Educational Technology in the Classroom Essay Example for Free

Educational Technology in the Classroom Essay The face of pedagogy has evolved through time with the emergence of the technological age in the 19th century. As new technologies have been developed in order to enhance and produce efficient working environments, educational institutions, especially early childhood education, have slowly adapted several technological tools in order to facilitate the teaching-learning process. Learning available technological advancements in early childhood education (ECE) and understanding how to incorporate them in the teaching process interests me because of the complex and specialized characteristic of ECE. Children are always curious about the things around them, that is why they love exploring and discovering things that are new to them. Applying technology in the classroom setting would be instrumental in teaching them many concepts that would be difficult to teach in the real-life environment. Moreover, employing technology would allow teachers to design challenging instructional materials that may be easily accessed by children. Synopsis One Buckleitner, W. (2000). â€Å"Techno Tools for Assessment. † Teaching with Technology. ProQuest Education Journals. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest LLC. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=4sid=2srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=62927618scaling=FULLts=1207829807vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207829837clientId=7961 (1) This article emphasizes the importance of technology in tracking and monitoring the growth and progress of children within the educational institution. It asserts that making use of technology allows the teacher to properly document the developments of each child, with the use of pictures and videos for instance, in order to involve and show the parents each milestone that their children accomplish in the school. Technology is also relevant during the assessment phase. The author continues to list several technological tools that from the lowest priced to the highly expensive, while still remaining important in assessing the developments within each child. Cameras, whether disposable, Polaroid, or digital, as well as digital video cameras, are useful in documenting the activities that children get involved in within the school. This would help in showing the parents how their children have grown from day one until the end of classroom instruction. Cassette recorders may be used to record sounds, such as songs, poems, and sounds learned throughout the year, in order to know what new knowledge they have learned regarding sound reproduction and music. Scanners may be used to keep records of pictures and artworks that children have made all throughout the year. This would help in assessing the creativity of each child. Communication with the parents at home may be facilitated by establishing an online website where the teacher and the parents may contact each other. Moreover, online websites may be used to send newsletters and other information that are in a need-to-know basis for the parents. (2) This article is important for teachers who want to learn about simple and affordable technologies to use in the classroom setting. Cameras, video cameras, scanners, sound recorders, and online websites, are simple devices that teachers can easily use. Moreover, assessment and evaluation has gone up a higher level with the options of using technologies, as well as in involving the parents with the education of their child. (3) The technological gadgets suggested by the author benefits the learner, although they do not get to explore and manipulate each gadget, because it focuses on the assessment phase of learning which assists in the identification of needs, demands and follow-throughs of children. Moreover, parents get involved in the education of their children, allowing them to know how they can assist in teaching their children more at home. (4) These technologies may be implemented by providing sound recorders for each student from the beginning of the class and let them record sounds that they have never learned before. During activities, which bring out their skills and abilities, the teacher should be able to take pictures and videos for documentation. Paper works done by the students should all be scanned accordingly for records sake and assessment in the future. At the end of the teaching instruction, the online website should be put up in the World Wide Web, and communicated to the parents in order for them to gain access to the website and start communicating with the teacher whenever possible. Synopsis Two Scoter, J. V. , Ellis, D. , Railsback, J. (2001). â€Å"Technology in Early Childhood Education. † Northwest Regional Educational Technology. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from NETC. Website: http://www. netc. org/earlyconnections/byrequest. pdf (1) The research study has explored the pros and cons of the employment of technology to early childhood education. The argument lies on the capacity of technological tools to provide for the basic needs of children, including their physical, social, emotional, mental, and language development needs. However, researchers could not deny the contributions that technology will make for facilitating teaching and learning for early childhood education. These contributions being teaching children how to learn by autonomy, wherein they learn by doing things by themselves, and the visualization of difficult concepts to teach and for children to grasp. The different developmental stages in early childhood education are also discussed in order to identify the goals and needs of children in each stage. The author continues to discuss several technologies to accomplish these goals and needs. The computer is the most important technological tool that should be used in early childhood education. Moreover, several softwares are available for computers, such as softwares that may be used in constructing examinations, drills, and practice tests. (2) The information in this article is important for teachers who wants to understand the benefits and advantages of technological tools within the classroom. This would assist them in making evenhanded decisions on whether to employ technological use for classroom instruction. Moreover, teachers who want to utilize technology within the classroom setting are informed of the goals and objectives of each child developmental stage in order to design technologies that are able to meet these goals and objectives. (3) The technology discussed in the article, such as the computer and software programs benefit the learner because of wide-range activities that it can develop for learners, such as drills and tests. This would allow teachers to produce numerous automated exams that would help students widen their knowledge and exercise their minds in order to retain information learned throughout classroom instruction. Moreover, computers are able to provide numerous functions such as music, videos, pictures, access to the internet, multimedia applications, language assistive technologies, etc. (4) Implementing what I read from the article takes time and careful planning. Planning should be done to lay out activities that will be suitable for particular developmental stages in children. After planning, the teacher is now ready to incorporate technologies according to the level of understanding and need of each child. This would be established by teaching children the basics of the computer and letting them handle it for better learning and understanding. Synopsis Three Wilford, S. (2007). â€Å"Tuning in to Tech. † Scholastic Early Childhood Today. