Strategic Management Target Marketing Essay Example

Strategic Management: Target Marketing Essay Executive Summary Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States and has Just begun opening stores in Canada. The company offers a wide variety of goods ranging from household essentials and furnishings to hardliner comprising of various forms of personal entertainment and apparel and accessories. Target has opened more than 20 of its 124 locations already and has received mixed feedback from Canadian shoppers. Retail pricing is on average at least 10% higher in comparison to US prices which compromises Targets mission of Expect More. Pay Less. While the retail industry is less competitive in Canada, it does not guarantee success for Target despite their recognizable brand image. This report coves a comprehensive analysis of Target, Corp.. s position and performance in Canada, thus far, relative to the United States. Several market and demographic factors (internal and external) were taken into account and closely evaluated to present a clear picture of this new environment and its current state of performance and competition. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Evaluations of demographics and population statistics from the most recent Canadian census show that Targets ideal customer in America is well presented in Canada, too. Marketing strategies would need to still be primarily focused on women in their ass to see optimal results but, there are segments not yet captured that can easily be marketed to in our proposed strategy. These untapped segments include men in age groups 18-35 as well as 65+ whose interests fall in line with mainstream Canadian sports and culture. A consumer profile has been generated around these similar yet unique groups to define this focus. Based on our Tailings, we nave please a multiple collecting strategies Adult around a cultural staple of Canada. Our primary intent is to increase overall brand awareness in the Canadian market by showing that while Target may be from the US, they still strive to assimilate into Canadian culture through introduction of a previously unrepresented product assortment of general hockey goods and equipment. We want to convey an understanding and appreciation of the intricacies of a new market place and an overall commitment to becoming a staple in Canadian consumers shopping habits through genuine interactions and understanding the importance of Canadian brands and lifestyles. The inclusion off hockey equipment product line and some officially sensed NIL products is aimed at creating additional value to the customer who is already familiar with Target with the overall goal of increasing total basket count(s) of those shopping in store. The strategies we outline in this report have been devised to meet specific objectives to improve Targets position in the Canadian retail scene. This marketing strategy aims to accomplish the following. We believe through our strategies and recommendations laid out in this report, that Target will see noticeable positive results in regards to consumer behaviors in stores as well as brand recognition throughout the country. We have set into place several monitors and controls to help measure the success of the programs throughout the projected completion time in case results do not meet forecasted expectations. The goods primarily affected include various household items and furniture as well as select groceries. Prices over the last decade have been higher on average in Canada compared to the US and as a result, many Canadian consumers drive over the border for US prices and brands. According to Julian Filtrates article, summarizing the Canadian Federal Budget hearing in 2013, from The Canadian Press, The Canadian government is graduating 72 countries previously classified as developing to full developed status for the purpose of tariffs (Belgrade, Julian). The resulting price increases from this reclassification will, in effect, negate the savings from the price drop created from eliminating tariffs on hockey equipment and baby clothes. A less likely but looming threat to a significant portion of Targets success in Canada relies on the political and social status of Quebec. Quebec is the only territory in Canada that is predominantly French speaking. Separatist parties have attempted to pass reforms that would allow Quebec to secede from the rest of Canada and become an independent country on more than one occasion since 1970 (2013 Canadian Retail Outlook). Target is scheduled to open 24 of their 124 Canadian locations in Quebec and if they were to secede and establish their own government, Target could face heavy restrictions or bans due to their outsider status. Economic The discount department store industry as a whole is in the mature stage of its life cycle but sales remain relatively high for slowing growth. Canadas retail environment is less competitive than the U. S. With lower per capita square footage, but there are still many Canadian based options for shoppers to choose from as well as rival American competitors. Canadian economists predict a growth of 2. % for the retail industry in Canadian Retail Outlook). Sales are expected to be low at the beginning of the year but pick up fast towards the end of the year. Experts and government officials have also advised consumers to be cautious when buying on credit and to avoid when possible due to a relatively slow economic time that normally follows the holiday seasons. Social Res t TTS Trot Canadas last census In people with the average age being about 41 years old and slightly more than 50% of the population is female. Of the roughly 9. 4 million census families (2 people min. , married), around 3. Million have children (Canada Census Bureau). These statistics fall favorably in line with Targets ideal customer profile of a woman in her forties with at least one child. Canadas population is heavily concentrated in multiple Census Metropolitan Areas most of which are within 100 miles of the US border (Canada Census Bureau). It is important for Target to avoid placing US and Canadian actions too close to the border in order to prevent possible centralization. With the impending increase in tariffs for imported goods, Canadians will be even more willing to drive across the border to obtain cheaper US prices. This may not hurt Target, Corp.. As a whole but could severely impact the success of Target Canada and its initiatives. Technological Targets cost structure and subsequent pricing structure in Canada will be different than its American stores due primarily to the tariffs mentioned previously as well as the significantly reduced economies of scale resulting from the highly supervised yet concentrated population of Canada. Several American retailers have faced the same problems upon entering the Canadian market and have struggled as a result. Target will not be able to compete directly with IDLE (Every Day Low Price) strategies used by competitors. Canadian consumers are less likely to use coupons and more likely to seek out already discounted prices and lower costs (Belgrade, Julian). The growing usage of the Internet among Canadian consumers for purchases and the online retail market as a whole provides a segment worth dedicating more attention and effort to. Target can reduce overhead costs for themselves allowing prices to be lowered and these savings passed along to the consumer. While it may impact the sales of the physical locations, it may be a necessary sacrifice in order to minimize cross-border shopping until Target is able to establish a stronger foothold in the Canadian market and brand loyalty among new consumers. Competition The competitive rivalry among discount department stores is a lot less competitive in Canada than it is in the United States, but it is still competitive enough to sway consumer decisions. Wall-Mart, Sears, Canadian Tire, and Lobar would be the key players in Targets expansion into Canada (Freeman, Sunny). Currently, Wall-Mart is the leading retailer in the industry due to their ability to offer the lowest prices and are preparing for Targets movement into the country by lower prices even more. Sears is also a main player within the industry because seventy percent of their merchandise overlaps with that of Targets. Sears plans on renovating current locations and slashing prices as well. Although Canadian Tire is an automotive based retail store, they also offer a wide variety of household items. Some of their sales in house ware, apparel, and seasonal merchandise should see a decline due to Targets entrance. Despite Lobar being a supermarket, they have made their way into the industry with the unveiling of their new clothing line, Joe Fresh (Freeman, Sunny). They are looking to compete with Target in the discount chic clothing space. The competitive landscape in this Canadian industry is very unique in comparison to the United States, but the most unique thing about each and every one of the players Walton ten Ministry Is Tanat teeny are all looking to Tina a online to Transliterate themselves. Wall-Mart strives to provide the lowest prices possible and that is how they are preparing for Targets movement. They plan on cutting prices even more. Target should not be affected by their transition because Wall-Marts brand image in not viewed as having the same quality. Target strives more on adding value to the customer by adding an exceptional shopping experience instead of offering a low price tactic. Although Sears is looking to restructure their image in Canada with renovations and price cuts, they are more focused on helping rebuild their stores coated in the United States. With that being said, Sears is going to be putting more effort in the U. S. Rather than in Canada. Canadian Tire is currently working on a new differentiation strategy which will feature an automotive-centric store format to improve customer experience. Automotive care is not in Targets current strategy and would probably not be in their best interest due to the fact that Canadian Tire has a very loyal customer base. Lastly, despite Lobar being a supermarket, they are looking to fulfill a niche strategy based on a new clothing line called Joe Fresh. With al that being stated, the industry is capitalizing on a differentiation strategy, which is why we recommend Target do the same thing. We suggest Target capitalize on taping into the hearts of Canadians through Hockey. This strategic group map shows the relative position of Target in comparison to some of the major competitors in the Canadian discount department store industry. Target is scheduled to open 124 stores, the fewest of the large retailers shown. Canadian Tire, boasts close to 500 locations throughout Canada but is still unable to match the economies AT scale created Dye Wall-Mart argue wall need to utilize Its Drain equity to try and create a level of loyalty among Canadian consumers in order to compete in this new market. Sears provides a primary example of an American company diving head on into a relatively misunderstood market with the expectations of immediate success. Sears has been unable to capture the necessary market share to operate a high volume of locations and has begun to reduce their efforts in Canada to shift focus back to their now failing American stores. Targets biggest competitor stands to be Wall-Mart as it is in the US due to Canadian Tires relatively high pricing. However if Target is unable to overcompensate their pricing to consumers with the quality and selection of brands they carry, they may not be able to convince the consumers to abandon Canadian Tire. Customers As unique as Target stores are, their customers are Just a unique. These guests have a median age of 46 which ranks them as attracting the youngest among major retailers (Targets Unique Guests). Forty-three percent of Target guests have a college degree and have a median household income of $55,000. Over half of these guests are employed in professional or managerial positions (Targets Unique Guests ). This shows that Targets brand image among department store shoppers is seen in higher regard than their competitors. Another interesting fact about Target and their customers is that eighty to ninety percent of them are women, with thirty-eight percent of them having children (Targets Unique Guests). We believe this is a very valuable statistic when determining our strategic recommendation. Price sensitivity is another important aspect of Targets guests. With the competitive nature of the discount department store industry, customers have the purchasing power. They are able to hold off on purchases in search of a better price, but these customers understand the difference between price and value. Making best of their time and money is essential to these customers. It is important to have a variety of options for their customers because they like having options. Target does a very good Job of offering a wide variety of options at competitive prices. Guests also like incentive programs, such as that of the Target Redcap. Knowing that they can donate one percent of their in-store or online purchase to organizations in need might influence purchasing. We believe adding Canadian Youth Hockey Leagues to the list of organizations would be a great way to appeal to the hearts of Canadians. There are currently over 500,000 children who play youth hockey in Canada, and another 500,000 cant play because of funding (Lund). As far as sports go, it doesnt get much more expensive that hockey. Being able to donate money to hockey leagues could help lower this number. Another key aspect of Target guests is that they value community outreach. Target currently gives back five percent of their revenue back to the community, equating to 3 million dollars each week (Corporate Responsibility). Despite the recent expansion across Canadian boarders, ninety-two percent of Canadians were already aware of the Target brand (The Globe and Mail). A significant number of them were willing to cross the border to shop in the U. S. Target stores. It goes to snow now Company Drain loyal canals are. Ranked as the second leading discount department store behind Wall-Mart, Target offers a wide variety of products at competitive prices (Target Corporation Company Profile). Target currently has 1,778 stores in the United States and will have 124 stores in Canada by the end of the year (Target Corporation Form 10-K). The company brought in $73. 