Ethnic Style in Male-Female Conversation Research Paper

Ethnic Style in Male-Female Conversation - Research Paper Example Only then two people communicating with each other can understand each other with the shared identity. On the other hand, where there is lack of a common chord in conversational strategies, feelings of disharmony, not being understood are created. In this way, conversational style becomes a major element of ethnicity. Every language has distinct words to interpret specific objects which are different in other languages. However, signalling intentions and attitudes depend on personal styles of individuals. The conversational style is â€Å"both a consequence and indicator of ethnicity† (Tannen, 1982, p.230). Indirectness which is a roundabout way of saying a particular thing is a stamp of one’s distinct style and personality which changes according to situations. It means not explicitly stating what one wants and the meaning is inferred by the listener based on previous conversations and expectations and also from â€Å"culturally agreed upon meanings that are associated with particular expressions† (Tannen, 2006, p.361). This way of expressing through conversation is a means of satisfying the coexisting and conflicting positive and negative forces. For instance, when one wants to be left alone, he will not say it directly as he will not want to cause displeasure to others. He will apply the strategy for an indirect way of saying the same. Indirectness is a manner in which one can fulfil the purpose of both rapport and defensiveness. By rapport, it means a subtle way of expressing one’s desire and getting it fulfilled. It means the desire expressed in a way that it i s understood without being explained. Defensiveness means the strategic way of saying a particular thing which keeps the door open for reneging if the conversation is not accepted favourably by others. For instance, one can always say later on â€Å"I never said that† or â€Å"that isn’t what I meant† (Tanner, 1982, p.218). Since conversational strategies and degrees of indirectness often vary with cultural differences between individuals, therefore misunderstandings even from simple conversations can emerge more in cross-cultural communication.  

An Investigation into Essay Example for Free

An Investigation into Essay However, if the reading on the ammeter or voltmeter was not taken quickly, the temperature may have risen, and therefore the resistance of the wire would have increased too. This would mean that the results would not be totally accurate, as the experiments would not be fair. 2. There may have been some problems with the equipment that would help explain possible anomalies other than human error. For example, the wire used may not be pure, and the equipment was not totally accurate, due to frequent use, and the fact that it was built and maintained to a poor standard. 3. As different lengths of wire needed to be used, I cut separate lengths of Constantan wire, instead of using the same section of wire and varying the points at which the crocodile was connected. It is probable that each separate section of wire had different amounts of impurities in them, and therefore the readings will not be entirely accurate. 4. Some of the anomalies will have been caused by human error in the measuring of the wire. This is because it is not very practical to hold a piece of wire straight and cut it perfectly at the designated length. The crocodile clips will also have not been placed exactly at the specific length, and so the actual length of the wire in the circuits will vary from the length recorded. 5. The crocodile clips used were partially rusted in places, and that would have prevented them from forming a good connection with the wire. They were not connected securely as they were old and much used so that the clips could be easily moved to alter the length. Although there were many chances for an error to occur, there are none that obviously stand out. I do not feel, however, that the use of a thin wire in this experiment was a suitable choice, as the wire was never truly straight. It would be better to use a less malleable metal material, such as a bar, or in fact just to use the rheostat, as it is a long piece of coiled wire that can be connected at different lengths to change the resistance of the circuit. Experiment Two: Investigation into how varying the cross-sectional area of a wire will affect its resistance. Fair Test: In order to ensure that the experiment is as fair as possible, only one factor will be varied: the cross-sectional area of the wire. The other factors will be kept constant as shown below: The length of the wire will be kept constant at 40cm, as this factor has been explored in the experiment investigating length. I will be using Constantan wire throughout, as there were a larger variety of thicknesses available to me with this material. The temperature of the wires at the start must be the same so as to guarantee that a fair test is carried out. The temperature must be kept at room temperature, so that the electrons in the wire are not given differing amount of energy. Method: Safety: Precautions must be taken so that no water gets near any of the electrical appliances. It is imperative that you do not touch or place loose wires onto the wire that is being tested as it becomes hot during the experiment. Leave the wire after the experiment for a brief period in order to let the wire cool before touching. Apparatus:   Varying cross-sectional areas of Constantan wire (as designated in plan) to be tested, all 40cm in length Rheostat   Power supply   Voltmeter Ammeter 2 connecting wires with crocodile clips 4 connecting wires   A 1 metre ruler   Scissors The following circuit was used in the experiment investigating the cross-sectional area: Plan: 1. Connect circuit as shown in diagram above 2. Insert first cross-sectional area of wire to be tested into the circuit, in this case: 22 SWG. 3. Turn on the power supply and quickly take readings from both the ammeter and the voltmeter. 4. Repeat until all the following thickness have been tested and have had readings taken: a. 22 SWG b. 26 SWG c. 28 SWG d. 32 SWG e. 34 SWG As already mentioned in the experiment investigating length, the power supply used was built so that 6 amps was the maximum current allowed to pass through the circuit, and again I chose to set the power pack on 4 volts. The whole experiment must be repeated 3 times for accuracy, and then an average of these will be taken and used in the results table and graph. To make sure that the experiment is as accurate as possible, the wire being tested must be held straight, so that it does not come into contact with anything but the crocodile clips, and so that there are no bends in the wire. This is to ensure that it does not short circuit or affect the resistance, so as to make certain that the readings are not jeopardized. The readings must also be taken quickly after completion of the circuit, so that the current passing through the wire does not affect the temperature, and possibly resulting in an increase in the resistance that will provide confusing results. Upon testing the experiment I have come to the conclusion that the plan will produce accurate readings and very few errors. With it, I was able to obtain these results: Results: Thickness of wire (SWG) Average Voltage (V) (Volts) Average Current (I) (Amps) Resistance (R) (to 2d. p) The standard wire gauge (SWG) can be used to find out the radius. From this we can use the formula below to work out the cross-sectional area in mmi : ?ri Thickness of wire (SWG) Radius of wire (to 2d. p) (mm) Cross-sectional area (to 2d. p) (mmi ) 1/cross-sectional area (reciprocal) (to 2. Observations: Again, as in the first experiment, I noticed that the readings on the voltmeter and ammeter flickered between numbers, and so I took the first number as the most accurate measurement due to the effects of temperature change. At the beginning of the experiment I was also going to test a Constantan wire of 30 SWG, but when testing this wire it provided me with the same results as that of 32 SWG. This probably meant one of the wires was marked incorrectly, so I only used one of them and marked it as 32 SWG as this followed the curve of my graph. Anomalies: The graph implies that my reading for the resistance of the 28 SWG wire was incorrect, as it differs about 0. 85 ? from my line of best fit. This is probably because the wires were mixed up (as this had already occurred), as the result for this wire fits in with my line of best fit for a thickness of about 31 SWG. Conclusions: In view of my results and the graph I was able to construct from them, I have made the following conclusions: a. As predicted, when the cross-sectional area of the wire increased, the resistance also increased. b. The graph shows a strong trend forming a curved line, showing that the cross-sectional area of a conductor is inversely proportional to the resistance (as shown in the graph recording the reciprocal of the cross-sectional area): as the cross-sectional area doubles, the resistance will halve. From my analysis, I can say that my prediction was correct. This can be proved by carefully studying both electricity and electrical conductors. Electricity is the flow of energy from one place to another. Metal electrical conductors enable energy to be passed through them by containing a sea of freely mobile electrons, which carry the energy. When the electrons in the conductor are given enough energy, they are able to move from one end of the conductor to another, and therefore create a current. There is only a certain amount of space for the electrons to move in the conductor, and so collisions may occur between the electrons and any other immobile particles contained in the conductor. If the width (cross-sectional area) of the conductor, in this case a wire, is doubled, the electrons have double the amount of space, and so the probability of a collision between the electrons and any immobile or impurities in the wire is halved. This means that half the amount of electrical energy is being converted into heat energy by collisions, and so the resistance is also halved. Evaluation: There were a few mistakes in my experiment, mainly caused by carelessness in the storage of the materials used: 1. I included a rheostat in my circuit, but I did not adjust it for each reading (to control the current) as I believed that leaving the circuit connected for a long period of time would considerably alter the temperature of the wire, as collisions occurred and electrical energy was converted into heat, so the current readings vary slightly, which I believe will produce varying temperatures, but none so dramatically as to render my results totally inaccurate. 2. However, I attempted to take the readings for the ammeter and voltmeter quickly so that any temperature change would be very slight and would not affect the results. 3. There were some problems with the equipment I used throughout this experiment. The apparatus was not totally accurate as it was built and maintained to a poor standard due to lack of funds, for example the crocodile clips were coated in rust, and so the contact between it and the wire was not perfect. The wires were labelled incorrectly so the results were confusing. 4. Some of the anomalies will have been caused by human error in the measuring of the wire. This is because it is not very practical to hold a piece of wire straight and cut it perfectly at the designated length. The crocodile clips will also have not been placed exactly at the specific length, and so the actual length of the wire in the circuits will vary from the length recorded. Although there were a few mistakes in this experiment, on the whole I do believe that they provided me with a good basis for my conclusions.

