Persuasive Speech Money Is Not Everything Essay Example

Persuasive Speech Money Is Not Everything Essay The curriculum and the hidden curriculum The culture of schools and social interaction in classroom Language and culture as dimensions of social inequality in education systems The influence of peer groups Submitted by: Mrs Shalini Ramdhean-Goburdhun PGCE Social Sciences Part time To : Mr OM Varma Date: 29. 10. 09 Table of content pages The curriculum and the hidden curriculum3 Three elements of education3 Definition of formal curriculum3Definition of informal curriculum 4 †¢ Hidden curriculum at school †¢ The content of hidden curriculum 5 The culture of schools and social interaction in classroom The school and the classroom6 †¢ Middle class knowledge 6 †¢ Culture clash 6 †¢ Teachers’ attitudes 8 †¢Institutional racism 9 †¢ Streaming 9 †¢ labeling and the self fulfilling prophecy 10 Language and culture as dimensions of social inequality in education systems †¢ Language 11 †¢ The school ‘counter culture’ 12The in fluence of peer groups †¢ Peer group 13 Glossary 14 References 15 The curriculum and the hidden curriculum Education comprises of three elements: †¢ Knowledge about the world †¢ Skills for employment †¢ Values and attitudes which people take into their adult lives.There is a debate about whether the knowledge, attitudes and skills benefit individuals or only the interests of the more powerful group in society. At school, students learn about the formal curriculum and informal curriculum. Both curriculums are equally important for the development of individuals. These curriculums produce knowledge, attitudes and skills within an individual. Definition of formal curriculum The formal curriculum (also known as the official curriculum) consists of areas of academic knowledge which pupils are expected to obtain.For example, it is the form of schooling, rules and disciplines, academic subjects, activities, syllabus and so on. The academic qualification is given more im portance and it helps to produce expertise individuals. Definition of informal curriculum The informal curriculum (also known as hidden curriculum) is the teaching of values, attitudes, and behaviour through the school’s organization and teachers’ attitudes. These values and attitudes are implicitly conveyed to pupils. Sometimes, the messages transmitted as a result of its organization and practices are more powerful than the content of subjects.It acts as an agency of social control and creates an acceptance of the school’s and hence society’s, promotes the recognition of authority structure. It does not form part of the formal timetable. It takes place outside particular subjects and lessons, as a general part of the school life. The school acts as important agencies of social control. It persuades children to learn and conform to the dominant values and norms expected by society. This is mainly carried out through hidden curriculum.Since there are no o bvious, systematized courses in obedience and conformity like academic subjects, the teaching of these values and attitudes is hidden. The young people learn about a wide range of issues from gender to ethnicity and social class. Some claim that extremes of wealth and poverty are normal and should simply be accepted. Hidden curriculum at school In school we are taught subjects. But, we learn much more than what we are taught formally at school. What are these extras? They are about socialising individuals or pupils into norms, values and beliefs; or getting them to take up the ideology of wider capitalist society.This picture shows the path of socialisation [pic] Adrian Worsfold The content of hidden curriculum [pic] The culture of schools and social interaction in classroom The school and the classroom Middle class knowledge Sociologist such as Young argued that middle classes have a monopoly on knowledge. They are the one more likely to succeed in education and they are in a posit ion to decide what is important and not important. Some subjects are viewed as worthy of the schools and others are viewed as low status subjects.This is where the middle class culture and working class culture divides. The middle class culture values years of study of abstract knowledge, but whereas the working classes are more prone to study skills which can provide them with immediate gratification. Students who conform to the teachers ideas are more likely to do well at school. Those who reject the ideas of teachers are considered as the trouble makers. In other words if teachers’ ideas are challenged, it is viewed as deviance or lack of respect of teachers. The brightest students accept the authority of teachers.The rebel students or working class students always create troubles in class and they incessantly argue about the usefulness of studying. They represent the failures at school. The working class failure is produced at school and the interaction between teachers a nd students help to maintain the failures of a particular group. Thus the middle class control and define knowledge for the middle class while rejecting the working class. Culture clash †¢ Middle class and working class Schools are generally middle class institutions. They point out the value of many aspects of the middle class way of life.For example, the importance of hard work and study, sacrifices now for the future rewards, manners, and language use, and so on. For the middle class, school is an institution which is quite familiar with their way of living. The school greets the middle class as an extension of their home life, and they may start school already ‘tuned in’ to the atmosphere of the school. The adaptation of the middle class at school poses no problems and hence they easily get along with the subjects, doing homework, seeking good marks and cooperate with teachers and so on. As a result, the teacher considers them to be intelligent and classy.The w orking class children are disadvantaged at school as they are always compared to the middle class children. They are unfamiliar with the atmosphere of the school and thus behave differently. Consequently, this results in a culture clash where the working class values are in conflict with the middle class values. This can further explain the underachievement of the working class students. Teachers’ attitudes, institutional racism, streaming, labeling and the self fulfilling prophecy i) Teachers’ attitudes Teachers’ attitudes are important to encourage students and give them an appropriate feedback on their abilities.Studies showed that in institutions where white teachers are working, they tend to discriminate between the minority groups and