Family Practices Essay

Parents have the big responsibility of rearing their children in the best way they can. They have a lot of investment towards their children to bring them up in the most righteous way. Parents impart knowledge, values and even some of their known practices which they grew up with. There are so many common practices imparted to us by our parents. These practices revolve maybe on simple things such as eating together during dinner and saying a prayer before we sleep. Our family believes in the power of herbal medicine that would be able to heal our illnesses. Herbal medicines are kind of medicines that come from plants (Bupa’s Health Information Team, 2007). An herb is a plant that is commonly used because of its flavor, scent and medicinal properties. Many of these herbs are processed and are available in the market is various forms such as tablets, capsules, teas, etc. but there are still some herbal medicine that may cause threat is people’s health. Some may cause health problems and some may not interact well with other drugs (â€Å"Herbal Medicine†, 2009). The Western hemisphere has long abandoned the used of the herbal medicines due to the advancement of technology and healthcare that is able to provide a single medicine that will cure illnesses. Many people, professional and lay individuals, do not know that plants may be able to provide useful health benefits. The benefits of the plants are in the form of alternative and complementary medicines and many people consider it as irrelevant part of folk times (Ernst, 2000). This nontraditional health practice has been passed on my family through generations. Not only able to preserve our family solidarity but our health as well. References Bupa’s Health Information Team. (2007, August). Herbal Medicine. Bupa. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/herbal_medicine.html. Ernst, E. (2000). Herbal Medicine: A Concise Overview for Professionals. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Herbal Medicine. (2009, January 13). Medline Plus. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine.html.

Dr. Pepper/7 up Inc. Squirt brand Case Essay

Introduction and Marketing Issues- Dr Pepper/7Up Inc., is one of the largest soft drinks company in the world. This company has its production in 200 countries. Most popular soft drinks are: Dr Pepper, 7 UP, RC cola, A&W Root Beer, Canada dry, Hawaiian Punch, and Squirt. Squirt, is a drink that was invented in the course of an experiment by Herb Bishop in 1938. It was a new carbonated soft drink that required less fruit and less sugar to produce hence it was quite famous during WWII. Later, in 1977, Squirt was bought by a bottler Holland Michigan. The company updated Squirt’s logo and positioned the brand as a mainstream soft drink. Squirt joined A&W Brands in 1986, which was later purchased by Cadbury Schweppes PLC in 1993. Responsibility for manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of Squirt was assigned to Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc, which had been acquired by Cadbury Schweppes PLC in 1995. It still remains under the Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. branch. Nowadays, Squirt is bottled and sold by some 250 Bottlers in the US. Since 1990 Squirt’s unit sale volume has been stable until recently. There is a huge volume of carbonated soft drink consumption in the US. American consumes 849 eight- ounce annually. CSD are popular among individuals aged 20 – 49. Consumption of diet drinks is popular at the age group of 25 and over. Today, Squirt’s product line consists of regular, diet, Ruby Red, and Diet Ruby Red. Diet Squirt and Diet Ruby Red account for 20% of Squirt’s total sales. The study of Squirts sales volume has shown a slow decline in recent years, although squirt remains one of the best selling brands among citrus flavored drinks, still the competition due to better marketing budgets and techniques from the two main competitors Coca cola and Pepsi and changing market trends can bring the market share down for Squirt. The flat sales of Squirt need to be boosted before competing brands begin to erode the market share enjoyed by Squirt, therefore to safeguard against this Kate Cox, brand manager at Dr. Pepper/ seven up inc began to develop plan for market targeting and product positioning as prescribed by Foote, Cone and Belding that is brand’s advertisement agency. In the mid- summer 2001, Squirt Brand management team, had to begin drafting annual advertising and promotion plan for Squirt in the US to chart a right marketing plan the team had to come up with answers for the following questions: Q1: What should be Squirt’s target market? Or what target market to choose? (FCB recommendations) Q2: How should Squirt be positioned according to the target market? Q3. Is it beneficial to follow recommendation of Foote, Cone and Belding of targeting and positioning Squirt or should old methods be followed or there should be some new innovative methods to increase sales and promotion of Squirt? Situational analysis- Squirt has been advertised in all the mediums of media like newspapers, television, and radio. Although squirt remains one of the best selling brands among citrus flavored drinks, still the study of Squirts sales volume has shown a slow decline in recent years. The competition due to better marketing budgets and techniques from the two main competitors Coca cola and Pepsi and changing market trends can bring the market share down for Squirt. Squirts advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding suggested market targeting and brand positioning as two ways for Squirt to come out of this problem. Following their suggestion and considering that the answers to the questions mentioned above will serve as main decision making tools we analyzed the market situation for Squirt. Competitive market- Carbonated drink industry is highly competitive industry As mentioned previously this industry of carbonated drinks is dominated by three companies, Coca cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper/ 7 up inc These three companies also represent the top ten selling brands in the United States market. Squirt brand of Dr. Pepper is the best selling carbonated grapefruit soft drink brand in the United States. It is a caffeine-free, low-sodium carbonated soft drink brand with a distinctive blend of grapefruit juices that gives it a tangy, fresh citrus taste. Hence it has a different market then other caffeinated drinks but it has competitors in form of Fresca, citrus, mellow- yellow and surge from Coca – cola and mountain dew from Pepsi. Consumer research conducted by Dr. Pepper/ 7 up inc. in taste testing of Squirt and Citrus of coca-cola group indicated that Squirt scored higher on the thirst quenching attribute. Compared to Dr. Pepper/7up inc. Coca- Cola and Pepsi show more aggressive for of adv ertising and promotion of products Consumer. Buyer Behavior and customer segmentation- Data suggests that in U.S the consumers drink more carbonated drink then tap water. In 2000 alone, consumers on average drank 53 gallons of soft drinks per person a year. This statistics shows that there is a huge market for carbonated drinks in U.S. It was observed that age and ethnic/racial angle played an important role in growing consumption of soft drinks. Hence changing demographics have been critical factors in the growing popularity of these flavored soft drinks. Age- Previous target market for squirt has been between 18 to 44 yrs old. According to the research by Foote, Cone and Belding, Squirt was more of a thirst quenching product then refreshing. They suggested that youngsters would identify with this â€Å"thirst quenching attribute of Squirt, and the research also suggests that this group is supposed to be the large consumer of soft drinks. Therefore, they recommended targeting youngsters between 18 -24 year old. Ethnic/ racial- In U.S 25% Americans are under 18 years of age and one quarter of U.S population is Hispanic and African- American. By a census in 2000, it was predicted that soon 17% out of youth under the age of 18 will be Hispanic; also they will amount to 45% of all minorities in U.S thus surpassing African Americans to become the largest ethnic group in U.S. It was also observed that per capita consumption of flavored soft drinks is higher in Hispanics and African- American than the other racial groups. This information prompts a wise decision to target these ethnic- racial groups to increase the market share of the squirt flavored carbonated drink. If the census of 2000 is accurate then it is a fact that to target this huge population of Hispanics and African- Americans as future market for Squirt will be very beneficial. Squirt has already been exposed to many Hispanics, primarily those of Mexican decent because of the popularity of the beverage in Mexico. It is one of the largest selling brands of soda in Mexico, and Squirt has large brand recognition there. Competitive market- Carbonated drink industry is highly competitive industry As mentioned previously this industry of carbonated drinks is dominated by three companies, Coca cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper/ 7 up inc These three companies also represent the top ten selling brands in the United States market. Squirt brand of Dr. Pepper is the best selling carbonated grapefruit soft drink brand in the United States. It is a caffeine-free, low-sodium carbonated soft drink brand with a distinctive blend of grapefruit juices that gives it a tangy, fresh citrus taste. Hence it has a different market then other caffeinated drinks but it has competitors in form of Fresca, citrus, mellow- yellow and surge from Coca – cola and mountain dew from Pepsi. SWOT analyses – SWOT analyses of the Squirts market potential, is as follows: Strengths- Squirt is the best selling carbonated grapefruit soft drink brand in the United States. It is already has brand name recognition in the Mexican market, hence while targeting the Hispanic population Squirt will have a competitive edge over his competitors who are also targeting the same market fiercely. Weaknesses- Squirt brand has budget restrictions for advertising and promotion, which is not the case with its competitors like Coca- cola and Pepsi. Opportunities- Squirt has a huge opportunity to successfully expand its brand by targeting young because their grape flavor attracts more youngsters because of its unique thirst quenching attribute and. penetrating Hispanic groups and African – American market to target them as guaranteed consumers for future, as it is predicted that Hispanics are going to be the most populous ethnic group with more number of youths as compared to other minority groups in U.S. Threats- There are no threats specifically, but depending too much on particular ethnic group and particular age, in short narrow targeting criteria can prove to be disaster if it backfires due to certain reasons, anchoring the target consumers because they are the main source and they dictate the location to get the soft drink, also dominate taste preferences because soft drinks is an elastic product. Considering the above mentioned information, it is clear that the recommendations of Foote, Cone and Belding for targeting and positioning of Squirt are rational and by targeting Hispanic and African – American, young population of 18 to 24 yrs of age will be beneficial for Squirt in a long run. Problems and Opportunities: Young Hispanics are considered to be the target market for positioning of Squirt for brand promotion. Also, considering the fact that Squirt is already popular among the Mexicans, can be used as a positive sign for this venture. Facts mentioned above in the situational analysis like that Hispanics are fast growing ethnic group in U.S, it is predicted that maximum number of youth is going to belong to the Hispanic community, Hispanics, does not like hard sell messages and likes messages that are real and relevant to them, they like shop closer to home in mom and pop stores, also the majority would prefer ads in Spanish (50%) while 30% prefer English and the rest have no preference. Positioning and specific targeting is the main issue for the Squirt brand. The advertisements are not appealing to the suggested new modified target audience which should include Hispanics (specifically in the states of California and Texas). The advertisements should focus more on real life moments while showing Squirt being consumed by individuals. This will allow the target audience to connect with the Squirt brand. Also, Squirt should show advertisements in Spanish as well as English. Also, budget for advertising should be expanded. Strategy: Using the above information and the research provided by FCB’s presentation, it is clear that Squirt should focus on the age demographic of 18-24 year olds. An effective marketing campaign targeted towards 18-24 year olds has a two potential results: 1) a short term solution of increasing sales of squirt to 18-24 year olds and 2) a long-term solution of positioning squirt as a staple beverage for 18-24 year olds such that as consumers of squirt move out of the targeting age demographic they will continue to be loyal consumers of Squirt, thus increasing squirt sales in the 25+ market within a few years. Kate Cox has a few options in how she markets Squirt to the target audience of 18-24 year olds: †¢ A â€Å"multicultural marketing mind-set† approach †¢ 18-24 year-olds (regardless of race) †¢ A hybrid approach 1) A multicultural marketing approach would appeal to the increasing amount of Hispanics and African Americans in the 18-24 age range. It would also provide for the popularity of Squirt in Mexico to filter in to the U.S.’s Mexican population. The concern with such a strategy, however, is that Caucasian’s are still the largest consumer of Squirt. The risk with a multicultural marketing mind-set is that such a marketing campaign has the potential to isolate Caucasian consumers. The benefit of such a campaign is to increase the consumer base to those who are not Caucasian, trusting that Caucasian’s will continue to consume Squirt, a wider appeal of the beverage to consumers would increase sales. 2) An 18-24 year old marketing campaign would target all consumers in the 18-24 demographic. By identifying Squirt as a popular beverage amongst consumers in this age range, regardless of race, Squirt has the potential to both increase sales within the age demographic as well as within the Hispanic and African-American demographic. Such a campaign would have to be carefully thought out and the recommendation is for Cox to identify a celebrity or fad that is popular amongst 18-24 year olds, regardless of race. Such a campaign could be aligned with an event. For example, a Squirt campaign that is aligned with the Olympics with Olympic athletes as spokespersons could appeal to 18-24 year olds regardless of race. Another strategy that could work is partnering with a popular television program or event. For example, Coca-Cola’s sales increased with it being the official beverage of American Idol judges. Such alignment with a popular TV program is sure to increase sales amongst all races within the targeting age-demographic. 3) A hybrid approach would, perhaps, be the most expensive, however, if nervous about leaving out the Hispanic and African-American populations through an overall marketing campaign targeting towards all 18-24 year olds, Squirt could do a â€Å"spin-off† campaign with commercials and packaging in Spanish. Such a campaign would reach all 18-24 year olds as well as all Hispanics, regardless of age. The initial costs are the initial down-fall, however a successful campaign could re-define Squirt in two needed demographics, all Hispanics and all 18-24 year olds. Recommendation: A Hybrid campaign is the best option for Squirt. As 73% of Squirt consumers are Caucasian, redefining Squirt as a drink popular amongst 18-24 year olds with celebrity or event backing popular amongst the targeting demographic is the best option to create a brand for Squirt that will create consumer loyalty amongst 18-24 year olds, securing a place in the 25+ market within a few years. A smaller, geographic specific side campaign targeting towards Hispanics with Spanish ads and packaging will help Squirt capitalize on its popularity in Mexico and will see an increase in sales in border states, such as California and Texas.

