Gender Status A Slave, The Narrative Of The Life Of...

The first African slaves began to arrive in North America around 1619 in the present day state of Virginia. Their main purpose was to aid in the production of profitable crops such as cotton and tobacco as well as cooking, washing clothes, and harvesting other crops. From the day the slaves were brought from Africa to North America they were treated in the most inhumane way possible. They were packed liked sardines into a boat for a journey across the Atlantic Ocean and when they arrived in North America slave masters made them work ridiculous hours and even beat them as a punishment. Gender status played an important role in the treatment of slaves and the type of work they were forced to do which can be seen in the books: Celia a Slave, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and The American Promise Volume 1. Male and female slaves were alike yet different at the same time; they were purchased for different reasons, completed different types of work, suffered different pu nishments, and were considered to be the inferior race. Robert Newsom’s wife passed away in 1849 and in the following year, Celia was purchased as many believed she would aid in the cooking and cleaning on the property due to his wife passing away. But Celia was purchased as a sex slave and this was clear when Newsom raped her on his journey back from purchasing Celia. Newsom’s affection for Celia was shown when he provided her with a cabin near the main house and other material possessionShow MoreRelatedA Slave, The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, And The American Promise Volume 11323 Words   |  6 PagesThe first African slaves arrived in North America around 1619 and settled in present day state of Virginia. Their main purpose was to aid in the production of profitable crops such as cotton and tobacco, along with cooking, washing clothes, and harvesting other crops. When the slaves made a forced journey from Africa to North America their captors treat ed them in the most inhumane way possible. Packed liked sardines into a boat for a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, the slaves arrived in North AmericaRead MoreBibliographic Essay on African American History6221 Words   |  25 PagesBibliographic Essay on African American History Introduction In the essay â€Å"On the Evolution of Scholarship in Afro- American History† the eminent historian John Hope Franklin declared â€Å"Every generation has the opportunity to write its own history, and indeed it is obliged to do so.†1 The social and political revolutions of 1960s have made fulfilling such a responsibility less daunting than ever. Invaluable references, including Darlene Clark Hine, ed. Black Women inRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesof Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History

Buyer Decision Process Essay - 1409 Words

1. Introduction Whether marketers understand how customers make their purchase decision is a very important issue for a company. It can bring numerous influences to companies for establishing an appropriate marketing strategy. Therefore, the research of each stage of buyer decision process is relevant for all the marketers. Teo and Yeong (2003) point out that the setting up of buyer decision process model can help managers to understand and forecast consumer behaviours, and thereby they can make effective decision for providing more acceptable offers to customers. Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans and Armstrong (2010) also hold the same view and state that there are five main steps of buyer decision process, as outlined in Figure 7.8. Firstly,†¦show more content†¦Moreover, Teo and Yeong (2003) emphasize that seeking more information can diminish uncertainty of customers’ evaluation and amount of expenditure is the main element to decide the level of information. 2.3 Evaluation of alternatives Before consumers have their actual purchase action, using the information obtained from search to evaluate and compare the alternatives they have decided to consider is a significant stage for the whole process. This stage is depended on individual customers and certain purchase situation (Kotler et al, 2010, p. 223). Frambach, Roest and Krishnan (2007) point out the experience in certain respect of customers can bring powerful effect on their evaluation. However, sometimes consumers estimate their favorite offers by resorting their friends, consumer guides or sellers (Kotler et al, 2010, p. 223). The general evaluation of consumer for the alternatives can be increased by improving the consumers’ awareness about the quality of the products and benefits of using them (Teo and Yeong, 2003, p. 353). 2.4 Purchase decision Furthermore, the actual purchase action that made by consumers is the fourth stage of the buyer decision process. The opinion of others and unforeseen circumstance intervene between the purchase intention and purchase decision. The expected revenue of customers, the expected charge of the alternative and expected advantages of using theShow MoreRelatedBuyer Decision Process999 Words   |  4 PagesHead: BUYER DECISION PROCESS Buyer Decision Process Eric Christensen Dr. Albert Socci American Intercontinental University Abstract What makes you decide whether or not to buy certain product or even buy into certain services mainly depends on inside or outside influences. These influences are part of our buying schema, what buying behaviors we have learned taught by parents or siblings, even friends, this is a type of blueprint in the recesses of our minds. Our buying decision processesRead MoreThe Buyer Decision Process of a Porsche Customer723 Words   |  3 PagesBuyer Decision Process Porsche is one of the most well-known brands in the world. In customers minds, Porsche stands for exclusivity, class, and high quality. The companys marketing strategy is oriented towards identifying the needs and preferences of a small group of customers and on developing car models that satisfy these needs. However, Porsche was forced to introduce several models on the market that were not in accordance with what typical customers of the company usually prefer. TheseRead MoreIkea: the Buyer Decision Making Process3366 Words   |  14 PagesIKEA: The buyer decision making process and related influences. Word count: 3011 IKEA: The buyer decision making process and related influences. Fancy a bit of a change in life? Why not pop down to IKEA and order yourself a Boklok, a Faktum, a Nutig, a Leksvik and a Brunskà ¤ra; everything you need for a good night sleep and breakfast in the morning. To translate from IKEA’s language to English, you would have ordered a flat-pack house, a flat-pack kitchen, a fridge, a flat-pack bed and a tightlyRead MoreBuyer Behavior : The Consumer Decision Making Process1823 Words   |  8 PagesBuyer Behaviour: The consumer decision-making process as it relates to a consumer who is replacing their kitchen Section 1: Introduction (about 150 – 200 words) Section 2: The Characteristics that Affect Consumer Behaviour (about 400 words) The definition of consumer buying behaviour is an individual and households who buy goods for personal consumption. There are four main influencers within the buying behavior of consumers which are the following personal, social, cultural and physiological.Read MoreComparing The Buyer Behavior And Decision Making Process Essay1854 Words   |  8 Pages(Student`s Creation, Mont Rose College, London, 2016) 1.2 Comparing the buyer behavior and decision making process Fig.5: Consumer Buying Process Source: (The Six stages of the consumer buying process and how to market to them, 2015) Both models of buyer behaviour – Customer and Business are considered differently because the different actions stages involved in them. As we could see on the figure five above they are Six Consumer Buyer Behaviour Stages: 1 Problem recognition: In most cases is influencedRead MoreA Report Of Buyer Behavior : The Consumer Decision Making Process882 Words   |  4 PagesA Report of Buyer Behaviour: The Consumer Decision-Making Process as it relates to purchasing a rental service in the classic car industry. Section 1: Introduction (about 150 – 200 words) The study of consumer behaviour examines consumer’s methods of purchasing and divestment of possessions, labour, concepts or knowledge by people, associations and companies to fulfil their necessities and desires (Keller Kotler , 2011). This is significant to marketers because with a good knowledge base aboutRead MoreBuyer Behavior Report : Consumer Decision Making Process2445 Words   |  10 PagesBuyer Behaviour Report: The consumer decision making process as it relates to a consumer who is replacing their laptop. ID number: 14049438 Submission Date: 9pm Sunday 15th March 2015 Module Name Number: 4BUS1010-0206-Principles of Marketing Module Lecturer: Caroline Wilson and David Ogle Word Count: Table of Contents. 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..1 2. The Characteristics that Affect Consumer Behaviour†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 3. The Types of Consumer Buying Decisions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4Read MoreThe Marketing Implications of the Buyer Decision Process of Nestlà © Cookie Crisp1413 Words   |  6 PagesThe marketing implications of the buyer decision process of Nestlà © Cookie Crisp. Executive Summary The marketing implications of Nestlà © Cookie Crisp were examined in relation to the stages of the buyer decision process. This report looked at the aspects of each stage in the process, and considered the implications of each issue on the marketing of Cookie Crisp. Since the process is guided in some stages by unexpected factors and the behaviour of other consumers it was found that marketing researchRead Moreâ€Å"Knowledge of the Process That Organisational Buyers Follow in Making Purchasing Decisions Is Fundamental to Responsive Business Marketing Strategy.†1702 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Knowledge of the process that organisational buyers follow in making purchasing decisions is fundamental to responsive business marketing strategy.† INTRODUCTION In today’s globalised and forever changing world of business, different organisations around the world are finding it very difficult not only to compete but also to be managed efficiently and effectively by management. The world of business is very volatile and forever unpredictable and this is caused by changing and difficult forcesRead MoreMajor Types Of Buyer Decision Behavior1282 Words   |  6 Pages Major types of buyer decision behavior and the stages in the buyer decision process Viji Seshadri UCSC Extension Buyer Decision Behavior Buyer decision behavior significantly differs when deciding for buying a cellphone, tablet, car, perfumes and banking or financial services. It differs by degree of customer’s involvement and degree of availability and difference among other brands (Kotler and Armstrong, 2014). Depending on the two factors buyer decision behavior is classified into four types

Why Marc Antony is a Round Character Essay Example For Students

Why Marc Antony is a Round Character Essay William Shakespeare wonderfully develops the character Marc Antony in his play Julius Caesar to be a round character. Round characters meaning a character that has many traits and isnt predictable. Antony, who seems to not have many different traits at the beginning of Julius Caesar, really starts showing his real self after Caesars death. That also shows that he is unpredictable. Antonys monologues and soliloquies really help to show readers Antony as a round character. A few traits these soliloquies and monologues show are that he is manipulative and smart, yet also caring and loving. Other traits Antony shows include agreeable, but capable of being in charge; athletic; popular; and able to give recognition where it is deserved. Like most people, Antony has both bad and good traits, and his speeches reflect that. The manipulative nature of Antony proves true two times. The first time is when Antony is speaking at Caesars funeral. Antony is manipulating the crowd by using pauses and by talking Brutus up. This is what Antony says in that instance, Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; and Brutus is an honorable man. (Act III, scene ii, lines 94-95) Antony is saying maybe Brutus is right because he says Caesar was ambitious, and Brutus is, in fact, a very honorable man. In another instance he says, Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it, speaking of Caesars will. (Act III, scene ii, line 141) Antony is trying to get the people excited about the will, so they will tell him to read it by acting like he shouldnt read it. The second time Antony shows that he is manipulative when he wants to change Caesars will. At that time Antony proves himself by saying, But, Lepidus, go you to Caesars house; Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine how to cut off some charge in legacies. (Act IV, scen e I, lines 7-9) Antony is telling Lepidus to go get the will so they can change it. Antonys ability to be manipulative is well proven in these instances. The loving side of Antony that allows him to give recognition where it is deserved is shown a few times. One time comes close after Caesars death. Antony says, Thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of the times, and it shows his love for Caesar by saying that the noblest man he ever knew was now dead. (Act III, scene I, lines 256-257) Another time, when his ability to give credit where credit is due shows up at the very end of the play after Brutuss death when Antony says, This was the noblest Roman of them all, and he is saying that Brutus is the most noble man he had ever met or heard about. (Act V, scene v, line 68) Antony does have a loving side despite some of the bad things he does over the course of the play Julius Caesar. Marcus Antonius is proven to have many character traits. All of his character traits allow him to be unpredictable. Even the two traits manipulating and loving allow Antony to be unpredictable, despite the fact he has many more tr aits. Antony has many character traits and is unpredictable, so Shakespeare did in fact do a great job establishing him as a round character with Antonys monologues, soliloquies, and even his dialogue.