lower the expectations of their ability. Some sociologists suggest that white teachers have hidden prejudices and they treat black children in a different way. Researches conducted suggest that there are other factors which i nfluenced teachers’ judgments of pupils’ ability. For example, teachers are highly influenced by the standards of behaviour, dress, speech and the social class background of pupils and their home environment. Teachers are middle class nd children from middle class have the same standards and values. The middle class students are more likely to be seen by teachers as more cooperative and brighter than those from working class homes. ii) Institutional racism The commission for Racial Equality in Britain has suggested that institutional racism exists in British schools. The schools expect students to behave and adopt the white and European values and those who behave differently are considered as the troublemakers. Subjects such as History or Literature English highlight the success of white British People. ii) Streaming In CPE, there was streaming at schools. Streaming or banding is a system to group pupils in a class or school according to their predicted ability. Teach ers have to differentiate between the bright and dull students based on their ability and regroup them in different sections. Teachers think that the working class students are less intelligent because of their home background. Since teachers judgments have an impact on students performance, the working class students are hence disadvantaged and are found in the lower streams in schools.For Colin Lacey (1970), he saw the negative effect of streaming common in grammar schools where lower-stream boys were pushed into petty jobs such as working in the coffee bars and so on. Lacey found that in a mixed ability school, students are given more opportunities to succeed and an improvement is noticed in the performance of the dull students in exams, although the most able registered no change. iv) Labeling and self-fulfilling prophecy It is inevitable to apply labels to people. When we meet people, we often make judgment about them on the basis of little information.Labeling can affect a stu dent’s performance in class. Based on teachers’ judgment or assumptions, students are labeled as bright or lazy or as troublemakers. Once students are labeled, it is hard to remove the tag. They are condemned and simply act according to the label. The labeled students act accordingly and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Such predictions and labeling can affect an individual’s view of himself or herself, and have a negative impact on their self esteem based on the label attached.Once placed in bottom stream, pupils may take on the characteristics expected of them by teachers. They are always the first one to be suspected when something goes wrong whereas the bright students gain confidence. Middle-class children continue to control the higher streams, thus creating working class underachievement in the education system. Even peer group has the power to define or label peers and these tags are considered as important as the teachers’ judgement. But teache rs’ judgments may differ from those of students.A teacher can apply a positive label to students such as being bright but the same is regarded and labeled differently as earoles or licker by peers. The trouble makers may be popular among their peers and dominate the groups by labeling students. Language and culture as dimensions of social inequality in education systems Language Language is very important at school and can decide about success or failure of students. Reading, writing, speaking and understanding, all form parts of language. Students coming from different social class background communicate in another way and they are judged by teachers in a different way.Bernstein argues that there is a relationship between language use and social class, and that the language used by the middle class is more accepted and lead towards success at school than the language used by the working class. He pointed out that there are two types of language used by students. One is the e laborated code where it is used by students coming from middle class background and the restricted code for the working class. Restricted code is less grammatical and explicit detail is unnecessary. According to Bernstein, this type of language is used by both middle class and working class pupils.The middle class pupils make use of this type of language among friends and use elaborated language in any formal situations. The working class students are limited to the restricted code which is not welcomed at schools among teachers. Elaborated code is the language which is more detailed and giving references with a full understanding of any situation. It is used in some formal context, where explanation and detail are required-like and interview for a job, writing a business letter, writing an essay or examination answer, or in a school lesson or textbook.Bernstein argues that the language used in schools is the elaborated code. The middle class child’s ability to use the elabor ated code gives him an advantage at school over working-class children. The elaborated code of the middle class is more useful in understanding textbooks and writing essays and examination questions require full understanding and explanation which is found mainly in the formal language of the elaborated code. The middle class children find school more familiar and easier to adapt as their day to day language at home is used as a mode of communication.Thus the working class children are disadvantaged by using the restricted code only. In addition, the teacher underestimates the ability of working class students for their restricted use of language. The self-fulfilling prophecy may then come into effect. The school ‘counter culture’ †¢ Lads and earoles †¢ The anti school sub culture Paul Willis argued that the school has develop a counter culture and those coming from working class are more likely to maintain such a culture and are considered as the non conformi sts.These pupils want to spice up their life by annoying teachers and turn the expectations of teachers upside down. They label students who are favoured by teachers as earoles or lobes. They consider themselves as lads. These pupils often rebel against the school and develop an alternative set of values, attitudes and behaviour in opposition to the aims of the school. This is called an anti-school sub-culture, and provides a means for bottom-stream pupils to achieve some success and status in their peer group.They from a small, extreme group