Managing High Growth Brand-Starbucks

Submitted To Mahbub Hossain Course: brand and product management American International University – Bangladesh (AIUB) Submitted By Khan Samara Salsabeel #07-09162-2 . | | Mr. Mahbub Hossain Course Instructor Brand and Product Management, sec-A Subject: STARBUCKS CORPORATION: Managing high growth brand. Dear Sir, We are grateful to you for giving us the chance to work on this case study.We would also like to express gratitude to you for your gracious cooperation and valuable guidance for preparing the report. Sincerely, Khan Samara Salsabeel (07-09162-2) Sadia Rezwana (07-09013-2) Kazi Masum (08-09933-1) Mohammad Abdul Kader (08-11783-2) In 1971, Seattle entrepreneurs Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl first opened Starbucks in Pike Place Market. At that time, Country’s major coffee brands were engaged in price war, therefore they were forced to use cheaper beans in their blends to reduce costs.As a result there was a decline in coffee consumption. To harness t he potential of the gourmet coffee trend in the Seattle area, the founders of Starbucks experimented with the new concept of a store dedicated to selling only the finest coffee beans and coffee brewing machines. This emphasis on quality whole-bean coffee retail was fairly unique. Starbucks placed quality as its top priority. The Starbucks management dedicated a great deal of their time and financial resources to establishing strong relationships with coffee growers from around the world.In 1982, Howard Schultz, current CEO of Starbucks recognized that the conservative business plans of early Starbucks management hindered the company from reaching other potential coffee lovers. Hence he transformed Starbucks from a coffee retailer into a cafe business. He had a vision of expanding the scope and reach of the Starbucks brand. In addition to selling only ‘best of class’ coffee, Starbucks worked to fill its stores with only the highest quality of everything, from coffee maki ng equipment to the fixtures and furnishings to the music and artwork.Each Starbucks store is carefully designed to enhance the quality of everything the customer see, touch, hear, smell or taste. The stores are designed in such a manner that it gives a warm, inviting environment essential for giving Starbucks a pleasurable coffee centered experience. The keys for success for Starbucks in building the brand are: 1. Starbucks was the first to introduce Coffee house with premium coffee to American market. 2. Consistent premium coffee. 3. It placed quality as its top priority. 4. Starbucks established strong relationships with coffee growers from around the world. . Formation of dynamic management team with highly innovative and creative employees. 6. Profitable partnerships and joint ventures with some of the nation’s strongest corporations such as Host Marriott, United Airlines, Pepsi Co, Dryers and others. Brand values of Starbucks: 1. Top priority is the quality of its produ cts 2. Premium coffee experience 3. value simplicity over technology 4. Investing in innovation 5. Employees as partners and viewed as the most important assets of the corporation. The sources of equity of Starbucks are Brand awareness and brand image.Brand awareness and image are collectively known as brand knowledge. Brand awareness has been established through word-of mouth, partnership and selective and fruitful location of Starbucks outlets. Brand image is established through: 1. premium coffee beans 2. brewing techniques 3. store designs, artwork and music 4. Consistently good customer service 5. Classy, romantic atmosphere with consistent store design that meets five senses. Pivotal to Starbucks high growth strategy was the carefully planned expansion of its specialty coffee stores to new markets throughout North America and eventually worldwide.Hence geographical market expansion, joint ventures and partnerships are some of the strategies the corporation followed to grow the brand. However these strategies had both merits and demerits for Starbucks which have been discussed later in the report. There are several things which are needed for a corporation to become a world class global brand which are also discussed in the report. For Starbucks to become a world class global brand, it must overcome some major hurdles. In addition to hurdles, Starbucks has many challenges which they need to meet in terms of American market. All these are discussed in detail in the report. SI |DESCRIPTION |PAGE | |01 |Objective Of The Report |07 | |02 |Methodology of The Report |08 | |03 |Limitation Of The Report |09 | |04 |Starbucks Corporation At A Glance |11 | |05 |Success Keys For Starbucks In Building Brand |12-13 | |06 |Starbucks’ Brand Values |14 | |07 |Sources Of Equity For Starbucks |15 | |08 |Evaluation Of Starbucks’ Growth Strategy |16-18 | |09 |Starbucks’ Challenges In Becoming A World Class Brand. 19 | |10 |Recommendation |20 | |11 |Conclusion |21 | |12 |Reference/Bibliography |22 | 1. It reflects a brief description of the corporation. 2. To know the following: †¢ Success keys for Starbucks †¢ Starbucks’ brand values †¢ Starbucks’ sources of equity †¢ Starbucks’ growth strategies †¢ Starbucks’ hurdles and challenges in becoming a world-class brand. We have collected almost all data from the case study. Moreover, we have collected data from Annual Report published by the corporation. Reference books, study materials and the internet were also of great aid for the preparation of the report.The first and foremost limitation was the time constraints. Gathering information on various aspects of the corporation was quite difficult. This is the reason we could not go to the in depth analysis within the limited time frame. In less than a decade, Starbucks was transformed from a fledgling whole bean coffee retail chain into a globally recognized brand. In 2002, Sta rbucks was comprised of more than 5400 stores located throughout North America, Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Europe and the Middle East. Growth of the corporation’s coffee retail business continued at a steady pace of one store opening a day on average, and annual revenue for 2001 topped $2. 7 billion.Moreover, joint ventures with some of the nation’s strongest corporations including Pepsi, Kraft, Dryer’s and Capitol Records, allowed Starbucks to launch a lucrative consumer product division to complement its cafe business. Licensing partnerships with other companies such as United Airlines, ITT Sheraton and Host Marriott further added to the growth of the Starbucks brand. Indeed, Starbucks rose to become one of the most impressive high growth brands in the 1990s. Despite this remarkable growth, some questioned whether Starbucks began to lose focus as the company strove to constantly reinvent itself. Critics wondered if perhaps the brand grew too quickly rapid ly to remain focused on its core values and business objectives.In less than a decade Starbucks was transformed from a fledgling whole bean coffee retail chain into a globally recognized brand. By 2002 Starbucks was comprised of more that 5400 stores located throughout North America, Latin America the Pacific Rim, Europe and the Middle East. There were some success keys which accelerated the growth of the company, some of which are given below: 1. The company had a strong and dynamic management team. The creative and highly innovative team monitored the problems of the customer and the employees. They also found out effective solutions to the problems the company encountered at different stages of its operation.In other words, the key to the company’s success and widespread appeal among loyal customers had always been the employees, whose knowledge and dedication attracted customers to continue returning to the store. 2. joint ventures with some of the nation’s stronge st corporations including Pepsi, Kraft, Dryer’s and Capitol Records, allowed Starbucks to launch a lucrative consumer product division to complement its cafe business . 3. Licensing partnerships with some other companies such as united airlines ITT Sheraton and host Marriott further added to the growth of the brand. 4. Use of improved and new technology was another key to the success of the brand. This made it easier for the company to maintain the quality of the products.Innovations such as the FlavorLock bags prevented harmful air and moisture from seeping into the coffee thereby preserving the quality and saving the company from much more significant costs. 5. Starbucks was the first to introduce Coffee house with premium coffee to American market. 6. It placed quality as its top priority. To distinguish their coffee from the bland and tasteless store brands, Starbucks only purchased Arabica beans from a carefully selected network of suppliers across the globe, from places like Sumatra, Kenya, Ethiopia and Costa Rica. Arabica beans were selected because the bean’s chemistry is such that it can withstand high roasting temperatures, resulting in richer flavor. 7. Starbucks established strong relationships with coffee growers from around the world.Starbucks sought vendors who sold products that would protect and even enhance the arabica’s flavor. This required the formation of partnerships across the globe with coffee brewing equipment suppliers who provided products that captured the essence of the coffee brewing tradition. The brand values of the company are given below: 1. The company placed quality at its top priority they emphasized on quality and never compromised with it. The Starbucks founders realized that if they wanted to enhance Seattle’s appreciation for fine coffee, they had to provide the best ingredients and brewing equipment to ensure that customers had the most enjoyable coffee experiences possible. 2.Employees are viewed as the most important assets and partners of the corporation. They were adequately educated and trained to provide the best customer service. The knowledge and dedication of the employees attracted customers to continue returning to the stores. The employees played a vital role. This is because word-of-mouth publicity can only be achieved if the company continues to recruit and retain talented individuals who can lead the company to new markets and communicate Starbucks’ strong values to the communities who knew little about the brand. 