Saturday, August 31, 2019

Promoting Internally in Expatriate Management

Many companies deal with expatriate executives/personnel in a variety of ways. In determining an expatriate there is no right or wrong way. The difference is determined by how the company is trying to meet their goals. The selection process for an expatriate varies significantly from one company to another. When a company has entered the international/global market, it is vital for that company to decide upon which method to use for determining their expatriate executive/personnel. The two methods available are outsourcing and promoting internally. This paper will focus upon promoting internally. Cook (1999, p. 177) said, â€Å"Large established companies that have multiple global operations; Companies that are just starting their international operations that may not have experienced staff to effectively handle international HR situations; and Companies whose business needs fluctuate as overseas projects are initiated and completed. † If your company has decided to outsource then there are many sites on the web that are specifically geared towards outsourcing. Some of these locations are: http://www. iorworld. com http://www. ems. com http://www. expat. ca http://escapeartist. com Many companies and organizations will decide to internally promote and produce an expatriate executive rather than outsourcing the process. When a company or corporation does decide to promote internally many factors must be considered. The company will have to decide where to build the new facility, what products to produce, what resources to use, where to get the resources, what governmental policies must the facility adhere too, the size of the facility, and so on. The HR department will be responsible for developing the policies and procedures necessary for operating/running the plant. One of the first steps the HR department will be to develop the specific knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSA) and training necessary for success as an expatriate executive. However, Training will not be discussed but the process was mentioned because it is a vital ingredient to the success of the expatriate executive. Before selecting the individual, the company needs to take into consideration the family of the individual. The company will have to prepare not only the employee or executive but also their family. Once an individual has been selected, the expatriate will need to be rewarded some way. This will be discussed later. When deciding on the executive/employee to promote to an expatriate position, several KSA are desired. According to Desatnick and Bennet (1977, p. 41-148) the areas that need to be considered for an expatriate executive in order of importance are adaptability/flexibility, high tolerance for frustration and patience, empathy/understanding, high intellectual capacity, ability to learn language, problem-solving ability, opportunity mindedness, results orientated, decision making ability, communication skills, integrity, priorities skills, and professionalism. An HR department will have to decide upon which areas are more important and applicable to their organizations in order to promote the right individual. The individual will have to be flexible and patient due to the cultural difference between the countries. What is standard in one nation might not be in the other. What could be considered a standard or norm here may be considered as rudeness or affectionate in another. A thorough understanding of the new culture is vital to the success of the expatriate in that country. When an individual begins to understand the culture, hen they must be able to make decisions and solve problems within a timely matter. The person will need to have a high level of intelligence, perception, and imagination in order to succeed. The expatriate will have to be able to communicate efficiently with all forms of communications bases (writing, speaking, training, motivating, etc) and know when and what to prioritize. The expatriate should be aware that they are an extended image of the company/organization and should be professional and have integrity beyond reproach. In determining who will be an expatriate, the company will need to look at the family of the expatriate. â€Å"We not only have to deal with the employee†s ability to adapt to another culture, but most now add another variable: the spouse and family. It has been documented by countless researchers that spouses are a critically important aspect of a successful expatriate experience. † (Schell & Solomon, 1997, p. 153) The family of the expatriate plays a vital role in how successful the expatriate will be. Once an expatriate has been determined, then the ompany must provide rewards or benefits to this individual. These perks or benefits should include some if not all of the following: â€Å"Salary, Annual incentives, Long-term incentives, Benefits, and Perquisites. † (Cook, 1999, p. 39) These areas could be broken down in to several areas. Some of these areas are known as allowances. Some of the most common allowances are Housing, Education, Relocation, Cost-of-living, and Exchange rate fluctuations as determined by Bennet & Desatnick (1977, p. 211-218). In conclusion once a company has selected the process f determining an expatriate (outsourcing or internally) then they must decide on the HR policies and procedures in selecting an individual, and then providing that individual with compensation for being an expatriate. These processes and procedures developed by the HR department need to be specific. Most companies realize the importance of an expatriate executive in their foreign facilities. The foreign facility will only be as effective and efficient as the expatriate executive. The selection of the company†s expatriate executive is vitally important to the success of the company in a foreign country.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Coraline Book review

Coralline is a horror story featuring a family that has recently moved to a new house. Coralline, a young girl, detests the move. When she discovers a door in the drawing room, she becomes curious. When she looks the first time, there is Just a brick wall, but the next time she checks, there is a passageway to an alternate universe. Coralline starts to believe that she likes this newfound world more, but will it stay that This British novella takes place in a community in Britain in summer 2002. This is a horror book but isn't as frightening as other books.The main characters are Coralline Jones, Mrs.. Jones, Mr.. Jones, The Cat, The Other Mother, and The Other Father. The story is told in third person and focuses mainly on Carolina's adventures. The plot revolves around a young girl named Coralline traveling through a door in her house to an alternate universe that has other versions of her parents that try to take her from the real world. Coralline believes she likes it there at fi rst and wishes she could live there but soon finds the evil in her other parent's plans. There are two possible themes to this book.The first is be careful what you wish for and the second is it's hard to look past the surface when it looks so perfect. This book was incredibly interesting and very different from any horror book I've ever read. Although it didn't terrify me like other books might, it was written differently and had a very interesting plot. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book or a good book to read. I read this book due to the interest In the movie that I saw when I was younger and I enjoyed It twice as much as I loved the movie. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Personal Trainer Essay

1. What options does Personal Trainer have for developing a new system? What are some specific issues and options that Susan should consider in making a decision Creating a web site that allows members to login and access information about their personalized fitness program. Susan needs to do some research and find out what internet development environments she wants to use such as web sphere or .net by Microsoft. Susan needs to look at the similarities and differences between the old and new center. 2. Susan has been asked to prepare a system requirements document and deliver a presentation to the management team. What should be the main elements of the system requirements document? Susan needs to create a document that includes an introduction, summary, findings, recommendations, time and cost estimates, expected benefits and an appendix, and maybe to also include charts, graphs, and/or other helpful visuals in the document to support her presentation. 3. Based on the suggestions in Part A of the Systems Analyst’s Toolkit, what visual aids should Susan use during her presentation? Susan should use power point as a visual aid, some flip charts, overhead transparencies, videos, slides, to improve her presentation. She should also prepare a contingency plan in case anything was to happen to her presentation. 4. Susan wants to prepare a presentation that will calculate the total cost of ownership for the system. What financial analysis tools are available to her, and what are the advantages (and possible disadvantages) of each tool? Payback Analysis – is the process of determining how long it takes an information system to pay for itself. The time it takes to recover the systems cost is called the payback period. Susan Can use this tool to see how long it will take to recoup her costs. Return on Investment (ROI) – percentage rate that measures profitability by comparing the total net benefits (return) received from a project to the total costs. Susan can use this tool to calculate how long it will take to see a return on her investments Net Present Value (NPV) – This tool will

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Federal Express Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Federal Express - Case Study Example This essay examines potential problems that led to the delay of the cargos belonging to desktop innovation by federal express transporters using the SWOT analysis (McDougall & Dorken, 145). A Background Description and Problem Statement in the Case Study Federal express is a business identified with transportation of commodities. The company has branches in major cities where it operates its activities. It has reputable customer service relations, and this is evident in its delivery of commodities. They issued clients with a delivery guarantee in the case of failure to delivery the prearranged cargos. Desktop Publishing Company deals with the organization and provisions of services and products individuals use in conducting trade shows and exhibitions. Desktop Publishing Company experienced problems with Federal express transporters in shipping two of its packages to a customer who was conducting a trade show in Simpson, South Carolina. The shipment to the customer leading to bad com pany reputation for desktop innovation was delayed. Situation psychoanalysis Using SWOT Applications of the Case Study SWOT analysis refers to the ‘strength’, ‘weaknesses’, ‘opportunities’ and ‘strength’ present within a company. ... It tarnished the company’s name because Federal express, which acted as, a company’s client was disappointed in the reaction they received from the staff of the company. Secondly, the opportunities of federal express serve as strength in the daily activity it conducts. It notifies clients when the delivery schedule is changed or delayed. This prevents future disagreement that may with the clients. Lastly, the promotional strategy that federal express uses is a weakness because it discourages rather instead of motivating clients. Desktop innovation was greatly disappointed in the basket of chocolates sent to them from the company to act as compensation (McDougall & Dorken, 147). Evaluation of the Case Study The findings of the case study revealed the diverse challenges faced by organizations in the running of daily activities. The delay in the shipment of products noticed in Federal express agency reveals a decline or change of activities within the company. The change c ould have originated from various causes like mechanical fault in the means that were used in shipping voyages. Secondly, improper time schedule could have resulted to the delay, since they were not being shipped within the agreed period. The compensation mechanism used by federal express requires to be reviewed. Clients in any environment always value quality for their product, and expect to be properly compensated when the quality they negotiated is not to their standards. Alternatives Useful In the Case Study Federal express can initiate different approaches in its operations to satisfy clients. The quantity of cargoes the company ships should be reduced to avoid the setbacks caused by overcrowding witnessed in the company. Secondly, the company should apply new expertise in the firm

