Affirmative Action And Discrimination Essays - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action And Discrimination What is affirmative action? This has been a very interesting question throughout the past thirty years. Many people would like to answer it with simply the name given to programs that try to correct past and ongoing discriminations against women, racial minorities, and others in the work force and in education. Where this answer may be a good textbook style response, not all people agree with it. Affirmative action was created out of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It actually went into effect out of an Executive order that was delivered by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. He wanted to do more than what the non-discrimination laws of the time were trying to accomplish. He also wanted to see minorities and women get a better chance at advancement in their current jobs. President Nixon, whom also implemented the same Executive order, kept affirmative action alive. President Ford helped to update affirmative action by adding the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974. Years later President Carter created an office to handle affirmative action cases that dealt with the contract aspects of the original Affirmative Action plan, and called it the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. There were three prime aspects of affirmative action that fell into place. The first was affirmative action in employment. The second area is affirmative action dealing with contracts. The third area of affirmative action deals with the area of education. When we look at the affirmative action plans of employment, this is one area that most all of us have came into contact at some point in our lives. When you and I go to apply for a job with a company, we feel that if we are the best qualified for the position that we should receive it. This is the way that most normal people would feel. With Affirmative Action, this idea of the best-qualified person for the job is not a reality. Not all companies still go with the idea of Affirmative Action as a written policy, but may still have it as an acting practice in their hiring. Throughout the past thirty years many people have been promoted, hired, or even fired based upon their color of their skin, or on the basis of their sex. Does this sound like a very fair thing to do? Most would not think so, but it is a reality that Affirmative Action has put into play. In May of 1994 at St. Bonaventure University, the president of the university fired 22 of his faculty members for being males. He openly admitted that the firings were based on gender and not qualifications. Some of these professors' even had tenure that were fired. Needless to say, a group of twelve of the men went to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and brought up charges on the school. This is not the only example of a bias workplace that is moving in a reverse discriminatory fashion. There are many other businesses and companies that like to give special considerations to the minorities and females, just so that they can put off some appearance that they are trying to be fair to all of their employees. This idea of hiring anyone that is less qualified than someone else based on the color or his or her skin is wrong. Discrimination no matter how you want to view it is not anything that will go away by forcing companies to put into practice a program that selectively picks the worker that is less qualified, but happens to fit in the correct minority group or is female. When a company does this it is setting itself up for internal problems with workers that already work there. Any idea of discrimination or racism that already exists in the workers may be heightened instead of lessened. The idea that your coworker didn't have to score as high on the test, meet the same requirements, or have as much schooling as you because they are a minority is going to cause most people to feel a bit enraged. In a business where a person's physical skills are an important part of the job, such as heavy machinery, hiring a less qualified person could cause safety issues as well. Would you want someone working a crane around you if they barely passed the test for operations? From an administrative standpoint the management may also feel a negative attitude toward being forced to hire

Free Essays on Death Of Artemio Cruz

A writer can usually connect characters in his novel through parallels, foils, and other literary devices. In The Death of Artemio Cruz, by Carlos Fuentes, Fuentes links the main character and the father, Artemio, to his son, Lorenzo with parallels and foils put there in order to help his reader better understand the depth of Artemio Cruz. In the section titled, â€Å"1939: February 3,† Fuentes describes Lorenzo’s and Dolores’ love for each other. This description helps the reader fully understand Artemio Cruz, his love for Regina, and his life as a whole. Artemio and his son are different types of lovers, but lovers nonetheless. Lorenzo is romantic while Artemio is rough. This can be seen in the love scenes Fuentes describes. Lorenzo’s first act of love with Dolores is explained with beauty, desire, and sensitivity. â€Å"They touched hands, embracing it, and they wrenched themselves from their tree to embrace each other, Dolores and he, so he could caress her brow and she his neck. She stepped back, so he could see her moist green eyes better, her half-open mouth, before she buried her head in the boy’s chest, raised her face to give him her lips...† (Cruz 227). Fuentes describes this encounter in a passionate way. He explains that Dolores stepped back so that her beautiful green eyes could be seen better. Eyes are important in relationships as they hold the key to love. One looks into the others’ eyes in order to see love as an image rather than just a feeling. Fuentes recognizes this as he makes Dolores move merely for the sake of allowing Lorenzo to gaze into her eyes and see her emotion. This is an effective gesture in showing the romanticism of the two lovers. Fuentes us es great diction to show their desire for one another. They both â€Å"wrench† themselves off the tree so that they both can arouse the other. It involves the workings of the two figures. Neither sex is dominating over the other. Lorenzo does not need t... Free Essays on Death Of Artemio Cruz Free Essays on Death Of Artemio Cruz A writer can usually connect characters in his novel through parallels, foils, and other literary devices. In The Death of Artemio Cruz, by Carlos Fuentes, Fuentes links the main character and the father, Artemio, to his son, Lorenzo with parallels and foils put there in order to help his reader better understand the depth of Artemio Cruz. In the section titled, â€Å"1939: February 3,† Fuentes describes Lorenzo’s and Dolores’ love for each other. This description helps the reader fully understand Artemio Cruz, his love for Regina, and his life as a whole. Artemio and his son are different types of lovers, but lovers nonetheless. Lorenzo is romantic while Artemio is rough. This can be seen in the love scenes Fuentes describes. Lorenzo’s first act of love with Dolores is explained with beauty, desire, and sensitivity. â€Å"They touched hands, embracing it, and they wrenched themselves from their tree to embrace each other, Dolores and he, so he could caress her brow and she his neck. She stepped back, so he could see her moist green eyes better, her half-open mouth, before she buried her head in the boy’s chest, raised her face to give him her lips...† (Cruz 227). Fuentes describes this encounter in a passionate way. He explains that Dolores stepped back so that her beautiful green eyes could be seen better. Eyes are important in relationships as they hold the key to love. One looks into the others’ eyes in order to see love as an image rather than just a feeling. Fuentes recognizes this as he makes Dolores move merely for the sake of allowing Lorenzo to gaze into her eyes and see her emotion. This is an effective gesture in showing the romanticism of the two lovers. Fuentes us es great diction to show their desire for one another. They both â€Å"wrench† themselves off the tree so that they both can arouse the other. It involves the workings of the two figures. Neither sex is dominating over the other. Lorenzo does not need t...