Work place communication

Communication is essential for effective functioning in every part of an organisation. From marketing, production, finance, personnel, and maintenance, all departments may receive direction from corporate goals and objectives, but communication links them together and facilitates organisational success. The importance of effective communication from team leaders cannot be overemphasised for one specific reason: everything a team leader does, involves communicating.Communication is needed to increase efficiency, satisfy customers, and improve quality. Effective communication is so important for organisational success that not only team leaders, but also the employees must be effective communicators. One role of a team leader is to help employees improve their communication skills. When all members of a team, department, or organisation are able to communicate effectively with each other and with people outside their group, they are much more likely to perform well. The successful team leader, therefore, needs effective communication skills.Communication is the activity of conveying information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient. However, the receiver needs not to be present or be aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus, communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of the sender.Feedback is critical for effective communication between parties. Communication can be defined as the exchange of opinion, ideas, information, facts, feelings, and values between two or more persons sender and receiver's) with the help of some channels to accomplish the desired purpose. The sender creates a message either in the written or in verbal or nonverbal form. The message is dispatched to the receiver with the help of channels of communication. The receiver takes the delivery of the message and provides feedback to the sender.The sender gets the feedback and determines whether the receiver has received the same message and meaning that the sender had intended to communicate with him; if the sender feels that the receiver has not received the same message and meaning, he/she again initiates the cycle of communication. THE CYCLE OF COMMUNICATION Elements ot Communication 1 . Sender 2. Message 3. Channel of communication 4. Receiver 5. Feedback 1 . Sender: The sender is the person who initiates the process of communication.Whenever the sender feels that there is a need to communicate some information to the other person (receiver), he/she starts the process of communication. The sender must be aware of the purpose of the communication and the receiver's abilities to understand the message in terms of language, interest, etc. 2. Message: The message is created by the sender to convey the inf ormation, facts or opinion to the receiver. The message should be clear and simple so that the receiver can understand it in the same way as the sender desires.While creating a message, the sender should take care of words, language, and meaning of the message if the message is to be communicated in verbal or written form or he/she should take care of body language and facial expression if the message is to be communicated in nonverbal form, along with the abilities and professional competencies of the receiver. 3. Channels of communication: Communication channels are the medium through which the message is communicated to the receiver. Channels of communication play an important role in the process of communication.If the sender selects an appropriate medium or channel of communication, there are more chances that the receiver will receive the same message; or else, there are chances that the message may get distorted. In this hi-tech era, there are a number of channels that can be used to communicate message, e. g. , mobile, e-mail, voice mail, person, radio, TV, Internet, blogs, etc. 4. Receiver: The receiver is the person who receives the message. The receiver may be a single person or a group of persons. The receiver understands the eaning of the message and provides feedback to the sender.The receiver should have the same language ability, comprehension, and cultural background as the sender. If not, it may lead to distorted understanding of the meaning of the message by the receiver. 5. Feedback: It is the most crucial element of communication. It is provided by the receiver to the sender. Receiving feedback is important for the sender to know that the receiver has received the message and interpreted the meaning of the message in the desired way. Without feedback, the process of communication cannot be complete.For example, when you send a mobile SMS to our friend, you get feedback in the form of delivery report that informs you whether your message ha s been delivered or not to the intended receiver; it also happens in the same way the case of e-mail. BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION Communication plays a major role in developing a relationship. It can also a relationship among family members or management in any institute. More specifically, communication influences the effectiveness of instruction, performance evaluation, and the handling of discipline problems.Communication should be straightforward. What can make it complex, difficult, and frustrating are the barriers. Some barriers of communication are the following. Physiological barriers to communication are related with the limitations of the human body and the human mind (memory, attention, and perception). Physiological barriers may result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused by ill-health, poor eye sight, or hearing difficulties. Poor listening skills, listening to others is considered a difficult task. The solution is to be an active rather than passive listener.A l istener's premature frown, shaking of the head, or bored look can easily convince the other person/speaker that here is no reason to elaborate or try again to communicate. Information overload, it is essential to control the flow of the information, else the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result, communication may get distorted. Inattention, at times we Just do not listen but only hear. For example, your manager is immersed in his/her very important paper work and you are explaining to him/her about an urgent problem.In this situation, due to the inattention, the manager will not listen to you (he/she will only hear you); hence, he/she may not get hat you are saying and it may lead to disappointment. Emotions, the emotional state of a person at a particular point of time affects his/her communication with others as it has an impact on the body language (nonverbal communication). If the receiver feels that the sender is angry (emotional st ate), he/she can easily infer that the information being obtained will be very poor.Poor retention, the human memory cannot function beyond a limit. People cannot always retain all the facts/information about what is being told to them especially if he/she is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown. Physical and environmental distractions, physical distractions are the physical things that get in the way of communication. Examples of such things include the telephone, an uncomfortable meeting place, and noise. These physical distractions are common in the warehouse setting.If the telephone rings, the usual human tendency will be to answer it even if the caller is interrupting a very important or even delicate conversation. Distractions such as background noise, poor lighting, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room, or an environment that is too hot or cold can affect people's morale and concentration, hich in turn interfere with effective communication . Psychological barriers, psychological factors such as misperception, filtering, distrust, unhappy emotions and people's state of mind can Jeopardize the process of communication.We all tend to feel happier and more receptive to information when the sun shines. Similarly, if someone has personal problems such as worries and stress about a chronic illness, it may impinge his/her communication with others. Social barriers, social barriers to communication include conformity, a process in which the norms, values, and behaviours of an individual begin to follow those of the wider group. Social factors such as age, gender, and marital status may act as a barrier to communication in certain situations.Cultural barriers, cultural barriers to communication often arise when individuals in one social group have developed different norms, values, or behaviours to individuals associated witn another group. Cultural ditterence leads to difference in interest, knowledge, value, and tradition. Th erefore, people of different cultures will experience these culture factors as a barrier to communicate with each other. Semantic barriers, language, Jargon, slang, etc. , are some of the semantic arriers. Different languages across different regions represent a national barrier to communication.The Use of Jargon and slang also act as barrier to communication. Past Experience, if someone has awful experiences in the past related to some particular situation, then he/she will try to avoid communication in that situation. Organisational Barriers, unclear planning, structure, information overload, and timing, technology, and status difference are the organisational factors that may act as barriers to communication. Technological failure, message not delivered due to technical failure (e. g. receiver was not in mobile network area and the sender has not activated delivery report in message setting).Time pressures, often, in an organisation the targets have to be achieved within a specif ied time period, the failure of which may have adverse consequences for the employee. In a haste to meet deadlines, usually an employee tries to shorten the formal channels of communication that can lead to confusion and misunderstanding among the various levels of supervisors, hence leading distorted communication. Therefore, sufficient time should be given for effective communication. Complexity in the organisational tructure, the greater the hierarchy in an organisation (i. . , the more the number of managerial levels), the more chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level Just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas of the organisation. Unclear messages, effective communication starts with a clear message. Unclear messages in terms of meaning, grammar, and words may act as a barrier to communication because the receiver may not be able to understand the actual meaning of the message.Lack of feedback, feedback is the mirror of communication. Feedback mirrors what the sender has sent. Without feedback, communication cannot be considered complete. Both the sender and the receiver can play an active role in using feedback to make communication truly two-way. Methods of overcoming barriers of communication, overcoming the communication barriers will be different in different situations depending upon the type of barriers present. The following are some of the important general strategies that will be commonly useful in all the situations to overcome the barriers of communication.Taking the receiver more seriously Crystal clear message Delivering messages skilfully Focusing on the receiver Using multiple channels to communicate instead of relying on one channel Ensuring appropriate feedback Be aware of your own state of mind/emotions/attitude Effective communication techniques are useful to make the communication efficient and meaningful . There are several techniques of effective communication, which can be used. For example, maintaining eye-to-eye contact with the team is essential for ettective communication.Listening actively means to be attentive to what the other erson is saying verbally and nonverbally. Active listening is an effective communication skill. 1 . Stand squarely facing the other team; establish eye-to-eye contact. 2. Keep the posture open. 3. Be relaxed. Using silence during communication process can carry a variety of meanings. The impact from every conversation you have comes from your nonverbal cues. These include eye contact, your posture, and the gestures you make.The nonverbal cues indicate what you think, even if your words say something else entirely. Some people don't like to be touched, and invasion to their personal space is one nonverbal cue ou can easily avoid. Nonverbal cues are Just as important as any other communication technique you're trying to master. The tone of your voice, f or example, if you say that mfou'll be happy to sacrifice this opportunity for someone,† but you're yelling when you say it, the team will clearly notice that you're actually not happy to do it.Be consistent verbally and nonverbally inconsistency in verbal and nonverbal communication by the sender may lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the message. Ask open-ended questions open-ended questions encourage the team to communicate more, whereas, close-ended questions iscourage the team from communicating. Use Language Understood by the team. Accurate, accessible and detailed recording is not only essential it is a vital tool for ensuring accuracy of information, clarity of goals and accountability. Of course, it can achieve none of these aims if it is never read, and so in the first place it must be legible.It is a team leader's responsibility to ensure that, they record conversations, accurately, and that they retain the information available. Electronic copies of any form of communication i. e. emails can be copied saved and stored either into a eparate folder on your computer, or onto a USB storage device, or external hard drive alternately you should ensure that all emails are archived for future reference. Methods of Verbal Communication Face to face informal communication Underused in these days of email, but invaluable for getting the message behind the words.Body language can tell you a lot about what a person really thinks regardless of whether they are agreeing with you verbally or not. Quite often we will email someone who only sits in the next room – or even at the other side of the same room, ‘because an email is recorded'. There is nothing to stop a record of a face to face meeting being created. Meetings Many meetings are badly planned and managed, this is one of the main disadvantages of meetings as no formal records or minutes are kept or recorded. Formal Briefings Useful to reach a mass audience.Beware though if what you have to say is controversial or bad news for some of the audience then you will face a lot of resentment and create resistance, where staff feel unable to challenge you or to ask questions because there are so many people present. Verbal Communication has the following advantages: Saving of Time The greatest advantages of verbal communication is saving of time. Under this system of communication the messages are communicated immediately without consuming any time. Verbal communication is the only way out when a message is important and when immediate action is necessary.Saving of Money As there is no tormal met nod ot communicating the message, no help ot any particular media this type of communication saves a lot of money. More Effective As the message is direct between the Senders of message and the receiver of message the messages prove to be more effective. The sender of the message can also exercise his personal influence over the receiver of message. Clear Doubts Verbal commu nication is also better as it removes any doubts regarding the message, between the sender and the receiver of message.Any doubts can immediately be cleared and the receiver of the message can immediately get the explanations regarding the message. Increase in Productivity and Efficiency Verbal communication is more effective. It increases the productivity and efficiency of workers because they clearly understand it and follow it. Verbal communication has the following disadvantages: Lack of Proof of Message The greatest disadvantage of verbal communication is that there is no proof of the message being communicated.Not Suitable for Future Reference As there is nothing in writing supporting the message communicated under this method, it is not suitable for future reference. If there is any dispute at any point with the message. Not Suitable in Case of Distance if the receiver and the sender of the message are living at a distance from each other, this method of communication is not suitable because it will increase the cost of communication, it ill not be effective because of lack of personal touch and it may not be clear and explanatory.Many times, when people think of the word communication, they think of an exchange of information and ideas through words. However, verbal communication is just one small part of communication. There are many different methods of communication. Written You can't avoid written communication in the workplace; it's everywhere. Emails, memos, reports, and other written documents are all part of everyday business life. Written communication is the most appropriate when detailed instructions are equired, when something needs to be documented, or when the person is too far away to easily speak with over the phone or in person.Email is a lifesaver for many people, especially in the business world. If you rely on emails and memos to conduct your business, it's very important to portray a professional image. Don't use abbreviations unle ss they pertain to your field, and always use spell check and read over your email before you send it to make sure it's clear and concise. Emails should be brief and to the point. Non-verbal communication plays a large role in the way you communicate with thers. Unless you're using sign language, however, you probably dont want to rely on it as your sole means of communication.You do, however, need to be aware of it. Your gestures, eye contact and movement, and the way you stand and sit all convey a message to the person you are communicating with. Use gestures appropriately, or leave your hands at your sides. Don't fidget, which is distracting, and avoid crossing your arms, which sends off the appearance of being angry or closed off. Always look the person you are speaking to in the eye, and don't roll your eyes or stare while they talk. Email Effective where supported by the organisation, and where sent by the right person.Emails that look as though they are selling something or t hat come from people the recipient has never heard of, are at high risk of being deleted without being read as they will be seen as potential spam. Newsletters Newsletter can be good for general awareness, but will normally only be well read if the newsletter is usually interesting and colourful. Notices/signs/posters Effective for messages or promotion of single issues although notice boards are not always the best place to put a notice that you want read. Signs need to be displayed where they can be easily seen but there is still no guarantee that they will be read.Blogs Blogs are a good way of keeping people up-to-date, again, providing that there is a good reason for people to visit and read you blog these can also be limited to people with only a passing interest. The importance of keeping oral records Any oral communication where a decision or commitment is made, and that is not otherwise documented, needs to be captured and placed in your recordkeeping system. For example: A meeting or conference call where a decision is made, if formal eeting minutes or notes are not taken. A voice mail message committing to take action.A telephone call responding to a member of staff. The issuing of verbal warnings. What types of communications are included? Face-to-face meetings Telephone calls Voice mail messages (including telephone or computer) What is the best way to capture conversations that are records? Write a memo in your diary. Be sure to include: Date and time of the communication Type of communication (e. g. , voice mail, telephone call) Participants Subject Details on any decisions or commitments What kind of electronic communications might be a record?Any electronic communication where a decision or commitment is made, and that is not otherwise documented, needs to be captured and placed in your recordkeeping system. For example: E mails. A voice mail message committing to take action. All other forms of on line communication. E mails Any on line corres pondence What is the best way to capture conversations that are records? Save to a file on your computer, or onto a USB drive, or external hard drive be sure to include: Date and time of the communication Type of communication