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Reading Response from a Piece of Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Response from a Piece of Writing - Essay Example The two purposes are similar because they indicate that pausing occurs whenever there is an end in a tone and the start of another. Indeed, the author doesn’t need to elaborate the reasons separately. They should be in one paragraph. The author gives the relevant basis of how you can measure the speaking speed. He argues that speed is the number of units per unit time. He presents his interpersonal arguments on the best methods to use for measuring the speed of speech. In the text, he analyses the strengths and weaknesses of using either the word or syllable in the measurement of speed. In this way, readers can understand both methods despite the limitations and assumptions. Linking pausing and speech speed to learning serves the pedagogical purpose of teaching or training. From the text and author’s arguments you can see that the aspect of learning how to apply the two phonetic components, you can deliver a good speech to learners. The text gives an insight of the rationale behind stressing some syllables or words after pausing, which is a common skill in effective speakers. Intonation is another phonetic aspect discussed in the text. Note that the author introduces the concept of speech stretch in order to explain the application of tonal variations when one is speaking. The phonetic components discussion has prompted my personal experience in the past encounters with the public. During the launching of the new automated home appliance in a national exhibition, he discovered that many people could not get my points clear. It was a hard time because after pausing at some point in my speech the reporter could not increase the tone immediately so as to be clear and explicit. Little did he know that pausing can be applied together with intonations, he would have succeeded in his presentation.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

Unconventional Warfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Unconventional Warfare - Essay Example Guerilla warfare was first referred as a war of revolutionary nature by Mao Zedong who used it widely in his operations in China1. However it is used in modern insurgencies as a part of an integrated process with all the sophistications associated with an organized operation including propaganda capabilities, doctrines and specialist skills. 2 Kennedy Hickman, Fabian Strategy : Wearing Down the Enemy , 2007, About.com: Military History, The Medieval myth of Roland borne out of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass was won by the Basque due to the effective utilization of guerilla tactics3. 15th century saw the Vietnamese insurgency against the Chinese where as the 19th century saw the Balkan people using the same tactics to fight against the Ottoman Empire4. World War I and World War II also saw a number of guerilla warfare in the name of resistance movements and other insurgent activities. Guerilla warfare continues in many parts of the world post the II World War as well. However, the most common feature associated with unconventional warfare is its nationalist fighting nature which was evident in the rebellions. One key exception was the Columbian FARC which gave up armed rebellion following its electoral defeat only to resume it later and associate with the drug lobby against the traditions it followed6. 3Kennedy Hickman, Charlemagne: Battle of Roncevaux Pass, 2007, About.com: Military History, 4Walter Laqueur, Guerrilla Warfare - A Historical & Critical Study, 1998, (Transaction Books) 239-277 5 Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Warfare Conduct Of, Guerrilla Warfare," 1984 ed, p. 584 6Walter Laqueur, Guerrilla Warfare - A Historical & Critical Study, 1998, (Transaction Books) xi Two of the major victories of the guerilla warfare happened in Afghanistan and Chechnya, both of which coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The victory is mainly attributed to the fact that though the enemy was powerful, lacked the political will. Afghanistan war also gave a topographical advantage to the rebels which led to the evacuation of the Soviet troops in 1989. Guerillas failed to achieve decisive victories in a number of countries like Turkey, Algeria, Israel, Sri Lanka and Sudan, though they succeeded in causing sizeable harm to their enemies. Considerable help has been provided to the guerillas from abroad to keep the momentum going in the operation as in the Arab countries support given to the Palestinians and Afghans and the Indian Tamil support to the Sri Lankan Tamils7. The key forms of insurgency that is expected to control the modern era are likely to be driven by problems caused due to the increasingly commercialized and modernized world. This is expected to dominate the Third World countries with

Operations Management Field Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Operations Management Field - Essay Example This essay stresses that for effective operation management to be achieved the quality management is very important, it enables the firms to continuously improve its products. There are recent quality management advancements like the total quality management and benchmarking that enhance the operations management. This discussion declares that benchmarking involves comparing the services or products with others that are related to it so as to know the performance of the organization’s products in the market arena. Continuous improvements involves adding features and removing others so as to make the products and services more satisfying to the customer, this even may involve producing goods that are customized. Continuous improvement enables a firm to have more loyal customers and win more customers. Effect analysis and failure mode enables the quality management to know areas that are likely to be faulty or fail and therefore know areas to give priority. Total quality management ensures that the customer’s needs are met and stresses more on the measurement and control as a means of guarantying continuous improvement. Some of the internationally recognized methods of quality management standards that firms must be audited to be certified include the ISO9000. Six sigma is also a q uality management tool that uses all available data to measure the defects that should eventually be 3.4 parts per million meaning the six standard deviation. The University of Portsmouth employs competent personnel who run its resources. There is the students union, media and a limited company which is ran by students. The media consists of a radio station and magazine. SERVICE AND PRODUCT MANAGEGEMENT This involves a range of activities which begins from when the idea of the new product is developed, manufacturing the new product and eventually assisting the customers who buy the new products. The way a product is managed depends on the type of products or services a firm is dealing with, it's also depends on the kind of business, that is whether retailing, manufacturing or wholesaling. Service and product development involves customer maximization, product development, customer development and diversification. This further requires proper marketing strategy with the use of the product cycle. Proper product evaluation needs to carried to ensure that the product is competitive through market research, proper pricing and competitive analysis. To ensure that the product or service management is successful, there is need to have proper distribution channels, advertising, and service, sales and promotional force. The University of Portsmouth was founded in 1869 as a school of science and was elevated to the position of university in 1992. The University offers the good management and in its operations and is rated as excellent by quality assurance agency in the courses it offers, among the best courses it offers to its students include: operational research, pharmacy psychology, languages, computer engineering among others. Most

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Sally Soprano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Sally Soprano - Essay Example Therefore, for the last two years, Sally was paid $25,000 for the last two years and $12,500 the last time she was paid. This indicates that Lyrics paid $12,500 per year. This reflects an inflation of 25%. Based on the last payment by Lyrics and the inflation rate, Sally must have been willing to sing for 150% Ãâ€" $12,500. This is the amount that Sally was paid most recently. Therefore, Sally said she would be willing to sing for $18,750. The author also provides a memo that indicates various issues that are to be considered in the agreement between Lyric and Sally Soprano. In the publicity section, the author poses two questions: what will lyric do? What will Sally do? According to the description of terms in the agreement, there are various sets of boundaries laid for the roles of both Lyric and Sally in terms of publicity. First, the two have specific parts to play in advertising for the sake of the company’s publicity. Lyric is to contribute a given amount of money to cater for advertising budgets. Lyric also agrees to increase the advertising budget by a given percentage while Sally agrees to contribute a dollar for every three dollars contributed by Lyric to cater for the increase in the advertising budget. However, this is subject to a given maximum dollars contribution by Sally. The ad Campaign will be given an input by Sally and her agent. In preparation for a meeting with Sally for a negotiation of terms of contract in this involvement, I will consider various aspects of negotiation that will enable me to strike a good deal for the interest of both Sally and Lyric. In this case, the context of negotiation in the agreement will be important. While it is necessary to maintain confidentiality in the negotiation between Lyric and Sally, it is also important to give a good image of a strong relationship between the two parties so that the public may appreciate

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Use of Forecasting Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Use of Forecasting - Term Paper Example There are a number of options that can be used to respond to this situation. Since it is clear the organization will overspend when buying the new computers, then actions plans ought to be implemented to cut down on other costs. One of the options that can be used in this situation relates to staff forecasting (Baker and Baker, 2014). The organization can cut down on the number of staff in order to cut down on costs that would otherwise be spent in purchasing the computers. Since planning for the computers is ongoing, them planning should also be going on to cut down on the staff. This option has its own ramifications. Reduced number of staff will definitely elevate stress levels and burn out and this translates to poor services. Poor services means that patients will also be dissatisfied. Dissatisfied patients in many cases will opt to seek care in other facilities hence leading to decreased revenue for the facility. Expense forecasting as cited by the media can be used to identify the availability of resources (Laureate Education Inc, 2012).Identifying available resources within the organization can help spot resource that can be pulled and be used for other purposes. The second option that can be used in this case scenario therefore is to pull resources meant for other purposes within the institution to cover for deficit outlined in the new expense report. This can also have negative effects on the quality of services and patient satisfaction. The pulled funds may have been intended for quality improvement and hence pulling them will mean that they initially intended purpose will not be achieved. The third option would be to push the extra expenses to the next budget such that the department operates on a deficit the coming year. This might also affect the delivery of services due to insufficient funds but the effects can be

Friday, August 23, 2019

The art of war and the illiad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The art of war and the illiad - Essay Example The art of war consists of misdirection and the fluidity of one’s tactics: the use of the mind as a tool of planning for success and the use of the mind as a tool of achieving it. In essence, the law of secrecy and subtly applies in all cases to the battlefield where the battle is not imminent or already in progress. To be invisible and inaudible, as it applies to the senses of sight and sound, are virtues when seeking to acquire a victory in battle. War is, despite common images of bloody and violent battles, a game of deception and misdirection. It is heavily contingent on the acquisition of intelligence, the soundness of one’s planning, and the excellence of one’s execution. The first process, that of the acquisition of intelligence, is perhaps most crucially important. If war is the design of a general, intelligence about his enemy is likely as important as a seeing man’s eyes. A general’s planning guides his men into battle and hopefully to a victory at the end of the day. In most cases, it is the secrecy and subtlety that the general uses to put himself and his army in position to strike that can make all the difference. Attacking places which are not defended, as Sun Tzu, says is the easiest way insuring one’s victory. Similarly, we see methods like these employed by the cunning tactician Odysseus during the course of the Trojan War. In Homer’s Iliad, we find Odysseus and Diomedes acquiring intelligence about a Thracian camp, filled with sleeping soldiers. They get this information from Dolon, who Odysseus promises not to kill. Dolon tells the men about Rhesus: his armor and his horses. Sneakily, the Greeks get into position, ready to attack them as they slumber. Diomedes kills Rhesus and his cohorts: In this passage, Odysseus and Diomedes apply Sun Tzu’s great insight, and attack at will on the sleeping enemy. Book Ten demonstrates the effectiveness of psychological warfare,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Those Who Came and Followed Him Essay Example for Free