Benefits and pitfalls of globalization for business Essay

Benefits and pitfalls of globalization for business - Essay Example Anthony Mcgrew defined globalization as a â€Å"process of deterritorialization – as social, political and economic activities are increasingly stretched across the globe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (n.d., â€Å"Ch.1: Globalization and global politics†). This comprehensive view gives a glimpse of the trend towards borderless economic societies of the future from the current nation-states based on political considerations. Given the vast differences among the different countries and their peoples in respect of socio-political and economic conditions, this trend gives rise to both promises and pitfalls for the global businesses. Globalization benefits can be expected from cross-fertilization of ideas, access to best available talent/resources, creativity and technological growth arising out of global competition, creation of networks of alliances, etc. while pitfalls include uncertainty of political conditions and economic policies, impact on local industry and employment, fear of dominance etc. (Ali, 2006, pp.78-81, 141-143). Cross-fertilization of ideas occurs when firms come across different ways of solving a problem or completing tasks, which are more cost effective or in identifying newer opportunities and demands. For example, housing shortage in poor countries can give rise to generation of fresh demand and exploitation of newer/locally available materials and methods of construction. Coming to talent, it is noted that many global firms employ foreign nationals at all levels of organizations recognizing merit. Again, global firms like Procter & Gamble compete at global level through heavy investment i n R&D and this in turn creates new technologies and products. Networking is another beneficial aspect of globalization by which global firms and local suppliers join hands to create value for customers. Global firms face uncertainty when political changes occur which may impact international agreements apart from operations. Stability of government policies on investments, employment, profit repatriation etc. is essential for a business to thrive. Competitive politics give rise to issues like job losses, exploitation, dominance, interference etc. Further, events in one country or a region will quickly impact business prospects of global firms in many other countries. For example, the recent downturn in the US economy is impacting firms across Europe and Asia. Given the above analysis, governments, businesses and organizations like WTO are working towards co-operation among nations by promoting democratic governments that respect international laws and strive for the economic prosper ity of their citizens. This means that global businesses take on the responsibility of actively promoting local industry, skills and employment to create a win-win situation. Q.2: Address to shareholders Dear Shareholders, In the competitive world of business, we have to constantly strategize our operations and our decision to invest in Franistan eight years ago was based on sound economic and business principles. That the decision was right is seen in the nearly 19% reduction in cost of manufacture of our products and the more than corresponding increase in the net profits over the last five years. As per our corporate policy, your

Why is the story called, The Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Why is the story called, The Yellow Wallpaper - Essay Example The commonality between the two stories is that both of them tell about a husband’s suffocating grip on a woman’s life. In these stories, a husband has not been presented in a direct negative light; rather a husband’s care and kindness for a wife ironically prove to be harmful for a wife. The irony lies in the fact that in a patriarchal society, no matter how much a husband tries to be caring like the narrator’s husband in Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, and kind like Mrs. Mallard’s husband in â€Å"Story of an Hour†, they are the patriarchal annihilators of the women’s freedom. In her story Gilman shows that a woman’s status in patriarchy is rather detrimental to her psychological growth, though ironically the narrator’s husband mistakes such restriction for his wife’s betterment. The narrator’s husband assumes that women were devoid of any intellectual capability. Therefore, he suggests that the protagonist refrains himself from any type intellectual and outdoor activities. In contradiction, the narrator strongly feels that participation in outdoor activities may improve her condition. The protagonist thinks that her betterment lies in something else than a restricted situation, â€Å"I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus—but John says the very worst thing I can do is think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house† (Gilman, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†). Gilman refers to the fact that women’s confinement within the four walls of their husbands’ house hampers their normal psychological growth. In the story, the narrator often refers to the suppressing presence of her husband in her life. At some point, referring to the seriousness of her condition she says, â€Å"If a physician of high standing, and oneâ₠¬â„¢s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?† (Gilman). Here Gilman refers to the patriarchal constructs of the word, â€Å"husband†. For her, â€Å"one’s own husband† or ‘husband’ is empowered with the authority of ‘a physician of high standing’ who can rule on the psychophysical condition of his wife. Gilman shows that the patriarchal term ‘husband’ is as harmful for a wife as a physician, who is ignorant of his patient’s situation, is harmful to his patient. In her story, Chopin deals with the same story of a woman’s lack of freedom in a round-about way. In contradiction to others’ expectation Mrs. Mallard senses the gush of complacent freedom hearing the news of her husband’s death. She feels sad. But concurrently she also feels the complace nce at her oncoming freedom, as the narrator describes Mrs. Mallard’s joy in the following manner: â€Å"There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name† (Chopin, â€Å"Story of an Hour†). At the news of Bentley’s death, she feels the prospect of living a life of enormous freedom and joy. But since in patriarchy a woman is not accustomed to express herself freely, she fears even to acknowledge the source of mirth and ecstasy. Though â€Å"she was striving to beat it back with her will† (Chopin, â€Å"Story of an Hour†), she fails to do so. Indeed it is her self-realization and her acknowledgement that the death of her husband and the prospect of living a free life are the sources of her ecstasies. But gradually before the unexpected

The Socio Demographic Profile Education Essay