and create a cultural space for themselves. Among such pupils, truancy, playing up teachers, messing about, breaking the school rules, and generally disrupting the smooth running of the school become a way of rebelling against the system and resisting a schooling which has labeled them as failures and denied them status. Bottom-stream pupils are very often working class and such pupils will often be found in the anti-school sub-culture. They th en themselves reject the school which has already rejected them as failures and thick.This almost guarantees their failure in education, as they look forward to leaving school at the earliest possible opportunity, often before taking any ‘O Level’ qualifications. The influence of peer groups Peer group A peer group is a group of people of similar age and status with whom a person mixes socially. At school the peer group plays an important role and has an impact on students attitudes. Students tend to gain acceptance among their peers by conforming to the norms of their peer group. However, conformity to the peer group may also promote deviance.Peer pressure may encourage them to adopt forms of deviant behaviour, such as playing truant from school, taking illegal drugs, or under-age drinking. High value is attributed to hard work, good behavior and exam success at school. Labeling and self fulfilling prophecy divides pupils between success and failure. The bottom stream students often rebel against the school and develop an alternative set of values, attitudes and behaviour. This is called the anti school sub-culture. It gives the bottom stream students some success and status in their peer groups. They themselves reject the school which has already rejected them as failures.This guarantees their failure in education. David Hargreaves argued that there are two main types of school subcultures. The top of the streaming system form academic culture which values hard work, compliance with authority and being turned out. At the other end, there is a subculture which values breaking rules and fighting, smoking, annoying the teachers and bending dress codes. Glossary Curriculum-A curriculum is prescriptive, and is based on a more general syllabus which merely specifies what topics must be understood and to what level to achieve a particular grade or standard-Hidden curriculum-The hidden curriculum is a term to used to describe the unwritten social rules and expectations of behavior that we all seem to know, but were never taught (Bieber, 1994). Formal curriculum- The desired curriculum based on national objectives and views of educators and experts in the discipline Immediate gratification- the pleasure principle strives to fulfill our most basic and primitive urges, Authority- refers to a claim of legitimacy, the justification and right to exercise that powerCulture clash- culture clash is when two or more cultures disagree about there believe or way of life. It is the misunderstandings, and disagreements between different cultures. Prejudices- An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts. Institutional racism- is any form of racism occurring specifically within institutions such as public government bodies, private business corporations, and universities (public and private). Streaming- meant splitting pupils into several different hierarchical groups which would stay together for all lessons.Banding- involved putting pupils into broad ability bands and was often used to ensure each school in an area had pupils representing a reasonable balance of each ability level. Self-fulfilling prophecy- Self-fulfilling prophecy is a phenomenon by which people’s expectations about the future events lead them to behave in particular ways that, on occasion, can cause the expected event to occur. Language barrier- is used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people, who have no language in common, attempt to communicate with each other.Restricted code- The restricted code is suitable for insiders who share assumptions and understanding on the topic Elaborated code- elaborated code is more explicit, more thorough, and does not require the listener to read between the lines. Peer group- A peer group is a social group consisting of people who are equal in such respects as age, education or social class. Subcultures- a subculture is a group of people wit h a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong ReferencesBlundell, J Active Sociology for GCSE 2001, Longman Brown, K An introduction to Sociology, 3rd Edition 2005, Blackwell Moore, S Sociology Alive, 3rd Edition 2001, Nelson Thornes Wilson, P Kidd, A Sociology for GCSE 1998, Harper Collins Hidden curriculum Controlling boredom Studies showed that students complain about lesson to be boring and so on. Even in workplace, these complain are made. At school, students learn that boredom is natural at school and workplace. According to Paul Willis, when students create problems at school12BDEPRuy! %4  E*RUs’†Ã‚ · OOoC D â‚ ¬ ? ~ †¡ u # e f g they are actually just making life bearable. They are learning how to deal with very boring employment later in life. Race Schools and teachers might be neutral towards racism, but the curriculum or the school materials reinforces these ideas. For example, cert ain topics stress the white culture and the rejection of other cultures. Accepting authority Students are given a whole list of rules and disciplines at school. They are provided with no other option but to obey these rules and disciplines.They are being sanctioned whenever disobeyed. It prepares them to accept the rules and laws of the wider society. Gender The gender attitudes are strengthened at school giving opportunities to students to do subjects which are categorized specifically for male and female. Female students are supported to go for caring profession and male students are guided towards technical and science subjects. Hierarchy Schools teach students about hierarchy, those having more power will be placed at the top and those those having less power will be placed at the bottom.It reinforces the idea of social hierarchy and allows students for a better preparation for their future workplace. Powerlessness Students are encouraged to engage in classroom discussion to dea l with certain problem and so on. But whenever the school is concerned and money or about any decision making, students have no say in the system. Students learn about their powerlessness in future life. Inequality Schools educate that some students are brighter than others and they are rewarded with greater status and with awards of various kinds. Thus it legitimates the inequality of rewards .