Those Who Came and Followed Him Essay The Gospel according to John draws a distinction to the destinies of Simon Peter and John the Apostle whom Jesus loves. In resemblance to his teacher who is in the person of Jesus Christ, Simon Peter’s life is a testament that the ultimate expression of love is the sacrifice of one’s own life for the benefit of the one he loves. As for the Apostle whom Jesus loves, John devoted his long life in proclamation of the love of the Heavenly Father through His only Begotten Son. Be that as it may, both disciples served as instruments in spreading the Good News as they lived in faithful accordance to the will of the Father. As recorded history would have it, it is for certain that Simon Peter worked in Rome at the latter his of his earthly life. It was there where he suffered and died as a martyr for being a believer of Jesus Christ (Niswonger, 1992). The death of Simon Peter establishes the historical basis of the Bishops of Rome’s assertion to his apostolic leadership. It was because of his bluntness that he unavoidably found himself in serious disagreement with Jewish powers that be. He had been placed under arrest twice as ordered by the high priests. It has been said that by some miracle he had been unchained from prison and surprised his fellow disciples by unexpectedly arriving on the scene before them. He then spread the Good News in Lydda and Joppa (Ruffin, 1998). In Caesarea, he came to know Cornelius and eventually convinced a Gentile to embrace the Catholic faith (Ruffin, 1998). Having recognized that the Gentiles’ maximum support is crucial for the sect, he facilitated in forming the early guiding principle towards them. As a result of such distinction he was elected Bishop of the See of Antioch (Ruffin, 1998). The idea that Paul was martyred at the time of Nero’s rule is firmly established on the writings of Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria as well as St. Irenaeus (Ruffin, 1998). The epistles he wrote are for those people from Asia Minor who chose to be converted and embraced Christianity. The First Epistle is full of concerns regarding shared kindness, charity, and meekness. Generally, it communicates the Christian duties expected to be practiced at all times. Towards the end, he offers good wishes from the church at Babylon. This is acknowledged as another proof that Paul wrote the letter in Rome, which was then referred to as Babylon (Ruffin, 1998). The Second Epistle cautions against wrong beliefs, tells about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and concludes with a brilliant doxology as it states that the faithful must grow in the love of God for He alone deserves the glory now and forever. The Apostle whom Jesus loves is regarded as the writer of one of the Gospels, the Book of Revelation as well as the Epistles (Ruffin, 1998). It is believed that he spent some time in Patmos though the exact length of his stay has not been recorded. Emperor Domitian of Rome believed that he had been able to silence the affectionate elder (Ruffin, 1998). However, the Emperor’s efforts cannot hinder the plan of the Heavenly Father to allow John to write a book which would form an integral part of the sacred scripture. The book of Revelation conveys the supreme victory over the power of evil by Jesus Christ as God the Savior (Life Application Study Bible NIV, 2005). When all else fails, it is a wonderful encouragement to be know that great things will come to put an end to the sorrows of life on earth. The assurance that in the end, God will reign supreme provides the utmost relief to the soul. The Revelation best concludes the sacred scripture as it imparts the promise of life eternal for those who believe. Old age did not allow John to conduct ministries as he used to. Instead, he sought the help of his brethren to transport him to places where he could spread the Good News (Ruffin, 1998). He has always said that children must love their brothers and sisters (Ruffin, 1998). It was the message he usually imparted. In this light, it forms the greatest expression of his Christian mission. By spreading the word of God, he allowed himself to be filled with the love of his Master, Jesus Christ and taught the faithful the way to salvation.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Spanish Conquest of South America Essay Example for Free

