Distance learning Essay

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (1999) of the U. S. Department of Education, technological innovations especially in information and communications technology (ICT) has precipitated a revolution in the delivery of distance learning education, especially in the postsecondary level of education. To argue that distance learning education has come to stay and has changed perceptions and attitudes of education delivery is perhaps one without contention. Management guru, Peter Drucker has even gone as far as to say traditional on-campus university education will be defunct in 30 years. Focussing of three seminal areas of advantage – flexibility and convenience, resource cost, and accessibility – this paper will argue that earning a degree through distance learning education is better than through a traditional institution. One of the fundamental advantages that distance learning degree programs have over residential on-campus programs is flexibility and convenience. For me, location is one of the most important considerations for choosing a degree program. Questions like: Do I really want to relocate to earn a degree? Will I like my new location? nd Will I get a visa to travel to this location to study for a degree? are important considerations that I will have to deal with when choosing an on-campus degree program. These considerations helped me in choosing to do a degree program in law by distance study. My choice of a distance study program made it convenient for me to stay in my own locality while still having access to quality education that is commensurate with on-campus equivalents. Moreover, a lot of distance learning programs come with the benefit of self pacing one’s education; a benefit which I had by pursuing my law degree as a distance study student. My schedule allowed me to complete the course in two years and I was able to plan my education to fit into my schedule without any major disruptions. Thus, apart from being able to earn a degree, I had the advantage of not putting on hold other things that are equally important to me. Family and career commitments for example, did not have to suffer because I had chosen to earn a degree. With distance learning education, I was able to conveniently earn a degree in the comfort of my home. The fear of resigning from a permanent job to study and the financial and career implications of such a decision did not arise at all. More importantly, as my present career is in the area of my study, it gave me the opportunity to readily apply the knowledge gained in my distance learning education to my work. Consequently, I had greater opportunities of upward mobility in my career aspirations than I would have had if I had studied through the traditional on-campus method. Another major advantage I had by earning my degree by distance learning is the fact that it is more cost effective in comparison to traditional on-campus university education. I was able to utilise time more effectively when studying for my degree through distance learning education. The time I would have spent commuting to lectures was spent more usefully to study. Apart from the time constraints that on-campus programs are plagued with, commuting also brings additional financial cost. This was not a problem for me as I studied at home. Furthermore, fees for distance learning programs tend to be lower than on-campus programs as the distance learning student does not use the physical facilities of the institution providing the degree program. In my specific situation, I paid less for accessing the same quality of education I would have had if I had studied on an on-campus program. The cost of maintaining expensive on-campus facilities will invariably be passed on to the on-campus student. One of the most important considerations for on-campus students is accommodation. If one has a family and is studying far from one’s family home, the most obvious solution would be to maintain two separate accommodations. For parents financing their children’s on-campus university education, they may be paying for two accommodations at the same time – the family accommodation, and their children’s on-campus accommodation. This duplication of expenditure was unnecessary in my case as I studied from home. Thus with distance learning education, one can have access to the same quality of on-campus education at a much reduced resource cost. Evidently, there are so many advantages that can be argued in favour of distance study education. However, for the specific purposes of this paper, the final consideration that will be argued in favour of distance learning education is the better level of accessibility to course moderators and tutors. One of the increasingly pervasive features of distance learning education is the availability of a personal tutor. While studying by distance education for example, I had access to a personal tutor who I could contact through various communication devices like email and telephone. Thus though the argument may be made that on-campus programs offer a personal touch to the learning process, this is not lost in distance learning education. The issue of spontaneity in response to questions have been said to be an advantage of on-campus education over distance learning education. On closer scrutiny however, it can be realised that this advantage is perhaps even greater in certain circumstances when one is studying by distance study. In the first place, ICT makes it possible for communication to be instantaneous and as such, spontaneity is no longer an exceptional feature of on-campus education. If I had a question, I easily called my personal tutor and he discussed the question with me. Also, through the use of web technologies like discussion forums, and discussion boards, in-depth discussions amongst course participants were held online and this greatly enhanced my learning process. The use of personal tutors in a lot of distance study programs also makes it possible for peculiar educational needs to be addressed in a customized manner. Also, the accessibility that distance learning education brings makes it possible for more people to earn quality education on a wider scale than would have been possible through traditional institutional means. The use of revolutionary open source online learning programs like Moodle breaks the restrictions that are associated with accessing traditional on-campus degree programs. A global community can thus access distance learning degree programs that they would have otherwise not been able to access. The above presentation has advanced the advantages that earning a degree by distance learning education has over traditional on-campus degree programs. This paper has considered three key advantages – convenience and flexibility, resource cost, and accessibility – while conceding that the considered areas reflect only a limited perspective of the colossal advantages that distance learning education has over traditional on-campus programs. In conclusion, it is again affirmed that based on the justifications and advantages adduced, limited though they may be, earning a degree by distance learning education is far better than earning a degree through the traditional institution system.