D&M Pyramid on Mars essays

D&M Pyramid on Mars essays D In 1976, the Viking mission to Mars obtained images of the Martian surface of an area known as the Cydonia. In analyzing these images, Vincent DiPietro and Gregory Molenaar, image interpreters from NASA, discovered an unusual formation in the form of a human face, dubbed The Face. While some believed that this was an ancient, artificially created structure, many dismissed it as a natural formation. Inspired by these findings, astronomer and former NASA consultant Richard C. Hoagland organized theIndependent Mars Investigation? in 1983 to further study and analyze the images obtained from the Viking mission. In the investigation, Hoagland discovered and studied other formations inconsistent with Martian geology including theCity?, a cluster polyhedral objects with a rectangular arrangement and a center of axis pointing at the face, and the D The D&M pyramid has been studied by a number of scientists who have considered the different natural processes that could have caused the formation. These processes are fluvial de...

Alexander Fleming Discovers Penicillin

Alexander Fleming Discovers Penicillin In 1928, bacteriologist Alexander Fleming made a chance discovery from an already discarded, contaminated Petri dish. The mold that had contaminated the experiment turned out to contain a powerful antibiotic, penicillin. However, though Fleming was credited with the discovery, it was over a decade before someone else turned penicillin into the miracle drug that has helped save millions of lives. Dirty Petri Dishes On a September morning in 1928, Alexander Fleming sat at his workbench at St. Marys Hospital after having just returned from a vacation at the Dhoon (his country house) with his family. Before he had left on vacation, Fleming had piled a number of his Petri dishes to the side of the bench so that Stuart R. Craddock could use his workbench while he was away. Back from vacation, Fleming was sorting through the long unattended stacks to determine which ones could be salvaged. Many of the dishes had been contaminated. Fleming placed each of these in an ever-growing pile in a tray of Lysol. Looking for a Wonder Drug Much of Flemings work focused on the search for a wonder drug. Though the concept of bacteria had been around since Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first described it in 1683, it wasnt until the late nineteenth century that Louis Pasteur confirmed that bacteria caused diseases. However, though they had this knowledge, no one had yet been able to find a chemical that would kill harmful bacteria but also not harm the human body. In 1922, Fleming made an important discovery, lysozyme. While working with some bacteria, Flemings nose leaked, dropping some mucus onto the dish. The bacteria disappeared. Fleming had discovered a natural substance found in tears and nasal mucus that helps the body fight germs. Fleming now realized the possibility of finding a substance that could kill bacteria but not adversely affect the human body. Finding the Mold In 1928, while sorting through his pile of dishes, Flemings former lab assistant, D. Merlin Pryce stopped by to visit with Fleming. Fleming took this opportunity to gripe about the amount of extra work he had to do since Pryce had transferred from his lab. To demonstrate, Fleming rummaged through the large pile of plates he had placed in the Lysol tray and pulled out several that had remained safely above the Lysol. Had there not been so many, each would have been submerged in Lysol, killing the bacteria to make the plates safe to clean and then reuse. While picking up one particular dish to show Pryce, Fleming noticed something strange about it. While he had been away, a mold had grown on the dish. That in itself was not strange. However, this particular mold seemed to have killed the Staphylococcus aureus that had been growing in the dish. Fleming realized that this mold had potential. What Was That Mold? Fleming spent several weeks growing more mold and trying to determine the particular substance in the mold that killed the bacteria. After discussing the mold with mycologist (mold expert) C. J. La Touche who had his office below Flemings, they determined the mold to be a Penicillium mold. Fleming then called the active antibacterial agent in the mold, penicillin. But where did the mold come from? Most likely, the mold came from La Touches room downstairs. La Touche had been collecting a large sampling of molds for John Freeman, who was researching asthma, and it is likely that some floated up to Flemings lab. Fleming continued to run numerous experiments to determine the effect of the mold on other harmful bacteria. Surprisingly, the mold killed a large number of them. Fleming then ran further tests and found the mold to be non-toxic. Could this be the wonder drug? To Fleming, it was not. Though he saw its potential, Fleming was not a chemist and thus was unable to isolate the active antibacterial element, penicillin, and could not keep the element active long enough to be used in humans. In 1929, Fleming wrote a paper on his findings, which did not garner any scientific interest. 12 Years Later In 1940, the second year of World War II, two scientists at Oxford University were researching promising projects in bacteriology that could possibly be enhanced or continued with chemistry. Australian Howard Florey and German refugee Ernst Chain began working with penicillin. Using new chemical techniques, they were able to produce a brown powder that kept its antibacterial power for longer than a few days. They experimented with the powder and found it to be safe. Needing the new drug immediately for the war front, mass production started quickly. The availability of penicillin during World War II saved many lives that otherwise would have been lost due to bacterial infections in even minor wounds. Penicillin also treated diphtheria, gangrene, pneumonia, syphilis, and tuberculosis. Recognition Though Fleming discovered penicillin, it took Florey and Chain to make it a usable product. Though both Fleming and Florey were knighted in 1944 and all three of them (Fleming, Florey, and Chain) were awarded the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Fleming is still credited for discovering penicillin.

