M2A1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M2A1 - Essay Example Dr. Samuelson, the founder and CEO of CardioFIb should accept investment from Greenhouse or not and Rudernman, the co-founder of Greenhouse should continue with this investment offer to CardioFib. These two key questions will be answered based on in depth analysis of the case study. Trends in venture capital Venture capital business is very much essential for today’s aspiring entrepreneurs for giving lives to their innovative ideas and insights. This business acts as catalyst for the any innovative innovations and risk associated entrepreneurship. It creates job opportunities, stimulates economic growth of a country or global economic growth and recovery. The venture capital industry has been undergoing in substantial transition. It is termed as rightsizing. The leading global players in this industry have been shrinking due to poor return on investment and decrease of potential new entrepreneurship to asking capital for venture. This industry enjoyed a substantial growth rate in pre dot com bubble era. The transition has been underway in quite slow motion due to frequent economic downturn in global economy. Still, the venture capital firms with wide market presence have been enjoying good return (Pearce & Haemming, 2012, p.1). Greenhouse relative to trends in venture capital Greenhouse was established at the time of global tech bubble. It missed out the pre era growth phase of this industry. The company business model is a single industry specific which is healthcare industry. Though the business operates with a narrow customer segment, but it had comparatively better opportunity and growth potentiality. The company achieved successful completion of $12 million fund raising within one and half year of establishment. Therefore, the fund raising potential of the company is very strong as it did it within an era economic slowdown in global economy due to tech bubble. Therefore, by comparing the business trend of the company with industry, it can be said th e company had developed a strong partner network to operate actively and to serve its target segment. Positioning of Greenhouse relative to venture capital industry The case describes the position of the company in early stage of 20th century and its first two years of its establishment. The company has very quickly developed potential partner network to raise fund to be ready to serve its target segment. It achieved more than its initial goal which developed considering the economic condition. But as a venture specialist for a specific and steady industry of healthcare instrument business, it was able to show quite attractive and noticeable business model to its investment network partners. The company developed its short goals by considering environmental factors to make a strong foothold in the venture capital industry. Greenhouse target "deals" relative to Greenhouse resources, relative competitive position and advantages The company has set target or business goals with a deter mination. It desired to less prediction of cash availability, accept funding after in depth scrutiny of Target Company with high consideration of crunch downs. The company also concentrated on fewer deals with comparatively stronger competition from premier deals. It can reduce the future risk of return on lower investment. It also expected few financing after initial funding to be ready next potential funding. Pros and cons for participating

The Managemetn and Control of Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Managemetn and Control of Quality - Essay Example A company can improve its cash inflow in the form of profits if Six Sigma is deployed systematically and in right areas. The Six Sigma experts continuously work on reducing the defects in order to reach a situation of zero defects in an organization. Six Sigma is applied in an organization in two methods, the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) and the DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) methods. The Six Sigma DMADV approach focuses on the process redesign based on the short falls. The DMADV technique works by developing different alternative models for quality improvement. The DMAIC technique focuses on process improvement in an organization. The DMAIC technique is used in an organization to rejuvenate the least effective process and product. This is focused on improving the future performance on making sufficient improvement in the current activity level. Six Sigma is an approach that is used in all sorts of business and other production areas where q uality improvement is needed. The quality of the Six Sigma approach has made many business entities including GE implement the process. This process includes Define the problem, Measure what you care about, Analyze or Statistically find root causes, Improve or Mobilize change initiatives, and Control or Sustain improvements (DMAIC). In the first phase, teams aim to identify the problems that are related to the business and business satisfaction. Efforts are taken to relate the customer issues with the general business process by the factors of CTQ. In order to get the total result of the process the team establishes project charters, identifies the required resources, and finds the leadership approvals. In the next phase the team identifies the deficiencies of the current process and takes remedial measures. A good understanding of the customer expectations is made possible to establish the out of specification conditions. The characteristic feature of the Six Sigma process of GE is that even the beginners are a ble to meet the challenges of acquiring the concepts and that the time required for complex calculations is made the minimum possible. In the third phase, the root causes of the present defects are identified by the analysis based on which prioritized list of factors influencing the expected result is prepared. For this, various tools like multivariate analysis, test for normality, ANOVA, correlation, and regression etc are made use as the tools. In the next phase, teams seek out best possible solution and build up a plan action to implement the solution. On the basis of the test to confirm the solution, the process is modified and the effect of the result is analyzed. In the final stage, control charting techniques are used in order to improve the current measures. The measures adopted in this stage help to check the possible recurring of the problems. In this stage the approach leads to long term payoffs in quality and monetary terms. The GE employees are trained effectively in th is process and the teams are able to check the business problems applying the concepts of the program to the problem. The competency level that starts from Green Belts is