3 billion dollars in 2012 and has roughly 361,000 employees (Target Corporation Form 10-K). Target is known for its high quality stores that emphasize design, creativity, and great customer service. Target sells a wide variety of products such as household items, entertainment products, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings and d ©core (Target Corporation Form 10-K). Giving back to the community has been a cornerstone of their business and has contributed to their current position within the industry. They currently give back five percent of heir revenue to the community, which ultimately equates to around 3 million dollars each week (Corporate Responsibility). On top of giving money back to those in need, Target also offers volunteer opportunities for employees. Target believes that donating time, talent, and resources is equally important as the income that they give. This is not only a great way for Target to show appreciation to those that have built the company to who they are today, it also is a way to market themselves. Knowing that their customers value community outreach, having volunteers go out onto the community representing Target will go a long way with customers. On top of giving back to the community in the form of funding, Target really strives to better the community in regards to the environment. They center their commitment around sustainable living, sustainable products, smart development, and efficient operations. Target puts a lot of pride into using resources responsibly, eliminating waste and minimizing their carbon footprint. With their renovations of Sellers in Canada, they are looking to seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LED) ratification for each of its 124 stores (Bam). Currently, Target Canada has a social media presence consisting of Backbone, Twitter, and Youth (Target Corporation). These channels have been used to advertise up and coming product lines as well as promotional campaigns. An example of this would be a picture of a hand holding a Struck coffee cup and the other hand pushing a Target shopping cart telling customers to Practice the one- handed cart push (Target Corporation).. Here they are sending a message to guests that their Target stores will feature Struck coffee shops inside. Target also has a Youth account designated specifically for the Canadian demographic. Commercials were made before Targets actually movement into the country to create a buzz about the brand in unfamiliar territories. This tactic worked out very well because Target sent a message that they love Canada and that they are happy to be their New Neighbor (Target Corporation).. Target is also working closely with Canaan retailers Tanat nave est. II D sneak themselves as popular Dramas among ten community. Canadians are very loyal to their country and offering Canadian based reduces will entice more shoppers. Ottawa gave Target the green light to open stores after the chain promised to sell Canadian books and other cultural items (Shaw). Target is proving their dedication to the Canadian culture while trying to tap into the hearts of the locals. SOOT In order to effectively evaluate Target Corporation, an analysis of the company externally and internally was conducted to find out what makes the company so successful and what the company could possibly capitalize on. This analysis revealed some opportunities Target can take advantage of that they currently are not urging. In this analysis two frameworks were utilized, SOOT analysis and Porters Five Forces. Starting out with SOOT analysis, an analysis of Target as a company, internally and externally, can be revealed. Target has many strengths as a company, which include high customer loyalty and brand awareness. Including in this are their logo and colors that are easily identified and heavily known. Consumers know a target employee by how they are dressed and can easily pick out a target commercial based on its colors and modern look. When a consumer see the logo, there is no confusion as to its meaning. Target also places their stores in numerous cities that are in favorable locations. Their stores provide customers with a one stop shopping experience where the customers can buy a large variety of products. Targets merchandise and store layout is always consistent at each location which makes it easier for customers to find what they are looking for. Most importantly, Target already has Canadian shoppers that cross the border in order to shop at Target stores. If consumers are already willing to cross the border, then clearly Target has a strong and favorable position when locating in Canada. Unfortunately, with strengths also come weaknesses. Targets employee turnover rate has been high the past couple of years due to wage rates and the amount of part-time employees they hire. When a company hires mostly part-time employees, they will experience a high employee turnover rate. Another weakness is their price compared to Wall-Mart, their biggest competitor. Target is priced slightly higher than Wall-Mart and this does lead to some loss of sales, especially in tough economic times. Lastly, their more specialized segments do not have the brand awareness that their main products do. Specifically, their grocery, pharmacy, and cosmetic segments, which do not receive as much awareness as their counterparts do. Some consumers did not even know Target had a pharmacy or a grocery section in Target (Shaw). The company as a whole does not advertise these segments enough to get the attention they deserve. As strengths and weaknesses are internal to the company, opportunities and threats are external. Target has an abundance of opportunities they could be reaching for, however, there are threats that get in the way. Some of their biggest opportunities lie within private labels. If Target expanded their private label across al departments they could reach a far larger customer base. Target also needs to cap tattle on new store layouts Ana concepts Not every larger store Is a super larger where consumers can get fresh groceries and products. If Target really wants to compete as a one-stop shop, they need to introduce grocery sections into all stores. They should also target new trends and markets that they are currently not pursuing. A huge market would be the Green Programs initiated in Canada. This is a huge segment Target has not tapped into yet, and it is a very profitable segment if approached correctly. Target also has huge opportunities with expanding internationally since the company has only be located in the United States until this Moving into Canada does come with large threats though. Costs being higher in Canada could lead to increases in prices to make up for the cost differences in labor, taxes, and operating costs. This would then make American stores more appealing and could lead to consumers crossing borders to shop at American Target stores instead. Other threats to Target are the intense competition within the industry they are in. Every company has competition within its industry but Target is competing tit the largest retailer in the nation, Wall-Mart. Any move Wall-Mart makes to differentiate themselves in the market is a threat to Target. One last threat that Target could face is switching costs due to low customer income due to a downward turn in the economy. If customers have low disposable income then they will spend less in general. This may also cause customers to switch to even lower priced retailers like Wall-Mart, thus effecting Targets sales. Porters Five Forces The second tool used, Porters Five Forces, looks at the external environment in the industry as a whole. This tool determines whether or not the industry is attractive. In the analysis it was discovered that for those competitors already in the industry it is attractive, but for those who are trying to enter it is unattractive. One force, Competitive Rivalry is considered very high. There are many competitors in the industry, which offer a similar array of products and services. Companies in the discount department store industry have to compete within their general category as well as with specialty stores and super centers. There are countless retailers, which sell similar products that Target sells. Due to this intense competition Target has had to really capitalize on their value rather than their price. Their strong position lies in their ability to communicate value to their customers through positive customer service and a quality assortment of goods. A second force, threat of new entrants, is considered low. Some of the factors that contribute to this low threat are the large amount of capital needed to enter, high startup costs, and few favorable locations available. If a company cannot obtain the capital needed and the funds needed to cover startup costs, they will not be able to succeed or be profitable in the industry. More importantly, location is key when deciding where to place a store. In general, there are not a lot of convenient, easily accessible locations available. Competition then ensues in trying to find suitable locations to construct stores. Third, the threat of substitute products is considered high in this category. This tenure Is null Decease AT ten large amount AT products Tanat tense stores sell. Having a wide variety of products allows you to have a bigger market share but also makes you susceptible to more competition. Stores like Kohls, Best Buy, and Pales are noninsured specialty stores and discount retailers so they have products that Target sells. Any customer could go to these stores over Target in order to purchase products. Wall-Mart and Cost are considered Targets two largest competitors within regards to a super store. They offer almost everything that Target does and again customers could choose these stores over Target. The fourth force, power of suppliers, is considered low, as target does not allow any one supplier to provide majority of the products. Target also sells their own private label brands, which are very successful and provide a large number of sales. These two strategies make sure no one supplier can control the price of the goods that are purchased. There are also a large number of suppliers that are competing for Targets business so it gives them little room to haggle for price since Target could easily pick another supplier. Target also purchases large quantities of products, which is another reason suppliers are competing to get Targets business. Lastly, the power of buyers is also low. Consumer spending is strongly correlated with disposable income so depending on the amount consumers have to spend they can either shop for luxuries or necessities. Target covers both of these areas and allows the consumers to be able to spend more when they can afford luxuries and less when they can only buy necessities. Target also offers store brand and name brand so customers have their preference when it comes to tastes and disposable income. When the economy is bad, consumers can buy cheaper store brands and when the economy is better the customers can buy more expensive name brands. Buyers also have low power considering most purchases are small compared to the companys sales as a whole. There will always be a large supply of potential buyers, which makes purchasing power small for them. Target has taken great advantage of this making sure to market to a variety of consumers. Survey Results To better understand the Canadian audience, a survey was created and submitted to current Canadian residents to complete (see exhibit G). Thirteen questions were asked to gather information about demographics, geographies, shopping habits, knowledge about Target, and their opinions on hockey. Sixty consumers responded to the survey. The respondents were predominantly male, making up 90% of the total. Their age ranged between 17 and 44, with the majority falling between 18-24 and 25-34 year olds. The respondents largely live in the province of Ontario, in the cities of Toronto and Ottawa. Almost all of the respondents have heard of Target, with a single person having not heard of the store. This is attributed to word of mouth and visits, advertising on American channels in Canada, and visits to the United States. However, because Target has not been in Canada up to this year, only about half have ever actually been in a store. Most have shopped at an American retail store. The most popular American chain was Wall-Mart, which presents a problem as they are Targets biggest competition. When asked about their preferred brands, most

Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance

Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance Freedom of speech is the liberty granted to individuals to express themselves freely without any censorship. However, the very rights are subjected to certain limitations such as slander, libel, incitement, obscenity and an intention to commit crime. The discussion on Phoenix pastor who is wishing that President Obama would be dead provides a concise example on the practicality of religious tolerance and freedom of speech.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is profound to underscore the fact that both the Phoenix pastor and President Obama have express right to freedom of expression as stipulated in Universal Declaration of Human Rights in article 19. Therefore, the pastor has the right to freely express himself and he should not be censored on the same ground. As stipulated in Article 19 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, th e pastor has the right to share ideas and information of all kinds regardless of the periphery involved and in this case, he should not be criticized on the basis that he made the remark against the president of United States of America. On the other hand, the pastor had no right to censor Obama bearing in mind that every individual has the right to exercise his or her freedom of expression. However, due to the fact that the pastor used discriminatory remarks that could result into incitement and hate speech, it can be argued that he was not justified at all by wishing for the death of Obama. As a matter of fact, even though freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed to all individual, it may not be good taste to openly make such remarks in public both from religious and political points of view. Furthermore, it is prudent to observe that no single religious code of ethics or principles would permit such utterances at any given time largely due to the fact that it does not promo te peaceful co-existence among people, the latter being a core value in religion. Therefore, the Phoenix pastor is unjustified. We can also argue that to some extent, he abused the freedom of religion, freedom of speech and religious tolerance as laid down in the United States constitution (Ontario consultants on religious tolerance par. 1). In a more critical analysis, the pastor is wrong because there should be a sensible balance when exercising freedom of speech, freedom of religion bearing in mind that religious tolerance should be firmly in place regardless of faith one professes to. In addition, religious freedom of an individual has no impact on the freedom of speech of another person. Therefore, even though the pastor has the right to exercise his religious freedom, he has no right to interfere with the freedom of Obama in any way. The pastor had no authority or constitutional right to incite his congregation against the United States President even though the latter had com mented and apparently gave a nod to contentious debate surrounding abortion.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, there is need to censor speech on religious issues because individuals have different faiths and hold varying views on certain religious aspects. As a result, the comment made by the pastor was wrong on the basis that he did not merge his religious difference with that of Obama in a tolerant manner but instead tried to suppress the discourse of the speaker. Hence, it was erroneous for him to condemn Obama and wish for his death because he too has the right to speech and religious freedom (Anon par 4). In a more vivid way, it is also prudent to mention that the very constitution protects the rights of every individual regardless of their political or economic backgrounds. As a president, Obama is also protected by the very constitution irrespective o f his religious affiliation or personal take on some matters. If such level of condemnation is permitted in our society and especially at the level of religion, then it may be a real recipe for religious conflicts. The former United States President, Bill Clinton, once asserted that the best way to practice religious freedom is to use legal mechanisms to protect individuals against hate crimes and discriminations. Hence, on this basis, the pastor was wrong even though he has the right to exercise both freedom of speech and religion, he has failed to observe religious tolerance by spreading hate crimes against Obama and other individuals who may want to express themselves freely. Furthermore, the pastor did not observe the freedom of religion when he criticized and wished Obama’s death since he abused the anti-defamation policy. Moreover, his criticism was merely as a result of discrimination on the basis that he believed certain religious group support abortion and for Obama, it was not an exception. Worse still, the pastor failed to put into consideration that religious freedom is the founding principle in United States of America. Hence, he was wrong to remark that president Obama was abusing Christian faith and therefore deserve death. He further failed to honor religious tolerance in the United States of America when he made his speech (Ontario consultants on religious tolerance par 7). Consequently, the pastor failed to use religion accordingly when he criticized Obama publicly. Religious freedom and freedom of speech should be used for purposes of uniting a nation, securing basic human rights and cultivating prosperity. In addition, the pastor demonstrated his authoritative regime by repressing the members of his congregation and their general ideas in the pretext of creating an environment that will deny them the freedom of speech and religion. Additionally, his arbitrary and coercive interference in peaceful Christian religion could possibly res ult into Christians or specifically members of his congregation becoming more resistant towards Obama’s government. His remarks could possibly result into insurgency and separatism of certain religions from the state.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Furthermore, his remark could highly likely result into negative worsening international relations because he linked extremism with certain religious groups. His remark against Obama was a clear indication that he was trying to widen up the existing divide among religious organizations or groups. Moreover, his speech failed to put into consideration the importance of building common concerns and shared values of religious faith to establish foundations of everlasting peace instead of spreading hate speech against certain individuals. In summing up, it is vital to reiterate that ev ery individual has the right to speech and no religion should be constitutionally supersede the others. The fact that President Obama did not use his belief system and freedom of speech to cross into immorality by justifying hatred and intolerance, the pastor had no right or moral standing to spread hate speech against him since anyone who supports religious intolerance becomes a minor among the believers and clergymen. The protests against the Phoenix pastor are a clear indication that he was indeed wrong in his assertion. Anon. Phoenix Pastor Draws Protests after Telling Church He Prays for Obamas Death. 2009. Web. Ontario consultants on religious tolerance. Religious tolerance: Abortions access all sides of the issue. 15 May, 2010. 24 Aug, 2011. Web religioustolerance.org/abortion.htm

Corporate social responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Corporate social responsibility - Essay Example As per discussion on the telephone, I am writing this letter to you to point out the positive aspects of implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) at your organization and its impact on marketing for your organization. CSR refers to the "commitment to improving community well-being through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate resources." CSR is no longer a trend or an obligation which companies set aside to show civil societies of their participation in the community. In fact today, CSR has a greater impact on corporate image, credibility, and involvement in the society which it serves. The basic premise is that corporations should give back to the community which makes the corporation what it is through acceptance, purchase of its products and appreciation.On the other hand, CSR from a corporate perspective can be seen as social marketing and corporate relations with its community. The focus of the practice, in fact, today is on developing strateg ies which reflect the corporate responsibility towards its community. It is the company's philanthropy through its business activities as well as public relations which are considered as CSR. This usually results in a positive image, public approval, indirect branding, and credibility for the organization. The result is increased profits, sustained profitability, and relations with the community. These aspects lead me to suggest that your organization shall benefit from implementing CSR in your business strategy.

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries - Essay Example as young as 2 years old, like, for instance, The Triplets: Christmas Special, as well as for a much more mature audience, as the movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson as an aging man approaching retirement and coming to terms with his life. The movie medium is now taking over most of the entertainment industry medium, with books being sidelined as a secondary source of entertainment, and every book, in a way, claiming to be a movie in the making. Additionally, more and more individuals are taking up movie making, as they perceive it to be a medium through which they would be able to express their true selves and emit their ideas to other individuals. In a day and age where each not only has a story to tell, but wants to share it with as large an audience as possible, it is only logical that such individuals will reach out to the movie industry, an industry that reaches the maximum number of audience. Professional movies, with a director, producer, and cinematographer, try to be as creative as possible and tell a story, but, with the use of a camcorder and a connection to the Internet, individuals like Chris Crocker on YouTube expressing his views about Britney Spears aim to present themselves as their true selves. This use of the medium can have both positive and negative effects on its audience, as the way a situation is perceived varies from individual to individual. Moreover, such platforms for â€Å"movie making†, so to speak, normally end up not serving the audience, but causing them to be frustrated. Notwithstanding the movie platform is a great source of entertainment to the public as well as a platform to raise social issues, it can be used to merely document the mundane routine of one’s life, as is often seen on YouTube. YouTube, in my personal experience, can be, and often is, used for uploading mundane videos about people who have no clue what they are talking about, simply wanting their voices to be heard, or wanting to get noticed.

Rewrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rewrite - Essay Example If projects are mismanaged, they may result in high rates of turnover, ineffectiveness, poor productivity and low morale. A project is a process with different phases that are collectively referred to as the project life cycle. Different from business activities such as maintenance and operations, projects involve uncertainty and risk because of their unique nature, their complexity, cost and time constraints, as well as limited resources. This paper seeks to discuss the various phases of project management and its importance for organizations. Phases of Project Life Cycle The project life cycle can be defined as a logical sequence of events meant to achieve the goals and objectives of the project. Despite the complexity or scope of any project, it goes via a series of phases in its lifetime. The first phase is known as the initiation phase, followed by the planning phase, then the execution phase, and finally the closure phase. 1. Initiation Phase In this phase, the project’s phase is defined, as well as the approach that will be taken in order to deliver on the desired output (Keller & Field, 2012). The project manager is elected in this phase, after which he selects other team members taking into consideration their experience and skill. In this phase, the most common methodologies used are project charter, project framework, business plan, justification of the business case, and review of the milestones. The needs and objectives of the project are identified in this phase, and an appropriate response to this is documented with recommended options as solutions in the business case (Keller & Field, 2012). A feasibility study is carried out in order to investigate if every option addresses the objectives of the project, with a final solution being recommended. Issues of justification and feasibility are addressed in this phase. On approval of the recommended solution, the project is initiated in order to deliver on the solutions that have been approved. The major deliverables, as well as the participating work teams, are identified. At this stage, the team begins to shape up, and the project manager then seeks approval to start on the planning phase. 2. Planning Phase Project management’s second phase is also the planning phase where the solution for the project is developed further while focusing on detail. The necessary steps needed to complete the objective set out by the project are then set out (Keller & Field, 2012). During this step, the team members identify all the activities, which should be executed. There is also identification of tasks within the project and the strategy to be used in their fulfillment. This process is synonymously known as scope management. A plan for the project is drawn up including the timeframes, dependencies, tasks and activities. A project manager is tasked with coordinating the budget via the provision of cost estimates for materials and labor. The budget that is drawn up is used contro l and monitor cost expenditures during the execution phase. On identifying the work, preparing the schedule and making an estimate of the cost, then the fundamental components of this phase are complete. This phase acts as the excellent time for identification and dealing with threats to

Evaluation of the Tourist View on Museum

Evaluation of the Tourist View on Museum Critical Evaluation from the visitor/tourist point of view. The NMI: Arts and History Collins Barracks This discursive essay is based on a field trip under took by myself as part of the Heritage Studies Year 3 class at GMIT. This field trip consisted of travelling to Dublin to visit two of Irelands museum attractions the Chester Beatty Library and the National Museum of Ireland: Decorative Arts and History Museum at Collins Barracks. The Decorative Arts and History Museum is the museum that I chose to write the essay on. The essay is intended to be a critical evaluation of the heritage product provided at this museum and also assess its performance at doing this task. The essay shall also examine a number of issues for this museum like best international practice for museums of this type, its Management Philosophy and analyse the visitor experience offered at this site. The essay will begin by looking briefly at some of the heritage of the building and the site that is Collins Barracks, the former barracks that now houses the Decorative Arts and History museum. Collins Barracks itself presents its own unique history and heritage. Collins Barracks is one of the oldest inhabited barracks in Europe and was once one of the largest. It was built originally as an Army barracks for the British armed forces and it was called The Royal Barracks. The building was erected in 1702 and designed by architect Col. Thomas Burgh (1670 1730) in an early Neo-classical style. The building itself appears to be well maintained by the OPW and it is in a good state of repair. A visitor here cannot ignore the magnificence of this structure and the surrounding site and they will hopefully experience the years of history that this place offers. The central square at Collins Barracks, which at one time would have held six entire regiments, is surrounded by arcaded colonnades and blocks linked by walking bridges. In 1922 the barracks was taken over by the Irish Free State and later renamed Collins Barracks after the former leader of the first Irish Provincial Governme nt Michael Collins. In 1988 it was decided to close the barracks and in 1997 it was opened as part of the National Museum of Ireland, specialising in Decorative Arts History exhibits. The original structure was redeveloped to house this museum and in keeping with its previous military history it houses, in addition to its Decorative Arts History exhibits, galleries dedicated to Irelands military history. Nature of the heritage product available at Collins Barracks. Our visit to the Decorative Arts and History museum was much too short. Due to the extensive nature of the building and the time constraints we were under, it was difficult to spend enough time examining all the exhibits that were on display. There are nearly 30 different exhibition galleries spread between four floors and a building beside Collins Barracks houses the Asgard and its exhibition. The many different displays within the galleries ranged from fine examples of silver, ceramics, glassware, furniture, clothing, jewellery, folklife, coins, metals and weaponry. This museum endeavours to offer an overview of Irelands social, economic and military history over the last millennium. I began my visit to the museum by viewing the Asgard and its exhibition. It is a great achievement to have had this iconic yacht restored to its former glory. As one walks around the Asgard one is forced to reflect on those who would have sailed her and the part she and her navigators played in Irelands history. As well as informative information boards on the Asgard and Irelands struggle for Home Rule, there are also a number of interesting artefacts from this period including a number of the Mauser rifles that were part of the 1914 Howth gunrunning. It is quite fitting to have these rifles here as they complement the story of the Asgard. Unfortunately there are no audiovisual displays here and the information blurbs are only written in Irish and English. From the Asgrad exhibition it is a short walk across a paved path to the well signposted reception area of the museum. Here a visitor can pick up a museum floor plan, which is in a number of languages, and this gives a brief description of the different exhibition galleries on the four floors while also showing the services available within the museum. The receptionist here was pleasant and helpful. he military section it is well documented and some of the displays are artistically presented. The history linking the Irish to the wars in Europe, and the rest of the World like the Boar War and US Civil War is very intriguing. The displays and information boards here are easy to follow for even the casual visitor. A downside is the placingto this excellent condition was that information boards and present in the narrow corridors. as was that dealing specifically with Irelands struggle for Home Rule and Independence. The various clothes, weapons of war and even the poor soldier eating his dry bread while on patrol in the hills add to this bringing alive of the past and of course the somewhat startling skeleton of Dickie Bird, a horse that fought in the Crimean War in 1854 with the 5th Dragoon Guards. One doesnt expect to be faced with a standing live skeleton from 1854 whose bones were found by archaeologists in 2008 at Clancy Barracks in Dublin. The Understanding 1916 exhibition, which chronicles Irelands 1916 Easter Rising, is helpful in trying to understand the background to the 1916   Rising. It is clearly presented but perhaps some audio/visual presentation would reduce the tedium of standing and reading all the details. Visceral memorabilia, such as first-hand accounts of the violence of the Black Tans and post-Rising hunger strikes, the handwritten death certificates of the republican prisoners and their postcards from Holloway prison, bring to life this poignant period of Irish history. On the ground floor is a chain of thematically interconnected galleries, Soldiers and Chiefs, devoted to almost five hundred years of Irish military history. Apart from an array of helmets and weaponry, theres the impressive Stokes tapestry which was created by a British soldier who devoted his spare time to the depiction of contemporary garrison life. Disappointingly the interactive panel that went into detail about the tapestry was blurred and not working. Other exhibits trace the Irish involvement in the US Civil War and one of personal fascination was the information board that listed all the names of the Irish that fought and died with General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. World War I with later examples of tanks and a de Havilland Vampire fighter plane while, contrastingly, theres the 200-year-old Bantry Boat, captured from the French frigate La Rà ©solue during the abortive invasion of 1796. Decorative arts is a tough thing to get right, especially if you want to offer a broad appeal, but the well-designed displays, interactive multimedia and a dizzying array of disparate artefacts make for an interesting and valiant effort. On the 1st floor is the museums Irish silver collection, one of the largest collections of silver in the world; on the 2nd floor youll find Irish period furniture and scientific instruments, while the 3rd floor has simple and sturdy Irish country furniture. Modern-furniture-and-design lovers will enjoy the exhibition on iconic Irish designer Eileen Gray (1878-1976), one of the museums highlights. One of the most influential designers of the 20th century, Grays life and work are documented in the exhibit, which shows examples of her most famous pieces. The fascinating Way We Wore exhibit displays Irish clothing and jewellery from the past 250 years. An intriguing socio-cultural study, it highlights the symbolism jewellery and clothing had in bestowing messages of mourning, love and identity. Some of the best pieces are gathered in the Curators Choice exhibition, which is a collection of 25 objects hand-picked by different curators, and displayed alongside an account of why they were chosen. The various exhibition galleries are absolutely amazing. There is a very rich collection in each of the categories. One could easily spend a whole morning on any one of them. Coming from one of these, Harry Clarkes The Unhappy Judas provided a startling contrast. The majority of exhibits have clearly written explanations, written in both English and Irish, but some are difficult to read due to the surrounding low light. Unfortunately there did not appear to be any translated into other languages which must make it difficult for some foreign non-English-speaking visitors to understand. It would have been more helpful had they had audio explanations, particularly for those who are visually impaired. I found this most interesting but for the person who wants to linger, browse and read the numerous pieces, it would have been helpful to have sitting down benches, as in the foyer. Speaking to a member of staff afterwards, he explained that the exhibition areas are narrow so that when there are large groups, benches could be an unsafe obstruction. Best international practice for institutions of this type: Edinburgh Museum NMS. Edinburgh is an amalgamation of Royal Scottish Museum and the National Museum of antiquities. It has exhibitions of various types which are similar to Collins Barracks.: see www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum -of-scotland. Collins Barracks website gives very informative overview of its exhibits, so that a visit can be planned in advance. This is also true of Edinburgh Museum. Management Philosophy Refer to Mission Statement on the website Quoting from website..Our philosophy is to uphold the values of : Authenticity: Working in partnership with staff. Excellence in all our activities. Investing in people. In achieving this philosophy, it is dependent on ongoing commitment of all stakeholders, including, in particular, staff of the museum, Dept. of Arts, Sports Tourism, and the O.P.W. if Phase 2 of the development of Collins Barracks is to be completed. The development of the Central storage area requires a lot of money and commitment. Cf. Strategic Plan.   Cf statement of chairman J. OMahony July 2008. Heritage Product, Visitor Facilities and Marketing. Visitor facilities: Restaurant, good and reasonable in price. Toilets, clean and bright. Shop, ok. There is a need for more seating in all areas, to make it a more relaxing as well as an educational   experience. There is a need to be more aware of people with specific needs, eg. Website said thatthere were objects that could be touched, for visually impaired people. On enquiring, the staff member did not know anything about this. As previously mentioned, the need for audio aids for visually impaired people. Marketing: Collins Barracks is a wonderful place with so much to see, but I have passed it so many times in the Luas as well as walking past but never knew that there were so many treasures there. Is this due to poor marketing? Visitor experience: Cf. Trip Advisor, Facebook Twitter Great museum, so many interesting exhibitions. Asgard, great. I would be very happy to go there again. Entrance from Luas stop, with all the ascending steps could be a problem for older people. There is a need for clearer marking of alternative entrance via car park. Heritage product: My favourite was the Eileen Gray furniture exhibition but I would have been happy spending more time on any of the other exhibitions, had time permitted. I intend going there soon again. Visitor profile; Speaking to a staff member, he told me that during the summer they have many foreign visitors and visitors with Irish ancestry. They see people of all age groups. Approx.. 60,000 a month during the summer holiday months. In October 2013, they had 20,164 visitors. They get many families when they have special events on. It is also popular for school groups. There are often book launches etc held at the museum. Listen to interview with Pat Wallace on Marian Finucane on RTE radio 1 on Sunday November 2nd. Well worth listening to, on the lack of funding to the museums. Overall impression? The site is being well run and cared for with helpful friendly staff on every level. The cafà © could be improved on. Fewer and better meals on offer and better ventilation in the kitchen to prevent the pervasive smell of cooking oil wafting through to the dining area. The shop offered a wide range of souvenirs and goods produced in Ireland. Service was again friendly and helpful. As an observer the visitor profile varied from school groups, to guests from the U.S. Africa and China to one day city trippers. A place well worth a return visit and one to watch for exhibitions, events as shown on their website. West of Smithfield on Benburb Street is the National Museums Decorative Arts Collection,. Unquestionably, the best of these is Curators Choice, on the first floor of the west block, which is selected by museum curators from all over Ireland. Among its draws are a medieval oak carving of St Molaise; the extravagant cabinet presented by Oliver Cromwell to his daughter Bridget in 1652; and the remarkable fourteenth-century Chinese porcelain Fonthill Vase. The Out of Storage section is another highlight, bringing together everything from decorative glassware to a seventeenth-century suit of Samurai armour, while others focus on Celtic art, coinage, silverware, period furniture, costumes and scientific instruments, and there are usually plenty of temporary exhibits. Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/ireland/dublin/collins-barracks/#ixzz3KJp4qIAX All of these displayed with imagination in innovative and contemporary galleries, which entice you to go further, look harder and examine more closely. In the Curators Choice exhibition there is amongst other treasures, an ancient Japanese ceremonial bell, which dates back over 2000 years. Explore the histories of soldiers and their families in Soldiers Chiefs: The Irish at War at Home and Abroad since 1550. Examine the decade of disturbance between 1913 and 1923, from the Dublin Lockout, through the Easter Rising to the end of the Civil War in The Easter Rising: Understanding 1916. Included are artefacts such as Etruscan vases, gauntlets worn by King William at Battle of the Boyne, a life belt and oar salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Lusitania and a pocket book carried by Wolfe Tone whilst imprisoned in the Barracks. Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland/dublin/sights/museums-galleries/national-museum-ireland-decorative-arts-history#ixzz3KJfM23cI Museums and galleries are vital to the educational and cultural health of society. This, however, is not always either seen or understood, and as long as this is the case, the continued existence of museums will be tenuous. Lang, Caroline, Reeve, John, and Woollard, Vicky, eds. Responsive Museum : Working with Audiences in the Twenty-First Century. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2006. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 24 November 2014.