HIST101 era 1877 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HIST101 era 1877 - Essay Example There were a number of opportunities to mend fences throughout the conflict, but most of them occurred at the beginning of the war. Before the fall of New York, it would have been possible to reach an agreement between the British and the American sides. Following this battle, the two sides were too militarily entrenched to reach an agreement. The rhetoric had become to heated and too many lives were lost. What the British failed to understand throughout the conflict was that the colonists wanted respect and more autonomy. They wanted to have more power over their own lives. This was a reasonable and natural request. By denying it, the British forced the Americans into drastic action. Even after the War started, colonists petitioned the King to change his mind and simply grant more power to the colonial legislatures. It is important to remember that Americans were divided over the war, with a large contingent of Loyalists living among the Revolutionary colonists. The British could ha ve made more overtures which would have split Americans even more, and perhaps led to peace rather than American Independence. If the British had not been so obstinate, peace might have prevailed. 2.In 1860, the institution of slavery was firmly entrenched in the United States; by 1865, it was dead. How did this happen?

Organizational change part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational change part 2 - Essay Example The change strategy should also consider future growth and development of the organization. A change strategy for organizations includes various elements that have to be carefully analyzed before the change process is implemented. These elements include situational awareness, the structures supporting the change, and strategy analysis (Weiner et al, 2009). Situational awareness involves understanding the implications of change on the organizations, knowing who will be affected by the impending change and gathering as much resources and knowledge about the change to be implemented. Supporting structures for organizational change include the team facilitating the change process and the sponsors of the change process. Strategy analysis involves identification of the risks involved in the change process, any resistance to the change and tactics for implementing the strategy. A good organizational change strategy must focus on all these three elements (Weiner et al, 2009). Internal change s in an organization encounter resistance from certain employees or senior managers who may not be so open to change. This may destabilize the whole change process if not managed properly. The team charged with the responsibility of managing the change need to stay vigilant throughout the whole process for any signs of disapproval for the change and address them as soon as they are discovered (Weiner et al, 2009). The change implementation team ought to be very responsive and responsible throughout the change process. This will enable them to intercede and deal with any threat to the change process before it paralyzes the whole process. In order to deal with resistance effectively, a change strategy needs to address several issues such as commitment, responsibility, advocacy, acknowledgement, flexibility and must have a clear outline. A clear outline in the change strategy addresses change policies and guidelines and the structure of the impending change. These have to be communicat ed to every employee in advance before the change is implemented (Weiner et al, 2009). Everyone affected by the change has to be committed to the process and they should be given time to speak out their opinions about the intended change so as to foster advocacy for the change. Every ones role in the change process also needs to be clarified in the change strategy so as to ensure every individual in the change team is responsible for their actions. Every successful step of the change process needs to be appreciated and acknowledged just to let everybody know that the organization is moving in the right direction with the change. The organization’s leaders need to use a more flexible approach in the change process so as to ensure any unforeseen contingencies are dealt with appropriately during the process. Methods that will be used to monitor implementation of the proposed change The change initiative to be implemented involves about of organizational restructuring hence need to be approached with care. This will require a new organizational structure, improvement and changes in the organizational culture and behavior. The process of hiring new nurses wiling the new nurses will require significant contribution from every staff member in the organization. The top management will be required to approve and implement the change while the other

Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Quiz - Essay Example Today, we are connected to hundreds of friends in the online community, but we are oblivious of the person sitting next to us, who may be our parent, our spouse, our child, our neighbor, or a relative. We share pictures and ideas with hundreds of people online, but we give a damn about what the person feels or think who is sitting in the same room as ours. People have lost the sense of belonging at all. Relations and friendships have converted into their digital forms, and we have stopped interacting with even the closest of our relatives by being physically absent to them. We are aware of each and every happening in their lives, but we have no time in arranging a meeting with them and having a gossip face-to-face. People convey their feelings in the digital format- feelings that they could never have conveyed in person; however, this conveyance of feelings lacks the emotional touch of understanding and compassion. The basic essence of social interaction is talking, which is becoming void even today, and disappear totally in some years to come. People have become narcissistic, because they love only their profiles, strive to put up great display pictures, try to fake what is actually not true, and this has made them oblivious to other people’s feelings and emotions. Such is the hazard of social media which is intruding our lives more and more with every passing

Analyze opportunity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyze opportunity - Assignment Example such, with the increase in the number of individuals across different cultures preferring to take breakfast away from home, McDonalds is represented with a unique opportunity to increase its entrees in order to accommodate such individuals’ needs. In addition, with the new wave of globalization, McDonalds faces an opportunity to expand to other countries that they have not been able to reach yet (Yuece, 2012). Case in point, expansion into these countries requires the company to expand its entries in order to incorporate the cultural preferences of individuals within the new markets. Moreover, with the struggling global economy, McDonalds can increase the breakfast entrees to accommodate individuals with low income. This would allow the organization to reach out to a wider range of the consumers and increase the market share. Given the opportunities towards which McDonalds is exposed, there are various recommendations that would facilitate the organizations increase of breakfast entries. One of the recommendations is for McDonalds to provide new healthier entrees that would counter the various issues that have arisen concerning the negative impact of its foods on health. In every occasion and market, it is important for McDonalds to target markets using clear personalized positioning, with a detailed understanding of the breakfast needs and preferences of the targeted market. Lastly, through increasing the advertising and promotional techniques, McDonalds would be able to use its large market share and brand loyalty to increase publicity concerning new breakfast entries and thus increase

Outsourcing IT Servises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outsourcing IT Servises - Essay Example Another form of outsourcing is based on salary cost arbitrage that takes place between national economies when a company will seek to contract with another business abroad where the labor costs are cheaper, so that cost savings will be gained in the overall organization. Some companies may establish overseas branches of their company and hire employees directly in the foreign market, but this is technically different than outsourcing on a business-to-business basis. In this context, most companies perform a cost analysis on the savings that can be gained through outsourcing by comparing local salaries and the internal requirements for managing the services with the quoted rate of the outsourcing company for the same work. The labor arbitrage through outsourcing may also include tax savings, a reduced requirement of benefit payments, or lower insurance costs for the company. Thus, in software development and hardware maintenance, the quality of the outsourcing services provided by for eign or offshore companies who provide the same service as local companies is critical and determinant as to whether outsourcing actually makes sense for a business. If the company cannot receive a quality of service from the outsourcing company that they can receive from local employees, it will generally not make sense for the company to pursue an outsourcing business model because the overall operations will suffer if there is a weak link in the organization. However, if the IT services such as medical software programming, computerized physician order entry (CPOE), and hardware maintenance can all be acquired from outsourcing companies in the U.S. or abroad at the same quality or higher and simultaneously a lower cost, then it does make sense to pursue outsourcing as a business model. Because some outsourcing companies are specializing in hiring highly skilled and trained staff for the employment positions, it is also possible to outsource abroad with the same level of quality o r higher than local staff, and to save significant operating costs in doing so. Outsourcing can potentially save billions of dollars in costs from within the U.S. healthcare system, but if quality is compromised in pursuit of greater profits or budgetary savings, the people who are being served by the business will not be satisfied or happy. (Rand, 2005) b) What component of IT services in your current organization makes the most sense to target as an early candidate for outsourcing? Why? Our organization is currently focusing on going live with a 50 person, outsourced Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) program that is expected to save considerable costs for the hospital annually while still providing the same quality of service expected by doctors and patients alike. CPOE is ideal for outsourcing as it involves the digitalization of medical records that are linked to a master database of records in the IT department. The core skill required by the outsourcing team is the abi lity to quickly and accurately transcribe hand-written doctor notes and prescriptions, to archive these documents with the appropriate patient records, and also to forward the transcriptions to other offices within the medical network. In this manner, the skills

4_11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

4_11 - Assignment Example In realization of these, players in various sectors have to keep pace with the rising competition to give their consumers the best experience so as to remain relevant; otherwise, they face the danger of being faced out. The healthcare sector is one of the sectors where competition is common and helpful. The beneficiaries of competition in healthcare are the patient whose needs are met to the best of their expectations. This paper examines how various organizations in the healthcare sector are coping with competition. It will look into measures taken by these organizations so as to remain more competitive, and also on how they seek to offer the best experience to their customers. A research by The Heritage Foundation on Competitive Markets in Healthcare ‘The Next Revolution’ shows that competition in healthcare offers patients greater quality, more options, and lower costs. The research, conducted in the US, discusses several ways that the US government has over time tried to make its healthcare more competitive. One of the ways its federal and state lawmakers came up with was to instill competition, and make the industry operate like a traditional market. The study establishes that previous measures to make its healthcare more competitive had not yielded the expected results of financial gain. It takes the example of 2012, when the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Douglas Elmendorf, turned down the proposal of a competition-based Medicare Premium Support Proposal. His explanation to the House Budget Committee (HBC) was that, based on the evidence of previous measures to enhance competition, there was no quantitative proof of i ts benefits. However, this study differs with Elmendorf’s assertion by explaining various instances where competition in healthcare has proven gainful. One of the fields where the research found competition to be beneficial is the utilization of care. The research depicts a perfect example of the