Principles of Marketing | Dissertation

Principles of Marketing | Dissertation Definition of Marketing Marketing is part of all of our lives and touches us in some way every day. Most people think that marketing is only about the advertising and/or personal selling of goods and services. Advertising and selling, however, are just two of the many marketing activities. In general, marketing activities are all those associated with identifying the particular wants and needs of a target market of customers, and then going about satisfying those customers better than the competitors. This involves doing market research on customers, analyzing their needs, and then making strategic decisions about product design, pricing, promotion and distribution. Philip Kotler says, Marketing is managing profitable customer relationships. The twofold goal of marketing is to attract new customers by promising superior value and to keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction. Broadly defined, marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others. Narrowly defined marketing involves building profitable, value-laden exchange relationships with customers. In short, it has been defined as the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return. The new definition given by American Marketing Association reads, Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. The marketing process Create value for customers and build customer relationships Capture value from customers in return In the first four steps, companies work to understand consumers, create customer value and build strong customer relationships. In the final step, companies reap the rewards of creating superior customer value. By creating value for customers, they in turn capture value from customers in the form of sales, profits and long term customer equity. Core concepts of marketing Target Markets and Segmentation A marketer can rarely satisfy everyone in a market. Everyone in the market has different taste, likeliness, income and spending habit. Not everyone likes the same soft drink, automobile, college, and movie. Therefore, marketers start with market segmentation. They identify and profile distinct groups of buyers who might prefer or require varying products and marketing mixes. Market segments can be identified by examining demographic, psychographic, and behavioral differences among buyers. The firm then decides which segments present the greatest opportunity—whose needs the firm can meet in a superior fashion. The lucrative segment/s are selected or targeted for offering/selling the product. For each chosen target market, the firm develops a market offering. The offering is positioned in the minds of the target buyers as delivering some central benefit(s). For example, Volvo develops its cars for the target market of buyers for whom auto- mobile safety is a major concern. Volvo , therefore, positions its car as the safest car a customer can buy. Customer Needs, Wants and Demands Needs are the basic human requirements. People need food, air, water, clothing, and shelter to survive. People also have strong needs for creation, education, and entertainment. The above needs become wants when they are directed to specific objects that might satisfy the need. An American needs food but may want a hamburger, French fries, and a soft drink. A person in Mauritius needs food but may want a mango, rice, lentils, and beans. Wants are shaped by ones society. Demands are wants for specific products backed by an ability to pay. Many people want a Mercedes; only a few are able to buy one. Companies must measure not only how many people want their product but also how many would actually be willing and able to buy it. Product or Offering Customers needs and wants are fulfilled through a marketing offer or product. A product is any offering that can satisfy a need or want, such as one of the 10 basic offerings of goods, services, experiences, events, persons, places, properties, organizations, information, and ideas. A brand is an offering from a known source. A brand name such as McDonalds carries many associations in the minds of people: hamburgers, fun, children, fast food, and golden arches. These associations make up the brand image. All companies strive to build a strong, favorable brand image. Value and Satisfaction In terms of marketing, the product or offering will be successful if it delivers value and satisfaction to the target buyer. The buyer chooses between different offerings on the basis of which is perceived to deliver the most value. We define value as a ratio between what the customer gets and what he gives. The customer gets benefits and assumes costs, as shown in this equation: Based on this equation, the marketer can increase the value of the customer offering by (1) raising benefits, (2) reducing costs, (3) raising benefits and reducing costs, (4) raising benefits by more than the raise in costs, or (5) lowering benefits by less than the reduction in costs. Exchange and Transactions Exchange, the core of marketing, involves obtaining a desired product from someone by offering something in return. For exchange potential to exist, five conditions must be satisfied: There are at least two parties. Each party has something that might be of value to the other party. Each party is capable of communication and delivery. Each party is free to accept or reject the exchange offer. Each party believes it is appropriate or desirable to deal with the other party. Whether exchange actually takes place depends upon whether the two parties can agree on terms that will leave them both better off (or at least not worse off) than before. Exchange is a value-creating process because it normally leaves both parties better off. Marketing Mix Marketers use numerous tools to elicit the desired responses from their target markets. These tools constitute a marketing mix. Marketing mix is the set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market. McCarthy classified these tools into four broad groups that he called the four Ps of marketing: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Robert Lauterborn suggested that the sellers four Ps correspond to the customers four Cs. Winning companies are those that meet customer needs economically and conveniently and with effective communication. Marketing Philosophies and Concepts There are five competing concepts under which organizations conduct marketing activities: produc- tion concept, product concept, selling concept, marketing concept, and societal mar- keting concept. The Production Concept The production concept, one of the oldest in business, holds that consumers prefer products that are widely available and inexpensive. Managers of production-oriented businesses concentrate on achieving high production efficiency, low costs, and mass distribution. This orientation makes sense in developing countries, where consumers are more interested in obtaining the product than in its features. It is also used when a company wants to expand the market. Texas Instruments is a leading exponent of this concept. It concentrates on building production volume and upgrading technology in order to bring costs down, leading to lower prices and expansion of the market. This orientation has also been a key strategy of many Japanese companies. The Product Concept Other businesses are guided by the product concept, which holds that consumers favor those products that offer the most quality, performance, or innovative features. Managers in these organizations focus on making superior products and improving them over time, assuming that buyers can appraise quality and performance. Product-oriented companies often design their products with little or no customer input, trusting that their engineers can design exceptional products. A General Motors executive said years ago: How can the public know what kind of car they want until they see what is availablefi GM today asks customers what they value in a car and includes marketing people in the very beginning stages of design. The Selling Concept The selling concept, another common business orientation, holds that consumers and businesses, if left alone, will ordinarily not buy enough of the organizations products. The organization must, therefore, undertake an aggressive selling and promotion effort. This concept assumes that consumers must be coaxed into buying, so the company has a battery of selling and promotion tools to stimulate buying. The selling concept is practiced most aggressively with unsought goods—goods that buyers normally do not think of buying, such as insurance and funeral plots. The selling concept is also practiced in the nonprofit area by fund-raisers, college admissions offices, and political parties. Most firms practice the selling concept when they have overcapacity. Their aim is to sell what they make rather than make what the market wants. The Marketing Concept The marketing concept, in the mid-1950s, challenges the three business orientations we just discussed. The marketing concept holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than its competitors in creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target markets. The marketing concept focuses on the needs of the buyer. Marketing is preoccupied with the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it. The marketing concept rests on four pillars: target market, customer needs, integrated marketing, and profitability. The marketing concept takes an outside-in perspective. It starts with a well-defined market, focuses on customer needs, coordinates activities that affect customers, and produces profits by satisfying customers. The Societal Marketing Concept Some have questioned whether the marketing concept is an appropriate philosophy in an age of environmental deterioration, resource shortages, explosive population growth, world hunger and poverty, and neglected social services. Are companies that successfully satisfy consumer wants necessarily acting in the best, long-run interests of consumers and societyfi The marketing concept sidesteps the potential conflicts among consumer wants, consumer interests, and long-run societal welfare. Yet some firms and industries are criticized for satisfying consumer wants at societys expense. Such situations call for a new term that enlarges the marketing concept. We propose calling it the societal marketing concept, which holds that the organizations task is to determine the needs, wants, and interests of target markets and to deliver the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that preserves or enhances the consumers and the societys well-being. The societal marketing concept calls upon marketers to build social and ethical considerations into their marketing practices. They must balance and juggle the often confiicting criteria of company profits, consumer want satisfaction, and public interest. Yet a number of companies have achieved notable sales and profit gains by adopting and practicing the societal marketing concept. Marketing vs. Selling Oftentimes, marketing and sales are perceived interchangeably. But in actuality, these are two different things. Selling is a small portion of the entire marketing scheme. Selling is the transaction where a product is transferred from the business owner to a buyer for a price. In contrast, marketing is a process that involves several steps ranging from the generation of a product idea to the delivery of that product to the customer. Even after delivery of the product to the customer, the marketing process continues with direct communication with the customer to obtain feedback about the product. Profits from satisfied customers Theodore Levitt of Harvard drew a perceptive contrast between the selling and marketing concepts: Selling focuses on the needs of the seller; marketing on the needs of the buyer. Selling is preoccupied with the sellers need to convert his product into cash; marketing with the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it. The marketing concept rests on four pillars: target market, customer needs, integrated marketing, and profitability. The selling concept takes an inside-out perspective. It starts with the factory, focuses on existing products, and calls for heavy selling and promoting to produce profitable sales. The marketing concept takes an outside-in perspective. It starts with a well-defined market, focuses on customer needs, coordinates activities that affect customers, and produces profits by satisfying customers. CHAPTER 2 MARKETING ENVIRONMENT In order to correctly identify opportunities and monitor threats, the company must begin with a thorough understanding of the marketing environment in which the firm operates. The marketing environment consists of all the actors and forces outside marketing that affect the marketing managements ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with target customers. A companys marketing environment consists of the actors and forces outside marketing that affect marketing managements ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers Importance: The marketing environment offers both opportunities and threats Changes in the marketing environment often occur at a rapid pace. Marketers tend to be trend trackers and opportunity seekers. The company must use its marketing research and marketing intelligence systems to monitor the changing environment. A systematic scan of the environment helps marketers to revise and adapt marketing strategies to meet new challenges and opportunities in the market place. The marketing environment is made up of a micro environmental and macro environment. The Companys Microenvironment The micro environment consists of six forces (actors) close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers: The company itself (including various internal departments) Suppliers. Marketing channel firms (intermediaries) Customer markets. Competitors. Publics. The Company The first actor is the company itself and the role it plays in the microenvironment. Top management is responsible for setting the companys mission, objectives, broad strategies, and policies. Marketing managers must make decisions within the parameters established by top management. Marketing managers must also work closely with other company departments. Areas such as finance, R D, purchasing, manufacturing, and accounting all produce better results when aligned by common objectives and goals. All departments must think consumer if the firm is to be successful. Suppliers Suppliers are firms and individuals that provide the resources needed by the company and its competitors to produce goods and services. They are an important link in the companys overall customer value delivery system. One consideration is to watch supply availability (such as supply shortages). Another point of concern is the monitoring of price trends of key inputs. Marketing Intermediaries Marketing intermediaries are firms that help the company to promote, sell, and distribute its goods to final buyers. Resellers are distribution channel firms that help the company find customers or make sales to them. These include wholesalers and retailers who buy and resell merchandise. Resellers often perform important functions more cheaply than the company can perform itself. Seeking and working with resellers, however, is not easy because of the power that some demand and use. Physical distribution firms help the company to stock and move goods from their points of origin to their destinations. Examples would be warehouses (that store and protect goods before they move to the next destination). Marketing services agencies (such as marketing research firms, advertising agencies, media firms, etc.) help the company target and promote its products to the right markets. Financial intermediaries (such as banks, credit companies, insurance companies, etc.) help finance transactions and insure against risks associated with buying and selling goods. Customers The company must study its customer markets closely because each market has its own special characteristics. These markets normally include: Consumer markets (individuals and households that buy goods and services for personal consumption). Business markets (buy goods and services for further processing or for use in their production process). Reseller markets (buy goods and services in order to resell them at a profit). Government markets (agencies that buy goods and services in order to produce public services or transfer them to those that need them). International markets (buyers of all types, including governments, in foreign countries). Competitors Every company faces a wide range of competitors. A company must secure a strategic advantage over competitors to be successful in the marketplace. No single competitive strategy is best for all companies . Publics A public is any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organizations ability to achieve its objectives. A company should prepare a marketing plan for all of its major publics as well as its customer markets. Generally, publics can be identified as being: Financial publics. Media publics. Government publics. Citizen-action publics. Local publics. General public. Internal publics. The Companys Macroenvironment The macroenvironment consists of the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment: Demographic. Economic. Natural. Technological. Political. Cultural The company and all of the other actors operate in a larger macroenvironment of forces that shape opportunities and pose threats to the company. Major forces in the companys macroenvironment include: Demographic Environment Demography is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race, occupation, and other statistics. It is of major interest to marketers because it involves people, and people make up markets. Demographic trends are constantly changing. Some of the more interesting trends are: The worlds population (though not all countries) rate is growing at an explosive rate that will soon exceed food supply and ability to adequately service the population. The greatest danger is in the poorest countries where poverty contributes to the difficulties. The most important trend is the changing age structure of the population. Generational marketing is possible, however, caution must be used to avoid generational alienation. Changing family structure Geographic shifts in population will also alter demographics. Changing educational level : In general, the population is becoming better educated. The work force is becoming more white-collar. Products such as books and education services appeal to groups following this trend. Technical skills (such as in computers) will be a must in the future. The final demographic trend is the increasing ethnic and racial diversity . Economic Environment The economic environment includes those factors that affect consumer buying power and spending patterns. Major economic trends include: Changes in income—personal consumption (along with personal debt) has gone up (1980s) and the 1990s brought recession that has caused adjustments both personally and corporately in this country. In the 2000s, consumers are more careful shoppers. Value marketing (trying to offer the consumer greater value for their dollar) is a very serious strategy in the 2000s. Real income is on the rise again but is being carefully guarded by a value-conscious consumer. Income distribution is still very skewed in the United States and all classes have not shared in prosperity. In addition, spending patterns show that food, housing, and transportation still account for the majority of consumer dollars. It is also of note that distribution of income has created a two-tiered market where there are those that are affluent and less affluent. Classes of consumers include: Upper class—spending patterns are not affected by current economic events and who are a major market for luxury goods. Middle class—somewhat careful about its spending but can still afford the good life some of the time. Working class—must stick close to the basics of food, clothing, and shelter and must try hard to save. Under class—(persons on welfare and many retirees) must count their pennies when making even the most basic purchases. Changing consumer spending patterns: Consider Engles Laws where differences were noted over a century ago by Ernst Engle regarding how people shift their spending across food, housing, transportation, health care, and other goods and service categories as family income rises. Spending patterns have generally supported his ideas. Marketers must carefully monitor economic changes so they will be able to prosper with the trend, not suffer from it. Natural Environment The natural environment involves natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities. During the past two decades environmental concerns have steadily grown. Some trend analysts labeled the 1990s as the Earth Decade, where protection of the natural environment became a major worldwide issue facing business and the public. Specific areas of concern were: Shortages of raw materials. Staples such as air, water, and wood products have been seriously damaged and non-renewable such as oil, coal, and various minerals have been seriously depleted during industrial expansion. Increased pollution is a worldwide problem. Industrial damage to the environment is very serious. Far-sighted companies are becoming environmentally friendly and are producing environmentally safe and recyclable or biodegradable goods. The public response to these companies is encouraging. Government intervention in natural resource management has caused environmental concerns to be more practical and necessary in business and industry. Leadership, not punishment, seems to be the best policy for long term results. Instead of opposing regulation, marketers should help develop solutions to the material and energy problems facing the world. Concern for the natural environment has spawned the so-called green movement. Environmentally sustainable strategies and practices are being created. Companies are recognizing a link between a healthy economy and a healthy ecology. Technological Environment The technological environment includes forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. Technology is perhaps the most dramatic force shaping our destiny. New technologies create new markets and opportunities. Every new technology, however, replaces an older technology. The challenge is not only technical but also commercial—to make practical, affordable versions of products. Political Environment The political environment includes laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence and limit various organizations and individuals in a given society. Business is regulated by various forms of legislation. Governments develop public policy to guide commerce—sets of laws and regulations limiting business for the good of society as a whole. Almost every marketing activity is subject to a wide range of laws and regulations. Some trends in the political environment include: Increasing legislation to: Protect companies from each other. Protecting consumers from unfair business practices. Protecting interests of society against unrestrained business behavior. Changing government agency enforcement. New laws and their enforcement will continue or increase. Increased emphasis on ethics and socially responsible actions. Socially responsible firms actively seek out ways to protect the long-run interests of their consumers and the environment. The recent rash of business scandals and increased concerns about the environment have created fresh interest in the issues of ethics and social responsibility. The boom in e-commerce and Internet marketing has created a new set of social and ethical issues. Privacy issues are the primary concern. Another cyberspace concern is that of access by vulnerable or unauthorized groups. Cultural Environment The cultural environment is made up of institutions and other forces that affect societys basic values, perceptions, and behaviors. Certain cultural characteristics can affect marketing decision-making. Among the most dynamic cultural char- acterisitics are: Persistence of cultural values. Peoples core beliefs and values have a high degree of persistence. Core beliefs and values are passed on from parents to children and are reinforced by schools, churches, business, and government. Secondary beliefs and values are more open to change. Shifts in secondary cultural values. Because secondary cultural values and beliefs are open to change, marketers want to spot them and be able to capitalize on the change potential. The Yankelovich Monitor has identified eight major consumer themes: Paradox. Trust not. Go it alone. Smarts really count. No sacrifices. Stress hard to beat. Reciprocity is the way to go. Me 2. Societys major cultural views are expressed in: Peoples views of themselves. People vary in their emphasis on serving themselves versus serving others.. Peoples views of others. Observers have noted a shift from a me-society to a we-society. Consumers are spending more on products and services that will improve their lives rather than their image. Peoples views of organizations. People are willing to work for large organizations but expect them to become increasingly socially responsible. Many companies are linking themselves to worthwhile causes. Peoples views of society. This orientation influences consumption patterns. Buy American versus buying abroad is an issue that will continue into the next decade. Peoples view of nature. There is a growing trend toward peoples feeling of mastery over nature through technology and the belief that nature is bountiful. Nature, however, is finite. Love of nature and sports associated with nature are expected to be significant trends in the next several years. Peoples views of the universe. Studies of the origin of man, religion, and thought-provoking ad campaigns are on the rise. Spiritual individualism may be a new theme. Chapter 3 Marketing segmentation Market Segmentation It is the process of dividing a market into distinct group of buyers who have distinct needs, characteristics or behavior and who might require separate product or marketing mixes. Market segment A group of consumers who respond in a similar way to a given set of marketing efforts. For Example: In the car market, consumers who want the biggest, most comfortable car regardless of the price make up one market segment. Consumers who care mainly about price and operating economy make up another segment. Requirements of Market Segments In addition to having different needs, for segments to be practical they should be evaluated against the following criteria: Identifiable: the differentiating attributes of the segments must be measurable so that they can be identified. Accessible: the segments must be reachable through communication and distribution channels. Substantial: the segments should be sufficiently large to justify the resources required to target them. Unique needs: to justify separate offerings, the segments must respond differently to the different marketing mixes. Durable: the segments should be relatively stable to minimize the cost of frequent changes. A good market segmentation will result in segment members that are internally homogenous and externally heterogeneous; that is, as similar as possible within the segment, and as different as possible between segments. Bases for Segmentation in Consumer Markets Consumer markets can be segmented on the following customer characteristics. Geographic Demographic Psychographic Behavioral Geographic Segmentation The following are some examples of geographic variables often used in segmentation. Region: by continent, country, state, or even neighborhood Size of metropolitan area: segmented according to size of population Population density: often classified as urban, suburban, or rural Climate: according to weather patterns common to certain geographic regions Demographic Segmentation Some demographic segmentation variables include: Age Gender Family size Family lifecycle Generation: baby-boomers, Generation X, etc. Income Occupation Education Ethnicity Nationality Religion Social class Many of these variables have standard categories for their values. For example, family lifecycle often is expressed as bachelor, married with no children (DINKS: Double Income, No Kids), full-nest, empty-nest, or solitary survivor. Some of these categories have several stages, for example, full-nest I, II, or III depending on the age of the c