Spanish Conquest of South America Essay The Age of Exploration was an important time period in history without which the modern map would not be as we see it today. During this era, Europeans had a sudden urge to explore, discover, a feeling they had never had before. With the advancement in technology, the Europeans, as well as the Asians were able to explore the uncharted seas and discover the unknown land. During this time, many discoveries were made, but the one most remembered is the discovery of the Americas. This was a big discovery which added a whole new continent, never known about, onto their map. As soon as the land was discovered, so was the curiosity of the Spanish. The land was soon inhabited by the Spanish as well as the indigenous. The two races lived side by side happily, but soon the Spanish greed for gold, glory became too much and disaster struck. Whole communities were torn, murders committed and whole communities exterminated. Genocide: a terrible crime against the indigenous. Apart from the wars, more deaths were occurring, however they were not intentional. Both Spanish and the Indigenous were falling victims to new diseases. There were many reasons for death/murder whether intentional or not but no races or cultures were put to extinction due to the attack by the Spanish proving that the Spanish Conquest was not a genocide. After the discovery of America, the Spanish had access to a whole new continent, a whole new way of life as well as people. The Spanish were eager to lay claims on whatever they could, build their power, and gain wealth. The Spanish built communities, they scavenged for the land, for power and for control. The Spanish bred happily, sharing their way of life with the indigenous, learning new techniques, mastering technology and living peacefully. However, soon the Spanish wanted more; their greed was for more than what they had and soon war struck out. To gain power, land and wealth, the Spanish attacked the indigenous, taking as much as they could. The war raged on until the Spanish had full control, the indigenous people were forced to retreat. The land was destroyed. The Spanish had killed so many for a mere piece of land. Exploration wasn’t always safe. It exposed the explorers as well as the indigenous people to diseases, foods, animals they had never encountered before and this was going to prove dangerous. The indigenous people were exposed to diseases such as Influenza or Tuberculosis against which their immune systems had no power having never encountered them before. These diseases killed more people the wars fought between the Spanish and Indigenous. As the time passed, the indigenous people developed immunity against these diseases however these diseases never stopped and forever remained on the island infecting and maybe even killing more people over time. This effect didn’t happen only to the Indigenous. The Spanish were also exposed to new diseases such as Polio and Hepatitis which were even carried back overseas to Europe infecting a much larger population. Apart from only the diseases, new foods were also stumbled upon. These foods could make you fatally sick due to the fact that your body (as with the diseases) has never encountered them. Some foods that the Spanish came across were Tobacco and Tomatoes while the indigenous came across Coffee and Rice. During the Spanish Conquest of South America, many deaths occurred. There were intentional killings through the wars and equally unless more due to the exposure to a new environment. The Spanish killed many people, destroyed many communities, however they did not exterminate whole races as in the definition of genocide. Races or cultures might have been put to extinction later due to the diseases that were imported to America from Europe. The Spanish killed and destroyed however no races or cultures were put to extinction by this attack proving that the Spanish Conquest was not genocide. The Age of Exploration was an important time period in history without which we would not know of half the world available to us. Now the Europeans too to exploring the seas, discovering new land, it was now that the continent of America was discovered. This was an exciting new discovery for the Spanish. The Spanish were eager to inhabit the newly found land and gain power and wealth. They found the indigenous and continued living peacefully together. The Spanish greed soon became more than they could handle and war was started. However, those were not the only problems occurring in South America. The Spanish had brought with them diseases. People were dying everywhere, but was the question is whether it was genocide. Looking carefully, we can conclude this was not genocide as there were no cultures or races put to extinction by the Spanish.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay This study will argue against the neoclassical view of Milton Friedman on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). First of all it is essential to familiarise with the concept of CSR, this includes background information on the topic, than discuss the transformation of CSR over the years and the reasons for the changes. Than defining the concept as it is seen now. Additionally to familiarise with the literature used, two sources used in this study were evaluated under origins, values and limitations. Later the study will introduce the main argument of the study on the CSR, which will be separated into two parts. First part will analyse the traditional view of Milton Friedman and other economists and try to find out if the main responsibility of the company is to maximize profits. The second part will talk about the traditional view of the CSR which is opposing the neoclassical view. In conclusion I will try to argue Milton Friedmans case of neoliberal position on CSR. Background on Corporate Social Responsibility The concept of social responsibility was traced back to the ancient times. The first stage of the CSR development happened thousand years BC where authorities introduced different rules and regulations where the workers were severely punished for being careless and injured someone during their work. Or In Ancient Rome senators grumbled about the failure of businesses to contribute sufficient taxes to fund their military campaigns.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) During the industrial revolution the concept grew to a whole new level and the significance of business in society started to increase exponentially. By the 1920s the new stage began that social responsibility was not seen as an ethic but became a whole new concept, however the magnitude of the concept was undervalued. As Dean of Harvard Business School Wallace B. Donham: Business has not learned how to handle these changes, nor does it recognise the magnitude of its responsibilities for the fut ure of civilisation.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) The ideology of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a response to pressure from the business side of growing leftist sentiment and the trade union movement in the last third of the XIX century. Incurred if the institutions of civil society demanded from businesses providing social guarantees to the workers and to ensure protection of their labour and the decline of trade unions in the mid XX century for business owners updated the task of preserving and maintaining the loyalty of motivation of subordinates, which again forced them to turn to CSR. It was then that the concept has become firmly established in the theory and practice of corporate governance in the U.S. However the effect of globalization cannot be under estimated as it played a significant role in CSR, which forced companies to look for more creative ways of positioning information in a crowded world. Thus, CSR was the result of deep transformation of relations of private business and society in a post-industrial economy. Definition Searching for the most precise definition in the least amount of text, the definition by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense (Baker 2004) they defined Corporate Social Responsibility as: the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large (Baker 2004) In essence CSR is a concept that reflects the companys voluntary decision to participate in the improvement. An important remark to make before defining CSR is that it is a very broad topic with no clear-cut definition; this creates a lot of uncertainty. In order to reduce some uncertainty it is essential to divide CSR into two different parts and look at it in a more detailed manner. First part that will be looked at is the internal CSR, which is limited by the scope of the company, it deals with social policies of the employees. The second part is the external CSR, which is responsible for the outside framework and therefore deals with a much broader spectrum than the internal, as it takes into the account all the social and environmental factors, in some cases it helps eliminate the failures of the authorities in the social sphere, shifting a significant share of burden to the corporations. Additionally there are different principles of the CSR that will be mentioned later in the study including: Transparency this deals with publicity and the reliability of the company, significance deals with the scale and the effectiveness of the policies and prevention of conflicts among other parties. Evaluation of Sources In order to examine the two sides in more depth sources with different views and opinions were used. For a more critical evaluation two books have different perspectives on the case of CSR which helps the study answer the question from different viewpoints. First book, The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility, by Steve May, George Cheney, and Juliet Roper answers the question in a theoretical and practical perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. The books value lies in the fact that this book is based primary on facts and is independent from views, which is perfect for this study. Another important aspect to mention is the relevance of the book to the current situation in business as it was published 5 years ago which is relatively recent. The Second book Corporate Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Paradox of Social Cost  by Moses L. Pava and Joshua Krausz. This book is very different from the first one as it focuses more on the performance of the company based on CSR. It contains empirical studies on the correlation between the CSR and performance that will be used further in the study. The limitation of this book is that it was published in the 1995 and the concept of CSR changed since then. Introduction Currently the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility is a subject of debate and criticism. Defenders argue that it has a solid business case, and corporations receive many benefits because they work for a broader and more long-term than their own short-term gain momentary. Critics argue that social responsibility moves away from the fundamental economic role of businesses, and distracts the company form its main goal. Thus, there are two main approaches to the study of corporate social responsibility. On one hand we have the notion of M. Friedman, who relies on formal rationality. On the other hand, we have representatives of the second approach, the liber idea of CSR. The researchers are relying on objective research. They recognize that the social responsibility of business is complex and cannot be reduced to the bare economic interest of profit maximization. In analysing both views this study will find out to what extend does Milton Friedmans traditional view of the CSR increase financial profits of the company. Before we elaborate on these two opposite approaches to the study of corporate responsibility, it should be noted that the leaders and managers of todays companies are increasingly aware of the positive impact of socially responsible behaviour to achieve not only strategic but also financial goals of the business. Milton Friedmans view on Responsibility of Corporations Nobel Prize winner, a supporter of the policy of monetarist Milton Friedman in his book Capitalism and Freedom published in 1962 there is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.. Similarly,  the social responsibility of  labor  leaders  is  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  members  of  theirunions.  It  is  the social responsibility  of  the  rest  of  us  to  establish  a  framework  of  law  such that  an  individual  in  pursuing  his  own  interest  is,  to  quote  Adam  Smith  again,  led  by an  invisible  hand  to  promote  an  end  which  was  no  part  of  his  intention (Friedman Friedman, 1982, p. 133) The essence of this argument is that the direction of the profits for social goals reduces the volume of profit, which violates the principle of profit maximization, which is fundamental to the business. Note that in the short term deductions from profits related realization of a social responsibility goal in business does reduce profits. Additionally if, for example the price of a companys products would be reduced, this would really cheer the consumers who can buy more for lower price thus increase purchasing power; it will have the same effect on the shareholders if the value of dividends grow. Therefore, installation of additional environmental equipment, of course, is a positive impact on the environment and the society; however who will have to pay for this? Eventually, the consumers as the improvements will increase the cost of production and consequently, the prices of goods and services, reducing the purchasing power of the consumer. Milton Friedman backed his arguments with a number of arguments. For example he used the concept of comparative advantage in order to argument the fact that social programs should not be implemented by the managers as they do not have the comparative advantage and the know-how in that field, instead they should be engaged in maximizing profits for the company. Friedmans argument was based on one of the most influential classical economists David Richardo who argued that the flow of goods should not be interrupted by the government and should flow freely across the country and the boarders and therefore will be most efficient. In the book by Friedman makes a strong argument stating that corporate responsibility was initialised by leftists and socialists and any sign in directing the business in socially responsible direction will be seen as destruction of capitalism because evidently: the  manager  who  reduces  profit  for  social ends such as reducing pollution or  hiring  members  of  disadvantaged  groups  takes  over  the functions of government because  he  is  in  effect  imposing  taxes  and  deciding  how  to  spend the proceeds. The  corporate  executive  thus  becomes  a  civil  servant,  a  public  employee.  The result  is  thus  full blown socialism, the rejection of the market mechanisms in favor  of  political mechanism (Aune, 2007, p. 212) Moreover Friedmans financial statement analyst criteria characterises companies investments in the social field as inferior investments (Aune, 2007, p. 212) due to that Friedman increased his influence in the 1975, after the decline of support in Keynesian economics and increase in Milton Friedmans monetarist movement in the field of inflation and unemployment. This improved his position in the battle against CSR. And increased support from other economists including Henderson who backed Friedman on his arguments against CSR and based on his principles wanted to implement Friedmans idea to the new globalized economy. In addition many organizations were created in order to oppose the traditional idea of CSR. Here are some examples of the organizations mentioned above: Competitive Enterprise Institute or the Free Enterprise Action Fund. These organizations based on Friedmans arguments try to prove that CSR is a smokescreen for socialists and collectivist theme. (Aune, 2007, p. 208) which was a very strong argument after the Cold War bringing up the idea of Soviet Collectivisation policies. As mentioned before, Friedman was not the only advocate of the neoliberal view on CSR. Also people like J. Roberts argue that the corporation is an idea, an imaginary, without substance or sensibility and therefore incapable of anything like responsibility. Instead, corporate responsibility will always depend upon people using their frail and vital sentience and following the path that this assigns. (Christensen, 2007, p. 449) Or Greider states that business should be making money otherwise they will be less efficient if they will engage in CSR and take societys interest into consideration. Not only because of the opportunity cost of investing that money into something more profitable but also because they are no specialized in the area and therefore will waste the resources due to inefficiency. Furthermore presents Hawleys study in 1991 where he conducted a survey from 22 business textbooks to find out what is goal of the corporation his finds came to a common conclusion that The  typical  Introductory  Corporate  Finance  course  begins  with  the  instructorposing  the  following  question  to  the  students:  What  is  the  primary  objectiveof  financial  managers  and  the  corporation?  The  answer,  of  course,  is that corporate managers should seek  to  maximize  the  wealth  of  owners  by maximizing the price of the shares. That any government or corporate interference with the natural workings of the market prevents resources from flowing to their most valued uses. Government  intervention, beyond punishing fraud, introduces unnecessary friction  into  the  natural  and  smooth workings  of  the  market. (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 17) In summary the first part of the study presents the main arguments of the neoclassical view on the Corporate Social Responsibility and on how the corporations should operate in order to be prosperous. First of all Milton Friedman argued that the only thing that should be of concern to the corporation and its managers are the profits. His arguments were based on the fact that the managers were hired by the shareholders to maximize profits and not to take over governments role and act like civil servants. In essence everyone has their own role in the society and everyone should do their role as best as possible as they are most efficient in doing that role and when someone from society tries to do the role that they are not designed to do than the denial of capital market mechanism occurs and what Friedman refers to this as is leftism and socialism. Further in the essay in order to validate the arguments presented by Friedman, other economists like J. Richards argued his notion on corp orations as being an idea and therefore not able to have responsibilities. Moreover Greiders and Hawleys counter CSR arguments were included in order to show the full scope of arguments against CSR. Limitations of Milton Friedmans Arguments There are many critics of the neoclassical view on CSR and Friedmans arguments. Number one is that Friedmans arguments are very subjective and are based on assumptions without any scientific facts or evidence that back his argumentation. This is a big disadvantage for his side as the lack of information and evidence that would act like a backbone and strengthen his position acts against him. As a result questions like does CSR really reduce the performance of the corporation? arise. Moreover, according to Friedman if corporations with money do not invest into the improvement of society and its employees, than who will? The main disagreement here between the two sides is that Friedman refuses to admit the fact that the economy, society, environment and the government are all interlinked between each other especially in the globalised economy, and you cannot view economy on its own without considering the other 3 factors. Friedman and many other economists tend to use of various economic theoretical models in order to illustrate their theories, however the models that apply to the economy usually do not apply to the real world as they tend to ignore many other factors like the government. In consequence he sees economy isolated from the society. Friedman stated that the corporation is doing well as long as they are conducting their business legally and are operating at profit maximizing level. The author in the book makes a very strong argument against Friedmans position as he states that his account on CSR in 1970 does not take the changing preferences of consumers and shareholders into account. What if the company is operating legally and maximizing profits indirectly with an enemy state during wartime? For example number of biggest U.S. Companies traded with Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya, due to the sanctions set by the Government they exported the goods to Dubai that were further re-exported the goods to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya. (Aune, 2007, p. 215) Michael Scherer conducted a research on a number of US companies, he found out that for example: That the Canadian GE works on four new hydroelectric power generators at the Kurun River dam that will benefit the Iranian oil sector. Additionally they provide the Iranian oil sector with the latest equipment including pipelines, compressors and turbines. However the trade is not done directly, as they have an Italian company called Nuovo Pignone that acts like a middle man. Or another example: one of the largest oilfield companies Halliburtons subsidy helped building in one of the largest fertilizer plants near Iraq. They also provide Iranian National Oil Co. with $226 million drilling equipment, the CEO of Halliburton Richard Cheney also stated that U.S. the sanctions against Iran and Libya hurt business and failed to stop terrorism. There are number of other examples of the worlds largest companies including ConocoPhillips or ExxonMobil that at the end of the day trade with the Axis o f Evil (Aune, 2007, p. 215) According to Friedman and his idea of corporate capitalism as it should be all the companies that were listed above in the example are doing nothing wrong, as at the end of the day they first, maximizing profits for the shareholders and second, they are doing nothing illegal. (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Therefore, according to Friedman all that matters is profit maximization, even over consumer interest and the public. Friedmans logic is irrational; as we have seen from the example some profit-maximizing actions might threaten the security of the society which is far more important than the prosperity than any corporation. Summarizing the limitations of Milton Friedmans with globalisation developing the role of corporations changed since the time Friedman was studying economics, now with globalization it is far more integrated into the society and both of them have to work together in order to prosper as a whole, because a business will never be successful if the employers are unhappy and vice versa. Moreover, as specified above Friedmans arguments are based on assumptions and as in James Aune states the opponents of CSR [should] argue for their assumptions as well as their conclusions (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Or his assumption that Market capitalism working by managers of corporations doing their role of satisfying the shareholders by creating profits. However at the same time he discounts the fact that social justice as an essential part of the utility many consumers or shareholders may wish to maximize (Aune, 2007, p. 213), again assuming that all shareholders do not wish to maximize utility but instead want to make profits. Traditional View of Corporate Social Responsibility Expectedly not everyone agrees with the views of M. Friedman on CSR among scientists, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, the social responsibility of business is seen as social advantage of the company. This idea was first suggested a professor at Harvard Business School, author of the theory of competitive advantage by Michael Porter in his article in the Harvard Business Review  «New issue of philanthropy the creation of value in 1999 Porter points out that social programs are now used mainly by companies as a form of  «public relations » or promotional purposes. For example, the tobacco digging Philip Morris (USA) in 1999, has spent $ 75 million to various donations, and then spent another $ 100 million on their advertising campaign. However, there is another way in the implementation of socially responsible business: companies can also strengthen their competitive position by improving the quality of the business environment in the places where their activities are unfolding. As noted by M. Porter, using philanthropy as a competitive advantage of the company allows you to link social and economic goals and improve the long-term prospects of its development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Performance Friedman argues in his essay that companies are better off when they are maximize their profits, however this is not always the case. The image of a socially responsible company an investment in its business reputation. In fact, all other things being equal, people are more willing to go to work in a socially responsible than a socially irresponsible company, will buy its products, services, or actions. Suppliers and business partners will also be more interested in cooperation with the firm, which has a high reputation. Thus, in the long term, when various groups, ensure the correct behaviour of the company, it is likely to increase its income. As written before, economy is interlinked not only with the society but also with the government and the fact that companies that behave in a socially responsible economic manner, not only improves the society, but also has some other benefits, such as, participation in the implementation of government orders. Additionally, due to growing environmental and social problems CSR will always be a big topic, therefore more and more enforced regulations will be implemented like for example production standards or service quality or pollution quota, companies that are more socially responsible will therefore be prepared and would not need radical structural changes like the companies that did not engage in socially responsibility. Finally, company that is socially responsible towards its employees will benefit from the favourable working climate and higher motivation that will further increase efficiency and output of the company. Moreover many texts argue that companies, especially large MNC have the financial resources to be more socially responsible. However in my opinion this argument is flawed as the availability of the financial resources does not necessary indicate the incentive to spend them. Finally an example where CSR and Performance are positively correlated is in an article on Corporate Social Responsibility (Todd, Kristin, Baylor Business Review) Hollender CEO of Seventh Generation who was voted the best Social CEO of the year talks about transparency of the companies as the main stepping-stone towards social responsibility, he says that Greater transparency is just the first step towards taking greater responsibility for the future that all of us are creating and Whats  true  of  transparency  is  likewise  true  of  Seventh  Generations  effort  to  not  onlysucceed  in  the  marketplace  and  contribute  to  society,  but  to  influence  others  to  contributeas  well,  he  writes.  Its  a  challenging,  sometimes  even  bewildering  odyssey  that  tests  thespirit  and  will  of  each  and  every  one  of  us. (Todd, 2009) There are limitations with defining CSR and there is no specific line that can be drawn to separate socially responsible and non-socially responsible companies, and the extent to how socially responsible the companies are. Therefore it is very difficult to see the effect of CSR on the performance on the company. Table 2.1 (Corporate  Social  Responsibility  and  Traditional  Financial  Performance:  Summary  of  21Empirical  Studies  Ã‚  Principal  Findings) (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 21) below, however, tries to demonstrate the effect of CSR on the financial performance. A study of 21 companies was conducted to see the correlation, if there is any, between CSR and financial performance. TABLE  2.1   Direction  ofAssociation 1993  Results* Ullmann  (  1985)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   Positive  Association 12 8 Negative  Association 1 1 No  Association 8 4 Totals 21 13 From the following the main observation that is visible is that from the 21 one studies conducted more than half, 12 studies showed a positive association between CSR and financial performance, only 1 showed a negative association and 8 showed no correlation between the two. From this table we can conclude that CSR Firms do not perform worse than non-CSR this already goes again Milton Friedmans theory that firms maximizing profits would do better than firms engaged in CSR. As he argues that any action that benefits the company cannot be socially responsible. However we have a different view from a professor of University of California in his article: CSR Doesnt Pay, he looks at we have previously discussed in the essay, the correlation between CSR and performance of the corporation. He writes that The  good  news  is  that  firms  with  superior  CSR  performance  have  notperformed  any  worse  than  their  less  virtuous  competitors.  But  the  disappointing  news  isthat  neither  have  they  done  any  better.  For  most  firms,  most  of  the  time,  CSR  is  largelyirrelevant  to  their  financial  performance. Vogel  gives  Starbucks  as  an  example.  Starbucks  provides  an  example  of  the  limitedimportance  of  CSR  to  financial  performance,  he  writes.  The  firm  enjoys  a  strong  CSRreputation  due  to  its  generous  labor  policies  and  its  commitment  to  i mprove  the  earningsand  environmental  practices  of  coffee  growers  in  developing  countries.  Yet,  since  thebeginning  of  2008,  its  shares  have  recently  declined  nearly  50  percent. (Todd, 2009) ,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  The  market  has  many  virtues,  but  reconciling  corporate  goals  andpublic  purposes  is  unfortunately  not  among  them. (Todd, 2009) What Vogel says in this example is that CSR is completely irrelevant with the performance of the company and has no effect on the stock performance. Finally Vogel states that there is no karma in business and that good things will not happen to those who do good Managers  should  try  to  act  more  responsibly.  But  they  should  not  expect  the  market  tonecessarily  reward  them-  or  punish  their  less  responsible  competitors. (Todd, 2009) Summarizing the part performance and CSR, first the study talked about the positive aspects of the CSR and how it could help the corporations improve. Second part presented a study that demonstrated that companies involved in CSR do not do worse than companies that maximize profits. Finally the third part shows Vogels interpretations of CSR in terms of financial performance and that showed us that there is no correspondence with between the two. (Todd, 2009) Conclusion Social changes in society are successful when they consciously and responsibly involved the most significant force. Interaction of political, social and economic subjects, based on the principles of social partnership, ensures stable and gradual development of the state. With the increasing importance of non-financial factors of sustainable development, such as social stability, environmental safety, updated theoretical and practical aspects of social responsibility. Relevance of research associated with the processes of globalization, reinforcing the role of large companies in the economic development. Nation-states are gradually yielding to pressure multinational corporations and economic independence, and social policy. Counter this trend is to be co-ordinated action, ensuring the achievement of indicators of social responsibility, which comply with international standards and principles of sustainable development. Market globalization, the transformation of the national in the world, identifies the need for an economic entity of innovation in engineering, technology, labor and management, based on the use and application of science and best practices. At the center of all these phenomena is the intellectual capital the quality of the labor force and motivation. The lack of comprehensive scientific developments in the field of modern management, social technologies complicates the interaction of domestic enterprises, government and society. In the implementation of socially responsible policy, the role of corporate governance, ensuring the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals of the enterprise. Science-based decision management problems can provide an enabling social and psychological conditions of the enterprise, to influence the development of relations with stakeholders in a timely manner to prevent social tensions, without violating the principles of economic efficiency. Social responsibility is also manifested in the implementation of commitments made at the level of functional units of the organization, especially top management. Develop procedures for social policy, social programs, the performance criteria must comply with the rules and principles of public law. One way of forming objective information about the social impact of the company is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-financial risks, including social. Actual development of common approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of socially responsible policies. Evaluation of the quality management affects the position of the company in the financial markets, maintaining a conflict-existence of society, sustainable development. (CSR)Vogel  says,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  

Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken - The Significance of The Road Not Ta

The Significance of The Road Not Taken  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      My father introduced me to "The Road Not Taken" when I was a young teenager because he figured that I was beginning a period of my life where I would be forced to make many important decisions, and he saw this poem as a source of guidance through those decisions. This poem carries truth and edification in its words. It forms a beautiful analogy of life and all its complications. After my father finished reciting the poem, I never gave a second thought that day to Robert Frost or his poetry. It was weeks, possibly months, before I resumed thought on "The Road Not Taken." It was not until one year ago that I actually read it. Nevertheless, I did remember that poem, and no matter how many times I put it aside to contemplate other things, it was always waiting for my return. Through all of my high school years, it tagged along beside me, reminding me that change is good, reminding me that risk is what life is all about. The first stanza of this poem introduces the concept of change and maturing. In the first line, the narrator is walking through a "yellow wood," indicating that it is most likely autumn. A nice descriptive detail, but is that all it is? Autumn is the season of change between summer and winter. That is the common definition, yet it can also mean a time of maturity or decline, and standing at a fork in the road of life, the author was prone to either of these. The process of maturing, however, is what is going to be enveloped in this poem. He is being forced to examine each road and make a mature decision about which one to take. He starts his decision-making process by looking down one road as far as he could. However, he could only see as far ... ...hat is what makes the difference. That is why this poem makes such a difference. It sends a powerful message of self-respect. It holds the power to influence a person not to be influenced. Is this a contradiction? Perhaps, but it is the truth. When I came to a fork in my road, I was influenced by this poem to believe in myself and take the road "less traveled by" (19). The analogy is that no life is a straight shot. Everyone faces a fork in the road and must make a decision, possibly an irreversible decision, and the only way to look back on a decision like that with a sigh of relief is to make the decision based on what you believe to be right. That may not be what society thinks is right, what your friends think is right, or even what your family thinks is right, but taking the path based on independent will is what makes "all the difference" (20).      

