the Minoan Civilization Minoan Crete was a major civilization in its time, but several theories have been advanced to explain its demise, including speculations associating it with mythical Atlantis. What were the causes of the Minoan Civilization’s decline? State the mystery and provide a brief summary of 2 reasonable scholarly theories. Identify one of the theoriesRead MoreThe Aegean Bronze Age Essay1516 Words   |  7 PagesAmong these practices, the display of idols became substantial in epitomizing social realities. The Minoan civilization, being one of the most momentous urbanization formed during this period, established the use of icons to exemplify their cultural and societal views. Emblems in the form of deities, monstrous creatures, hybrids and composites were prominent, alluding to the ways in which the Minoan populace endured the changing scope of their society. Yet despite these emblems’ production, the notionRead MoreThe Snake Goddess1440 Words   |  6 Pagesfemale deity†™s and faà ¯ence figurines in Minoan culture (Patron). The actual representation of the Snake Goddess is unknown; however, a majority of perceptions would all agree that the Snake Goddess is an important female deity in Minoan civilization. By analyzing the importance of symbolism, the role of women in Minoan civilization and The Snake Goddesses role in Minoan culture, it will become evident that The Snake Goddess plays a significant role in Minoan art, religion and society (Witcombe). Discovered

Sentarse Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples

Should Students Live On Campus - 1511 Words

Here at Walsh, the campus may be small but the freshman dorm rooms are even smaller. This makes it extremely hard for some individuals to fit all their belongings into their room. But, I do not want to hear â€Å"my roommate and I have so much stuff we can barely fit† because some students are placed in the same sized dorm room with three people instead of two people. My problem with this is, that the rooms are only equipped with two closets no matter what. That means, either two people must share the two closets or even worse one person does not get one at all. To say the least, there is simply not enough room to have three people crammed into one small space and lie there for the duration of the semester. There are many ways to fix this problem. One thing that could be done to have more space and less students in one room is that those who live on campus should be students who live outside of a thirty-mile radius and the ones that live within the radius must live off campus. Yes, this would cause the campus to lose money but in the long run it would help better the lives of our residents and if the students are happy, that makes them more likely to promote Walsh. This proposal may irritate those involved, the ones living inside of the radius, but it is only to improve Walsh. With all the money that Walsh makes because of the tuition and because of its students, there is no reason that there is not enough living space for every student to live comfortably. I feel this willShow MoreRelatedShould we move to the new campus?600 Words   |  3 PagesShould we move to the new campus? â€Å"Is every new thing better than old?† On 5 November 2013, UM held the inauguration ceremony for the new campus in the University Hall on new campus, and all the students will go to the new campus soon. It seems very good to the students, but some students actually have the same question, â€Å"should we move to the new campus?† Of course, everything has its good side and bad side. For moving to the new campus, most students think that its disadvantage is more than theRead MoreThe Middle State University ( Mtsu )855 Words   |  4 Pageshousing to provide for all of their students. As a result, students are expected to find their own housing off-campus. Hence, students must live in off-campus apartment complexes that are expensive, too far away, and difficult for young students to rent. While there are some benefits to off-campus housing, students face many problems in securing these types of housing situations. The prices of off-campus housing are high and the l ocations are often too far away from campus to walk. In addition, many apartmentRead MoreBanning Guns On A College Campus1184 Words   |  5 Pagesa college campus (Armed Campus). Texas, Tennessee, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado, are the states included in this fact. If people would allow guns on a college campus, there would be less violence. Campuses are targets for violence since students cannot carry a gun to scare off a shooter, and it is also Americans’ second Amendment right to carry a gun. College campuses should allow the students with a CHL, or concealed handgun license, to carry guns on campus because it will make the student feel saferRead MoreThe Issue Of Guns On Campus953 Words   |  4 PagesGuns on Campus Crime seems to be at an all-time high in current times. I feel that this is due to so many people carrying guns. The safety of all people should be the focus of our society now. One area we really need to not allow firearms on campuses. This is only one area to focus on. There are several reason why allowing guns on colleges campuses and universities could be dangerous to people. First, gun violence seems to lead to an escalation of violent crime. The