The Socio Demographic Profile Education Essay Education is the process of nurturing and developing the skills, capacities and potentials of the students to prepare them to be successful in their chosen careers. From this point of view, education is serving primarily as an individual development function. Education is constant and ongoing. It is a never ending process. Formal education usually starts at the age four where children attend school for the purposes of specific guidance related to skills and competencies that society sees important. In the past, once a student finishes formal education in the tertiary level, the process was finished. However, in todays changing world, individuals do not only learn inside the four walls of the classroom and continue to learn throughout their working lives. In its broadest sense, education may be defined as a process developed to instill the knowledge, skills, talents and attitudes necessary to enable individuals to adjust and cope effectively with their environment. Its main purpose is to foster and promote the fullest self-realization for all individual. Achieving this goal requires understanding of commitment to the proposition that education is a primary tool or instrument for the advancement of human welfare both on social and economic aspect (Verma, 1990). Ramaswamy(1990), stated that we are in the generation where the world is becoming more and more competitive, performance and quality of work has become the key factor for personal progress and development. Every parents want the best and only the best for their children. They want their children to excel and to be on top. With this desire to excel and be on top, the pressure is not only with the students but with the teachers, the schools and in general the education system itself. In fact, it seems as if the whole educational system revolves around the students academic achievement, though other various outcomes are also expected from the school system. Thus the school exerts a lot of time, effort and resources in helping students to achieve better in their scholastic endeavors. The importance of academic and scholastic achievement gave rise to important questions for educational researchers. What factors contributes to the academic achievement of students? How do these different fa ctors contribute towards their academic achievement? Safaya, et al. (1963) mentioned that human life, which is the ultimate creation and gift of god to humankind, has got two aspects: The biological and sociological or cultural. While the former is maintained and transmitted by food and reproduction, the latter is preserved and transmitted by education. It is again through education that he promotes his intelligence and adds his knowledge with which he can move the world for good and for evil according to his wishes. Education in fact, is one of the major life processes of the human beings just as there are certain indispensable vital processes of life in a biological sense. So education may be considered a vital process in a social sense. Education is indispensable to normal living, without education the individual would be unqualified for group life. Every students academic achievement may be affected by various factors like intelligence, study habits, different aspects of their personality, attitudes of the students towards school, peers, socio economic status, demographic profile, the school system etc. The desire to be successful is derived from individuals concept of himself and in terms of the meaning of various incentives as they spell success and failure in the eye of others. Thus a child who sees himself to be on top, as scholars, as successful may set as his goal the attainment of the highest grade in the class. Nuthanap (2007) said that any modern society will not be able achieve its aim of cultural advancement, technical development and economic growth without cultivating and developing the talents of its citizens. One of the major purposes of education is to help children to develop their skills and those skills will help them have a better future. Teachers and counselors in educational institutions are often confronted with students who appear to have above average scholastic aptitude but are very poor in their studies. A recurring question that puzzles them is why some students succeed in their study while others do not. This question is sometimes considered to be closely related to learning than teaching. Jamuar (1974) stated that not only on good teaching methods but also good study attitude affects the students learning. Anwana and Cobbach (1989) are also of the view that there are other factors why students do badly academically other than low intellectual capacity. Tiwari and Bansa l (1994) also stated if that an individual has a high academic achievement he is likely to have a better opportunity in life and low achievers will have difficulty in landing a job after graduation. In our society academic achievement is considered a basis for an individuals potentials and capabilities. Hence academic achievement occupies a very important place in education as well as in the learning process. Academic achievement is defined by Crow and Crow (1969) as the extent to which a learner is profiting from instructions in a given area of learning i.e., achievement is reflected by the extent to which skill and knowledge has been imparted to him. Academic achievement also denotes the knowledge attained and skill developed in the school subject, usually designated by test scores. Achievement is influenced by personality, motivation, opportunities, education and training. There are several other factors also which influence the academic achievement of student like study habit, self-concept, socio economic status, intelligence etc. Study habits Other than low intellectual capacity, there are many factors why many students do badly academically. One factor is poor study habits, in which naturally intelligent students will have poor or low academic performance because they have bad study habits. Habits are true indicators of individuality in a person. So study habits may be defined as the behavior of an individual in relation to his studies. In the process of learning, learners habitual ways of exercising and practicing their abilities for learning are considered as study habits of learners. The pattern of behavior adopted by students in the pursuit of their studies is considered under the caption of their study habits. Study habits reveal students personality. Learners learning character is characterized by his study habits. Study habits serve as the vehicle of learning. It may be seen as both means and ends of learning. Study habits play a very important role in the life of students. Success or failure of each student depends upon his own study habits. Of course, study is an art and as such it requires practice. Some students study more but they fail to achieve more. Others study less but achieve more. Success of each student definitely depends upon ability, intelligence and effort of students. No doubt, regular study habits bring their own rewards in the sense of achievement of success. There are many types of disadvantaged students: physically, mentally, socially culturally, educationally and emotionally. The socially disadvantaged are not handicapped by genetic deficiency, but by the socio economic circumstances of their lives. The socio economic disadvantage prevents them from developing their basic and natural potentialities. The disadvantages are not with the individual, but with the society. Study habits refer to the activities carried out by learners during the learning process of improving learning. Study habits are intended to elicit and guide ones cognitive processes during learning. According to Patel (1976) study habits include. 