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=12sid=1srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=1257130811scaling=FULLts=1207834444vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207834584clientId=7961 (1) The proper implementation of technology, so as to ensure positive learning outcomes, is the focus of this article. The author acknowledges the fact that technology does hold negative learning outcomes, especially to young children. In addition, the author continues to discuss the inadequacy of technologies if used improperly and minimally. Therefore, the author reveals steps or guidelines for making the most of the positive effects on learning that technologies may yield to early childhood education. These steps or guidelines include the use of clear digital images with large informative captions, images that show children who display moral values that students might learn, records of visuals and creative works done by students in the computer and student portfolios, taking videos of meaningful activities, and videos of theatrical performances done by children in order for them to imitate and gain insights about acting and being creative. (2) The article is relevant in reminding teachers on how to properly use technologies due to the fact that when these technological devices are used inadequately, then it will yield negative learning outcomes for young children. Aside from reminding teachers of this valuable information, it also provides important tips on how to maximize technology and utilize it appropriately. (3) This valuable piece of information benefits the learner in such a way that it educates the teacher. Educating teachers, especially on the proper use of technology, is significant in teaching with the use of technology properly, therefore, resulting to positive learning outcomes. (4) Implementing this piece of information in classroom instruction starts with committing such information to memory in order to remind oneself of how to use technology effectively in the classroom. Synopsis Four Hertzog, N. Klein, M. (2005). â€Å"Beyond Gaming: A Technology Explosion in Early Childhood Classrooms. † Gifted Child Today. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journal. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=43sid=1srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=872146761scaling=FULLts=1207837036vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207837110clientId=7961 (1) The focus of the research paper is to identify and reveal the importance of technology for the early childhood classroom and the benefits that they provide for the children. Several examples were given in order to illustrate real life situations wherein the incorporation of technology in classroom instruction was successful. UPS is an educational institution, which utilizes technology during classroom instruction. The institution attests to the positive learning outcomes that technologies yield within the children. Aside from the children, the teachers also benefit from the functions that technology provide to facilitate teaching and lighten their burden of keeping records and assessing the children’s growth and development. Moreover, technologies also enhance communication lines of the educational institution with the parents. Indeed, the children’s use of technology have gone beyond only gaming to learning valuable concepts that technology offers. (2) I think the article takes on a general approach to the study of technology as a means of facilitating learning for early childhood education. Not only does it discuss the benefits of technology on children, but also its positive effects to teachers and the parents as stakeholders who are involved with the education of young learners. Through this article, children, teachers, and parents learn to appreciate the benefits and advantages that technology provides in order to enhance the learning of their children. Moreover, other educational institutions may learn from the testimonies of UPS. (3) This article does not particularly talk about a certain technology that benefits the learner but it discusses the importance of technology in order to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences to children. Moreover, it informs people on the importance of technology to the holistic development of children, professional career of teachers, and the involvement of parents to education. (4) The article talks about the need for educational institutions to implement technological tools itself and does not illustrate how to implement them. For educational institutions who are deciding whether to incorporate technology into their classroom instructions shall be guided by the advantages it would provide for learners, teachers and parents. Thus, encouraging them to implement technology when possible in order to promote quality learning. Bibliography Buckleitner, W. (2000). â€Å"Techno Tools for Assessment. † Teaching with Technology. ProQuest Education Journals. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest LLC. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=4sid=2srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=62927618scaling=FULLts=1207829807vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207829837clientId=7961 Hertzog, N. Klein, M. (2005). â€Å"Beyond Gaming: A Technology Explosion in Early Childhood Classrooms. † Gifted Child Today. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journal. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=43sid=1srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=872146761scaling=FULLts=1207837036vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207837110clientId=7961 Scoter, J. V. , Ellis, D. , Railsback, J. (2001). Technology in Early Childhood Education. Northwest Regional Educational Technology. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from NETC. Website: http://www. netc. org/earlyconnections/byrequest. pdf Wilford, S. (2007). â€Å"Tuning in to Tech. † Scholastic Early Childhood Today. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals. Website: http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/pqdweb? index=12sid=1srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=6startpage=-1clientid=7961vname=PQDRQT=309did=1257130811scaling=FULLts=1207834444vtype=PQDrqt=309TS=1207834584clientId=7961