Multple choice take home test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Multple choice take home test - Essay Example because they are all Muslims, Asian families are larger than both White or Afro Caribbean families - 75% have 5 or more members - patrilineal and patrilocal. There is little variation between sub communities and women are mostly confined to the home and "homework". basically, deficit theory says that some people are just stupider than others - ie they lack intelligence - and reproduction theory simply builds on this, arguing that schooling has to be organised around such manifest and unalterable differences. deficit theory reveals the fact that lower socio economic groups are systematically disadvantaged with respect to educational resources, and reproduction theory shows how these disadvantages have persisted as a result of policy failure. deficit theory reveals the fact that lower socio economic groups are systematically disadvantaged with respect to educational resources which implies the problem could be fixed by switching resources to areas of need, whereas reproduction theorists, like Murphy, insist it is not a resource, but a motivational problem, and lower socio economic groups are just not interested in more schooling! deficit theory assumes that currently "failing" kids could succeed if only they adopted the requisite - ie middle class - values, skills and motivations etc, whereas Reproduction Theory insists that since schools are set up to "reproduce" class privilege, such kids will always "fail". Goldthorpe shows that the number of "branching points" in educational decision making are critical in the reproduction of class differentials, comprehensive education, favoured by the Swedes, reduces the number of branching points. Educational differentials reflect class differences in cost benefit evaluations of educational options. The example of Sweden is significant because there the reduction of class educational differentials was accompanied by

A Survey of Language and Literacy (L&L) Programs Research Paper - 1

A Survey of Language and Literacy (L&L) Programs - Research Paper Example This is a program whose main intent is to focus indirectly or directly on economic, social, or inequalities that are political between two parties by literacy. Literacy, in this respect, is referred as a type of knowledge. It allows one to access extensive reservoirs of knowledge thus the saying that knowledge is power (Whitehead 12). In many situations, if one compares the illiterate and literate groups, those individuals who are literate always have an advantage over those individuals who are not. When illiteracy is institutionalized, literacy would be extremely powerful and a liberator who is remarkably effective thus a form of empowerment. In reality, all programs of literacy have a component of empowerment. In this program, empowerment is distinguished since it is a central program’s feature.Empowerment literacy program has some conditions that are normally used in determining its choice. These conditions include An elite that is educated or rather a class considered as a middle class takes advantage of a group that is seen to be disadvantaged preliterate or semiliterate group. A community sector like certain groups clan has opportunities that are limited due to a limited access to literacy that could be intentional. A given community may be politically or socially dominated on the language basis and on education access. In this regard, illiteracy may block efforts of improving welfare and health of the masses thus limiting the meaning of any efforts towards a change that is political.