Rethinking Orphanges Essays - Child Welfare, Childhood, Family

Rethinking Orphanges Gina Magnanti Economics Edited by Richard B. McKenzie Reviewed by Jim Powell Nowadays, it is considered acceptable to send a young person from a supportive, wealthy family away to a residential boarding school. At the same time it is considered destructive to send a young person from an unsafe, unhealthy home to a nurturing, educational, residential setting. As a result of old orphanage stereotypes in the past, many residential education programs have shut down during the past four or five decades. Most of these stereotypes weren't helped by such examples as shown in Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist. Major newsmagazines supported these popular stereotypes with turn-of-the-century pictures of pathetic orphanage residents on their covers. The debate lasted only a few months. The critics claimed victory once again, and nothing was done. The government has failed at taking care of children who find themselves unwanted because their parents have given them up or died. There are now few education-focused, residential settings available for young people, especially adolescents, who don't have homes that can support them nor schools that can effectively teach them. However, there are tens of thousands of children who could benefit from such care. Unwanted children are condemned to constant dependency on individuals who are more concerned with their perks and privileges than with children. The government rewards those who carry out its programs for the number of children they take in, but it doesn't evaluate the quality of care. Children are moved from one program to another each time people dream up some new way to get more funding. This book gives a compelling case that unwanted children are much better cared for in the private sector by orphanages run by churches or other charitable organizations. McKenzie grew up in an orphanage and speaks passionately from his own experience. He is thankful for having had an orphanage provide continuity in his life. The kind of continuance that is lacking in today's government-run foster care system. Children are often sent through the system consisting of foster care homes. McKenzie notes that surveys show the majority of orphans tend to look back on their experiences with gratitude. Rethinking Orphanages for the 21st Century provides the foundation for a real national policy debate. The short-lived, sound-bite-based national policy debate on orphanage care that took place in late 1994 was, regrettably, founded on old orphanage stereotypes. House Speaker Newt Gingrich praised the 1930s movie ?Boys Town?, whereas his critics in the Clinton administration countered with visions of orphanages in London in the late 1800s, as depicted in Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist. This edited volume is the first attempt to rethink critical issues relating to the care of disadvantaged young people. One contributor evaluates the current dreadful state of care for many American children. Another contributor evaluates the literature relating to orphanage care and finds much of it to be lacking. Yet another contributor does what the critics have not done- and surveys orphans about how they have done in life and how they look back on their experiences. Unfortunately, the reality of orphanages and the Hollywood portrayals of them was never compared until this.

everything underneath the sky essays

everything underneath the sky essays The novel Sky Over Dimas by Vicente Garcia Groyon is essentially centered on a familys twisting and enthralling past haunting each members present lives. The storys highlight is the fact that George Torrecarion went crazy and only his son Rafael can save him for his insanity. George has been locking himself with a workers daughter for three months now in the abandoned Hacienda Dimas. This was the only reason why Rafael is willing to go back home in Bacolod with all the pleading done by his mother, Margie, who in return is no saner too. The fact is: George Torrecarion went crazy.- This is where everything starts and ends with. Man versus himself is the main conflict of the story. With all the lies beneath the familys past, George wasnt able to handle everything well and so, mind-madness bit him off until his death. It turned out that underneath the fame and fortune of the Jarabas and Torrecarion families lays a whole lot of secluded truth that uncovers the past of the familys abnormality. Every little lie that has been told was used to cover up all the revelations in the story. Unity among the plot was extensive due to the reason that it is all about the familys expositions. These expositions were all in a form of surprises within the story that unveil the secrets of the family. Each of the characters background unleashes reality as the story goes on. Moreover, the story was full of spellbinding relationships that triggers the characters to convey what the author has really got to say. These monopolizing events all leads to the hysteria George is experiencing. He knows everything about this through his grandfathers memoir. This does not only help reveal the truth within the novel but as well as making the book a must read for the audience. The technique utilized by Groyon using the memory within a memory gives the story a sense of reality. It ...

Using Tree Anatomy and Physiology for Identification

Using Tree Anatomy and Physiology for Identification Trees are among the earths most useful and beautiful products of nature. Trees have been crucial to mankinds survival. The oxygen we breath is released by trees and other plants; trees prevent erosion; trees provide food, shelter, and material for animals and man. Worldwide, the number of tree species may exceed 50,000. With this said, I would like to point you in a direction that will help you identify and name the 100 most common of 700 tree species that are native to North America. A bit ambitious, maybe, but this is one small step toward using the Internet to learn about trees and their names. Oh, and you just might want to consider making a leaf collection as you study this identification guide. A leaf collection will become a permanent field guide to trees you have identified. Learn How To Make a Tree Leaf Collection and use it as your personal reference for future identifications. What is a tree? Lets start with the definition of a tree. A tree is a woody plant with a single erect perennial trunk at least 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). Most trees have definitely formed crowns of foliage and attains heights in excess of 13 feet. In contrast, a shrub is a small, low growing woody plant with multiple stems. A vine is a woody plant that depends on an erect substrate to grow on. Just knowing a plant is a tree, as opposed to a vine or a shrub, is the first step in its identification. Identification is really quite simple if you use these next three helps: Find out what your tree and its parts look like.Find out if your tree will or wont grow in a particular region. Find a key . Tips: Collecting a branch and/or leaf and/or fruit will help you in the next discussions. If you are really industrious, you need to make a collection of wax paper leaf pressings. Here is How to Make a Wax Paper Leaf Pressing. If you have a common leaf but dont know the tree - use this Tree Finder! If you have a common leaf with an average silhouette - use this Leaf Silhouette Image Gallery! If you dont have a leaf and dont know the tree - use this dormant Winter Tree Finder! Using Tree Parts and Natural Ranges for Species Identification Help #1 - Find out what your tree and its parts look like. Tree botanical parts like leaves , flowers , bark , twigs , shape , and fruit are all used to identify tree species. These markers are unique - and in combination - can make quick work of identifying a tree. Colors, textures, smells, and even taste will also help in finding the name of a particular tree. You will find reference to all of these identification markers in the links I have provided. You might also want to use my Tree ID Glossary for terms used to describe the markers. See Parts of a Tree Help #2 - Find out if your tree will or wont grow in a particular area. Tree species are not distributed at random but are associated with unique habitats. This is another way to help you discern a trees name. You can possibly (but not always) eliminate trees that dont normally live wild in the forest where your tree lives. There are unique timber types located throughout North America. The northern coniferous forests of spruces and firs extend across Canada and into the northeastern United States and down the Appalachian Mountains. You will find unique hardwood species in the eastern deciduous forests , pine in the forests of the South, Tamarack in the bogs of Canada, the Jack pine in the Great Lakes region , the Doug Fir of the Pacific Northwest , the Ponderosa Pine forests of the southern Rockies. Help #3 - Find a key. Many sources of identification use a key. A dichotomous key is a tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the natural world, such as trees, wildflowers, mammals, reptiles, rocks, and fish. Keys consist of a series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item. Dichotomous means divided into two parts. Therefore, dichotomous keys always give two choices in each step.My Tree Finder is a leaf key. Find yourself a tree, collect or photograph a leaf or needle and use this simple key style finder to identify the tree. This tree finder is designed to help you identify most common North American trees at least to the genus level. I am confident you can also select the exact species with the links provided and a little research. Here is another great tree key you can use from Virginia Tech: A Twig Key - used during tree dormancy when leaves are not available... Online Tree Identification You now have real information to help identify and name nearly any tree in North America. The problem is finding a specific source describing a specific tree. The good news is that I have found sites that help in identifying specific trees. Review these sites for more information on tree identification. If you have a particular tree that needs a name, start right here: A Tree Leaf KeyAn identification field guide that helps you quickly and easily identify 50 major conifers and hardwoods using their leaves. Top 100 North American TreesA heavily linked guide to conifers and hardwoods. VT Dendrology Home PageVirginia Techs excellent site. Gymnosperm Database at Conifers.orgA great site on conifers by Christopher J. Earl.

Afro-Colombian Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Afro-Colombian - Thesis Example An estimated 100,000 slaves were imported before the year 1600. The Spanish settlements of Cauca Valley which were known for its richness in gold and North Antioquia benefited most from this steady supply slaves since, by 1560, the Indian laborers were no longer easy to come by.  Slaves were regarded as an important asset since they were cheap and the work they were required to do was labor-intensive. Women were not spared either from the back-breaking work at the open-cast mines. Both male and female miners worked in groups called cuadrillas (or gangs), each led by a captain. They were also in agriculture and looked after cattle in the haciendas in Cauca Valley. In as much as they were also used as artisans, domestic servants and laborers in large haciendas in the Caribbean plains, their main occupation was mining.  According to Wade, the harshness with which slaves were treated varied according to the epoch and the region in which they were posted. However, some of them were gi ven the opportunity to buy their own freedom, especially the women and children. Most slaves were also able to farm, mine or sell goods for their own benefit on a specific day in a week. Some slave owners even granted their own slaves freedom. Sexual relationships between white men and black women led to a new ‘race’ of people who could neither be classified as being white, slave nor Indian and constituted about 60% of the population in New Granada by the 1770s. Some slaves fought for their own freedom, perhaps when the working conditions became unbearable and fled to uncontrolled areas where they formed villages and fortified them for their defense against the Spanish military.  The first revolt took place in 1530 in Santa Marta, Colombia. The slaves completely burnt down the town. Even after it was rebuilt in 1531, it was again burnt down in 1550 in another slave revolt.  

Has building a fence along the US Mexico border help fight illegal Term Paper

Has building a fence along the US Mexico border help fight illegal immigration - Term Paper Example Since centuries, immigration has remained one of the most important issues legally, as well as politically due to the division of globe into developed and developing countries that inclines huge waves of people to emigrate from one place to another for their brighter future. However, in this process, it has been an observation that besides emigrating legally, documented evidence has indicated numerous occasions when huge number of people has crossed borders illegally due to various reasons, which has resulted in the notion of illegal immigration. In particular, every country confronts the issue of illegal immigration; however, statistics have indicated that USA-Mexico border is the platform that witnesses highest number of illegal crossings of the border in comparison to other parts of the globe, which results in various adverse outcomes. For instance, experts have indicated that illegal immigration causes many unfavorable effects on USA, and although many individuals and families cr oss US-Mexico border with no intention of carrying out criminal activities and purely for their brighter future, still, their illegal crossing causes impact on economy and social order of the USA . Since many years, USA has been putting efforts to reduce and eliminate activities of the illegal immigration on the US-Mexico border, and that has been putting a huge burden on the US government’s spending, still, thousands of people cross this border annually.In the result, US Congress and immigration experts came up with the idea of building a high-tech fence along the US-Mexico border, which has already resulted in huge debate and the idea has received mixed responses. The basic plan is to build â€Å"a 2,000-mile fence along the US-Mexico border and this has been the proposal of Duncan Hunter, the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee†3. In order to understand whether this fence will be helpful in fighting illegal immigration, it is very imperative to understand what it will look like. In this regard, reports have indicated that it will be a combination of â€Å"barbed wire, powerful wire fences, high-technological sensors, and a path for border patrol veh icles, CCTV cameras, and movement detectors†4. As of the year 2010, the US government was successful in building approximately 640 miles of this 2,000-miles fence, and the construction is still in process. Building of such a high-tech complicated wall/fence seems very effective in curbing illegal immigration; however, this is not as simple as it looks, and various factors play a crucial role that will allow us to understand the different effects of US-Mexico border fence. In brief, analysis has shown that construction of this fence has resulted in significant reduction in the rate of illegal immigrants. For instance, San Diego was first location for construction of pilot project of this fence, and it was a 14-mile fence in the California district5. Reports indicate that the project showed successful results as the number of illegal immigrants dropped from â€Å"202,000 in the year 1992 to only nine thousand in the year 2004†6 that indicates the effective outcomes of thi s fence. On the other hand, experts have indicated that although location of the fences has reduced the activities of illegal immigration; however, locations at the end of fence has become a platform for individuals and cartels to carry out the activities of illegal immigration in more organized manner that has been a new problem due to this fence. Furthermore, in order to respond to this construction of fence, there seem two major arguments. Firstly, it has been an understanding that although the fences have been successful in restricting the illegal immigrants; however, the construction of fence has caused uneasiness and apprehension on both sides of