Alligators Essay -- Animals, Environment, Hunters

The American alligator scientific name is Alligator mississippiensis. The Chinese alligator is the only other alligator in the alligator family and its scientific name is alligator sinensis. The American alligator is in the kingdom Animalia because it is an animal. The phylum is chordate because it has vertebrae. The American alligator is in the class reptilia because it is cold blooded, lays shelled eggs, scaly skin and breaths air. Alligators are in the order crocodilian because it is a large animal that appeared during the Cambrian stage. The American alligator is in the family alligator idea because it has larger, broader snouts, and can withstand colder temperatures. The genus is alligator and the species is Mississippiensis (Florida nature,2006). The American alligators have many physical characteristics. Their size ranges from six to twelve feet. A full grown male can weigh up to one thousand and two hundred pounds. The American alligator has a long round snout with nostrils at the end. An alligator has two eyes towards the top of its head. Also alligators have a long thin body that has four legs and a long tail (EDIS, 2009) The American alligator lives in wetlands in southeastern United States from North Carolina to Texas. Wetlands are areas of standing water such as bogs, swamps, ponds, and marshes. Alligators mostly live in fresh water wetlands, but sometimes alligators live in brackish water. Brackish water is water that has more saline or salt water than fresh water. Alligators can’t live in salt water because they do not have an effective salt gland. American alligators live in temperate climate with cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature is 50 degree Fahrenheit a year and 40 to 60 inches of rainfall... ...and food. Their skin is used to make high quality leather. In 1950, American alligators were seriously endangered because humans were over hunting alligators. Then in 1967, the endangered species preservation act stopped the hunting of alligators and the number of alligators quickly rose. Now there are millions of alligators and people are allowed to hunt alligators again. Alligators are losing their habitat because wetlands are being filled to create land for houses, farms, and industries. Alligators are very dangerous animals to humans. Alligator attacks occur around seven times a year, but few are lethal. When people feed them, alligators learn not to be afraid of humans. This causes more alligator attacks and alligators to become more aggressive with humans. Ninety percent of all alligator attacks are caused from people feeding alligators. (langly,2005)