AirAsia Consumer Behaviour Essay

1.0. Introduction AIRASIA: AirAsia is a Malaysian company, that introduced the Low Cost Carrier service to the domestic market and eventually the asian region. Currently AirAsia is  the leader in this market segment. Before it becomes the AirAsia that we all know today, AirAsia was a poorly performed company owned by a government-link company (GLC) in Malaysia, DRB-HICOM. In 2001, it was sold to the current owner, Tony Fernandes and its TuneAir company, for a sum of only RM1.00 or approximately US$0.30, together with its accumulated debt of RM40 million (AirAsia, 2008). Within two years, Tony Fernandes exceeds everyone’s expectations, and turned AirAsia to a profit making company. By the third year it was listed in the Kuala Lumpur bourse with outstanding IPO (initial Public Offer) of RM717.4 million (AirAsia, 2008). In 2006, the AirAsia was given the use of LCCT terminal in Malaysia, because its passenger load have expanded to such a capacity. This assignment will describe how AirAsia, managed to become the company it is today, started with a fleet of only 1 aircraft in 2001, to a fleet of 72 aircrafts, flies over 61 domestic and 108 international destinations, and operates over 400 flights daily from hubs located not only in Malaysia, but also Thailand and Indonesia, and launched AirAsia X for longer haul flights with its wide-body aircrafts, through the eyes of Consumer Behaviour, from psychological drivers, sociological drivers and consumer decision making process. 2.0. Psychological Drivers of consumer behaviour There are psychological drivers that influence the consumer’s behaviour. They are; motivation, perception, learning, values, beliefs and attitudes, and lifestyle, are useful for intrepeting the consumer’s buying process and directing the company’s marketing efforts. 2.1. Motivation. Motivation is the energizing force that causes behavior that satisfies a need. The needs are hierarchical, from the basic of it and higher. 2.1.1. Hierarchy of Needs From this Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, before AirAsia, air travel is generally considered in the higher hierarcy of needs, esteem, where some people intend to show others their ability to travel by air, and visit destinatations that others can’t. This is what AirAsia realized, they created the tagline â€Å"now everyone can fly†, hence creating the awarenes to the people, and also created the motivation that now air travel is no longer  considered in the ‘esteem’ hierarchy of needs, people can travel just to fulfil their Love/Belonging needs, whether people travel to seek the ones they love, friends or family, or they travel to please those loved ones, such as holiday destinations, by air. 2.1.2. Means-end chain. Means-end chain follow a time-honered approach for thinking about motivational issues. The central premise — that objects have value only because they produce desirable consequences or enable one to avoid negative consequences — is at the heart of most modern conceptualizations of motivation (Atkinson, 1964, Lewin, 1951, Tolman 1959). The above chain shows that at the end of the day, a consumer who purchase AirAsia as way of their air travel, will have excess money to save or to spend on something else in their travel or holiday. The ad above, shows that because of the AirAsia’s cheap price of airticket to London, consumers get to spend their money on something else, like shopping and visiting heritages places in London. AirAsia marketing people created the motivation of a desirable consequences if consumer purchase their service 2.2. Perception. Perception is â€Å"the process of assembling sensations into a useable mental representation of the world,..perception creates faces, melodies, works of art, illusions out of the raw material of sensation† (Coon, 1983) or to summarize, is the process by which physical sensations are selected, organised and interpreted. Individuals with the same need might not purchase or choose similar products or service due to the difference in perception. From the perceptual process model above (Solomon, 2006), AirAsia succeded in creating stimulations and attentions, and try to generalized the perception of people that now everyone can fly. Obviously they stimulate the sights first, by using the same tagline in every ads, media and online and billboards. Thus, consumers remember this information, which results when they want to purchase an airline ticket, AirAsia is the first choice comes to mind. 2.3. Learning Learning is â€Å"the process by which relatively permanent changes occur in behavioural potential as a result of experience† (Anderson, 1995). AirAsia’s marketing people understand consumer’s learning process affecting their decision making. 2.3.1. Behavioural Learning. Repeated exposure to an experience will result in the process of developing an automatic response to that particular situation. In the AirAsia case, the company is trying to develop that automatic response is choosing AirAsia as their airline, everytime a customer wants to buy an airline ticket. e.g: As AirAsia owns by Tune group who also owns the Hotel chain of Tune Hotel, the company able to sell air tickets together with hotel fares, resulted in cheaper and convenient way to travel. Customers learned that through the website, they can purchased the air ticket together with hotel. This resulted in repeated behaviour of purchasing AirAsia ticket, as the customer find it more convenient. 2.3.2. Cognitive Learning. AirAsia is trying to make connections between the two ideas of purchasing airline ticket together with the hotel. But now, as the customers uses the AirAsia website to purchase the air ticket, they can also choose a wider range of hotel choices, not just the AirAsia’s own Tune Hotel Chain. AirAsia through their website now also act as an agent, where customer, as they’re saving money by buying airasia’s ticket, have the options to spend more whether to indulge in more luxurious way of staying, by choosing more luxurious hotels that now available in the company’s website. The above screenshot of airasia’s website shows that cosumers can purchase airticket and hotel vouchers at the same time. 2.3.3. Brand Loyalty. One of the way of doing applicating learning principles by AirAsia is introducing their reward programs to AirAsia’s customers, there are the frequent flyer miles, or free ticket, or holiday vouchers to give away to its customers. These things reinforce their behaviour and build brand loyalty toward AirAsia itself. AirAsia is trying to educate the people, they themselves become the catalyst of the learning process. The outcome of learning is memory. By putting inputs and information out there, â€Å"now everyone can fly†, even the people who are not in needs of air travel, learned that there is now a cheap way to fly. Hence, this information is recovered from memory when these consumers are in need of air travel, and choose AirAsia. 2.4. Beliefs and Attitudes. Beliefs and attitudes play an essential role in influencing the buying decisions of consumers. No matter how good the service is, but if the consumer feels it is useless, he/she would never purchase it. From the attitude-towards-the-ad models, AirAsia, creates such an exposure to ads for consumers, with the same theme of red and white, in their billboards ads, website’s look, magazine and newspaper’s ads, thus affecting the beliefs towards the AirAsia brand. Constant exposure to these ads and commercials, with red and white coloured themed, create the attitude of choosing AirAsia, when the time is come for consumer to make a choice. 2.5. Lifestyle. A person’s activities, interests and opinions, often resulted in that particular person’s lifestyle. The technology nowadays created a new lifestyle in people’s life. Internet and smartphones is becoming more and more important to people. AirAsia recognized this, beside website as their purchasing portal, now people also can purchase air ticket and hotel voucher as well through their smartphones, by creating application for smartphone’s plattforms such as iOS and android. 3.0. Sociological Drivers of consumer behaviour 3.1. Personal Influence. Personal influences resulted from the interaction between one individual and others. These influences can also come from opinion leaders, where one individual can exert certain infulence over other people. e.g., in a working environment, when a manager decided to use AirAsia, even for his/her personal travel, his/her subordinances will be influenced to do the same  thing. 3.2. Reference Groups. When a certain individual looks to a group of people, as a basis of self-appraisal or as a source for personal standards, these group of people can be considered as Reference groups. Marketers must understand: how groups influence individual behaviour, how group influences vary accross products and brands, how to use group influences to develop effective strategies. Recognizing these groups can help the marketing people of AirAsia for their marketing strategies. There are three types of reference groups to create a difference in marketing implications: 3.2.1. Membership group. A membership group is where an individual is actually belong to. 3.2.2. Aspiration group. An aspiration group is a group where an individual want to be indentified to. 3.2.3. Dissociative group. A dissociative group is a group where one individual wants to maintain a distance to, because of differences in values or behaviour. 3.3. The Family. Differential influence of family members can affect the pruchasing decisions. AirAsia recognized this by introducing one credit card for all transactions in their home website. In asian region, in a family, decision usually carried out by the head of the family (the father), or the one who is providing for the whole family. Thus, even where a situation like a joint decision making is arised, the father who has the biggest income usually make the decision. In their website, a father, can create a username, which already included with all the credit card’s data. In this case, any family member who wants to purchase air ticket can easily use their husband’s/father’s username. 3.4. Social Class. Social class is a relatively permanent, homogeneous divisions in a society into which people sharing similar values, interests, and behaviour are grouped. The determinant of social class usually include occupation, source of income and education. AirAsia’s marketing strategies and advertisement spotted these social classes in society, especially the middle-class. The  rise of middle-class economy in asia pacific region created more value-oriented consumer, where value for money is important. Co-workers, students even housewives group can now easily travel and spend holiday together. 3.5. Culture Culture refers to the set of values, ideas and attitudes that are accepted by a homogeneous group of people and transmitted to the next generation. The South East Asian region, where AirAsia is based, is translated to a growing market. By studying the buying patterns of these people, AirAsia can focused their marketing strategies. These growing market in South East Asia, which also recognized by the growing economies, means more and more people have an extra disposable income. The South East Asian people are easily affected by others. A trend is easily formed, if a group of workers, families or students are using AirAsia to travel and explore new places and shared their experiences through social media, it can easily influence other similar groups in the society to do the same thing. 4.0. Consumer Decision Making process. 4.1. Problem recognition. First stage of the consumer decision making process is the problem recognition. At this stage, a consumer is perceiving a need. In AirAsia’s case, is the need to travel. In some AirAsia’s advertisement, the marketing people shows a numerous travel destination, with each separate own picture, and shows how cheap it is now to get to those places by using AirAsia as their airline. Hence, it is underlining the need of the people. This relates to marketing mix, of PRODUCT, PRICE and PLACE. For PRODUCT and PRICE, no airlines before airasia can provide this low fare of airtickets. As for PLACE, airasia provides more destination regionally than any other airlines and also have new sales office in major cities not just in Malaysia, but also Indonesia and the Phillippines. Another thing, the internet booking, how airasia manage to save consumer’s time in purchasing of airticket, people can now buy their airtickets online, or even from their smartphones. The ad shows how cheap it is to travel to Paris. The need to travel,  especially overseas, maybe as honeymoon, is already there, but now AirAsia, with these commercials all over the place, is enhancing that need. 4.2. Information search The information search by the consumers, clarify what options are there available to them. Which airline is the cheapest, which one is the most comfortable, hassle free and so on. There are two steps of information search; 4.2.1. Internal Search. Internal search is where one search one’s memory, recall any previous experience or information, in this case, related to air travel. An individual may remember how hard it is to purchase a ticket using a physical store, where the need to be at the travel agent physically and purchased the ticket. In marketing mix, PROMOTION, airasia is going all-out with their â€Å"now everyone can fly† tagline. Consumer can see this tagline everywhere; billboards on roadsides, magazines, newspaper, even on news website as pop-up advertisement. Airasia is trying to plant this tagline inside everyone’s mind, hence, by the time they want to purchase airticket, they straight away remember of airasia’s â€Å"now everyone can fly†. 4.2.2. External Search. Sources for external information are usually friends and family, public sources, and marketer-dominated source. Marketer-dominated sources are where AirAsia’s marketing team excelled at. Their advertising aggressive all over the place and media, their websites are constantly updating with new time-limited promotions, causing people to access it more often. Now, consumer’s can even subscribe for their newsletter by emails. In relation to marketing mix, airasia provide new PRODUCT/SERVICE. The screenshot above shows AirAsia comes up with hassle free website, with its flash page technology, that shows multiple destinations pictures that always changing in the home page. 4.3. Evaluation of alternatives At this stage, a consumer is evaluating what are the alternatives of choices  he/she has. The company will always enhancing what are their superiorities over competitors. PRICE is one obvious thing why consumer choose AirAsia, theirs will often cheaper than others. Other way doing this is always one step ahead in the technology side of marketing. AirAsia is the first airline that providing online purchasing through the internet. Now, where other low-cost airline also have the same feature on their website, AirAsia have come up with smartphone application. This application can be downloaded to a consumer’s smartphone, and he/she can easily make flight queries or purchasing ticket(s) or even buying hotel voucher, just by using his/her smartphone. 4.4. Purchase decision At this stage, consumer are making their decision in which airline service to choose. AirAsia’s marketing people understand at the previous stages of CDP, they have excelled. Hence, at this stage, their marketing mix, PRODUCT, PRICE, PROMOTION and PLACE of AirAsia have succesfully target the consumer and guiding them into purchasing their service. 4.5. Postpurchase behaviour At this stage, the consumer compares the service they purchased with expectations and is either satisfied of dissastified. Expentancy disconfirmation with performance approach (Oliver, 1997) and the balancing paradigm (Fournier and Mick, 1999) are two current theories of consumer satisfaction. Satisfaction more likely to lead to repeat purchase/loyalty and positive Word of Mouth (WOM). Dissatisfaction more likely to lead to brand switching, complaints and negative word of mouth (WOM). In AirAsia’s case, they try to minimize the consumer’s expectations as low as possible. The two pictures above are the screenshot of airasia website when consumer purchasing airticket. It clearly shows that passengers will not get in-flight refreshment, no complimentary luggage, no choice of seats, unless they purchase all of these things in the website. By doing this, AirAsia managed to get their customer’s expectations as low as possible, beacuse they don’t promise other than the service that you, as a customer, already purchased online. 5.0. Conclusion Airasia has established themselves as a profit making company and a succesful low cost carrier that prompted other airlines in the south east asian region to do the same thing. This company build their brand name with their tag line â€Å"now everyone can fly†, telling people that flying is now more affordable and easy. This tagline is also shaping their marketing mix. For their Product, Price, and Place, airasia clearly introduced a new way of flying by airlines, a cheap and easy one. At Consumer Decision Making process, the Product and Price influenced consumer at the Problem recognizition and Information search step process. With Promotion, they influence the steps of Information search and Purchase decision in the CDP process. Airasia is so aggressive in their promotional activities, by putting their tagline â€Å"now everyone can fly† in every advertisement and commercials. By understanding the psychological drivers and sociological drivers of consumer, airasia have executed its marketing plan briliantly, putting the type of advertisement that suitable. By understanding the Consumer Decision making process, AirAsia provide what kind of values that consumer seeks and asses in the information search, and evaluation of alternatives stages. By the time consumer making their purchase decision and postpurchase behaviour, these values are good enough to make them purchase airasia’s service and by not giving the consumer high expectations from the first time, the satisfaction rate from consumer is high. The succes story of AirAsia marketing strategies shows how important it is for a brand to understand the psychological drivers, sociological drivers and the decision making process of consumer behaviour. 6.0. Bibliography AirAsia.com, 2013. Corporate profile. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Cohen, J, B, and Warlop, L. A Motivational Perspective on Means-End Chains. [online] Available at: [Accessed 30 December 2013]. Hawkins, D. I., Best, R. J. and Coney, K. A., 2001. Consumer Behaviour: Building Marketing Strategy. 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Lim, Y, K., Mohamed, R., Ariffin, A. and Guan, G, G., 2009. Branding an Airline: A Case Study of AirAsia. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Management of Technology, 2009. The AirAsia company strategic management:†How AirAsia can be a leader in the lowest cost carrier in the airplane industry†. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 December 2013]. MANAGEMENT STUDY GUIDE, 2013. Social factors affecting Consumer Behaviour. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. MANAGEMENT STUDY GUIDE, 2013. Psychological factors affecting Consumer Behaviour. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. Onwutalobi and Claret, A., 2008. Understanding Marketing Mix in AirAsia Airline Bhd. [online] codewit. Available at: [Accessed 30 December 2013]. Sdsu, 2013. how to print notes. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. Schiffman, L. G. and Kanuk, L. L., 2000. Consumer Behaviour. 7th ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. The Market, Media, Life., 2013. MARKETING 101: PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF CONSUMER BUYER BEHAVIOUR. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. The Market, Media, Life., 2013. MARKETING 101: SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER BUYER BEHAVIOUR. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. THE TIMES 100, 2013. Marketing mix (Price, Place, Promotion, Product). [online] Available at: [Accessed 30 December 2013]. USC Marshall, 2008. Consumer Behaviour. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 December 2013]. Yaashoda, Y., 2012. AirAsia Berhad: Strategic analysis of a leading low cost carrier in the Asian region. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Yeoh, E. and Chan, J, K, L., 2011. Malaysian Low Cost Airlines: Key Influencing Factors on Customers’ Repeat Purchase Intention. [online] IDOSI Publications. Available at: [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Yuswohady., 2012. Consumer 3000: Revolusi Konsumen Kelas Menengah Indonesia.