Answers to Select End of Chapter Questions Essay Example for Free

Answers to Select End of Chapter Questions Essay 16. Since we have the profits from all three scenarios we just to compare the present values of each scenario. We do not need to subtract anything from the present value since the costs have already been subtracted from profits. We can see that we have the highest present value of $290.87 when we use high advertising intensity. Therefore this is the recommended scenario. Q2. This question deals with margin analysis, we will look at incremental revenues and costs and see whether they are worth it. On the revenue side we have an increase on 9807700, however we also have incremental costs of television airtime, ad development and a loss of $6000000 in another division We can see that when we add up the incremental costs, they exceed the extra revenues by 317100. Therefore I do not recommend that this campaign to be undertaken. Q21. Producer Producer. The Brazilian and five other producers are competing against the US Southern Shrimp Alliance. Both groups are competing to provide the customers with the best shrimps at the lowest cost. However currently the Brazilian Producers have an advantage with their lower labor, cheap land etc. Government and Market; According to the current scenario, the Brazilian Group would be choice of the market since they can produce it much cheaper. However, the Sourthern Alliance is trying to lobby the Government into imposing tariffs Brazilian Imports. Consumer Producer Rivalry; The American Seafood Distributors, which represent consumers of shrimp farming, are interested in having the lowest cost. They are supporting the Brazilians and can potentially choose not to buy from the US based shrimp farmers. Consumer – Consumer Rivalry; Is pretty low, since they have banded together to form the American Seafood Distributors. Five Forces Analysis: Shrimp Farming Industry Power of Buyers; High Buyers have formed the American Seafood Distributors, which means they can ask negotiate in bulk and choose whether they buy from one firm or not. They apparently have very low switching costs. Since shrimp is still shrimp wherever it came from, the price value combination becomes very important. Possible Government Intervention. Power of Suppliers; Low The shrimp farmers procure their supply from the sea. And really the shrimps have very little choice in the matter. There is plentiful supply, although it depends upon the weather and climate, therefore geographically specific. Also the fishermen who fish for the shrimp or the people who work in the farms demand lower wages for Brazilians but relatively high for the US based on the labour laws. Competitive Intensity: High Differentiation is low and competition is based primarily on price. There seems to be a high degree of concentration amongst the firms competing in the industry. Substitutes; There are various substitutes available within the product class. Instead of shrimps, consumers could go for other seafood such as fish. Or they could also choose to go completely different route and avoid Seafood altogether. Entry; Medium Economics of scale are necessary to harvest shrimps at a lower cost, and since there is bulk buying, network effects are also important. Q23. I would tell the owner that while owner did the right thing by incentivizing the manager, but the structure of the incentive needs to be changed. The owner has incentivized the manager to make sales, but has given no incentives to the manager to sell at a higher price. I would recommend that the owner should either set a minimum price on sales or, offer the incentive out of the profits e.g offer 2% of the profit on the sale which would ask. CHAPTER 2 Q11. In the first case, a drop in price of components represents a change in the factors of production. Therefore this will result in a change in the ‘quantity supplied’. This means that the supply curve will shift to the right. Since there is no change in the demand curve, this means that the price will fall. (exh 1) In the second scenario, we have information that incomes are supposed to grow over the coming two years. Change in income produces a change in the demand curve. This is case; we know that RAM is a normal good, with people having income over $75000 buy nearly 1.3 times more. Therefore we can expect the price to increase. However, whether this final price is greater than the initial price (before the changes in supply and demand curve) is unclear and will depend upon how much does the supply curve shifted due to cost drop. Exh1exh2 Blue: Previous SupplyBlue: Previous Supply Red: New Supply Red: New Supply Green: New Demand Q13. First of all, the question misquotes the law of demand. When the prices of cigarettes are raised, the ‘quantity demanded for cigarettes will fall but the ‘demand for cigarettes will not’. The effectiveness of higher pricing will depend upon the cause of the higher pricing. If the price hike is due to a price ceiling by the governmen. then definitely the number of cigarettes demanded will decrease. However, cigarettes are very addicting, which means that the price elasticity if cigarettes is very low. So the drop in quantity demanded is very small. (exh 3). On a theoretical level, it is possible for the equilibrium price to remain the same but with lower number of cigarettes smoked. In this diagram, the red line is demand, while the blue line is supply, we can clearly see that even with a price ceiling, the number of cigarettes smoked as decrease very little. Exh 3 Q14. Well, in order to find out the equilibrium price and quantity I will equate the demand and supply functions. 175 – p = 2P -200. This gives us P = $125. Furthermore, at this price 50 pints of blood will be processed. In order to find the consumer surplus we will need to find the area underneath the demand curve. $175 Price $ 125A B $100 50Quantity The area of triangle A is the consumer surplus = Â ½ * (50) * (175-125) = 1250 The area of triangle B is the producer surplus = Â ½ * (50) * (125-100) = 625 Q15. Crude oil is the critical component in the refining process. The price of gasoline will rise dramatically due to the shift in the supply curve. Since the fuel has become more expensive, people will want to buy less of it and therefore will want to buy cars which are more fuel efficient. This will cause the demand curve for fuel efficient cars to shift to the left. Q16. Qs1 = 4P – 110 which gives me coordinates of (0, 27.5) and (-110,0) Qs2 =4.171P – 110 which give me coordinates of (0, 26.37) and (-110,0) Qd= 250 5P which give me coordinates of (0, 50) and ( 250,0) First let me find the equilibrium price and quantity by equating Qs1 and Qd. This gives me Pe = 40 Qe= 50 million. Also when I equate Qs2 with Qd I get the new equilibrium Pe2 = 39.25. Each customer saves 75 cents per month. Q10 of the assignment The price of an entry level DVD player is $25.70 on Ebay According to my estimate, the demand curve and supply curve have both shifted to the left. Demand Curve; Â  As opposed to 2003, in 2012 people have many more option in which to watch their movies. They can carry them on USBs, stream them over the internet, or rent them online from websites such as Netflics. All of these directly contribute to reduce the popularity of DVDs which are complements of Dvd Players. Since there are so many alternate channels to watch movies which offer better price and excellent quality, people will not demand as much of the product. Furthermore, the large amounts of substitutes will directly contribute make the demand much more elastic, so that at the slightest decrease in the price people will switch out Supply Curve; Due to mass production and advancements in technology one could expect that the supply curve should shift outwards. However, due to the number of firms which will pull out of this industry the supply curve will shift towards the left. There is simply not enough demand to sustain all these firms. ii)Besides the change in the number of suppliers, change in technology or a decrease in labour costs could affect the supply similarly

A Visit to A Mosque In America Essay -- Descriptive Religion

A Visit to A Mosque In America Driving along the highway, all eyes are drawn as a magnet to the unique building with its golden dome and unusual architecture. The Islamic Center is located at the base of a residential street in a small neighborhood. The center houses an Islamic school, a community center, an international school and the Mosque, which is the place of worship for Muslims. There are many misconceptions regarding Islam and Muslims. In reality most Muslims are non-Arabs and most live outside the Middle East. There are five million Muslims in the United States. There are an estimated 10,000-15,000 Muslims in the area. Passing through the wrought iron gate, my eyes rivet to the cluster of flags to the right, one to reflect each of the 49-predominately Muslim countries. The United States flag is not among these as America is predominately Christian with Muslim being the third largest religion. Because America is our country and we are American Muslims, the American flag flows freely in the wind in a spot all its own. Next my gaze is drawn upward to the golden dome and crescent moon covering the Mosque. Many non-Muslims are of the belief that Muslims pray or worship a "moon god". We do not. We believe in the same God as Christians and Jews. We believe in the ‘oneness of God', the Creator of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The crescent moon reflects our practice of adhering to the lunar calendar, or God's calendar, rather than the Georgian calendar, or man's calendar. This is why many Mosques will have a crescent moon topping the domes. Each of the buildings is individual yet connected by covered walkways known by all who enter here as ‘bridges'. The Islamic Center community building holds cl... .... For a Muslim, Friday is the holy day and special services are held in early to mid-afternoon. The Mosque is open seven days a week and available for each of the daily prayers. Reflecting as I exit the wrought iron gate into the neighboring street, I see Muslims and Christian children playing together. I see a sign inviting everyone to an upcoming feast being held at the Community Center. I come to realize the many similarities between the Muslim and Christian faiths. The Islamic Center offers a great opportunity for non-Muslims who are curious about the faith and would like to know and understand more. The Islamic Center is open to the public for tours. At this time over 40,000 people have toured this facility. Set aside a couple of hours of your time to experience this unique community and enrich your cultural awareness. Schedule a tour for yourself.

African American History: Tribute to Sojourner Truth

Documentary Film Analysis Worksheet History 221 – African American History Before 1877 Instructions: †¢ You will find the list of films you can choose from in the Lesson section of the course. †¢ Go to the list and pick your film. You must view the entire film. If you can’t access films because of deployment, geographic location, or other reasons, please let your instructor know so they can give you an alternate assignment. †¢ Please type you answers into this sheet.You must submit the worksheet two ways: 1) upload the worksheet as a Word document 2) cut and paste your answers into the student response box for the assignment. †¢ You must answer in complete sentences, using a short answer/paragraph format. 1. What is the title of the film you picked? The title of the film I decided to view is the â€Å"Tribute to Sojourner Truth†. 2. Why did you pick this film over the others offered? I chose this film over all the other offered because I wante d to learn a little more about the life of Sojourner Truth. . What is/are the central message(s) of this documentary/fictional film? Be specific. Use examples from the film to support your choice. The central message of this documentary was to let the world know how much Sojourner Truth is appreciated for her work as an abolitionist and other movements that she participated in. Many people stood up and gave speeches about Sojourner Truth, such as Hilary Clinton who stated that she had the right name because she is a â€Å"Sojourner of truth, for truth, and by truth†. 4.Consider the effectiveness of the film for this history class. What are its strengths and weaknesses of this film in documenting history? This films strength was shown through all the famous people that got up to speak about Sojourner Truth with much pride and respect. Hilary Clinton, Cicely Tyson, and Yolanda Adams were among many others that paid tribute to Sojourner Truth through speeches and song. This film had no weaknesses in my opinion. 5. How do you think the filmmakers want the audience to respond? Is there a social justice message? If so, what is it?I think that the filmmakers want the audience to respond with appreciation because of all the things that Sojourner fought for, among her movements she fought against capital murder and she also fought for women’s rights. There is a Social Justice message that everyone should be treated equal no matter race or gender. 6. Did the documentary leave you with any unanswered questions? If so, what were they? This film did not leave me with any unanswered questions. This film fully informed me of the many movements that Sojourner Truth was involved in. . How did this film change any misconceptions or stereotypes you had about the subject matter? If so, what were they? This film did not change any misconceptions or stereotypes that I had because I didn’t have any. 8. Did the documentary leave you with any unanswered questions? If so, what were they? This film did not leave me with any unanswered questions. This film fully informed me of the many movements that Sojourner Truth was involved in. 9. What is the most important thing you learned from watching the film?The most important thing that I learned from watching this film was that Sojourner Truth was the first African American woman to be honored with a memorial at the Capitol. 10. Why is this film important to understanding contemporary African American History? This film is important to understanding contemporary African American History because this tribute is a part of history, she is the first African American woman to be honored in the capitol and let us not forget the mark she made in the women’s movement.