Womens Role In The Contemporary Society Sociology Essay

Womens Role In The Contemporary Society Sociology Essay In March 2011, Obamas administration released a report concerning the present womens condition in U.S.A.: it was really different from the one released 50 years ago, that represented the first report about the womens status requested by the president J.F. Kennedy. From the previous definition of perfect housewife in Kennedys administration report in 50s, nowadays women are described as a key feature of economy. Actually, women are in a difficult and controversial position: their condition is unstable, according to the deep contradictions between social roles and individual ambitions. In Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economical Well-Being, Valerie Jarret, Obamas counsellor, states that: As the report shows, women have made enormous progress on some fronts. Women have not only caught up with men in college attendance but younger women are now more likely than younger men to have a college or a masters degree. Women are also working more and the number of women and men in the labor force has nearly equalized in recent years. As womens work has increased, their earnings constitute a growing share of family income. (Jarrett, Tchen, iii) Unfortunately, it does not mean that gender equality has been reached. Indeed, the report stresses how all these achievements didnt bring to earning equality: American women have an income which is 75% less than mens one, according to the same level of education and job profile, in spite of the Equal Pay Act, which was passed in 1963 in order to overcome the gender pay gap. Moreover, women are also alone in their unequal condition: the married ones passed from 72% in 1970 to 62% in 2011; the single-parent family is mostly made by women, single or divorced, which brings them to an inferior social condition. This recent report doesnt portray, of course, a condition of gender equality. The long women path, made by great protests and important social and political achievements, reached a situation which is difficult to define and to change. Since 1950s women are fighting for their rights, and a lot of important historical changes were traced on the common people way of thinking. It does not regard only political and social stances, but also the way in which women were perceived and symbolized by traditional culture and media. The only way to understand how to give a change to the social role of the women in the contemporary society consists in tracing a trajectory that starts from the beginning of their fight and comes to our period. Just in this way it is possible to get the awareness of what can be improved and what deserves to be saved. Family, motherhood, domestic life: after the second war world, these were the most important concepts which leaded the American women condition. In 50s, home was the symbol of the family life, after the wealthy period brought by the economic growth, and every single family had its own house and was able to spend their incomes in consumer goods. According to that, the freedom of the American women could have its own expression in the house-life. The reaffirmation of the women as tutelary god of the domestic life became a symbol of stability in the post-war society. The post-war woman had to be the emblem of a calm and sexually reassuring femininity: maternity was the key-concept of the new femininity, which was meant as a symbol of the new successful American society. So, a political and social discourse leaded by the official history put women in an inferior position than mens one in the social scale. A turning point in the American women situation was brought by the publication of Friedans book The Feminine Mystique. The problem that has no name which is simply the fact that American women are kept from growing to their full human capacities is taking a far greater toll on the physical and mental health of our country than any known disease (Friedan, 433). In the same year, the federal report of the Commission on Status of women denounced their discrimination in the working, political and juridical spheres, claiming for fair salaries and maternity leave. Friedans voice reawakened women awareness of their condition: she talked about the feeling of frustration and social distress of the American women, who apparently lived in a comfortable and easy condition. It traced the beginning of the womens fight for their rights and for a new role in the society. It was characterized by an ideological feminist approach, which furthermore brought to the creation of associations for the defe nse of women rights. A real revolution against the common way of thinking gender discrimination took place in politics, society and media: in the 70s, the movement gained a series of political successes, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (1972), Womens Educational Equity Act (1974) and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978). Otherwise, the two historical achievements of the movement were about abortion and divorce: in 1973, abortion became legal in U.S.A. after a long case, Roe vs. Wade, which was discussed by the United States Supreme Court; in 1969, the governor of California, Ronald Reagan, signed the Family Law Act, in which it was considered legal the No-Fault Divorce, which was accepted by the other states by 1985. Afterward, in the XXI century, Friedan looked back to the women movement, stressing the important changes brought by its achievements: There is no doubt that the womens movement has transformed American society, opening life in many ways for women and men alike. There may be nostalgic yearnings for the feminine mystique, but women are no longer defined solely in terms of their relation sexual, maternal, or domestic to men. They are defining their lives themselves by their actions in society (Friedan 2002, 14). Her statement is important because it stresses the difference between the position of women in the past century and the present one. The fight for the rights brought to a great success for the women, and their role is, of course changed since the 50s. Otherwise, the contemporary society is characterized by a peaceful uncritical acceptance of the world as it is: people hear about political disparity, unjustified wars and social problems, without any deep will to change the sit uation. The affluent society brought a lot of life spheres to a paralysis, which symbolizes the pacific acceptance of the world as it is, with its precarious balances. It seems to be the repetition of that condition of  «mystique » defined by Friedman, but in this case applicable to the whole society. So, women also enjoyed the wellness effects on their position: after the great fight for rights, they reach a hypocritical equal role in the society as mens one. The path to the gender equality passed to a more intellectual stage: feminism became feminisms, that means a great division between all the women rights movements, according to their gender, racial, or religious approaches; in the universities an important field of studies, such as Women Studies, carried on important researches about womens culture and tradition. What appears as a present achieved condition of gender equality is, abruptly, contradicted by the above-mentioned 2011 federal report In Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economical Well-Being. The success in educational and political spheres does not correspond to an equal salary condition. Most of the women are also ostracized by important roles in the great companies, as well as in politics. Mass-media broadcast a feminine image based on the enhancement of the body, and the cultural icon of womens inferiority has not been deleted yet. Nowadays, the challenge is no more between mens and womens roles: it is evident that the matter is about a more wide range of social problems and inequalities which involve both men and women, and it results as a difficult stand-point to overcome. Indeed, a lot of recent studies shows as women discrimination