The History of Chair Design (18th century to current) Case Study

The History of Chair Design (18th century to current) - Case Study Example A chair refers to a structure, which is raised from the surface, is stable, and is commonly used by one person to sit (Dampierre 5). The actual and historic sense of the term chair is the fact that it is supported by mostly three or four legs and has a back. However, the chair can have a different shape depending on the chair’s specifications criteria. Even though it has been stated that a chair has a back, some form of chairs such as stool do not have a back. Chairs do have various designs depending on the culture and the surrounding environment. The chair design may have drilled holes for decoration, low gaps or back for ventilation, or may be made of porous materials (Greene 21). The history of chair is as old as the history of humankind; chairs have been used in many centuries. Although chair is of extreme simplicity and antiquity, for many years it was used more as an article or item of dignity and state especially among the kings. However, this has changed over time with chair becoming a structure of ordinary use. It is undisputable that chair design has evolved in terms of design and technology. Therefore, this discussion will focus on the history of chair design in particular reference from the 18th century to the current. To begin with, it is important to consider the essence of design in chair just like in any other article or structure. Chair design puts into consideration the intended purpose and usage of the chair, stackability, weight, stain resistance, foldability, artistic design, durability, and ergonomics, which emphasizes on how comfortable the occupant of the chair is. The seating position of the occupant is determined by the intended usage (Fiell 15-16). As such, there are various designs for intended usage. For instance, easy chairs are most suitable for entertainment activities such as watching movies or television, task chairs are designed for specific persons depending on the nature of their work. Therefore, the essence of chair design is to ensure that certain purposes are met in addition to facilitating that the occupant of the chair is comfortable. The logic behind ergonomic design is to ensure that the occupant’s weight is distributed to different parts of the body. Chair design should therefore be in such a way that it does not compromise the occupants comfort and performance of tasks. Factors such as the height of the seat are very important and needs to be considered during the designing of chair (Fiell 28). This is because a chair, which is higher, may lead to feet dangling thus increasing pressure on the knees’ underside. On the other hand, a lower chair may result to shifting of too much weight towards the seat bones. The period from 18th century to current has witnessed major innovations about chair designs. Wood workers played a very critical role in these innovations. The most notable one is Thomas Chippendale who even left his own design marks the history of chair. The chairs by Chippendale were designed artistically; legs, splats, and carved back pieces were proportioned well. Most of Chippendale’s chairs have either square legs or cabriole. Chippendale design dominated most of the 18th century. The design reflected the some of the English tastes of that time and incorporated Chinese, Gothic, and English motifs (Raizman 9). The cabriole leg was Chippendale’s signature form. The cabriole design mostly employed the Queen Anne- style. There are six different Chippendale style legs namely-

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy Assignment

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy - Assignment Example This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the framework of macroeconomic policies of the government of the UK. In order to exercise effective administration of the country the government must determine the objectives of its policy. Then the target has to be selected. The next task is to choose the instruments of policy to be used in pursuit of the objectives. Four major economic objectives, that any government should pursue, include low unemployment level, price stability, satisfactory balance of payment position and sufficient sustainable economic growth. In addition to four major economic objectives a government may have other objectives for the economy. These may include a more even distribution income of wealth and a cleaner environment. It is difficult to achieve all four macro economic objectives at a time. Countries rarely experience stable economic growth. Instead they experience business cycles. Periods of rapid economic growth are followed by periods of low growth or even a fall in output. Sometimes, these cycles can be the result of government policy of raising taxes in a recession in order to compensate for falling tax revenues caused by lower incomes and expenditures. Unemployment fluctuates with business cycles. High employment has a number of significant advantages. Most people receive higher incomes from employment than from state benefits. Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for low and stable rate of inflation. The government also is to ensure balance of payment equilibrium. ... New classical economist refers to the non-accelerating rate of unemployment ( NAIRU). It can also be called the natural rate of unemployment. It is the rate of unemployment which exists when all those who want to work at the going wage rate and who have the appropriate skills can find a job (Storm & Naastepad 2012).  . Whether it is example four percent or 8 percent will depend on a number of factors. These include the gap between paid employment and state benefit, attitudes towards living on benefits, labor market information and skill levels. A government basing its policies on new classical theory would seek to reduce NAIRU by improving the working of the labor market ( Top of Form Fabiani 1998).   Bottom of Form . Furthermore, Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for a low and stable rate of inflation. Complete price stability or zero inflation would mean that the general price level is not changing. In practice, in a dynamic, growing economy the gener al price the general price level is likely to rise by between 1% and 2% per year. This rise will reflect the buoyancy level of demand and the fact that the quality of goods tends to rise. For example, a television purchased in the year 2013 may be 5% more expensive than one purchased in 2012 but it may also, for instance, have extra channels and give better reception. If the rate of inflation is equal to or below rival countries, the countries can at least maintain its international price competitiveness. If it is stable then firms do not have to guess what wage claims they need to make to maintain their real wages. However, high and accelerating inflation is clearly undesirable. It can reduce a country’s international competitiveness, reduce the real income of some groups, create