3. Another brand value for Starbucks was investing in innovation. It made easier for the company to maintain the quality of the products.Innovations such as the Flavor Lock bags prevented harmful air and moisture from seeping into the coffee thereby preserving the quality and saving the company from much more significant costs. The source of equity for Starbucks is Brand knowledge. Brand knowledge is the key to create brand equity becau se it creates differential effect that drives brand equity. Brand knowledge has two components: †¢ Brand awareness †¢ Brand image – Brand image is the impression in the consumers’ mind of a brand’s total personality. Brand awareness is again consists of: †¢ Brand recognition – relates to consumers ability to confirm prior exposure to the brand when given the brand as a cue. †¢ Brand recall – Relates to consumers’ ability to retrieve the brand from memory when given the product category.Brand awareness for the company has been established through word-of mouth, new channels partnerships and selective and fruitful location for Starbucks outlets. Brand image is established through: †¢ premium coffee beans †¢ brewing techniques †¢ store designs, artwork and music †¢ Consistently good customer service †¢ Classy, romantic atmosphere with consistent store design that meets five senses. Starbuck’s growth strategy mainly comprised of Geographical Market Expansion, Diversification and Partnerships. Pivotal to Starbuck’s high-growth strategy was the carefully planned expansion of its specialty coffee stores to new markets throughout North America and eventually worldwide.The first phase of the Starbucks expansion strategy focused on securing a major foothold in the Pacific Northwest while experimenting in other key markets that were farther away, but had a high potential for rapid growth in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Washington, D. C. Successful expansion throughout Florida, Hawaii and Tokyo showed that fine coffee could be a hit in warmer climates as well as in the cold cities. The Starbucks management team agreed of the company’s massive expansion program by owning the operation by itself instead of pursuing franchising. This was a smart move because franchising runs the risk of a possibility of ruining the brand’s ima ge to some extent. Other disadvantages of franchising are: †¢ Franchisees are self-employed there may be problems in ensuring that they all adhere to the operational methods that are designed to achieve uniformity.Failure by an individual franchisee will reflect badly on the whole franchise operation. †¢ The franchisee may have different objectives from those of the franchisor. In the long run, they may begin to resent the control exercised by the franchisor. This may cause problems in terms of ‘policing the franchisee’ Diversification means developing new products for new markets. Some of the reasons why it is advantageous for companies like Starbucks are: †¢ Diversification promises to be especially profitable †¢ To avoid dependence on a single product †¢ To strengthen existing products by synergy †¢ To compete on all points with a rival firm †¢ To take advantage of byproducts.Although diversification strategy is risky, the company r uns the risk of neglecting the existing products and introduces new products to new markets which are a desperate move. Starbucks diversified with new products namely †¢ Frappuccino, a popular bottled cold coffee beverage using extracts from Starbucks famous Arabica beans. Frappuccino put the Starbucks brand into supermarkets for the first time. †¢ In November 1999, Starbucks launched Barista Aroma thermal coffeemaker which was positioned as a ‘durable, convenient and consistent way to brew coffee. †¢ Two new lines of proprietary products were launched in 1999: chocolates and hot cider. †¢ Starbucks also introduced a line of coffee blends, called Milder Dimensions that aimed at capturing demand for lighter roasted coffees. Starbucks purchased Tazo Tea, an Oregon tea retailer, indicated a potential new trend for Starbucks to acquire companies as a means extending product lines. With Tazo Tea, Starbucks hoped to attract new customers who were looking alternat ives to coffee. With Starbuck’s geographical market expansion proceeding at a phenomenal rate and with much success, many companies across the country began to approach Starbucks with partnership proposals. But selecting the wrong partner company or the wrong product to introduce with a partner could have devastating consequences for the brand. As a result, Starbucks entered into partnerships with companies who maintained the same commitments to quality such as Kraft, Dryer’s, Pepsi, Host Marriott, and United Airlines.These partnership arrangements provided the company with a number of benefits given below: †¢ Increased brand awareness †¢ Broader range of potential customers †¢ Exposing to new customers helped the company to cultivate stronger brand image †¢ Partnership is a way so that consumers regard Starbucks as a world class brand. †¢ Partnership resulted in innovative product development. †¢ The Dryer’s joint venture with Star bucks led to the creation of six popular Starbucks coffee ice cream flavors that are marketed under the Starbucks name but produced and distributed by Dryer’s. Sales of these ice creams surpassed others such as Haagen-Dazs and increased to 54% in the year becoming the market leader. By partnering with Kraft, the second largest packaged-foods company in North America, Starbucks was able to benefit from Kraft’s extensive distribution network. The Kraft partnership also left the door open for Starbucks to explore the possibility of marketing food products with the help of Kraft’s distribution and marketing expertise. Despite of the above benefits the partnerships were providing to Starbucks, they also had problems: †¢ There was a risk that the partner companies will not maintain the same quality, customer service and commitments because Starbucks was allowing an outside source to brew its coffee. †¢ Staffs and bartenders may not be well trained and may no t provide adequate information to customers regarding Starbucks. In case, bad tasting coffee was being served to thousands of customers, then the brand would develop a negative connotation. For the above problems, Starbucks were able to solve these problems so that Starbucks’ brand image would be harmed in the partnerships. The partnering companies were quick to remedy coffee quality problems by working with Starbucks to install more effective filtering devices in aircraft brewing equipment, and to better educate staffs of the partnering companies on how to protect on how to protect the quality of the coffee. Therefore, since Starbucks could overcome the problems, partnerships have proved to be beneficial.To make Starbucks a world-class global brand the followings are needed: †¢ Production and distribution (saving costs and coffee quality). †¢ Marketing costs ( packaging and promotion ) †¢ Power and scope ( credibility, acceptance, social status, high quality, etc ) †¢ Consistency in brand image. †¢ Sustainability of core competences †¢ Uniformity ( controlling and coordination ) The hurdles which Starbucks must overcome are given below: †¢ Consumer needs and wants in different cultures. People in different countries may have different coffee drinking behavior and coffee consumption. †¢ Consumer response of marketing mix (attitudes and opinions). †¢ Legal environment (different labor policies between countries). Administrative procedures. In terms of American market, Starbuck’s biggest challenges are: †¢ Biggest threat : Dunkin’ Donuts †¢ Increasing of direct competitors †¢ Aggressive global marketing strategies †¢ Focus on overseas growth and brand development Despite Starbuck’s remarkable growth, it began to lose focus as the company stove to constantly reinvent itself. The brand was growing too rapidly to remain focused on its core values and business objectives. St arbucks developed non related or other products, such as in November 1999 it launched Barista Aroma Thermal coffeemaker which was positioned as a durable, convenient and consistent way to brew coffee.In case of this coffeemaker the problems were, it was blocking the sightline and the traditional coffee taste was being lost. Hence in this case it can be recommended for semi-automated coffee machines and designing of proper layout for the coffee machines so that the machines do not block the sightlines. It also launched non related products such as custom made CDs and other entertainment products. Although these have the advantages of increased brand awareness, improved brand image and enhanced parent brand, these products have the demerits of losing brand identity, core values and the company may end up with frustrated and confused customers.So it can be recommended to pull out unrelated diversification and focus on being number one in the coffee business. Starbucks’ meteoric rise from a tiny local retailer to an international coffee powerhouse as one of the great success stories in American business in the last decade. The fact that Starbucks’ garnered such media and investor attention in the midst of the Information Age without an ounce of ‘tech’ in its product made this growth all the more remarkable. Incredibly, Starbucks achieved its market leader position largely without aid from advertising campaigns. Instead, the company built the brand by relying on the quality of their products and services to induce free word-of-mouth ‘advertising’ from customer to customer.As Starbucks’ continued to push for new product innovations and business opportunities as a way to differentiate itself from its competitors, the company ran the risk of straying too far from its original focus of spreading its passion for fine coffee. The ballooning size of the corporation suggested that the quality of Starbucks’ products and services, and the strength of the company’s relationships with its most valued people, would need to be closely monitored. A larger, global Starbucks’ had to find the right balance in pursuing product- driven, people- driven, value- driven and sales- driven objectives. www. starbucks. com www. hoovers. com www. businessweek. com Strategic Brand Management, Keller, 2006 Best Practice Cases in Branding written by K. L. Keller ———————– STARBUCKS |BRAND & PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | Acknowledgement Executive Summary Table of Contents Objective of the Report Methodology of the Report Limitation of the report Starbucks at a glance STARBUCKSSuccess keys for Starbucks’ in brand building Brand values of Starbucks’ SRAR Sources of Equity Growth Strategies Starbucks- A Global Brand Recommendation Conclusion STARBUCKS | |STARBUCKS | [pic] References STARBUCKSssS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBU CKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS ———————– Brand & Product Management