Cultural Assessment of the U.S. Navy Essay -- essays research papers

Mission Statement The US Navy has founded its self with being an organization that will train and activate skilled combat naval personnel. The official mission statement taken off their web site states, â€Å"The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.† (http://www.navy.com) The Navy also prides itself on the adventurous spirit it takes to embark on a career in the navy. The slogan used in getting new recruits is â€Å"Accelerate your lifeâ€Å". These statements suggest that the Navy is not only clear in its purpose and design, but also dedicated to its end. The clarity of its mission is seen in the extensive training that recruits receive in boot camp and the mental focus directed by their superiors to focus on the mission statement. In recruitment, the Navy seeks young men and women, often bogged down with school and jobs that to an eighteen or nineteen year old see ms to be boring and slow paced. Work Environment The navy workspace is most commonly out on the sea, on a ship, or in a submarine. Part of the Navy’s mission is to maintain freedom of the seas, thus the sea is their workplace. The design of many of these vessels does not allow for tremendous amounts of space or access to the outside world. A ship in the middle of the ocean is constricting of a person’s mobility. Thus the ideal is to function as a crew and to work as a unit in order to accomplish the goal. The tight quarters emphasize connecting with your fellow shipmates. Use of Slogans "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of All Who Threaten It" is currently the slogan for the United States Navy. The slogan was meant to express the Navy's core mission of projecting power globally to protect and defend America. In addition, it has become a focus of purpose, pride and loyalty about standing up for your country and what it represents. Past slogans intended to capture the real meaning and spirit of the Navy were "Sailors Have More Fun," "Go Navy," "Fly Navy," "Join the Navy and see the World," "You and the Navy, Full Speed Ahead,† â€Å"It’s Not just a job. It's an Adventure!" and "Accelerate Your Life." (â€Å"Life, Liberty,† 2004). Techniques and ... ...p; Retrieved September 11, 2004 from http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,080204_Navy,00.html?ESRC=vy Navy (n.d.). Secure Your Future: Family Security Retrieved September 9, 2004, from http://www.navy.com/secureyourfuture/familysecurity Official blue angels site. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2004 from http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/flashindex.html Phillpot, T. (2004) Military Update. Star and Stripes Retrieved September 9, 2004, from http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=24305 Shalikashvili, J.M. (n.d.). Shape, Respond, Prepare Now -- A Military Strategy for a New Era. National Military Strategy. Retrieved September 14, 2004, from http://www.dtic.mil/jcs/nms/index.html#Top Status of the Navy. (2004, September). The US Navy: Around the World, Around the Clock. Retrieved September 10, 2004 from http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ news/.www/status.html Stevens, P. (2001). Give them a sense of pride, and they'll stay. Proceedings. United States Naval Institute, 127(7), 112.

Globalization Phenomena

Introduction The speed of globalization phenomena has created an impact not only in the economic, social and political dimensions of human life, but also in the area of education (see Winarti, 2011). As companies become multinational, people become more mobile and vice-versa. This requires schools and teachers to able to accommodate children from various backgrounds and prepare them for life in a complex and diverse world.Responding to that complexity, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/) indicates that the basic knowledge expected by students in this new millennium should include: English Language, Reading Comprehension, Writing English, Mathematics, Science, Government/Economics, Humanities/Arts, Foreign Languages, History/Geography. Meanwhile, the applied skills needed are critical thinking/problem solving, oral communication, written communication, teamwork/collaboration, diversity appreciation, information technology application, leadership, creativity/innovation, lifelong learning/self-direction, professionalism/work ethics, and ethics/social responsibility. While those 21st century skills are urgently required by the modern students, these requirements are often challenging for future Indonesian teachers studying in elementary school teacher education programs. Years of learning experience under the centralized government has resulted in the students being in the mode of the blue collar workers' mentality, requiring detailed instructions for every single project (see Winarti, 2012). Â   Being in such a condition, the researcher, who is simultaneously a lecturer with curriculum development responsibilities, was motivated to introduce emancipatory education, which is known to be used widely in developing countries (see Gerdes, 1985; Gordon, 1986; Zeuner, 2013), to deal with the gap between the required and the present mode of teaching and learning. This type of liberation education was introduced in the Curriculum and Learning Development course, which is a compulsory subject for future teachers, especially future elementary school teachers known in Indonesia as the student teachers of Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar (PGSD). For a detailed description of this study's theoretical framework, the sections that follow discuss the concepts and goals of emancipatory education and the design of the PGSD Curriculum and Learning Development course. The article, then, considers research methods, results and discussion, conclusions and recommendations.