Gambling on college sports Essay

I’ve been a sports fanatic since the day I was born. It didn’t matter if I was playing or watching or cheering, I just loved being around the game. I have always been very knowledgeable about it too, as I was well known and titled by extended family as â€Å"the stat man. † This of course referred to the often times erroneous and useless facts rattling around in my brain that I couldn’t help but show off. Needless to say, this topic means a lot to me, especially being a college football player myself. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to dig deeper into a topic that has lingered in our country for years. The issues that pertain to gambling on college athletics have a vast range of opinions that stem from the questions; should gambling on college athletics be legal? What are the effects it has on the college athletes? Some argue that it will be detrimental to the game and some argue it has little to no effect, however most land somewhere in the middle. A common justification against gambling brings up the numerous scandals of players taking illegal benefits or point shaving and in extreme cases these events leading to jail or death. This side also argues that it allows players to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and put themselves in danger. Arguments for gambling site the economic reach it has in our country and the illegality will shrink the economy as well as not protect the players any more. Many people on this side think it will not be stopped so if gambling on college sports is illegalized, then every form of it will be illegal causing more trouble. My goal is to reveal those opinions and create a more complex understanding from various viewpoints, and hopefully bring a small degree of clarification to others and myself. In the article, â€Å"Even at Columbia, Gambling And College Athletics Collide† found in the New York Times, Jack Curry and Adam Gershenson enlighten the readers about the gambling infractions that occurred in a Columbia University fraternity house. The authors begin by describing the situation and basic details of the gambling process. â€Å" (They) would accept bets on sporting events from dozens of other students and then phone in the wagers — typically from $40 to $200 each — to a gambling ring based in Queens and operated by people with links to organized crime† (Curry and Gershenson). They go on to unravel the situation further by stating that there were not only college athletes betting on the games, but even current and former players living in the house that was tirelessly on the phone collecting wagers. Curry and Gershenson then discuss the further investigations done by Columbia and the NCAA and the possible disciplinary action that the offenders can face. The authors then write about the numerous amounts of sports gambling incidents in the last decade and also how students and athletes looked upon the Columbia gambling scandal with lesser importance because of the lack of athletic excellence. â€Å" The presence of a gambling operation with connections to organized crime at a school whose football team is best known for a 44-game losing streak in the 1980’s seemed incongruous† (Curry and Gershenson). An athlete was also quoted saying, â€Å"It’s not like this is Arkansas or something. This is Columbia. † Curry and Gershenson conclude their article by including a nationwide 1996 survey of college Division one athletes that reveals 25 percent gambled on other college sports and four percent admitted to gambling on games they had played in. I believe this is an article with good overall quality, even though it was written about 14 years ago in 1998. The time period constraint may lead to questions of relevance to readers in 2012. However, I think if you take all the dates and years out of the article, the purpose is still fulfilled and relays the same messages. The intent of the article was to inform about the events of the Columbia gambling ring, the reaction around campus, and the nationwide relevance. The authors Jack Curry and Adam Gershenson, are fairly unknown writers as far as I am concerned but that doesn’t take away from the quality of the article because it was included in The New York Times, which only adds credibility. For this reason, there would be a nationwide audience because of the shear number of readers. Specifically, the audience would probably be more of the businessman or woman, who are the stereotypical readers of The New York Times. The exigence of this piece was the arrest of gambling ring participants at Columbia but also the fact that these types of gambling scandals had been becoming more and more common in that time period. This was a very eye-opening article for me to read and by far the longest and most in depth. Since it was written 14 years ago, it is a story that I was previously unaware of. It made me even more aware then I already was, of how long this problem has lingered in college sports. It mentioned, more then once, that there are bookies on every campus in America. This really made me think about how unbelievable the number of illegal bets being placed by college students and athletes must be. However, even though this article is depicting the illegal gambling as a bad thing, I think it unintentionally makes arguments for both sides of the issue. If gambling on college sports were acceptable, this would have been a legal act. Hypothetically if it were legal, it would cut down on crime like this, which is usually linked to people with other criminal activity going on. Disconnecting the link to other criminal activity would make it all around safer for bookies and bet placers and athletes, because frankly, I think that people will never stop gambling on sporting events. I had always just assumed that gambling on college sports should be illegal, but this article made me reconsider whether that would really be the smartest and safest resolution. In the article â€Å"NCAA threatens to move events out of New Jersey† from SportsIllustrated. com, the unnamed author introduces the proposed plan to legalize sports gambling in New Jersey as well as reaction from sports organizations nationwide. The writer kicks off the article by stating background information about New Jersey’s push to legalize sports wagering. The article then goes on to describe the reaction from sports organizations, and goes in depth on the quotes from NCAA officials as well as their threats to move all playoff games out of New Jersey. It is also mentioned that The NCAA, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB have â€Å"collectively sued to block New Jersey’s sports betting law from taking effect. † However, there is also information and quotes from parties that are for the sports betting law. Quotes from State senator Raymond Lesniak and Governor Chris Christie demonstrate their support for the new law. The article is concluded with talk of â€Å"several new gambling options New Jersey is seeking to offer† (â€Å"NCAA Threatens†). The author writes that these other options include in-state Internet gambling and the use of hand-held mobile gambling devices at the casinos as well as at horse tracks. I thought this article was fairly credible and factual as well. It did not have an author to add to credibility but being a Sports Illustrated article maintained its effectiveness. I believe this piece was intended to inform the audience of residents of New Jersey as well as pretty involved sports fans. People who would read Sports Illustrated would obviously just be in it for the sports because that is the only information it obtains. This also acts as a constraint. The article cannot reach as much of the population because not everyone is a sports fan. The event that triggered this response was the attempt to make sports gambling legal in the state of New Jersey. My understanding of gambling in college sports was drastically upgraded by reading this article. It was an informative piece, so there was very little, if any, bias in the writing. The inclusion of statistics and legality of the topic really helped me understand why the sports organizations are hoping that the law will not pass. The shear amounts of money changing hands can lead to a lot of trouble, however for the same reason, legalizing that money could really boost economic growth. These types of pros and cons exist on both sides, making it an even tougher issue to sort out. My next source comes from a script from the testimony of Danny Sheridan before the Senate Commerce Committee on April 26, 2001. The testimony was for a hearing for the Amateur Sports Integrity Act (S. 718), which would determine the legality of gambling on college athletics. The first part of the testimony consists of Sheridan validating why his testimony should be considered by sharing his credibility and involvement in athletics. â€Å"My name is Danny Sheridan, and I have been involved with sports and the sports? promotion business for more than 25 years. I have published college and pro football? magazines, written about sports in a variety of national publications, and have been the? host of a number of sports TV and radio shows† Sheridan proclaims. Sheridan goes on to explain how he is also a friend of many high profile athletes and he knows first hand the dangers that athletic gambling has on athletes. Sheridan also includes many statistics in his argument. â€Å"An estimated 40 million Americans currently wager $6 billion illegally every weekend during the entire 20-week college and pro football season alone† (Sheridan). The testimony is concluded by Sheridan stating that he appreciates the good intentions of trying to legalize gambling, but it would instead, result in negative effects. The rhetor, Danny Sheridan, is a very well known sports industrial component, which gives his testimony (and therefore my source) credibility. He presented this to the Senate Commerce Committee in hopes to persuade them to vote against legalization of gambling on sports. The fact that this is a testimony, instead of a highly publicized article restricts the extent his message. I found the script on his website, however it isn’t an often visited site by the common Internet user, so the audience is a big constraint for this text. I found this testimony to be a great source for this project. It was interesting to read a text that wasn’t just a traditional article. My understanding for the anti gambling side grew significantly, because it was so biased. The speaker does a great job making his argument come full circle. For that reason, I came away from reading it with a slight lean towards supporting keeping gambling on sports illegal. Another interesting aspect is that this testimony was given in 2001. My previous source, about the gambling law in New Jersey, is a current issue, and the arguments made by Sheridan could simply be restated now with the same effects. It is astounding to see how such little progress has been made through the years. In the article â€Å"Study Provides New Data on the Extent of Gambling by College Athletes†, from netfiles.edu, Welch Suggs dissects a study done to determine the facts about college athletes that gamble on sports. Suggs begins by introducing the parameters of the University of Michigan study that was released by the athletic department. â€Å"The study, based on a survey of 758 football and basketball players, found that 72 percent of college football and basketball players had bet money at least once since entering college† (Suggs). The author goes on to give further statistics that the survey revealed. Welch Suggs concludes the article with opposing viewpoint quotes from NCAA employee William Saum, and former NFL player Lynn Swann. Suggs’ last statement included next shifting attention to basketball referees to gain information about their gambling experiences. This was a questionable source to say the least. It had some solid content but the article opened as a PDF and my research failed to try and find the original homepage of the website. Likewise, the author was a mystery man as well. This text was very brief, but I believe the purpose was to inform about the findings of the survey revealed by the University of Michigan athletic department. However, the audience is hard to determine because of the unknown author and questionable website. If I were to pick an audience though, I would say it was intended for the adult college sports athlete because of the language and the inclusion of quotes from Lynn Swann. This text also has massive constraints, mainly for the same reasons as stated before. The website is random and in an odd format, therefore finding Suggs’ piece would be difficult to come across. The audience is extremely limited because of this, and the credibility suffers as well. Also, it did not include dates it the article, so the exigence of the piece suffers because the provoking event of the writing cannot be identified. The facts that are stated in this article hold strong relevance for this topic. It is more of an anti gambling article based on the information it presents, but it also gives a quote of the opposite viewpoint. Numbers don’t lie, and the numbers from the study are very eye opening and convincing. It makes me think about how much gambling affects the games we love, without us even knowing. Since all the surveys were anonymous, nothing will develop in terms of punishment or solutions to the problem. In this sense, the article does a great job persuading the reader. However, nowhere in the article did it give a date of the information or of when the article was written, so it is hard to put it in context and determine the importance. This, along with the briefness of the article, made it more difficult to shape my thinking about the topic. After analyzing the four sources included in this essay, I have yet to come to a concrete conclusion. I began researching the topic with the idea that gambling on college sports should be illegal and that all the effects of illegal gambling are bad. However, my research has muddied my view a little bit, which is actually a good thing because now I am informed more then I even have been. Being informed in such a way makes me understand how this predicament has been able to linger around in our society and in our legal system for so long. There seems to be no perfect solution and neither side of the argument wants to budge. I think both sides would agree that the illegal activity that surrounds gambling is a bad thing, but the argument remains; would legalizing sports gambling have a more positive effect on unlawful activity then keeping gambling illegal? The next step for me would simply be gaining more knowledge and weighing the pros and cons of each side and coming to decision of which side to take. Until then, ill be sitting on the fence of the topic, along with most of America. What Are the Effects of Legal vs. Illegal Gambling on College Sports? I’ve been a sports fanatic since the day I was born. It didn’t matter if I was playing or watching or cheering, I just loved being around the game. I have always been very knowledgeable about it too, as I was well known and titled by extended family as â€Å"the stat man. † This of course referred to the often times erroneous and useless facts rattling around in my brain that I couldn’t help but show off. Needless to say, this topic means a lot to me, especially being a college football player myself. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to dig deeper into a topic that has lingered in our country for years. The issues that pertain to gambling on college athletics have a vast range of opinions that stem from the questions; should gambling on college athletics be legal? What are the effects it has on the college athletes? Some argue that it will be detrimental to the game and some argue it has little to no effect, however most land somewhere in the middle. A common justification against gambling brings up the numerous scandals of players taking illegal benefits or point shaving and in extreme cases these events leading to jail or death. This side also argues that it allows players to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and put themselves in danger. Arguments for gambling site the economic reach it has in our country and the illegality will shrink the economy as well as not protect the players any more. Many people on this side think it will not be stopped so if gambling on college sports is illegalized, then every form of it will be illegal causing more trouble. My goal is to reveal those opinions and create a more complex understanding from various viewpoints, and hopefully bring a small degree of clarification to others and myself. In the article, â€Å"Even at Columbia, Gambling And College Athletics Collide† found in the New York Times, Jack Curry and Adam Gershenson enlighten the readers about the gambling infractions that occurred in a Columbia University fraternity house. The authors begin by describing the situation and basic details of the gambling process. â€Å" (They) would accept bets on sporting events from dozens of other students and then phone in the wagers — typically from $40 to $200 each — to a gambling ring based in Queens and operated by people with links to organized crime† (Curry and Gershenson). They go on to unravel the situation further by stating that there were not only college athletes betting on the games, but even current and former players living in the house that was tirelessly on the phone collecting wagers. Curry and Gershenson then discuss the further investigations done by Columbia and the NCAA and the possible disciplinary action that the offenders can face. The authors then write about the numerous amounts of sports gambling incidents in the last decade and also how students and athletes looked upon the Columbia gambling scandal with lesser importance because of the lack of athletic excellence. â€Å" The presence of a gambling operation with connections to organized crime at a school whose football team is best known for a 44-game losing streak in the 1980’s seemed incongruous† (Curry and Gershenson). An athlete was also quoted saying, â€Å"It’s not like this is Arkansas or something. This is Columbia. † Curry and Gershenson conclude their article by including a nationwide 1996 survey of college Division one athletes that reveals 25 percent gambled on other college sports and four percent admitted to gambling on games they had played in. I believe this is an article with good overall quality, even though it was written about 14 years ago in 1998. The time period constraint may lead to questions of relevance to readers in 2012. However, I think if you take all the dates and years out of the article, the purpose is still fulfilled and relays the same messages. The intent of the article was to inform about the events of the Columbia gambling ring, the reaction around campus, and the nationwide relevance. The authors Jack Curry and Adam Gershenson, are fairly unknown writers as far as I am concerned but that doesn’t take away from the quality of the article because it was included in The New York Times, which only adds credibility. For this reason, there would be a nationwide audience because of the shear number of readers. Specifically, the audience would probably be more of the businessman or woman, who are the stereotypical readers of The New York Times. The exigence of this piece was the arrest of gambling ring participants at Columbia but also the fact that these types of gambling scandals had been becoming more and more common in that time period. This was a very eye-opening article for me to read and by far the longest and most in depth. Since it was written 14 years ago, it is a story that I was previously unaware of. It made me even more aware then I already was, of how long this problem has lingered in college sports. It mentioned, more then once, that there are bookies on every campus in America. This really made me think about how unbelievable the number of illegal bets being placed by college students and athletes must be. However, even though this article is depicting the illegal gambling as a bad thing, I think it unintentionally makes arguments for both sides of the issue. If gambling on college sports were acceptable, this would have been a legal act. Hypothetically if it were legal, it would cut down on crime like this, which is usually linked to people with other criminal activity going on. Disconnecting the link to other criminal activity would make it all around safer for bookies and bet placers and athletes, because frankly, I think that people will never stop gambling on sporting events. I had always just assumed that gambling on college sports should be illegal, but this article made me reconsider whether that would really be the smartest and safest resolution. In the article â€Å"NCAA threatens to move events out of New Jersey† from SportsIllustrated. com, the unnamed author introduces the proposed plan to legalize sports gambling in New Jersey as well as reaction from sports organizations nationwide. The writer kicks off the article by stating background information about New Jersey’s push to legalize sports wagering. The article then goes on to describe the reaction from sports organizations, and goes in depth on the quotes from NCAA officials as well as their threats to move all playoff games out of New Jersey. It is also mentioned that The NCAA, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB have â€Å"collectively sued to block New Jersey’s sports betting law from taking effect. † However, there is also information and quotes from parties that are for the sports betting law. Quotes from State senator Raymond Lesniak and Governor Chris Christie demonstrate their support for the new law. The article is concluded with talk of â€Å"several new gambling options New Jersey is seeking to offer† (â€Å"NCAA Threatens†). The author writes that these other options include in-state Internet gambling and the use of hand-held mobile gambling devices at the casinos as well as at horse tracks. I thought this article was fairly credible and factual as well. It did not have an author to add to credibility but being a Sports Illustrated article maintained its effectiveness. I believe this piece was intended to inform the audience of residents of New Jersey as well as pretty involved sports fans. People who would read Sports Illustrated would obviously just be in it for the sports because that is the only information it obtains. This also acts as a constraint. The article cannot reach as much of the population because not everyone is a sports fan. The event that triggered this response was the attempt to make sports gambling legal in the state of New Jersey. My understanding of gambling in college sports was drastically upgraded by reading this article. It was an informative piece, so there was very little, if any, bias in the writing. The inclusion of statistics and legality of the topic really helped me understand why the sports organizations are hoping that the law will not pass. The shear amounts of money changing hands can lead to a lot of trouble, however for the same reason, legalizing that money could really boost economic growth. These types of pros and cons exist on both sides, making it an even tougher issue to sort out. My next source comes from a script from the testimony of Danny Sheridan before the Senate Commerce Committee on April 26, 2001. The testimony was for a hearing for the Amateur Sports Integrity Act (S. 718), which would determine the legality of gambling on college athletics. The first part of the testimony consists of Sheridan validating why his testimony should be considered by sharing his credibility and involvement in athletics. â€Å"My name is Danny Sheridan, and I have been involved with sports and the sports? promotion business for more than 25 years. I have published college and pro football? magazines, written about sports in a variety of national publications, and have been the?host of a number of sports TV and radio shows† Sheridan proclaims. Sheridan goes on to explain how he is also a friend of many high profile athletes and he knows first hand the dangers that athletic gambling has on athletes. Sheridan also includes many statistics in his argument. â€Å"An estimated 40 million Americans currently wager $6 billion illegally every weekend during the entire 20-week college and pro football season alone† (Sheridan). The testimony is concluded by Sheridan stating that he appreciates the good intentions of trying to legalize gambling, but it would instead, result in negative effects. The rhetor, Danny Sheridan, is a very well known sports industrial component, which gives his testimony (and therefore my source) credibility. He presented this to the Senate Commerce Committee in hopes to persuade them to vote against legalization of gambling on sports. The fact that this is a testimony, instead of a highly publicized article restricts the extent his message. I found the script on his website, however it isn’t an often visited site by the common Internet user, so the audience is a big constraint for this text. I found this testimony to be a great source for this project. It was interesting to read a text that wasn’t just a traditional article. My understanding for the anti gambling side grew significantly, because it was so biased. The speaker does a great job making his argument come full circle. For that reason, I came away from reading it with a slight lean towards supporting keeping gambling on sports illegal. Another interesting aspect is that this testimony was given in 2001. My previous source, about the gambling law in New Jersey, is a current issue, and the arguments made by Sheridan could simply be restated now with the same effects. It is astounding to see how such little progress has been made through the years. In the article â€Å"Study Provides New Data on the Extent of Gambling by College Athletes†, from netfiles. edu, Welch Suggs dissects a study done to determine the facts about college athletes that gamble on sports. Suggs begins by introducing the parameters of the University of Michigan study that was released by the athletic department. â€Å"The study, based on a survey of 758 football and basketball players, found that 72 percent of college football and basketball players had bet money at least once since entering college† (Suggs). The author goes on to give further statistics that the survey revealed. Welch Suggs concludes the article with opposing viewpoint quotes from NCAA employee William Saum, and former NFL player Lynn Swann. Suggs’ last statement included next shifting attention to basketball referees to gain information about their gambling experiences. This was a questionable source to say the least. It had some solid content but the article opened as a PDF and my research failed to try and find the original homepage of the website. Likewise, the author was a mystery man as well. This text was very brief, but I believe the purpose was to inform about the findings of the survey revealed by the University of Michigan athletic department. However, the audience is hard to determine because of the unknown author and questionable website. If I were to pick an audience though, I would say it was intended for the adult college sports athlete because of the language and the inclusion of quotes from Lynn Swann. This text also has massive constraints, mainly for the same reasons as stated before. The website is random and in an odd format, therefore finding Suggs’ piece would be difficult to come across. The audience is extremely limited because of this, and the credibility suffers as well. Also, it did not include dates it the article, so the exigence of the piece suffers because the provoking event of the writing cannot be identified. The facts that are stated in this article hold strong relevance for this topic. It is more of an anti gambling article based on the information it presents, but it also gives a quote of the opposite viewpoint. Numbers don’t lie, and the numbers from the study are very eye opening and convincing. It makes me think about how much gambling affects the games we love, without us even knowing. Since all the surveys were anonymous, nothing will develop in terms of punishment or solutions to the problem. In this sense, the article does a great job persuading the reader. However, nowhere in the article did it give a date of the information or of when the article was written, so it is hard to put it in context and determine the importance. This, along with the briefness of the article, made it more difficult to shape my thinking about the topic. After analyzing the four sources included in this essay, I have yet to come to a concrete conclusion. I began researching the topic with the idea that gambling on college sports should be illegal and that all the effects of illegal gambling are bad. However, my research has muddied my view a little bit, which is actually a good thing because now I am informed more then I even have been. Being informed in such a way makes me understand how this predicament has been able to linger around in our society and in our legal system for so long. There seems to be no perfect solution and neither side of the argument wants to budge. I think both sides would agree that the illegal activity that surrounds gambling is a bad thing, but the argument remains; would legalizing sports gambling have a more positive effect on unlawful activity then keeping gambling illegal? The next step for me would simply be gaining more knowledge and weighing the pros and cons of each side and coming to decision of which side to take. Until then, ill be sitting on the fence of the topic, along with most of America. What Are the Effects of Legal vs. Illegal Gambling on College Sports? I’ve been a sports fanatic since the day I was born. It didn’t matter if I was playing or watching or cheering, I just loved being around the game. I have always been very knowledgeable about it too, as I was well known and titled by extended family as â€Å"the stat man. † This of course referred to the often times erroneous and useless facts rattling around in my brain that I couldn’t help but show off. Needless to say, this topic means a lot to me, especially being a college football player myself. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to dig deeper into a topic that has lingered in our country for years. The issues that pertain to gambling on college athletics have a vast range of opinions that stem from the questions; should gambling on college athletics be legal? What are the effects it has on the college athletes? Some argue that it will be detrimental to the game and some argue it has little to no effect, however most land somewhere in the middle. A common justification against gambling brings up the numerous scandals of players taking illegal benefits or point shaving and in extreme cases these events leading to jail or death. This side also argues that it allows players to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and put themselves in danger. Arguments for gambling site the economic reach it has in our country and the illegality will shrink the economy as well as not protect the players any more. Many people on this side think it will not be stopped so if gambling on college sports is illegalized, then every form of it will be illegal causing more trouble. My goal is to reveal those opinions and create a more complex understanding from various viewpoints, and hopefully bring a small degree of clarification to others and myself. In the article, â€Å"Even at Columbia, Gambling And College Athletics Collide† found in the New York Times, Jack Curry and Adam Gershenson enlighten the readers about the gambling infractions that occurred in a Columbia University fraternity house. The authors begin by describing the situation and basic details of the gambling process. â€Å" (They) would accept bets on sporting events from dozens of other students and then phone in the wagers — typically from $40 to $200 each — to a gambling ring based in Queens and operated by people with links to organized crime† (Curry and Gershenson). They go on to unravel the situation further by stating that there were not only college athletes betting on the games, but even current and former players living in the house that was tirelessly on the phone collecting wagers. Curry and Gershenson then discuss the further investigations done by Columbia and the NCAA and the possible disciplinary action that the offenders can face. The authors then write about the numerous amounts of sports gambling incidents in the last deca.