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Emergent Literacy and Alphabet Knowledge - Essay Example Blevins (22) writes that, â€Å"Children who have limited alphabet knowledge upon entering school may have trouble gaining the all-important alphabet recognition skills through the traditional â€Å"letter a week† method. Without the necessary memorization, early reading instruction becomes cumbersome and difficult.† This means that alphabet knowledge is a crucial pre-requisite of literacy development, and is not hard for the children to learn when they are already in their emergent literacy phase. A little effort from parents can do the trick. It is important to discuss how emergent literacy and alphabet knowledge may be taught in a classroom setting. Although the primary role in emergent literacy is that of the parents’, but teachers can also play their part in enhancing the preschoolers’ emergent literacy skills. One example is through games. Since the children are not yet familiar with formal reading and writing, games are very effective, which can be downloaded and installed in computer systems. Games include a wide variety of learning concepts, ranging from simple letters to words card games. Many games reinforce letter recognition and alphabet learning, using flashcards and personalized cards. Teachers can group the games according to each main literacy concept. Since teachers are the main source of inspiration for children, they should use a wide variety of new words and concepts in their language in the classroom. They should introduce descriptive words every now and then. They should read stories and poems to the children, to develop an association between them and the books. They should create sound and letter awareness through exposure to sounds through music, building blocks, puzzles, etc. a well-stocked library area... It is important to discuss how emergent literacy and alphabet knowledge may be taught in a classroom setting. Although the primary role in emergent literacy is that of the parents’, but teachers can also play their part in enhancing the preschoolers’ emergent literacy skills. One example is through games. Since the children are not yet familiar with formal reading and writing, games are very effective, which can be downloaded and installed in computer systems. Games include a wide variety of learning concepts, ranging from simple letters to words card games. Many games reinforce letter recognition and alphabet learning, using flashcards and personalized cards. Teachers can group the games according to each main literacy concept. Since teachers are the main source of inspiration for children, they should use a wide variety of new words and concepts in their language in the classroom. They should introduce descriptive words every now and then. They should read stories and poems to the children, to develop an association between them and the books. They should create sound and letter awareness through exposure to sounds through music, building blocks, puzzles, etc. a well-stocked library area should always be there for the children to go to, where they can explore alphabet knowledge on their own. They should be encouraged to draw and scribble on the black/white board. Teachers should also make reading interactive through choral repetition and pointing-at-a-picture method.