Using Childrens Books to Make Theory Accessible :: Graduate Admissions Essays

Using Children's Books to Make Theory Accessible I am a GSI for an undergraduate education course called "Current Issues in Education." This course, required for Education minors, is offered to help students think through and become involved in educational practice. In it, we look at how education impacts people's lives, their visions of society, and their social relationships. Over the course of a single semester we address deep educational questions that have no easy answers and that are subject to great debate within the territory of educational theory and practice. The problem I am addressing here is a straightforward, yet recurring one: How can students learn to read and think critically about deep theoretical issues and learn to clearly articulate their position, even to a layperson not familiar with their subject? This is an important skill for all students, but especially for future educators, who will be challenged to make subject matter clear to their own students one day. The teaching method I implemented to address this issue was to have students divide into teams and create a children's book that reflects the issues and concepts of one of the topic areas of the course. Each group was thus challenged to convey complex theoretical issues in simple and practical terms through developing a story (either fiction or non-fiction) that included a plot and illustrations. In addition, each group wrote a short paper to accompany the book that explained the significance and symbolism of the images and ideas employed. When I presented the assignment to the class, reactions were mixed. Some students thought it sounded like a challenge that might turn out to be fun; some thought it sounded too simplistic; others were surprised by such a wild idea. Each week, a student group presented its book to the rest of the class, allowing time for questions and comments. The response became enthusiastic, as presenters and their peers exchanged feedback and educated each other in terms with which they felt comfortable. One student wrote in her final class evaluation, "At first I thought the [children's book] assignment sounded tedious, but after my group and I finished ours, I realized what a great learning experience it was for us. It forced us to use simple language our brothers and sisters could understand, but it got across important ideas about multiculturalism, which is a complicated topic." By answering each other's questions and presenting the books to their classmates, we were able to assess the strateg y as a class and determine that it was helpful as a learning tool.