April Greiman

â€Å"Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together. â€Å"? Vincent Van Gogh April Greiman is by far one of the most influential female artists in the history of Design. She was born in New York in 1948 and was raised in a very family oriented environment, her creativity was greatly influenced by her mother, father and aunt who shared a passion for art, music and encouraged her to be an independent, curious, adventurous woman.After acknowledging her great interest in art, she applied to several art schools and was accepted into the Kansas City Art Institute where she received a BFA in Graphic Design. Later on, with the influence of the principles of Modernism and exploration of technology, she continued her education by enrolling in a graduate program at the Basel School of Design in Switzerland. The experience and skills she gained from her educational background allowed her to explore the aesthetics of a computerized world, the art of digita l design and visual communication.Around the mid-1970s, Greiman decided to explore a different environment from New York and moved to Los Angeles, California where she started her own design business known as â€Å"Made in Space, Inc. †. Greiman is recognized as a pioneer in computerized design, her style is based on the exploration of words, images and the usage of color in space by combining art with modern technology. She was highly inspired by the landscape of the Death Valley; A landscape that continues to inspire her work and change the way she analyzes dimensions, objects and color.Her style is often seen as American Postmodernism with an influence of Swiss design coming from her educational background. Because of her work and style, April Greiman has been recognized for her potential in utilizing computers as an innovative medium to transform the art world. Around 1980s, Greiman took a risk and decided to support and explore the initiative proposed by Macintosh of usi ng computer design. This new genre in art quickly confirmed Greiman’s position as the pioneer of visual communication and design.Her eagerness to learn and explore this new medium is what has gotten her the respect and appreciation for her work. Her ability to engage the audience and embrace spaces by providing a floating effect to her work, combining architecture and typographic forms allowed her to become one of the most prominent icons in the design world. In 1982, April Greiman was selected head of the design department at the California Institute of the Arts. Throughout her time in CalArts, she focused on her role as an educator and the importance of transforming design.Greiman was able to take advantage of the state of the art equipment that was provided by the institution and began to combine video and media images in her work. Her input in this field and her accomplishments successfully gave her the opportunity to make this department more focused in a variety of idea s other than design renaming this field as visual communication. The popularity and recognition April Greiman gained over the years is mostly because of of her creativity, experience working with graphics and implementation of visual communication with the use of technological devices.As an Artist and educator, she has been able to work in a number of posters and websites for her clientele, she is the author of several design books including Hybrid Imagery: The Fusion of Technology and Graphic Design and Something from Nothing. She is such a great inspiration for young artists and designers that her work has been exhibited in important institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Walker Art Center, the School of Visual Arts, the Pasadena Museum of California Art,among others.In addition, Greiman has been awarded numerous honors that include: the American Institute of Graphic Arts’Gold Medal, a Chrysler Design Award and also Hallmark Corporation’s Hall Chair Fello wship. Greiman is well known for her work Does it make sense? a piece accepted by the Design Quarterly magazine from which she became the guest artist. This piece became a 3Ãâ€"6 poster that unfolded and was specifically done only in computer design. This piece contained the image of her nude self-portrait, containing various typographic effects and symbols throughout. This work completely pushed boundaries and forced artists to ethink the capacity for computers to make an impact in the art world and communication. In this sense, her work completely challenged the original and traditional notions of the magazine and of art by combining text with image, and expanding a new world of imagination and creativity for the upcoming generations following her steps. Hand holding a bowl of rice is an important addition to her work, it is a public art commission located in korea town, Los Angeles, CA. This piece was done in two walls of a building, the image is the screen shot of a video foota ge shot by Greiman, the image was later translated into oil paint.This piece clearly encompasses her style in dimension, usage of color and placement of objects. The art work was made to honor rice as an important symbol of abundance in the Asian culture. â€Å"I see everything as an object in space†¦when web design came into the realm of possibilities†¦I was already looking at it as spatial media† -AG In addition to the public art and other installations, Greiman is also known by her work with photography and her exhibition of Drive by Shooting strictly digital photography. This exhibition is made up of images that Greiman began to take over the years while driving her car.The exploration of this aspect of photography sparked the importance of nature and detail, the interaction of the lens with the moving environment, the experimentation of light, form, texture, and the ability to manipulate and create a spatial astonishing experience through digital work. April Gr eiman’s work continues to expand with her collaboration with architects in the design of spaces. Miracle Manor a well known spa located in California, is the perfect representation of her creativity and exploration of the design principles.After a long and successful career under her belt, Greiman continues her great vision of design with the interaction in a diversity of environments. As an important and well known designer, Greiman has the experience of working for important institutions such as the US Postal service, Aol/Time Warner in addition to Microsoft. The support and respect from such important companies and her development as a successful and more knowledgeable artist is what keeps her passion for design strong and strengthens her position as a pioneer in the graphic design world.

Project Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Planning - Essay Example It is very important that these items are able to conform to certain quality standards. The client i.e. IRTC cannot take it upon itself to ensure the quality of each and every item. The software, in particular, happens to be the backbone of a reliable computerized billing system. The accuracy, reliability and robustness of such items can be ensured by a reliable vendor only. Facilitator: Though a vendor in principle is supposed to supply the items to the company on a pre-agreed set of terms and conditions, yet for third party products being supplied to the company, the vendor can act a facilitator, if need arises. Such facilitations often come handy in getting company officials trained in operating those equipment or software, maintaining and repair of the system or for future upgrade. Independent Observer: While the system is being implemented, a vendor can act as an independent observer at each stage of system implementation and planning. Because the vendor has supplied such items to similar companies and for similar purposes, at times even minor suggestions from the vendor prove crucial during system validation, testing and implementation. The First Customer: Well, there's every possibility that we need to pay the bills of the vendor as soon as the system becomes functional. In fact this payment depends on the number of items supplied and the terms of payment. In this way, the vendor becomes one fo the first customer of the company, which helps in making the system compatible with our requirements. Trainer: At times, when the supplied items are not of very large value, implying that the company is not in a position to arrange independent training for its staff in operating the system, the vendor's experience comes in handy. The vendor helps in training the manpower, by arranging short duration training sessions of a day or two. Long term partner: Once the mutual expectations are met, the company and the vendor feel comfortable in dealing with each other, thus gives scope for better understanding. This helps in leveraging this partnership in future expansion plans. 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the vendor in these roles for this project Advantages: Following advantages could accrue to the company if the vendor comes up to the expectations i. Company gets a reliable billing system ii. Company is able to offer higher standards of quality to its customers iii. The costs associated in the form of delays and errors gets eliminated iv. Company is able to get its personnel trained at reasonable costs and without much delays in making the new system operational v. Company's officials get to test the project workflow software with more confidence vi. Open lines of communication between the vendor and company can help in resolving minor glitches during the operations. A timely advise often proves very crucial. vii. Whenever in future the company feels the need for upgrade or replacement of the system the vendor can help with his experienced advice. Disadvantages: There are some disadvantages as well in seeking long term partnership with the vendor. Such disadvantages are experienced when the vendor becomes too profit oriented is all his dealings. Some such disadvantages are; i. The company might loose the advantage of the competitive rivalry of the market in soliciting