Succession Planning in Middle Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Succession Planning in Middle Managment - Essay Example Effective succession planning should be integral to the organization's culture, and the process should cultivate "predictability" rather than "chaos" or last minute scrambling to find potential leadership candidates (Succession Planning for Nursing Leadership, 2006). Succession planning considers moving through different levels of leadership, such as local chapters to provincial or territorial to national organizations. Stated simply, business succession planning is the process of protecting the owners of a business by planning for the incapacity or death of an owner. The succession plan should address (i) the identity of the successor manager(s) of the business, (ii) the identity of the successor owner(s) of the business (perhaps most importantly, by identifying permissible successor owners, we identify those who cannot be successor owner(s) - creditors and other outsiders), and (iii) treatment of the interest of a departing owner, whether the departure is due to retirement, disability or death. The advantage of putting a plan in place to deal with inevitable events is that we limit (or eliminate) the unknown and can reach mutual consensus before a potential crisis. Succession planning aims to attract high potential people (rising stars) to develop as leaders, enhance other's leadership skills through formal and informal methods, improve all aspects of others' potential and institutionalize leadership development in your association or organization. Succession planning along with workforce management in general is increasingly regarded as a growing influence in determining the success of an enterprise. If it is undertaken effectively then it can ensure that your organization has capable and trained managers to guide its growth (Succession wizard, 2006). The importance of succession planning is in the move to flatter management structures. Succession planning is insurance for when key people leave an organization. With fewer layers of middle management available to fill these key roles it is important that potential successors are identified early and given appropriate training so that when the time comes for their move to more senior roles disruption is minimized. The important thing is to build a succession plan which is ongoing and durable rather than something which you just look at during the annual planning process. People are the most important asset and good workforce planning will give business a clear performance and competitive advantage. Organizations generally have a wealth of talent already working in different positions and levels throughout their business. This hidden resource needs to be identified and tapped as it is a key factor in effective succession planning. Workforce planning allows to know the skills and resources that are already in these people. Utilizing gap analysis, succession planning can identify those people who, with provision of support and training, can climb management structure and become its future leaders. Common elements of succession planning are balance of succession in the industry and organization,

Criminal Investigations & Criminal Evidence Essay Example for Free

Criminal Investigations Criminal Evidence Essay Why is non-verbal communication important when testifying before a jury, and what suggestions do you have for helping a testifying officer make a positive impression on a jury? Jurors are selected by the judge, prosecution and the defending attorney. The judge will provide the list of potential jurors to both the prosecution and the defending attorney for the selection process to participate in the trial case. For either the prosecutor or the defending attorney jury selecting a jury is normally very similar in its process. The selection of the jurors is completed after the trial initiation and the arraignment and plea. The Sixth Amendment provides the any American citizen the right to an impartial jury (Hess Orthmann Hess, 2013). The process both the prosecution and the defending attorney use to select a juror is called â€Å"voir dire† (the preliminary examination of a witness or juror to determine his or her competency to give or hear evidence). These people are questioned by both the prosecutor and the defense attorney. During this process the potential jurors are questioned about a number of things, from their religious practices to things that have happened to them. The reason for these open ended questions is to see if the juror will be biased against the accused, or may have beliefs that will harm a case (Hill, 2005)(Hess Orthmann Hess, 2013). Both the prosecution and the defending attorney utilize some common tactics and potential jury processing techniques. Both parties study their case and establish a tactics to confront the potential jurist with. They may even hire a Philologist with jury selection specialty training to assist their jury selection. First is the belief and attitude examination of the juror (Hess Orthmann Hess, 2013). References Hess Orthmann, C. H., Hess, K. M. (2013). Criminal Investigation (10th Ed). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Publishing. Business Law. Anti Essays. Retrieved January 12, 2013, from the World Wide Web: http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/222945.html