Escalating Costs of Social Health Insurance Essay

Unlike any other country in the world, the United States continually experience rising cost of healthcare provision. Wolfe (1999) reports that healthcare costs has been increasing at a high rate for decades, it is estimated that every 40 months, the share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on healthcare goes up by 1 percent. Health expenditure which stood at 12. 3 percent of GDP in 1990 increased to 16. 0 percent of GDP in 2006 and is projected to reach 20 percent in the next 7 years. Between 2005 and 2006 alone, healthcare spending increased by 6. 7 percent, exceeding nominal GDP growth by 0. 6 percent, to a whooping $2. 1 trillion, representing an estimated $7,000 spending per person (Kuttner 2008; Catlin et al 2008). Various factors including inflation, aging population and advances in medical technology has been indicted as been responsible for the global increase in health expenditures, however, the American situation appears to be peculiar. Kuttner (2008) contends that the proliferation of new technologies, poor diet, lack of exercise, the tendency for supply (physicians, hospitals, tests, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and novel treatments) to generate demand and the culture of the American litigation, resulting in excessive malpractice litigations and the practice of defensive medicine, all adds together to ensure that the country experiences the largest and fastest growth in health expenditures, while at the same time, defeating efforts at cost containments. Like every other developed country, health insurance systems, especially social health insurance systems constitute the primarily methods of health financing (Carrin and James, 2004). This arrangement ensures that most of the cost of healthcare are paid by third parties, either through public establishments, as in social (public) health insurance systems, or by private bodies, as in private health insurance system, or in some cases, a mixture of both (Wolfe, 1999). The mixture of private and social health insurance is present in almost every country, with variations in their coverage. While in most European countries, social health insurance is deeply ingrained in societal fabric and provides the largest source of funding and insurance coverage (Saltman, 2004), the vast majority of Americans receive their health insurance coverage through employer based private insurance, with the rest of the country covered by any of the several public health insurance programs (Glover et al 2003). It is estimated that employer private health insurance covers approximately 63 percent of the population, with 51 percent of these amount covered by their own employers, while the remaining 41 percent are covered as a worker’s dependent; 14 percent are covered by public programs, 5 percent covered by individual insurance policies while an estimated 17 percent of the population are uncovered by any insurance (Devi, 2005). Medicare is largely regarded as the primary national (social) health insurance program in the United States, providing coverage for an estimated 44 million Americans over the age of 65. It is also estimated that Medicare provides health insurance coverage for about 7 million Americans under the age of 65 who have a disability or chronic condition (Fact Sheet, 2007). Social health insurance is a vital part of any country’s health care and health financing program, in some part of Europe, there is a general contention that social health insurance is not just an insurance arrangement, but a ‘way of life’, they are seen as a part of a social incomes policy that seek to redistribute wealth and health risk evenly amongst the population, however, the rising costs of these systems, not just in the United States but across the modern world, threatens the system. Before an analysis of the costs and factors driving costs of social health insurance systems, especially in America and in other European countries, it is important to first briefly describe the underlying principles of the social health insurance system and its difference from the private health insurance programs. This will be followed by a description of the United States Medicare program and some social health insurance programs in selected European countries and then a look at the costs of these programs. Steps taken towards cutting costs of the social insurance programs and the differences in cost cutting approaches between the United States and European Union countries will be examined. Lastly, future approaches that could help ameliorate the financial challenges facing the United States public insurance programs shall be recommended. Social Health Insurance Social health insurance, in its basic principle, in any society achieves a set of societal objectives through its peculiar form of financial cross subsidies, which covers redistribution from the healthy to the ill, from the well off to the less well off, from the young to the old and from the individual to the family. This redistributive focus of any social health insurance program distinguishes it from what is nominally regarded as insurance, thus, in several societies, it entrenches solidarity, income redistribution and is thus seen as a ‘key part of a broader structure of social security and income support that sits at the heart of civil society’ (Saltman, 2004:5) Saltman and Dubois (2004) contend that although Germany is considered the source of the modern day form of social health insurance, when it codified existing voluntary structures into compulsory state supervised legislation in 1883, the history of social health insurance (SHI) dates back longer to the medieval guilds in the late Middle Ages. However, they agreed that the structure and organization of SHI over time has considerably evolved; the number of people covered has increased from a small number of workers in particular trades to a larger portion of the population, the central concept SHI has evolved from wage replacement a death benefit into payment for and or provision of outpatient physician services, inpatient hospital care and drugs; thirdly, the administrative structure of SHI has also evolved from cooperative workers association to state mandated legislative character, beginning with Germany in 1883 and the most recent, 1996 in Switzerland. Structurally, social health insurance everywhere possesses three common characteristics. Social health insurance programs are administered privately in both funding and in the provision of health services; as a result of their private administration, social health programs are self regulating, and lastly, as a consequence of their independence and self regulation, social health insurance programs are relatively stable, both in organizational and financial terms (Saltman, 2004). As a fall out of these structural characteristics, social health insurance posses several core components that differentiate them from private health insurance programs. Under SHI, the raising of funds is tied to income of beneficiaries, usually in the form of a transparent and fixed percentage of wages. As a result, contributions are risk independent and thus encourage maximal risk pooling. Also, collection and administration of revenues for the program are handled by not-for-profit and sometimes, state run funds and these funds are usually managed by board members that are usually representative and elected. The United States Medicare program posses most or all of the characteristics of a social health insurance program. For over 40 years, the program has successfully provided healthcare access for the elderly and millions of people with disability. It is regarded as the nation’s single largest health insurance program and it covers a wide range of the society for a broad range of health services. For example, Potetz (2008) report that one out of ever five dollars spent on healthcare in 2006 came through the Medicare program. The program is also reported to fund, at least, one third of all hospital stays, nationally. In most European countries too, national, public (social) health insurance programs reportedly covers a large proportion of the population, in most cases, reaching up to 100 percent coverage. Saltman and others (2004) reports that in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland and from 1995, Israel, all have health insurance systems where (public) social health programs plays predominant roles in organization and funding of health care services, where between 60 to 100 percent of the population are mandatorily covered. They further argue that even countries like Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, Greece and Portugal that have a tax funded National Health Service schemes, segments of SHI based healthcare funding also exists. Explaining the difference between social health insurance programs and private health insurance, Thomson and Mossialos (2004) contend that private health insurance play very insignificant role in the health systems of several European countries, either in terms of funding or access to healthcare. Unlike in the United States where more than 60 percent of the population are covered by private employer based insurance, private health insurance programs covers a relatively small proportion of the population and accounts for less than 5 percent of the total health spending, with the exception of France, Germany and the Netherlands. The most common difference between social and private health insurance includes eligibility, risk pooling and benefits. For social health insurance programs, contributions are mostly based on a fixed or varying proportion of wages, without regard for risks, thus a wider proportion of the people are eligible and benefits i. e. health services offered are broader with less out of pocket costs (Thomson and Mossialos, 2004; Saltman 2004). For private health insurance, the reverse is the case in most situations. Especially in for-profit private health insurance systems, contributions are adjusted according to risks and for the most part high risks individuals are rejected or expected to pay higher premiums. Consequently, eligibility requirements are strict; out of pocket expenses might be higher, while services provided vary significantly across programs, depending on an array of factors. Depending on the generally functions and services offered by private health insurance, the relation to social health insurance can be substitutive, complementary or supplementary. Substitutive private health insurance programs provides insurance covers that is otherwise available from the public programs purchased by individuals or groups who are excluded from the SHI. The larger proportion of the US society is excluded from the public insurance programs, which are usually available to the elderly, the disabled or the very poor, the rest of the population must rely on private employer based insurance. However, in European countries with effective SHI, only certain individuals with income above a certain upper threshold are excluded from the public insurance program e. g. in Netherlands and Germany, while the rest of the population are eligible. Complementary private health insurance programs provide cover for services not fully covered by the SHI programs or totally excluded, the Medicare + Choice plans is an example of such covers. Lastly, supplementary private health insurance provides cover for faster access and also increased consumer choices for individuals who can afford it (Thomson and Mossialos, 2004). Eligibility and Coverage  The United States Medicare program is essentially for the elderly, thus, individuals are eligible for Medicare coverage if they are citizens of the United States or have been a permanent legal resident for five continues years and over 65 years old. Individuals younger than 65 years of age can also be eligible for Medicare coverage if they are disabled and have been on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or the Railroad Retirement Board benefits for a period of two years. Further, individuals with end state renal disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) known as Lou Gehrig’s disease also qualifies for Medicare coverage. However, many people with disability do not qualify for SSDI benefits and by extension, Medicare. To qualify for these benefits, disabled individuals must have a family member under age 65 who have a work history which included Federal Income Contribution Act tax (FICA), an individual may also qualifies for SSDI on the FICA contributions of a parent as a Childhood Disability Beneficiary (CDB) or as a disabled spouse of a deceased spouse. Whichever qualification route applicable, an individual qualifies for Medicare two years after he/she starts receiving the SSDI benefits, except for the Lou Gehrig’s disease where Medicare benefits starts in the first month SSDI payments are received or in the case of the ESRD where Medicare benefits starts within three months of the first dialysis (Fact Sheet, 2007). As of 2007, it is estimated that Medicare provides cover and health services to about 43 million Americans. This figure is expected to double to 77 million by 2031 when the baby boomers of the post World War II period start to retire. However, as mentioned previously, SHI in European countries offer universal coverage that is mandatory in some countries. Coverage for these countries varies from 63 percent in Netherlands to 100 percent coverage in France, Israel and Switzerland. In most of these countries, it is usually the highest income groups that are either allowed or required by law to leave the social health programs for private health insurance (Saltman, 2004:7). Benefits Benefits for Medicare members have continually been modified. The original program has two parts, Medicare Part A and part B. The Part A program known as Hospital Insurance, covers hospital stays with stays in skilled nursing facilities for limited periods if certain qualifying criteria are met. Such criteria include the length of hospital stay, which most be three days, at least, excluding the discharge day and stay in skilled nursing facility must be for conditions diagnosed during the hospitalization. Medicare Part A allows up to a maximum of 100day stay in skilled nursing facilities, with the first 20 days completely paid for by Medicare and the remaining 80days paid in part and requiring a co-payment from the beneficiary. The Medicare Part B covers services and products not covered by Part A, but on an outpatient basis. The benefits under this coverage includes physician and nursing services, laboratory diagnostic tests, influenza and pneumonia vaccinations x-rays and blood transfusions. Other services include renal dialysis, outpatient hospital procedures, Immunosuppressive drugs for organ transplant recipients, chemotherapy, limited ambulance transportation and other outpatient medical treatments carried out in a physician’s office. This coverage, to some extent, also includes medical equipments like walkers, wheelchairs and mobility scooters for individuals with mobility problems, while prosthetic devices, such as breast prosthesis after mastectomy or eye glasses after cataract surgery are also covered. The recently added Part C and D of the Medicare benefits slightly deviate from the original Medicare concept. After the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 came into effect, Medicare beneficiaries were allowed the option of receiving their Medicare benefits through private health insurance plans if they do not want to go through the original Medicare plans. These became known as Medicare + Choice as beneficiaries could choose any private health insurance plans and have it paid for by Medicare. The Medicare + Choice or Part C arrangement later became known as the Medicare Advantage Plan after the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 came into effect. The Part D plan, on the other hand, covers mainly prescription drugs and anyone in the original Plan A or B is eligible for this plan. However, in other to receive the benefits of the Plan D, a beneficiary must enroll and be approved for a Stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) or Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD). However, because Plan D is effectively operated by private health insurance companies, there are no standardized benefits, like the plan A and B; the private insurance companies could choose to cover some drugs or classes of drugs and not cover others, with the exception of drugs excluded from Medicare coverage. Beneficiaries are therefore restricted to the drugs coverage of the plans they choose (Merlis, 2008; Potetz, 2008). Contributions towards Social Health Insurance Medicare financing, like social health insurance everywhere, is financed through a complex mix of taxes, contributions, co-payments and the likes. The most important source of financing for the Medicare expenditures is through the payroll tax imposed by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and the Self-Employment Contributions Act of 1954, while other sources of financing includes general revenue through income taxes, a tax on Social Security benefits, and payments from states required for the Medicare drug benefits which started in 2006. In addition to these, beneficiaries also contribute directly to Medicare financing through premiums, deductibles and co-insurance. It is reported that income cases, physician do charge beneficiaries an additional out-of -pocket ‘balance billing’ to cover for services rendered (Potetz, 2008). The federal payroll taxes are paid by the working population or by the beneficiaries throughout their work history. The tax equals 2. 9 percent of gross wages, with half (1. 45 percent) deducted from the worker’s salary and the other half paid by the employer. Initially, there was a ceiling on the maximum amount any single person can contribute; however, beginning from 1994, the maximum limit was removed. Self employed people who do not have an employer to cover the other half of their taxes are mandated by law to pay the full 2. 9 percent of their estimated earnings. However, the contributions from the beneficiaries vary considerably depending on the plan and also range from premiums, deductibles, co-payments or in some cases, the balance billing mentioned previously.

buy custom Business Ethics essay

buy custom Business Ethics essay One of the principles of Caltex was that they needed to expand their business globally. They wanted to penetrate in the African market. In this case, they had to make a business deal with government of South Africa. In order to conduct this business deal they had to follow the South African law and use the correct method. The principles for the South African government were that Caltex should provide them with one thousand dollars and jobs for the South African citizens. The two parties struck a deal and the Caltex is among the leading companies globally and in the African market. I tend to believe that the best principles for this case are the Caltex Company following the South African law. Additionally, I think the South African principle for the job opportunities for its people is the best. This is because the South African country needs the economy of the country. Additionally, the Caltex Company did the most ethical thing to follow the normal protocol followed by other foreign companies that wanted to invest in South Africa. This shows that both parties have corporate social responsibility. In the world of mrketing, companies employ different strategies in order to gain the competitive advantage. It is even more distinct for companies that do produce the same product. For example, in the case, food companies have distinct marketing strategies as compared to those of drug companies. The food companies use advertisements and pamphlets as their marketing strategies but the drug companies only use advertisements. For instance, when Formula Company tried to use panaflex their sales went down and the company was under a lot of criticism. This means that drug companies only use advertisements as there marketing strategies as compared to the food companies. Price fixing is one of the marketing strategies where companies set prices for their products (Velasquez, 2006). In the case of telecommunication companies, they set prices on their products in order to attract their customers. There are ethical implications in the prices fixing of the different prices. For instance, when the companies set high prices for their products they may harm the society because they are over charging them. In this case, the company may be seen as if they are exploiting the society by overcharging them thus it is unethiical. On the other hand, when the companies set law prices for their products they may harm themselves because they might not make any profits thus running at a loss. It is important for the companies to consider the society and at the same time consider themselves so that they cannot harm themselves. In the case of Clarence Burk, his marketing strategies were ethical because he was considering the society and at the same time considering the c ompany. Unlimited goods simply mean that the goods are readily available or there are in abundance. Carrying capacity is the total amount of goods in the marketing. For instance, air is referred to as unlimited goods by the companies because air has a huge carrying capacity. Air pollution is common with companies because they fail to consider the society. Unlimited goods and carrying capacity are closely related to pollution control in the sense that when the unlimited goods like air are mismanaged they deteriorate slowly causing pollution. Therefore, in order for companies to have ethics they must consider the society by protecting the environment thus creating a relationship between unlimited goods and carrying capacity (Velasquez, 2006). Buy custom Business Ethics essay