The Economic Downturn Effects on I.T Projects in Singapore Case Study - 1

The Economic Downturn Effects on I.T Projects in Singapore - Case Study Example Beginning November 2008, global demand and investments in trade had been paralyzed and in turn had an adverse impact on several economic sectors in Singapore such as wholesale, retail, transport, and storage sectors. For instance, the manufacturing sector is estimated to have contracted by 3.7% in 2008 and is a bit better than the 5.8% contraction for the year 2007 (Bradley 2009). The services and construction sectors also registered a slower rate of growth by as much as 5.3% (the figures were an incredible 17.3% in 2007) (Bradley 2009). Laying a primary emphasis on mitigating job losses, the government of Singapore responded to the crisis by adopting several measures. Amongst them, one of the most significant initiatives implemented included a job-retraining program aimed at improving the professional skills of workers and to reduce the burden on businesses by paying for related expenses incurred over job training. In several other cases, the government also closed down several proj ects or instructed business to do so if it felt that they were to resource intensive or hampering the reversal of the crisis (include author). A broad review of related literature and news reports (include authors) suggests that the IT industry was generally favored and supported by the government during this period of economic recession and restructuring. For example, a tender to provide passive fiber grid for the next generation of the national broadband network in Singapore was awarded in September 2008. Decisions like these clearly indicate a high level of trust and commitment on the part of the Singapore government to support the IT sector and use of IT services despite and signifies the relevance of IT as an instrument for emerging out of the crisis. Further, a passive ICT infrastructure was to be implemented in Singapore by Netcom OpenNet to deliver speeds of 1Gbps and beyond. The government committed itself towards extending a grant of S$750 million to the contracted company so as to support the network implementation (James 2009) in the hope of opening up several opportunities along the way for many other I.T proj ects.

American government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American government - Essay Example Their laborious journey to California in search of employment and survival of the family members is seen in the film. In reality, the family did not succeed in their journey, and they eventually disintegrated. However, the movie has a successful conclusion since the family landed in a suitable place provided by the government to live. An optimistic view is given in the movie, rather than the challenges that the immigrants had at the conclusion of their voyage. The idea that even the most underprivileged Americans could have a vehicle does not augur well with many skeptics. However, the film candidly recreates the Great Depression and the socio-economic impacts that it initiated among the masses (Nugent). The predicament of the family characterizes the challenges that other families from the region faced because of the personal interests of financial institutions and insatiable individuals. Most of the progression of events and expressions used either have been omitted or have been toned up. In as much as there may be some alterations from the original story, the movie succeeds in depicting American history and historical

Social Media and Its Impact on Our Privacy Today Essay Example for Free

Social Media and Its Impact on Our Privacy Today Essay According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Privacy is the quality or state of being apart from company or observation. Ever since the creation of Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media Outlets privacy has been non-existent. One can be astonished that the definition of privacy still exists since the introduction and existence of Social Media. Social Media erased the concept of privacy in our day to day lives. Imagine the convenience of friends, family and your Facebook or Twitter family knowing everything about your day, mood and whereabouts; in this day and age the world also knows what you’re eating, when and where. How did this happen Facebook started off as a connection platform for college students. To share updates, experiences and an advanced friend database based on education. Shortly after it became open to everyone and instead of being a place to stay connected it became a virtual diary of one’s day, vacation and life. It wasn’t enough that Facebook statuses were general. The world was now introduced to Twitter with a play by play updates on one’s daily life. According to character Father Brendan Flynn: â€Å"Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty. When you are lost, you are not alone. †(Doubt). When everyone is able to follow your posts and location on Facebook you’re not lost, on the contrary you are found. When everyone is able to read you’re constantly updated tweets you are not lost. With Social Media uncovering our personal lives to the world we are not lost we are however alone. Since Social Media makes it easy to â€Å"share† our experiences ironically we become alone as there is no need for physical interaction with friends and family. So what do we do? How do we overcome Social Media and retain our privacy again when Facebook and Twitter have been such an integral part of our lives with advertising, personal updates and virtual sharing? According to Audrey Siegel, media agency Target Cast President â€Å"You don’t have any control, quite honestly†. Social Media is here to stay with its’ good and bad, however it is up to us to control and regain our privacy.

Self Determination Theory And Career Aspirations Education Essay

Self Determination Theory And Career Aspirations Education Essay The purpose of this article is to explore the five components which relate self-determination theory to career aspirations. The first component is vocational education reform in Thailand, followed by how to undertake social cognitive career theory effectively, then self-determination theorys influence over career-decision making, and students career aspirations and career choices. Moreover life goals, intrinsic and extrinsic aspiration perspectives, which is the most significant focused issue to achieve students career aspirations for future research. Present research indicates that career decision-making self-efficacy is more strongly associated with career indecision than career decision-making autonomy. In order to verify carefully whether self-efficacy perceptions are strongly related to career indecision than autonomy. Self-determination theory will be discussed as a theory of work motivation to show its relevance to theories of organizational behavior. This paper concentrates o n the issues raised by Kasser and Ryan [13] as cited in Ryan and Deci [20] [4] which divided aspirations into two categories; intrinsic aspirations and extrinsic aspirations. It detailed the processes through which extrinsic motivation can become autonomous, and current research suggests that intrinsic motivation and autonomous extrinsic motivation are both related to performance, satisfaction, trust, and well-being in the workplace which also correlate to career aspirations. This is an important issue contributing to understanding vocational students career aspirations for the future. Key-Words: motivation, self-determination, Social cognitive career, career aspirations, aspiration index, life goals, vocational student 1 Introduction There are many different approaches to understanding human characteristics which are complex and extremely important [6]. After all, all people are individual. They may relate to experience in a study with different and unpredictable emotions and attitude [17], but there is evidence to illustrate how a few key basic theoretical principles help organize and increase our understanding of the motivational processes, determinants, and outcomes on a variety of life contexts [24]. In addition, motivation explains why people decide to do something, how hard they are going to pursue it and how long they are willing to sustain the activity. Motivation is the progression of instigating and sustaining goal-directed behavior [24]. This is cognitive explanation because it postulates that people set goals and employ cognitive process (e.g., planning and monitoring) and behavior (e.g., persistence and effort) to attain their goals. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was believed by people such as Sigmund Freuds, that the concepts of motivation were basic human instinct and the drives to be unconscious motivation [6]. The middle of the twentieth century was dominated by conditioning theories related to behaviorist physiology, many of these research forming habits were based on experiments with animals rather than with humans. Moreover, the 1960s brought about further important changes. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, they are famous behaviorism of that time, humanistic psychologies who identify details motivation into people lives. In this famous Hierarchy of Needs by Maslows 1943 were conceptualized five basic classes of needs, which were able, defined as: Physiological needs, safely, love, esteem and self-actualization [6]. However, the focus in the character in motivational psychology at present is characterized by cognitive approaches. The aim is on the individuals conscious attribute, thoughts, beliefs and interpretation of events and how their influence their behavior. It should also be noted that current motivation researches shown many alternative sub-theories that dominate motivational approaches. From overall picture these include Brophy, Ecceles and Wigfield which show how the human expect achievement and value outcome (Expectancy-values Theory). Locke and Latham gave directions about human action is caused by a sense of purpose. Thus, goals have to be set and pursued by choices. Covigton focused on perceived self worth that people are genially motivated to behave in ways that put them in a better light (Self-worth Theory). Atkinson and Raynor were expressed knowledge about motivational achievement that is determined by positive achievement influence about the success and negative achievement incentive to avoid self failure (Achievement Motivation Theory) [6]. The aim of this paper is to review literature relationship of Self-determination and career aspirations by discover the five components ; first is vocational education reform in Thailand, Then , How effective Social Cognitive Career Theory, follow by why self-determination theorys influence over career-decision making , and students career aspirations and career choices. Moreover life goals: intrinsic and extrinsic aspiration perspectives, which it the most significant focused issue to achieve students career aspirations for the future research. 2 Vocational education reform in Thailand In developing a countrys competitiveness, development of the middle-level manpower is one of the main issues to be considered. Thailand realizes the importance of this matter and emphasizes the need to increase vocational and training contains National education Bill which is going to be in force in the very near future [2]. Vocational education was systematically initiated in Thailand in 1898 in which the increment of interests began to rises. The vision of the Vocational Education Commission is to produce and develop vocational manpower at all levels for the general public [27]. The current strength situation of vocational education in Thailand has more than 800 vocational education institutions (public/ private). The public have quantity to 404 establishments all over country including the urban and suburban cities [27]. There are currently over 1 million students enrolled in the various vocational study pathways. Eight fields of study are undertaken as majors: trade and industry, agriculture, home economics, fisheries, business and tourism, arts and crafts, textiles and commerce [27]. The weakness of current situation concern the lack of unity in terms of policy guidelines. The country does not have a master plan for human resource development. This is reflected by employer which state the graduates have weaknesses in both theory and practice. The issues of curriculum and the process of training must be addressed [2]. Vocational education need to produce new technology and also generate new jobs. It has been very difficult to improve vocational education in Thailand particularly due to economic crisis in 1997. The state policy has not been sustained due to the frequent changes of government. It is expected Thailand will have shortest of human resources in main industry area for the next 5-10 years. There was a necessitate administrative system should promote unity in policy guidelines and variety in management such as networking between educational institutions [2],[1]. Hoffmann and Scott cited in Bhumirat [2] recommended according to Atagi [1] on challenges educators to continue to seek better curriculum and career opportunity programs to overcome the institutional that may interfere with students aspirations. 3 How effective Social Cognitive Career Theory Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is the integrative theory of academic and career-related interests, preference, performance, and satisfaction of students. SCCT were extends Albert Bandura universal Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to academic and career behavior. Bandra and Brewer beliefs on people are more likely to act based on their beliefs [11]. According to Schunk [22] statement that SCT is a difference perspective on motivation that relevant to learning. Following this line investigation has identified many cognitive processes encourage students, as like goals, social comparison, and self-efficacy. The contributions of SCCT were based on 25 years of research and applied experiences by Lent [14]. This can be view as conceptual professional improvement intervention. Lent, Brown, Hackett [15] provided frame of SCCT that was inclusive of academic interest, preference, and performance be able to examine how career and academic interests mature, how career choices are developed and how these choices are turned into action. The perspective on SCCT is accomplished reflection on three primary tenets: self efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals. Self-efficacy refers to the beliefs of people have about their ability to successfully complete the steps required for a given task [9]. These beliefs regularly changed base on interactions with other people, environment, and ones own behavior. Lent expressed the relationship between the individual self-efficacy improvement on or after personal performance, learning by example, social interactions and how they feel in situation. Outcome expectations are beliefs related to the consequences of performing a specific behavior. Extrinsic reinforcement, self-directed consequences and basic task understanding can be tied to outcome expectations. These expectations are often influenced by self-efficacy, especially when outcomes are based on the quality of a persons performance [15]. Finally, goal is the key role in SCT has that refers to success and outcome of actions. Goals give people tunnel vision to focus on demands of the tasks and to persist at the task orientate [23]. A goal is defined as the decision to begin a particular activity or future plan [9]. Lent, et al. [16] studied on race and gender may limit or expand exposure to various careers, or may persuade how a person inspection the possibility of achievement related to particular interest. Bias and role socialization are also relevant to this concern. They recommended future research on career and academic interest for science and engineering majors. 4 Self-determination theory influence Career-decision making The reflections on self-determination (SDT) from over the past 25 years were recommended to future research that is reasonably bright [24]. It noticeably presented the great heuristic power from the three basic theoretical principle give a hand to understand motivational progression, determinates and outcome in variety of life context. SDT is an approach to human motivation that highlights importance of three elementary; psychological needs autonomy, competence, and relatedness [20]. The interested functional support to this study in terms of supporting peoples psychological needs on three basic areas must be satisfied in order to experience a sense of well-being. White and de-Charms [20] proposed that the competence and autonomy needs are the basis for intrinsic motivations and performance. Notice, this is a relationship between peoples basic needs and their motivations. In term of autonomy originate that, autonomy offered people extrinsic rewards for behavior that is intrinsically motivated this may undermined the intrinsic motivation as they grow less interested in it. Initially intrinsically motivated behavior becomes controlled by external rewards, which undermines their autonomy [25], [5]. Further research by found other external factors like deadlines, which restrict and control, also decrease intrinsic motivation. Situations that give autonomy as opposed to taking it away also have a similar link to motivation. Studies looking at choice have found that increasing a participants options and choices increases their intrinsic motivation to said activities [24]. The competence commented it is giving people positive feedback on a task increases peoples intrinsic motivation to do it, meaning that this was because the positive feedback was fulfilling peoples need for competence [24, 5]. Negative feedback has the opposite effect decreasing intrinsic motivation by taking away from peoples need for competence. The competence implies that individuals seek to be effective in their communications with the environment. According to SDT, perceptions of competence will not enhance optimal functioning unless accompanied by a sense of autonomy. The need for autonomy implies that individuals strive to experience choice in the initiation, maintenance and regulation of human behavior. In particular, the terms perceived competence and perceived autonomy refer to the fulfillment of these psychological needs [11]. Future more, the need for relatedness supports intrinsic motivation in a less key way. In the study for career aspiration found that relatedness (i.e.,need to have positive and significant relationships) is weakly related to career indecision [11]. Gange and Deci [8] studied about cognitive evaluation theory, shown effects of extrinsic motivators on intrinsic motivation, received some initial attention in the organizational literature. Gange and Deci initiate that differentiating extrinsic motivation into types that differ in their degree of autonomy lead to SDT, which has received widespread attention in the education, health care, and sport domains. They were describing SDT as a theory of work motivation and illustrate its significance to theories of organizational behavior. 5 Students career aspirations and career choices Follow from our inquiry; what is your career aspiration? Is that relate to your career choices or discipline that you studying now? Brought us to studied prior research about career aspirations and career choices. Guay, et al. [11] found a negative relation between self-efficacy in career decision making and career indecision. More specifically, students who have strong self-efficacy expectations about their career choice process have. Autonomy and control orientations were positively related to self-exploration and beliefs in relation to the instrumentality of career decision-making exploration. The present results indicate that career decision-making self-efficacy is more strongly associated with career indecision than career decision-making autonomy. More research need to be in order to verify more rigorously whether self-efficacy perceptions are more strongly related to career indecision than autonomy. York [28] studied on gender differences in career decision making. Research had found that parents and peers behaviors strongly influence career decision making. The promotion of perceptions of self-efficacy and autonomy can reduce career indecision. And autonomy supportive ways may help students develop their autonomy and self-efficacy to support their career decision making. The less autonomy supportive and the more controlling the parents and peers, the less positive are students perceptions of self-efficacy and autonomy toward career decision-making activities. In turn, the less positive students perceptions are, the higher their levels of career indecision. Thus, they focused on gender differences that women perceived their parents and peers as more autonomy supportive and less controlling than did men. In addition, women perceived greater autonomy and self-efficacy but less career indecision than did men. Whiston as cited in Guay, et al. [11] studied shown that only womens career indecisiveness was negatively correlated to the quantity of control as well as organization within the family (i.e., this relation was no significant for men) and that both womens and mens career decision-making self-efficacy is positively related to the degree to which families encourage and support independence and participation in a variety of activities. According to research on gender differences has typically shown that women present higher levels of autonomy than do men. However, the research does not usually report gender differences on career decision-making self-efficacy and career indecision. Many of studied have linked career indecision to interpersonal and intrapersonal processes without paying attention to how interpersonal and intrapersonal factors are related to career indecision. 6 Life goals: intrinsic and extrinsic aspiration perspectives What are your life goals? This is the question refer to your own aspirations? When we talk about goals, we can talk about short term goal such as having good grade in this subject, but long term goals, future goals, life goals or aspirations are things drive as a powerful process in thinking their ideal future. According to Elliot and Dweck [7] studied shown that after people have their own aspirations they will motivate them self to turn this vision of the future into reality. As our focusing significant issue by Kasser, Ryan were divided aspirations into two categories; intrinsic aspirations and extrinsic aspirations. The researched propose an instrument to measure people life goals level, called the Aspiration Index [4],[5]. Aspiration Index refers to peoples life goals are intrinsic aspirations contain life goals like relationship generatively and personal development (viz. meaningful relationships, personal growth, and community contributions) versus extrinsic aspirations (viz. wealth, fame, and image). The Aspiration index participants rate allow importance to themselves of each aspiration, their beliefs about the likelihood of attaining each, and the degree to which they have already attained each [4]. Prior research by Deci and Ryan on this aspirations index has revealed found in a Long study in period of time shown that well-being was enhanced by attainment of intrinsic goals, whereas success at extrinsic goals provided little benefit. Initial evidence suggests that controlling, uninvolved parenting is associated with the development of strong relative extrinsic aspiration, whereas autonomy-supportive, involved parenting is associated with the development of stronger intrinsic aspirations. Ryan, Huta, Deci [21] pointed out on eudaimonic belief (human happiness) in well-being studies. The model of eudaimonia that is based in self-determination theory were expressed that eudaimonic is cored on what it means to live a good life, a life representing human individual excellence. On the other hand, at the between-person level, it was people who engaged in numerous eudaimonic movements or have eudaimonic goals (happiness life goals) who consistently had high life satisfaction and a high level of positive influence. 7 Conclusions Ryan, Sheldon, Kasser, and Deci [5] argued that the pursuit and attainment of some life goals may provide greater satisfaction of the basic psychological needs than the pursuit and attainment of others, and that those providing greater satisfaction would be associated with greater well-being. Kasser Ryan [5] recommended that, because of these expected links to basic need satisfaction, pursuit and attainment of intrinsic aspirations would be more strongly associated with well-being than would pursuit and attainment of extrinsic aspirations. Furthermore, self-determination theory has detailed the processes through which extrinsic motivation can turn out to be autonomous, and research suggests that intrinsic motivation (based in interest) and autonomous extrinsic motivation (based in importance) are both related to performance, satisfaction, trust, and well-being in the workplace which it related to career aspirations [8]. We notice that there are little research reported so far on the common motivational processes that connect family aspirations, cultural ideals, or personal goals in a distant future with classroom motivation and achievement in differences discipline are missing mostly unexplained. Studied outlined a research agenda that will be significant for supporting the use of SDT as a theory of work motivation and career aspirations.