Henry the Eight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Henry the Eight - Essay Example Henry VIII was married to his first wife for over 20 years, and for a long time they were happy together. Catherine (the widow of Henry's brother Arthur) was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and had received an excellent education at their court. She had long red-gold hair and blue eyes, and in her youth was considered pretty. Catherine was five years older and much more sedate. She was interested in politics and Henry often turned to her for advice. In 1513 she ruled as regent while Henry was campaigning in France. Although Catherine was pregnant many times, only one of her children, Princess Mary, survived. Henry was a doting father and didn't seem to blame Catherine for her failure to bear healthy sons. Henry is only known to have had two mistresses during his marriage to Catherine, which made him a reasonably faithful husband by the standards of the time. Catherine knew of his affairs but kept silent. Then Henry met the woman who was to be his second wife. . . Anne Boleyn: Anne Boleyn was probably born in 1500 or 1501. Her father was an English diplomat and her mother was the daughter of an earl. In 1522 Anne came to England and went to live at King Henry's court as a member of Queen Catherine's household. There she became secretly betrothed to a young courtier, Henry Percy - secretly because Percy was already promised to another woman, and his family would not approve of his marrying Anne Boleyn. But the lord chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, heard of the engagement and alerted the king, who told Wolsey to end the relationship.

Iola Leroy or, Shadows Uplifted by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Essay

Iola Leroy or, Shadows Uplifted by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper - Essay Example Harper Harper was born on September 24, 1825, in Baltimore, Maryland, and died on February 22, 1911, in Philadelphia, Pa. She was 86 years old when she died. During her lifetime she was recognized by historians as being one of the most important women of her time, not only as an African American author but also as an orator and as a social reformer.(1) interpreting the work, you will address either the question of meaning or significance. In other words, the key question (choose one) that you want to answer is: what does the work mean Answer: Problem with Themes which confuses what the novel is all about: First Paragraph introduces the work Significance of book, as well as contradictions to thesis: The book is important to American Literature because of its accurate descriptions concerning the cruelties suffered by slaves prior to and during the Civil War. (2) And while this also appears to be the main theme of the book, there are others which fight for this place. Three of these are: the life of the author as a social reformer in the late 1800's; the romantic life of Iola Leroy, who was also a social reformer, and the history of Christianity in the African American culture. One of the reasons this it is so difficult to understand the principal theme is that Harper uses two voices to tell the different stories in the novel. She uses the dialect of slaves in the first person voice to tell about the horrors they survived prior to and during the Civil War. This voice clearly tells the story of slavery in that era. The other voice is that of the third person. It is the voice of the author and speaks of her life as much or more than it does the life of Iola, the protagonist. The fact that Iola does not appear until the sixth chapter of the novel makes it more difficult to determine her place in the theme of the novel. Another confusing factor is the style of the book as a historic romance novel. Like most of these books, this novel spins a tale of fantasy romance with a happily ever after ending. In addition to these themes, the second part of the book's title implies the theme of shadows lurking over the characters in the book. One wonders if the book is about the shadows that haunt Harper as a Black American Woman or the lives of the characters in the book. Yet, this theme is not fully developed and, therefore, could not be called a central theme. This is just as true for the theme of the history of Christianity. Although the stories regarding this are entertaining they sometimes take away from the seriousness of the stories about slavery and they affects society. The back and forth movement of these stories add to the reader's confusion in searching for the meaning of the book. And there appears to be even more themes in the book, including that of the story of a Black American feminist. It is questionable as to whether or not the character of Iola is patterned after Harper's own life. Both women face discrimination, not only because of the "color" of their skin, but also because of their gender. This is a theme that could further be developed to make the novel more interesting in this respect. For example, Harper could expand on the occurrences of discrimination than Iola faces-describing more vividly how these takes place as

The importance of effective care management practices in the nursing Essay

The importance of effective care management practices in the nursing - Essay Example The researcher states that effective care management is essential for the betterment of nursing management and also for the betterment of the overall society. A patient gets satisfied if the nurse delivers him an effecting and caring service and also the disease of the patient gets cured with ease. Nurses are required to implement effective care management practices with the help of team work and collaboration with others (doctors and patients). Nursing can be described as a service profession where nurses play two basic roles: care provider and care manager. As a care provider the main role of a nurse is to provide greater care to her patients who are suffering from diseases or health-related problems. As a care manager the main role of a nurse is to provide her patient a comfortable environment and practices to get rid of all the pains and sufferings. Effective care management is an essential requirement for the purpose of providing effective nursing services to patients. The notio n of care management is particularly important for nurses because they are the most important care provider to the patients. It is also because they are the care manager of the most important service sector in society, the health care sector. Among all care management practices the nursing care management is the most important care management practice in health care sector of society. Care management practices have been recognised not as professions which require professional status; rather care management has been identified as one of the most important practices in service sectors of the society.... It is also because they are the care manager of the most important service sector in society, the health care sector. Among all care management practices the nursing care management is the most important care management practice in health care sector of society. Care management practices have been recognised not as professions which require professional status; rather care management has been identified as one of the most important practices in service sectors of the society (Cress, 2010, p.400). Care management is described not as a necessity for the purpose of improving health conditions of a person, but it is looked as a critical strategy element of health plans of the society. Effective management of care and chronic health conditions are absolute necessities in modern society; not only from society’s point-of-view, but also from economic point-of-view. From society’s perspective greater health care management leads to greater effective and improves health condition s of the society. From the perspective of economics, effective health care management means greater savings in terms of human resource through effective health conditions of societies (Berger, 1999, p.199). The notion of care management can be used as one of the most important concepts in health care sector, nursing management. Nursing management can be described as a process where nursing resources are coordinated and integrated to deliver an organised high-client care to different individuals and groups or communities. This nursing management requires collaborations and team works among different agents who are involved in the heal care service sector of the society (Nagelkerk, 2006, pp.9-10). The notion of care

Themes in Hip Hop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Themes in Hip Hop Culture - Essay Example In tandem with the salient issues and themes touched upon by the textual sources under consideration, the movie Boyz n the Hood does bring to fore many political, social and cultural issues that are conveniently bypassed by the popular media and cinema.The Hip Hop culture evident in the movie does intertwine with the glaring political and social issues like economic and social marginalization and racism faced by the communities. The whole objective is to usher in a measure of education and concern through a medium that is highly creative, subtle and insightful. The gang violence covered by the movie and the salient social, familial and academic influences which on one side make Doughboy fall a victim to the vicious and unsparing gang violence and which on the other side does convince Tre to renounce a life of violence does show as to how the flares of hope do shimmer in an otherwise violent and crime ridden life in the hood. The book by Nelson George, Durand’s Lecture, the for ward in the Anthology of Rap, and discussions in the class do envelop this society altering collision between the salient and dominant culture that is pervasive and powerful and the marginalized black culture thriving in the hood.The movie Boyz n the Hood does represent an effective and moving outlet for an array of racial, cultural and political themes that are so strongly embraced and expressed by the larger Hip Hop culture. For instance in the climax of the movie where Doughboy gets dejected and disheartened by a life imbued with violence and revenge.

Contemporary issues in american society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary issues in american society - Essay Example The PATRIOT Act is but one example of a continuing authoritarian, totalitarian and some would argue treasonous breech of power has far-reaching consequences, not only for the battle for control in Washington D.C. but also in the way it affects the liberties that people enjoy both in the U.S. and abroad. The enacting of the PATRIOT Act initiated an avalanche of legislation that eroded civil liberties. The Act, as many citizens and legal experts alike have argued, violates the fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights. This includes the freedom of speech and assembly (First Amendment); the freedom from unreasonable search and seizure (Fourth Amendment); the right to due process of law (Fifth Amendment); the right to a speedy, public and fair trial along with the right to counsel and to confront the accuser, (Sixth Amendment), the freedom from cruel and unusual punishment (Eighth Amendment) and freedom from punishment without conviction (13th Amendment). (Sinnar, 2003) According to former President Bush, â€Å"The PATRIOT Act defends our liberty. The Act makes it able for those of us in positions of responsibility to defend the liberty of the American people. It’s essential law† (Allen, 2004). Paul Rosenzweig, a senior legal research fellow at Heritage is convinced that Ronald Reagan, the champion of modern-day conservatism, would support the PATRIOT Act. (Lakely, 2005). According to some conservatives such as Rosenzweig, the Patriot Act poses no threat to civil liberties because it â€Å"has all the checks and balances on police authority that has been around for years† (Lakely, 2005). Despite the vehement opposition to the PATRIOT Act, its critics even acknowledge that it has been effective in building a more cohesive link between all levels of law enforcement including the intelligence agencies. The Act does not give away the civil liberties that were earned by the bloodshed of our

Pop Cultures Significance In Modern Society Essay

Pop Cultures Significance In Modern Society - Essay Example Pop culture is significant in the lives of human beings as it is a reflection of what matters to people, letting them express and validate the spirit of their epoch. Popular culture enhances young people’s understanding of helping them participate in the representations that aid in constructing their identities. This is a popular food chain in America that has a distinct icon that represents all the foods available in all their joints across America. American pop culture icons such as that one of burger king have been well received across different nations around the world even in the predominantly Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia (Kamalipour, 21). Burger king produces different kinds of foods with meat as Americans prefer it, it is a first food joint and the food is produced quickly and mostly to go. This can be interpreted to mean that Americans prefer food that is quickly prepared to save time. One can assert that it is due to their hard working nature and effort to save time. These joints are quite popular in America and the icon can be seen on many other products such as t-shirts, caps or bags. This icon is quite popular such that it has been adopted in Islamic countries but with a slight twist to the name and a bit of change in the appearance. This shows that even in conservative Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, people are in tandem with the rest of the world due to globalization brought about by technology (Kamalipour, 25). The Icon, therefore, has led to the popularity of such food a joint which has been cited as a lucrative business venture. It is slightly different however since unlike in America, all the meat is Halal and is handled and prepared as per the Islamic dietary rules. This shows the value of Islamic culture. In addition, most of the women working behind the counter wear headscarves or hijabs.