Civil Rights Movement Essay Example

Civil Rights Movement Essay Example Civil Rights Movement Essay Civil Rights Movement Essay In the pinnacle period of the Civil Rights Movement, a lot have been said about the great men and women who fought for their rights. Even today, we hardly talk about the Movement without mentioning the name of Martin Luther King. The passion and sacrifice that brought on this fight cannot be equaled by other movements. Charisma has been studied as a trait, with the approach to its study being to look at such qualities as â€Å"being visionary, energetic, unconventional, exemplary, and possessing outstanding rhetorical ability† (Charisma, n.d., citing Bass, 1989; Conger, 1989; Harvey, 2001) .Max Weber, on the other hand, defines charisma as â€Å"a certain quality of an individual, by virtue of which she or he is set apart from ordinary people and endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities. (Charisma, n.d., citing Weber, 1947).Charismatic Theory utilized by Martin Luther King, Jr.Charismatic Leadership Theory states â€Å"t hat charismatic leaders are exceptionally self-confident, are strongly motivated to attain and assert influence, and have strong convictions on the moral correctness of their beliefs. (Charismatic Leadership as cited in House Aditya 1997, p. 416-417 Theory). King utilizes this with such ease, exceptional confidence and grace, coupled with no interest in self-aggrandizement such that he moved his audience in awe and action.It is in this light that we will look into the speech of King and see how he employed the charismatic theory in order to spur people to action. In his speech, I Have a Dream, Luther succinctly states:I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that o ne day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream todayThere is an approach to the phenomenon of charisma that King used fully well. Charisma is re-theorized as consisting of behaviors exhibited by leaders and followers projected to external and internal audiences so that they appear to have the attributes of charisma (Charisma). In a theatrical approach, charisma is treated not as consisting of a unique set of characteristics inherent to the individual, but as a set of behaviors, consisting of verbal and non-verbal cues, that can be mimicked to project charisma.   Simply put, the theatrical approach sees charisma as a set of behaviors that can be copied and learned, so that those who exhibit those behaviors will be seen as charismatic individuals capable of leadership.This protest at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 saw King, Jr. citing the history of a hundred of years struggle of the Black race to fight for equal rights. He challenged the government and the people to rise up and live out to the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. It was also in this speech that he said:When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of Gods children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!;In this tremendous show of passion, King had a vision of what a nation should be. Freedom as the banner of America should start by freeing its people in any form of discrimination.   The children from any kind of race should be equal in their civil rights. This basic freedom is needed, for them to understand that â€Å"men indeed are created equal†.Charismatic behaviors of being a visionary, being change-oriented, and being non-conservative are either explicitly or implicitly considered as central assumptions in all the theories of charisma that have been established since Weber;   the two argue that all such charisma theories hold that leaders who are exceptionally effective â€Å"articulate visions that are based on normative ideological values, offer innovative solutions to major social problems, stand for non-conservative if not radical change, and generally emerge and are more effective during periods of social crisis† (Fiol, Harris, and House, 1999, p. 3).This theory is effective in bringing about change and inspiring members in complex and formal organizations (Jacobsen ; House , 1999, p.2., citing Dow, 1969; Shils, 1965; Beetham, 1974; Bryman, 1992; Etzioni, 1961). Idealized influence relates to how some individuals are emulated as role models for exemplary behavior. More generally, such individuals exhibit the prized values in a group to an exemplary degree. Inspirational motivation relates to the quality of some individuals that enable them to convince group members to commit to a group vision. Intellectual stimulation refers to the ability of some individuals to make group members reexamine their views and beliefs about the status quo, by encouraging critical thinking and the challenging of rules and established ways of doing things. King maximized this in his speech as he encouraged everyone to dream with him.Personal ReactionSacrifices have been made for the fight to attain equal civil rights. The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the famous sacrifices. Putting myself as part of the audience on that momentous day, I would also be personally f ired up as he was. There was a certain infectious motivation with the way he uttered those well-chosen words. His literary style of repeating the words, â€Å"I have a dream today†¦Ã¢â‚¬  makes me ride on and dream on with him. He spurs me to action and I can just imagine how his voice and his whole being vibrated to affect his audience. In a subtle kind of way, King employed theatrics as he delivered his speech. He used all of his facial expressions, gestures and most especially, his words in order to touch his audience. He even repeated phrases so well that it drove home the point he wanted to relay such as when he stated again and again, â€Å"Let freedom ring from†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"We can never be satisfied as long as†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ConclusionIn terms of behavior, socialized leaders come up with and articulate goals that serve to better the future of their followers and serve the interest of the collective, are egalitarian in their ways of governing, are not self-ag grandizing and have low ego needs, intellectually stimulate members and help them grow individually, and work legitimately through established power and authority channels. Socialized leaders also encourage members to think critically, and to challenge and critically examine even the views of their leaders (Howell, 2001). In other words, socialized charismatic leaders can be seen to work for the benefit of others, lead from a position of reason and the strength of their conviction to serve their members, and have no vested self-interest.Throughout history the great charismatic leaders who were also forces of good that changed the world for the better can be considered in this light to be socialized charismatic leaders. Looking deeper, we see that socialized charismatic leadership is leadership exercised for the greater good, with no regard for the accumulation of personal power, and with no intention to exercise power over people for any other purpose than for their betterment.

Exercises in Identifying Adverb Clauses

Exercises in Identifying Adverb Clauses An adverb clause (also known as an adverbial clause) is a dependent clause used as an adverb within a sentence. These types of clauses can modify the whole sentence, as well as verbs, adverbs, and adjectives, and may show aspects such as time, reason, concession, or condition. These clauses may often start with words such as while, if, because, when, although, unless, since, so that, whereas, even if, in case, as long as, and other words. In contrast, an adjectival clause will modify a noun and start with a relative pronoun (that, who, whose, whom, or which) or a subordinate conjunction (when  and  where). Before doing these exercises, you may find it helpful to review the study sheet Building Sentences With Adverb Clauses. Practice Identifying Adverb Clauses Each of these  proverbial sayings contains an adverb clause. Identify the adverb clause in each sentence, and then compare your answers with those below. While the cats away, the mice will play.A lie travels around the world while truth is putting her boots on.If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there.Memory is deceptive because it is colored by todays events.Never look down on anybody unless youre helping him up.You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a handsome prince.Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Life is what happens when you are making other plans.As soon as you forbid something, you make it extraordinarily appealing.Everything is funny, as long as its happening to somebody else.Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Cowards die many times before their death. Dont cross the bridge till you come to it. Dont put the cart before the horse. Answer Key In the following sentences, the adverb clauses are in  bold print. Examine what word or phrase theyre modifying and what aspect they show (time, reason, concession, or condition). For example, in sentence 1, the clause refers to the time that the mice will play. While the cats away, the mice will play.A lie travels around the world  while truth is putting her boots on.If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there.Memory is deceptive  because it is colored by todays events.Never look down on anybody  unless youre helping him up.You have to kiss a lot of toads  before you find a handsome prince.Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Life is what happens  when you are making other plans.As soon as you forbid something, you make it extraordinarily appealing.Everything is funny,  as long as its happening to somebody else.Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Cowards die many times before their death. Dont cross the bridge till you come to it. Dont put the cart before the horse.

Perceptions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perceptions - Assignment Example The next category comprises of individuals who associate money and magnanimous deeds. However, the intention of the test was to conduct a study to the masses on their attitude towards money. It reveals that money or wealth influences people’s values (Project Implicit, 2011). These values may be either virtuous or wicked. It is appropriate to say that money influences the background status. Individuals who come from families with average wealth belong to the middle class status whereas those from a humble background belong to the lower middle class. Moreover, huge amounts of money tend to entice some individuals. If a prize is rewarded to an individual, for example, 20 dollars, and the person asked to choose between accepting the pay now or wait for an extra six months in order to gain 120 dollars, the individual prefers to wait for the six months (Project Implicit, 2011). Incase a tragedy happens to a more developed and rich country, some individuals will prefer not to offer assistance in terms of money due to the perception that the country has enough wealth, while others will offer money since they attribute meritorious deeds with money. The Japan earthquake situation generated different perceptions among individuals. The American government offered to aid the countries revival by offering large amounts of money. This generosity developed different perceptions among the people as some said that there is no need of offering assistance In terms of money to a rich country. Other people suggested that it was a noble deed by the Americans as they attributed goodly deeds with

A Narrative History (Brief Eighth Edition) Questions about chapter Assignment

A Narrative History (Brief Eighth Edition) Questions about chapter 18-23. George Brown Tindall - Assignment Example This reduced the ability of the confederate to survive. Obstacles that hindered the provision of equal citizenship for freed African Americans The death of Abraham Lincoln was a major setback to the provision of equal citizenship opportunities to the freed African Americans; this was also compounded by the tendency of the Southerners to restrict citizenship to only the white population. The newly elected president Andrew Johnson also did not show any interest in granting the freed African American equal opportunities of citizenships. Reconstruction Amendments and their purposes Various amendments were implemented in America in order to reconstruct the various sectors that were affected by the civil war for instance: The thirteenth amendment which was meant to eradicate slavery. The fourteenth amendment was also implemented to facilitate the effective implementation of then Civil Act Rights of 1866. Consequently, the third amendment is the Fifteenth amendment which was formulated with an objective of granting the African American the right to participate in voting activities. Reconstruction Plans by Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson and Congressional Reconstruction President Lincoln before his death had plans to incorporate the southerners in to the Union whereby 10% of the voting populace from the respective states which had participated in the previous elections of 1860 would take an oath of Loyalty to the Union and accept eradication of Slavery. Andrew Johnson on the other hand, demanded that 50% of the voting populace from each state that had participated in the last election would swear an allegiance to the Union and would formulate a constitution that would adopt the Thirteenth Amendment. Consequently, the Congressional Reconstruction had plans with specific stipulations that posited that; voters from the individual state would swear loyalty to the Union followed by a formulation of a constitution in each state in accordance to the demands of the Congress. T he congress also planned each officer of the confederate write a letter of pardon which they would review and accept the requirements of the 13th, 14th and the 15th amendments. Industries that formed the basis of the Economy of the New South After the civil war, the economy of the New South was supported by various industries such as; textile industries, steel and Agriculture which provided employment to over 70% of the populace in the South. Reasons why the blacks were disenfranchised in the 1890’s and how it was accomplished The major reason why the Blacks were disenfranchised in the 1890’s was due racial hatred that existed between races; it was done through arbitrary registration activities, conducting literary tests, lynching, mob killing as well as poll taxes. Differences in philosophy of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois According to Booker T, the African American would only be granted their full citizenship through their hard word and education a proof to the whites of the patience and faithfulness in conducting their duties. Du Bois on the other hand, opposed Booker T and posited that the latter’s ideology would only perpetuate the sufferings of the blacks from the hands of the whites hence campaigned for political acts and the promotion of