is a matter of fact. As Julie Goldscheid stresses: Workplace inequality based on sex, as well as discrimination based on other protected characteristics, persist notwithstanding several decades of antidiscrimination laws (Goldscheid, 61). Otherwise, the 2011 federal report states that women are a key feature of the modern economy: in spite of it their role is corrupted and women have to face a constant discriminatory approach in their workplace. It does not depend any more from a social and political fight with mens power. It deals with the actual features of our contemporary society, which is not characterized by a shared solidarity in front of all the disparities. Most of the fights which had to be brought are left to the social minorities, which can just try to manage the problems, but they cant really face alone the spoiled facets of our community. For example, it is the case of the Chicano women movement: it was born in consequence of the success of the Chicano community in their fight for their minority rights in 60s, but the feminist association Comision Feminile Mexicana Nacional had to be created to fight for the adoption of bilingual consent form on the compulsory sterilization of women in U.S.A., in 1975. It shows how it does not exist a real solidarity between the different social members: even in the same community, it is difficult to fight for a common reason, and so everyone is facing the social unease on his own. Finally, another aspect of the matter to be faced is, of course, the strong influence that the society gender perspective plays in the process of womens identity self-determination. The tradition of women as a second sex, the other, the deviation from the norm which is male, seems to have been overcome by all the achievements in the past century: but the problem is still persisting, since nowadays the sociological researches emphasize the presence in the contemporary society of stereotypical standards of what a woman should be. As Izzard and Barden question: We also wished to think about what happens to a womans identity when she feels out of that fit when she cannot feel herself mirrored in the images that society presents to her of Woman. How does our society constrain women into or release them from narrow definitions? (Izzard and Barden, 2). It is a subtle discrimination, which represents the most difficult challenge of the matter, because it is the effect of the identity-making leaded by mass-media. Taking these points into consideration, I would say that a further step has to be made. It should represent a deep change in the approach to the matter. When I read The Future of Feminism, I completely agreed with Betty Friedan when she states that More than ever, we now have to think about moving to the second stage: the way to live the equality that we fought for in a world of diverse new family combinations of women, men, and children. The second stage is where we must move, women and men together. We need a new and politically active consciousness-raising to get us beyond the polarized and destructive male model of work and decision making and the undervalued womens model of life the model that takes it as inevitable that having children is a womans free individual choice to short-circuit permanently her earning power and her professional future (Friedan 2002, 15). Her opinion is important to understand the point in which we are stuck now: if one of the greatest leaders of the w omens right movement is ready to say that it is the moment to leave the fight against men, and work together in order to get new important achievements, it means that the times are changing. We cannot talk anymore about a fight for the main political rights, which were gained during the past 50 years, but the so-called  «second stage » should be a more conscious and shared struggle for real changes in our paralyzed wellness society. Nowadays, the everyday social problems are shared by both men and women: we are talking about temporary employment, child-care especially for individual families and mobbing in the workplace. It is a matter of fact that these social features are strongly linked with our lives, but as well the common tendency is to feel them as irrelevant to our existence. It results that it is the effect of media and socio-political discourse to lead us to the indifference and the uncritical acceptance of this reality. So, rethinking about the women movement fight as an important historical moment for the social achievements in order to reach gender equality is the key to start the  «second stage » of the struggle. Actually, the main step to be made in this second phase is, of course, a restructuring program of the work system, especially about its conditions. It is the first influence that society got in the everyday women, and as well men, lives: for example, thinking about individual families, managed by woman with a temporary job, it is evident that no help is given by governments to maintain her son. It is obvious that the first consequence is the dismissal of all those expectations about career, in favor of a low-profile job which let woman grows up her son. Furthermore, in the contemporary society the young generation is having great problems to face its career perspectives, because of the difficulties to find an employment. It involves especially women, who suffer more this social unease. As the 2011 federal report shows, their education level highly increased, but their salaries are still low because of the effects of the impasse which occurred in the job market. In conclusion, it is clear that great achievements were brought in gender equality process during the last fifty years. Women are considered a main feature of the economic system, and they are no more obliged to follow their so called housewife destiny. Otherwise, it is important to stress the need of new fights in order to contrast those sexual discriminating tendencies, which still exist in our society. The matter has to be meant as a global problem, and for this reason it should be shared by the different members of the community without any differences of gender and race. Media shouldnt corrupt our view about the society and its uneasiness: but, on the contrary, we should take advantage of our possibilities to face different realities around the world. For example, in Asia great developments are taking place, and the employment strategies for women are constantly elaborated in accordance with the changing society: as Leng Tang states, These developments imply less time spent on d omestic chores and child-raising, as well as greater possibilities for participating in employment outside the home throughout the life course (Leng Tang, 10). The need of gender equality is one of the most important aims to be pursued: but it can be gained just through great efforts made by all the members of the contemporary community, once more united to get their fundamental social rights. Sources Jarrett, Valerie and Tchen, Christina. Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being. Washington, U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, March 2011. Jackson, David. White House Report: Women lag in pay, gain in education. USA Today, 01 March 2011. Gerson, Kathleen. Hard Choices: How Women Decide About Work, Career, and Motherhood. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985. Print Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. In Peter B. Levy, 100 Key Documents in American Democracy, Westport: Greenwood, 1994. Print Friedan, Betty. The Future of Feminism. In Free Inquiry, Volume 19: Issue 3, 2002. Goldscheid, Julie. Gender Violence and Work: Reckoning with the Boundaries of Sex Discrimination Law. In Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, Volume 18: Issue 1, 2009. Izzard, Susannah and Barden, Nicola. Rethinking Gender and Therapy: The Changing Identities of Women. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2001. Print Leng Tang, Leng. Old Challenges, New Strategies: Women, Work and Family in Contemporary Asia. Boston: Brill, 2004. Print