Arab community and Mosque

Terrorism, especially Islamic terrorism lately has been regarded as the most outrageous menace of the civilized and modern. In one hand the Islamic fundamentalist groups or organizations like Al-Qaeda are operating at merciless precision against the whole of western civilization, specifically the United States. The focal point of this paper is to act according to the given situation as a Counterterrorism Official with a significant Arab population in a city. The population includes both Arab American citizens and immigrants.Every action taken in the context of security must be evaluated in terms of not only effective measures of eradication of terrorism but also should deal with the aspects of ethical considerations. An effective measure in countering terrorism could have been to move substantial attack and infiltrate the Arab community and Mosque but that would be too irrational and many innocent civilians would be harmed. Alongside it would appear as if this is a new version of Naz i regime. The better mode would be to implant informants among the Arab community.This would be a much better mode of operation as it is ethical to use personal monitoring system rather than use force indiscriminately. Furthermore, the security officials are bounded by ethical considerations other than the need to prevent needless deaths through terrorism and that should be valued. By ethical consideration it is important to understand the need of self respect and human rights and one should always maintain the boundary between civil rights and autocracy.It should be noted that several measures could be taken maintaining the ethical context. First of all, there is the problem of forged documents and counterfeit currency. To negotiate these and to control probable and further infiltrations the authorities must make it absolutely necessary to double check each and every document under double scrutiny that are put forward by any individual of religion other than Christianity. This may appear a bit of racist statement but under the perception of national security this measure should be taken into account.The primary reason of eliminating Christians from this scrutiny is the information that hardly any person of this belief has ever been found involved with fundamentalist Islamic activities. Secondly, eliminating the Christians would ensure a faster mean of scrutiny as, and logically enough, the majority of the demography of United States and United Kingdoms are Christians. By why not eliminate Hindus, Shiks and Buddhists from this schedule?This is because it would be very difficult for security personnel to identify Hindus, Shiks and Buddhist apart from that of an Islamic militant and it is not possible to teach each and every security personnel the basic differences of religion. Next in the line is the problem of Apartments and hiding places. To counter this issuing a social security number of any other identification documents would not serve the purpose alone. To counter these Islamic militants the authorities should ensure that whoever is renting out an apartment or a property or selling the same to a non Christian individual should inform the authorities at once.The authorities should make it a mandatory issue. Furthermore, the authorities should set up enough whispering campaigns to ensure each individual is aware of this menace of Islamic terrorism and should always keep an eye or two on such suspecting parties. Reports should be forwarded immediately if there are indications of such activities. For this purpose the authorities must ensure to maintain a counter terrorism cell in each station. Another very vital tool of operations of the Islamic fundamentalist elements is the high tech means of communication.Though we often say that the internet has opened our eyes to the world and has unlocked our minds for the greater good, it is with this medium, along with telecommunication and short wave transmitter and other communicative means t he Islamic fundamentalists have closed their minds and hearts and zeroed in to destroy anything and everything that are beautiful, sober and just. To present a counterterrorist plan against this misuse of communication system the authorities must make sure that no bit of information is passed unnoticed or without proper scrutiny.For this, if it requires the best code decoders available so be it. If it requires the best possible software system so be it too. After all this is the matter of national security. (Kar, 2006) Information is one of the most important of all features of the terrorist groups. Infiltrators are basically implanted into the geography of a state mainly to gather information about the related state so that it would be possible for these people to gather enough information whereby it would be possible for the terrorist groups to utilize the information to gain access into the strategic location and perform terrorist activities.To negotiate and nullify these activit ies the authorities must ensure to put up wings involved in counter espionage. A wing of domestic counter espionage system is very hard to digest but overlooking this manifestation of the Islamic terrorist group would be resulting into adversity. So it is much needed that the authorities appoint units to monitor and report all possible act of terrorist espionage. Alongside, strategic points of the country should be well protected and supervised on a regular basis.Departments of concerns related to the country’s defense mechanisms should be well protected as well because there are the prime targets of the Islamic terrorist groups. Every other point of strategic points should be kept under thorough watch like stock exchange and other financial institutions for possible scams. This is because it has been found that the end in source of many financial scams result in the hand of different terrorist groups. These groups are always in need of financial assistance and scams are a go od source of acquiring a substantial amount of finance.(Lamb, 2004) All these measures are ethical and effective as far as security is concerned. Thus it can be stated that f used properly it would possible to eradicate the menace of terrorism staying with in the parameters of ethical considerations. References: Kar, P; (2006); Principals of Homeland Security and Related Applications; Kolkata: Dasgupta & Chatterjee Lamb, D; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; Wellington: National Book Trust