E-Waste Environmental and Workers issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-Waste Environmental and Workers issues - Essay Example It also presents the brighter side of upgrading e-waste or called e-cycling. Jim Puckett et al (2002) define electronic waste or e-waste as the increasing scope of electronic devices ranging from huge appliances in different households such as refrigerators, air conditioners, mobile hand-held cellular phones, personal stereos, and consumer electronics up to computers. E-waste is dangerous. E-waste consists of 1,000 various substances in which most of these are toxic and contributes to the gravity of pollution when disposed. Some of these toxic chemicals are (1) lead and cadmium found in circuit boards, (2) lead oxide and cadmium in cathode ray tube (CRTs) of monitors, (3) mercury in switches and flat screen monitors, (4) cadmium in computer batteries, (5) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in old capacitors and transformers, and (6) brominated flame retardants on printed circuit boards, plastic casings, cables and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cable insulations. (Puckett et al, 2002) E-waste is produced at alarming rates due to obsolescence. The fast paced development of technology resulted to for many gadgets, hardware systems, computers to be replaced in a short span of time. For example, a computer system which can last for five years or so is replaced in a year or two because of increasing technological developments that produced new and updated products. Also when electronics and other devices break down, the cost of repair can be higher than buying new ones. The high rates of obsolescence increase the volume of waste as compared to consumer goods like food. (Puckett et al, 2002) Puckett et al (2002) discuss that e-waste is produced by three (3) major sectors in the United States: (1) individuals and businesses, (2) large businesses, institutions, and governments, and (3) original equipment manufacturers. For the first sector, the equipments most frequently disposed by households and businesses are computers. The primary reason for this is not because of

Autobiographical Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Autobiographical Narrative - Essay Example As a result, I have started to see new things with my own eyes which I never used to see before; feel new things with the same heart which never gave me those feelings before! Of course, things have changed considerably since I overcame this ultimate test of my life, but the test was never an easy one! It was the first and most crucial challenge in my entire life up to the last fifteen years when my doctor advised me to become a vegetarian in order to improve my health. For a person who was born and brought up as a ‘pure’ non-vegetarian, the ‘mere’ idea behind this vegetarianism was anything but easily digestible. And, no doubt, I became too upset too fast! â€Å"It is going to be in the best interest of your life!† – my physician was clear-cut in his voice. I tried my best to avoid such a situation – I debated a great deal with the doctor on the idiocy of the idea, and organized my arguments against concept of vegetarianism. But, in the end, I had to give up my idea, and then started the most challenging phase of my life. â€Å"Hope it’s not going to be the end of my happy life† – thought I, as I came out of the physician’s room.... I never knew, in my short life, what it means to adjust or compromise, because I have never been of that type. â€Å"I want a play-station today† – I would demand my mom, and it was there in the evening. Even my elder brother was not fortunate in enjoying this distinction, as he was always directed to make the adjustments for me! â€Å"You ought to make the compromise, Jerry,† my father used to tell my brother, â€Å"because John is much younger to you.† In other words, there is not a single child in the whole world who was fortunate to enjoy the more satisfying things in life and I lived like a king in my own empire. Life seemed terribly changed once I was expected to make adjustments for the first time in my entire life – that too, on the very matter which is most crucial in my life. I think I’m yet to introduce myself as a person who is deeply addicted to eating too much, but it is the most telltale feature of my life. I’m widely kn own among my friends and relatives as a youngster who was an ardent admirer of non-vegetarian items in the menu. Yes, I have been a ‘pure’ non-vegetarian for the last fifteen years or more! I just love to come across more recipes in non-vegetarian and I had a craze for Italian and Chinese cuisine. I enjoyed almost all the items in my non-veg. menu and it was almost clear from the way I looked. I’m under treatment for the same reason – that I’m an obese now. I was prescribed to turn to be a vegetarian for the same reason – as part of the overall strategy for weight control, cholesterol reduction, and blood pressure reduction. It was a Himalayan task for me to adjust myself to the requirements of my new life which is totally devoid of the presence of fish, meat,

Paper 3 Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3 - Term Paper Example o lower the women into the lowest type of cesspool possible that cheapens their identity and individuality by portraying them as nothing more than objects of sexual desire who cannot amount to anything if they do not sell their sexuality. On television, the high standard and regard for women can be seen in the character of Kate Becket on the detective show Castle aired over ABC. She represents her gender and white race in a manner that commands the respect of the men and others around her. Unlike the Madonna and Lady Gagas out there who cheapen themselves in order to stay ahead of the game, Beckett is the epitome of the female sex as she manages to come across as sexy without having to reveal too much flesh but also being an independent minded woman who can take care of herself if no man is there for her because she is a self- respecting police officer who uses logic instead of her heart to get her ahead in the game of life. Kate Beckett represents the modern woman who does not need to dress seductively all the time and act trashy or like a tramp in order to get her man or get ahead in her line of

Autobiographical Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Autobiographical Narrative - Essay Example As a result, I have started to see new things with my own eyes which I never used to see before; feel new things with the same heart which never gave me those feelings before! Of course, things have changed considerably since I overcame this ultimate test of my life, but the test was never an easy one! It was the first and most crucial challenge in my entire life up to the last fifteen years when my doctor advised me to become a vegetarian in order to improve my health. For a person who was born and brought up as a ‘pure’ non-vegetarian, the ‘mere’ idea behind this vegetarianism was anything but easily digestible. And, no doubt, I became too upset too fast! â€Å"It is going to be in the best interest of your life!† – my physician was clear-cut in his voice. I tried my best to avoid such a situation – I debated a great deal with the doctor on the idiocy of the idea, and organized my arguments against concept of vegetarianism. But, in the end, I had to give up my idea, and then started the most challenging phase of my life. â€Å"Hope it’s not going to be the end of my happy life† – thought I, as I came out of the physician’s room.... I never knew, in my short life, what it means to adjust or compromise, because I have never been of that type. â€Å"I want a play-station today† – I would demand my mom, and it was there in the evening. Even my elder brother was not fortunate in enjoying this distinction, as he was always directed to make the adjustments for me! â€Å"You ought to make the compromise, Jerry,† my father used to tell my brother, â€Å"because John is much younger to you.† In other words, there is not a single child in the whole world who was fortunate to enjoy the more satisfying things in life and I lived like a king in my own empire. Life seemed terribly changed once I was expected to make adjustments for the first time in my entire life – that too, on the very matter which is most crucial in my life. I think I’m yet to introduce myself as a person who is deeply addicted to eating too much, but it is the most telltale feature of my life. I’m widely kn own among my friends and relatives as a youngster who was an ardent admirer of non-vegetarian items in the menu. Yes, I have been a ‘pure’ non-vegetarian for the last fifteen years or more! I just love to come across more recipes in non-vegetarian and I had a craze for Italian and Chinese cuisine. I enjoyed almost all the items in my non-veg. menu and it was almost clear from the way I looked. I’m under treatment for the same reason – that I’m an obese now. I was prescribed to turn to be a vegetarian for the same reason – as part of the overall strategy for weight control, cholesterol reduction, and blood pressure reduction. It was a Himalayan task for me to adjust myself to the requirements of my new life which is totally devoid of the presence of fish, meat,

The Dynamics of Elite Politics during the Jiang Era Article

The Dynamics of Elite Politics during the Jiang Era - Article Example The article notes that there was a transformation under Jiang Zemin in Chinese elite politics from the previous political regimes. Jiang managed to bring reconciliation and ensure that the elites are on the same book and line of thought. This is evidenced by the few personal rivals or outspoken critics of his leadership (Shambaugh 4). Largely, Jiang managed to build on the policies set by other regions well. The manner of policymaking in the Jiang era was more of a direct deviation from the previous administration. In the process of policymaking, the leader prioritized consultation rather than imposing of particular policies. I think this approach showed the dimension that the leader wanted China to take for the sake of the future. For a leader who was criticized for not being as visionary as the others, Jiang clearly paved the way for a more liberal China that was ready to adopt the inclusive model of decision-making. By harmonizing the political elites, he was creating an open system that encouraged sharing of ideas for the development of the country. He borrowed the concepts of inclusion from other leaders who had attempted it but was keen to make it a success. That said, it shows that his focus was streamlining elite politics to accept the concepts of inclusion politics fully. He achieved this goal to a large extent in his leadership. The composition of the political elites in Jiang Era demonstrates a mixed composition and a wealth of ideas from both the old policymakers and new entrants (Shambaugh 7). Both bear different ways of tackling problems, but critics argue that the new entrants were raw in terms of decision making and experience. However, it appears as necessary for the change in composition of the top brass of politicians so that there can be different views that achieve modern approaches. The fact that the military composition, in terms of military leaders has taken another dimension shows the desire of the leader to

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essay Example for Free

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essay Diversity is about valuing individual difference, it can be visible and non-visible. Recognising everyone is unique and has individual differences such as: * Race * Gender * Age * Sex * Ethnicity * Religious beliefs * Sexual orientation * physical beliefs/ qualities * political beliefs * educational background * income * appearance see more:identify barriers to children and young people’s participation In a workplace environment it is very important to support people’s individual differences and to embrace on diversity with each individual. Diversity means more than just acknowledging or tolerating differences it’s about respecting them and understanding that we are all different in many ways. There are seven main forms of discrimination being: Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination occurs when a seemingly neutral provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone places a group who share a characteristic e.g. type of disability at a particular disadvantage. Associative discrimination occurs when someone discriminates against someone because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic. Discrimination by perception occurs when someone discriminates against an individual because they think they possess a particular protected characteristic. Dual discrimination occurs when someone is less favourably because of a combination of two protected characteristics. This means that it will be possible for an applicant to claim that they have been treated less favourably not just because of their race but also their gender. Detriment arising from a disability arises when you treat a person with a disability unfavourably because of something connected with their disability. This type of discrimination is unlawful where the employer or other person acting for employer knows, or could reasonably expected to know, that the person had a disability. Victimisation occurs when an employer is treated unfavourably, disadvantaged or subjected to a detriment because they have made or supported a complaint of discrimination or raised a grievance under the equality act, this policy or the harassment, bullying and discrimination policy or because they suspected of doing so. Third party harassment occurs when an employee is harassed by someone who does not work for the employing organisation such as a customer, visitor, client, contractor from another organisation. They employer will become legally responsible if the employer knows the employee has been harassed on two or more occasions and fails to take responsible steps to protect the employee. Equality Equality is the current term for â€Å"equal opportunities†. In October 2010 it was put in act to protect people from discrimination. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, it’s about recognising that there need s are met in different ways. We should aim to recognise, value and manage difference to enable all people contribute and realise their full potential. Inclusion Inclusion is about allowing everyone to join in group activities despite their differences. It’s about promoting equality of opportunities for all and encourages everyone to be treated fairly and valued equally.