Top 15 Ways to Use Social Media to Get a Job

Top 15 Ways to Use Social Media to Get a Job On September 15, I had the privilege of participating in a Twitter chat on using social media to get a job. Participants included many journalism professors who had spot-on advice for students and other job seekers, and who confirmed some best practices for using Twitter and LinkedIn to find a job. One professor, Samra Bufkins MJ, APR (@Samjb) stated that she requires all her students to have a LinkedIn profile – and she grades it! Not only that, but she requires them to create a profile both at the beginning of the semester and at the end, hammering in the importance of keeping your LinkedIn profile fresh and up-to-date! Here are the top 10 pieces of advice I gathered from the chat: Recruiters and employers are looking for you on LinkedIn. Use keywords that will help you appear in searches, and complete the Skills section which is searched by recruiters (@BrendaBernstein)! Always post a professional picture of yourself on LinkedIn (no cats or significant others – reserve those for Facebook!). Build and expand your LinkedIn network in smart ways, choosing the people you want to connect with and whose connections you would want to connect with (@BrendaBernstein). Students can start by reaching out to current and former professors and influentials they meet in their communities (@DarrinDevault). Don’t be afraid to ask for introductions from mutual connections or to interact with people by asking questions and sending compliments (@Samjb, @kingisafink). Follow organizations and companies that interest you on Twitter and LinkedIn, and connect with key people at companies you want to work for. Use the Find Alumni feature on LinkedIn (@jmeucci). Alumni can help you get in front of people who might otherwise pass you over (@Samjb). If you blog, write for student media, or do freelance work, post links to your work on LinkedIn (@Samjb). Read this article on How to Use Twitter to Find a Job. If you get somebody’s business card at a conference, connect with them using a personal connect request within 24 hours (@Samjb). (This tweet was hailed as bordering on â€Å"Biblical advice† by Jason Meucci (@jmeucci)). Supporting #5, always make LinkedIn connection requests from your computer, not from your phone, and do it from the person’s actual full profile, not from a list (@BrendaBernstein). That way you can personalize your request. Some professors will not accept any invitations that are not personalized (@DarrinDevault). Don’t be shy about displaying your accomplishments (@kingisafink). When engaging in ALL social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., be aware that people could be watching. Be careful what you post! Teach others how to use social media and you will become better at it yourself (@uw_sjmc). And the more you use it, the better you’ll get! If you are a student, check out LinkedIn’s student guide to using LinkedIn. Congratulate people in your network on their new jobs, awards, etc. And wish them a happy birthday! You can find out about these events from your Connections tab on LinkedIn. Turn real life connections into social media connections, and vice versa (@kingisafink). The online world does not exist in a vacuum! The above 15 tips speak for themselves. Whether you are a student or seasoned professional, start putting them into practice now! And of course, my book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile, soon to be released in print, covers more LinkedIn job search tips than could ever be addressed in an hour-long chat session. If you are not on my e-list and haven’t gotten your free excerpt yet, please click here to join!

Quotes From the Movie Wedding Crashers

Quotes From the Movie 'Wedding Crashers' The tagline for the movie Wedding Crashers is Lifes a party. Crash it. The movie deals with the exploits of two men, John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, who crash weddings hoping to have a good time, drink free alcohol and pick up women. The film has several hilarious moments that make viewers laugh out loud. The following ​Wedding Crasher quotes take you on a journey through this laugh-a-minute comedy. John Beckwith What are you doing? Its a game of touch football, every time I look over youre on your ass again.What are you going to do for an encore? Walk on water?You know how they say we only use 10 percent of our brains? I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts.Im sorry I called you a hillbilly. I dont even know what that means.Love doesnt exist, thats what Im trying to tell you guys. And Im not picking on love, cause I dont think friendship exists either.Were brothers from New Hampshire. Were venture capitalists.I am going to go dance with the little flower girl. Oh, and I might be a charter member of Oprahs book club. Jeremy Grey Tattoo on the lower back? Might as well be a bulls eye.Grab that net and catch that beautiful butterfly pal.Im gonna go see Dr. Finklestein, and Im gonna tell him we have a whole new bag of issues. We can forget about mom for a while.I felt like Jodie Foster in The Accused last night.I happen to know everything there is to know about maple syrup! I love maple syrup. I love maple syrup on pancakes. I love it on pizza. And I take maple syrup and put a little bit in my hair when Ive had a rough week. What do you think holds it up, slick?I hope you flip your bike over and knock your two front teeth out! You selfish son of a bitch! You leave me in the trenches taking grenades, John!A friend in need is a pest.Im just warming up. Last week I did an exact [balloon] replica, to scale, of Wrigley Field. Honest to God. I dont have anywhere to put it.She hasnt returned your phone calls, she hasnt responded to any of your letters, she didnt respond to the candygram. God knows what happened to the kitten you got for her. Cause she didnt keep it, and I know youre not raising the goddamn thing. I think its very obvious at this juncture that she just flat out does not wanna see you. Im not perfect, but who are we kidding. neither are you. Chazz Reinhold Grief is natures most powerful aphrodisiac.  I almost numchucked  you; you dont even realize!  Yeah, her boyfriend just died. Dude died in a hang-gliding accident! What an idiot . Mrs. Kroeger You shut your mouth when youre talking to me! Todd Cleary Death, you are my bitch lover. Vivian Would you say youre completely full of shit or just 50 percent?

Synthesis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Synthesis paper - Essay Example Thus, it is offering adequate training to the managers on how to motivate employees, that forms the core of establishing a culture of employee motivation (Musselwhite, 2011). This article simply focuses on the role of managers as the ultimate siource of employee motivation within a firm. Similarly, A Dose of Positive Reinforcement Can Go a Long Way by Nelson; is another article that focus on the fundamentals of employee motivation, but from a different approach of applying praise and recognition as the main tools for realizing employee motivation. However, while praise and recognition are powerful tools used for employee motivation, the essential elements that must be applied to reinforce these tools include sincerity, specification and personalization of praise, so that the tools become fully effective in inspiring the employees (Nelson, 2013). Nevertheless, the effective tools of employee motivation cannot deliver any results, whenever the management team does not have sufficient s kills to motivate the employees. Therefore, the management should always operate on the basis of the principle that; â€Å"you get what you reward† (Nelson, 2013) p41. ... The application of this rule entails complementing the employees for all the good things that they have done for several times, before suggesting some improvement or even offering positive criticism, and most fundamentally, ensuring that both praise and criticism are not done in a single session. However, the most important thing is to realize that giving praise should be done as soon as the achievement has been made, or immediately â€Å"the desired behavior is displayed† (Nelson, 2013) p42. The application of positive reinforcement should always be treated as a matter of urgency, even necessitating the interruption of a meeting to give a complement where it is due, while reserving the discussion in great length, of the positive behavior or the achievement made, for a later date (Nelson, 2013). Another fundamental aspect of motivating employees through giving praise, is ensuring that the manager talks in specifics and addresses the accomplished employee directly, instead of a pplying generalities, while also drawing references on how the accomplishment or the positive behavior can help others (Musselwhite, 2011). Specifics give credibility to the praise given by the manager, while also going to great lengths to state, â€Å"exactly what was good about an employee’s behavior or achievement† (Nelson, 2013) p42. Humanizing and personalizing the complement is an essential step towards ensuring that the praise and recognition is received positively, while ensuring that it works towards boosting the morale of the employee involved. Considering that different employees respond differently to complements and praise, it is essential for the manager to take time to analyze the

Richard Branson Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Richard Branson - Research Paper Example to reduce risk in their business choices. There are also leaders who do not follow existing leadership practices; rather, they develop their own leadership style avoiding to be influenced by the traditional perceptions on leader’s role. Such case is Richard Branson, the founder and Chairman of Virgin Group. Since the establishment of his first enterprise, the Virgin Records in 1972, Richard Branson has been made popular for his style of leadership, which is considered to be unique. The aspects of the leadership style of Richard Branson are analyzed below. It is made clear that the success of Virgin Group is not related only to the carefully planned strategies on which its activities are based but mainly to the leadership style of Richard Branson. The management practices of Richard Branson have become a valuable example for leaders worldwide; in fact, it is primarily the entrance of Richard Branson in the business sector that has proved his capabilities and skills as a charism atic leader. In his first involvement in business activities, Richard Branson did not show signs of a strong willingness for success; maybe it was exactly this fact that led to his differentiation from other entrepreneurs worldwide who focus only on the profit. Even now, Richard Branson supports that there are many values and interests in life and the achievement of profits should not be a priority (Dearlove 2010). The entrance of Richard Branson in the business sector can be identified in 1971 – when the first Virgin Record store was established in order to respond to the relevant needs of students (Murray, Poole and Jones 167) – before this initiative Richard Branson has been involved in the publication of ‘a magazine for students’ (Murray, Poole and Jones 167). Because at that period the trends of the market regarding the buying of records were rather negative, Richard Branson introduced certain strategies aiming to attract the attention of young people ; free coffee and extremely friendly environment were the two main parts of Branson’s strategy in order to attract customers (Murray, Poole and Jones 167). The above strategies had positive results; indeed, the company managed to achieve an important growth proving Branson’s capabilities to establish a successful enterprise in a market sector, which was underdeveloped. One of the most important characteristics of Richard Branson as a leader is his ability to handle crises. This fact was revealed in the crash of one of the firm’s highspeed trains in Northern England, in 2007 (Reuters, February 24, 2007). The investigation developed by the local authorities revealed that Virgin could not be held responsible for the crash since the accident was caused because of a faulty track (Reuters, 2007). During the period that the case was under examination, Richard Branson had to face a strong criticism regarding the measures taken for the safety of Virgin trains. This issue is analyzed in the study of Regester & Larkin (2008); reference is made to the exceptional ability of Richard Branson to cover all issues highlighted by the journalists; in fact, the day of the crash Richard Branson was in holidays and he returned immediately in order to check the situation closely. The media welcomed the specific initiative noting that ‘even the chief executives avoid being involved personally in cases of crises’

The privacy of your medical records Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The privacy of your medical records - Essay Example However, many have come to accept that their employer has the right to essentially do the same thing by monitoring emails. Is wrong always wrong or do employers have a widely agreed upon caveat to intrude on the privacy of American citizens? Some believe that because the Constitution forbids illegal searches which are the precedent for disallowing the wiretapping of citizens, this should apply to businesses as well. Computer networks are especially susceptible to employer scrutiny. According to a Privacy Foundation study (Privacy Foundation, 2001), 14 million U.S. employees are subject to this type of surveillance on a constant basis. Employers use specially designed software for this purpose. They are able to scrutinize employee e-mail by randomly reading communications or by selecting key ‘damaging’ words or phrases in order to flag e-mail. The software evaluates a company’s e-mail messages by selected term of phrase and makes a determination regarding whether a message is genuine and non-threatening corporate business. These programs are becoming ever more sophisticated using algorithms to evaluate communications patterns and relay this information to employers. Many employers are always just a click or two away from viewing every e-mail message that employees send or receive on computers included on the network. These employers give a variety of justifications for spying on their employees’ communications including the protection of trade secrets, the prevention of internal problems or excess e-mails clogging networks by using too much bandwidth. Another popular reason given for monitoring personal e-mails is to prevent employees from using company time for personal communications. Checking for quality of work would violate few people’s idea of crossing the privacy boundary but that is seldom a reason given for such monitoring. According to the American Management Study (2001), close to â€Å"two-thirds of all companies