Registered Nurse Career Research Essay Example for Free

Registered Nurse Career Research Essay Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted to be a nurse and help people who were ill. As I got older, I got more information and decided that I wanted to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Registered nurses care for patients and educate them on health issues to prevent future illnesses. Along with technical skills necessary for the medical profession, registered nurses must have people skills to work closely with patients and their families. Becoming a RN entails formal education from a state-approved nursing school and state licensure. There are generally three educational approaches to becoming a registered nurse. Registered nurses usually train by completing a bachelors or associates degree program in nursing. Less commonly, registered nurses prepare for the occupation by earning a diploma in nursing. Graduates of any of these programs are generally eligible for licensure and entry-level employment as registered nurses. Nursing students may choose from a variety of education options to become a registered nurse. Some teaching hospitals offer 3-year diploma programs in nursing; however, these programs are rare. Most RN’s earn associate degrees or bachelors degrees in nursing. The skills needed for this job are people skills, emotional stability, CPR, First Aid and a second language would also help. I plan on taking French throughout the university so I’ll be considered trilingual and I plan on updating my CPR and First Aid yearly. San Diego City Colleges nursing  education program offers associates degrees for students who want to become RNs, as well as a program for LVNs seeking RN certification but not the degree. Students learn through classroom study and clinical experience in health care facilities. It will take two years with open admission and the tuition for in-state is $898. San Diego State Universitys School of Nursing offers programs that train entry-level RNs as well as provide working professionals  with advanced studies to continue their education and careers. All bachelors degree students must take part in an international learning experience. It’s a four years with a 30% acceptance rate and the tuition for in-state is $6 ,578. There are four general duties a RN does on a daily basis. The first duty is evaluating a patient’s physical, mental and emotional health. Also an RN’s job is to take vital sings. The second duty is designing and carrying out a treatment plan for the patient. Also bandaging wounds, giving medicine and injections that need to be given. The third duty is to monitor the results of the patient’s treatment to make sure it’s working and the patient is happy with it. Also a RN tells patients about they’re medical options and health issues such as nutrition and personal hygiene. The last duty is to complete and organize records about the patients. RN’s job opportunities are in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and basically any public health building. Also there are many organizations that recruit nurses to go to other countries. England and the U.S are two of the many countries that do this. The salary for a full-time nurse is $35,000 to $60,000 a year. Benefits include paid holidays, paid sick days and dental care. Casual (on call) nurses earn $17 to $35 an hour. Nurses work in hospitals, nursing homes, walk in clinics, prisons, schools, ect. Hazards of the job include contracting an infectious disease from a patient and injury from instruments, chemicals or gases. Nurses also get injured from violent patients and their families. They work irregular hours, nights, evenings and holidays with 12-hour shifts. Job demand is high because of the storage of nurses in Canada and people are always getting sick. People will always get sick therefore nurses will be part of the future. According to national data  published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for nurses is expected to increase 26% by 2020, which is much faster than the average occupation. The BLS further states that registered nurses with at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) are expected to have the best job opportunities. Prospective students are encouraged to conduct  independent research to determine actual job growth rates, which vary according to location, education and experience. Many employers have instituted hiring policies which require all RNs to have BSN degrees. Others will employ RNs without a BSN, but require new RNs to complete their BSN degree within a certain amount of time. My goal is to become a registered nurse and to dedicate my life to helping people. Im determined to ​  become a nurse to touch lives not only as a provider of health care but also as a teacher. I am committed to excelling personally and professionally in all that I do and to serve as a role model by leading a healthy lifestyle. I came to this goal as a result of my family background and my life experiences. I have a strong work ethic. I am very loyal and trustworthy and always the person my friends, family and co-workers would go to for advice or to empathize. I love helping people and have a big heart. I am the kind of person who will give you my lunch to someone who has no money to eat. I’ll take that extra five minutes and listen to a patient when I am pressed for time because health care is not only to provide treatment, but it’s also expressing patience and being a great listener. When I was looking into career options, nursing attracted my attention for a variety of reasons, you could go anywhere, work with adults, children, in public health, prisons, physicians’ offices, schools, factories, and were only limited by your level of education; I found that nursing could be whatever I wanted to make of it. People need nurses in all aspects of life. If I were to ever feel â€Å"expended out† in one area, I could educate myself and expand into another field of nursing. If I needed to move to another country, I could transfer and easily find my niche there. The sensation that you feel when you know you accomplished your goal to aid an individual is priceless. The potential is endless in this field, from specialty areas to general population, and from  newborns through geriatrics. Nursing is probably the most personally rewarding job there is. Bibliography Occupational Outlook Handbook. â€Å"Registered Nurse.† [Online] Available http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/21/Registered_Nurse_RN January 12, 2015 Registered Nurses [Online] Available http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm​ January 12, 2015