Gender Language Acquisition And Language Use Psychology Essay

Gender Language Acquisition And Language Use Psychology Essay INTRODUCTION Over the last thirty years there has been a sharp increase of research on the differences between men and women, in particular the extent to which men and women use language differently. The purpose of this project is to identify the differences between male and female speech and how societys attitude towards gender has an impact on language acquisition and language use. Firstly this project will introduce the subject of sociolinguistics with a focus on stereotyping, language acquisition and the general differences in speech between males and females. Secondly, current opinions and attitudes will be discussed along with recent research that has been carried out examining if gender stereotyping exists and whether it has an impact on language acquisition and the way language is used. Lastly it will analyse findings from my own research of colour terms used by a sample of 10 children. Sociolinguistics is the study of the relationship between language and society, and how society influences or affects the way in which language is used by individuals or groups (Crystal, 2008). Gender Difference is a branch of sociolinguistics that focuses on how males and females communicate and what differences there are between the two sexes. Over the last 20 years research has been conducted to try and answer such questions as Do women really talk more than men? Do men swear more than women? and Do women gossip more than men. The main differences identified between the way men and women communicate are: mens language is more dominant, aggressive, assertive, confident and forceful and womens language is submissive, cooperative, emotional and sincere (Pearson, 1985). Research has been carried out to examine whether these differences are due to biological or social factors. LITERATURE REVIEW Early research examining the relationship between gender and language was first carried out by Lakoff in 1975 and published in her book Language and Womans Place. Lakoff identified several factors that make womans language different to mens. Womens language contains more: Hedge phrases: sort of, it seems like; Polite forms: would you mindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦; Tag questions: you are coming to dinner, arent you?; Standard English and tend to avoid using expletives. Lakoff stated that women are reluctant to force their views on another person which explains the use of hedge phrases. This view was supported by McMillan et al (1977). In relation to tag questions, Mulac Lundell (1986) found similar results with their research however studies by Dubois Crouch (1975) contradicts this as they found that men were more likely to use tag questions than women. Holmes (1984) also disagreed with Lakoffs suggestions of tag question and found that in most cases women used them to give the person being spoken to an opportunity to speak. Lakoffs research also found that women notice more detail than men causing women to be more perceptive; they notice things such as tone of voice, facial expression, and body language. She noted that women use a greater variety of descriptions when describing colours, (violet instead of purple or crimson rather than red. Glass (1992) carried out research to identify biological differences and found that in males the right hemisphere of the brain matures faster than the left where as the opposite occurs in females with the left hemisphere of the brain developing first. Therefore men are more adept at right hemisphere tasks such as solving mathematical problems while women are better with left hemisphere tasks such as developing language and vocabulary. Differences that arise due to social factors could be due to the fact that there is an element of sexism in language which instils gender stereotyping. Words that represent women or refer to women tend to have negative connotations (Romaine, 2008). If we look at the words that describe a single male (bachelor) and a single female (spinster), for many people the word bachelor would imply a young, single, professional male with prospects where as the word spinster would suggest a lonely, old female, yet they both mean the same for each gender. Nilsen (1977) carried out research using 500 dictionary words which had either male or female connotations. 385 were found to have male connotations compared to only 132 with female connotations. Nilsen looked at the words for negative connotations and found that the number of words with negative female connotations outweighed the number of male ones by 25%. There has been a lot of research examining whether the impact of gender stereotyping at an early age has had an influence in the use of language. Eisenberg et al (1985) found that parents will more often than not choose toys that are associated with their childs gender. Caldera (1989) looked at the type of toys children play with and the role they have in language development. He found that boys toys such as cars and trains have low levels of teaching and questioning and require little or no interaction with a parent. Boys will often mimic the sounds related to the toy (e.g. beep beep for a car or choo choo for a train) but the toy requires no conversation. In contrast, girls toys such as dolls and prams require a certain amount of role play that elicits constant verbal interaction with the toy with the child giving a step by step account of what will happen next (e.g. it is now time for your nap), which often leads to a parent becoming more involved making comments and questioning ( Caldera, 1989). By the end of a childs first year gender differences are already evident in the way they play and dress and the way adults interact and communicate with them. Parents will typically choose to dress a boy in blue or a girl in pink because that is what gender stereotyping dictates. Pearson Davilla (2001) found that baby boys are often described as strong, solid and independent where as baby girls are described as loving, cute and sweet thus reinforcing gender stereotypes. This type of gender stereotyping has also been found to occur in school textbooks with language often emphasising the ideas of males and females (Cameron, 2007). The use of terms like he, him and his, and men when referring to a person or people reinforces gender language with females made to look inferior to males. Males and females are typically represented in traditional gender roles with women as mothers and housewives, and men as professional breadwinners. Again women are portrayed in more submissive and inferior roles. This was more noticeable with reading schemes from the 1960s and 1970s. Males are also seen as having more opportunities than females as they are portrayed as being more adventurous and physically stronger than women. Females seem more caring and are seen as more interested in domestic matters taking a submissive role to allow male dominance. However Bradley (1981) and Weatherall (2002) have argued that there are no significant differences between male and female speech. METHODOLOGY In order to obtain comparable data I needed to ask a sample of children to look at a picture and give the name of each colour of a specific object within the picture. As this research was to be conducted during the Christmas season I used a sample of children who were attending a Christmas party. I devised a questionnaire which contained a colourful Christmas themed picture of Santa flying his sleigh along with five questions asking to name the colour of different objects within the picture (Appendix 1). The picture chosen had different shades of colour in order to allow a variety of answers for a particular object. The research was carried out on a small scale using a mixture of interpretive and positivist methods. A sample size of 10 children was used ranging from age 4 to 9 with an equal number of males and females to allow a more accurate comparison of data relating to gender. The children sampled were enjoying themselves at a Christmas party. Each child was sat down individually at a quiet table and asked to describe the colour of the various objects in each question. They were also asked their age. The time taken to answer the questions was an average of 4 minutes per child. FINDINGS I have analysed the findings for each question individually in order to compare the differences between genders. Q.1. What colour is Santas hat? In the picture, Santas hat is a standard red colour therefore it is not surprising that red was the answer given by 100% of the children. Q.2. What colour is the sky? The sky is a shade of blue which could be described as a light blue or sky blue. 80% of the boys gave the answer blue where as this answer was only given by 20% of the girls. Sky blue was the most popular answer which was given by 60% of the girls. Light blue was given by 20% of girls and 20% of boys. Q.3 What colour is Rudolph? Rudolph is a brown colour that could be described in a number of ways. 80% of boys answered brown compared to 40% of girls. Interestingly one girl (20%) gave the answer nutmeg while a second girl (20%) answered fawn and a third girl (20%) answering light brown. Fawn brown was also given by 20% of boys. Q.4. What colour is Rudolphs scarf? Rudolphs scarf is a dark shade of green. Green was the answer given by 80% of boys and 80% of girls. Only two other shades were given; moss green (20% boys) and sage (20% of girls). Q.5. What colour is Santas sleigh? Santas sleigh is red but it is a much darker shade of colour than his hat. Of the boys sampled, 80% gave the answer red with only one boy (20%) giving a different answer of burgundy. None of the girls gave the simple answer of red. 60% distinguished that is was a much darker red than Santas hat and therefore described it as dark red. One girl (20%) gave the answer maroon and another girl (20%) gave the answer burgundy. The table below shows the results along with each Childs gender and age: Response to Questions Child Gender Age Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.5 A M 8 Red Light Blue Fawn Brown Moss Green Burgundy B M 8 Red Blue Brown Green Red C M 9 Red Blue Brown Green Red D M 4 Red Blue Brown Green Red E M 7 Red Blue Brown Green Red F F 6 Red Sky Blue Nutmeg Sage Maroon G F 7 Red Light Blue Fawn Green Burgundy H F 5 Red Blue Brown Green Dark Red I F 6 Red Sky Blue Light Brown Green Dark Red J F 6 Red Sky Blue Brown Green Dark Red DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS The results show that females take more notice of details than males as the female children were more perceptive when looking at the picture and therefore gave a greater variety of colour descriptions. These results agree with Lakoffs research of Language and Womens Place. Lakoffs research was published more than thirty years ago and her specific claims about the way language is used by woman have been overturned as more recent research does not support them as the research was based on intuition. (Cameron, 2007). However, Lakoffs arguments that language-use, gender and power are all connected is still supported (Cameron, 2007). Individual differences may account for some of the variations in the results. Child A, a male child, gave colour terms of Red, Light Blue, Fawn Brown, Moss Green and Burgundy which suggests that other social factors besides gender stereotyping may have an influence. The way people use language is affected by the context of the situation they are in and to whom they are engaging in conversation with (Cameron, 2007). Holmes (1984) uses the analogy of a tightrope to explain: Women are obliged to walk a tightrope of impression management, continually demonstrating their professional competence while also making clear that they have not lost their femininity that they are not, for example, aggressive or uncaring (Cameron, 2007). Factors such as socio economic background, parent influence and other interests may have a direct effect on language acquisition and needs to be researched further. CONCLUSION The differences between males and females can be attributed to biological and social factors. Research by Glass (1992) shows that the brain develops differently in males and females which results in the two genders having a preference for tasks that are associated with that part of their brain that matures faster. Social factors such as gender stereotyping has a significant influence on language use as it helps to reinforce the roles that society dictates men and women should have. Gender stereotyping occurs from birth Females use language as a way to develop personal relationships where as men use language to assert independence and status. People adapt their language to different contexts therefore gender differences is a difficult area to study. Gender alone cannot account for differences in language use and as such other factors such as socio economic background, education and individual differences should be taken in to account. Much of the research carried out has identified what the differences are between male and female speech but with little suggestions as to why these differences occur. REFERENCE LIST Bradley, P. H. (1981) The Folk Linguistics of Womens Speech: An Empirical Examination. Communication Monographs. 48, pp73-90 Caldera, Y.M. (1989) Social interactions and play patterns of parents and toddlers with feminine, masculine and neutral toys. Child Development, 60, pp70-76. Cameron, D. (2007) The Myth of Mars and Venus. New York: Oxford University Press Crystal, David. (2003) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Second Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p.298 Dubois, B. L., Crouch, I. (1975) The question of tag questions in womens speech: They dont really use more of them, do they? Language in Society, 4(3), pp.289-294. Eisenberg, A.R. et al (1985) Childrens Talk: Learning to use Language. New York: Norton. Glass, L. (1992) He Says, She Says. Closing the Communication Gap Between the Sexes. New York: G.P. Putnams Sons. Holmes, J. (1984) Hedging Your Bets and Sitting on the Fence: Some Evidence for Tag Questions as Support Structures. Te Reo, 27, pp.47-62. Lakoff, R. (1975) Language and Womans Place. New York: Harper Colophon Books. McMillan, J. R. et al (1977) Womens language: Uncertainty or interpersonal sensitivity and emotionality? Sex Roles, 3, pp.545-559. Mulac, A., Lundell, T. L. (1986) Linguistic contributors to the gender-linked language effect. Journal of Language Social Psychology, 5, pp.81-101. Nilsen, A. et al (1977)  Sexism and language. Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, pp.161-179. Pearson, J. C. (1985) Gender and Communication. Iowa: W.N.C. Brown Publishers. Pearson, J. C., Davilla, R. (2001) The Gender Construct: Understanding Why Men and Women Communicate Differently. In Borisoff, D. Women and Men Communicating. Illinois: Waveland Press. Weatherall, A. (2002) Gender, Language and Discourse. London: Routledge