Learning at Universities Essay

Learning at University: The International Student Experience1 Meeri Hellsten Macquarie University, School of Education meerihellsten@mq. edu. au Anne Prescott Macquarie University, School of Education anne. prescott@aces. mq. edu. au This paper reports on research that explores internationalisation of the University’s curriculum offerings and how this affects international students. The central focus of this paper is to highlight some of the student commentary on communication between teachers and students exemplifying the way it subsequently affects the quality of student learning. The paper concludes by raising some questions concerning how we may best meet the needs of international students by drawing on inclusive teaching philosophies. Inclusivity and diversity, international students, internationalisation and sustainability, transition experience INTRODUCTION The internationalisation of curriculum in Australian universities has increased significantly in recent years. International students (IS) are now an integral part of university teaching classes. The rapid increase in international student numbers is also reflected in current research. However, relatively little research has focused on the student perspective (Ballard and Clanchy, 1991; Jones, Robertson, and Line, 1999; Ramburuth, 2001; Reid, 2002). This paper is a contribution to this area of higher education research. The accommodation of IS is an important goal in the Australian higher education sector that is reflected in the commitment to quality education and teaching expertise. The benefits of the integration of IS into the Australian academic cultures are highly esteemed by university leadership. The diversity of our university populations is enhanced by IS and further research may be found by exploring how diversity may add value to the transition experience as a whole (McInnes, 2001). However, reports on students’ experiences provide a somewhat contrary understanding of that experience. For example, Reid (2002) conducted a comprehensive study, which surveyed over 300 postgraduate IS at Macquarie University. Contrary to common beliefs, about students from Asian backgrounds in particular, IS students were reported to value the interactive mode (i. e. discussion based learning) of unit delivery over a sometimes assumed teacher centred mode. Another example is the common stereotypical belief that students from Asian backgrounds prefer rote-learning styles and tend to be passive in classroom interaction. It seems then, at least rhetorically, that ideas about what constitutes high quality teaching and learning differ between international students and academic personnel. 1 This paper is adapted from one presented at Celebrating Teaching at Macquarie 28-29 November 2002 (Hellsten and Prescott, 2002). Hellsten and Prescott 345 If the practices that characterise quality are perceived and acted out differently by members of Western and Eastern cultural groups it assumes a questioning of the very meaning of concepts such as ‘quality’ and ‘teaching’. These can account for deeply contrasting expectations of educational practice. International students’ cultural traits have been blamed for subsequent teaching and learning problems (for example, Burns, 1991; Jones et al. , 1999; Leask, 1999; McInnes, 2001; Ryan, 2000). Some problems include poor English language and critical thinking skills, failure to participate in the collaborative learning mode (for example, group discussions), differences in cultural communication, academic literacy styles, and expectations of rote learning resulting in lack of independent learning initiatives. Where does this occur? Some researchers have refuted these claims. Biggs (1999) provides a broad review of research findings that reveal institutional stereotyping of students from Asian backgrounds. He argues that such students continue to rank in the top levels of university courses, which testifies to their ability to adjust well into the Western learning cultures. The issues and problems are no different from those generally raised by researchers in the field of the first year experience of mainstream students undergoing the transition to an academic university culture (Levy, Osborn, and Plunkett, 2003; McInnes, 2001). Biggs (1999) reports on results showing that at least for some, the mainstream transition experience is fraught with uncertainties about fitting in to disciplinary cultures in terms of academic writing genres (for example, Krause, 2001). Anecdotal evidence suggests that students quickly develop the ability to work out their position within disciplinary cultures, with beginning students being able to guess at what is important as sanctioned disciplinary practice within three weeks of commencing their studies in a major discipline area. Therefore, research is needed into the acquisition of disciplinary know-how that seems readily accessible by students in universities; a skill that would not in such cases be acknowledged by the academic community. What seems to be at the core of the debate is the notion of communication between IS and university staff (Hellsten, 2002). There seems to be a need to increase cultural understanding that is reflected in the ways in which pedagogy and practice are mediated between IS and academics. There also seems to be a need to establish opportunities for discussion between IS and staff about the communicative differences that constitute pedagogy, and the way in which these are reflected in the university teaching settings. In order to examine the relationship between cultural practices and pedagogy among incoming students we conducted one-hour, semi-structured sessions with volunteer IS in their first year in Australia. The 48 participants (undergraduate and postgraduate) were enrolled in many different discipline areas of the University, as shown in Table 1, and came from a range of countries around the world, presented in Table 2. Table 1. Participants’ course of study Accounting Actuarial Commerce Economics Translation TESOL Linguistics Languages Education Anthropology Computing Exchange Total Undergraduate 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 18 Postgraduate 1 2 13 3 6 3 2 30 Total 4 3 3 1 14 3 7 1 3 2 1 6 48 346 Learning at University: The International Student Experience Table 2. Participants’ country of origin (N=48) Country China South Korea USA Japan Germany Vietnam Thailand Taiwan No. 16 13 5 2 1 1 1 1 Country Sweden Sri Lanka Spain Singapore Malaysia Kenya Indonesia Hong Kong No. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Of central interest was the first six-month time period following overseas students’ arrival that constituted their transition period between the old and new learning environments. The questions centred on the students’ encounters with Australian communities, learning environments and the academic disciplines. We were also interested in the students’ overall sense of experience as reflected in subsequent word-of-mouth referrals to fellow students in their home country. We found important impressions inherent in such descriptions. They provided insight into aspects that might otherwise have been hidden due to discursive politeness and courtesy constraints of the interview. Below are some features of their commentary. COMMUNICATING IN CLASS One of the common assumptions made about IS from Asian cultures is that they find it difficult to contribute in class and to participate in classroom discussions. There are many substantial explanations for this, the most salient being that IS feel self-conscious if conversational flow does not come easily in the English language. This shows in their reluctance in attempting to pronounce English words for fear of failure in front of the evaluative eye of other native speakers. Yes†¦. Um†¦ they [teachers] think it’s a job. They ask something. We say nothing†¦ ‘cause we wanna say but †¦ (inaudible) shy. And I’m afraid sometimes I’ll make a mistake, so I don’t want to like that †¦ I think, my friends, sometimes they stay in one course for two †¦ months. Because their character very shy. They don’t want to say, you know, anything even though they know everything. They know everything. So teachers didn’t know that. It’s just hard and difficult. I don’t know the feeling, the nuance, I don’t know those in English so.. I†¦ I’m not a good English speaker at all. It’s very uncomfortable when I talk with somebody. So I think I†¦ When I speak with Australians I feel they treats me as a children, you know. And they think of me as a just a†¦[indicates height of a child with hand] that language level person. Like a ten year old kid. In conversation with native speakers the student in the third example feels she is being spoken to in the diminutive voice. The perception that others speak to her ‘as a child’ must be damaging to her self-esteem as an academically successful individual. The perpetuation of this perception may in turn result in a reluctance to speak in public, thereby accentuating a difficulty in the learning process. COMMUNICATION ISSUES A common communicative feature is for speakers to adjust their conversational style to suit each other in terms of genre and register. Australian lecturers of IS are perceived to lower their level of language use in the hope of making their teaching more effective and beneficial for low level language speakers ( Jones, 2001). Hellsten and Prescott 347 The consensus was that the mode of delivery was easier than that expected of mainstream students. The necessary feedback may not have reached the lecturers due to culture-specific constraints for politeness in discourses. For example, students from some cultural backgrounds did not feel comfortable offering criticism of their teachers as a gesture of respect: The one thing is they (lecturers) try to speak easier (laughter) because sometimes we misunderstood. And lecturer say to student but nobody nodded. So he try to explain again. So I think most of the Australian lecturer try to give lecture (in an) easier way. Delivering lectures using lower level language registers can be perceived as contrary to IS expectations of improving English proficiency as part of their student experience in an English speaking country. Before I came here I think uh, if I got to Australia I will improve my English skills really very fast. But it’s just a dream. I must do everything. Every day I practise, practise, practise for this. Within this commentary is the realisation that achievement in the learning experience hinges solely on personal investment of time and practice. The interpretation here is the refusal of the lecturer to provide the necessary skills to which the student aspires. It is also a reaction to the realisation that the low level of language provided by the classroom interaction would not provide him with advanced level linguistic ability – a rather troublesome side effect of an overseas university experience in an English-speaking country. It seems, based on our student commentary, that the slowing down of English language learning results, at least in some cases, is a lack of challenging classroom opportunities. So adjusting to a conversational style may not be useful and may be interpreted by IS as a gesture that further marginalises them from mainstream students. Leaving the social comfort of home country for study in a foreign country, language and culture can be a harrowing experience, especially for younger international students. The mentoring programs in place within universities go some way toward meeting the basic transition needs. However, the interviews revealed that IS consign the responsibility of teaching to lecturers rather than the institution. On this theme, one feature of the discussion is the student perception of a lack of support by the teaching staff. For example: So, I want teacher to encourage that, and like mum or dad†¦ yes, to take care of them (other IS) a lot because they are really shy and they sometimes they don’t understand†¦. Just to say ‘OK’. I want our teachers to know that. So there is a consultant. He consult with me. But he is really busy. I can’t contact easily. Just the one (consultant) and a lot of students here. So, and he only work†¦ I think, twice maybe three days a week. So I can’t meet. †(Is this a reference to a teacher or a student counsellor? ) I visit many times this office. When I need their help I am looking for someone but I can’t. Commentary about the unavailability of consultation opportunities is extensive among newly arrived international students in our study. We suggest that this lack of resources is partly a biproduct of the current global economic rationalisation in the higher education sector; the effect of which is compounded for IS who often have greater needs than local students. There is a perception that special efforts should be made by academic staff to accommodate incoming students’ needs. This is attributed to the need for care and emotional support, and in a familial sense as tantamount to so-called ‘parenting’. This is especially voiced in talk about the younger IS groups. The ethic of care is an expectation of the teaching practices by the students interviewed. 