Letter to Complain to the Creator of the Simpsons Matt Groening :: essays research papers

To Matt Groening (Creator of the Simpsons), I am writing to you regarding a particularly concerning episode of the Simpsons. I am a big fan of the simpsons and have enjoyed watching it for years, and until this day have never had to complain about it. I am shocked, furious and appalled about the way you, in the episode blood feud, represented the elderly in a very stereotypical way, the use of inappropriate language, the showing of death also the disgusting display of nudity. I am aware that many people find these things funny, you may well be one of them, but I am not, neither are the hundreds and thousands of parents who have had to punish their children because they have imitated the simpsons and consequently hurt themselves or some other innocent person. Firstly I would like to inform you, because you obviously you do not already know, that in our modern society it is up to us to teach our children respect for the elderly, it is already hard enough with out you showing the elderly to be cruel, greedy and in homers fathers case boring. I understand that a lot of characters are stereotypical in your show to make it funny, but I advise you in future to make the characters less offending. Secondly the amount of unnecessary violence is not funny, Is not attracting more viewers and is not good for children to see. It is teaching children :?if some body annoys me I can only make the situation better by strangling him or her.? Thirdly I must express my concern for the sickening display of nudity. I must say Mr.Burns?s bottom is not a very pleasant sight. I would appreciate it if you thought long and hard if this high level of nudity is necessary. my forth point I would like you to take into consideration is the scene which shows Mr.

Walmart Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Essays

Walmart Case Definition of Main Problem: There can be no argument that Wal*Mart has revolutionized the discount retailing industry. Furthermore, CEO Glass and COO Soderquist have stepped in at the helm of this company and continued to take it in the right direction by quadrupling sales and profits from 1987 to 1993. The main problem they now face is how to sustain their phenomenal performance, and becoming number one has magnified this issue. No longer can they just sneak into small towns where the only competition is the local merchant’s shop. No longer can they copy larger companies like Sears and J.C. Penny’s because of their size and scope. The fact is, Wal*Mart is bigger than these companies and their direct competitors Kmart and Target are doing everything in their power to close that gap. They are lurking not so quietly in the shadows, benefiting from Wal*Mart’s past choices, successes, and failures. They are there to blow the whistle if Wal*Mart steps outside the lines. Wal*Mart may be growing, but at a rate under 10% for the first time in years. Shareholders are concerned, the press is relentless, and many obstacles lie in their path if they hope to continue the trends Sam Walton set so ambitiously in 1962. Analysis: With one of their main issues being sustained profitability, Wal*Mart is at a critical time in their life. They are no longer the hero, a place commonly reserved for competitors striving to be number one, because Wal*Mart is number one. No one can debate how effective they have been in getting here. Through their focus on superior technology and low cost leadership, Wal*Mart reigned supreme. They are redefining Porter’s five forces model in the discount retailing industry, and are in the enviable position of having first mover’s advantage. Yet this blessing is also a curse. By virtue of their efficient, effective system and its proven success, companies like Kmart and Target are watching closely and both emulating and improving upon this system. An analysis of the five forces model will show Wal*Mart’s main competitive advantages in supplier power and barriers to entry. A look into their distribution centers and how they have been instrumental in reducing supplier power will be followed by an analysis of how effective first mover advantage has been and where they must take it next. Early in the history of... ...rn to introduction and growth as opposed to decline). Thirdly, there are areas both domestic and abroad relatively untouched by Wal*Mart: large cities. Though it may seem like untapped potential in these markets, it is not recommended to expand in these highly populated areas. The axiom, â€Å"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,† applies: If Wal*Mart were to do an about-face and start expanding in this form, it would send mixed signals about not only changes in the corporate strategy, but also about the future of this conglomeration of stores. This is especially poignant at this volatile time in the price of their stocks. They should also be extremely cautious in the acquisition of existing discount retailing companies. As the industry becomes more concentrated, Wal*Mart’s selectivity in large acquisitions extends beyond just profits. Many times, Wal*Mart could better spend their resources by improving existing stores or building new ones because they can build them around their ideologies at a much lower cost than through purchasing other companies. Again, this is not to say they should not expand in this manner, just that they need to be extremely selective when doing so.