Tivo Marketing Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Tivo Marketing Case Analysis Essay The disappointing sales performance during the Christmas 1999 season ended up being a priceless lesson for TiVo’s marketing team: it was the catalyst that created the need for a TiVo’s new communications strategy. However, defining this new marketing campaign was challenging, especially after the feedback received about the product indicated issues like limited awareness and hard-to-communicate functionalities. The main focus of this new marketing campaign is to select a positioning strategy that will speed up the adoption of TiVo among consumers. The marketing team has three options on how to position TiVo: 1) as an enhanced digital video recorder, 2) as a product that gives viewers the ability to create their own television network, 3) or as a super VCR. I recommend that they position TiVo as the super VCR that gives users a unique TV experience. Analysis TiVo’s potential goes beyond the introduction of an innovative electronics product; it has the power to change the habit of how Americans watch television. So far TiVo’s penetration has been extremely limited, many consumers are not aware of its existence, and at the point-of-sale, the salespeople are encountering difficulties in explaining the benefits of the product. Moreover, TiVo represented a totally new innovative product that targeted the enhancement of television viewing, which was clearly not on anyone’s priority list. To communicate TiVo’s advantages, the marketing team has considered using different advertising sources for different purposes. However, this approach eliminates the possibility of communicating a consistent message across all potential buyers. Without a consistent message, consumers will be confused of what TiVo truly represents. Most consumers are aware of what a VCR is, so positioning TiVo as the super VCR would make it easier for consumers to associate it with a familiar product and its functions. If the message behind TiVo focuses on providing users with the ultimate television experience, consumers are likely to be curious about what this super VCR is all about. It indirectly encourages consumers to try this state-of-the-arte innovation. The drawback of positioning TiVo as an enhanced digital video recorder is that consumers can view it as an extremely high technological innovation, not suitable for a typical household, but apt for technologically savvy consumers. Digital recorders are a relatively new innovation, with a limited awareness and familiarity among consumers. It narrows TiVo’s ability to reach a wider range of consumers. Positioning TiVo as a product that allows any user to program his or her own TV network not only focuses on one of the many features of TiVo, but the idea behind it is too abstract. TiVo’s relative advantage is high, as its innovation is significantly better than the products it is replacing, specially the regular VCR. Before TiVo, the average household spent more than 7 hours watching TV. TiVo’s intent is to make television viewing a lot more enjoyable, making it a totally new experience. Thus, its functionality is highly compatible with the existing consumer behavior. However, due to the many benefits the product offers, many consumers have difficulty understanding all the benefits of the product. Some users even had trouble using the system, which is not very easy to use; therefore its complexity is high. The trialability of TiVo is low, since the product can be experimented most of the time either in retail stores through a demonstration or through the online demo available at TiVo’s website. TiVo’s observability is currently low, since many consumers have a lack of awareness of its existence. Finally, the risk involved with TiVo’s launching is high, as there is an important amount of capital committed to the success of the project. TiVo’s proposed positioning as the super VCR can be analyzed with the Marketing Mix analysis. Product. TiVo, the super VCR, is the first digital video recorder that empowers television viewers to create their own personal television network. Viewers can pause live television to attend interruptions such as phone calls or unexpected visits. It gives viewers the freedom to watch whichever program they want, whenever they want. With TiVo’s capacity to store up to 30 hours of recorded television, users reduce the hassle of using videotapes to record television programs. Users virtually eliminate the possibility of missing their favorite shows, since they can set-up TiVo to record them. With these aforementioned features, TiVo will revolutionize the way Americans view television. Price. The current price of $999 for the 30-hour TiVo box is extremely high. It can easily discourage any early adopter or a TV addict. Hence, the marketing team should reduce the price to $399, even lower if financially viable. The more attractive the ticket (i. e. TiVo Box) for the ultimate TV experience, the easier consumers will be lured in. The service fee structure seems at a very reasonable price, it requires no major price adjustments. Place. Electronic retail stores, such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and Sears serve as the best channels to sell the product. It is imperative that the marketing team develops a training program for the sales force of those retail outlets. Many consumers will have their first TiVo experience in a retail store; hence, the salespeople must be prepared to demonstrate the benefits of TiVo in a flawless way. The internet should be used as another channel to sell the product, especially the TiVo website, where it must have a friendly-user demo, so customers can interact with TiVo. Promotion. Consistency is the key to launch a successful communication strategy across the different media sources. The marketing team should focus on attractive ways to create the need and dependency of TiVo. Offering a 30-day free trial for the TiVo recorder and service is an excellent way to allow consumers to fully experience TiVo’s benefits. Presenting testimonials of TiVo users about their positive experiences with the product stimulates the curiosity among consumers who want to know what the super VCR really does. Recommendation Positioning the TiVo as the super VCR that provides the ultimate TV experience will speed up the adoption of this innovative product. This theme stimulates a very particular interest among those who consider watching television as a means of entertainment. Moreover, delivering this message builds on TiVo’s brand identity, which can be associated with the innovative super VCR that changed an old-fashioned lifestyle. TiVo is more than the first digital video recorder that gave consumers the opportunity to develop their own personal television network; it is the super VCR that is making the habit of watching TV as the ultimate experience.

Free College Admissions Essays: Psychology :: College Admissions Essays

College Essay about Psychology    Some say that mankind is complex beyond comprehension. I cannot, of course, speak for every other individual on this earth, but I do not believe that I am a very difficult person to understand. My life is based upon two very simple, sweeping philosophies: pragmatism in actions and idealism in thought. Thus, with these two attitudes, I characterize myself.    Pragmatism in actions. I believe utterly in one of those old cliches: we are given only a limited time upon this earth and every moment wasted is lost forever. Therefore, I do not engage in those things that I view as useless. The next question is obvious. What do I view as useless? In reality, perhaps too many things and definitely too many to address in one essay. However, I can indulge in the discussion of a few. Hate is a wasted emotion. Hate accomplishes nothing. It does not relieve hunger. It does not alleviate pain. It creates only avoidable aggression. I do not believe in any kind of hate, including prejudice and racism. My energies and time can be better spent elsewhere. Anger too. What does anger do? Nothing. It frustrates us and aggravates us, and we can avoid it. Being frustrated is not a pleasing experience for me. When I was young, or rather, when I was younger than I am now, I would explode at the smallest disturbances (I'm sorry mom and dad). Now, I have realized that anger is a waste of time, and I no longer have a temper to lose. I would much rather wallow in happiness. And in my happiness, I do not worry much over my image in the eyes of others. The important word here is much, for there are opinions of certain individuals about which I do care a great deal, but these are few. They include my family, my close friends, and those who possess the power to affect my life significantly (for example, university admissions officers). Otherwise, I pay no attention to whispers behind my back or vague rumors circulating in the air above. As long as I know the truth, however harsh it may be, and those that I care about know the truth, I am not troubled. The masses may think as they wish. They are entitled. As can probably be observed from this essay thus far, my outlook on life saves me more than a bit of stress.