percentage of students thatRead MoreStudents At The University Of Alabama1033 Words   |  5 PagesThe number of students attending the University of Alabama has reached a new high of 37,100. That number is a 2.4% increase from 2014 (uanews.ua.edu). As the number of students is predicted only to increase in the years to come, the University must reflect on the housing options for these 37,100 students. Freshman students required to live on campus face a difficult situation--lack of housing. With that being said, the best and most efficient way to cope with the ever growing population is to allowRead MoreLiving on Campus or off Campus932 Words   |  4 Pages　　Nowadays, a number of college students choose to live off campus by renting a house or apartment in a community. There are many their own reasons to justify this choice. However, in spite of the freedom and comfort gained from living outsi de the college, most students still prefer to live in dormitories. In my opinion, I believe that the dormitory life is more meaningful and suitable for students who are pursuing higher education. Actually, living on campus or off campus are really difficult to chosenRead MoreCollege : Dorm Or Apartment1122 Words   |  5 Pagesfreshmen to live on campus. Adding room and board to the equation, the cost jumps to a staggering $20,182.(Undergraduate Admissions) That practically doubles the cost of a college education. Is it worth the extra expense to live on campus? College is a monumental transition. Typical incoming freshmen have lived with their parents their entire life, so they have not had all the responsibility that comes with living away from home. To ease the transition college freshmen should live on campus. A dorm providesRead MoreCollege Should Live On Campus885 Words   |  4 Pagescollege should live on campus or live in an apartment is a big decision during their college years. The student has so many decisions to make and this is just another decision to make on the road to their future. Many aspects must be looked at when deciding to live on campus or live off campus such as expense, student life and proximity to campus and these are just some parts of the whole equation. Both living on campus and living off campus have their pros and cons, the option the student choosesRead MoreBanning Guns On Campuses And Universities846 Words   |  4 Pagessafety of all people should be the focus of our society now. One area we really need to not allow firearms on campuses. This is only one area to focus on. There are several reason why allowing guns on colleges campuses and universities could be dangerous to people. First, gun violence seems to lead to an escalation of violent crime. The percentage of students that could be robbed on their way to class increases . Campuses that do not have metal detectors to screen the students are at risk for violentRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking And Sexual Assault On College Campuses1411 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States is a country of freedom. Most of people can find their lives which they want. Especially, the college students can join in some activates and clubs. Their campus lives are always fulfilling. However, there are still some dangers among the campus, and most is from the students themselves. Recent survey estimates provided by Fisher, Cullen, and Turner (2000) revealed that for every 1,000 women attending institutions of higher education, there may well be 35 incidents of rape in a

Minimum Entry into Nursing Free Essays

The minimum entry perquisites for nurses have been a hot issue for the last three to four decades. All through this era, position proclamations have been frequently impending from a variety of specialized associations, undoubtly the most considered being the ANA â€Å"First Position on Education for Nursing† of 1965. These statements have lead to arguments and debate, in particularly within the area of registered nurses. We will write a custom essay sample on Minimum Entry into Nursing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The argument of these diverse proclamations have been to shift official nursing education out of the service division and into educational spectrum, to propose the nature of education desired for the coming years, and to deal with projected future of the profession of nursing. In general, entry into practice has been one of the most controversial subjects regarding nursing. (Gosnell, 2002) Disagreement concerning associate degree nursing as an entrance level for registered nurses has been surfacing from the time when it was initiated. Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) education offers a vibrant trail for entry into registered nursing practice. ADN provides handy, inexpensive, excellence teaching to an assorted populace. Commenced as a research assignment in reply to communal requirements, this instruction is repeatedly developing to be a sign of confined society needs and present health care inclinations. Graduates of this program are equipped to function in numerous health care circumstances, together with societal practice sites. In spite of the pertinent important impact this teaching has had on the entry into nursing subject, Mahaffey tells that assessments were occasionally made with no noteworthy demonstration of all curriculum categories. There is a necessary requirement for addition of the influence of ADN mentors, with nurses on job, in the groupings who are conniving an apparition for nursing. (Mahaffey, 2002) References Gosnell, D. (May 31, 2002)   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The 1965 Entry into Practice Proposal – Is It Relevant Today?† Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. #7 No. #2, Overview and Summary. Available: http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/topic18/tpc18ntr.htm Mahaffey, E. (May 31, 2002)   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Relevance of Associate Degree Nursing Education: Past, Present, Future† Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. #7 No. #2, Manuscript 2. Available: http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/topic18/tpc18_2.htm    How to cite Minimum Entry into Nursing, Essay examples

Business Plan for Toy Shop free essay sample

They are used for decorations by adults and for education amp; play by children. Toys are also being used for entertainment and child development. Plastic toys, along with soft toys (mainly dolls) and board games, make up about 80% of the Indian market in value terms. The change that is discernible is the decline in Importance of board games (other than puzzles), which involve play by a group of children. Those in the trade argue that, with smaller family size today and the growing incidence of both parents working, there is little scope for board games, which families used to traditionally play together. The emphasis these days is much more on toys, with which a child can play on his/her own. Market Dynamics of the Indian Toy Trade The Indian toy market exhibits some of the characteristics common to any toy market while others have uniquely the Indian character. Individual toys have a short life cycle. There is a constant need for novelty. Consumer tastes change rapidly. Resurrection of old toys does not work – a new content has to be added or altered. These rules, in general, apply to most toy markets internationally. In addition, the Indian market has its own angularities. Toy sales in India have well defined seasonal patterns coinciding with the festival season. Generally, the time period from July to November is the high season with temporary surges in some States in December amp; March. Toy selling in India often involves selling to 3 individuals simultaneously, namely the child, who will use the toy, the mother, who is concerned with safety, space to play, etc. and the father who controls the purse strings. The market is also highly price sensitive. This trend has been reinforced by the entry of large-scale imports of cheap and novel toys from China. These have mostly been unbranded, of low priced and indifferent quality toys. The past decade has seen the Indian toy industry making quick strides in terms of production and exports. At present, India produces a wide range of toys, namely plastic and mechanical activity toys, plastic and soft dolls, stuffed toys, board games, puzzles, educational games and toys, metal toys, electronic toys and games. It is estimated that the toy production in India is around INR 5. 50 billion in the organized sector and INR 12. 50 billion in the unorganized sector with nearly 20% annual average growth rate. There are more than 3000 units in the small-scale sector including large number of units in the cottage sector. Some large/MNCs’ toy units like the Mattel, Lego and Funskool are also present in India. With international quality toys available in India now, the average spending on toys has increased substantially and this process is supported by an increase in disposable income at the customer end. Introduction â€Å"To every child, presenting a toy creates a special attachment between the two. † We intend to satisfy the needs of the children mainly aged below 10yrs. y having an â€Å"KIDZONE† as a part of organized retail, catering to almost all the trifling requirements of kids. Service will be one of our main focus areas wherein we intend to have a â€Å"play n feel the toys† zone attracting the kids to enjoy with toys. This facility will give a real feeling of amusement to children, hence attracting the kids and parents towards it. Thereafter we will al so provide a babysitting facility for parents shopping throughout the mall and in the meantime the trifling needs of babies will be taken care of. Secondly, we will focus on disintermediation of procurement channel by directly sourcing the finished products from the toy manufacturers mainly from China amp; other manufacturers from India. Most importantly we are looking forward to revolutionize the toy industry by having merged quality with fun wherein all the safety issues would be taken care ensuring the source of playfulness not becoming a hysterical item. Above all our long term goal is to make our retail outlets as a brand name well recognized in toy industry and increase the organized retail market share in toys segment. Management Team Vishwanath Patil Ajit Mangarulkar Piyush Borde Yogendra Bhosale Kunal Dalal Marketing Plan SWOT Analysis Strengths: Our business would impart touch amp; feel factor to the child We would impart child caring facility in our store where the parents can leave their child and go for shopping which will in turn lead to sales by having child for