348 Learning at University: The International Student Experience The unavailability of part-time staff poses a further problem for international students due to the pressures imposed by their timed candidature. There is a sense of urgency about the study program and waiting to see staff who are not available is interpreted as obstructing progress toward the completion of the degree. Such concerns are directly linked with the marketing of education in the new global knowledge economy (Rizvi, 2000). Certainly, international competition for student places and resources is of central interest to Australia as one of the Western English speaking countries with extensively developed international education targets. Australia is competing against other English speaking countries for IS numbers. The competition and urgency of this new global dynamic is then reflected in the responses of IS and may result in the experiences perceived as less desirable as in the above commentary. The commitment to internationalising the curriculum needs to seek critical and innovative solutions to a re-evaluation of existing curriculum content, enhanced capacity and mode of program delivery. To this end, Bellis and Clarke (2001) found a course online bulletin board to be extremely useful for students interacting with other students and staff. Students were encouraged to discuss difficulties among themselves, with academics only participating when necessary. While Bellis and Clarke recognise that not all students participated, for IS whose first language is not English, a bulletin board allowed students to think about and compose their response without the pressure of the discussion progressing past the point where they wanted to participate. SOME IMPLICATIONS There is a widespread call for implementation of various bridging programs to prepare IS better in their transition to the Australian study environment (Jones et al., 1999;Leask, 1999; Ryan, 2000). Successful mentoring programs are in place in many universities (Austin, Covalea, and Weal, 2002). These go a long way toward the creation of important links between IS and Australian communities and may decrease feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Implications can be considered in terms of enhancing culturally sensitive curriculum delivery and communication, and by enhancing a reflective and inclusive teaching culture throughout the university. Implications for teaching and learning. Some useful resources for the critical examination of our teaching modes and practices may be found in a number of professional-development initiatives. Inclusive teaching practices are particularly pertinent. While inclusive teaching philosophies are part of effective teaching policies, whether in schools or universities, there seems to be some uncertainty about their applicability to the teaching setting. Making the curriculum and its discourses explicit is a starting point discussed by Leask (1999) and Garcia (1991). Provision of obvious and workable program and assessment guidelines that are sensitive to individual variation and diversity are also listed among their recommendations. One implication that emerged from the current study involves the need to provide opportunities for staff to communicate and reflect upon their practices in teaching IS. One cost-effective way is the formation of focus groups that contain impartial representatives of the international student body (such as representatives of the National Liaison Student group) who convey the views of students to academic and other staff. Awareness of cultural open-mindedness and responsibility towards IS is an issue that could be explored. Information sessions may address the examination of religious and other culturally divergent traditions, as well as culture specific discourses. Rizvi (2000) calls for the internationalisation of curriculum to ensure the promotion of cultural change, that would become part of both the mainstream and other groupings. The culturally sensitive curriculum would then move away from the stereotypical thinking that claims internationalisation as a responsibility that belongs to someone else other than oneself (Leask, 1999). Hellsten and Prescott 349 The underlying premise of Leask’s (1999) statement of shared responsibility for the internationalisation of the Australian higher education curriculum prescribes that strategies are put into practice to enable the meeting of individual IS needs for communication. Where this relates to increasing staff availability, further resources may be needed. Clearly, the conditions of IS academic experience rest on adherence to time management and other restrictions as dictated by temporary visa requirements. Such constraints necessitate mediation with academic and other university staff for increased accountability and loyalty to consultations and other scheduled commitments. One suggestion for implementation is to make a point of contact facility available that is staffed by academics and experienced IS mentors. We found that many of the questions of incoming IS are of a general nature and can be answered by individuals within the university system. Such a facility (for example, an information booth, linked to an on-line service) meets the deeper need for social and emotional support that is currently felt by new students to be lacking. Garcia (1991, p. 3) points out that classroom teachers who were thought by others to be â€Å"highly committed to the educational success of their students† perceived themselves as being â€Å"instructional innovators utilising new learning theories and instructional philosophies to guide their practice†. Professional development activities were also considered to be important. They had high educational expectations for their students. Some students in our study thought their lecturers were off-hand about their students’ success or failure. It would appear, therefore, that good teaching is recognisable, no matter what the venue. Implications for practice Educational practices are largely related to everyday conduct, held values and attributive actions. To this effect, we benefit from recommendations for teaching methods that draw on reflective and inclusive teaching philosophies. However, it is our experience that these philosophies are not entirely understood by the academic community. There needs to be some recognition of inclusivity as a dynamic negotiation, as opposed to the domination of one over another. This reasoning makes the notion of flexibility and change everyday requirements for the accommodation of diversity in our teaching and learning settings. There still exists a great need among academics in Australia to reflect upon their cultural affiliations, to explore their ethnicities and acknowledge that these are not only traits we identify in others but also in ourselves. This reflection should then allow for inclusive practice to begin by asking, what can I do to meet the particular cultural and discursive needs of international students. This may in itself, and without further extended effort, transfer into the duty of care for the IS in particular classroom settings. However, there are some recommendations that provide examples to implement culturally inclusive practices into the teaching of IS. An initial issue is to consider a needs analysis of the students and how their needs can be met within the constraints of the teaching program. A second issue is, to allow for flexibility in understanding some of the cultural discourses and genres that may be encountered in communicative exchanges with IS. Knowledge of the background of students acknowledges an acceptance and interest in their cultural backgrounds. There are many publications describing cultural practices of particular nationalities. For example, an exploration of different religious and cultural traditions may provide stimulating introductory material particularly if this is carried out with sensitivity and without marginalising individual students in the group. Another effective introductory session may investigate communication conventions of different cultural groups. Allowing students to explore culturally specific behaviours such as the use of voice, tone, affect, body language and body contact in communicating with different members of the community may also open up channels of communication between staff and students. This may also act as effective preparation for later identification of unexpected features of communicative conduct. 350 Learning at University: The International Student Experience CONCLUDING COMMENTS The internationalisation of Australian higher education is still in its infancy inviting greater collaborative effort from university communities. Although many generalisations exist, we now widely acknowledge the possibly erroneous perception of quantity underwriting quality. There is a discernment that increased numbers of IS have not reflected in the capacities of learning institutions in terms of the provision of quality and  expertise – at least when it comes to inclusive practices and culturally sensitive communication styles. The implications addressed here go some way towards meeting these needs. Further investigation is clearly necessary especially in comparing student commentary with staff perceptions and experiences. The assurance of quality teaching and the provision of culturally amenable learning opportunities for international students may be achieved by means of cultural change and critical evaluation of current academic discourses and practices. Acknowledgements. Many thanks to our interview participants who so willingly gave their time and Louise Warton for so cheerfully transcribing the interviews. The financial support of Macquarie University is gratefully acknowledged. REFERENCES Austin, J. , Covalea, L. and Weal, S. (2002). Going the Extra Mile – Swinburne, Lilydale’s Mentor Program. 16th Australian International Education Conference. Hobart. Ballard, B. and Clanchy, J. (1991). Teaching Students from Overseas: A Brief Guide for Lecturers and Supervisors. Melbourne: Longman Cheshire. Bellis, C. and Clarke, S. (Eds. ). (2001). Teaching Actuarial Management Internationally, Using the Internet. Sydney: Centre for Professional Develoment, Macquarie University. Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education/Open University Press. Burns, R. (1991). Study and Stress among First Year Overseas Students in an Australian University. Higher Education Research and Development, 10(1), 61-77. Garcia, E. E. (1991). The Education of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students: Effective Instructional Practices. National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning. [Online] http://www. ncela. gwu. edu/miscpubs/ncrcdsll/epr1/index. htm [28/05/2003]. Hellsten, M. (2002). Internationalizing the Curriculum. Internationalizing Education in the AsiaPacific Region: Critical Reflections, Critical Times. 30th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society. Armidale, Australia. Hellsten, M. and Prescott, A. (2002). Learning at Macquarie: The International Student Experience. Celebrating Teaching at Macquarie. Macquarie University. Jones, A. (Ed. ). (2001). Resistance to English Language Support. Sydney: Centre for Professional Development, Macquarie University. Jones, S. M. , Robertson, M. and Line, M. (1999). Teaching and Valuing the Voices of International Students in Universities. [Online] http://www. ecu. edu. au/conferences/ herdsa/papers/nonref/AlanJones. pdf [28. 5. 2003]. Hellsten and Prescott 351 Krause, K. L. (2001). The University Essay Writing Experience: A Pathway for Academic Integration during Transition. Higher Education Research and Development, 20(2), 147168. Leask, B. (1999). Internationalisation of the Curriculum: Key Challenges and Strategies. The State of the Art in Internationalising the Curriculum International Perspectives. [Online] http://www. unisanet. unisa. edu. au/learningconnection/intl/read/paper/ [28/05/2003]. Levy, S. , Osborn, M. and Plunkett, M. (2003). An Investigation of International Students’ Academic and Social Transition Requirements. [Online] http://www. qut. edu. au/talss/fye/ papers03/Refereed Papers/Ful papers/Levy,OsborneandPlunkett_paper. doc [28/05/2003] McInnes, C. (2001). Researching the First Year Experience: Where to from here? Higher Education Research and Development, 20(2), 105-114. Ramburuth, P. (2001). The Internationalisation of Education: Implications for Student Learning and Socio-cultural Adjustment. Developing Global Capacity Through International Education. 15th Australian International Education Conference. Sydney. Reid, A. (2002). Internationalisation, Inclusivity and Learning. In C. M. Wong, K. P. Mohanan, and D. Pan (Eds. ), Proceedings of the Second Symposium on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (pp. 327-332). Singapore: National University of Singapore. Rizvi, F. (2000). Internationalisation of Curriculum. [Online] http://www. pvci. rmit. edu. au/ioc/ [2/8/2002]. Ryan, J. (2000). Assessment. In J. Ryan (Ed. ), A Guide to Teaching International Students. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development University. IEJ.