The History Of Pornography Media Essay

The History Of Pornography Media Essay Pornography is a sexually explicit form of adult entertainment available in magazines, books, films, and photographs that is intended to help stimulate sexual arousal. In its legal and widely available forms, it is created by adults and intended to be used/read/viewed by adults. While child exposure is possible, adults have the ability to prevent children from viewing pornographic material through television and internet parental locks. Most people acknowledge that porn is not something young children should view and although there are ways to prevent it, no method is infallible. Pornography caters to users with various sexual preferences and to some it can be helpful in stimulating arousal that leads to masturbation or intercourse. Pornography depicts sex acts that consenting adults frequently participate in and thus can present sex as being something common, natural, and enjoyable. While to others, it can present sex as being unnatural, repulsive, and sickening. Pornography fight s against sexual repression and guarantees the freedom to sexual expression. The circumstances surrounding the debate on pornography cross ethical, social, religious, psychological, and cultural boundaries. It is argued that pornography decreases the desire and appeal for long-term traditional relationships. Judaism requires women to dress modestly while the ancient Hindu text, the Kama Sutra, depicts sexual behavior in ways considered today to be porn. Feminists argue that it is a violent exploitation of women and promotes chauvinism, and that it leads to abusive relationships and makes men more likely to rape women. This essay will discuss possible answers to the posed question by illustrating the arguments for and against pornography. Pornography is often defined pejoratively: words like violent, degrading, and humiliating may be used with no acknowledgement that such descriptions are subjective and contextually relative (Ciclitira 286). A common view is that pornography is degrading to women. This statement is an opinion. Ones perception of pornographys depiction of sex is related to their own sexual experiences and their views on sex. Some women might say that porn is degrading if their own sexual experiences have left them feeling objectified or used or if they have been sexually assaulted. In this case, the idea of sex itself might be the issue and therefore the depiction of sex might remind that woman of her own negative experiences. Other women who have had positive sexual experiences and frequently enjoy sex might be excited by porn and see the depiction of sex as a reminder of their own positive and satisfying experiences. Not all pornography portrays females as being passive participants or simple sex objects. In many cases, the woman is not just giving pleasure, she is receiving it. The presentation of women enjoying sex and orgasming shows sex to be natural, healthy, and pleasurable not something to be ashamed of. Pornography can depict sex as something romantic and emotional or as an act between adults who love each other. The view that pornography is degrading to women disregards the views of women who create porn whether by writing it, producing it, or acting in it. It also disregards the pornography that illustrates a womans perspective of sex and porn that is aimed at female audiences. Many women willingly participate in the production of pornography whether for mass distribution or for private viewing. Many women also enjoy watching pornography alone or with their partner(s). Pornography is harmful to relationships is another view. The Flood article (393-394) states, US studies find that a consistent minority of female partners of male regular pornography users find it damaging both for their relationships and themselves. They see their male partners pornography use as a kind of infidelity, feel betrayal and loss, feel less desirable, and describe other negative effects on their relationships, sex lives and themselves (Bridges et al., 2003). First, this is a minority of females and the article does not state how low that minority is. The minority could be 10% of Latino or 3% of Caucasian females. A perception of porn use harming a relationship may point to fundamental flaws in the relationship that are only made more visible through porn use but do not exist because of the porn use. For example, the woman might believe her sex life is floundering because her partner is using porn rather than her to satisfy his sexual needs, but the man might be using porn because he is dissatisfied with the woman or disinterested in her. In this case, it is not the porn that is harming the relationship; it is the lack of communication between the partners: the man isnt open about his dissatisfaction so the woman sees the porn as causing the mans disinterest in her rather than being a result of the disinterest. On the other hand, the man may be interested and sexually attracted to the woman, but pornography offers a form of arousal that cannot be found elsewhere. A relationship could be sexually vibrant but the introduction of pornography may illicit unique sensations that overwhelms the male and makes the woman feel less valuable. Pornography may benefit relationships, as sex can be a very important aspect of a relationship establishing and maintaining closeness, giving each other pleasure, satisfying each others sexual desires, expressing affection, etc. A couple (married or dating) might watch porn in order to get aroused prior to engaging in intercourse. But one may argue why a healthy couple would need to watch something to illicit arousal. Pornography can be used to spice things up for the couple giving them ideas of new positions to try or inspiring role-playing scenarios. The statement that porn harms relationships is too broad. The information available on the harmful effects of pornography on relationships seems to be focused on heterosexual relationships while ignoring homosexual relationships. Another view is that pornography makes men more likely to rape women. The Flood article (393) talks about studies that show a correlation between teenage boys frequency of consumption of porn and their agreement with the idea that it is acceptable to hold down and force a girl to have sex. However, the ability of parents to block their children who are minors from viewing porn on the internet or TV while at home may diminish the frequency of porn. Even though minors can acquire pornography from outside the home (from friends, on a different computer, etc), if adults teach children starting from a young age about sex, its need to be consensual, its consequences, and the importance of respecting women and people in general, then young boys attitudes toward sex and females may very well be unaffected by pornography. Nevertheless, even if all young boys were taught in this way, they would not all absorb the important lesson. Other factors such as peer or media influences play large roles in young boys attitudes towards sex and the treatment of women and those would need to be controlled as well. Flood (392) also states that men who frequently use violent or rape porn are more likely to report that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. This does not necessarily mean that the porn is planting the desire to rape a woman. Perhaps the man who would rape a woman watches the porn in order to see a fantasy that he cannot realize. In this case might the porn be somewhat satisfying the mans desire to rape and preventing him from doing so in reality. However, violent porn can give violent or sexual offenders venues to act out their fantasies. The watchers of violent porn may gain inspiration to go and act out their fantasies on innocent women. Flood cites Malamuths writing that men at high risk for sexual aggression are more likely aroused by it and more likely influenced by it (392). But what percentage of men are at high risk for sexual aggression? Does the predisposition to sexual aggression guarantee that the man will rape or assault a woman ONLY if he watches porn? Or does watching porn create sexual aggression and violent feelings towards women? This view is also strewn forth in the media. Barongan and Hall conducted a study where males listened to neutral or misogynous rap music before viewing sexually violent and neutral vignettes (196). They would then choose a vignette to show to a female. Their reasoning for the study is that misogynous messages appear in the media and they can contribute to negative attitudes or behaviors towards women. And pornography has been defined, by some, as sexually explicit materials that can evoke sexually abusive and degrading treatment of women. Some men may believe that their own sexual aggression against women is justified because it is seen or heard in the media, and if so, their actions are not wrong because they are common. The study showed that of males that listened to misogynous rap music 30% showed the violent vignette to their female. Surprisingly only 7% of the males who listened to neutral rap music showed the assaultive vignette. Viewing pornography that glorifies sexual coercion is particularly degrading and harmful. Is sexual coercion degrading to women? If you use random association with this statement, it can easily lead you to agree with the statement. Coercion is to force, compel, or persuade. If women are coerced into sex in pornography, it seems easy. Who is persuaded easily? Unintelligent people? Children? Therefore, women are stupid or as ignorant as a child for being coerced into sex. Non-normative sexual activities falling into the sexual coercion category such as BDSM (Bondage/Domination/Sadism/Masochism) are practiced by both women and men. To say that depiction of sexual coercion is degrading and harmful is to pass judgment on those people who participate in BDSM. Why shouldnt people with non-normative (but still legal) sexual desires have pornography available to them that is suited to their desires? BDSM can be viewed as strange or weird. Why not judge them for being weird? If only a small ma jority of people participate in BDSM, why are their views of sex important to the rest of the population. Sexual coercion and even rape are common themes of sexual role-play among consenting sexual partners. To depict sexual coercion in pornography is to depict a real life scenario within consensual sex. I believe that pornography has beneficial effects for some and harmful effects for others. Do I believe that pornography is degrading to women? Generally speaking, no. However, films that are violent or disturbing in nature, depicting women enjoying these acts that probably no one would enjoy taking part it, I feel is degrading to women. I think that sexually there are things that no woman would want to be involved in, and to show that some people would do so can humiliate and lessen the value of such person. Pornography that that simply depicts intimate and erotic acts, I do not think is degrading. As for pornography creating a prevalence of violence in men or having influences that compel someone to commit rape, I think it is very possible, but it is a person to person issue. I think men who through watching porn think it is okay to force intercourse upon someone will eventually think that regardless of if they have viewed porn. Some people are predisposed to being violent towards women in many other ways than pornography, and although pornography is not the route cause, it can definitely attribute. Non-violent men who respect women and have had meaningful relationship will not have suddenly commit rape after seeing pornography. I think it could evoke thoughts or fantasies similar to acts depicted in the porn they watch, but they will not go out and rape or take a life. I do believe that pornography can damage relationships, but once again, it can have the opposite effect depending on the individuals. I have heard of problems that pornography has caused in friends relationships. I have seen it stem from the fact that women in pornography have physical attributes that are exaggerated to increase sex appeal. I understand that women can feel subpar to the women in the films because they dont look a certain way or compare to these women in societys opinion. I believe the adult entertainment industry can be a contributor to self-esteem or image problems of young women today. Moreover, self-esteem and confidence issues play a huge role in the successfulness of a relationship. On the contrary, I have heard of pornography helping relationships by adding something new to a fading love life. Pornography can spice up a love life, or ruin one. It can illicit arousal for intimacy or to commit a sexually violent crime. Pornography involves acts that are very instinctual to us and therefore can evoke strong judgment towards both ends of the spectrum. Similar to abortion or euthanasia, it is important to find middle ground, and to encourage imaginative thinking where people will not rush to say pornography destroys relationships or causes rape, but it can destroy relationships and may give someone the idea to rape.