Depression and Body Image Essay -- Psychology Health Essays

Depression and Body Image American society places a tremendous emphasis on physical appearance. Many adolescent girls go to great lengths to achieve these unrealistic standards of thinness. Eating disorders have become a prevalent disease in Western society. Dissatisfaction with one’s physical appearance is viewed as a core feature of eating disorders. A negative body image is also a common feature associated with depression. There appears to be a link, although unclear, between depression and a poor body image. Adolescence is a tumultuous period in one’s life. Bodies of adolescents are dramatically changing, and these physical changes are associated with changes in body image. Body image pertains to how individuals view and assign meaning to their own bodies. It is a reflection of body structure and function, early and continuing body related experience, life long social response to body appearance, and sociocultural values and ideals regarding the body (Reirdan, 1997). Adolescence: A Period of Dramatic Change A normative developmental task for both girls and boys is to assimilate pubertal change into a positively valued body image. This task is more difficult for girls than for boys; girls are more concerned about attractiveness than boys, and they are less satisfied with their appearance (Rierdan, 1989). In a list of body areas, girls were more concerned that their thighs, buttocks and hips were too large. Even normal to thin girls were highly likely to desire smaller thighs, buttocks or hips. It is interesting to note that younger girls, aged 10-12 years, were less likely to select areas of sexual attractiveness, but tended to be dissatisfied with areas such as teeth, face, and feet (Moore, 1993). It is clear th... ...ior in Adolescents. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 12, 505-510. Morey, D., Morey, L. (1991). The Vulnerable Body Image of Females with Feelings of Depression. Journal of Research in Personality, 25, 343-354. Noles, S., Cash, T., Winstead, B. (1985). Body Image, Physical Attractiveness, and Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 88-94. Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1987). Depressive Symptomolgy and Body Image in Adolescent Girls. Journal of Early Adolescence, 7, 205-216. Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1988). Gender, Depression, and Body Image in Adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 8, 109-117. Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1987). A Longitudinal Analysis of Body Image as a Predictor of the Onset and Persistence of Adolescent Girls’ Depression. Journal of Early Adolescence, 7, 205-216.