The cultural belief of hegemonic masculinity

The cultural belief of hegemonic masculinity Hegemonic masculinity is a belief in existence of culturally normative ideal of male behavior that is characterized by tendency for male dominance. Proponents of hegemonic masculinity theory argue that hegemonic masculinity is not necessarily the most dominant form of expression in male although it is the most socially endorsed; always contributing to subordinate position of women. Connell (2005) notes that hegemonic masculinity is characterized by ambition, strength, drive and self reliance and argues that such characteristics are encouraged in males but not in females. In his opinion, Donaldson (1993) argues that hegemonic masculinity concerns the dread of and the flight from women; and views it as a culturally idealized form, a personal or collective project and a strategic strategy for men to subordinate women. It is violent, exclusive, anxiety provoking, internally and hierarchically differentiated. However, Donaldson (1993) highlights that not all men practice it, although many benefit from it. Furthermore, it constructs the most dangerous things that humanity must content with; it is resilient and incorporates its own critique, although unraveling. This essay discusses the concept of hegemonic masculinity in relation to gender and social change. Hegemonic Masculinity: Gender and Social Change The concept of hegemonic masculinity is criticized for being framed within hetero-normative conception of gender that essentializes male-female difference and ignores difference and exclusion within the gender categories (Trigiani 1999). The concept largely rests logically on dichotomization of sex, which is biological versus gender, which is cultural, thus marginalizing the body (Trigiani 1999). According to Cornnell (2005) hegemonic masculinity is constructed in relation to subordinated masculinities; especially women thus there is no feminist that is hegemonic in the sense that the dominant form of masculinity is hegemonic among men. Iacuone (2005) views hegemonic masculinity as the most common blueprint for gender in Western culture as it dictates how real men should behave and the goals they should aspire to attain through the masculinity practice. It is an imagined construct rather than a practical one, with only few people possessing all its traits, although majority hold the principle with highest esteem (Iacuone 2005). In line with hegemonic masculinity traits, the identity of heterosexual man depends on his dislike of subordinated gender constructs; hence Iacuone (2005) admits that hegemonic masculinity views women as objects, depicts them as servile and most appropriate for domestic duties; only being value to men in a sexual capacity. The dominant masculine culture influences attitudes of construction workers, whereby hegemonic masculinity prescribes that men should be tough, be courageous enough to face danger and to dominate over others. Such men only view social environment as a conducive place for ri sk taking, with most of them viewing women as sex objects who should be there to entertain them and even embrace sexual assault to women as acceptable (Iacuone 2005). However, a small portion of men try to resist the influences of hegemonic masculine culture in gender, especially in settings where men challenge traditional patriarchal relations with an aim of improving womens welfare (Iacuone 2005). Kimmel Amy (2008) view hegemonic masculinity as a social ideal of a real man, described by society as young, married, white, and protestant, urban, heterosexual, white of college education, good complexion, height, and weight and employed. They argue that any male who does not have any of the described character traits should consider himself as inferior or unworthy. Gender is an ever present force that defines daily behavior of human beings. Spade Valentine (2010) bring out the masculinity contrast between men and women as viewed by society. They argue that as women graduate from girlhood to womanhood and join mixed gender groups at work, in colleges or play, their voices are often ignored and subordinated; they have to monitor what they say, how they say it and how often they talk to ensure that they do not dominate because their gender limits their participation (Spade Valentine 2010). Gendered patterns of belief and behavior influence peoples way of life in daily intimate relationships, with family and friends. According to Spade Valentine (2010), studies shave revealed that girls who transgress into boys zone end up being eventually respected by their male playmates if they are good in conventionally male activities, while on the other hand, boys are harassed and teased when they try to participate in girls related activities thus dominance of hegemonic masculinity is maintained by denying boys access to girls activities. Furthermore, the dominance of masculinity is reinforced when boys are ridiculed because they do not comply with society expectations of hegemonic masculinity; hence they fail to be sufficiently dominant. In order to cope with pressure from the society, Spade Valentine (2010) note that most men have learned how to do the behaviors that maintain hegemonic masculinity, while at the same time suppressing feelings and behaviours that might make the m look feminine. This shows the extent of slavery, frustrations and fear experienced by men in order to maintain their hegemonic masculinity status in the society. Despite these frustrations, hegemonic masculinity comes with its benefits as it is maintained in a hierarchy that is realized by only few men, with every other person subordinated to them; including women, poor white men, men of colour, gay men and men from devalued ethnic and religious groups. This dominance may be institutionalized in the structure of the situation. Hegemonic masculinity is supported by sex role theory, which advocates for people to learn from societys institutions to behave in ways that are appropriate to their sex. According to Trigiani (1998), the sex role theory views men as aggressive, rational, dominant and objective while women are passive, intuitive, submissive and subjective. The theory further assumes that culture values characteristics of each sex equally and that these values complement each other in to bring out balance in the society; whereby women are just as esteemed for their passivity as men are for their aggressiveness (Trigiani 1998). However, Haenfler (2006) views hegemonic masculinity as a configuration of gender practice that only embodies the currently accepted answer to the problem of legitimacy of patriarchy, taken to guarantee the dominant position of men and the subordinate position of women. Haenfler (2006) laments that since late 19th century, the social basis of masculinity has been undermined and men hardly understand what it means to be a man. Furthermore, modernization, rapid industrialization, urbanization and the rise of bureaucracy has separated boys from fathers and destabilized the male breadwinner role. In addition, feminists have challenged dominant notions of gender, making it a challenge for a young man to figure out how to be a man in modern days (Haenfler 2006). Haenfler (2006) observes that the young mens current fears and continued erosion of male breadwinner role might provide a historic opportunity for men, both collectively and individually to reject the destructive and narrow limiting definitions of masculinity and prefer to create more peaceful and egalitarian definitions of manhood. In a culture that glorifies masculine displays of confidence, sexual prowess, strength and power, men increasingly feel unsure, impotent, weak and powerless hence they have often responded to their confusion and feelings of inadequacy through self control, reactive exclusion and escape from reality (Haenfler 2006). Haenfler (2006) observes that men who feel like they are losing control over their work and relationships often exercise extreme control over their personal lives, fitness, alcohol consumption and sexual appetites; hence becoming objects of self control. They react to crisis of hegemonic masculinity by attempting to shut women out of positions of power and influence and escape womens influence by retreating to male only social behavior (Haenfler 2006). Haenfler (2006) laments that while hegemonic masculinity may have its benefits to men in terms of public status and masculine privileges, it comes with a price as men often pay with poor health, shorter live and emotionally swallow their relationships and suffer from mental distress. Other critics of hegemonic masculinity argue that hegemonic masculinities do not correspond to actual lives of men, thus the theory provides a vague and imprecise account of social psychological reproduction of male identities. Conclusion In conclusion, hegemonic masculinity embodies men as superior human beings and views women as inferior and submissive creatures, who should live at mercy of their male counterparts. It teaches men to undermine and mistreat women and fellow men who are perceived as inferior. It values competition of hierarchy, sexual prowess and physical toughness at the expense of human dignity, self respect and peace of mind. Hegemonic masculinities often suppress their true feelings to avoid looking feminine as they internally suffer from mental and emotional distress to please the society and live as expected. However, with increasing modernity and industrialization, hegemonic masculinity is slowly losing its meaning; with many women assuming the role of breadwinners and rising to leadership positions as many young men become more and more afraid of society defined masculine responsibilities associated with hegemonic masculinities.

Internal and External Violence Essay examples -- Violent Violence Inte

Internal and External Violence Specific time periods, such as World War II, and the Post-Civil War era bring to mind images of hate, death, and violence. Not solely external violence or violence that is carried out, such as murders, war, or blatant displays of violence such as those in Ellison’s Battle Royal, but internal violence as well. Internal violence is more about the mind, a violence of emotion, though internal violence is closely linked to external violence. They are linked not only because external violence causes internal violence, but also because of the reverse. This is seen in the works of Ellison, Borowski, O’Connor, and DeLillo. In â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† O’Connor shows the effects of internal violence compared to external violence. On one hand you have the family members that are brought off to be killed. The only thing the author lets the reader know about their fate is a solitary scream when the mother, daughter, and baby are taken away. However, for the entire time that the family is being held hostage, the grandmother is talking to The Misfit. She shows how people react to the internal violence of a stressful, and fatal ordeal. She pleads with The Misfit not to save her grandchildren’s lives, not her son and daughter-in-law’s lives, but only her own. She has no fear for anyone but herself and is consumed by the need to preserve her life. She tries everything she can to get The Misfit to spare her. She tries to convince him that he is of good blood, and could never kill a lady such as her self. She even tries to get him to turn to God for help. Of course none of this works but it makes a point. It makes the point that when faced with the fear of external violence, people will do any... ...iolence is about. Its about fear, and helplessness because you realize that you too can die, and there is nothing you can do about it. Every day you can watch the news and see examples of violence. Its all over, and everyone has seen it. It seems that at least every few months there is another high school shooting where a teen rages against the society they live in the only way they know how, through violence, both internal and external. Internal because of the way they change the lives of those who live through the ordeal, and have the rest of their lives to think about how they saw their best friend get shot in school one day. External violence is directly related to internal violence because extreme violence, in person, scares people. Works Cited Charters, Ann, Comp. The Story And It’s Writer. Bedford/St. Martins: Boston and New York, 1999.