1. Home environment and planning of work 2. Reading and note taking habits 3. Planning of subjects 4. Habits of concentration 5. Preparation for examination 6. General habits and attitudes 7. School environment The study habits are influenced by attitudes, personality traits, levels of aspirations, teaching methods adopted and material they are to learn. So, it is the effort of teachers to develop good study habits among students. Such habits are the best equipment with which they can live and lead their lives with confidence. If the habits are developed in the young age they will definitely cherish the joy of its fruits in the rest of their lives, because grown up children are already habituated to certain things. So they find it difficult it modify their habits and behavior. Therefore, it is better to develop study habits in secondary school students. It is the proper time and age to cultivate study habits. At this age students are quite matured. They are able to know what is good and what is bad. They can avoid bad things and invite good things with the help of teachers. Self-concept As a child grows and develops, he learns, not only about the world about him and his place in it, but also about himself. Each person lives with himself and hence, to some degree is always alone. No one can ever completely know the self-better than anyone else, although in the pursuit for understanding oneself and others there has developed much of human thought and philosophy, including psychology. Man has long held the hope of answering such questions as: who am I? How did I come to be this way? And their logical consequence, the search for purpose; why am I? (Nadalmani, 2001). The psychological construct, the self-concept is essentially private even though it is in part translated into action by the beliefs we express. Sidhu (1987) defined self-concept as those perceptions, beliefs, feelings, attitudes and values which the individual views on describing himself. Personality is not a specific quality of a person but a quality of his behavior. How he behaves depends upon how he feels about himself, about other people and about his relationship with them. These feelings make up his self-concept what he thinks about himself as a person. A persons self-concept is the fundamental core of his entire personality and determines the quality of behavior. It can be predicted that the poor self-concept implying lack of confidence in facing and mastering the environment, will accomplish his performance in school. In sum, the self-concept does appear to be related to school adjustment. Substantial evidence indicates that children and adults with poor self-concept when compared with those who have high self-concept are more anxious and less adjusted generally and less popular, are less effective in groups and are less honest about themselves. The pattern of parental rewards and punishments seems to affect the self-concept and quite certainly, the self-concept of bright but under achieving youngsters are less positive than those of children who are doing as well as can be expected in school. Incidentally children tend to mold their self-concept according to the way they think their teachers regarded them. Adolescence is a period of biosocial transition from childhood to adulthood. This period extends roughly from 12-19 years. Now a days puberty occurs earlier than it used to be, due to improvement in nutrition and health care. This has lengthened the transition from adolescence to adulthood. A dramatic biological change occurs in adolescents. In early adolescence, they experience a growth spurt. As a result they stop thinking of themselves as children and parents begin to expect matured behavior from them. Conflicts with parents, teachers, peers and society may arise over their demands and expectations along with this task of establishing a their own identity, which involves an understanding of self, of ones relationship with others and of ones values and roles in society. Erickson (1981) describes this as Identity crisis. Adolescents adopt many strategies to resolve this crisis by trying out different roles like good girl / boy, dutiful daughter / son, a rebel, athlete and so on. The world is becoming more and more competitive and parents desire that their children achieve high in academics. During this stage the influence of school far outweighs all others. So good schooling and effective teacher guidance are of utmost importance. Performance at school and experience in the larger world are related to the self-image of students. They have to strive hard to achieve better results academically. As a result, school and studies become major stressors. Hence, adolescents tend to give up and neglect recreational activities. This has resulted in the absence of physical and mental relaxation. The best type of relaxation is one in which the students learn the skill of relaxing. Schools should provide opportunities for regular physical and mental training like yoga which is a relaxation technique which will facilitate the enhancement of study habits, self-concept and academic performance (Erickson 1981). Teachers in school should become facilitators of learning. The i nfinite treasure with in every learner should be discovered and nurtured. For the purpose of improving learning, effective study skills have to be taught. Study skills may involve reference, reading, listening, study habits and learning strategies. Learning improves with planning of where, when and how much to study. Nayak et al. (2004) defined teaching as not about giving information, knowledge and skills to students, but it is about giving opportunities for students to mold their personality and develop their talents and skills. The primary purpose of teaching is to assist the individual to attain his and her full potential as well as to develop the necessary skills to cope up with the changing environment. The family, religious organizations and community also share primary responsibility in the educational process. Socio Demographic Profile Quality of education is mostly assessed on the basis of academic performance, and achievement scores are considered to be its primary indicators. However, achievement scores alone neither provide sufficient understanding of the causes of students success or failure, nor suggest the ways for improving the achievement. There is a need to identify and analyze the factors that can affect academic performance. The understanding of these factors can suggest some measures for improving the quality of education. Research on the academic achievement suggests that it has relationship with some demographic characteristics. For example, Jaeger Eagan (2007) and Cole Espinoza (2008) found gender differences in the academic performance of male and female students. Keith, et. al. (2006) found positive relationship between age and academic performance. However, Kaur, et. al. (2010) found that age does not significantly contribute to academic performance of university students in distance learning. Tuttle (2004) found that students academic performance correlates with the family household income and their place of residence. Davis-Kean (2005) found on his study that educational attainment of the parents and household income are strong predictors of academic achievement. Acharya and Joshi (2009) found that parents education can affect the achievement motivation in academic area. Yousefi, et. al. (2010) found that there is a relationship between family income and academic achievement of students. The above stated research studies indicate that some demographic factors may affect academic achievement of students. It was hypothesized that some demographic factors may be significant predictors of academic achievement of students. Locale Colegio de Sebastian, an educational institution that commits itself in academic excellence of the students is just a new school as compared to other big universities in Pampanga. As of to date there has been no research made about the students academic achievement. The researcher decided to conduct research in the school so as not only to help the students but also the school itself. Keeping in view the importance of study habits, self-concept, socio demographic status and academic achievement Colegio de Sebastian students was taken up with following specific objectives. _ To analyze the