Monday, August 19, 2019

Drinking on College Campuses :: beer Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism,

Drinking on College Campuses Beer bongs, keg stands, and a million new drinks to discover, these are what college is all about. First-year students are introduced to a whole new world of parties that last until 3 a.m. and drinking beer for the usual breakfast. The week consists of concentrating on school for about 4 days of the week and partying 3 days. The money that was supposed to go towards books and gas to get home has been hoarded for the latest beer run or was used to get into the bar. This trend is getting into the habit of drinking as you enter college; it seems the two go hand in hand. It has become a rite of passage that weaved its way into the introduction of university life (National Institute, October 2002). Those students who never drank in high school seem to think drinking is suddenly okay when they start studying for their bachelor’s degree. This addition of responsibility is then balanced by the act of partying. It seems completely absurd that students choose to drink while investing around $20,000 a year in school. It all starts at high school graduation. Drinking is suddenly endorsed, or protested less, by parents, coaches, adults, organizations, and businesses. When seniors in high school finally graduate, it is common for a party to be thrown in their honor. Some of these parties include alcohol, and we can be pretty sure it wasn’t bought by the graduate unless they flunked a few times and are of legal age. Parents, other adults, and older friends supply the liquor and beer for the underage partiers. When the graduates make the next major step in their life and head for college, they are confronted with many opportunities to get hammered, sloshed, annihilated, drunk, inebriated, intoxicated, wasted, and totally smashed. Other college students are eager to help their young, new friends out by taking them for a trip to the liquor store. Since some bars are legal to those over the age of eighteen, it’s not a problem getting served there either. The 21 year-olds are conveniently stamped for minors looking to spot a potential buyer. Since a minor isn’t worried about getting served, the most apparent problem is getting to the bar. One setting of this national trend can be studied locally.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

A Study Of Depression And Relationships Essay -- essays research paper

A Study of Depression and Relationships A primary concern for Psychology research is depression. Depression affects a great deal of our population and many aspects of an individual's mental health and well-being. In my research of books, articles, and Internet pages on depression, I chose to base my paper mainly on a 1994 article of a study of depression, entitled Depression, Working Models of Others, and Relationship Functioning, by Katherine B. Carnelley, Paula R. Pietromonaco, and Kenneth Jaffe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This study focuses on the idea that the type of care received in childhood, positive or negative, has a great effect on relationship functioning later in adulthood. But there are two links between child-rearing and relationship functioning: attachment style and depression. Both derive from the type of care received in childhood and affect relationship functioning, and both exert a reciprocal influence on each other in adulthood. The researchers of this study wanted to examine all the correlation's between type of care, attachment style, depression, and relationship functioning. They proposed a three part hypothesis: 1. A less positive childhood would result in an insecure attachment style and depression, 2. Depressives would exhibit a preoccupied or fearful style of attachment, and 3. attachment style would affect relationship functioning more than depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The research was conducted in two independent studies. The first study sampled 204 college women. Women were studied based on the very plausible assumptions that women are more susceptible to depression than men and relationships carry more significance with women than men. The women were screened using the Beck Depression Inventory, a popular method of testing consisting of 21 multiple choice questions to be administered by a clinician. The questions range in scope from feelings of sadness to loss of libido. From these results, a sample of 163 was taken: 73 whose scores indicated mild depression. From this point the researchers administered various inventories to assess the type of childhood care given, romantic attachment styles, and relationship functioning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depression appears to be the independent variable, because the sample was selected based on desired levels of depression. Once the distinction in levels of de... ...s is through hereditary. Almost 40-50 percent of the siblings of manic depressive's children also have a depression disorder. It is sometimes however hard to decipher between a normal teenager's mood swings, or a depression. People need to realize not to discriminate, and know that it is a treatable chemistry imbalance. If one's teenager is acting in a depressive state have them talk to a psychologist, and assure them nothing is wrong with them, and that it can only help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I chose to do my research on this given that I am manic depressive. I had recently broken up in a relationship, and this research helped to satisfy some curiosities. With this research I realize how much I have been helped, and it helped to explain some of my personality traits. Someone who has manic depression should definitely go in for help, and should realize the risk of not. The research shows that the interaction between relationship functioning, depression, and attachment style are attributable to early childhood. In other words, an individual's experiences in his or her formative years can have lasting psychological effects, up to the most basic social functions in adulthood.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Reaching Your Potential

After I read this article I fond out that managing yourself is a good way to be successful. There are some strategies of how to achieve higher levels of success, such as knowing yourself, excelling at critical tasks and demonstrating character and leadership. The purpose is to clear understand who you are and what your dream is. There is one strategies really touched me is that knowing your self from strengths and weakness can help you to achieve your dream or goal. First, knowing yourself is telling you to understand what are your strengths and weaknesses when you start your career. Some people can easily tell what are their strengths, but hard to defined the weakness. Talking to other people who knows you is a good way to get the answer. After finding the weakness and strength, the next thing is to ask yourself about what is your dream work and what do you enjoy doing? Then keep your strength and face your weakness in order to reach your full potential. I do agree this strategy and it helps a lot, I still remember when I started working, I wasn’t good at communication at first. However, my job required me to communicate with different manufactures, so I need to negotiate with different departments and sometimes I am asked to go to the factory to see the quality of samples. It requires a certain level of communication skills. In order to practice my communication skill, I try to write down my points before conversations. After a lot of time practice, I can clearly state my point of view. I faced my weakness in order to do well with my job. I think those practices not only improve my working ability but also having a good effect even up to now. Secondly, Excelling at critical tasks is to know how to develop your skills and how to distribute times after a critical business meeting. In order to reach your potential, it requires introspection and certain proactive behaviors. This strategy reminds me of my previews manager when I working in a French fashion company. She is good at using spare time to find useful information. In my memory, she always came to office half hour earlier and collected some latest news from fashion newspaper and websites, and prepared work to each designer. This is a good way to distribute times and practice the skill of colleting useful information. Last but not least is demonstrating character and leadership, a leader is a good decision maker and benefits the organization’s overall performance, and also they need to speak up and make better choices. I think leadership is a major element in management field, and better leadership can make company better organized. In conclusion, the advice for you to reaching your potential is to identify your dream, develop the skills after finding your weakness, and exhibit character and leadership.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Of Mice and Men: How does the author show sympathy for Curley’s wife Essay