Particular sectors of the population Essay

Abstract The point of this paper is to help the reader grasp the different aspects of human identity construction with regards to ones race and/or ethnicity. This is a topic that is incredibly important to all races of people regardless of economic class or whatever else is seemingly more important. It is quite impossible to go throughout life without forming an idea of who you are or where you have come whether you care to make it a part of your daily life, have no choice or acknowledge it when it is convenient; without that knowledge I find it difficult to fully make the most of life. Through the readings from the semester and class discussions I have come to the conclusion that White ethnics choose to either assert their ethnicities thickly or thinly, or they chose to incorporate it into their lives symbolically. Blacks on the other side of the spectrum lack choice in their racial identity because their race is visible and so it is assigned to them. Asians have both the ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities but they are racially assigned. The issue with racial and ethnic construction is that it is born of social construction-what others believe of your race to be true. This can make the identity construction process much more difficult depending upon your racial or ethnic background. Regardless, I find this to be an important part of the identity construction journey. How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. These words were spoken by the infamous French fashion designer, Gabrielle â€Å"Coco† Chanel. In America today, these words could not ring truer in the subject of identity. â€Å"Who am I? †, â€Å"Where do I come from? † All questions of self reflection which undoubtedly each individual asks themselves on a daily basis. These questions are not elaborate in structure but hold a great deal of weight to them and contain countless answers. White ethnics face the decision of whether or not to include their ethnicities into their identity construction; their racial invisibility gives them the choice to identify. Racial minorities self define differently from those of the white majority-there often is no choice. There are many different facets of identity construction that create the varying formulas with which Black Americans must create their racial identity. The blatant visibility of race for Blacks creates many of the difficulties that they face in the United States varying from the generalized stereotypes, entry into the coveted middle class of America. These are some of the factors that determine whether or not a positive Black identity is being formed. Lastly, Asian Americans, have found themselves in that strange middle ground of identity construction; their struggle is not exactly like that of Black Americans but they are also not easily accepted like the dominant white group. The unique factors that help Asian Americans shape their identity are the same ones that make it difficult for others outside of their race to define them. It is with this unusual combination that Asian Americans have been given the convenient ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities and to assimilate like white ethnics while still feeling the effects of racial constraint and having their race assigned to them like Black Americans. White Ethnic Identity Construction Today we look at the possible ways the white racial group define themselves; how they appear to others of their same race as well as to non-whites and the impact of American societal expectations on the self, ultimately creating a portrait of how white ethnics construct their ethnic identity throughout the generations and the evolution of ethnic value over time. It is all too common to hear an individual say â€Å"I don’t care what people think of me† or â€Å"Their opinion doesn’t matter,† although that may be their thought process, little do they know that it is the interaction with other human beings that helps form each person’s sense of self and that every person’s opinion of you matters a great deal. â€Å"Identity cannot exist apart from a group†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Each person bounces their personality off of other people and it is from their reactions to us that we base our identities on. This idea is called â€Å"The Looking Glass Self† developed by Charles Cooley. Cooley argues that every time we interact with another person, we see ourselves in a mirror that they hold up to us and our reflections shape our sense of self (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Sep. 20). Essentially our self definitions are based on how others see us. We cannot escape it, the society that we live in is based on interaction with other people and humans, by nature are visual; we judge first by what we see. This is why race is the defining factor in American society but mainly for non-whites. The white race in America is dominate, however, it is not dominate because of the race itself but because of the culture that was formed from it. This idea of â€Å"whiteness† stems from European ideals where historically white ethnics had the most education and were Christians opposed to the non-Christians who were also not white. When Europeans came over to America they brought these ideals with them and used them as a foundation for the new culture they were creating that placed large emphasis on church, family, and accumulating wealth and with that social status (Zack, 1998, p. 61). These ideals were the foundation of American culture and since this culture was created by whites, American became synonymous with white, white became the norm and therefore transparent. If you are white in America it is highly unlikely that you will notice your race on a daily basis unless you are placed in a situation where you are surrounded by non-whites and forced into awareness. It is a definite advantage to have your race be invisible to everyone; when you are accustomed to seeing something, you do not think about it. That being said, according to the â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, hardly anyone, white or non-white will reflect a white person’s whiteness to them. Having race viewed as insignificant in a white individual’s identity. Due impart, to the diminished importance of race to white identity construction, ethnicity among white ethnics is a choice. White ethnics can decide if they want their ethnicity to be a part of what shapes their identity and if they do chose to assert an ethnicity they chose once again if they want to assert it thickly or thinly. Growing up in Connecticut, I know that there is not as wide a variety of ethnicities as there could be among white ethnics but in a few of the less suburban areas in Connecticut, namely New Britain, certain white ethnics choose to thickly assert their ethnicity. In New Britain there is a large population of Polish white ethnics; they speak the language and have ethnic markets and restaurants. They choose to incorporate their ethnicity into their everyday lives and associate with those of that same ethnicity. On the flip side, in my suburban hometown of Farmington, Connecticut, there were a decent amount of Polish people who attended my high school however, most choose to thinly assert their ethnicity mostly by only claiming their ethnicity when it came to soccer or eating polish food during the holidays. The importance of ethnicity to white ethnics is often asserted thinly if at all. The amount of emphasis placed on the value of ethnic identity among whites is not the same as it has been in times past; the emphasis has now been placed on American culture and what is considered valuable. If white ethnics choose to include their ethnicity in their identity today, it would most likely be symbol of what once was. When Europeans first came to America from whichever country, their original ethnic background was everything. The language, food, traditions, clothing and music was a constant influence on their everyday lives as first generation Americans. Community ties to people of your same ethnicity were incredibly important as it was an extension of your immediate family. Being the â€Å"new kids on the block† so to speak, was what kept these ethnic communities very tightly knit however, each generation after began to slowly back away from those original ties and started to assimilate into the dominate American culture. The acculturation process starts in second generation white ethnics where original ethnic traditions that they grew up with become not as important because now, fitting in to the dominate culture is the way to progress. The third generation white ethnic, has fully assimilated into American culture and has little interest in their ethnicity because by now they have figured out that in being a white ethnic, they fit into the dominate culture and ethnicity is not necessary. It may not necessarily be a hindrance to their economic, intellectual or social success, but it also is not a part of them that they feel needs to be asserted; it is at this point, that ethnic symbolism begins to show up (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Through intermarriage and acculturation, third generation white ethnics and beyond often know little about their ethnicity or by now ethnicities. Sometimes there are so many ethnicities to choose from, from either parent that a white ethnic will simply pick out the stereotypes of a certain ethnicity in their genetic arsenal that they feel they can identify most with as a way of feeling ethnic of their ethnic identity. Physical traits are often used as the indicator for which ethnicity a white ethnic will chose to identify with; one of my closest friends is Luxembourgian, German, Scandinavian, Swedish, Norwegian, and Scottish. Despite the fact that her last name itself is German, she chooses to associate her fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes with her Scandinavian and Swedish ethnicities; this is probably in large part due to her mother’s family who’s history holds more interest to her as well as people who look the most like her. She uses her physical features as symbols of her ethnicity, nothing more. It is often that if one side of the family is more vocal about a certain ethnicity or ethnicities within the family that as a result, the children will associate more with that ethnicity or ethnicities (Waters, 1998, p.60). The majority of white ethnics are of the upper middle class in American society because the race is not a constraint for them and so they have access to jobs and to education that non-whites may not have. This American culture or â€Å"whiteness† by itself leads to a sense of monotony to some white ethnics and so the symbolic ethnicity comes into play as a way to liven things and bring back a since of individuality; to not be â€Å"just American† (Waters, 1998, p. 90). Non-whites in America maintain their ethnicity and embrace it because they are not given as equal a chance to assimilate into the dominate culture and without that opportunity, they are cut off from the jobs, that would provide money to become educated and progress in the American way and therefore stay very rooted in their original culture and maintain a strong sense of community which many white ethnics do not have. The constraints of white ethnic identity are few. The invisibility of whiteness gives white ethnics a definite upper hand and even further so, when it comes to their ethnicity they can make the choice. The possibilities for white ethnic identity and furthermore, their identity as a whole would seem to be very flexible. They lack only, it would seem when it comes to the sense of community. In the American culture, as it has evolved into today, the majority population’s focus is on wealth and social status and so nothing else comes to matter. White ethnics as a whole suffer little if any because, being the dominant race and culture; it is rare to find any door closed; the invisibility of their race gives them an unseen advantage which racial minorities do not have. Black Racial Identity Construction As mentioned previously in discussing white ethnic identity construction, Cooley’s Looking Glass self was a prime factor in how identity is shaped, particularly for Black Americans. The mirror that is continuously held up to each Black person is a constant reminder that their race is a large part of how others define them. Unlike the dominant White group, race is nowhere close to being invisible for Blacks. W. E. B DuBois applies the basic idea of Cooley’s looking glass self, most specifically to the Black minority group with this concept of a â€Å"double consciousness† (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov.3). Much like the looking glass, the double consciousness stresses that you will never be able to truly see yourself if you are of the Black minority group because others will see your race first and automatically reflect a negative image. If this double consciousness continues it can create, what Cornell West calls a Nihilistic threat; internalizing the negative impressions of your racial group and therefore yourself. Beverly Daniel Tatum points out in her book â€Å"‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? ’† that young children do not view racial differences as an issue but rather as a topic of curiosity, however, as the child reaches, what she calls, the â€Å"encounter stage† around adolescence race becomes very noticeable and if parents are not careful, their child will internalize all of the negative connotations of what it is to be Black (p. 55). The rest of that child’s life they will be reminded daily of their race, not necessarily in demeaning racial slurs, but in indirect forms of racism and prejudices. Unlike their White counterparts, Black Americans do not have the privilege of letting their race be invisible in society. Being the dominant group, White is expected and accepted-their race is invisible but as a minority group, Blacks do not have the choice of blending in; race is not only an assigned part of one’s identity if you are Black but it is thickly assigned which creates the boundaries and sense of separateness among the different racial groups. Identifying oneself as Black is essential for a member of the Black minority group if they wish to avoid self conflict. Wishing that you were not Black or attempting to be something other than Black only exasperates the issue. This negative view has to do with prejudices which transformed into stereotypes about Black Americans and translated into the negative Black identity which Black adolescents begin to form and even take with them into adulthood. Ones view of what it means to be Black can be fuelled primarily through stereotypes which can lead to a disdain of your own race. This could be expressed in a need to be the opposite of all those stereotypes, which was manifested as the Black kid not sitting at the all Black table (Tatum, 1997, p. 67). He refused to associate himself with those of his race because of the stereotypes that were reflected through â€Å"the looking glass. † This can at times be rectified later in life through exposure to positive examples of Black peoples, particularly those who are college educated. According to the double