Human Indifference Essay

In the article â€Å"Americans are shopping while Iraq burns†, Bob Herbert implies that Americans are deeply absorbed in their own interests and are therefore apathetic to developments in Iraq, and by extension the developments in any other place where the United States is at war like in Afghanistan. On the contrary, renowned photojournalist James Natchwey is of the opinion that Americans would like to be informed of what really is happening so that they can act responsively. This must have been his conviction before embarking on his mission to film footage for the documentary â€Å"War Photographer†. A number of credible sources underline this apathetic stance adapted by many Americans regarding the suffering that emanates from wars waged by their nation in their name. This research paper aims to identify both their stances in detail with the aim of establishing which perspective is closer to the truth. It also pays a tribute to James Natchwey’s exemplary journalism. The State of the American Society Bob Herbert creates a reference for his argument on Thanksgiving Day here in the U. S. Shopping malls opened at midnight as Americans gleefully spend on the celebration. In the meantime, over 200 civilians had been killed by car bombs in the Iraqi city of Sadr. This is just one incident: a majority of Americans go about their business oblivious of the suffering Iraqi civilians endure on a daily basis or the fatalities American troops encounter at the battlefields. If indeed they were conscious of the repercussions of the war, we would be up in protest opposing these wars whose benefits to the American society cannot be ascertained. The apathy demonstrated by Americans may originate from the fact that very few Americans are concerned with the nation’s foreign policy. As Ole R. Holsti points out, there is â€Å"absence of sustained public attention to international issues† (Holsti 2004, 285). This is demonstrated in the circumstances that led to the invasion of Iraq: the Bush administration alleged without sufficient proof that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (Smith 2005) and connected the Baghdad regime with the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, and the American public was ready to believe these charges in the pretext that Iraq really was a threat to national security (Holsti 2004). Media in the U. S. as made it hard for Americans to know what to believe in or what to value. There is insufficient coverage of the destructiveness of the war as media executives strive to make profits in an overly commercialized industry. The importance of news is diluted as news is â€Å"stripped of its credibility and the audience will have no ability to differentiate between the values of news and other forms of entertainment† (Dadge & Schechter 2006, 103). As Bob Herbert points out, most Americans have no personal stake in the Iraqi war and are consequently indifferent to its outcomes. A short survey reveals that very few citizens would be willing to join the military, no wonder most go about their business bearing indifference to the effects of the war on Iraqi civilians whose lives are shattered by war (Gott 2002) and U. S marines who die in the line of duty. The suggestion by Representative Charles Rangel that the Draft be reinstated implies that American politicians would be reluctant to approve of war if the possibility of their constituents being called into active service was real. With these facts out in the open, Herbert’s position is obviously more credible. Media apathy, domestic lack of interest in foreign policy and general disinterest have all contributed to the absence of a collective sacrifice and sharing of the burden of responsibility on the war. This is supported by the other sources cited in this paper. Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy is a comprehensive text describing in detail American foreign policy since September 11th. Why War: The Cultural Logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez is a thought-provoking text which pushes a reader beyond the periphery of conventional sociological thought. David Dadge and Danny Schechter’s book exposes the ease with which the American public is in most case willing to acknowledge intelligence reports without the desire to validate the background information. War Photographer James Natchwey demonstrates true heroism as he delves deep into some of the most dangerous and desolate spots on earth to bring pictures of what really goes on here to viewers. His work captivates audiences and instills empathy by relaying the destruction and heartbreak occasioned by conflict. He is an embodiment of courage, professional dedication and humanitarianism.