Fern Hill :: essays research papers

The poem "Fern Hill", by Dylan Thomas, is being told by a speaker who is recalling his youthful past. Many images, symbols, and metaphors increase the depth of the speaker's message to the reader. An image that is spoke about alot in the poem is the color of gold. Gold is usually used with youthful objects. Gold represents vibrance. Vibrance is usually associated with youth. Gold appears in the following locations: "Golden in the heydays of his eyes" "Trail with daisies and barley" "Golden in the mercy of his means," "And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calves" "And the sun grew round that very day." "In the sun born over and over," "Before the children green and golden" A symbol in the poem occurs: "And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns." Princes are those who have a lot of political and social power. What separates them from kings, is that princes are generally young, at least younger than their fathers. Many metaphors concerning the opposite of youth, aging, are located in the entirety of the last stanza of the poem. " Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand, In the moon that is always rising, Nor that riding to sleep I should hear him fly with the high fields And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land. Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means, Time held me green and dying Though I sang in my chains like the sea." "In the moon that is always rising" reveals that the speaker has experiances what seems like countless days and nights. "The childless land" means that where the speaker was before, everyone has grown up by now.

The Impact of the Internet on the Production, Distribution, and Consump

The creation of the web was not only a revolutionary movement but also acted as a door for endless opportunities in the music industry. Its ability alone to provide the general public with continuous information is astounding, but it also acts a platform for users to access, distribute and produce music. According to Andrew P.S (2006, 1), the internet was not created with a business mentality but as the years went by it began and continues to be moulded into a continuous path where consumers grasp the aptitude to which they could discover incessant possibilities online such as the access to music. Evidently, the internet solely acts as a huge factor in the shaping of the music industry today, more positively than negatively. Below, we will take a look at effects the internet has had on the production, distribution and consumption of popular music. By analyzing the various methods the consumer is able to get access to, distribute and consume music, the essay will be able to draw on a conclusion. The internet proves to have a far and wide reach to its users, and popular music is short of what ends it can attain. ‘’ The success of the internet is due to its worldwide broadcasting capability that allows the interaction between individuals without regard for geographic location and distance’’ Romualdo Pastor-Satorras and Alessandro V. (2007, 1). The distribution of music on the internet can be a very delicate situation. Organizations such as the RIAA provide websites such iTunes where music can be legally purchased and this in turn allows users who have no method of substantial purchase a way to access music. However, with the internet’s rapid and continuous progression, it would only be of habitual nature that illegal download we... ...ay 2012. Andrew P. Sparrow (2006). Music Distribution And the Internet: A Legal Guide for the Music Business. unknown: Gower Publishing Ltd. 1. Bruce Fries, Marty Fries (2005). Digital Audio Essentials. Sebastopol,US: O'Reilly Media. 22. Marie Heimer (2011). The Theory of Access Replacing Ownership on the Example of Spotify. unknown: Grin Verlag. 24. Michael Zager (2011). Music Production: For Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students. 2nd ed. unknown: Scarecrow Press. 18. O.C. Ferrell, Michael D. Hartline (2007). Marketing strategy. 4th ed. unknown: South-Western College Pub. 373. Romualdo Pastor-Satorras, Alessandro Vespignani (2007). Evolution and Structure of the Internet: A Statistical Physics Approach. unknown: Cambridge University Press. 1 unknown. (2012). Youtube. Available:http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/youtube.com. Last accessed 15th May 2012.