How to help Children Feel Welcomed and Valued in My Setting Essay

Some of the children we look after are with us for a large amount of time which means we should create an environment that makes them feel welcome comfortable and valued. Here are some things to think about that will help you to create this kind of environment. Greeting Greetings are socially important. Always acknowledge a child’s arrival to welcome them in. This will help a child to feel more comfortable about coming in and leaving their parents/carer. Helping Children to have their own spaces Children feel most comfortable in certain areas. Let children find their own space and choose where they want to play. Children like to have special things that belong to just them. At junglers children have their own coat peg and draw for their belongings. Encourage children to make choices It is important that children are given some opportunities to make their own choices. This gives them a sense of control. Let children decide what they want to play with, let them decide what chair they want to sit on at meal times etc. Involve children in decision making Helping children to make their own decisions helps to build their self esteem and contributes to their emotional well being. It also helps to build stronger relationships. Encouraging children to make decisions is not about giving them control its about involving them. Negotiate with Children Negotiation is a life skill. Children learn it by being given the opportunity to practise it. This is not about giving children their own way but about showing them that you are listening to their view points and finding solutions to problems together. It also prevents children feeling excluded and powerless. It is important however for children to know what their boundaries or constraints are. Respect children as individuals Recognise children as individuals. Children have different strengths talents and interests. They also respond in different ways. You can help build on a child’s individuality by recognising their interests and encouraging them to build upon them. Talking is an invaluable tool. Let children talk to you about everything and anything and show them that you are interested in what they are saying. This will help you find out what makes that child special. Communicating with children Communication comes in many forms, talking listening, body language and facial expressions are just a few. Be clear with children so they know what is expected of them. Think about children’s language levels and needs. Communicate with them in a way that is appropriate and a way they will understand. Don’t be sarcastic and keep sentences to the point. Avoid confusion by meaning exactly what you say and make sure you have a child’s attention before you start to tell them something.

European Exploration and Trade

There was once a time in our history, before computerized maps and satellites and tracking programs. Sailors had to guide themselves by the stars and very basic and inaccurate maps. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Europe there was advancement in technology and learning that led to widespread exploration and trade among countries. The introduction of the compass, advancements in cartography, the printing press, and other inventions led to increased trade and exploration throughout Europe.Before the fifteenth century, sailors often didn’t venture far from what they knew because maps were extremely inaccurate and weather was unpredictable. In the fourteenth century a style of maps, called portolon charts, were introduced. These were pictures of harbors, ports, cities, and coastlines inscribed on sheepskin. These maps were valuable to the merchant and traders between cities, but to the explorer changing continents they were basically useless. The compass was also a maj or improvement to previous methods.Before this invention, sailors used the stars to navigate and stay on their somewhat planned course. However, during the day they were at a loss. When the compass was invented, it allowed sailors to know their bearing all the time. People soon learned to notice and pay more attention to weather patterns while sailing. They discovered the trade winds among the seas and noted where they were in relation to each other and what their effects on shipping were. The winds caused either a faster and smoother trip or a longer and rougher voyage, depending on the direction of the ship and the wind involved.This was an advancement to previous methods because they now knew what to expect and prepare for instead of guessing or being surprised. They could also plan routes and try new routes. This led to a period of time called the Age of Sail. The printing press was one of the biggest and most important inventions of this time period. Before, literature and docu ments were scarce and not very common. After the printing press was introduced, literary works and various types of documents were more available to the common person. This encouraged people to become more educated because they now had the means to do it.The printing press also had an effect on cartography. Because maps had to be either inscribed or drawn, they were rare and not very public. After the printing press, maps were able to be duplicated and shared with other cartographers. In doing this, they could compare their maps with other peoples and create a newer and more accurate representation of the land and sea. This caused people to become more sure and trusting of these maps, making them venture out further than they had before, thus increasing trade. The design and size of ships were also changing during this time.The Europeans began to incorporate the methods of other countries, such as China, into their own shipbuilding process. One change was the multiple sails on the s hip which allowed for better upwind travel. The all-in-one rudder was also a major improvement because it allowed for easier and faster steering and better control and stability of the keel. All in all, various changes and improvements occurred during this time. Inventions and improvements such as map making, compasses, understanding of weather patterns, and the printing press were all factors in the increase in exploration and trade in Europe.

This essay provides a paragraph and explains the critiqueing for the example. Explains Cultural differences within the paragraph.

This essay provides a paragraph and explains the critiqueing for the example. Explains Cultural differences within the paragraph. "I wanted to welcome you ASAP to our little family here in the States. It's high time we shook hands in person and not just across the sea. I'm pleased as punch about getting to know you all, and I for one will do my level best to sell you on America."After critiquing the paragraph for the email, I found it to be very unclear in relaying the intended message. The paragraph contained statements that may not be properly translated to the intended audience, such as "It's high time" and "pleased as punch." This risks confusion and could cause an unwanted reaction. The email uses the phrase "high time", which means the appropriate time. The phrase originated from Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, Antipholus of Syracuse."There's none but witches do inhabit here;And therefore 'tis high time that I were hence."Unless the audience is familiar with Shakespeare's work, they may mistake the meaning.2011-06-22-Marlene-Williams-Memorial-Bench-Flowers..."Pleased as punch" is another example. It origi nated from the Punch and Judy slapstick puppet character. In Punch and Judy performances the Punch character is depicted as self-satisfied and pleased with his evil deeds, therefore the phrase became common to express how pleased someone is regarding an object, action, etc. Because the group is not originally from the United States, these are phrases I would refrain from using. According to Business Communication Today, "When speaking to people less fluent in your language, try to choose words carefully to convey only their most specific denotative meaning." (Page 66 Para. 4) Although they do speak English, there are things they may not be aware of.Forse 3I would also eliminate the use of contractions and abbreviations within the email, It's, I'm, and ASAP. Although it is an email, the use can be considered unprofessional by...