Chronic Disease Essay Example for Free

Chronic Disease Essay Chronic disease is an illness. It can be regulated but not cured. It is in most cases a long-lasting medical condition that can have a long-term variation in the body (Prakash, Porwal, Saxena, 2012). There are many cases of chronic disease around the world but in the United States it is the foremost cause of death. Seven out of 10 deaths amid Americans every year are from chronic diseases. One disease that can be severe, depending on the stage is colon cancer. It is also known as colorectal cancer. It grows in the digestive tract, which ultimately can change into a cancerous polyp. A polyp is a benign growth on the body that sometimes becomes malignant (Prakash, Porwal, Saxena, 2012). This means it can spread throughout the body. The colon is complete with three parts, the ascending, transverse, and descending also known as the sigmoid colon. It lies within the large intestine and is directly above the rectum. The sigmoid is to help digest, process, and eliminate food. If someone were to get colon cancer it would start in the sigmoid and if it is not treated early, it can result in losing his or her colon (Prakash, Porwal, Saxena, 2012). There are quite a few risk factors with this disease; the people who have the highest risk to develop colon cancer are 50 or older, the chances increase with age. Gender also plays a big role; they say men have a higher risk than women because they tend to have more occurrences with adenomas or benign tumors in tissue glands. There are also two types of medical conditions that increase chances of acquiring colon cancer; they are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s. Another name for them is Inflammatory Bowel Disease. They are set off by long-term inflammation. My boyfriend has ulcerative colitis and a friend has crohn’s disease, they have to get regular checkups every six weeks and an infusion. Otherwise they would be sick and probably develop colon cancer. They also get colonoscopies every so often seeing how much of a risk they have. According to Emedicinehealth (2012), â€Å"A colonoscopy is a procedure through which a physician inserts a viewing tube (endoscope) into the rectum for the purpose of inspecting the colon. During a colonoscopy, polyps can be removed, bleeding can be cauterized, and a biopsy can be performed if abnormal areas of the colon are seen† (para.27). To do this procedure they, use an endoscope. It is a medical tool made up of a long tube inserted into the body. It may sound scary to have done or painful, but it could save a life. Some ways to decrease modifiable risk factors for colon cancer are by doing what is best for the body, just like with any other types of disease but there are a few differences. One important thing to do is screening, which is a test for a disease (2002). That way if one does have any polyps it can get removed before becoming cancerous. Another important thing to do is diet, especially if they are obese because obesity is a high risk factor. Fats, alcohol, and too much red meat can also lead to a higher risk. Eating more vegetables, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight, these are good lifestyle choices, and everyone should keep them in mind. (Davies, Batehup, Thomas, 2011). One thing that lowers the risk of most cancers is staying away from smoking; it is a bad habit for anyone, whether they are sick or not (Daniela, Simona, Imola, 2011). So if one starts to have symptoms such as rectal bleeding, dark stools called melena which is began by bleeding into the bowel, passing of solid waste, gas discomfort, backache, and liquid discharge from the rectum, they should go immediately to see a doctor because those are signs of a tumor in the colon and can lead to severe colon cancer. If someone needs help or support when dealing with colon cancer there are quite a few sources of help that he or she may reach out to. The American Cancer Society, the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS), and Fight Colorectal Cancer.org. These organizations care about people and their needs. Colon cancer is a very serious disease and can be life threatening. So if you or someone you love has cancer make sure to eat healthy, exercise, avoid unhealthy habits, such as smoking and get daily screenings to protect yourselves. Acquiring a polyp or strange bleeding from your rectum can be life threatening, so a screening and a colonoscopy is crucial. ‘Works Cited Continue colonoscopy screening in stable patients, regardless of age. (2002). Geriatrics, 57(1),23.http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7cc2eb43-5583-4161-b181 f6ccc2c74387%40sessionmgr112vid=3hid=102 Daniela, C., Simona, B., Imola, T., Melania, M., Silvia, S. (2011). Smoking and the

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay Example for Free

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay The moral sacred Philippines started from a dream, and now that it continues to progress it can be one good evidence that as long as someone believes in an idea, it can be possible. As long as its aim is for the goodness of the citizens, it can be a reality. This concept does not want to create a world of perfection but rather a world of morality and spirituality. That world is where we can clearly distinguish the right ones from the bad. It is where we can not only think about ourselves but also the community, the government, and the nation. This dream can all be possible if we just go and believe that the land where we stand can be a better habitat of mankind. From Genesis 1:27, God created mankind in His own image. This verse proves that each of us is spiritual at heart. We just have to go and find the path through our hearts. We are created in His likeness which gives us the realization that all living things have something good in the inside. If we believe, make something to make this work, the moral sacred Philippines will make sense. A. WRITING AS A SOCIAL ACT The event connects with how writing can be a social act. In the said event, one does not only think about himself but also for the people around him. As for writing, a writer does not only write for him or for him to understand but also for his readers and audience. You write alone, but you always write for others. Readers matter. Once a writer sets his or her thoughts to any medium, whether paper, blog, status update, there is the potential for audience interaction. Ideas and creativity are created outside ourselves. Writers can never be more creative without the experiences and thoughts the people have. They continue to interact with people. Writing is a social act. Writers choose to see the beauty and brilliance of the world around them. Writing is nothing without the world and mind that surrounds them. B. WRITING AS A MORAL ACT Morality and spirituality is what the event focuses on. As for writing, writers do not only write everything that flows from their thinking, he must be careful. Something that anyone who writes words of any kind would do well to remember. Words have their moral consequences. The responsibility is particularly great for writers who deal with spiritual issues. Every word they write leaves its mark upon their soul and upon the souls of those who read their work. Their words may become sacraments, visible signs of an invisible grace, or they may turn to poison and ashes. It may signify the abyss or nothing at all. Writers must strive against mediocrity in one’s work, aiming always higher for lucidity of thought and beauty of expression with still being careful with the words they use. Every piece they make has an effect in this world. They are part of our moral conversation as a society. They weigh in. The creation of literature worthy not only its high artistic calling but of his stature as a creature created in the image and likeness of God.