Healthcare Difference Between Us and India

Health Care in the United States is described as the â€Å"cottage industry† it has been fragmented at the national, state, community and practice levels. There is not one single entity or set of policies guiding the health care system; Furthermore, this fragile primary care system is on the verge of collapse according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission. (A. Shih, 2008) The fragmentation of our delivery system is a fundamental contributor to the poor overall performance of the U. S. health care system.In our fragmented system: * patients and families navigate unassisted across different providers and care settings, fostering frustrating and dangerous patient experiences; * poor communication and lack of clear accountability for a patient among multiple providers lead to medical errors, waste, and duplication; * the absence of peer accountability, quality improvement infrastructure, and clinical information systems foster poor overall quality of care; and * high-cost, intensiv e medical intervention is rewarded over higher-value primary care, including preventive medicine and the management of chronic illness.No single policy will fix the fragmentation of our health care system. Rather, a comprehensive approach is required—one that might lead progressively to greater organization and better performance. The following strategies were recommended: (A. Shih, 2008) * Payment reform. Provider payment reform offers the opportunity to stimulate greater organization as well as higher performance. The predominant fee-for-service payment system fuels the fragmentation of our delivery system.We recommend that payers move away from fee-for-service toward bundled payment systems that reward coordinated, high-value care. In addition, we recommend expanding pay-for-performance programs to reward high-quality, patient-centered care. The more organization in delivery systems, the more feasible these payment reforms become (Exhibit ES-1). These payment reforms also could spur organization, since they reward optimal care over the continuum of services. Specifically, we believe that: Patient incentives. Patients should be given incentives to choose to receive care from high-quality, high-value delivery systems. This requires performance measurement systems that adequately distinguish among delivery systems. * Regulatory changes. The regulatory environment should be modified to facilitate clinical integration among providers. * Accreditation. There should be accreditation programs that focus on the six attributes of an ideal delivery system we have identified.Payers and consumers should be encouraged to base decisions on payment and provider networks on such information, in tandem with performance measurement data. * Provider training. Current training programs for physicians and other health professionals do not adequately prepare providers to practice in an organized delivery system or team-based environment. Provider training programs should b e required to teach systems-based skills and competencies, including population health, and be encouraged to include clinical training in organized delivery systems. Government infrastructure support.We recognize that in certain regions or for specific populations, formal organized delivery systems may not develop on their own. In such instances, we propose that the government play a greater role in facilitating or establishing the infrastructure for an organized delivery system, for example through assistance in establishing care coordination networks, care management services, after-hours coverage, health information technology, and performance improvement activities. Health information technology. Health information technology provides critical infrastructure for an organized delivery system. Providers should be required to implement and utilize certified electronic health records that meet functionality, interoperability, and security standards, and to participate in health info rmation exchange across providers and care settings within five yearsThese do not necessarily mean it will fix the health care system as we know it, but could generate, a better understand on what is expected of the United States as a whole, when the Medicare and Medicaid system is done away with, those born in the late 60’s to 2000’s will probably not benefit from the Medicare or Social Security system, when they reach the age of 65, Why you might ask, because the way the economy is going these systems will be obsolete in the future, while the Government is trying to build a better ntity, they will probably in fact, not accomplish this, it is my understanding that they will be doing away with the Medicaid program by the year 2012, this will be a great burden to those who are currently on this, If the Government could make it easier for those who can’t afford insurance to acquire commercial insurance at a lesser cost, then the majority would be get these types o f insurances, (ex Cigna, Humana, Aetna, BCBS, United Healthcare)I work in the medical field, I see daily the abuse some of these patients are taking from the Government in regards to their medical care, one month they have the insurance, the next they are on what is called â€Å"Share of Cost†,(SOC) this is just like an HMO or PPO, you have a deductable to reach every month, the only problems is, these patients do not have any money to pay, so they have to go to the local Hospital, to get their SOC covered, the patient see’s is as a convenience while the Hospitals sees it as a nuisance. Our fragmented health care delivery system delivers poor-quality, high-cost care. We cannot achieve a higher-performing health system without reorganization at the practice, community, state, and national levels.This report focuses on the community level, for which we have identified six attributes of an ideal delivery system. Our vision of health care delivery is not out of reach; some delivery systems have achieved these attributes, and they have done so in a variety of ways. We can no longer afford, nor should we tolerate, the outcomes of our fragmented health care system. We need to move away from a cottage industry in which providers have no relationship with, or accountability to, one another. Though we acknowledge that creating a more organized delivery system will be difficult, the recommendations put forth in this report offer a concrete approach to stimulate greater organization for higher performance. (A. Shih, 2008)In India, Primary Health Centers (PHCs) are the cornerstone of rural healthcare; a first port of call for the sick and an effective referral system; in addition to being the main focus of social and economic development of the community. It forms the first level of contact and a link between individuals and the national health system; bringing healthcare delivery as close as possible to where people live and work. (Patel, 2005) Primary healt hcare services substantially affects the general health of a population, however many factors undermine the quality and efficiency of primary healthcare services in developing countries. In India, although there are many reasons for poor PHC performance, almost all of them stem from weak stewardship of the sector, which produces a poor incentive framework.The World Health Organization (WHO) specifically points out that to some extent, the deterioration in health status is attributed to inadequacies in PHC implementation, neglecting the wider factors that have been responsible for this deterioration such as lack of political commitment, inadequate allocation of financial resources to PHCs and stagnation of inter-sectoral strategies and community participation. The main ones being bureaucratic approach to healthcare provision, lack of accountability and responsiveness to the general public and incongruence between available funding and commitments. The current PHC structure is extreme ly rigid, making it unable to respond effectively to local realities and needs. For instance, the number of ANMs per PHC is the same throughout the country despite the fact that some states have twice the fertility level of others.Moreover, political interference in the location of health facilities often results in an irrational distribution of PHCs and sub-centers. Government health departments are focused on implementing government norms, paying salaries, ensuring the minimum facilities are available rather than measuring health system performance or health outcomes. Further, the public health system is managed and overseen by District Health Officers. Although they are qualified doctors, they have barely any training in public health management; strengthening the capacity for public health management at the district and taluk level is crucial to improving public sector performance. Patel, 2005) Primary, secondary, generalist and specialist care, all have important and inclusive roles in the healthcare system and should be used to create a comprehensive and integrated model; one that combines universalism and economic realism with the objective of providing coverage for all. (Patel, 2005)| | The majority of these countries are trying to make it better for all to achieve the best health care entity possible; we are trying to make sure that everyone is covered by insurance.REFERENCES A. Shih, K. Davis, S. Schoenbaum, A. Gauthier, R. Nuzum, and D. McCarthy, Organizing the U. S. Health Care Delivery System for High Performance, The Commonwealth Fund, August 2008 (A. Shih, 2008) Express Healthcare Mgmt. Business Publications Division, Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. , Express Towers, 1st floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 (Patel, 2005)