On the ranch there is a well known woman merely referred to as ‘Curley’s Wife’. As the characters develop we find that she is not in fact the unimportant, nameless character we first perceive her as, but rather she is a relatively complex one, with much more to her than we first gather, causing us to feel sympathy for her later in the novel. In this essay I will state how John Steinbeck influenced the reader to feel sympathy for Curley’s wife, especially after making the reader prejudice towards her. Steinbeck creates sympathy for Curley’s wife in numerous ways, one being her name. The fact that she never has a name outside of the reference to her husband clearly shows the reader that her identity is surrendered to a heartless husband. Evidence of this is when she admits that her husband ‘aint a nice man’ and that she never truly wanted to marry him. This leaves the reader with a impression of a unhappy, isolated woman to the extent that there is sympathy regardless of her outrageous behavior towards Crooks. Alternatively, the lack of a name for this woman could could suggest she is insignificant and not as important of a character as George, Lennie or any of the other men on the ranch. It could also be referring to how during the Great Depression, women were oppressed and treated less equally. Steinbeck may have portrayed Curley’s wife in this light to allow the reader to recognize the inferior role of women at that time. The lack of name relegates Cur ley’s wife to an insignificant status like a lot of women in a 1930s society. Steinbeck enables the reader to see Curley’s Wife through migrant worker Candy’s eyes on their first encounter her, as in his dialogue he refers to her as a ‘tart’. Through his words, we develop an initial perception of Curley’s Wife as as a bit of a ‘floozie’. Furthermore, Candy effectively accuses her of acting disloyal to her newly married husband Curley by saying, ‘she got the eye’ for other men. The word ‘tart’ suggests she presents herself in an ostentatious manner. Before even being introduced to the woman, the reader is convinced she’s to blame for anything that goes wrong in Solidad. Her physical appearance of ‘†¦full, rouged lips†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, as  well as ‘fingernail painted red’ and elaborate hair, emphasize our preconceptions of her. I believe her attire is very significant to how we perceive her. She is said to be ‘heavily made up’ in primary colours (making her almost impossible to ignore or dismiss). This could be interpreted as her silent cry out for attention due to her being so isolated and lonely, after all there are no other woman on the ranch. Her appearance is portrayed as one of an actress or someone who has means of great luxury, this is why she is so incongruous on the ranch as she is not your typical housewife.. Her mien could also be construed as though she believes she is above any other woman who lives on a ranch, indicating she wants escape from her current lifestyle as her attire is suited for anything but her own. The description of her face being, ‘heavily made up’ could also propose the idea that she is insecure with her natural complexion. In other words, her face is a mask – it’s fake and not the real her. This makes a big connection of her ambitions of being an actress, a person that is constantly pretending to be someone they’re not. All of this contributes to the reader sympathising with her as she is so hopelessly insecure. On the other hand, Curley’s Wife’s appearance could be seen as naivety, and simply desire to be appreciated/noticed. Steinbeck may have portrayed Curley’s Wife with’ wide eyes’ to illustrate her as gullible or even that she is searching for something – which I believe was to be appreciated. If the text is analysed thoroughly, Steinbeck leaves subtle traces of evidence to help the reader understand her behaviour and fashionistic choices. ‘He says he was gonna put me in the movies’ is evidence of the ‘dream life’ Curley’s wife believed she was destined to have as she details twice ‘ I coulda been in movies†¦ I coulda sat in big hotels’ had her chance not have been stolen. This theme of lost opportunity or shattered dreams is often repeated throughout the story. The delusional mindset that leads to her cruel nature is the theme that makes the reader sympathetic to her. Red is a primary colour therefore people are attracted to it hence why Curley’s Wife wearing a lot of red may symbolise she desperately wants the  spotlight (attention) – much like many film stars. The description of ‘full rouged lips’ could be evidence of her attempt to be appreciated by the ranch workers; by drawing their attention to her lips it forces them to listen to what she has to say. Furthermore, another connotation of the colour is danger. A reason for Steinbeck portraying her as an associate of this colour may have been the foreshadowing of the blood that was to be shed. Finally, it is also a reminder of the girl in Weed who had a ‘red velvet’ dress that Lennie grabbed which caused him and George to go on the run, which we also know happens at the end of this novel. I believe Steinbeck structures Curley’s Wife’s character very intelligently as this subtle foreshadow indirectly makes a connection of the beginning and ending of the novel, also relating to her ambitions of being a movie star by the emphasis of a red ‘velvet’ dress. This indistinct description is often unnoticed causing the ‘reality vs: fantasy’ connection to be dismissed between Curley’s wife wearing a ‘cotton’ dress which immediately makes her no more than a housewife, however much she tries. Also on Curley’s Wife’s first appearance, the reader is made apparent of her alleged promiscuity as, ‘she put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward’, This suggestive and provocative body language justifies Candy’s statement of her and is hard evidence to the reader that she in fact a tart. However, we know this is not true. Curley’s wife shows similar traits to Crooks by standing in the door frame as he is isolated from it too. This causes the reader to feel sympathetic for her as she is secluded for being conceived as something she actually isn’t. Through no fault of her own, the men do not want to associate with her due them believing she is ‘jailbate’ ‘and a ‘rattrap’. This infers that the men are scared of her, something that frustrates her because she can’t comprehend why the men’s attitudes to her are so negative. The ‘rattrap’ could also be a forewarning of her escape to freedom which was only achievable by death. This is because once the rat trap’ (ie her) had been set off, it could no longer be used again, so effectively she committed suicide. I think that Curley’s wife and a rat are arguably similar as they are both hated by their relative society for being who / what they are, which is completely unfair. Also, rats are relatively small animals, this  could link to Curley’s wife as she feels and is perceived as dramatically insignificant on the Boss’ ranch. Curleys’ wife both talks and acts playfully and flirtatiously in front of the other workers. In my opinion she behaves in this manner because her sex is her only weapon to gain attention. Steinbeck could have been trying to make a point of her actions being relative to the era she lived in. I believe he deliberately portrayed her in this light with the intentions of making the reader feel sympathetic towards her in later chapters, but also to make the reader feel apologetic and penitent for labeling and being prejudice towards her. On one of her ‘looking for Curley’ routines she says, ‘They left all the weak ones here’ alluding to the three men, all ‘weak’ in their respective ways. However there is irony in this comment because she is seen as unworthy of a name thus why the reader can conclude that she’s unimportant. It is also ironic because she was left behind by all the men too, ‘Even Curley’. This causes the reader to feel sympathy for her as she is aware that she is just as marginalized as the ‘weak’ men. Evidence of this is when she rhetorically questions them. Here, the author is not only trying to show that Curley is a major obstacle in her having a proper conversation but Steinbeck is also emphasizing the fragmented relationship the couple have.The lonely and hostile side of the woman is revealed when she admits to feeling a shameless dissatisfaction with her life which inevitably causes the reader to feel remorse for her. Curley’s wife is again shown to be dislikeable by expressing bitterness when reffering to the men as ‘bindle stiffs- a nigger an’ a dum dum† The author presents her intense anger by stating â€Å"breathless with indignation† which explains her frustration. Finally, Steineck creates sympathy for Curley’s wife in the way that he portrayed her death as her true vulnerability is unmasked. ‘Ever’one knowed you’d mess things up.’ were the words from Candy when left in the barn with her body. The fact that none of the ranch workers, or even her husband, seemed to be particularly saddened of her death causes the reader to feel sympathy for her because it cements just how unappreciated she was. We  finally see her for the young victim she is as ‘the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache were all gone from her face’. This repetition of discontent symbolizes that death was her escape because she is now away from being negatively labelled and misinterpreted. Steinbeck uses imagery to present her at peace after her death as she is described as, ‘†¦very pretty†¦sweet and young†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This causes the reader to feel sympathetic as the character we first perceived her as is gone. Also, the description of ‘young’ furthered my sympathy towards her as it suggests to me she had a short and unfulfilled life. My sympathy for her is also heightened in this chapter because her vulnerability is now clearly identifiable, for example she failed to understand the danger of Lennie – despite the evidence of his violent power in her husband’s mutilated hand and the dead pup he is grasping. The basic idea in Steinbeck’s description of Curley’s wife’s corpse is that in death her beauty can finally be appreciated. Furthermore, who can’t feel sympathy for somebody that is dead from no fault of their own? Personally, I feel most sympathetic towards Curley’s wife more than any other character in the book because she was in a constant battle to be accepted. What makes me most sympathetic though is that in finally letting her guard down to confide in Lennie, she was murdered. Even in her death she is nothing more than a scapegoat as she is referred to as ‘no good’ by Candy. She was never considered as a person, only as Curley’s showcase trophy. Curley’s wife, as Steinbeck depicts her, does not share Lennie’s innocence. Steinbeck rests a measure of blame for the killing on the victim herself which causes the reader to yet again pity her unfortunate life. Moreover, I feel sympathetic towards her because her dreams were futile and it was only at death that she could be rid of all the male dominance that corrupted and controlled her life. After all, it was a man who gave her the ‘false hopes entity’ that followed her to her life on the ranch, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t leave the past behind. She ‘had the eye’ restlessly searching for true love and affection. Steinbeck gave Curley’s wife a circular structure that represents no matter how hard she tried to progress to her ambitions, her cycle always involved her finishing at her starting point, therefore no progress could ever made because her life was the  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœbeginning of the end’.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Internet addiction Essay

Addiction pertains to a behavioral issue that is mainly characterized by an urge to consume a particular item or perform a specific activity repeatedly (Pies, 2009). Addiction is different from abuse, which is technically a less serious version of this behavioral problem. The act of repeatedly performing an action or consuming a specific substance is mainly influenced by external and internal factors. Addiction is largely influenced by the physiological and psychological effect that an individual achieves when he performs a specific action or consumes a particular item. It is also possible for social factors to affect an individual to repeatedly perform a specific action. The Internet is one of the latest networks that links people to the rest of the world by enabling them to communicate and gather information at the fastest and most efficient way to date (Collier, 2009). The accessibility of the Internet in almost every place in the community has resulted in its integration into various settings, including business offices, academic institutions and homes. Aside from communication and the transfer of data from one computer user to another, the Internet currently serves as the prime source for entertainment to the public. It is now possible to download music, videos and even literature with such ease and precision. Alongside the availability of this helpful technology, there are also a number of negative effects that are associated with Internet use. The human psyche has been influenced by the Internet, which in turn has resulted in an addiction that is similar to the repeated actions involved in drug or alcohol use. This consequence has affected not only the addicted individual himself, but also his immediate family and co-workers. To date, there is no official term that could be employed to designate this particular addiction to the Internet (Zboralski et al. , 2009). However, it is quite easy to describe the activities of this behavioral issue based on the actions of an individual, including the need to check certain websites continuously and spending an extended period of time in front of the computer. In addition, Internet addiction could also involve frequent and continuous participation in online games, email, chat or messenger sessions. Controversy regarding the actual designation of Internet addiction is currently under the scrutiny of psychologists and other analysts. According to Pies (2009), the psychological manifestations associated with Internet addiction are similar to the other types of addiction, including that of drug and alcohol dependency. However, the physiological relationship of Internet addiction to the human body still needs to be further examined. Pies (2009) suggested that there must be an underlying medical condition that pushes an individual to repeatedly use the Internet, yet this still has to be identified. It is still thus premature to call Internet addiction as a disease, with the current insufficient amount of information that has been gathered on these occurrences. In an attempt to determine the extent of Internet addiction in the general society, a number of investigators have attempted to examine the frequency of Internet use in relation to the purpose of its use. In a study conducted by Zboralski et al. 2009) among school-age children, it was observed that 25% of the study population was strongly dependent to the Internet, including primary school children. Another interesting observation is that children who did not have siblings or children who were experiencing family problems were more likely to be addicted to Internet use. It is also alarming to find out that Internet-dependent children showed a greater susceptibility to enact aggressive behavior, as well as succumb to anxiety and depression. Deprivation of Internet use among addicts also results in withdrawal symptoms, as well as the development of an anxious stance. There are also cases wherein Internet addicts experience nausea and sweating when they engage in excessive use of the Internet, otherwise called computer binges (Collier, 2009). It is also observed that some Internet addicts undergo hyperarousal during interaction on the Internet. Unfortunately, there is no mention of other physiological responses to these reports, such as changes in the blood pressure or the heart rate of any study participants. It is thus recommended that for the time being, anecdotal, case and clinical reports be compiled for future reference and review.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Ethnic studies Essay