consciousness, the fact that you are Black is already assigned and therefore asserting it further, is unnecessary. The idea that having a positive Black identity is contingent upon putting your race first is redundant because it is already visible to everyone you come in contact with. It is as if you are a book and your race is the plastic covering around it; people cannot open the book because the plastic is sealed so tightly around it. In order for there to be a positive black identity all that is necessary is a full acceptance of your race and the positive aspects of it. The presence of positive Black role models in the life of a Black youth early on encourages a positive Black identity and expels most of the widely spread negative stereotypes. (Tatum, 1997, p.55). With largely widespread negative views on Black Americans as a whole and stereotypes being perpetuated regularly it is easy for a Black person to feel victimized; caged into a role even. The most readily available images of Black people in the media are often those that portray blacks in dire, downtrodden striates or extreme poverty. Sadly, this generalized portrait of Black Americans is overly, the dramatized and filled with gang violence, illegal drug sale, and so on. This type of life has been glorified in popular music; rappers especially speak of having been poor and having to live in the projects-the only way to survive being crime. Whatever is most commonly projected will be the easiest to accept as your only choice if you are Black. Lack of funding in lower income communities, the majority of which are populated by Black Americans, create low grade schools decreasing the ability or even the possibility for Black minorities to go on to higher education. America is a country built on capitalism; if one group cannot keep up with the dominant group financially they will fall back. Only 30% of Black Americans are impoverished but as a whole, are widely accepted as poor because of the media’s attention on densely populated, majority black communities (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 10). When this negative view becomes the norm, it is hard for Black youth to see much else, which is often why the minority of Blacks who rise above the negative stereotypes their racial identity is questioned by others of their same race. Since the idea of a middle class and the suburbs is a social class largely dominated by the dominant white group, some would find Black Americans as a part of that middle class to be an oddity. It is automatically assumed that because the White race is dominate in American society that they would have the jobs, the wealth, education and ability to enter seamlessly into the middle class realm and above. However, racial prejudices and stereotypes have made it so that it is quite uncommon to find a Black family in a predominantly White suburb; the symbol of the middle class. Somehow, through hard work, sacrifice or well-off parents, Blacks have managed to go on to higher education and thereafter; higher paying jobs, earning them a spot in the middle class. Unfortunately, this kind of success among Black people of the middle class does not sit well with those that live below it. It is the truest statement to say that personally, growing up in a largely White suburb, endured an intense inquisition about my racial affiliation from my Black peers who were bused in from Hartford. I was told that I â€Å"dressed White†, â€Å"talked White†, and many a time that I was in fact White or an â€Å"Oreo† as they would put it. Many of my White friends would joke around with me that I was not Black. There is nothing more offensive than being told, in so many words, that because your parents were educated, held well paying jobs, bought a house in the suburbs and educated you in a majority White school system, that you were no longer Black; worse even, being scrutinized and ignored by people of your own race because of a difference in social class. Tatum speaks of the same issues in her book, she even states how important it is for young Black people in predominantly White communities to connect with other Black peers to share experiences and increase awareness of daily life outside of the suburbs (Tatum, 1997, p.69-70). One would think that coming to a university with a larger community of Blacks than in my high school would open doors, but sadly I find that the divide is almost completely the same. The Black friends I have made since attending the University of Connecticut have been ones that share a similar background as myself; rarely do non-suburban Black people and I become friends and it is not for lack of effort on my part. I would like to think that I keep a positive attitude towards both Whites and Blacks but because of the stereotypes so deeply ingrained in many of us, it is difficult to lay them down and redirect our way of thinking. It is this reason, among others why other racial and sometimes ethnic minorities have difficulty being accept in America, Asian Ethnic and Racial Identity Construction The entrance into America for Asians is considered to be the first wave of immigration. This wave is relatively recent beginning in the early 19th century with the Chinese who immediately moved out west where the work they were given was largely agricultural. Like all immigrants coming into the United States, the Chinese, Japanese and later other groups like Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese, among others, all faced discrimination from the dominate White group. When the Chinese first entered they were very hardworking and skilled while working on the transcontinental railroad but having not been in America long enough and having so many Chinese coming in their seemingly flawless work ethic was viewed as a threat by their fellow White workers. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was put into action in 1882, Japanese immigrants began to make their way into America but the same thing happened to them. Their advanced skills in agriculture were considered a threat to the Whites. They were taking their jobs and since farmland is not something that goes away, the Japanese were able to establish themselves a little better than the Chinese (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 28). The manner in which the group entered into the United States is the reason why their history is so important to their formation of a positive Asian American identify. The entrance of the various Asian groups into the United States and the acceptance of them were bound to be a bit difficult. The size of the group was large enough to be considered a threat to the dominant white group and because they had a tendency to settle down together, making it difficult for them to assimilate into American culture. The second wave of Asian Immigration is a part of present day America and this idea of being threatened by the skillfulness of Asians is still something that the dominant group feels and makes a point to mention often. In the first wave of immigration, the Chinese and Japanese succeeded because the work they found in the United States involved the use of skills they had already cultivated in their specific countries and so the excelled. Here in this second wave it is the same thing; whatever the Asian group is good at in their places of origin are the skills they will take with them when immigrating and that is why this idea of the Model Minority Myth has been created (Monk, 1996, p. 31). Asian American’s ability to succeed so effortlessly it seems, in large part can be attributed to the fact that much like the dominant White group, Asian Americans have the ability to assert their specific ethnicities. Similar to Black Americans, Asian Americans have an assigned race; when it comes to their ethnicities, which hold more value to them than their race, it is of greater significance to how they identify. However, non-Asian groups tend to lump every Asian ethnicity under one â€Å"Pan Asian† label but Asian Americans refuse to accept this (Kibria, 2002, p.73-74). Instead of agreeing with the reflection they see from other people about their race, as mentioned previously in regards to Cooley’s â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, Asian Americans place a great amount of emphasis on their specific country of origin and its traditions and cultures in order to define themselves. In the first wave of immigration, Asian Americans would settle in closely knit communities with their specific ethnic group; in those communities, they would all help each other out making it easier to survive in America. Even today, there are large communities of Asian Americans who choose to live close to each other to keep that sense of having a culture and traditions that separate them from everyone else. Having these tightly knit communities makes it easier for Asian Americans to succeed because they have a constant support group and people to fall back on if they need it (Monk, 1996, p. 37-38). Being in such constant close contact with those who share your culture background and infuse it into daily life definitely helps with forming a positive Asian American identity, regardless of outside influences. Some of the dominant White group believes that if given the chance, over time Asian Americans could have the potential to fully assimilate to American culture and become ultimately â€Å"white. † This idea of racial ethnogenesis is that the later generations of Asian Americans as well as incoming groups of Asians will simply begin to blend into American culture to the point that they will just embrace the racial category they have been placed in and forget about their ethnic background (Kibria , 2002, p. 14). What would this do for the identity construction of Asian Americans? Would their full assimilation into American culture really improve their quality of life anymore? The identity construction of Asian Americans would be so unlike every other identity if they simply assimilated completely into American culture. Letting go of cultural ties and accepting the general name for people of your same race will not improve the quality of life significantly because their race is still visible. Again, culture is a choice, race is not. Although Asian Americans are capable of choosing their ethnic identity and asserting it like the White ethnics, they also share the disadvantage of being assigned to their race like Black Americans because their race like Blacks is very visible. Since their race is visible it creates this aspect of constraint which makes it difficult for people to not see your race and therefore puts limits on how people will treat you or what jobs you can attain. Regardless of the success Asian Americans have in academics and achieving higher paying jobs, there is still a â€Å"glass ceiling† they have to deal with (Monk, 1996, p. 42). The visibility of their race keeps them from being hired as corporate CEOs or being in leadership positions in general. Excelling most commonly in mathematics and sciences often places Asian Americans in behind the scenes type of work that pays well but does not require them to be out in the open as public figures in the corporation. The added factor of an accent for more recent immigrants can also serve as additional restriction to entering into the higher echelons of business (Monk, 1996, p. 43). The positive connotations that come with being Asian American as well as the negative can have an adverse affect in identity construction. Being considered to be a â€Å"Model Minority† definitely can create some hostility especially for second and third generation Asian Americans. When non-Asians assume that you get A’s in school and that you are inherently good at mathematics it becomes a burden (Kibria, 2002, p. 87). Just the same, negative stereotypes about the foods that different Asian American cultures eat or assuming that because certain physical features are similar among the different ethnic groups, they are all the same, can create negative feelings about being Asian American and that is not good for the development of a healthy ethnic or racial identity. The saying â€Å"Asian Invasion† (Monk, 1996, p. 44) is very common I personally even have used it in jest and so have some of my Asian friends; I assumed that its use was okay. Generally, my second generation Asian friends will use this term when talking about either the Asian students who are studying abroad on campus, or in regards to first generation Asian Americans. This makes me wonder if my friends have assimilated enough into the dominant white culture that they no longer can see themselves associating with the incoming Asians. It is hard to determine whether the statement is meant as a joke or a commentary against ethnic Asians. Conclusion Having explained the different forms of identity construction through the examples of White ethnics, Black Americans and Asian Americans it has been made clear that identity construction cannot be viewed the same for a ethnicities and races. White ethnic identity comes in many different shapes sizes and forms ranging from symbolic, non-exisistent, or thinly asserted to a large part of how one identifies or thickly asserted. The option to pick and chose which part of your heritage you prefer over another or not at all is how white ethnics construct their identities. The majority of white ethnics who choose the route of symbolic ethnicity opposed to asserting either thinly or thickly a certain ethnicity is often because the dominant American culture has become of greater value to their identity than anything else and choosing an ethnic symbol to place on themselves is what will separate them from the rest of their fellow white ethnics or bring them closer to someone who holds the same ethnic symbol. Just the same, the constant pressures placed on Black Americans to play multiple roles are a difficult task. Shaping a positive identity of any kind is difficult but to shape a positive Black identity in America holds a certain amount of extra weight to it. Black Americans struggle trying to advance themselves because of the constant racial stereotypes reverberating in the background. If you do manage to elevate into the higher ranks of American life your racial loyalty will then be questioned. Is it possible that over time these stereotypes will dissipate or is there a reason they are kept alive? The unique combination of both ethnic choice and racial constraint makes Asian American identity construction the most interesting form of identity construction so far. Since the first wave of immigration into the second one, Asian Americans have dealt with a slew of racial injustices in America but they have also gained a great deal of merit mostly for being the â€Å"ideal† so to speak. Being hard workers and keeping close ethnic ties have made Asian Americans competition for White ethnics. In the future, whether or not they will completely assimilate or not is questionable and what toll it will take on their identity construction. Having the option to choose a part of your identity which no one can see will never outweigh your racial assignment. What is it, or is it possible to have a truly positive White ethnic or Black or Asian racial identity in America? The constant changes in society make it impossible to know.