Professional Identity Of Mental Counselor

Professional Identity Of Mental Counselor I will develop my professional identity as a mental counselor in many ways that will benefit the mental health profession and myself. To aid me in this endeavor, I will seek guidance from the American Counseling Associations (ACA) Code of Ethics for mental health counselors and work diligently to apply their five ethical principles. These five principles are: Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Autonomy, Justice, and Fidelity (American Counseling Association, Code of Ethics, 2005). To apply these principles it will be necessary to not only play the role of a highly credentialed counselor, but also act as an educator, researcher, advocate, and example to others. Below, I will briefly describe each ethical principle, and follow with an in-depth explanation of how they will be applied through each role, and how each pertains to the development of my professional identity. Beneficence means to do good and to take measures to prevent harm whenever possible. (ACA, Code of Ethics, 2005). I will apply the principle of beneficence by promoting the welfare of the client at all times. I will purposely act for the benefit of the client. I will advocate for my clients behalf and pursue their best interests at heart. Nonmaleficence The principle of nonmaleficence means do no harm. This principle maintains the idea of not inflicting intentional harm, or engaging in actions that risk harming others (ACA, Code of Ethics, 2005). I will apply this principle by avoiding harming others, and instead will work to promote their well being. I will work to eliminate threats and remove any elements that would result in harm to my clients. I intend to develop treatment plans that will help and improve their situation. Great consideration will be given on weighing the risks and benefits of treatment plans. Additionally, I will never encourage my clients to take action that would harm others. Autonomy The principle of autonomy describes the freedom to make ones own choices and decisions (ACA, Code of Ethics, 2005). As a counselor, I will appropriately encourage my clients to act upon their own beliefs and values, and choose what they believe to be the best course of action. However, while it is important to promote the clients independence, I must also protect them from the potential harm of their decisions and actions. I will explain to the client the nature of being autonomous while at the same time provide reasoning as to how their decisions may negatively affect their lives and the lives of others. However, in some instances where the client is underage or not of sound mind, it will be necessary for me to intervene, especially if their decisions are irrational and may harm others. Justice The principle of justice simply means treating others fairly and equally (ACA, Code of Ethics, 2005). I will apply the principle of justice by respecting each and every clients rights. I will show appreciation for my clients and hold them in high regard. I will maintain awareness and strive to provide each and every individual with equal access to quality services, and in no circumstance discriminate or exploit my clients. Fidelity The principle of fidelity involves the concept of maintaining loyalty and an honoring of commitments (ACA, Code of Ethics, 2005. In my counseling practice, a client-centered approach will be used to develop a trusting and therapeutic relationship with my clients. Setting aside my personal concerns and needs, I will practice fidelity by actively listening and giving my clients my undivided attention. I will honor them by showing unconditional positive regard and acceptance. I will honor all commitments that I have made and will avoid leaving any obligation unfulfilled. Credentials My plan of action first begins with building my credibility and continued pursuit of obtaining my counseling credentials. I will take advantage of every learning opportunity and obtain my masters degree counseling education through an accredited counseling program. Shortly thereafter, I will apply for licensure to become a mental health counselor through the Utahà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. In order to obtain licensure, I will pass the following examinations: (a) the Utah Professional Counselor Law, Rules and Ethics Examination;(b) The National Counseling Examination of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NCE) and (c) The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination of the National Board of Certified Counselors. Once licensed, I will then be identifiable to the general public as a professional counselor who possesses the knowledge and skills set forth by governing boards and the counseling profession (The Utah Department of Occupational Licensing, 2010). Educator As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I will continue to strengthen my professional identity by carrying a sense of professional pride and openly acknowledging to others that I am a counselor. Seeking out and seizing every opportunity to educate others, I will be steadfast in correcting misidentifications of my profession by friends, family, clients, and the public. I will make a clear distinction between the counseling profession and other helping professions. Being a visible presence within the community, I will work in various settings and all populations. I will educate others on the roles and functions of a licensed professional counselor, as well as explain what it takes to become one. Example to Others I will carry a sense of social responsibility, act with integrity, and practice good ethics professionally and personally. To increase my effectiveness as I mental counselor, I will seek out personal growth and healing, and model a positive productive behavior to others. I will work to manage my stress and prevent burnout by maintaining a balance between work and play. I will address and resolve personal conflicts and will continually assess my own level of personal wellness, the areas in which I need to grow, and my professional goals. I will work also to ensure that each client I serve has a positive experience with mental health counseling. I will put aside my own needs, and act only in ways that will benefit the client. I will strive to understand, accept, and acknowledge my own limitations, and seek out help when needed. I will show empathy for my clients and express a genuine concern for their well-being. Research and Practice To further foster my professional identity, it is of great importance for me to create a visible and positive image of mental health counseling and its professionals. Accomplishing this will require a demonstration of ethical competence and credibility. I will use an evidence-based approach within my counseling practice to give me a higher degree of ethical competence and credibility (Sexton Whiston, 1997). I will work to advance my profession by contributing new knowledge to society at large and the mental health profession. In practice, I will conduct research and investigate the cause-and-effects of behavior in a scientific manner. I will share results of this research with other counselors, so that the mental health-counseling practice can be informed at a larger scale. I will evaluate whether or not treatment approaches are working and will strive to always find a better approach. I will stay abreast on the changes within the mental health profession, but will be cautious, and critically minded when new information is presented Advocacy Advocacy will be an intricate part to the development of my professional identity. As stated in my discussion posting: My reason for choosing to be in the helping profession of mental health counseling is to be a facilitator of positive change in others. On a grander scheme, my wish is to create more positive social change within my own profession in the hopes that the mental health profession will positively impact society at large. As a mental counselor, I will support this vision by advocating for my clients, my profession, and myself. To accomplish this objective, I will need to observe, listen, and recognize social barriers that cause distress. To reduce such barriers, I will need to become actively involved, be prepared to speak up for others, challenge rules and regulations, and be open to scrutiny. I will need to be tenacious, patient, persistent, creative in problem solving and have the ability to persevere when setbacks happen. Additionally, I will need to be somewhat altruistic, and giving of my time and services for little or no compensation (Smith, 2010, February 16, COUN 6100-3 Discussion section). I recognize and acknowledge that taking such a role will challenge my level of comfort. I am ready and willing to use every resource that I possess and look forward to collaborating with other mental health professionals to promote positive change. Professional Affiliations With a collaborative spirit, I seek to work with such organizations that advocate for causes that affect the mental health profession in a positive way. I am planning to join both the American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Their goals and mission have a lot in common with my professional values. Like myself, their mission is to enhance the health counseling profession through advocacy, professional development and education. They also seek to improve the standards of professional counseling, and distribute information that would further human development and the profession of counseling (AMHCA, 1995, ACA, 2005). Additionally, both professional associations are compatible with my professional values since they do not support the mistreatment of clients but seek to promote their welfare and provide the best service possible. Both organizations offer many services that will promote my values of growth and development, by prov iding opportunities for professional development, leadership training, advocacy services, continuing education classes, and access to publications (AMHCA, 1995, ACA, 2005). Another association that I plan to be affiliated to is the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC). The ALGBTIC is a division of the American Counseling Association. The ALGBTIC allows any individual that has interest in LGBT issues to apply for membership. Its mission is to promote greater awareness and understanding of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues Their goals are to educate counselors on the unique needs of client identity development (ALGBTIC, 2009). They furthermore seek to strengthen counselors professional skills relating to sexual minorities. The mission and goals of ALGBTIC are compatible with my values because they seek create positive social change within society. They are working to remove the social barriers of prejudices and biases, and additionally are promoting non-discrimination and cultural competence within the counselor. Social Changes In the interest of removing social barriers that can greatly inhibit the provision of quality counseling services, I am interested in joining ACA and AMHCA in their advocacy for insurance reform. I will begin working within these professional associations to influence policymaking and legislation of healthcare policies. I will also continue to educate myself on the ethical and legal standards of mental health counselors, and work to prevent the occurrence of professional issues. I will research some of the common professional issues (informed consent, confidentiality, client autonomy, compromised client care) that have arisen as a result of managed health care and third party reimbursements, and work to develop a contingency plan as to how best approach such issues. As stated in my discussion posting: Additionally, I intend to focus on advocating for client needs, specifically those in poverty. I would like to focus on helping these individuals get the help they need. First by, educating these individuals about the benefits of mental counseling, secondly, by getting more affordable or free counseling services provided to those who cannot afford it, and lastly to work to increase visibility to these individuals that such resources exist. To carry out such objectives, I will fundraise for treatment centers and work to get government funding as well. I will need to devote my time and resources for gathering data that supports my agenda. I will collaborate and network with other professionals and community organizations in the hopes of raising funds and influencing policymakers. I will need to educate policy makers and the public about the mental health profession. Being a member of counseling organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) will support my advocacy process. ACA provides its members with information as to whats going in all levels of government. They can furnish me with the names of the key persons that can push my agenda (Smith, 2010, February 16 COUN 6100-3 Discussion section). In the interest of removing social barriers that can greatly inhibit the provision of quality of life, I would like to also focus my efforts on reducing obesity in America. As stated in my discussion posting: I believe the addiction to food can be just as strong as an addiction to drugs or alcohol. As we all know, the problem of obesity and weight related illnesses and disease continue to grow. Many programs seem to address the mere symptoms of being overweight by changing diet and incorporating exercise, but fail to address our relationship with food. Healthy eating and exercise is only part of the battle. I truly feel that the only approach to healing any problem is an honest examination of its symptoms and roots, which is why I am interested in advocating for my public awareness of the effects of emotional eating and how it should be treated (Smith, 2009, September 10, COUN 6000 Discussion Section). Attitudes The professional I interviewed in the mental counseling field is Sandy, a Licensed Professional Counselor for a very busy local counseling center. Sandy has been a licensed and practicing counselor for ten years. On an average workday, she services eight to nine private clients. Sandy describes her workplace as fast paced and quite stressful at times. Sandys work schedule varies in time of day to accommodate the needs of clients. She works with individuals, couples, and groups. Sandy also works with a variety of populations with many different problems. However, Sandy specializes in working with individuals who have post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders. She also spends a great deal of time working with individuals who have drug, alcohol, and domestic abuse problems. Sandys work schedule varies in time of day to accommodate the needs of clients. She has group therapies on four evenings a week, consisting of seven to ten clients to a group. Sandy disclosed that it can be frustrating when clients cancel or do not show up for their appointments, and that she only receives compensation for the counseling services she provides. However, this did seem to be of great concern for her. For instance, she mentioned the need for counselors to be altruistic and explicitly stated that providing therapy for Medicaid patients is not about making money, and that not much financial compensation is provided. On a side note, I was very surprised to learn that Sandy is not a member of any professional counseling organizations. Sandy demonstrated a very positive attitude towards the mental health counseling profession, and a great sense of fulfillment in what she does. Her perspective and attitude towards mental health counseling was refreshing and inspiring. Sandy has an altruistic nature and is quite giving of her time. While discussing her feelings about the profession, she exhibited much passion, and little frustration. The attitudes that Sandy and I carry towards the mental health profession are quite compatible. We both strive for positive social change and to bring out the best in others. Like myself, Sandy encompasses a philosophy of prevention and personal growth. We both share the belief that individuals can solve their problems. I have always believed that I can think my way out of anything, and to utilize every resource available to me. Sandy and I both tend to look at people and their situations in a holistic manner. Sandy conveyed a belief that a persons condition is temporary. I feel the same way; I believe we all go through season of productiveness and progression, as well as dysfunction and regression. The common thread that I see between my attitude and Sandys is that a career in counseling is more than just providing a financial income, it is a profession that nurtures our sense of purpose and valued connection to others. I like that the profession of counseling allows me the freedom to use a combined approach of science and personal experience. What also appeals to me is that the mental health profession considers the psycho, social, and biological factors of a persons situation. I would rather focus on mental wellness rather than a narrow focus on mental illness, this is the main idea or attitude that I harbor towards the mental health counseling profession.