Cultural Erasure Essay

The Caribbean can be many things to many people: a geographic region somewhere in America’s backyard, an English-speaking outpost of the British Empire, an exciting holiday destination for North Americans and Europeans, a place where dirty money is easily laundered, and even an undefined, exotic area that contains the dreaded Bermuda Triangle, the mythical lost city of El Dorado, the fabled Fountain of Youth and the island home of Robinson Crusoe. Enriched by the process of creolization, the cosmopolitanism of the average Caribbean person is also well recognized: ‘No Indian from India, no European, no African can adjust with greater ease and naturalness to new situations’ (Lamming 1960, 34). As a concept or notion ‘the Caribbean’ can also be seen to have a marvellous elasticity that defies the imposition of clear geographic boundaries, has no distinct religious tradition, no agreed-upon set of political values, and no single cultural orientation. What, then, is the Caribbean? Who can justifiably claim to belong to it? Of the various peoples who have come to comprise the region, whose identity markers will be most central in defining the whole? For not all citizens of a nation or a region will be equally privileged and not all will have equal input in the definition of national or regional identity. In other words,  because power implies a process of social negotiation, and because power is unequally distributed in social groups, some parties to the process will be more represented than others. This is where the notion of erasure is tied to any appreciation of identity, and played out in the history and politics of colonization and decolonization in the Caribbean. As might be imagined, the colonially-conditioned divisions of race and gender figured (and continue to figure) prominently in the entire process and bring to mind Bob Marley’s advice to Caribbean people: ‘emancipate your minds from mental slavery’ (Redemption Song). Erasure is in large part the act of neglecting, looking past, minimizing, ignoring or rendering invisible an other. Rhoda Reddock (1996) examines the academic and political consequences of erasure at the level of ethnicity, and draws attention to four (among many other) neglected minorities in the Caribbean: the Amerindians of Guyana, the Karifuna or Caribs of Dominica, the Chinese in Jamaica, and the  Sindhis and Gujaratis in Barbados. Although some of these are indigenous and some have lived in the Caribbean for hundreds of years, they are commonly overlooked, even by those who today claim ‘authentic’ Caribbean roots and a commitment to the region as an integrated whole. In this essay I focus on three recent studies that address the ways in which identity and erasure have come dialectically to embody several erased peoples and groups of people in the Caribbean. I begin with the contributions of Sandra Pouchet Paquet, who focuses on the heyday of colonialism, slavery and women in Caribbean history, and laments the fact that ‘The female ancestor is effectively silenced if not erased’ (Paquet 2002, 11) in the writing of that history. To this end she cites Carole Boyce-Davies and Elaine Fido, who, in assessing the literature and historiography of the region, also spoke of ‘†¦ the historical absence of a specifically female position on major issues such as slavery, colonialism and decolonization, women’s rights and  more direct social and cultural issues’ (1990, 1). Next I examine the contributions of Geert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers (2003), who move from the slave period and colonialism proper and begin to discuss the uneven dismantling of colonialism in the various Caribbean countries, and its persistence in others. In the process they focus on erasure at the wider sub-regional level of groupings of countries. Thus, Oostindie and Klinkers protest the common academic and political tendency to assume that the Caribbean is principally an English-speaking group of countries; a tendency that simultaneously erases or minimizes the presence and contributions of other Caribbean peoples. These authors charge that while this erasure is undeniable in the cases of the Spanish- and French-speaking Caribbean, it is particularly evident with regard to the Dutch Caribbean. For while much has been written on the wider region generally, it is ‘seldom with serious attention to the former Dutch colonies of Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba’ (2003, 10). And as they go on to argue, most general histories ‘tend virtually to neglect the Dutch Caribbean’ (p. 234). This ‘neglect’ is synonymous with erasure and constitutes a major obstacle for anyone wishing to develop a truly comprehensive understanding of the entire region. Finally, there are Smart and Nehusi (2000), who invoke the idea of erasure and the attempt by African-ancestored people in the Caribbean, but especially in Trinidad, to resist erasure and reclaim their identity. Smart and Nehusi look at efforts of Afro-Trinidadians to forge a diasporic identity in which culture (Carnival) is the centrepiece of African, ancestral lore. Thus, in describing the trade in African slaves and the institution of New World slavery as ‘the largest crime in human history,’ Nehusi speaks of the Maafa, or the African Holocaust, as a terror that has been hushed up: ‘one part of that crime has been the attempt to forget, to pretend that it did not happen and to present a history ethnically cleansed of all traces of this genocide †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Nehusi 2000, 8). Very much in line with the thinking of Smart and Nehusi, Paquet views slavery as a crime and speaks of the ‘depravity of the slave owner’ (p. 42) as she applauds the efforts of Mary Prince to expose the horrors of the system: ‘Prince lays bare for public scrutiny the criminality of slave owners and the legal system that endorses their conduct’ (Paquet 2002, 41). In developing his argument Nehusi hints at a conspiracy or historical hoax which witnessed the abandonment of  black Trinidadians and their treatment as ‘non-persons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle, mainly by Afrikan people.’ (Nehusi 2000a, 11). To this Ian Smart adds that ‘Africans all over the globe who have been subjected to white supremacy must be engaged unremittingly in the struggle for liberation in order to be made whole again’ (Smart 2000b, 199). This notion of being ‘made whole again’ speaks directly to the idea of erasure and the recapture of lost identity. Sandra Pouchet Paquet is principally concerned with two things: (a) finding the Caribbean identity and (b) autobiography as a literary genre. She uses the latter to pursue the former. Autobiography does not only tell a story of the biographer, but of the very society and community that shaped and nurtured her/him. So it is not simply a personal recounting of episodes that have shaped one’s life; but if properly written, autobiography can give valuable insights into the social worlds of the various storytellers. To this end Paquet exposes the ‘historical silencing of the female ancestor’ as evidenced in the ‘discovery and republication of the nineteenthcentury narratives of the Hart sisters (Elizabeth and Ann), Mary Prince, and Mary Seacole between 1987 and1993’ (2002, 13). These women bring to light what an inadvertent male scholarship had previously buried: a strong female culture of resistance both before and after emancipation. Unlike similar approaches, this work is careful not to essentialize women. Instead it is sensitive to their individual differences while weaving together common strands in their biographical experiences and narratives to produce a common story of erasure, resistance and strength. In her words they ‘throw light on the idiosyncrasies of a female culture of resistance in the Caribbean before and after emancipation’ (Paquet 2002, 13). Focusing on the signal contributions  of strong women like Elizabeth and Anne Hart, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince, who prepared the way for future leading male Caribbean writers such as C.L.R. James, George Lamming, Derek Walcott and V.S. Naipaul, Paquet does not mince words. In fact she openly acknowledges the unconscious impact of patriarchy, even on those men, and the ways in which they too contributed to the alienation, erasure and misrepresentation of women in Caribbean literary culture (p. 73). Clearly reflecting different social trajectories and individual strengths, the narratives of these four women nevertheless contain and speak to essential elements in the forging of a Caribbean identity. Dialectically, their efforts to reverse erasure through resistance culminated in a powerful story of struggle, setback and triumph of the human spirit. The Hart sisters, whose father was a free black, a plantation owner and a slaveholder, both married white men of influence. This gave them an important measure of social capital and they were able to use their religion (Methodism) and social status as the bases from which to promote ideas about racial equality and the empowerment of women. Mary Seacole was a unique woman for her time. The child of a free black Jamaican woman and a Scottish officer, she always set her sights on the wider world beyond Jamaica, and in time she became a creole ‘doctress’, a traveller and adventurer, entrepreneur, sutler and hotelier. The idea is not to romanticize her accomplishments for Seacole was human and vulnerable, and she betrayed all the contradictions of a woman placed in that age and time: resistance, accommodation and admiration for imperialism which contained ‘the civilizing values she professes to honor’ (Paquet 2002, 56). For while she railed against the injustices of race and sex discrimination she did not directly chal- lenge the idea of a British empire as much as she struggled ‘to redefine her place in it’ (p. 56). Seacole could thus be seen as a prototype of the modern-day Afro-Saxon. Then there was Mary Prince, a slave woman who did not have the privileges of the Hart sisters or of Mary Seacole, and thus has a  different take on the colonial situation. Comparing the two Marys (Seacole and Prince), Paquet writes that Prince embodied ‘an embryonic nationalism formed in resistance to slavery’ while Seacole reflected ‘an acceptance of colonialism after slavery’ (p. 52). Mary Prince was a rebel in spirit and action, and her life story is partly a struggle against erasure that illuminates another dimension of the contradictions of the time: Mary Prince was a ‘West Indian slave marooned in England by laws that made slavery illegal in England, while it was still legal in the colonies’ (p. 31). And as Paquet reports, the erasure and contradiction continue even in the twentieth-century male texts referred to above that are ‘devoid of reference to her resistant, militant spirit’ (p. 32). Though generally muted (erased) the voice of the black woman becomes audible in the narrative of Prince whose ‘individual life story establishes and validates a slave woman’s point of viewâ€⠄¢ while simultaneously serving as the foundation for ‘selfidentification and self-fulfilment in anticipation of the historical changes’ that would later follow in the wake of emancipation (p. 33-4). Thus, viewed together, the autobiographies of the Hart sisters, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince afford us an insight into the practical and intellectual worlds of very different women, and into their multifaceted struggles whether as slaves, as women, as free coloureds, as rape victims, and finally as silenced products of colonial brutality. In humanizing themselves through their autobiographies these women are able to expose the dehumanizing conditions under which so many millions were erased. Another key motif in Paquet is that of home and its relationship to errantry, travel, departure and return. These are central themes in Caribbean literature and reflect the post-colonial condition where the forced migrations associated with slavery and indentureship are the backdrops against which post-colonial peoples now seek to establish diasporic existences and to fashion a new ‘way in the world’. The initial trauma of forced removal from their ancestral lands has led to a spirit ual yearning for rootedness and symbolic return to home. Further, the yearning in question is best represented in the notion of primordialism, for it is only at home that one supposedly finds the acceptance and security from which to begin to negotiate one’s way in the world. Thus, ‘travel as exploration and transforming encounter turns on the quest for El Dorado, the lost world, the aboriginal landscape, identity,  origins, ancestry psychic reconnection, and rebirth’ (Paquet 2002, 196). Viewed in this way the Caribbean is both home and an African diasporic home away from home, and to this end Paquet invokes Wilfred Cartey, Carole BoyceDavies, Claude McKay, George Lamming and Edward Kamau Brathwaite to make the case for a ‘holistic Caribbean’ that comprises ‘a culturally diverse yet traditional’ culture block that stresses ‘the genealogical connection with Africa’ (p. 745). While departure could be non-voluntary or forced (slavery), Paquet also focuses on voluntary departure, as in the Caribbean migrant to England or some other metropolitan centre. Often for economic reasons, it is a sort of voluntary exile in Lamming’s thinking, that has given rise to scores of Caribbean diasporas in various Eu ropean metropoles. London, Berlin or Toronto is really a twice-migrant; first from Africa and second from the Caribbean. The connection to an African home is the centrepiece of much contemporary Afrocentric politics, but that connection is largely mythical and imagined, although many commentators seem willing to forget this fact. This speaks directly to the idea of home and belonging as articulated by two unapologetic Afrocentrists, Ian Smart and Kimani Nehusi (2000). For example, there is Nehusi who sees home as ‘a nurturing place, a space of spiritual, psychological, social, and physical comfort, freedom, security and satisfaction, and ultimately confidence, because we know that we will be understood there †¦ humans feel at home only when they can be themselves in culturally familiar ways. Home is therefore †¦ a space that not merely permits but encourages us to be our own selves and in which we are ‘easy’ – not merely familiar, but comfortable too (Nehusi 2000a, 1-2). This essentialist and romantic theme of ‘Africa as home’ is picked up by  Smart who treats all black people as Africans and affirms that the ‘African mind is one that deals with the big picture. The African mind is fundamentally driven by and towards holism’ (Smart 2000a, 51). And apparently unmindful of the process of creolization, Smart goes on boldly to assert that ‘[t]he core of Caribbean culture is the African heritage’ (2000a, 70). All of this is by way of setting the stage for the claim that Trinidad is an African country whose central cultural marker is the Carnival. According to Smart, Nehusi and several of the contributors to the volume in question, Carnival is an African festival that has become the national festival of Trinidad: ‘Carnival is â€Å"a black thing†, a Wosirian (Osirian) mystery play that was celebrated annually in Kemet (Ancient Egypt) from the very dawn of history’ (Smart 2000a, 29). Lamentably, however, the African origins and the signal contributions of Africans are bring erased by a class and colour conspiracy to wrest the festival from its original African founders. In essentialist language, these authors assume that Trinidad means African, that African means black, and that black means poor or working class (Smart 2000a, 63). Thus, the non-black presence in the Carnival, whether as masquerader, bandleader or owner, or costume designer, is all part of the Eurocentric (which is code for white and upper class) attempt to silence and erase the African. For one contributor, Pearl Springer, the consequence is that the Carnival has been reshaped in such as way that the African presence in the national festival is erased or reduced to that of a street vendor and ‘hired hand’ that does the physical labour in making the mas (Springer 2000, 22). Nehusi is in full agreement with this take on erasure of the black person: ‘Afrikan Trinidadians have been abandoned, declared nonpersons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (2000a, 11). Another contributor, Patricia Alleyne Dettmers, invokes the universal African and has no difficulty speaking of ‘Africans †¦ born in Trinidad and Tobago’ (2000, 132). Of particular significance here is the fact that these Afrocentric commentators who rail against the erasure of Africans and the suppression of African identity, simultaneously engage in their own erasure of the East Indian, the Chinese and other ethnic groups in  Trinidad (Allahar 2004, 129-33). Thus, in the same volume, Patricia Moran, affirms that ‘the Caribbean woman is basically African’ (2000, 169). As is clear, like the wider Caribbean region as a whole, the books and authors under review here