An Inspector Calls Essay Essays

An Inspector Calls Essay Essays An Inspector Calls Essay Essay An Inspector Calls Essay Essay Essay Topic: Literature A play typical of this time period. Written in 1946 after the Second World War. Named â€Å"An Inspector Calls† and set just before the First World War in 1912. An Inspector calls is a play where drama and tension help create an atmosphere of suspense. Priestly wanted to convey that people’s actions can affect other people’s lives. The author was influenced by his involvement in the First World War and his experiences of living through the Second World War. Also he being a victim of gas attacks and narrowly avoiding death influenced his writing of the play. It is a play about the idea of consequences and how the rich have no consequences as we see when their actions force a woman to a horrific death. Priestly creates a relaxed atmosphere at the start of act one. He does this by introducing a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of Sheila to Eric. The stage directions on page one ‘A decanter of port, cigar box and cigarettes,’ this creates a sense of relaxation because when people are unwinding from the end of a celebration. Another stage direction ‘the lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives, and it should be brighter and harder. This stage direction creates a relaxed atmosphere because pink is a soft and calm colour. Combined with happy celebrations of the family it creates a soothing atmosphere. The stage direction ‘Edna goes out, they now all have all glasses filled. Birling beams at them and clearly relaxes,’ this shows that the whole family is ready for a toast towards th e engagement of Eric and Sheila, they are happy and relaxed. Birling, as the head of the household, is chilled out and calm. The quotation on page eight where Gerald says ‘You seem to be a nice well-behaved family,’ shows that he is delighted to be engaged with Sheila and he has no worries about any dislikes that the rest of the family may have of him. This adds to the relaxed atmosphere that the author is trying to create. Also it creates the ides that they are civilised people and have a good reputation is also developed. The stage direction on page one that describes the Birling household is ‘The general effect is substantial and heavily comfortable, but not cosy and homelike. This stage direction gives the impression that the Birling house isn’t peaceful as it can be and there is an underlying atmosphere of fear and regret. Eric says ‘I don’t know really-suddenly I felt that I had to laugh,’ this shows that Eric has a fearing conscious and is forced to go along with the families actions. The idea that he has a fearing conscious, shows that he is afraid of u psetting the family through his actions. He doesn’t want to ruin his relationship with Sheila and her family. Mr Birling shows that he doesn’t know about situations of conflict and tension when he says ‘You’ll hear some people say that war’s inevitable. And to that I say – Fiddlesticks! The Germans don’t want war. ’ We as a modern audience know that in 1914 the outbreak of war takes place. This quotation shows that Mr Birling doesn’t know about global tension and leads to the ides that he doesn’t know about tension within his family. Another quotation on page 10 shows that Mr Birling is selfish and doesn’t believe in socialists. Where everybody should look after themselves and others. Mr Birling shows this when he says ‘By the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive-community and all that nonsense. ’ It creates tension because he doesn’t believe in socialism so he only knows or cares about himself and his own family. This kind of attitude seems dated and traditional, it can be linked to Margaret Thatcher said in 1987. She said â€Å"There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. † This saying means that everyone should look after themselves and there is no society. During Act One there is an event that disturbs the relaxed atmosphere. This takes place when an inspector arrives at the Birling house. The entrance of the inspector is shown to the audience by a doorbell. ‘We hear a sharp ring of a front doorbell,’ this doorbell interrupts the relaxing atmosphere because it’s sharp and when people hear it, it interrupts their actions. To create tension a new character is expected to be introduced. It links to Inspector Goole’s approach and attitude because it intrudes on the family, as does the inspector style of questioning. Mr Birling is very surprised by an inspector arriving at the door when he says ‘An inspector? What kind of inspector? ’ This shows that Mr Birling is frightened to see that someone is looking for him in the middle of a joyful event. This disturbs the relaxed atmosphere because everyone in the family is forced to change from being relaxed to curious. This also adds tension because all the characters are curious to see who it is, this takes place when the bell rings and Edna comes in. When Mr Birling seems surprised it shows that he is worried about something, and makes him look suspicious towards the audience. The stage direction that is used to describe the inspector’s entrance is ‘The inspector need not be a big man, but he creates at once an impression of massiveness and purposefulness’ and ‘He speaks carefully, weightily and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking. ’ These stage direction’s interrupt the relaxed atmosphere because they make the inspector seem like a threatening and influential figure that brings fear to the family. It also brings tension because as soon as the bell rings, just before the family are very curious to see who it is. When they find out it’s the inspector, they become more frightened and tension is built. Inspector Goole contributes to the tense atmosphere throughout the play. In the beginning of the play he says ‘Two hours ago a young woman died in the infirmary. She’d been taken here this afternoon because she’s swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant, Burnt her inside out, of course’ when he is talking about Eva’s death. This describes the death as a slow and painful death, also he is very graphic on the description. Also it tells us the reason why the inspector calls at the Birling house. When the inspector conducts his enquiry, he is determined to speak to each person separately in an organised and fair way. An example of this is when he says ‘It’s the way I like to work. One person and one line of enquiry at a time. Otherwise there’s a muddle. ’ When the inspector shows the photograph to each person separately, this builds tension because the person may feel guilty and no-one to relate to discuss their feelings. The stage direction expresses this ‘Inspector takes a photograph, about photograph size, out of his pocket and goes to Birling. Both Gerald and Eric rise to have a look at the photograph, but the inspector interposes himself between them and the photograph. ’ Another way in which the inspector adds to tense atmosphere is by his name. The name Goole reminds of the mysterious word ‘ghoul’. This word conveys sinister and mysterious spirit associated with death, This is related to his purpose in the play which is to do an investigation about a girl’s death. And by the end of the play the characters are confused to whether he was a man or a ghost, who act as a conscience for the characters. This also adds to the writer’s aims which were to get the idea that people should care about others in society. The inspector could symbolise the guilt which haunts people when they know they are in the wrong. There are many examples in the play that show different reactions to the Inspector. Mr Birling says ‘We were having a nice little family celebration tonight. And a nasty mess you’ve made of it now, haven’t you? ’ This shows that Birling is not at all happy that the inspector has come to his house. He shows anger and distress through this speech. Another speech by Birling ‘Look here Inspector, I consider this uncalled for an officious. I’ve half a mind to report you. ’ This shows a lot of anger within Mr Birling it seems like it is building up and he is starting to hate the inspector. It shows the discomfort of Mr Birling in the presence of the inspector. He seems to be hiding something and may be worried that inspector might get out of him. When Sheila says ‘Well, Gerald? ’ she is trying to point the inspector attention towards Gerald. This shows that she might be hiding something too. She is also showing fear of the inspector as well as Mr Birling. Another view of Sheila would be that she seems to be sympathetic towards Eva smith’s death when she says ‘Oh-how horrible. Was it an accident? ’ This also is shows that she starts to care, and she also then starts asking more questions to know more about the girl. This is a contrast to the quotation mentioned above. In one of Birling long speeches, He says that the titanic is unsinkable and the Germans didn’t want war. Both of these theories are wrong because the titanic sank in 1912 and World War One started in 1914 (two years later). The play was written both World Wars were over. This gives the reader dramatic irony. The lack of understanding of worldly affairs shows that Mr Birling lacks knowledge and understanding about his family too. This can also lead to the surprise reactions of Eva smith’s death. The irony would have been effective because the audience knew that the future and what actually happened. When Mr Birling says ‘Still, I can’t accept any responsibility,’ it shows that he is dismissing any accusations against him and doesn’t accept being responsible. He later feels that he also had a part to play in the death of Eva smith. Priestly integrated social and moral messages into the play. Priestly himself was from a working class background and wanted to convey the idea that working people like Eva Smith in the play were being exploited by people like Mr Birling. He had the idea that employers shouldn’t treat their workers harshly. When Mr Birling says ‘A man has to make his own way-has to look after himself-and his family too,’ this shows that Mr Birling is self minded and Priestly is showing through this character that people should not only look after them but to look after all other people around them. A contrasting quotation would be ‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour-they’re people. ’ This is said by Sheila on page 19, it shows that everyone has their own rights and should be treated no different from others. This also is stated through the Inspector when he says ‘I’ve often thought that it would do us all a bit of good if sometimes we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women. ’ This play has some good ideas behind it that I quite liked. The idea that all people should be equal was one of the main ones brought through the main plot of the play. I think that the Inspector in a way represents justice or truth in the play. Priestly does create tense moments in the play and this would be done to make the plot more interesting and to keep the audience alert. I would say the most effective moment of tension is where the Inspector rings the door and comes into the play. This is because no-one is expecting this and it builds a lot tension.