Article In Business Example

Article In Business Ryanair warns fares will rise This article published in The Guardian discusses about Ryanair’s warning to shoot its fare up in the near future. Thisrise in fare would have to be made to meet the company’s targets. All such measures are been taken by the company to increase its profits in the upcoming years. This sudden move to increase the fares and profit is because the company posted an approximate loss of â‚ ¬11 million in the third quarter of 2010. Although the company has been a successful airline service provider recognized as one of the best in the world, it has recently been criticized by some critics along with some of its customers. The basic reason for Ryanair’s success was their ability to cope with their costs which they offered to their customers in the form of low fares, such fares were really low when compared to other airline service providers. Ryanair’s great tendency to innovate always led them to reduce their costs and increase the q uality of their service. Innovation had always been a main factor that led Ryanair to open new dimensions in the airline industry. The strategy followed by Ryanair to reduce their costs was to have low emission aircrafts such as Boeing 737; these aircrafts were also fuel efficient hence they helped Ryanair to have better control over their fuel costs even in the era when fuel costs increased drastically. Such better quality and low cost led Ryanair to be pronounced as the most profitable airline in the world by an Air Transport World Magazine. The article discussed that the company had good prospect as one of its competitors, Germany’s Blue Wings, had left the market and had created a greater scope for Ryanair to capture a much larger market share in the upcoming future. Although according to the company’s Chief Financial Officer, the company might increase its fares in the future, Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair was of the view that the company would heavily focus on cutting its costs much more. Besides this statement, he also pointed towards the better and productive performance of the company and increased gain in the market share of the company in area such as Spain, Scandinavia, etc. Because of this news, there was a sudden rise of 5 % in the company’s share in the Dublin market. This article lead to an increase in the share price for Ryanair but this can also signal alarms for its customers as there may be some rise in the fares charged by the company. The positive thing derived from this article would be to favor the shareholders of the company, who would enjoy better profits in the following years to come. References Ryanair warns fares will rise, Katie Allen, guardian.co.uk, 2010 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/01/ryanair-fares-rise

An investigation in to a link between emotional intelligence and Dissertation

An investigation in to a link between emotional intelligence and leadership stylea study in the public sector of South Africa - Dissertation Example However, in the advent of â€Å"emotional intelligence†, the element of human emotions and its effect on self and other people have been seriously considered as an essential factor in leadership. It has brought about a trend in the academic, corporate and political world, bringing a new dimension in the way things are run in organisations affecting company philosophy, policy, mission and vision. In the public sector, with leaders being targeted with scandals about corruption and greediness, good governance needs to be reinstated. Mokgolo et al. (2012) contend that relevant studies on leadership add knowledge that can elevate public service practices with the implementation of effective leadership, retention of valuable staff and quality of service delivery. Such relevant studies include the possession of emotional intelligence in good leadership. Statement of the Problem This study will investigate the possible links between emotional intelligence and effective leadership styl es that may be applicable in the public sector. Specifically, it will explore how it can be applied to the public sector of South Africa. Aims and Objectives The research purports to establish strong links between emotional intelligence and leaders who may be identified as effective and efficient by their subordinates. It will gather sufficient evidence from available literature as well as get first-hand information from subordinates and constituents of public sector leaders in South Africa. It aims to seek a clearer perspective on the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. It hopes to be a useful resource to future leaders to guide them in the right path in leading the organizations they will be tasked to lead to success. Methodology This qualitative study investigates the importance of emotional intelligence in successful leadership and management in the public sector. Going beyond the surface in the review of literature, this study will probe beneath the issue of lea dership in organisations and delve into the emotional intelligence of leaders or the lack of it. Primary sources will be respondents’ answers to open ended questions in a questionnaire about the leadership styles of the leaders in their respective departments, further elaborated on in a focus group interview conducted on a later date. Secondary sources will be information culled from the literature review. Both sources shall be cross-referenced in a quantitative analysis of the themes that may surface from the questionnaires and focus group discussion. Literature Review Much research has been devoted to the topic of leadership. Yukl (2006) presents a comprehensive collection of studies on leadership, identifying various approaches to leadership. The behavior approach studies the leader’s typical pattern of behaviour to manage and lead. The power-influence approach takes on a more leader-centered perspective in that power is used not only to manage subordinates but also to influence peers, superiors, and even people outside the organization. The situational approach sees leadership as affected by contextual factors such as characteristics of followers, nature of the work performed, the type of organization and the nature of the external environment. Finally, the integrative approach involves more than one type of leadership variable and incorporates other perspectives of leadership (Yukl, 2006). In most of