study habits of the students in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To study the self-concept of the students in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To determine the socio demographic profile of boys and male and female girls studying in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To know the influence of study habits, self-concept, socio demographic status on academic achievement. Research Problem At Colegio de Sebastian, where the research will be conducted, student applicants are selected based on specific academic criteria. Students should get a specific grade in the entrance exam in order to be admitted at Colegio de Sebastian. Despite these standards and the selection process, on average, 15% of all the students failed their math, science and English subjects. This is not a troubling number of failures, but it highlights the question, What factors beyond intelligence, are responsible for the variance in the academic achievement of students? What causes an intelligent student to either succeed or to fail in school? This is a question of great concern for many prospective and current students. It is also a concern for the faculty members who feel responsible for the students, and for the parents who have to pay the tuition fees. Myburgh, Grobler and Niehaus (1999) state that there is an increasing awareness that individual differences in intelligence alone cannot account for all, or even for the majority, of differences in academic achievement. One can conclude that besides intellectual ability, there have to be other factors that play a role in the learning and the academic achievement of students. Other important factors include the students interests and their involvement in various academic tasks, how they perceive their interactions with their teachers, and what they feel and think about themselves with regard to the execution of academic tasks (Sikhwari 2004:13). Also included here are the students attitude, their self-concept and motivation (Sikhwari 2004), self-determination (Mnyandu 2001), motivation, self-efficacy and perceived value (Nilsen 2009), stress and anxiety (Bester 2003), their socio-economic resources, parental involvement and family obligations (Areepattamannil Freeman 2008), and learning strategies (Rodriguez 2009). This study will focus on academic self-concept and study habits as factors that could influence and cause a variance in academic achievement. Research by McCoach and Siegle (2003) suggest that self-concept helps to predict academic achievement. They state that as much as one third of the variance in achievement can be accounted for by academic self-concept. Findings seem to lend support to the theory that consistent success or failure has an effect on self-concept, and that the level of academic achievement is influenced by an individuals self-concept of ability (Dambudzo 2009:6). The following highlights the importance of self-concept in academic achievement, when Mostert (1995:6) contends that a positive self-concept is one of the most vital elements for success, and because self-concept is both a personal and motivational variable, its overall contribution to the variance of academic achievement should be quite high; individuals seem to be motivated to perform in a manner consistent with their self-concept. Mwamwenda (in Dambudzo 2009:6) states that educators generally believe that an understanding of self-concept and what it involves is essential if education is to achieve its ultimate goal of developing the individuals highest possible potential. In addition, an awareness of the role self-concept plays in human behaviour and development will enable educators to deliberately introduce ways of maximizing self-concept as an integral part of whatever they do in their interactions with learners. Marsh (in Areepattamannil Freeman 2008:7.5) declares that a higher self-concept is associated with greater academic achievement among students. There is also evidence to the contrary, namely that humble self-assessments are more conducive to academic achievement, according to Ocshe (2003:67), Yoon, Eccles and Wigfield (1996) and Trusty, Watts and House (1996). Despite much research, there are no conclusive studies that clearly indicate the link that joins academic self-concept and academic achieve ment (Sanchez Roda 2003). Existing theory and research of Deci and Ryan (in Mnyandu 2001:1) have shown that self-determination (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation) plays a prominent role in the academic performance of learners. Kushmand, Sieber and Harold (in Broussard 2002) declare that a high level of motivation and engagement in learning has consistently been linked to a reduction in the number of drop-outs, and to increased levels of student success. In any academic setting, whether it be elementary, secondary or higher education, a students motivation for learning is generally regarded as one of the most important determinants, if not the premier determinant, of the success and quality of the learning outcome (Mitchell in Broussard 2001:7). However, the relationship between motivation and academic achievement remains complex (McCoach Siegle 2001:73). Mnyandu (2001:11) declares that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, are prerequisites for academic achievement. Mnyandu (2001: 11) considers it imperative that educators acquire a broad understanding of these different forms of motivation in order to help the learner to make use of the specific type of motivation that will facilitate his/her success in achieving the set goals. In the light of the above, the research question can be indicated as follows: How may the participants be described in terms of their Socio Demographic profile? age gender course family income number of members of the family How may the participants be described in terms of their Study Habits? How may participants be described in terms of their Academic Achievement? Can academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic profile predict the level of academic achievement of students of Colegio de Sebastian? Hypothesis of the Study There is a significant relationship between the students Academic Self-concept and Academic Achievement There is no significant difference between the students Academic Self-concept and Academic Achievement There is a significant difference between the students Study Habits and Academic Achievement There is no significant difference between the students Study Habits and Academic Achievement There is a significant difference between the students Socio-demographic profile and Academic Achievement Academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic status can be used to predict academic achievement. Academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic status cannot be used to predict academic achievement. Significance of the Study Study habits, self-concept and socio economic status play a very important role in bringing about the better academic achievement. The study could bring to light the importance of academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic profile which are the major contributors of academic achievement. Through this research, the counselor can come up with an intervention program that would help the low achievers. Students would also know the reason why they are getting low grades. Faculty members could also adjust their teaching methods for students with low academic performance. Delimitations of the Study The study will be confined to college students. Moreover, the study will be conducted only at Colegio de Sebastian. Academic achievement will only include English, Math and Science subjects.