Impact of Feminism on Social Work Practice

Impact of Feminism on Social Work Practice The emergence of feminism and its impact on social work practice This research considers the application of feminist thought in social work practise. Specific areas of consideration include the gap from social workers’ personal acceptance of feminist constructs and their use of such constructs in daily practise, the effects of perpetuation of hegemonic gender roles by social workers, and domestic violence victims perceptions of the effectiveness of social work based on the perspectives of their social workers as considered above. This research further describes a focus group of college social work students who are also domestic violence victims. It records their perceptions of social workers’ worldviews and the impact of such on service. Conclusions include that there is significant gap between the understanding or acceptance of feminist constructs amongst social workers and its application in daily field practise, that social workers are often likely to perpetuate hegemonic gender roles, and because of such perpetuation view domestic violence situations as individual occurrences rather than part of a greater societal pattern of oppression, and that domestic violence survivors feel best served when work with them uses a feminist theoretical framework. Introduction Feminism and social work have been associated for many years; however, although many social workers personally espouse working from a feminist perspective, the systems of social work still favour work from a traditional or patriarchal perspective. This research, therefore, seeks to first consider findings from previous study regarding this phenomenon and the theoretical frameworks for both social work and feminist thought. In this light of information gleaned from these findings, it became apparent that hegemonic gender roles, a common topic of feminist research, play a relevant part in work with survivors of domestic violence. Specifically, domestic violence survivors are often directed, either explicitly or implicitly, that their situation is personal and should be considered and dealt with from a personal and pathological perspective rather than applying the tenets of feminist thought that view such situations as manifestations of structural and power problems in our greater society. This study then seeks to document whether this gap between social work theory supportive of feminist worldviews and social work application of practise exists, and if so, how prevalent a gap it is. This is accomplished through use of a focus group of college students, all of whom have taken at least one course in social work theory and are themselves domestic violence survivors who have been served, to whatever level of quality, by social workers. Discussions within the focus group involved ideas of gender roles and social worker advocacy of hegemonic gender roles, whether explicit or implicit. The focus group then built on this foundation to consider group participants ‘experiences with social workers and whether they presented an individual / pathological perspective of domestic violence, or whether they presented a perspective that consider the wider influence of society and its systems. This was further related to the effect of such perceptions on the understanding of and service to group participants at the time of intervention. Literature Review Feminism has emerged in the past thirty years as a viable worldview. Dietz (2000), quoting Bunch (1980), defined feminism as â€Å"transformational politics that aims at the dismantling of all permanent power hierarchies in which one category of humans dominates or controls another category of humans† (372). â€Å"In the feminist and empowerment traditions, the personal is political, and individual change and social change are seen as interdependent† (Deitz 2000,372). Feminism contends it is not adequate to simply include women in the world’s political and power systems, as these were designed by and for men and therefore favour a highly masculinised mechanism for responding to issues and require women working within these systems to-do the same (Scott 1988, Moylan 2003). Simply including women is not enough; society must give women’s experiences equal time and consideration, eventually recasting the very meanings of the topics it considers (Scott 1988). Rather, feminism argues women must be engaged in both the system development and decision-making processes that shape our society (Moylan 2003). Consequently, one area where feminism has particularly challenged traditional views is in the area of gender roles. For example, Dominelli and McLeod (1989) examine the way in which social problems are defined, recognising gender as particularly important in understanding client groups, and stress egalitarian relationships between therapists and clients. Gender is also an important consideration of social work due to the patriarchal society that still dominates most of our world. This power framework rests on a basis of hegemonic masculinity (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Connell (1995) created the term ‘hegemonic masculinity’ to describe the valued definition of manhood in a society. He argues that whilst there are multiple possible masculinities in a culture, only one or a few are most valued or considered ideal (Connell 1995). This gender definition is constructed both in relation to femininity and to other, subordinated masculinities, and is used to justify both men’s domination of women, and the hegemonic ally masculine man’s power over other men (Cohn and Weber 1999). Whilst women are increasingly being included in world systems, the systems themselves still were designed for and operate by and for men. Therefore, women who participate within the system must do so from male paradigm, even if it is sometimes at odds with their own preferences for how to go about dealing with a situation (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Feminism historically is a â€Å"critique of male supremacy, the belief that gender order was socially constructed and could not be changed† (Cott1989,205). Masculinity is often defined as what is not feminine, and femininity as what is not masculine, although understanding the dynamics of one requires considering both the workings of the other and the relationship and overlap between the two (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Masculine definitions are often based on strength, domination and violence, whilst feminine on weakness, nurturing, compassion and passitivity (Rabrenovic and Roskos 2001). The result is pressure omen adhering to a hegemonic definition of masculinity to view forms of addressing conflict other than a physical or masculine response as feminine and a threat to their manhood (Moylan 2003). The popular concept of gender holds that masculinity and femininity â€Å"are unchanging expressions based on the chromosomal male and female bodies (Butler 1990). â€Å"Gender is assumed to be ‘hard-wired,’ at least in part† (Hawkesworth 1997). Masculine actions and desires for men and feminine actions and desires for women alone are normal, these masculine and feminine traits are not a matter of choice, and all individuals can be classified as one or the other (Hawkesworth 1997). However, whilst our society men are considered strong and dominant, and women passive and nurturing, â€Å"the meanings of male and female bodies differ from one culture to another, and change (even in our own culture) over time† (Connell 1993, 75). For example, there have been â€Å"periods in Western history when the modern convention that men suppress displays of emotion did not apply at all, when men were effusive to their male friends and demonstrative about their feelings†(Connell 1993, 75). â€Å"Masculinities and felinities are constructed or accomplished in social processes such as child rearing, emotional and sexual relationships, work and politics† (Connell 1993, 75). Feminism, however, contends gender is a constructed by each culture, and as a social practice involves the incorporation of specific symbols, which support or distort human potential (Hawkesworth 1997). Gender is created through â€Å"discursively constrained per formative acts, â€Å"and the repetition of these acts over time creates gender for the individual in society (Butler 1990, x). People learn to â€Å"act† like women or men are supposed to; women are taught to behave in a feminine manner, men are taught to act in a masculine manner. This is often reinforced by authority figures, such as social workers. Barnes (2003)cites a number of studies which find social workers often assume the â€Å"disciplinary gaze† of notions of â€Å"what and how to be woman, â€Å"perpetuating traditional gender roles (149). â€Å"Armed with rigid codes of gender appropriate behaviours, social workers often sought to regulate and mediate women’s interactions with the soci al, economic, and political world† (Barns 2003, 149). Feminism and social work share a number of similarities. Both believe â€Å"in the inherent worth and dignity of all persons, the value of process over product, the appreciation of unity-diversity, the importance of considering the person-in- environment, and a commitment to personal empowerment and active participation in society as a means to bring about meaningful social change† (Barrette 2001, 266-267). Similarly, both feminism and social work address multiple approaches to handling situations, challenging the institutionalized oppression common in manpower structures and supporting â€Å"the reconceptualization and redistribution of that power† (Barrette 2001, 267). It follows that one impact of feminism on social work practise is the consideration of issues from a societal rather than personal perspective. For example, this might include viewing a domestic violence situation not from the perspective that the family is dysfunctional, but from the perspective of the society that created the family. The psychology-based focus of clinical social work â€Å"often leads to individualizing social problems, rather than to viewing themes the result of relations of power, primarily oppression and abuse†(Deitz 2000, 369). As such, individuals experiencing such difficulties are â€Å"taught† that their particular experiences are inappropriate, rather than addressing the systems that created the difficulties in the first place (Deitz 2000, 369). Nominally and McLeod (1989) re-evaluate social work practice from feminist perspective, considering the functions of social work such as therapy, community interaction, and policy making not from pathological standpoint but from one of defined roles endorsed by societal conditions. As such, they contend that working from feminist perspective allows the social worker to address the causes of social issues, rather than the symptoms played out in individual’s lives (Nominally and McLeod 1989). One area of difference in social work practise between those operating from a feminist framework and a traditional framework is the concept of distance. Traditionally, the â€Å"patriarchal bias against relationality and connection† is intended to lead to â€Å"connection without harm, love without power abuse, touching without sexual abuse in psychotherapy†(Deitz 2000, 377). Unfortunately, in practise it often results in â€Å"power over† relationships where those receiving services feel â€Å"less than† those providing them. â€Å"Healing happens when someone feels seen, heard, held, and empowered, not when one is interpreted, held at distance, and pathologies† (Deitz 2000, 377). Deitz (2000) finds that social workers often institutionalize a â€Å"power over† stance from professional training and discourse that constructs the identities of clients as somehow disordered, dysfunctional or impaired. â€Å"Whether between parents and children; physicians and patients; social workers and consumers of services; Whites and Blacks; or heterosexuals and lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered persons, power over relationships give the dominant partners or group the right to define the meanings of subordinates’ experiences (including their resistance)and thus their opportunities for self-affirmation† (Deitz 2000,373).This creates professional relationships that ignore the environmental, historical, and social contexts of the problem, discount people’s strengths and resilience in assessment and intervention, and lead â€Å"to the objectification of people as diagnoses, rather than to empowerment† (Deitz 2000, 370). â€Å"The keys to empowerment in feminist micro practice are reconnection and transformation through political activity; survivors of oppression and abuse experience reconnection through relationships based on mutuality, collaboration, and trustworthiness† (Deitz 2000, 376). Theories from social work, psychology, and particularly developmental psychology describe empowerment as primarily a process, with the personal transformation of the individual becoming empowered at its foundation (Carr 2003, 8). Barriers to empowerment and problems of disenfranchisement caused by powerlessness are primarily political, rather than psychological. Powerlessness is defined as the inability to effectively manage one’s emotions, knowledge, skills, or resources; it is â€Å"derived from the absence of external supports and the existence of ontological â€Å"power blocks† that become incorporated into a person’s development† (Carr 2003, 13). As such, many survivors also work to reconnect to others in their communities, often seeking political activity that â€Å"emphasizes the empowerment of others, such as by organizing Take Back the Night marches or speak-outs, volunteering for crisis hot lines, seeking legislative changes, or becoming social workers or human service professionals† (Deitz 2000, 376). For example, feminist work with abuse survivors â€Å"emphasizes the relationship between abuse and oppressive social relations (Deitz 2000,374). On the other hand, the dominant clinical social work approach to oppression and abuse relocates the problem of oppression in victims. Psychological theories are typically employed, which â€Å"locates pathology in individuals, rather than in oppressive relationships and systems, and considers the long-term effects of oppression to be symptoms of individual pathology† (Deitz 2000, 374). Unfortunately, whilst many social workers have been exposed to or even personally support operating from a feminist framework, the systems in which they work prevent them from actively utilising feminist insight in their daily practise. Research Plan This research seeks to study the prevalence and impact of traditional and feminist practitioner constructs from the perspective of those served. Specifically, a focus group study will be conducted with a group of college students, all of whom are currently studying social work and therefore have some concept regarding social work practice, feminist and traditional worldviews. In addition, all students in the focus group will have experienced domestic violence and have been provided the services of a social worker in some form during their teenage years. Three areas of discussion will be undertaken by the group. These will be provided to individual group participants in writing several days before the group in order for students to have time to consider what they would like to share regarding their opinions and own experiences. The first group activity will involve creating definitions of â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† from the perspective of a typical social worker based on the students’ teenage experiences. Students will then be asked to discuss where, if at all, they personally feel they and their family members who were involved in the domestic violence situation(s) â€Å"fit† regarding these preconceived definitions. It is anticipated some students will have been uncomfortable with societal constraints they or their family experienced as teenagers. As all are studying social work, they are also anticipated to make more