Shadows on the Beach Analysis essays

Shadows on the Beach Analysis essays Shadows on the Beach is a short play that has a man talking about the insecurities that he has concerning his wifes faithfulness toward him. He is talking to a girl about them and the audience can tell that he is in pain over the fact that he believes she is having an affair. In the end we see that he is actually talking to his wife and that it is him that she is in love with. In a sense it is the shadows that they make on the sand that the man was talking about. In the end the mans fears are diminished because he know remembers and understands that his marriage isnt how he thinks it is and that everything is going to be okay. This play involves a beach setting. This is important to convey to the audience because number one the word beach is in the title and it would confuse people if they thought the play was going to take place at the beach and it ended up in another place. Also through out the play the characters are looking out and talking about seeing someone walking on the sand. The HE character also talks about his wife taking a swim in the cold water. To convey this fact I think that beach sounds, such as seagulls and the sound of water should be brought in at lest in the beginning and the end of the play. The set can be simple with a few rocks and small palm trees. The lighting needs to be on the dim side because this takes place at dusk. The sun is going down and so the light needs to have reddish highlights in it. The lights also has to be set so that the characters shadows are cast out in front of them so that they and the audience can see them. This is because the characters are talking about their shadows so they need to be able to look at them easily and also the audience needs to see clearly of what they are talking about. It the shadows were in the back of the characters, they would have to either turn around to see them thus putting them in a closed position or ignore the shadows and ther...

Argumentative Research Paper Topics

Argumentative Research Paper Topics Argumentative Research Paper Topics Argumentative Research Paper Topics An example of the research paper introduction on the topic about the Internet: The end of the XX century is marked by the increasingly widespread use of computers and information technology in so many different areas. Computers permit significantly improve the efficiency of work in the various activities and open up new horizons of knowledge to humans. Therefore, the possession of skills of working with the computer is very important for today's effective work, and especially for getting maximum benefit from such skills in the future Note if you have any computer terms such as WWW or others in your paper, you should give their definition in the introduction. The confidence that everybody in your group knows what it is does not give you the permission to avoid explanation of these terms in the introduction of your research paper. Help Writing a Research Paper While writing a research paper about the culture of ancient Greece, you may research such interesting historical topics as culture and art, the world of the Greek myths (life after death, Olympic games, etc.), and Roman conquest. In the result of your college research paper writing, you may write the following conclusion: But not only the art and science of Greeks have influenced the development of European civilization. The Greek understanding of the value of individual rights, the recognition of their rights to personal liberty and the rights of every people to self-determination were the ideas on which all modern European democracy was based.   In such a way, ancient Greece approved and was carrying out through centuries its highest spiritual authority, notably defined the shape of the whole world. Research Paper Help Research paper writing on any topic requires good understanding of the topic and good argumentation to support your thesis statement. Write a research paper on the basis of your thesis statement. Describe the main controversial point of view in your college paper writing. English research paper must not be boring. Before writing your paper, you may ask your colleagues whether it would be interesting for them to know this or that information. The confidence that something would be interesting for them gives you a desire to find an interesting answer to the question. While writing research paper, you should feel yourself as Christopher Columbus. You will be discovering something new and unknown to your friends. All you need to do is to find an interesting research paper topic. is available 24/7 to assist you with research paper writing.   If you have not decided on argumentative research paper topic, you are welcome to request free advice.   We are open for cooperation and sharing of ideas.   Feel free to contact us if you want to learn more about prices, services, bonuses and discounts.

Capital Gains Tax is an unfair tax and has too many exemptions to be Essay

Capital Gains Tax is an unfair tax and has too many exemptions to be useful and is not consistent with the ideals of Adam Smith - Essay Example The rules regarding exemptions are such that rich people often find ways to avoid taxes by making investments in certain specified areas hence paying even less taxes than the poor. This defies the canon of equality put forward by Adam Smith. According to canon of equality, the rich should pay more taxes than the poor, or at least, in proportion to their income. Capital gains tax allows many exemptions and allowable deductions and the rich are able to make the most out of them. Further, according to the canon of certainty, the measurement of taxes should be easily understandable and the taxpayer should not be uncertain about the calculation and determination of tax liability. Capital gains tax is very complicated and often tends to confuse the taxpayers a lot. Capital Gains Tax was introduced in the UK in 1962. It was introduced so that avoidance of tax could be curtailed. Taxpayers used the distinction between income and capital, and made their profits under the head of capital becau se it was free from tax. A flat rate of tax of 30% was introduced in 1965 on all capital gains, but it failed because taxpayers on whom the greater rate of tax was applicable still had an incentive to realize their profits under capital gains. On the other hand, the taxpayers who were subject to lower rates of tax ended up paying more if they had realized a profit under capital gain. Further, there was no allowance for inflation. This meant that the gains that had a significantly low present value, or had ceased to be â€Å"gains† were also charged to tax. Therefore, capital gains tax has been problematic since its very inception. The problem of impact of inflation on capital gains tax was curtailed very much due to a system of indexation that was introduced in 1982. This system was supposed to have made the capital gains tax very fair. However, once the inflation itself was brought under control, the value of this system started to diminish. Therefore, a new system called Ta per’s Relief was introduced in which the capital gain was reduced according to the period of taxpayer’s ownership of the asset. This relief did not prove to be successful in the long-run and was abandoned. It was somewhat useful to the business sector which is why it was demanded to be reinstated. In response, a different type of relief called Entrepreneur’s Relief was introduced. This relief applies where a whole or part of a business is sold. It also applies to the disposal of assets of the business after it has stopped. The disposals must be made by individuals who were involved in the running of the business. Entrepreneur’s relief is also applicable on gains on disposals of shares in a trading company. However, the individual making the disposal must have been an employee of the company and own at least five per cent of the ordinary share capital of the company. Entrepreneur’s Relief requires that a clear distinction is to be made between †˜business asset’ and a ‘non-business asset’. One of the biggest problems with this relief is that it is more generous for ‘business assets’ and less for ‘non-business assets’. It is almost impossible to explain why this differentiation has been made. The definition of capital assets involves cars and houses for personal use. These are the most valuable and personal assets of common people. It has often been debated whether it is right to tax the gains obtained by selling of these assets. Probably the biggest

Analysis of Hong Hong Property Market and Suggested Policies Thesis

Analysis of Hong Hong Property Market and Suggested Policies - Thesis Example (Rovnick 2012). This research essay will look into Hong Kong’s property market in general , its history , its earlier booms and bursts , HK government’s role in planning the housing policy , the reasons for skyrocketing prices of housing in HK , how to overcome the future housing burst and suggested reforms to be introduced in the HKs housing policies with a detailed analysis of HKs housing market scenario and will suggest suitable policy reforms in the sector. Due to its hilly topography, the development of housing in Hong Kong has always been viewed as challenging. Hong Kong, in the early years, remained as a trading port and hence, housing developments in Hong Kong were concentrated on both sides of Victoria Harbour. In the early days, there was an upsurge in demand for housing due to the continuous influx of immigrants thereby giving rise to the surfacing of tenement building, into which many households were stuffed. After the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, there was an influx of 750,000 refugees immediately following the four years of that invasion in Hong Kong, which deteriorated the scenario of housing in the region. Due to availability of limited housing and just for a bed space, those who were residing in the crowded tenement building had to pay abnormal rents. Those who could not afford to pay high rents had to take shelter in crude and simple squatter huts constructed upon hillsides or on rooftops. Due to the civil war in China between 1947 and 1949, more than 1, 00, 000 people sought for refugee status in HK and the population of HK was reported to be around 2 million at that time. Due to this, all the present accommodations were fully occupied, and yet more peoples crowded into the spacious quarter provinces on the hills. It was projected that 300,000 people resided in squatter huts across the Kowloon peninsula and the hills of Hong Kong Island during 1950s. On