â€Å"The students, united, will never be defeated! â€Å". This was the rallying call of students at San Francisco State University trying to save their Asian America Studies classes in 2008. 40 years after the first Third World Liberation Front protested and fought against discrimination and for their rights to have ethnic studies classes, the fight still continues. Students fought to have classes from the perspective of ethnic peoples, and not the Eurocentric point of view. In doing so, the struggle for ethnic studies from students and the community challenged and broke the status quo and construct of â€Å"race† in a Eurocentric America. Ethnic studies in the U. S. campuses started in the 60’s along with the Civil Rights Movement, opposition against the Vietnam War, the fight for women’s rights, and many other fights by the people for their rights. In March of 1968, The SFSU Third World Liberation Front was created by students of different ethnicities coming together. This was the longest strike in student history, and resulted in the creation of ethnic studies at SFSU, as well as increased admissions for students of colors to the university. The second longest strike occurred in UC Berkeley, with the strike more violent than the first. The clenched fist was the symbol for the strike, equality, power, unity, and change for the minority groups in America. Over the years, there have been many strikes and protest from students to have ethnic studies. California was a hotbed for the struggle of ethnic studies because it has the most immigrant and ethnic groups in the United States. It was a melting pot of African Americans, Asians, American Indians, Latinos, and so on. It was really only a matter of time before they stood up against discrimination. â€Å"When people of color got up in unity and went on strike, it scared them. † Them referring to the white political leaders of the schools. The first to stand up to discrimination is usually those that are educated and realize they can make a change through their actions. Students of ethnic background fought for social justice not only for themselves, but for a larger picture going back to their communities. Ethnic students are representatives to their families and communities. Many of these ethnic students were the first to attend college because their parents or families came to America in search for a better life and an opportunity for their children at an education. As these strikes were occurring, the community came to support them. Not only the communities of ethnic students, but white supporters as well. Supporters that understood the struggle of the ethnic groups, and came together to fight together. â€Å"Quite a few white students had come to the point of understanding, what our cause was, what it meant, and that we did not want to take over the university, take over the country, we wanted ends†. When we think third world we think of people that are improvised, poor, and lacking education. These third world people a Though they weren’t really â€Å"third world† students, inadequate access to classes that represented their ethnic background meant they had no way to really learn the struggle of ethnics people that came before them. Luis Alarcon made a point that he considered UC Berkeley his university, but the president of Berkeley disagreed and said the university was for â€Å"the people of California†. Although Luis is a person of California, the president did not consider the university for him. As a race of minorities, they were trying to free themselves from being â€Å"third world† citizens in the United States. â€Å"What we got from this agreement were things that we as third world peoples deserved, and we as students, and we as citizens of this country deserved†. But is there a scientific claim that makes certain people â€Å"third world†, or is it a political agenda to people ethnic people third world citizens? Ethnic people living in the United States in the were often discriminated against. As Laureen Chew said,† of course I blamed it all on ourselves and our family for being born Chinese, etc†. They blamed their race, instead of finding a fault in society for making them an inferior race that were mistreated unfairly. Even today, although racism is not as obvious, it is still alive and in place. â€Å"Color-blind racism serves as the ideological armor for a convert and institutionalized system in the post-Civil Rights era†. Minorities can be discriminated against their morals, values, and character without whites sounding racist. But is being color-blind discriminating as well? By not seeing color, one fails to recognize that we still haven’t reached a level where we only judge from character, and not the color of our skin. It’s apparent we today, have not reached that goal yet. Tom Horne Arizona superintendent of public instruction believes in cutting off ethnic studies classes because it will divide kids up and only teach them narrowly about the race they were born into. Ethnic studies is for the empowerment of not only ethnic students, but for all students who want to learn about the history of different peoples. It wasn’t so long ago when minorities were second citizens in the United States. Many were segregated against, beaten, killed, and uneducated. But what were the terms that classified certain peoples as a different race from whites? â€Å"Race is a concept with signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to different types of human bodies†. So because people of different ethnicities have different bodies, specifically skin color they were disadvantaged in comparison to white Americans. â€Å"The word ‘domination’ reminds us that the institutional racism is a type of power that encompasses the symbolic power to classify one group of people as ‘normal’ and other groups of people as ‘abnormal’, the political power to withhold basic rights from people of color and marshal the full power of the state to enforce segregation and in equality. To break this institution, learning ethnic studies brings out the truth of this country, which in turn brings out the greatness of the United States. Ethnic studies allows us to think critically about our relationship in terms of our relationship this country and our backgrounds. It gives us a basis to deal with historic racial issues such as the Zimmerman trial. â€Å"Ethnic studies departments in the CSU are at the forefront in leading students to balanced, critical, and open discussions of racial and ethnic matters that, unfortunately, have yet to be resolved in the US†. It’s important to have a format in educating students so that we may form our own educated opinions and learn facts on the history of our ethnicities. People gave up their bodies for their right to have ethnic studies. â€Å"I wanted to give you a poem, but I give you my body instead†. As she finished her speech, her fellow supporters agreed with her with loud applause. She was only one of many proponents in decades of struggle by students to fight for their ethnic studies departments. The protesting for ethnic studies was intertwined with the opposition against the war, civil rights, and other social issues going on at the time. In 1999 the issue was California becoming increasingly wary against immigrants, using them as a scapegoat for the economy failing. Protesting at Berkeley meant defending affirmative action, defending the rights of immigrants†. The protesting in SFSU was the longest lasting student protest. Their cries for â€Å"we want the puppet! † meant they wanted to discuss ethnic studies with S. I. Hayakawa who did not rally with the students even though he was Asian American. These students were subject to police violence, who went into the cafeterias to harass and attack the students. At Valley State University, Latino students with the black students protested in order to have more representation in and open up classes for Chicano studies and Black studies. So what role does race really play in all of this? We know that even if it’s not about race, it’s always about race. You can say that the student protests were all about race. When you ask people about which â€Å"race† they are, one normally gets a response like, asian, black, white, or so on. The two schools of thought, Primordialism and Instrumentalism, are opposing forces in which the former believes that â€Å"races existed, that races are biologically determined and distinct from one another. † The latter believes â€Å"race as a man-made, human created reality. It is an instrument that was constructed sociohistorically in order to allocate resources†. An outcome of the struggle for ethnic studies is that it challenged what the racial norm really was. By fighting for their rights, the protestors inadvertently chipped away at what really defines race; â€Å"a racist invention† to divide and allocate resources’. But can we really ignore that our race has nothing to do with our genetic makeup and the way we look? Discriminatory and prejudiced behavior towards minorities was the cause of the student unrest, as well as gaining support from non-ethnical students and community. Jesus Rodriguez realized â€Å"people can be so quick to attach certain characteristics to a person’s race†. The characteristics we attach to minorities are they’re lazy, they don’t want to leave the bottom, they’re slow learners, etc. With this in mind, white people in power discriminated these minorities, saying they don’t belong in their universities. Many white people believed in the status quo or race at the time and opposed the ethnic protestors. But what about everyone else that eventually sided with the protestors? Especially during the 60’s and 70’s, people began to fight for each other’s rights. The division between races between people were lessening, and the thought of a human race were expanding. They fought for their own rights and they fought for each other’s rights, because they realized all minorities at the time were going through the same struggle. † I believe that it is important for every American to know their history, even if it has nothing to do with their color or ethnicity: since events such as the Third World Strike influenced some of your fellow Americans, these same events indirectly influenced you as well†. Where would we be without ethnic studies today? Without the efforts and sacrifices of those student protesters, someone like me might not even appreciate and understand the struggle that so many went through. We stand on the shoulders of those who dared to challenge injustice and discrimination, and broke the barriers of race and racial equality. Leon, Teresa W. History of AAS at CSUN. N. p. , 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. Shiekh, Irum. â€Å"On Strike: Ethnic Studies – Progressive Films. † Progressive Films. Progressive Films, n. d. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Ethnic Studies Ban Racist? † YouTube. YouTube, 13 May 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. â€Å"CSUN Student Political Activism 1960’s/70s â€Å"The Storm at Valley State†Ã¢â‚¬  YouTube. YouTube, 27 Jan. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo. Racism without Racists: Color-blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America. 3rd ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010. Print. â€Å"SF State Third World Student Strike. † YouTube. YouTube, 22 June 2007. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Save Our AAS. † YouTube. YouTube, 09 Nov. 2008. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. Leon-WIlliams, Teresa. â€Å"Lecture Notes on â€Å"The Historical Origins of Race†Ã¢â‚¬  CSU Northridge: Login to the Site. N. p. , 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Student Unrest at SF State College and S. I. Hayakawa. † YouTube. YouTube, 19 Apr. 2008. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. Leon-WIlliams, Teresa. â€Å"How the Blind Perceive â€Å"race†. . . † CSU Northridge: Login to the Site. N. p. , 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. Rodriguez, Jesus. â€Å"Re: Race & the Working Field. † Weblog comment. N. p. , 8 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. Leon-WIlliams, Teresa. â€Å"Prejudice & Discrimination. † Moodle, 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.