Business Plan for E-business Essay

ABC Company is an aboriginal products company offering Australian aboriginal artists’ materials and products, such as painting, boomerang and other handicrafts. Based on the internet, ABC Company also provides timely information about Australian aboriginal culture like their history or daily news. It is the responsibility of ABC Company to support the development of indigenous people’s culture and improve their living quality in the same time. The Market ABC is at the forefront in an exciting and growing market. We focus on the market of Australia and extend to the tourists and Australian indigenous culture lovers. Most aboriginal products stores do not supply the sufficient and related knowledge of aboriginal culture. And our special supporting stagey helps communities get $1 from our sales every $100 for the sake of attracting more aboriginal artists enter the business. It is a different point from other current there is no such e-business company like XX operated today. The Organization ABC is owned and operated by our group members. Since our company is operated online, our management team is the group of our four founders. It is founded on the idea that maintaining satisfied customers is essential to the bottom line. With this in mind, our team will be working hard to ensure that all of their customers’ expectations are exceeded in all transactions. To maintain a presence within the art and craft community and close relationships to customers and also our suppliers —–aboriginal people, we will focus more on the professional knowledge of Australian indigenous culture and encourage local communities to join us. Financials The sales growth will be conservative in the first year as when our focus is on the advertisement and make our products well known by potential customers. It is estimated that the sales increase in a 33% phase from second year of business operation. The marketing costs will remain the 10% of total sales. And we may consider company expansion if projected sales met or exceeded our target. 1. Company Summary ABC Company is founded in September of this year in UNSW. The company will offer a variety of products and services of aboriginal culture. In order to have sufficient information and resources of aboriginal culture, we will cooperate with some institutions and communities. For the aspect of products, we will offer aboriginal art such as artefacts and painting which are brought from eBay, institutions such as Tandanya in Adelaide and personnel (Tandanya 2013). Moreover, we will provide aboriginal culture and its history on the website. The resources of those will be picked up from variety of institutions, communities and government’s website. For the first three years, we will focus on the business on the website. Therefore, customers and visitors can experience aboriginal culture on our website 24 hours, seven days a week. When our business is stable, we will expand our services and establish a physical store in Alice Spring. The mission of our company is to become the best platform which spreads aboriginal information and provides products. 1.1. Market Niche In the recent market in Australian, indigenous arts occupy a small part. In the recent years, the sale of aboriginal art is $8m every year, which is equivalent to sale 11 years ago (Rothwell 2013). One reason is that people has few opportunities to engage the aboriginal culture. Moreover, few places have aboriginal arts. Most of arts are sold in the regional institutions and cultural centre, and are offered on few numbers of website. The mission of our company is to be the best platform to provide aboriginal culture and arts. Therefore, we will spread indigenous culture firstly through our website so that more people are familiar with their culture. Moreover, we will offer a variety of products on the website such as gifts and painting. The range of price is from about $50 to thousands of dollars. After getting information of the product, customers could purchase the arts what they are interested in. There are two characteristics of our products. Firstly, we are not only sell aboriginal arts, but share the information and background of each art. Therefore, customers could understand the meaning of it. Secondly, as we stock artwork from institution and artists, the price could be lower than other stores. Therefore, our products have high quality with a lower price. 1.2. Social responsibility of our business There are two main social responsibility of our business: spreading the culture and facilitating the economy. As we share aboriginal culture on our website, more people will familiar with its culture. Therefore, our first social responsibility is to spread aboriginal culture. For example, we will share information about meaning of painting, dancing and their music instead of merely selling products. Culture is a part of fortune for a country. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent it from disappearing. Additionally, we will help some communities and extract $1 from our sales every $100. As we stock some artefacts from communities, it will increase the sales of them. Moreover, we will donate for the community to help it spread aboriginal culture. As a result, it probable creates more job opportunities for aboriginal as more people are interested in its culture. 2. Our service and product Our company will provide a series of services and products on the website. For the aspect of service, we will divide into three stages. In the first stage, we will share information about aboriginal culture and artwork. The profile of artists and their painting also is offered. In this stage, we will focus on spreading the culture of aboriginal. In the next stage, when our business is stable, we will expand our service to day tour that visits physical museum and institution. For example, in South Australia, we will have a day tour to Tandanya to watch a show and have a workshop in Brambuk in Victoria. In our final stage of service, we will offer an opportunity to experience ancient Aboriginal rock art paintings, music, dance and storytelling in Northern Territory (Cultural Tour, 2013). In order to achieve it, we need find more partners with us to organize the planning of travel. For the aspect of our product, we will focus on selling them on our website in the first three years. In the meantime, we will establish a small physical store in Alice Spring. We will offer several products such as artefacts, artwork, crafts, glass and didgeridoos. Every product will attach profile of artist. As we purchase some artefacts and paintings from artists, there will be some unique artworks on our website. Therefore, it is a good choice for gifts to your friends, and good collections for collectors. Moreover, we also have some books about aboriginal culture that will be sold on our website. 3. Market Analysis In recent years, the consumptions of aboriginal culture products (arts, paintings, craft and so on) are decreasing in both Australia domestic and international markets. However, it does not mean that the value of have dropped a bit. ABC Company aims to expand the market size of the indigenous products in Australia markets and international markets by selling indigenous tourism products; in the meantime, increasing the value of indigenous tourism products by spreading the Australia aboriginal culture information online. The Company will market to four primary customers: 1. Tourists. 2. Amateur artists and crafters, including collectors and hobbyists. 3. Professional artists. 4. Businesses, such as architects, graphic designers, or direct mail advertisers. In the meantime, customers who are interested in aboriginal culture are also our potential customers. 3.1. Target market segment strategy 1. Tourists. In general, tourists normally visit the physical stores near the attractions. However, tourists’ purchase amounts are limited to size, material, and there are strict regulations of overseas travelling. Therefore, it is necessary to have partnership between travel agencies and light companies, by sending advertisement via email to the tourists. Then tourists can order indigenous tourism products from overseas or even order the products while they are in Australia before their returns. 2. Amateur artists and crafters, including collectors and hobbyists. In general, most part of this segment will be targeted in low and mid-price level of our products compare with the profession artists. However, we will also consider some customers from this segment are eager to purchase the high-price level products. 3. Professional artists. Considering professional artists not only need to purchase the products, but also need to get regular customer service. Our business will try to set up connections between professional artists and indigenous tourism products services. For the business, such as architects, graphic designers, interior designers, or direct mail advertisers, we will provide large amount order discount for the business oriented purchases or group-buying. 3.2. Service business analysis Our company is an online business store sells indigenous tourism products from Australia to worldwide. Currently customers can buy indigenous products from the stores which are located around the famous attraction sights. However, due to the strict regulations of overseas travelling, some indigenous tourism products are restricted by the materials, amount, and size. Therefore, some customers prefer to order indigenous tourism products online. Our products include: artworks, Didgeridoos, paintings, dolls, books, clothes, and some special order products, etc. 3.2.1. Competitions Besides the traditional attraction sights stores, there are two main competitors in Australia, Alperstein Designs and Spirit Gallery. Alperstein Designs entered the marketplace in 1996 and open online in 2013 (Alperstein Designs, 2013), it is Australia owned business. Alperstein Designs manufactures and designs products for gifts and indigenous tourism industries. Alperstein Designs has its own creative team, and works with Australia artists and designers in order to produce unique products. The products are manufactured in Australia and Asia. Alperstein Designs provides wholesale service nationally and internationally, it also has private label service for the customers who have exclusive desires. Spirit Gallery is located in The Rocks Centre. It was established in 2002 as a small Aboriginal art & crafts store in the heart of historic Rocks area of Sydney Australia (Spirit Gallery 2013). The products include: aboriginal arts, carvings, boomerangs ceramics, glassware basket weaving, bark paintings, and didgeridoos. Spirit Gallery also presents exhibitions for local aboriginal artists. 4. Business Strategy Summary 4.1. Competitive edge Instead of merely selling indigenous tourism products, ABC Company aims to spread Australia aboriginal culture and history. This point is different our business from many of our competitors. ABC Company’s target markets are not only large consumers, but also have different price levels from low to high, in order to fulfil all kinds of the customers’ requirements. 4.2. Marketing strategy Our marketing strategy will focus on customer loyalty, partnership, and online promotion. ABC Company will make partnership between aboriginal institutions and communities, travel agencies and flight companies. For the institutions and communities, we could provide teaching instruments for educational needs in order to achieve the promotional goals and special discounts for students and teachers via email. In the meantime, we can get potential customers and aboriginal culture and history information from them. By working partnership with tourism agents, our business can attract customers by sending emails. Moreover, we could also provide discount deals to the customers who used partner travel agencies and flight companies. Our online promotion will rely on social networks such as, Facebook page, Twitter page, and Aboriginal culture and history videos on YouTube. Our company also have the search engine support from Google. All our promotion plans are based on the Internet, since we are an online store. 4.3. Sales strategy The purpose of our company is to provide the friendliest online shopping experiences for our customers. First, we design and refine our website to make sure it is user friendly. Second, provide secure online payment by using Paypal. Third, provide fast and accurate delivery by working with TNT, UPS, and FedEx. Fourth, we provide the best return/exchange policy to build trust with our customers and maintain retention and loyalty. Most importantly, we will also help some aboriginal communities and extract $1 from our sales every $100. 4.3.1. Sales forecast The following table and chart highlight forecasted sales. 5. SWOT and Competitor Analysis 5.1. SWOT Analysis Strength Our company provides not only a variety of aboriginal products but also offers the services of aboriginal culture. Besides, the social responsibilities which improve the traditional culture play a key role in the objective of our company. Comparing with other aboriginal products suppliers, we do not rely on the big production of manufactory chain. Instead, we stock artwork from our local institution and artists. In the meantime, the price could be lower than other similar stores. All in all, the most strength in our company is the unique and special quality with a lower price. Weakness The weakness of our company is the volume production in the short term. Since our suppliers are the aboriginal people from the local community and institution. It is difficult to replenish our stock as we required. Moreover, the professional knowledge of aboriginal culture and communication to the people is another challenge for us. Opportunity The aboriginal art has become more and more significant in Australia’s tourist trade. People from all over the world begin to focus on the traditional culture when they travel to Australia. Although there are many stores especially in tourist attractions, the lack of aboriginal culture information has confused the customers and they cannot understand the reason they buy this work of art. It is an opportunity for us to bring the aboriginal culture to the Internet from physical world. Threat There are amounts of aboriginal culture shops today and the aboriginal show that will attract more customers and tourists. However, our business cannot show the real perform to our potential customers. There are two main competitors for our company: Alperstein Designs and Spirit Gallery. 5.2. Competitor Analysis Our Company vs. Alperstein Designs For Alperstein Design, there are several advantages compared with our company. First, it has its own creative team; therefore, it could have its unique products. Moreover, it provides private label service for customers who wants exclusive products. Therefore, Alperstein pay more attention on different kinds of high quality products. For our company, even though we do not have creative team, we provide a variety of services and products which are collected from different institutions and personnel. Overall, the price of our products will lower than Alperstein and we provide information of aboriginal culture as well. Our Company vs. Spirit Gallery For Spirit Gallery, it is a brick-click company which means both physical and online business are operating. Moreover, it will provide detailed information about Didgeridoo. Spirit Gallery also presents exhibitions for local aboriginal artists. Though we do not have a gallery for business, we provide particular aboriginal information not only focusing on Didgeridoo, but different kinds of artists and culture. Therefore, compared with Spirit Gallery, our company pay more attention on spreading information on the website. As a result, our business is more convenient for customers searching information and products. 6. Financial Plan 1. Sales growth will be conservative in first 12 month as it takes time for us to advertise and make our products well known by potential customers. It is estimated that the sales increase in a 33% phase from second year of business operation. 2. Marketing costs will remain the 10% of total sales. 3. We may consider company expansion if projected sales met or exceeded our target. 4. There would be a physical store in Alice Spring after three years in order to attract more tourists and present our arts work in more comfortable ways. 6.1. Important Assumptions 1. All the assumption is based on the fact that the investment of this business is from founders’ savings. 2. Assume the overall economy of the world especially tourism marketing is stable so that economic situation would not affect business operation dramatically. 6.2. Projected Profit and Loss Several important assumptions are made to calculate the projected profit and loss: 1. Sales are estimated in a conservative basis, while expenses are estimated above average to maximum values. 2. First years sale will be relatively low as it will take time to be well known by potential customers in order to reach the optimal sales target. With the consideration of first year operation, the sale of business is conservatively assumed at $102,000 in year 1 following by $128,000 and $170,240 in second and third year with gross margin ratio at 59.90%, 60.80% and 57.98% respectively. The net profit for each year stays at $20,596.36, $26,788.61 and $37,678.14 while the net profit to sales ratios are 20.19%, 20.93% and 22.13% accordingly. The further detail information can be referred to Appendix 1-1. 6.3. Projected Cash Flow In terms of the cash flow statement, the sales are main sources of cash inflow, and it increases in the same pace with business expansion. It is based on the assumption that there is no issue on collecting cash from sales. On the other hand, most cash spending is due to paying to aboriginal artists, sponsor contribution to aboriginal communities and utility bills. As showing on Appendix 1-2, the net cash inflows for first three years are at $17,351, $14,222 and $11,426 respectively. 6.4. Projected Balance Sheet Referring to Appendix 1-3, the net worth is steadily growing in first three years. Though there will be a physical store in Alice Spring to present our products and attract new customers, our business is primarily focusing on online buyers. Therefore, most assets are current ones. Furthermore, profits generated from business operation are determined to be retained for future business risk safeguard and opportunities capture. 6.5. Break-even Point Analysis For the purpose of break-even analysis, several factors are assumed as the fixed costs. It includes marketing costs ($5,000), Depreciation ($2,000), utilities ($2,000), Insurance ($400) and other costs ($120) with a total amount of $9,520. Gross margin of first year at 59.90% is extracted as the benchmark to calculate break-even point. As a result, our business needs to make $15,894 sales to be break-even. 7. Recommendation and Conclusion There are many places need to be improved and modified in the future. Firstly, about 60% of operating cost is the cost of rent; therefore, it will save much money if we can cut this cost. One of the effective and efficient ways is to get a closer supply chain relationship. The optimal situation is called just in time that we can acquire the product when we need it as soon as possible. We do not need a facility and staffs to stock and manage our product consequently. Furthermore, it is necessary to corporate with various partners such as culture institution, travel agent, museum and artists. It is easy to manage and corporate with our partners in the first three years. However, we need more partners when our business is stable such as travel agent. Therefore, the more partners we have, the more benefits we get. Additionally, a user friendly interface will encourage customers staying on our website. In order to achieve this, it is imperative to hire website designer or use tools such as WordPress (WordPress 2013). In conclusion, the mission of our company is to be the best platform spreading aboriginal information and providing products. We will offer a variety of services and products both on the website and physical stores for different customer segmentations. As a result, it will facilitate the economy of aboriginal and social stability. 8. Reference List: Alperstein Designs 2013, Alperstein Designs, viewed on 30th September 2013, http://alpersteindesigns.com.au/. Cultural Tours 2013, Territory Discoveries, viewed on 1st October 2013, http://www.territorydiscoveries.com. Rothwell, N, 2013, ‘Plunging sales crisis for indigenous art’, The Australian, viewed on 29 September 2013, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/. Spirit Gallery 2013, Spirit Gallery, viewed on 30th September 2013, http://www.spiritgallery.com.au/. Tandanya, 2013, ‘National aboriginal cultural institute inc.’, viewed on 29 Sep 2013, http://www.tandanya.com.au/. WordPress 2013, Themes directory, viewed on 1st October 2013, http://wordpress.org/themes/. Appendix Appendix 1-1 Profit and Loss