are not free of contradiction and ambivalence. For the Afrocentric case put forward by writers like Smart and Nehusi (and their five co-authors) clearly looks past the well known erasure of the East Indians’ presence and contributions they have made to such countries as Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. For this reason David Trotman wrote sarcastically of Trinidad’s supposed multi-racial paradise on the eve of independence (1962) and the racially coloured anticipation that filled the Trinidad air at the time: ‘it was a multi-racial picture from which the Indian seemed strangely absent’ (1991, 393). Trotman speaks of the privileging of African traditions to the neglect of Indian ones, and takes issue with one calypsonian, whose calypso titled ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ only identified the Afro-associated elements of steelband, calypso and carnival as national cultural achievements. This led Trotman wryly to observe: ‘In this portrait the Indian is painted out’ (p. 394). Paquet also laments this erasure as it is articulated by George Lamming and V.S. Naipaul (2002, 176, 189-90). The authors of the studies contained in Smart and Nehusi (2000) speak ideologically to what supposedly binds the community together, for example, common blood lines, common ethno-cultural experience, common collective memory, common African origins and so on. I say supposedly for much of this idea of community cohesiveness is rather mythical or fictional. It is part of the essentialization of Africa and Africans that is common among Afrocentrist commentators, and in the process all others are erased. Further, in the move to homogenize and essentialize Africans, they conveniently ignore those social and structural features that divide the community. I am thinking here of internal, class, colour, economic, and  political inequalities within, say, the so-called African diasporic community, not to mention ideological cleavages related to religion, inter- and intra-ethnic rivalries. Given the role played by myths of ethnic descent in the invoking of national unity and cultural identity, Smart and Nehusi problematize the political dimensions of cultural nationalism as it applies to the Trinidad carnival. They give cultural nationalism a colour – black – which means there are major implications for those who are defined out of the societal culture, for example, those who claim East Indian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc., descents. To affirm that Carnival is Trinidad’s national festival implies that the so-called Indo-Trinidadians, who, for whatever reasons, do not see carnival as their national cultural marker, are somehow less than full Trinidadians. In the minds of black nationalists, then, the carnival, which was born in Africa, is the supreme African festival and belongs entirely to black people, who, regardless of where they were born, are Africans! Africa is home for all Africans. This is why Smart depicts the Trinidad carnival as ‘the quintessential African festival’ (2000a, 72), and Nehusi sees the street parade segment of the celebration as symbolic of the Africans’ reclaiming their physical, spiritual and cultural freedom: ‘Possession of the streets was a sign of Afrikan possession of self, a spiritual re-connection with ancestors through millennia of cultural practice, a liberation through expression of impulses carried in genes for uncounted generations †¦.’ (2000b, 96). Some critics have charged that the foregoing constitutes part of the larger racist agenda of those black nationalists who want to define carnival in ethno-racial terms: ‘Trinbagonians can then rightly claim their festival as â€Å"we thing† only because it is a â€Å"black thing†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Smart 2000a, 72). The loose invoking of the royal ‘we’ must not be taken as referring to all Trinbagonians, however, for it is tied to the deliberate erasure of the East Indian. Thus, the contributors to the volume in question can be seen as endorsing the myth of merry Africa and spinning tall tales of racial identity and solidarity among Africans the world over. They are unequivocal in their claim that Africa is the cradle of human civilization and the source of ancient human history. In spite of these facts, however, contemporary history is said to be written and produced by white supremacist barbarians bent on erasing the major contributions of Africans. Thus, Alleyne-Dettmers essentializes ‘barbaric Europeans’ (2000, 139), and both Smart (2000b, 199) and Moran (2000, 174) condemn what they refer to generally as ‘European barbarism’, while Olaogun Adeyinka speaks more specifically of the ‘heroic struggles of Africans’ to liberate themselves ‘from Spanish, French and British barbarism’ (2000, 111). Patricia Moran wants to rewrite history for she fears that there is a conspiracy on the part of what she calls ‘white bandits’ and those ‘Aryan marauders’ (p. 175), who, even today, would steal ‘we thing’, which is carnival and steelband! In the assertion of an absolute African identity there is the absolute erasure of the East Indian and other ethnic groups that comprise the society. As the foregoing assessment of Smart and Nehusi (2000) suggests, in the public’s mind, the term Caribbean brings immediately to mind the English-speaking countries of the region and their African-descended populations. Somewhat less immediate are the Spanish-speaking countries of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Even less immediate are the French countries (provinces) of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the independent, French-speaking country of Haiti. Then there is the almost forgotten, erased, Caribbean: the Dutch-speaking Netherlands Antilles and Suriname. Although scholarship on the Caribbean has devoted considerable attention to the situation of East Indians in Trinidad and Guyana, and their erasure at the hands of both the colonial authorities and the various ‘black’ governments that inherited the seats of power following independence, not much is known about their counterparts in Suriname and other parts of the Dutch Caribbean. In fact, when addressing Caribbean studies generally, Suriname and the other countries of the Netherlands Antilles are usually an  afterthought; a curious appendage of the better-known English- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. This leads to an incomplete picture of the region for if one were to assess the situation of the East Indians in the Caribbean, the Surinamese case seems to parallel that of Trinidad and Guyana, but the lessons learned in the latter were lost on the former. Indeed, in the years leading up to Suriname’s independence (1975), the East Indian population had the same fears and misgivings as their counterparts in Trinidad and Guyana a decade and a half earlier. And if political independence in these two countries was black in complexion, the social and political erasure of their East Indian populations could be expected to be repeated in Suriname. Thus, Gert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers wrote that: ‘quietly the Hindustani population were only afraid that those who would receive independence (i.e. the Afro-Surinamese) would use this for the enlargement of their own political power’ (2003, 112). As a consequence the East Indians generally opposed independence and opted for continued colonial dependence on the Dutch (p. 103, 112). For Oostindie and Klinkers (2003), then, this is only one reason why any comprehensive attempt to understand the history and sociology of the Caribbean must include the contributions that the Dutch countries have made to the shaping of the region’s wider culture and politics. Yet one must not homogenize all the Dutch countries, for Suriname and Aruba, for example, are quite politically, socially and culturally distinct. And whereas the sentiments of ‘black power’ informed the political sensibilities of Curaà §ao’s population, the ‘political elites of Aruba had always tended to emphasise the Euro-Amerinidian roots of their island as opposed to the African character of Curaà §ao’ (2003, 122). Indeed, as these authors point out, after losing Indonesia the Dutch lost most of their appetite for empire and appeared to retain their Caribbean possessions only reluctantly. And after the independence of Suriname, an  unusual situation was presented whereby the mother country seemed willing to free itself from the responsibilities of Empire, but the colonies in question would not let them off the hook (p. 116, 145). This is reminiscent of what Rosemarijn Hoefte and Gert Oostindie call ‘an example of upside-down decolonization with the metropolis, not the former colonies, pressing for independence’ (1991, 93). As Oostindie and Klinkers convincingly argue, whereas in the British West Indies (BWI) the sentiment for independence was strong in the 1950s and 1960s, this was not the case in the French West Indies and the Dutch West Indies (2003, 46-7). Suriname was the exception, but it was continental and not part of the socalled Antilles or Netherlands Antilles. In the case of the United States, Puerto Rico was a mixed bag with a significant proportion desiring statehood and an equal number preferring the continuation of the status quo, while an insignificant minority has always favoured independence. The US Virgin Islands, on the other hand, has never had any pretensions at independence of any kind. What is most striking about all these non-sovereign Caribbean states today (the remaining British Overseas Territories, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Martinique and Guadeloupe, Curaà §ao, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire and Aruba), is that they have a higher standar d of living than the independent states, which leads some to make the perverse claim for continued colonization. The fact of the matter, however, is that all the economies in question are almost totally subsidized by the mother countries so local or indigenous economic development is virtually nonexistent. The higher standards of living are thus quite precarious and artificial and could crash any time the colonial power decided to withdraw. This led to the obvious conclusion that because: ‘from the Dutch side, millions of guilders are pumped into the Antilles and Suriname on a yearly basis,’ it would be far more preferable that ‘today rather than tomorrow that the Netherlands would get rid of the Antilles and Suriname’ (Oostindie and Klinkers 2003, 116). But as noted by Paquet earlier, decolonization is intimately tied to identity, whether juridical or socio-cultural, and wrapped up in the complex Caribbean traditions of errantry, travel, migration and return. So following  the insights of Derek Walcott, after all the travel is over, return to home is on the agenda; but ‘home’ is a nuanced Caribbean with African sensibilities. Further, because finding self is the prerequisite to finding home (Paquet 2002, 171, 173, 186-7; Smart and Nehusi 2000), and because self- knowledge leads to self-realization (Paquet 2002, 184, 187, 191), identity and belonging are inextricably tied to (political) action. Thus, in the case of the remaining British Overseas Territories, there is the ongoing debate over citizenship, passports and legal rights that led to the clumsy creation of a category of ‘British dependent territory passport holders’. This has given rise to what Oostindie and Klinkers call a group of persons with ‘a form of paper identity’ that has turned them into ‘citizens of nowhere’ (2003, 195). The same applies to the Surinamers and other Antillean peoples, who want to retain their distinctive Caribbean cultural identities, but who, mainly for economic reasons insist on retaining Dutch passports, Dutch citizenship, and all associated rights and privileges. And just as growing economic problems (unemployment) and social problems (racial discrimination) led the British in the 1960s to restrict free movement of British subjects from the former colonies to the metropolis, the French sought to encourage economic development in Martinique and Gua deloupe in order to reduce the numbers of those emigrating to France, and The Hague has made similar attempts to limit the numbers of Surinamese and Antilleans who have claims on Dutch citizenship. Once more the parallels are compelling but the consequences of erasure prevent them from being fully grasped. Another instructive parallel that seems lost in the erasure of the Dutch Caribbean concerns the idea of regional federation or integration. When Jamaica decided to pull out of the federation of the ten British West Indian territories in 1961, Trinidad’s Eric Williams announced that 1 from 10 leaves naught, implying that the idea of federation was dead (Knight and Palmer 1989, 14-15). For their part the Dutch Antilles, which are composed  of six islands, were faced with an almost exact dilemma when Aruba was granted ‘separate status’ in 1996. With continental Suriname already independent, Aruba’s status aparte led to a virtually identical sentiment of ‘one out of six would leave nil’ (Oostindie and Klinmkers 2003, 122), and seemed to end all hope or talk of Antillean independence. Based on the forgoing it is clear to see how the Caribb ean, both historically and in contemporary times, is a political project subject to the power politics of entrenched interests, whether of a class, race or gendered nature. Further, as social groups strive to root themselves and to establish identity markers, such politics will see the erasure of some and the promotion of others. The three studies reviewed here highlight dimensions of the colonial period in the Caribbean as well as the politics of decolonization and the politics of nation building in the modern age. While recently the latter has tended to assume clear ethnic dimensions, considerations of class, race and gender are not to be minimized or ignored, for the modern Caribbean was constructed on the politics of social inequality that are directly tied their statuses as dependent capitalist satellites of imperialist centres in an increasingly globalized world. *** References Allahar, Anton L. (2003) ‘â€Å"Racing† Caribbean Political Culture: Afrocentrism, Black Nationalism and Fanonism’. In Holger Henke and Fred Reno (eds) Modern Political Culture in the Caribbean. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, pp. 21-58. Allahar, Anton L. (2004) ‘Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Nationalism in Trinidad: Afrocentrism and Hindutva’, Social and Economic Studies (53)2: 117-154. Alleyne Dettmers, Patricia (2000) ‘Beyond Borders, Carnival as Global Phenomena’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 131-162. Boyce-Davies, Carole and Elaine Fido (eds) (1990) Out of Kumbla: Caribbean Women and Literature. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. Hoefte, Rosemarijn and Gert Oostindie (1991) ‘The Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean: Dilemmas of Decolonization’. In Paul Sutton (ed.) Europe and the Caribbean. London: Macmillan, pp. 71-98. Knight, Franklin W. and Colin S. Palmer (eds) (1989) The Modern Caribbean. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. Lamming, George (1960) The Pleasures of Exile. London: Michael Joseph. Moran, Patricia (2000) ‘Experiencing the Pan African Dimension of Carnival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 163-78. Nehusi, Kimani S. K. (2000a) ‘Going back home to the Carnival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 1-16. ––– (2000b) ‘The Origins of Carnival: Notes from a Preliminary Investigation’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 77-103. Nehusi, K.S.K.; and Olaogun Narmer Adeyinka (2000) ‘A Carnival of Resistance, Emancipation, Commemoration, Reconstruction, and Creativity’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 105-129. Oostindie, Gert and Inge Klinkers (2003) Decolonising the Caribbean: Dutch policies in a comparative perspective. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Paquet, Sandra Pouchet (2002) Caribbean Autobiography: cultural identity and self-representation. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. Reddock, Rhoda E. (ed.) (1996) Ethnic Minorities in Caribbean Society. St. Augustine, Trinidad: ISER. Smart, Ian I. and Kimani S. K. Nehusi (eds) (2000) Ah Come Back Home: Perspectives on the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. Washington: Original World Press. Smart, Ian I. (2000a) ‘Carnival, the Ultimate Pan-African Festival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 2976. ––– (2000b) ‘It’s not French (Europe), It’s really French-based Creole (Africa)’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 197-221. Springer, Pearl Eintou (2000) ‘Carnival: Identity, Ethnicity and Spirituality’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 17-28. Trotman, David V. (1991) ‘The image of Indians in Calypso: Trinidad 1946-1986’. In Selwyn Ryan (ed.) Social and Occupational Stratification in Trinidad and Tobago. St. Augustine, Trinidad: ISER, pp. 385-98.