the aztecs Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Aztecs Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tribe in which I will be researching is the Aztecs tribe. I plan to find out the answers to the questions below. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Where they lived? 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Their religions? 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What they ate? 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of their beliefs? 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What life was like? The Aztecs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Indian tribe I am studying is the Aztecs. I plan on answering questions such as what life was like, what they ate, how they dressed, what their religions were, and many other questions which I intended on finding out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I learned many interesting facts about the Aztecs. And a few of the most interesting facts in which I learned are that the Aztecs believed deeply in sacrifices, and would capture prisoners of another tribe of war, and would make them climb a pyramid and at the top they would have their heart cut out from their chest and burned as an offering to their gods. (Unstead, 9&10.) The Aztecs had many gods, which they believed in. The two chief gods were Oretecuhtlick and Orecihuatl. They were the lord and the lady of creation. They had four sons who would be the creators of the other gods. (Unstead, 8&9.) The Aztecs believed in a god for everything. There was a food god, a sun god, a water god, a moon god, even a god for their clothing. &n...

A Lesson Before Dying :: essays research papers

A Lesson Before Dying I thought that the book A Lesson Before Dying was all right overall. I think Ernest Gaines did a good job with the plot but the idea of the book was not to interesting to me. A book about a black man becoming a man on his way to the electric chair is a very dull plot to me. I give Gaines credit for making the book semi-interesting even though the plot was terrible. Personally after reading Things Fall Apart and Song of Solomon I was looking for a little more action in this book. Those two books were ten times better than A Lesson Before Dying so I can say that I was probably expecting too much. A Lesson Before Dying has a superb depiction of the theme â€Å"you can’t judge a book by its cover†. Grant went to help Jefferson with a notion that Jefferson was sewer trash and he would not learn anything from this situation. In the end Grant was wrong because he learned a lot from his short relationship with Jefferson. Grant had certain feelings for Jefferson he never had for a man before. They became real close friends and talked about a lot of things. I really like how they portrayed this theme throughout the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book each character had their own characteristics and personality. There was something special about each character in the book. Each of them had their strong points and weak points for example Grant was always running away from his problems. There were a lot of things in his life that he could not handle and he just wanted to run away. He didn’t know what to do about Jefferson at first and wondered why he had to teach him. He didn’t really know how to handle his job as teacher in the Quarter. He couldn’t make his mind up about God so he just decided to leave it alone. Aunt Emma was a very strong character in the book. She would do almost anything to help Jefferson before he died. She begged to the Guidry’s on several occasion to help Jefferson feel more comfortable while he was in jail. She begged Grant for his help even though Grant did not want to help Jefferson. She got Mose Ambrose and Grant to finally work together to help Jefferson instead of always arguing.

A historical overview of the African-American race Essay

Frankly, most persons today have learned African history through European eyes. To the European, Africa was the place where the trader, missionary, explorer and conqueror made names for themselves. Europeans often considered Africa backward and called it the â€Å"Dark Continent. † But do the Africans consider that they were really as backward as the Europeans imply? One answer is produced by Nwabueze Chukwemeka Okoye of New York’s State University College, Department of African and Afro-American Studies. Of European expansion into Africa, he says: â€Å"The effort was clearly to justify European dominance of the Africans not in terms of sheer force (which it was) but in terms of a cultural superiority (which it was not). † Particularly, African-Americans are believed to derive their background from the Sub-Saharan race of slaves that have been shipped from the African regions towards the Northern American areas during the years of slavery. Some of them also shared both European and Asian blood and heritage that they carried the said mixture of both particular cultures as they were transferred to America. Because they were already branded as â€Å"slaves† the African-American community simply used to accept whatever it is that is said to them as noted by the â€Å"white race†. They were most of the time treated like as if they were of no worth and that their life is no more better than that of the animals that they used to take care if. Sadly though, although the years of slavery have finally ended, the brand that goes with the African-American race has not been removed yet. Many people still tend to treat them as low-raced people who ought to receive harsh treatments from the society. However, there is always a time for breaking the silence. The undoubtedly strong perseverance of the people of the African race in seeing what is being done to their race have been finally ended when there were people like Sojourner Truth and other abolitionists who were courageous enough to face their â€Å"masters† [the white Americans] and break the ties of slavery that entangles them with the dreadful situation of living that they were experiencing before. The hopeful African-American race then perceived that at least they would have the freedom that their so-called â€Å"heroes† worked their efforts for. However, in the long run, it could be noted that this particular freedom has not been given completely by the American government towards the African-American race yet. Seeing the situations within the American society, it could be observed that the African-American race still continues to experience racial division within the said society.