Injustice and the Importance of Being a Man in A Lesson Before Dying Es

Injustice and the Importance of Being a Man in A Lesson Before Dying      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Justitia, the goddess of justice, is portrayed with a blindfold holding scales and a sword, but she, in applying her scales and sword, has never been colorblind in the U. S. 1[1] Ernest J. Gaines accuses the legal injustice against the black population through an innocent convict, Jefferson's death in A Lesson Before Dying.   However, Gaines penetrates the fact that the legal injustice is rather a result than a cause.   Behind the unfair legal system, a huge matrix of the cultural injustice, which always already presumes the colored people as criminals, does exist.   Gaines, thus, puts more stress on Jefferson's transformation from a "hog" to a man.   Unbinding himself from the humiliating self-notion, a cultural construction in a white ruling society, and establishing his own humanity, Jefferson exemplifies the potentiality of black empowerment against the prevalent racial injustices.2[2]      Gaines's insight and craftsmanship, which channel the legal injustice into the cultural frame, make the novel an outstanding masterpiece of the century.   First, Jefferson's case provides a great example of the injustice in the American legal system in the antebellum society.   Since "white" America did not count the black population as her citizens, the law was totally on the dominant white people's side.3[3]   Jefferson's trial is just an official gesture or ritual.   No matter what happens during the trial, Jefferson is doomed to death.   The legal system operates just as a means of vengeance.   If a white man is killed, a black man has to die for him.   One of the most striking things about Jefferson's trial is the fact that, even before the conviction, every... ...n justice.   Grant's criticism against the decision making process of the date illuminates the hypocrisy of America as a Christian country.   Nevertheless, Jefferson is described as a Christ-like figure.   On Gaines's skepticism about Christianity, see Critical Reflections on the Fiction of Ernest J. Gaines, David C. Estes ed. (Athens, GA: University of Georgia P, 1994), 77-84 and 257-59.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   6[6]   Herman Beavers, Wrestling Angels into Song: The Fictions of Ernest J. Gaines and James Alan McPherson (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania P, 1995), 174.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   7[7] On the relation between the "white" law and cultural discourse that justifies the racism within legal system, Grant says, "They play by the rules their forefathers created hundreds of years ago.   Their forefathers said that we're only three-fifths human - and they believe it to this day" (192).   

The Importance of Aesthetic Distance in American Horror Movies :: Movie Film Essays

The Importance of Aesthetic Distance in American Horror Movies What then do we make of American horror movies? In the canon of horror pictures they almost always come second in respect to foreign horror movies and any American horror film that is considered to be artful is the one with the most aesthetic distance. Upscale slashers like Johnathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs (1991) or David Fincher's Seven (1995) are both gruesome and bloody borrowing many of the same shock techniques as their lower budget counterparts (for example, Russell Mulchahy's Sevenish thriller Resurrection (1999)), both focus on the body and its violation, either through sexual means or violent means, and both feature villains who fit easily into Carol Clover's assessment as "distinctly male; his fury is unmistakably sexual in both roots and expression." The logic behind heaping plaudits on the upscale slashers and highbrow horror pictures lies, as with foreign horror, with the concept of aesthetic distance. Film analyst Ken Hanke theorizes that many critics simply praise so-called highbrow horror films because the acclaim comes from "people with little or no knowledge of the genre...What seemed so fresh and creative to them was largely a reshuffling of a very old bag of tricks." While Hanke's thesis is logical, I think the real reason these pictures get such acclaim is (you guessed it) their aesthetic distance. Both The Silence of the Lambs and Seven are considered to be more psychological in nature, as they present killers whose motivations are explainable. The unexplainable is infinitely more terrifying than the explainable so in elucidating the motivations to their gruesome behavior the audience is given an easy out. Believing that evil has a root cause, the audience does not have to accept the shocking hypothesis that evil can simply exist without rhyme or reason. Even in the masterpiece Halloween (1978) we are tossed a half-hearted psychological explanation as to why Michael Myers does what he does. The psychobabble that Donald Pleasance spouts is simply that Myers is "pure evil," and there are some vague connections made between Myers witnessing his sister engaging in premarital sexual activity and his slaughtering tendencies. Director John Carpenter t hen gets to have a killer who seems like a force of nature, yet is still explainable within the realm of psychology. Carpenter also gives his audience a sense of aesthetic distance through his numerous in-jokes and references to other horror films.

Formalistic Approach to Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat (Favourite)

Formalistic Approach to Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat (Favourite) Formal analysis of poetry helps to unfold the underlying meaning of a poem. This technique does not focus on the author of the poem, or what was happening in history during the time when the poem was written, but instead puts emphasis on the actual mean of the work. Formal analysis breaths life into the literary work and allows the poem to speak for itself. For example, in Thomas Grays' poem "Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes," paying close attention to word choice, structure, and rhyme scheme illuminates the actions of the prowling cat. The most important aspect in writing poetry is word choice. Thomas Gray did an excellent job in using descriptive words, along with using assonance and alliteration, throughout this poem to enhance imagery. For example, in the first stanza Gray describes the cat as being "pensive"(5) as it watches the fish below. This is followed in the second stanza as Gray uses alliteration and assonance to describe t...