more hours in shops amp; can be addicted or fascinated to any of the toy Large amp; Growing Population (Market Size data to found out) – Age group between 0-8 years Maximum Loyalty towards shop Demonstration Effect Higher Margins due to large imports from China, Hong Kong amp; other countries Wide range of products to choose Fewer bargains for the products Increase in disposable income of middle class Weakness Emotional attachment towards toy which leads to non repetitive buying Price sensitivity market Safety Issue in terms of lead contain, sharpness of toys etc Individual toy have shorter life cycle amp; consumer taste changes rapidly Opportunity Untapped organized sector which consists of only 10% of total toy industry. Better support from government Demand for Educational toy in the market Threats Due to large expansion of Mall Culture, there is increase in competition from the players Big Fish with deep pockets will able to sell products at competitive price (Entry of global brands) Marketing Mix The marketing mix is often summarized as the four P’s – Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Product The type of product that would be placed in the store will be dependent on the age group. During the initial period the store would cater to age group of from the day child is born to 8 years. The later as the store expands and capital is generated the store would cater to toys catering to people with age more than 8 years and toys for adult. The product that will be defined within age group is as follows 0-24 months: Teethers, squeaks, Tomy, balls, soft toys, baby education toys and others. Photos of some of products are given below. 2 years to 4 years: puzzles, cars, Helicopters Photos of some of products are shown below 4years to 6 years: Magic tricks, electronic cars and helicopters, electronic gadgets and toys of film stars and other famous personality, famous cartoon character, Barbie amp; others. Photos of some of products are shown below: 6years to 8 years: Tricycles, Bicycles, and other ride on toys. Apart from that the musical toys and electrical operated toys will also be placed in the shelves 8 years to 10 years: Board room games, chess and other family games would be the major attraction The stuffed toys and Plush toys would be all time major attraction towards the customers. The above mentioned is only a part of whole list of offerings offered by the store. The main unique selling proposition would be the Indian touch in toys. We will also try to procure the toys of famous personalities –all time legends like Shahrukh Khan from film industry, Dhirubhai Ambani from business,  Narayan Karthikeyan from F1 racing like all the famous personalities in their respective fields will be incorporated as toys. The toys projected in any of Bollywood and Hollywood industry will also be major attraction for the customers. We will try to innovate and help suppliers to also make customized product if possible and thereby increasing the revenues. The key to business will be continuous innovation in all product ranges. Price: The price of the product sell in the shop will depend on the sourcing and also the total cost of procurement. In the initial years of opening of shop we will not be having competitive pricing but the prices would be at par with other competitors in the market. After years of experience in the business and due to strong hold with the suppliers, we will be having a bargaining power with the suppliers and will try to sell product at lower prices compared to competitor. We will be having Lowest Prices in the Town in one of product everyday to attract as many customers as possible. Moreover the product would be selling at par with our costing, so we won’t be able to generate from the product sold at lowest prices. The whole list of prices with the name of the product is attached in the annexure 8. Place: The majority of the product would be procured from China and also some of the product would be procured from India itself. The main source from India would be Chennai, Noida and Mumbai. The sourcing from China would be in terms of imports via sea route. The cost of procuring of the product is already been included in the financials. The time for procurement of goods would be taking near around 28 days from the day of placing of order from China and the procurement from Chennai or Noida will take maximum four days and from Mumbai it would take one day lead time. The toys would be stock in the store itself; there won’t be any special storage place or another location of the toys. The toys would be readily available to the customers on demand if stock is available. Promotion: The less effort would be required in terms of promotion as the store will be located in Thane East But still promotion will be required to create a buzz in the city which would be carried out be two means. 1) Print Ads in local newspaper. As maximum people in Maharashtra are habituated of reading of local newspaper, so the ads would be given in local newspaper on repetitive basis. The ads will also be given in other non local newspaper but frequency of ads would differ in both the cases. 2) Advertisement would be carried out in radio stations. Continuous announcement would be given in all leading radio stations like Radio Mirchi and Big FM. ) Distributions of pamphlets would also be one of the marketing strategies for carrying out promotion. As in the initial period it is not possible to be present in all the malls, so distribution of pamphlets in all the malls will be carried out on weekly basis. 