Madagascar :: History

Madagascar â€Å"Great Red Island† Background Information Government Formal Name: Republic of Madagascar DTA code: MA Government Type: Republic Legal System: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction. Foreign Relations: Good relations with many countries, especially France, and the western countries of Africa. Holidays: Jan. 1 - New Year’s Day May 1 - Workers Day May 24- OAU Day June 26- Independence Day Nov 1 - All Saints Day Dec 25- Christmas Dec 30- Republic Day History The Malagasy are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry. Indonesians are believed to have migrated to the island about B.C.E. 700. Archaeologists have found human remains dating back 2000 years. Madagascar was a favorite base for sea pirates in the 1600’s and 1700’s, including the famous Captain Kidd. The French made the island a protectorate in 1885, and then in 1894-95 ended the monarchy. In 1908 a colonial administration was set up, to which the Comoro Islands were attached. In World War II the British occupied Madagascar, which retained its ties to France. Madagascar became an independent member of the community in 1960. Economy Rated 10th poorest country in the world. Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition and severe loss of forest cover accompanied by erosion. Agriculture Provides almost 80% of exports, 16% of cultivated land is irrigated. Major crops include, coffee, vanilla, sugar cane, cloves, rice, bananas, peanuts; wide spread cattle raising; also extensive fishing. Exports and Imports Major exports are coffee, vanilla, cloves, and sugar. Main markets are France, USA, Germany, and Japan. Major Imports are capital goods, oil, and consumer goods. Main suppliers are France, Japan, and Germany. Culture Society There are some 20 ethnic groups of which principal ones are the Central Highlanders of mixed Arab, African, MalayoIndonsian ancestry. Other groups include, Comorans, French, and IndoPakistanis. The estimated population as of July 2000 was 15,506,472 Language Languages are Malagasy and French. Religion About 55% hold indigenous beliefs, 40% Christian, and 5% Muslim Currency One Malagasy Franc equals one US dollar Geography Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean Area: Slightly less than double the size of Arizona Climate: Tropical along coast, arid in the south Natural Resources: Graphite, Coal, Tar, Stones. Natural Hazards : Periodic Cyclones Ports: 15 major ports Airports: 105 Major Cities and Points of Interest Capital: Antananarivo The city is built on a Y shaped granite mountain surrounded by rice fields. Madagascar :: History Madagascar â€Å"Great Red Island† Background Information Government Formal Name: Republic of Madagascar DTA code: MA Government Type: Republic Legal System: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction. Foreign Relations: Good relations with many countries, especially France, and the western countries of Africa. Holidays: Jan. 1 - New Year’s Day May 1 - Workers Day May 24- OAU Day June 26- Independence Day Nov 1 - All Saints Day Dec 25- Christmas Dec 30- Republic Day History The Malagasy are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry. Indonesians are believed to have migrated to the island about B.C.E. 700. Archaeologists have found human remains dating back 2000 years. Madagascar was a favorite base for sea pirates in the 1600’s and 1700’s, including the famous Captain Kidd. The French made the island a protectorate in 1885, and then in 1894-95 ended the monarchy. In 1908 a colonial administration was set up, to which the Comoro Islands were attached. In World War II the British occupied Madagascar, which retained its ties to France. Madagascar became an independent member of the community in 1960. Economy Rated 10th poorest country in the world. Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition and severe loss of forest cover accompanied by erosion. Agriculture Provides almost 80% of exports, 16% of cultivated land is irrigated. Major crops include, coffee, vanilla, sugar cane, cloves, rice, bananas, peanuts; wide spread cattle raising; also extensive fishing. Exports and Imports Major exports are coffee, vanilla, cloves, and sugar. Main markets are France, USA, Germany, and Japan. Major Imports are capital goods, oil, and consumer goods. Main suppliers are France, Japan, and Germany. Culture Society There are some 20 ethnic groups of which principal ones are the Central Highlanders of mixed Arab, African, MalayoIndonsian ancestry. Other groups include, Comorans, French, and IndoPakistanis. The estimated population as of July 2000 was 15,506,472 Language Languages are Malagasy and French. Religion About 55% hold indigenous beliefs, 40% Christian, and 5% Muslim Currency One Malagasy Franc equals one US dollar Geography Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean Area: Slightly less than double the size of Arizona Climate: Tropical along coast, arid in the south Natural Resources: Graphite, Coal, Tar, Stones. Natural Hazards : Periodic Cyclones Ports: 15 major ports Airports: 105 Major Cities and Points of Interest Capital: Antananarivo The city is built on a Y shaped granite mountain surrounded by rice fields.

Springfield nor’Easters Case Analysis

Johnkingsley Obasi AMBA650-The Springfield Nor'easters Case Analysis. Introduction. The city of Springfield, Massachusetts were blessed with the basing of a baseball minor league franchise in their city. But the class A team is faced with great revenue generation challenges that will make or mar the organization. The new team might likely take advantage of the fact that closest sports franchised teams are all located 90 miles away from Springfield. This might create a ticket and concession boom for the team and other benefits like employment and taxes for the city.The city has a considerable moderate family income and a recent growth index in the healthcare, financial, and other small and medium enterprise sectors is an advantage to the team's marketing and pricing strategies. The process of designing and implementing an effective and strategic pricing structure needs a deep understanding and knowledge of the consumer psychology and a successful pattern of setting, adapting and chang ing prices (Kotler & Keller, 2009). As a center to develop upcoming younger players, the franchise owner has an objective of making money from his baseball operations in the city.By having a successful financial breakthrough, the team will be able to finance itself and grow in a sustainable form to be competitive and profitable. The main task of this analysis is to present the best possible marketing and pricing strategies that will enable the baseball team make profit. As this organization struggles to with the pricing decisions, they embarked upon a survey to obtain an optimal pricing that will be based on the market response and reactions. Respondents will give them a helpful insight about the marketplace and possible consumer behaviors.Unfortunately, low number of respondents and inaccurate data posed another challenge. The Strategic Issues, Problems, And Other Factors Nor'easters Need To Consider Before Price Establishment. Demand considerations is critical to pricing tickets f or a base price. To begin with, management needed to build a demand for ticket sales based on extensive research. This will entail asking how many fans and non-fans would buy the teams ticket at a certain price. This exercise need to be done for various prices.Also, this survey or research could