Political Corruption and Empowerment Essay

Participation is dynamic process aimed at involving the masses so that they can formulate their own end goals and work together to realise them. Masses cannot be forced to participate in projects which affect their lives but should be given the opportunity where possible. Empowerment Empowerment is an initiated process that enables the masses to gain power and extend it in such a way that they can use this power to share in changing social, economic and political structures. Empowerment is successful if the participants regard the result of their action as beneficial. Therefore participation is a cornerstone of empowerment. It is a prerequisite for achieving empowerment. Empowerment is one of the consequences of participation, which means that if we want masses to gain power, they must participate. Empowerment is generally seen as a key for good quality of life, increased human dignity, good governance, pro-poor growth, project effectiveness and improved service delivery (Narayan. 2002. 8.). Bureaucracy It means the structure and set of regulations that control the activities of people that work for these organizations. It is characterized by standardized procedure (rule-following), formal division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. Bureaucratic leader are concerned with ensuring workers follow rules and procedures accurately and consistently. The bureaucracy does not create or initiate policy, but it does implement policy decisions. Why mass participation and empowerment are important Empowerment puts people at the centre of the development process; it implies a participatory approach to development focusing on bottom-up approaches rather than top-down bureaucratic methods. Empowerment increases the capabilities of the poor to influence and hold accountable the institutions that provide for them. To this end, empowerment attempts to give power and knowledge to rural communities to assist in creating a better quality of life, so that in the future they will have the skills to rely less on external forces to provide vital services and infrastructure. Mass participation is an essential part of the process of good local governance, and empowerment. To be meaningful, these processes must be seen as fundamental values of Healthy Cities and so must be developed as an integral part of long-term strategic development. Empowerment of mass is associated with cleaner business and government, and better governance. Specifically, the greater their involvement in public life, the lower the level of corruption, even in countries with the same income, civil liberties, education, and legal institutions. Masses Empowerment through inclusion, voice, and accountability can also promote social cohesion and trust, qualities that help reduce corruption, reinforce government and project performance, and provide a conducive environment for reform, with consequential benefits for development effectiveness and economic growth. Finally, empowerment or lack of it can also have positive or negative socio-political effects on the outcomes of countries’ poverty reduction efforts. Why the concept of mass participation has been illusive in the third world There are some serious failures of the international community to contribute meaningfully to empowerment and participatory approaches. If countries are not willing to support countries that need help, then the future is bleak. Aid allocations need to increase if meaningful solutions are to occur. Making the rural poor involved in empowerment and participatory programs is hard to achieve due to their social exclusion. The gap between the poor in rural areas and those who are more wealthy is large and widening Because the rural poor are socially excluded, often development organisations such as the World Bank think of the poor are ignorant and complacent. More often they are not excluded from participating in projects in a meaningful way, due to pre existing biased views that they are not worthy, or indeed, have the skills to participate effectively. (Courtney et all in Godinot and Wodon (ed). 2006. 3). Lack of empowerment amongst rural people leads to their vulnerability and thus most development projects tend to benefit the benefactors rather than the beneficiaries. In light of this sustainable development is not achieved because non-participation of local people means that rural development is not self-sustaining. Therefore, local rural people play an important role in rural development because they understand their situation and problems better than the government, aid agencies and other stakeholders. This highlights the gap between the reality and ideal of empowerment and participatory development where the poor themselves are considered the centre of the process and the most vital players. Rural areas in developing countries experience large problems associated with access to basic amenities and services. Attempts to resolve this situation involve development programs using community empowerment in rural areas of developing nations to ameliorate instances of poverty. The aspirations deep inside the poor can only be brought out by making them the centre of the development process. They have difficulty expressing them due to their exclusion. How mass participation and empowerment are promoted or discouraged by the action of bureaucracy The problem with bureaucracy is that Executives want to control everything; even the simplest administrative decision has to be approved at the top. . One problem is unnecessary delays in outputs (Waterston 1965:259) , for even though there are more than enough officials in the lower administrative ranks, they are not effectively employed in the posts to which they were appointed. Political involvement of officials – when bureaucracy becomes involved in politics, this stimulates corruption. Officials start taking decision and performing actions that will benefit themselves, or groups in which they have an interest. Corruption is out of control. Development funds are siphoned off to hire friends or relatives. In some cases the money simply disappears. The misuse of office by government functionaries is relatively common in areas of public procurement, revenue collection, government appointments and contracts, licensing and permits. In these areas of specialty, graft and venality are readily executed through anyone of the following activities: The civil servant receives from a private contractor a fixed percentage of awarded government contracts; the kickback may be in kind, such as free education for the children in foreign institutions, or in cash, paid directly into bank account. Police or other law enforcement agents use the threat of sanctions to extort bribes in lieu of official fees or taxes. But paying bribes to avoid taxes or fees is equally damaging to society since governments depend on such revenues to provide public goods. The relative absence of revenues from taxes and fees also means less compensation for civil servants, which leads to more corrupt practices. One of the reasons adduced by low- level government employees for demanding bribes is the infrequency of their monthly salary. Government employees in essential services, e.g. law enforcement, electric power supply, telecommunication etc. Customs agents insist on payments above the official rates or side payments before providing requisite services to both importers and exporters. Those unwilling to pay bribes stand the chance of losing their merchandise through forfeiture or theft. Civil servants award large contracts to companies owned by relatives or partners, and in return receive an agreed upon fee or lavish hospitality. Officials responsible for permits and licenses demand extra payment for services ordinarily called for by their office; in cases where expediency is requested, a great deal more is demanded to speed-up the process. Bureaucracies’ themselves create the causes of corruption. Salaries are low, housing is poor, officials lack professional qualification and status, all of which means that officials do not feel motivated to do good work, or to be loyal to the organisation. When a country’s resources are continually misallocated by corrupt government officials bent on maximizing their short-run selfish interests, development is severely hindered through a multitude of social and economic dislocations. The bureaucracy is unresponsive to the needs of the public; there is an atmosphere of official’s indifference and unsympathetic attitude toward the needs of the people. This is caused by the strictly centralised nature of the bureaucracies, the lack of mass participation and consequent lack of contact with the populace. A bureaucracy, crucially, is not only a structure, a mere organigramme with functional relationships and roles. It is a group of people with lives, emotions, aspirations, energy, passion and values. Those that work in them often have strong values, great intentions and good ideas. Most want to do good and not be negative. Somehow, however, good intent can evaporate as the dynamic of the organizational ‘system’ unfolds. Can the positive virtues and potential of public sector bureaucracies and the people working in them be rediscovered? These include fostering fairness, equity, and equality of opportunity, being neutral and transparent. These are important achievements of democracy, yet the focus on efficiency can obscure these intentions. The most effective organizations are those where people feel they can be engaged and where their commitment to the organization lies beyond a contractual relationship and where a deeper emotional bond can be established both to the work itself and the organization. In these situations people feel they are able ’to be our true selves’ and to have a ‘creative presence’ so that working gives the sense of ‘pregnant possibilities’ and where they can develop ‘an intensity that feels and appears effortless’. Here energy and passion can come into alignment. Conclusion /My view The participation of communities in development projects is a major aspect of an empowering approach. Participation works well at the small scale. Community based organisations if trained correctly can manage and supervise locally based construction and maintenance activities very effectively (Meshack. 2004. 61). There is a fine balance between success and failure of participation in that it needs to be locally based with little input from external forces. Governments and donors can in fact undermine contributions made by the community in that they take over projects and locals lose their sense of ownership (Meshack. 2004. 61). Participation in development projects does however need outside stakeholders but the community needs to be the one driving the project, as there are many people who can contribute to a development project. Empowerment involves expanding the capabilities of the poor. Its main process involves putting the community at the centre of the development process. The community becomes empowered due to the fact that they have a certain degree of control over their own resources, they gain a sense of ownership over the service or infrastructure being provided. One of the main concepts involved in creating efficient empowering projects include the access of the community to information, as informed citizens make better development decisions. Accountability in the development process is another crucial aspect of an empowering approach. Increasing the capabilities of the poor specifically refers to local organisational capacity. This is when a community works together to mobilise resources and tackle problems as a group. This is another major process involved in community empowerment.

Is Your Beauty More Important Than Your Health? Essay

Is your beauty more important than your health? How much are you willing to pay for the price of beauty?In our day, many of us spend tones of money on beauty products to look better, but unfortunately sometimes the short-term look is not worth the long-term damage that such products can do to our skin. You expect the food you buy to be safe, and there are huge public outcries when it isn’t, yet the same demanding standarts are not universally applied to cosmetic companies. Recently ,people have been more aware of the food they consume. The food companies, which realized this sensitivity of consumers started to be honest and open to public with the ingredients they use in their products. After learning about the ingredients, people tend to consume more organic foods and foods that have more unsaturated substances than saturated. But the big question is this, if the people are so sensitive with their food intake, why don’t they have the same awareness for the products they use for their physical appearance? Many products that women use in our day, contain chemicals that endanger their health in a long period. The government surveys the beauty industry but it does not approve the products before they are sold in stores. Cosmetic companies are only required to list needed ingredients in their products, not the by products that could have been manifest during manufacturing. You may think that natural, organic or hypo-allergic products are healthier and not harmful as other manufactured chemicals, but there are no precepts for them too. The companies are allowed to add any ingredients they wish for, and any kind of label on the package that withstands them selves. Beauty products certify users to commerce with over 126 chemicals that are not tested, aside with legal and known ingredients.

Chinese Starbucks Essay

1. Many of the same environmental factors, such as cultural factors, that operate in the domestic market also exist internationally. Discuss the key cultural factors Starbucks had to consider as it ex-panded into China. Starbucks has found success in the USA because of marketing towards â€Å"20-40 year old men and women who are concerned with social welfare† thus creating the coffee house atmosphere-Heather Karr Employee of Starbucks in Madison, WI. The coffee house in the US includes college students studying, young professionals having casual meetings, â€Å"Soccer Moms† grabbing a cup of Joe after dropping the kids off at school, etc. All-in-all Starbucks is selling not coffee but the idea of a â€Å"coffee break†, a time during the day that one can sit back, relax, and forget about the daily grind. Starbucks had to consider this as part of their main success and research China’s culture to see this same possibility existed for them there. Luckily they found that it did. Due to China’s communistic government implementing a â€Å"One Child Law† the same age demographic surprisingly existed: 20-40 year old men and women who want a place to socialize and take a break from their lives. The Family Planning Law in China was implemented to control the growing population in China, has many exceptions, and began in 1978 (enforced in 1979). Learning about this law in a history class previously, I never considered it in a marketing aspect. These individuals have grown up as single children and may have a sense of entitlement. They are well educated as the US media is always reporting on their countries’ amazing international grade reports. So, this group of â€Å"Little Emperors† are more aware of western culture than generations previous and Starbucks had to of discovered that they could give these people a taste of the western world. Lastly, Starbucks had to consider China’s tea consumption before expanding. While the US likes their coffee, China prefers tea in their social events. How could Starbucks take their signature product of coffee and still be successful? They had to sell the coffee house experience and that’s exactly what they did. 2. Discuss the key political and legal factors Starbucks had to consider in the Chinese marketplace. What are the risks of entering a country with these factors? What changes have occurred in China’s polit- ical and legal structure to the advantage of foreign companies? The standout political/legal factor for Starbucks expanding into China is Communism. Starbucks company originated in a democratic capitalistic country where it became successful. Expanding into China requires a lot of research into not just foreign laws but a very strict and controlling government that frowns on western practices. In 1999 when Starbucks began its expansion they did it with joint ventures meaning they licensed the right for Chinese citizens to sell Starbucks coffee and use their logo. Joint ventures and dictatorship are risky ideas and Starbucks could have easily failed. They made their risk minimal by only receiving royalty fees for the license to use their logo. China became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2001 thus opening the ability for American companies to freely participate in their market. Starbucks took this opportunity buy out is partners and take control over the 60 stores in existence in 2006. From 1999-2006, Starbucks had plenty of time to learn about Chinese culture and educate themselves in Chinese business that allowed them to feel confident about expanding in the future. 3. What demographic factors were important for Starbucks to understand in China? What were the demographics they decided to target? As I stated in my answer to question one, Starbucks had to understand their own target demographic in the successful US market and see if they could replicate that in China. Luckily for them it did. Political factors like the â€Å"One Child Law† gave way to a culture shift among previous generations that allowed for the 20-40 year old demographic to thrive. These citizens are independent, educated, and desire to socialize amongst their peers with no where to feel at home in. Starbucks, by â€Å"tweeking† their menu slightly and adding more dining space than other shops in other countries, adapted to these Chuppy† demands and found success. 4. What was the initial global-market strategy Starbucks employed to enter China? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages to this early strategy. How has their strategy changed since then and why? Initially Starbucks implemented a joint venture strategy. Meaning, they licensed their company for use in China believing that Chinese business individuals could have a better chance at success than they could. They also took that opportunity to learn and educate themselves about Chinese culture and business all the while receiving royalties for the licenses. This was a minimal risk for them as China was not a country that allowed a global market place to exist until its membership in the WTO in 2001. Their membership created an opportunity for Starbucks to take control of its licenses and eventually to expand further into the country.