connections between societal power issues, hegemonic gender roles, and their influence on domestic violence than a focus group without such background. The third area of discussion will centre on how the students’ perceptions of their social worker(s) understanding of gender roles influenced their and their families reception of adequate service. The researcher will both tape record and take notes on the group discussions. Data gathered from the group will then be compiled and analysed. In addition, students from the focus group will be given the option to write a response to the group activity, if they so desire. These will be further included in the group data. Methodology Data collection involved four means. Prior to the group starting, each participant was given a questionnaire (see Appendix 3) to gather basic demographic information. The questionnaire also asked for brief summary of their abusive situation. Regarding data collection of the group proceedings, as described above the focus group session was tape-recorded and the researcher took notes to supplement the recording of group discussion. The recorded sessions were then transcribed into print form, with research notes added in at the chronologically appropriate points of the transcription to provide a more complete written overview of the focus group discussion. In addition, group participants had an option to write a response the group to be included in the group data. Four participants wrote responses, which were considered with the group data following analysis of the focus group discussion. Participants were provided with the three areas of group discussion several days prior to the actual focus group meeting. They were not given any directions or guidance regarding the optional written responses to the group activity. Data analysis first involved dividing and coding group data. Responses to the first topic of discussion were divided into three categories: those representing a traditional worldview, those representing feminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent either worldview. From these groupings, overall findings regarding the worldviews typically experienced by the group participants were summarised. This was then further compared with the definitions of traditional gender roles identified by the group. Data from the second topic of discussion were also broken down into those representing a traditional worldview, those representing feminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent either worldview. It was important to then note participant perceptions and emotional responses to these coding, and in which worldview grouping they and their families were reported to feel best served and empowered. Data from the specific discussion regarding service were then similarly analysed, and combined with previous findings to present a picture of the impact of traditional versus feminist worldviews on social work practise, emphasising work with teenage domestic violence survivors and their understanding of gender roles in society. It was anticipated at the conclusion of such research, a view could be asserted as to whether feminist perspective has a significant impact on the practise of social work as it is currently undertaken and whether this impact, if any, leads to improved service. As the focus group involved a relatively small number of participants(nine total) and data from their interactions were primarily qualitative in nature, it was decided not to perform any complex statistical analysis on focus group data. It was felt that such types of analysis would neither reveal findings that could be considered statistically significant nor provide a more accurate understanding of the issues under consideration than a more qualitative analytical approach. In consideration of space and relevance portions of the discussion were used to support conclusions in the findings and analysis sections of this dissertation, whilst an overall summary of the most relevant portions of the discussion are included in Appendix2. Implementation Project Nine students meeting the criteria laid out in the research plan agreed to participate in the focus group. They were primarily organised by one group participant, who had discovered other domestic violence survivors through classroom discussions and through participation in a survivors’ group in the local community. All nine students were currently studying social work or had taken at least one social work course as part of a related course of study, such as education or criminal justice. There were six women and three men, ranging in age from nineteen to twenty-seven. Racially, seven were Caucasian, one was Black, and one was Asian. All present as coming from upper working class to middle class backgrounds. All had experienced domestic violence as teenagers, making their experiences fairly recent and therefore providing a relatively current depiction of social work practise. Five students (three women, two men) had been removed from their biological parents at some point during their teenage years. All had been involved in interventions into the family by a social worker representing either a government organisation, or in the case of one woman, a local church. Some of the participants previously knew each other and were somewhat aware of each other’s experiences, which should be considered in group analysis. Five regularly participated in a survivors’ support group in the community. One man and one woman were cousins. In addition, two of the men had known each other as teenagers from intervention through the school system. Jennifer, a twenty-four year-old Caucasian woman, was chosen to be the moderator, as she had been the one who had assisted the researcher by arranging for most of the participants to become involved in the study. The group then moved almost immediately into discussion of the topics provided. The group had been provided a whiteboard for its use, which Jennifer implemented to organise individual comments and ideas. It is surmised that the easy manner with which the group undertook the discussion was based on the fact that they were all students and therefore used to having study groups, group discussions, and the like, and that all of them had at least publicly shared their experiences previously, either as part of a classroom discussion or survivors ‘group, or both, and were therefore more comfortable in engaging in such discussion than might be typical for a focus group dealing with such experiences. Findings and Analysis The first finding of this research is that the majority of social workers in service or domestic violence survivors to not consistently employ feminist constructs in practise, despite the likelihood of having been exposed to such constructs. This manifested itself in three significant ways. First, families were overwhelming dealt with as individuals with problems. That is, the abuser was described as making poor choices or having some type of pathological issues that led to his or her decision to abuse (in one participant’s family, both parents were abusive). As such, the abuser was described from psychoanalytical standpoint by the social worker(s), and his or her behaviour labelled as individually deviant. The survivors of the domestic violence situations, particularly them others, as the majority of abusers from the groups’ experiences were male family members or boyfriends of the mother, were also reported tube consistently dealt with from an individual perspective. In this sense, their behaviour was also reported to be categorised by the social workers involved as unhealthy, pathological, and coming from some sort of unresolved personal issues, such as low self-esteem. In the case of only one participant did the social workers involved in either intervention or therapy consistently relate the domestic violence situation to broader issues of oppression, societal power structures and the related hegemonic gender roles, or patriarchal norms of society. It is of note that this participant received service from progressive women-helping-women organisation, rather than a traditional government-organised social work programme. Group participants also repeatedly described their family situations as unhealthy, and they certainly were, but from the perspective that both the abuser and abused were reacting or displaying emotion inappropriately, rather than that the motivation or norming behind the behaviour was at fault. For example, Trent described his mother as drawn to violent, alcoholic men. â€Å"She always seemed to go for these guys that didn’t know how to express anything except by breaking stuff, yelling, hitting, you know.† His further descriptions of his mother’s ‘boyfriends indicated an assumption that if these men had been raised with or taught proper means of dealing with their frustrations and emotions, the abuse to him and his mother would have been lessened or eliminated. This idea was supported by at least one social worker, who suggested counselling for Trent, his mother, and the then boyfriend as one possible way of addressing the abusive situation. Several participants did bring feminist theory and thought into group discussion, pointing out, for example, that dominance or aggression by men in any form was unhealthy, and questioning why it was only seen as unhealthy by most of the social workers they had encountered, and bothers they knew in the community, when physical violence was actually involved. There was a related discussion, albeit brief, about the unwillingness of neighbours, relatives, and others in the community, such as members of the same church, to intervene in the domestic violence situation. Participants indicated their perception that whilst this was often due to a fear of getting involved or knowing how to help the situation, there were repeated occurrences in everyone’s experience where an unwillingness to intervene derived from others’ implications that the man of the house had some right to choose the way in which the household operated, or that he had a right to discipline his wife /girlfriend and children as he saw fit. Wendy reports hearing an aunt state â€Å"Well, it’s his family, their kids, she wants to stay with him, â€Å"and dismiss the on-going violence as therefore an acceptable family lifestyle, or at least one in which none of the rest of the family should be expected to intervene. Participants then acknowledged this and several other systemic situations that perpetuated their abuse, such as reluctance of authority figures to continue questioning when initially told nothing was wrong, and unwillingness of police to intervene repeatedly. Similarly, regarding gender roles, discussion indicated a belief by most participants that their social workers believed a traditional stereotype of what was appropriate behaviour for a man and a woman, and that these behaviours were different. There were reports of acceptance of physical response as an appropriate masculine reaction, but the level of physical response not being considered appropriate. Male participants were encouraged to talk about their experiences, but report never being given permission to express fear, or an emotional response such as crying. One male participant reported starting to cry as part of a group experience, and being discouraged rather than encouraged to continue, whilst female members of the group were allowed to and even supported in such emotional expression. There were similar reports of various hegemonic ally feminine expressions, such as crying, fear, and nurturing behaviours, being supported and encouraged by social workers for male family members but not female, as well as an acceptance or assumption of weakness on the part of adult females who chose to remain in an abusive situation. The discussion then moved to the effect of traditional and feminist perspective on social work service. Participants overwhelmingly reported feeling better served when social workers sought to empower them and their families. This did usually involve practise of methods derived from a feminist view, such as the use of reflective journaling and support groups, as well as encouragement from the social workers tithe mother that she could, indeed, survive and prosper outside the domestic violence situation, that she did have the inner reserves to address the situation and move to a healthier lifestyle, and that societal pressure to be with a man, either as a romantic partner or as a father / father-figure for children was not necessary for successful life. Participants also report feeling personally empowered by such encouragement, and therefore able to support their mothers in attempts to leave relationships. From their own study in social work theory, focus group participants were able to briefly discuss the ramifications of the patriarchal societal power structure on a woman’s decision to stay in a violent situation. One issue brought up included the perception that society will view a woman as a failure and undesirable if she does not have aromatic relationship with a man in her life. A number of women participants in the group reported feeling similar pressure to maintain romantic relationship with a man in their life, regardless of their other commitments or interests, and an expectation that they would not be successful women if they did not ultimately get married and have children. When questioned by other participants, the three male participants reported not feeling such pressures. Another issue raised was the mothers’ perception that they needed a father figure to successfully raise children, particularly boys. This was perpetuated in the life experiences of group participants even though the men occupying these roles were viewed by the male participants as destructive, rather than constructive, influences. Issues of supporting disciplining children and managing household operations were also indicated, as was the financial support provided by the bitterer. The group indicated all these issues were societal, rather than individual, and lack of addressing of them affected the effectiveness of the social services they had received. Overall, the participants were generally positive about at least one social worker with whom they had a relationship during their teenage years. Participants typically felt feeling most encouraged and best served by those social workers who did not present themselves as being distant or above the participants and their families, and who did not overly emphasise their family’s issues from a perspective of individual dysfunction. These findings indicated that a feminist interactive construct, which avoids â€Å"power over† methods and practise is perceived to be most effective by domestic violence survivors. Recommendations It is recommended from findings of this study that social workers are first provided greater exposure to and training in feminist methods and theory as it relates to their practical, day-to-day practise. For example, all participants reported some positive experiences in response to reflective methods such as reflective journaling and survivor support groups. Considerations of ways to more greatly include such methods in typical practise are therefore indicated. Of greater concern are the systems in which social workers operate. Whilst most of the social workers in these focus group participants ‘experiences had some familiarity with feminist theory or methods, as indicated by their emphasis on empowerment or use of specific strategies, there is something within the government-sponsored social services structure that prohibits practise truly based on feminist tenets. A sharp contrast was provided by the young woman served at a progressive, private service, where feminist theory was the obvious framework on which service was based. She was by far the most positive about her experiences and workers, and reported insights, understanding and empowerment to change not consistently reported by other focus group participants. It therefore recommended that more research be pursued as to what factors