be done by doing a survey among the target tickets market. The best option, especially for a large business organizations like the Nor’easter is to employ the services of a marketing firm to carry-out the research for them. It is an imperative factor that companies must set a pricing structure when they are offering new products or services ( Kotler ; Keller, 2009). The demand price elasticity is an important factor to consider it simply states that consumers will play a role in determining how responsive to price the demand for the product is.Accurate figures can be obtained by research and mathematical calculations through simple steps. Under this situation you ask the effect of sli ght change in prices. If prices are offered at discount rates, then, price is increased then demand will expected to fall significantly as a result of that action. If luxuries goods are been sold, then demand will not respond that much to changes in price. The higher we see demand elasticity grow, the greater the growth volume will be as a result of possible 1% price reduction.When Nor'easters ticket demand goes elastic, that might warrant price-cutting to boost sales, especially cost of tickets productions and operating cost have not gone up in a disproportionate manner. Factor Number 3 that must be considered is cost. Cost here will include the cost of all borrowed capitals that have been invested in the business. Another cost to be considered will be operating cost. Every organization need to consider cost of their products or services are crucial. The issue is that a lot of small and medium business owners and managers have many times failed to do accurate price calculations.It is expected that price calculation should be done in order to work out the accurate cost of the entire process of offering a service or product to the marketplace. Every individual cost is expected to be calculated in relative terms to any type of cost. Fixed cost is cost occupies a larger magnitude in an organization's financial books and therefore, has very well defined value if you are producing or selling a product. To offer an intelligent pricing structure, Nor'easters and their management need to understand how their costs variations in different departments of their business works( Kotler & Keller, 2009).Environmental factor is another factor that Nor'easters must consider-Every business must take the environment factor into account for price policy establishment. They are in the category of constrictions that are carried out by the overall supervising office. Here, the commissioner for baseball has the regulatory powers and he can overrule some certain internal policies of a ny minor team that is in conflict with the core business objectives of the Major Baseball League (MLB). I strongly urge Springfield Nor’easters to consider this factor in the pricing policy and establishment of their organization. . A well defined problem is literally believed to be half solved. The minor baseball team in the Class A category is faced with the problem of earning reasonable revenue from sales of ticket that will empower their sound operations in Springfield. The issue of poor ticket sales could come alive with as a result of what happened to one of the minor league ice hockey teams that left the city. The team is constrained by the fact that only their players salaries, bats, and ball expenses paid by the major league teams. The minor league teams have to offset their other operating costs.In the event of failure to break-even and generate funds to pay for their other expenditures, the team would have to relocate to another city with better market opportunitie s. Concession sales would generate funds that will help offset the estimated $1. 96million operating budget, while the main partner- The Major League will contribute funds, the ticket sales is the key revenue generating source for the team. How to sell these tickets is the major problem for the team. A loyal fan base makes successful minor league baseball team(Cespedes, Winig, and Lovelock, 2009). . Analysis and evaluation. The SWOT Analysis: The city has two market segments for the sports ticketing business- namely-Loyal sports lovers that are willing to drive 90 miles to city of Boston to watch games and the second segment includes: Families, College Students, Little Leagues, and other sports lovers that do not commit absolute loyalty to any team but would love to watch games in their home city. Research shows that the market buyer behavior shows that game watchers need to be entertained in every games, thereby making the sports as an entertainment source.The act of the game provi ding a source of entertainment will surely draw fans repeatedly to the stadium for many season games if not all. Many families with minors are assumed to more likely attend many professional games in their home town. The case brief showed that about 23% had viewed baseball games on TV so it was an easy task to estimate a ticket sale from this segment. According to the survey provided in the case brief, 61% of the respondents in the city of Springfield had said that they might likely not attend a baseball game played by the minor league team.A high percentage rate of 31% indicated interest of being willing to pay $10 to see a game. Survey shows that the past 2 or 3 years, about 76% of the people interviewed had paid to watch a major league baseball game. Strengths: The target team segment of the team are the household with children of school-age under 18 years and other sport fans with loyal tendency. The team, according to survey had received positive responses from residents of the city, if those are authentic, the team will surely generate revenue that will keep them off the red zone.Springfield College has offered the team their stadium to use in exchange of package fees revenues. This has eliminated the cost of leasing a stadium . Another strength addition, $21,000 pledge from the city college and of $25,000 in sponsorship. The team has no product-market competitor in the city of Springfield. Weaknesses: There is a fundamental demographic issue as the city population is out-numbered by a working-class population that has no culture or tradition of going to the stadium to watch minor league baseball games. Ability to generate enough revenue to keep the team alive. expenses.Opportunities: The recent growth in the healthcare, financial, and entrepreneurship might create an new market and segment for the team. It is assumed that new opportunities will follow the new economic uplifting witnessed by the city in recent times would attract a new audiences and foll owership to professional sport games like minor league baseball. There is no existence of any competitor in the city that will share the market with the team , with this, any sports lover would be compelled to visit the matches of Nor'easters. Threats: Survey showed that 61% of respondents residing in the city would pay to see a game.There is a strong assumption that this huge number might influence many others. This is a potential threat that may cause the team ticket sales. Springfield is a city with poor tradition of going to see games. If this culture and tradition is not changed, it might pose a great threat to the existence of the team. Designing a pricing plan for Nor'easters . As marketing Director of the organization, Larry Buckingham embark on a market research with the intention of insightful outcome about the market and to explore and exploit ways of selling large number of tickets.The