Essay on Impact of War in “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”

Impact of War in â€Å"The Bonesetter’s Daughter† The Bonesetter’s Daughter is a very insightful story that explores the deep emotions and struggles that are experienced by most people from different cultures and backgrounds. The story has a sub-story embedded in it. The theme also revolves around many subplots. There are basically three main characters in the story, which are introduced to the readers in almost reverse chronological order. The first is Ruth, who is a Chinese born in America. The second is her mother LuLing, who was born in China, but later emigrated to America after the World War II. The third is Precious Antie who happens to be a bonesetter’s daughter. The novel’s name, therefore, derives from this character in the story. The Bonesetter’s Daughter is the fourth novel of its author, Amy Tan. Like the characters in her book, she is also a Chinese American born in the USA in the family of Chinese immigrants. Her stories reflect many of her own personal experiences of being raised in two different cultures. She brings out these elements very convincingly in this novel, as the cultural differences between Ruth and her mother LuLing. Ruth is more modern, but her mother still believes in dragons and caves. Only when Ruth reads her autobiography, does she begin to understand why her mother in such things. Ruth later finds in her mother’s autobiography that she lived in an orphanage and worked as a teacher during the World War II. She also learns that her mother went to extreme lengths to save the students in the orphanage from the Japanese soldiers and several other dangers. The autobiography opens a whole new world to Ruth and she has a much better understanding of her mother.

The Extermination Of Jews By Nazi Germany Essay - 1438 Words

When considering the holocaust, there is often a questioning of how society can persecute the entirety of a race or religious group. Apart from the logistics, strategy, or tactics of mass genocide, it is difficult to comprehend how an entire country can bear responsibility for the premature deaths of over six million people. While genocide, including the extermination of Jews by Nazi Germany, has occurred under multiple different contexts and is still present in modern society, there must be a psychological component to the cause of genocide. Where was humanity in the midst of widespread murder? Shouldn’t there have been as many advocates for peace as there was for death? Most importantly, what does this say about mankind as a whole and its capacity for good? Perhaps thoroughly understanding the mindset that fosters the escalation of racism, hate, and even apathy may gear society with the tools needed to prevent history’s repetition. First and foremost, one may look to Hitler’s weapons: SS soldiers. At face value, it is easy to assume that these individuals had arguably more sadist tendencies than the Fuhrer himself, as they were most intimately involved in the systematic murder of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and handicapped individuals. Certainly, Hitler’s henchman must have possessed significantly unusual tendencies toward violence and a unique lack of empathy. This assumption is natural, after all, people are never inclined to consider criminals- especially murderers-Show MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The Second World War1124 Words   |  5 Pagesclosely related to the rise of other wars, especially in Germany. The increasing of the Second World War is viewed as being closely related back to the First World War. In that war Germany under the right-wing of Kaiser Wilhelm II along with his associates, had been beat by countries like: The United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia and others. 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