4) All this promotion will in turn lead to Word of mouth marketing 5) In later stages o f business the viral marketing will also be carried out. OPERATION PLAN Location The location selected for opening an outlet is THANE (Maharashtra). Thane is the largest city in the state of Maharashtra and the The city is witnessing a major construction boom and population increase. A rising centre of education, information technology and scientific industries, Thane remains the cultural and commercial heart of Maharashtra, and much of western India. The main reason behind selection of this city is the city is developing stage amp; we witness tremendous opportunity in the coming years. The real estate boom will be going to come in the city so we don’t won’t to miss the opportunity to be there within couple of years. The reason for selection of the city is its proximity to MUMBAI. The proximity to the city will help in reducing the transportation cost and increasing overall efficiency and savings in operations. Type of Building The location of the shop would be in the shop in Thane (East). Amount of Space The amount of space needed would be around 2000 sq feet of area which would be more or less compared to any retail chains. The amount of space needed would be targeted in malls in the basement near around the entry of Reliance and Big Bazaar shops. We targeted the basement due to its cost effectiveness. The shop would be lease for 5 year period for the initial purpose and then if needed would be bought out. The general lease rental of the area in Thane (East) is around Rs. 30000 per month. Other Details The business hours of the shop would last from 10am to 10pm as major. We see the timings to be getting extended at weekends. Moreover the timing would be subjected to the change. Lead Time The main source of supplier would be from the Shantou in China and from Shanghai in China. The other supplier from India would be the Hanung toys in Noida, Mattel Inc. in Chennai and also the Funskool India Ltd in Chennai. The cost of transport of freight from China to India ranges from 428 USD to 600 USD depending on the date of ordering. The other cost of transportation from Mumbai to Thane would be around 2000 INR. The cost of procurement of consignment from Mumbai to Thane would be is 3000INR and from Delhi/Noida it is around 8000 INR. So the lead time if calculated to import from toys from China would be around one month and from procurement from India only it would take around one week from farthest place i. e. Chennai in India for procurement of toys. Sales Estimation Due to prime location of the shop in the malls we expect the sales to be reaching high in the weekends and also in the festivals. This figure comes from the fact that out of 15000 people visiting Thane East daily on an average, around 82% are parents and remaining are youth. So out of 82% of total population we average that around 35% of parents would be with child who comes for the shopping. As mentioned that we shall be a unique adventure in the shop as a playing area specially allotted for the kids to play with the toys which ever they want out of majority of samples placed in playing area. The other advantage is that the child would be taken care of specially trained employees and all this package would come for free. We expect the shopping time taken by any parents would be around 1 hour. So we provide facility for parents to leave their child to play in the shop and if they want they can buy the toy. We rely on the fact provided by the doctors that one hour is enough for a child up to 6 years to get addicted with the toy. Hence as a child gets addicted to play with the toy, they would force parents for purchase of same toy. We only expect 75 customers to get converted out of minimum 1500 people visiting per hour (which is around just 5% of total customers visited in the mall. ) The other occasion for increase in the sales would be the festivals and also the Valentine’s Day for the youth. The shop target customer is up to 14 years but due to presence of Splush toys and also teddies and fur toys which stand attraction for the youth, so we expect the sales to increase in valentine day. Personnel In order to manage the day to day operations we along with three partners have decided to keep the following personnel for smooth operations. In order to reduce our fixed expenses we have restricted ourselves to six employees in the initial three months of our operations. However with time and requirement we shall keep increasing the strength. Number of employees: * Store Facilitators-02 Store Manager-01 * Housekeeper-01 Financial Details Projected start up cost Projected start up cost| | Security Deposits Monthly RentSalary to StaffPurchase of ToysFurniture and StationaryReserved| 100000 30000 20000250000 50000 50000| Total Start Up Cost| 500000| Sources of Fund 50% fund from Partners50 % fund from State Bank of India| 250000250000| Total Fund Raised| 500000| Projected Balance Sheet Liabilities| Rs. | Assets| Rs. | Capital| 500000| Furniture ComputerStockCash DepositeCurrent assets| 50000 20000250000 50000100000 30000| Total | 500000| Total| 500000|