research was to enable him also to have a knowledge of who his possible and potential customers will be based on segmented ticket structure. The survey results and other information from various sources empowered Mr Buckingham to design a strategic pricing policy and establishment for his organization's concession and ticket sales. Based on data provision in the case brief, I have established from market research information show that two alternative pricing strategies that both offer strengths and weaknesses. Also some recommendations are offered based on the pricing strategies.From the survey data, assumptions made based on information from the case brief, more than 50% of the city population need to buy tickets for at least one game doing the season to enable Nor'easters generate revenues that can keep them on the break-even column. Even though 39% of the Springfield population exhibited interest to seeing baseball games as shown in the survey, this cannot be authenticated because of size of the sample used in the survey. By engaging communication and marketing, N or'easters can increase the percentage of residents willing to watch live games to more than 50%.However, considering to move to another city with high ticket-sales potential is a viable option, right? I personally do not think so. As Nor'easter and its management is faced with the process of designing the right pricing for all ticket levels and seats, the marketing director must take into consideration the fact that he is faced with very †price sensitive† customers. According to Baye et al (2005), â€Å"the application of innovative pricing strategies coupled with innovative management best practices is a perfect recipe for success in the marketplace†.As Nor'easters is seeking to hone in on an optimal prices for their seats, it is vital for them to watch the price sensitivities of their customers all through the seasons, as that will enable them adjust the dynamics of their ticket's markup from time to time. Data show that the median house income is low because m ajority of the city's residents are working class citizens. Survey data shows that more than 93% of residents interviewed have a household income of less than $75, 000 per annum.This means in simple grammar, single ticket do not have to be high and ticket discounts need to be incorporated in the pricing strategy for students, senior citizens and handicapped customers. Nor'easters' marketing plan has a key objective is to bring value-added entertainment to their baseball fans in the city of Springfield. This can only happen when the conducive atmosphere is provided during games. Such an electric atmosphere can mainly be provided by young energetic students with great enthusiasm for sports.Therefore, Larry Buckingham must consider this target group seriously and bring them to the games. With the students and families coming to watch games, concession sales will definitely increase reasonably. The appropriate price for Nor'easters regular season ticket will be very ideal at $10. The gr oup will include families with good income earning comparable to target groups like students and senior citizens. It is assumed that the set price level will not be a factor that could discourage target segment from going to watch baseball games (Kotler & Keller, 2009).As the most potential and lucrative target segment since the electrify the arena and thereby providing a fun atmosphere, their limited funds will be considered a weakness and need to enjoy large ticket discounts to retain their fan-base. I suggest that $6 will be appropriate price establishment for students. The appropriate price establishment for children will be $4 based on the fact that families coming to watch games with children will purchase a lot of concession items. This group is a potential target segment for Nor'easters.Section 3. The marketing director Buckingham, who is tasked with making the break-even of the total analysis while establishing a fan base that is loyal. Based on SWOT and STP analysis, Nor'e asters key target ticket segment will be households with school-age children of 18hyears and below and other sports lovers with consistent loyal. Based on this assumption, these alternatives have been designed. Nor'easters must establish the following: Pricing quantity, Pricing leader and discount markdowns.I suggest they participate in product ticket only, ticket bundling and ticket combinations. Larry Buckingham should carryout ticket promotions in schools backed by direct mail public media commercial. In consideration of the evaluation criteria which has ticket and concession sales as components, it is assumed that the markdown pricing strategy, ticket combination with products and direct mail in promotions will offer Nor'easters an economy that will add value goal of generating enough revenue.As all these facts have been carefully considered, adults tickets in the range of $6-$10, and half priced-tickets for children, family ticket's sale, free tickets and two coupons for conces sion products for customers on the mailing list, and a multiple game discount ticket and an efficient and effective monthly sales review and price adjustments are my recommendations. An Attempt to Calculate break-even point Cost is [email  protected] 3,150,000 70x + 3,150,000 = 160x 3,150,000 = 90 To calculate the individual break-point will be, X = 35,000 35,000 * 160 = 5,600,000.That is how the breakpoint revenue is obtained @ 60 load of the field -= 90*0. 6 = 54 Estimated Break-even point per each game= 35,000/54 = 648 approx Ticket [email  protected]$10 $10x = 70x + 3,500,000 X = 58,333 When the load is 60% level, 90*0. 6 = 54 Estimated Break-even people = 26, 250/54 = 486 based on approximation Incorporating new cost for 90 people will be: 160x = 90x + 3,150,000 Break-even persons will be X=45 [email  protected]% load capacity = 90*0. 7 – 63 Based on assumption, Break-even point here will be is 45,000/63 = 714 Profits after tax = 750,000Gross profit will be y: y-0. 3y=750,000 y = 1,071,429 approximated to be gross profit 1,071,429 = Sales of ticket – operational cost 1,071,429 = 205x-(85x+3,600,000) 1,071,429 = 205x-85-3,600,000 120x=4671,429 X = 38,929 capacity Assuming all ticketed seats occupied by 70% fans = 50x90x0. 7 = 3,150 Assumed seats occupied by extra loads= 50x90x0. 1 = 450 Estimated revenue earned per game (3,150Ãâ€"160)+(450Ãâ€"120) = 558,000 Variable cost incured per day = 70*36000 = 252,000 Income earned on daily basis = 558000-252000 = 306,000Income Generated per month = 306,000*30 = 9,180,000 My estimated profit earning = 9,180,000- 3,150,000 – 180,000 = 5850000 If load per car is 60%, it gives 90Ãâ€"0. 6 = 54 Break-even per month for fans will be, 175x = 70x +250,000 X represents fans. Therefore, X from the above equation will be = 2380 fans. Price adoption could be established based on a possibility of more than 2380 fans attending Nor'easters game on a given day. Recall, 120,000 = 175x – 70x -250,0 00 X = 3524 fans. At 60% capacity 90Ãâ€"0. = 54. References: Baye, M. , Gatti J, Rupert J. , Kattuman P, & Morgan J. (2007, Fall). A dashboard for online pricing. California Management Review, 50(1), 202-216. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from Business Source Complete. Cespedes, F. , Winig, L. , & Lovelock, C. , (2009) The Springfield Nor'easters: Maximizing Revenues in the Minor Leagues. Harvard Business School Kotler, P. , & Keller, K. (2009). A framework for marketing management (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.