Circumcision in America Essays

Circumcision in America Essays Circumcision in America Essay Circumcision in America Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Real Men Wear Turtlenecks: Circumcision in America Circumcision is regarded as the excision of the foreskin of the penis in males to reveal the forehead of the penis (Gregory et al, 11). Discussion about the relevance of circumcision in a world that is regarded as modern has been under discussion in the public domain for quite some time. This has attracted both criticism and praise from various quarters in the public domain. Circumcision has been part of culture dwelling on the belief that male children or men should be circumcised. However, the recent trends in the American society have adopted a new form whereby there is lesser circumcision for male children. Despite this kind of trends, the abandonment of the circumcision culture has attracted criticism from skeptics and stereotypes within the society who still harbor beliefs, which might be considered as outdated and out of touch with the face of modernization. The purpose of circumcision was an effort to decrease the need for sexual gratification because the foreskin of the penis, which is cut during circumcision, is considered as erogenous. In addition, the author also adds that circumcision leads in the reduction of lust and violent concupiscence. The beginning of circumcision was as a means to deter young boys from acts of masturbation in the medieval periods in England (Gregory et al, 22). The practice spread into America with the Americans who were also from Britain themselves. Medical practitioners have described circumcision as unnecessary and poses threat to the psychological stability of an individual. The practice of circumcision among male infants is not evidenced adequately to attribute certain benefits or demerits from its practice. Hence, form such statements leave the public in a state of utter confusion because there are both advantages and disadvantages in the practice (The American Medical Association, 23). The practice however has been attributed to have significant positive effects on an individual in terms of health. The practice according to the American Medical Association, when properly performed on an individual protects individuals from diseases such as phimosis, paraphimosis and balanitis (The American Medical Association, 29). In addition, the practice also leads to reduced chances of contracting urinary tract infections in male children and reduced chances of contracting penile cancer in adult males. In addition, there are also claim s that the practice also aids in the reduction of chances of transmitting sexually transmittable diseases. However, this fact has not been proven and further research is still required. Despite claims by the medical practitioners, that circumcision is unnecessary it is practice, which accrues numerous benefits to both the individual as well as the society. The reduction of sexual desire in a society, which is becoming increasingly sexualized because of sexual content becoming easily available to the society via the media. It has also enabled instilling moral values in the society by the prattcie. This occurs whereby the people are able to become watchful of the ir conduct because circumcision is associated with responsible behavior and becoming morally upright in societies in non-western world as well as in the western world. The American society has been driven to abandonment of the practice, which was well embedded within the American society since historic periods. The abandonment of circumcision can be attributed to the presence of trauma within the practice of circumcisions. Trauma in relation to the DSM-IV is considered as fear and helplessness emanating form serious injury or threat to the physical veracity of an individual. In addition, the child or individual responds to the pain by dissociation, which the only psychological means of response and defense from the pain experienced by an infant. In addition, men have abandoned circumcision because of views that circumcised men do not have the ability to fulfill the sexual needs of their female partners in relation to uncircumcised men who are considered as duly able to fulfill the sexual desires of the female partners due to the presence of the foreskin. Hence, such views have been associated with the increased infidelity within marriages from both perspectives (Andrews, Fitzgerald, 39). The first perspective is that circumcised men are not able to satisfy their partners within marriages leading the women to explore sexually with uncircumcised men in efforts to seek sexual gratification. The other perspective is that uncircumcised men have sexual vigor than their circumcised counterparts due to the presence of the erogenous foreskin; hence, such prompts men to seek more partners to fulfill their huge sexual appetites. In addition, numerous sexual problems are coming into light because of circumcision (Andrews, Fitzgerald, 40). Men who have been circumcised are reported to have more sexually related problems in comparison to their uncircumcised partners. Circumcised men have reported of sexual dysfunction such as inability to gain an erection or the inability to maintain an erection, due to the insensitivity of the glans because of continuous exposure during coitus. Men who are circumcised have been on the decline due to the perception that circumcision does not accrue benefits. Social perceptions about the sexuality of circumcised men have brought the practice of circumcision on a sharp decline, which reflects the sexualization of the practice (Laumann, Masi, Zuckerman, 47). The American society is more sexualized than ever due to the presence of the media, which has enabled presence of information to people available at the touch of a button via the internet or mobile phone. In addition, it can also be attributed to self-awareness by the men and liberalization of people to choose what they find fit for t hemselves. Hence, circumcision might be in the future a forgotten issue due to new social values as people evolve and modernize their societies. In conclusion, I find the practice necessary, as it is part of culture, which should not be abandoned due to the mere theories posed to the public. People have existed while practicing circumcision since time immemorial. In addition, the practice is also a means of protection form diseases, which affects most men who are uncircumcised due to dirt and bacteria, which accumulates in the urinary tract. In addition, the protection form health risks should override the stance that mere trauma or pain affect people psychologically which even though is still a subject that is open for discussion and in-depth research to establish the materiality of the said facts. Work Cited Andrews, K., Fitzgerald, M. â€Å"Biological barriers to pediatric pain management†. Clinical Journal of Pain, 13, 138-143. (1 March 1997). Web. 14 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/Andrews/ Gregory, J. Boyle, Ronald, Goldman, J. Steven Svoboda, Ephrem Fernandez. â€Å"Male Circumcision: Pain, Trauma and Psychosexual Sequelae† Journal of Health Psychology: An Interdisciplinary, International Journal. Volume 07 (03). 2002. Web. 11 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/Gregory/ Laumann, Edwrad.O., Masi, Christopher.M., Zuckerman, Ezra.W. â€Å"Circumcision in the United States: Prevalence, prophylactic effects, and sexual practice†. Journal of the American Medical Association, 277, 1052-1057.1997.Web.14 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/laumann/ The American Medical Association. â€Å"Neonatal Circumcision: Report 10 of the Council on Scientific Affairs† The American Medical Association’s Policy on Circumcision, 1-99.. 1999. Web. 14 May 2012. Accessed from circumstitions.com/AMA.html

Lets Look At Lest

Lets Look At Lest Let’s Look At â€Å"Lest† Let’s Look At â€Å"Lest† By Maeve Maddox Recently I’ve noticed some odd uses of the word lest. Some may be no more than typographical errors, but others appear to result from a misunderstanding of the meaning and function of the conjunction lest. Lest introduces a clause expressive of something to be avoided or guarded against. Here are some examples: In helping my son pack for college, I tucked in a newly framed photo of the family for him to take with him lest he forget what we all looked like. There’s a scene in the movie where the master chef - who’s in his eighties - explains that as a younger man, sushi  recipes would come to him in his sleep. And he would jump out of bed to write them down, lest he forget them by morning. Clip back any branches and remove any plants that will be in the way before you begin, lest you tread on them while erecting the fence. Another use of lest following a verb of fearing, or phrases indicating apprehension or danger, is to introduce a clause expressing what is feared. Here are examples of this usage: Im afraid  to open the door and check,  lest she  be sleeping and I wake her up.   Im afraid  to leave because I am  afraid  of walking past our building managers office,  lest she  realize  Im  unemployed. The chief errors I’ve noticed with lest are these: 1. Following lest with not: INCORRECT: Then Rubio pivoted to Obama, lest not alienate Republicans who like what Trump has to say. (Alex Leary, Tampa Bay Times,) CORRECT : Then Rubio pivoted to Obama, lest he alienate Republicans who like what Trump has to say. Lest is already negative, so it shouldn’t be used with not. Because lest introduces a clause, it should be followed by the subject of the clause that expresses whatever is to be avoided. 2. Introducing a sentence fragment with lest. INCORRECT: Lest he forget that 70% of American Jews voted for Obama and find the politics of the modern GOP repugnant.  (Wayne Besen, Falls Church News-Press) CORRECT : Netanyahu shouldn’t forget that 70% of American Jews voted for Obama and find the politics of the modern GOP repugnant.   Sometimes a sentence fragment is an effective stylistic choice, but not when it is introduced by lest. A clause introduced by lest needs to be attached to a main clause. The fragment â€Å"lest we forget† is frequently used in connection with memorial services, but a main clause is implied: â€Å"We build monuments and hold memorial services lest we forget the sacrifices of the departed.† 3. Confusing lest with the contraction let’s INCORRECT: And lest not forget Jeffersons role in the XYZ Affair where he sabotaged Adams negotiations with the French to avert a war.  (Education site called Reinvented Solutions) CORRECT : And let’s not forget Jeffersons role in the XYZ Affair where he sabotaged Adams negotiations with the French to avert a war.   Related post Least vs Lest Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating Conjunctions40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†75 Synonyms for â€Å"Hard†

ENG315 WEEK5 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ENG315 WEEK5 - Term Paper Example I was able to insert some argument points that not only inform my audience, but also influence them to believe that what I am presenting is the best proposal there is. Another tip from Toastmasters International (2011) for effective speaking is â€Å"Organizing your proposal,† which again, I find very useful. Sometimes, we get to wrapped up in details that we fail to see where the presentation is really going. A good organization of ideas will lead the audience better towards the position the presenter wants them to be. 2. Delivery - Of the different types of speech delivery, identify which type or types you would feel most comfortable with and explain why. Identify and explain which type of speech delivery with which you would feel most uncomfortable. Describe what you could to do overcome this. => I would feel most comfortable in extemporaneous speeches, because it will give me more leeway to add more ideas according to the current situation or audience, and at the same time will give me the structure of the best organization of ideas to present. I would feel most uncomfortable with impromptu speeches because of the lack of available time to prepare (McKerrow, 2006, p.35-6). I believe that I can overcome this by reminding myself that for impromptu speeches, though I will strive to give the best speech possible, I should not scold myself if it comes out less than perfect. If I keep thinking this way, and keep on allowing myself to be exposed to impromptu speeches, I believe the exposure and practice will develop me more into delivering better and better speeches, impromptu or not. => I made several drafts of the presentation. After each draft, I put myself in the place of my audience. â€Å"What would I want to know? What questions would I want answered? If I am against the proposal, what will convince me to at least give it consideration?† (Guilmartin, 2010, p.211) All these questions prompted me to revise and keep on revising