Organizational Culture and Its Counterculture

The authors Joanne Martin and Caren Siehl are focusing on organizational culture and its counterculture. The definition given by the authors for counterculture states that counterculture will most likely arise in a strongly centralized organization that has allowed a reasonable decentralization of authority to take place. The article assumes that cultural systems can emphasize as well as sustain the objectives of the firm’s top management. The main argument here is that in addition to serving integrative functions, culture can express disagreement and address needs for segregation among organizational elements.As a replacement for thinking culture is a huge phenomenon, they explore counterculture’s uneasy symbiotic relationship with the rest of an organization. Finally they tackle the connection between cultural development and managerial action by asking what a leader does, unintentionally or intentionally, that seems to impact the development of a counterculture. Give n said that when a dominant culture and a counterculture takes place it creates an uneasy symbiosis between these two interdependent cultures. There were two books selected for this research, one was by Ed Cray and the other was by J. P Wright on General Motors.The three core values for dominant culture in GM were â€Å"respecting authority†, â€Å"fitting in† and â€Å"being loyal†. J. P Wright talks about how DeLorean’s division in GM has created an uneasy symbiosis relationship between the dominant culture and counterculture. DeLorean’s activities have been studied to see how he has created a counterculture in an organization with such a strong dominant culture. There are several ways to counter the dominant culture and DeLorean has done so by â€Å"questioning deference to authority†, â€Å"finding an alternative way to fit in† and â€Å"opposing demands for unquestioning loyalty†. . There are three types of subcultures; th e first is enhancing, orthogonal and counterculture. This article’s main focus will be on counterculture. According to the authors some core values of a counterculture has a direct challenge to the core values of a dominant culture, therefore creating an uneasy symbiosis. This article has taken two main authors as their references to explore the adequacy of a dominant culture and a counterculture and to find out what values those artifacts put across.The two main authors are Ed Cray, Chrome Colossus: General Motors and Its Times (McGraw-Hill, 1980) and J. P Wright’s description of DeLorean’s activities, On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors (Wright Enterprises, 1979). This article was done on General Motors, one of the main characters that was discussed in this article was on John DeLorean who was a head of one of the division’s in GM. DeLorean was a man who made his way up the corporate ladder which gave him a position of leadership, resources and po wer who in return questioned the dominant culture of GM.There were three main core values of GM that were discussed, the first is Respecting Authority: Jargon and Rituals of Deference. What happens in GM is that the dominant culture gives so much importance to paying reverence to the top corporate management; special jargon was used to refer to these executives. For example, each top manager was assigned a junior executive who will be an assistant, and these assistants were called â€Å"dog robbers† which meant an assigned servant who is responsible to pick up the dogs dropping in a large household.Another type of dominant culture artifact was the ritual, GM had many rituals, this is just one of the rituals; subordinates were expected to meet their superiors from out of the town at the airport and carry their bags, pay for their hotels, meals and chauffeur them around day and night. The second core value found in GM was Fitting In: Communicating Invisibility by Visible Cues. The core value of invisibility was expressed through such visible cultural artifact as dress and decor.An example GM’s dress code was a dark suit, a light shirt and a muted tie so that no single employee stands out. The rule implemented on office decor also states the value of invisibility. All the decor was standardized. In GM if an employee was invisible he was a â€Å"team player†. They engage in public, symbolic acts of conformity to show they are team players. The third core value to the GM way of life was loyalty to one’s boss. They were all expected to be loyal to their bosses and not question them or even point out their wrong doings.One of the examples given was, GM retirement dinner, in this retirement dinner they pay tribute to the retiree by telling his journey story in the past years in GM. These dinner instilled mutual respect, admiration and loyalty. It was important for GM to tell the stories of their retiring employees, simply because these stor ies were true and shows a sequence of events in the company’s history. In one case, DeLorean did not go to pick his boss up from the airport, which was a ritual followed by all GM employees, what happened was DeLorean’s boss was furious and expected DeLorean to not repeat it ever again.In the retirement dinner, they reward the retiree for the past tasks done by ensuring future loyalty, so in DeLorean’s case he would be marked by the others and may be seen as someone who isn’t a team player. The counterculture to these dominant cultures can be seen by DeLorean’s actions. There are three areas to it; the first is questioning deference to authority. DeLorean kept creating stories that were being questioned by other employees, because one story will not make most of the employees buzzing, therefore DeLorean created many situations.For example, he wanted to replace deference to authority with task-oriented efficiency. He discouraged the meeting of super iors at airports. DeLorean himself role modeled the behavior. This incident became an organizational story. He became a controversial and powerful figure. This particular event was significant because it expressed a value that contradicted a core value of the dominant culture. The second counterculture, An Alternative to Fitting In: The Limits of Acceptable Deviance. DeLorean did not agree on the core value of fitting in team play. He instead valued dissent and independence.He backed his values with practices, by changing his divisions’ performance appraisal system. Performance was measured on basis of criteria that were as objective as possible. DeLorean was also able to role model himself by not following the dress code and he also changed the decor in his division, allowing his executives to have their own touch in their spaces. This was his way of declaring independence from the dominant culture. The only way a counter culture can sustain is by implementing the practices as well as being consistent with the preferred value.Opposing Demands for Unquestioning Loyalty is the third counterculture. Articulation of a â€Å"boomerang† challenged the dominant culture. The Corvair was a product of GM that was supposed to be the finest and most appealing product to attract the young. The Corvair story becomes a boomerang, it takes a sudden turn and employees started questioning the safety of the rear engine, but without enough support and evidence that the Corvair was not safe GM management told the employees who objected to join the team or find some other place to work. In the end the Corvair had caused many deaths because of its faulty design.This in return cost GM its reputation and millions of dollars in legal expense, and of court settlements. 3. This argument fits with my experience as an observation that I have seen happen over and over again, it is no other than an public area which most of us are bound to go to in some time in our lives in di fferent occasions, the hospital. It is always said that right after graduating as a doctor, the worst fear for all of them is their houseman ship years. It is a dominant culture that all new doctors who are coming in for their houseman ship are pushed around and are made to work over time.In other words they are bullied by their superiors. It has been a culture that has been happening all around the world and many have come to accept it as a norm. In my opinion I don’t think it should be the case, I believe that there can be an artifact of a counterculture here. Why it is that fresh new graduate doctors allow their superiors to push them around to a certain extreme. For example, senior doctors, will intentionally post questions for houseman ship doctors in front of a patient and then mock them for the answers given to enforce their authority as senior doctors.This can be emotionally damaging depending on the degree of verbal abuse. Another case would be houseman ship doctors are treated as the lowest employees in the hospital during their houseman ship years; they are not only pushed around by senior doctors but by the nurses as well. They are made to do irrelevant work and lots of running around. Another case would be sometimes, senior doctors will make houseman doctors to do their shifts as well, resulting in the housemen to be wore out and exhausted.Some of these housemen will eventually break down, for they are not able to cope with the pressure and stress. Then again this happens over and over again in all parts of the world. In my opinion I think it would make a lot of difference if some doctors have the capability to stand up and make a change in this environment. I believe as time goes by, more and more stories and incidents will occur causing the dominant culture to be questioned and a breakthrough for a counterculture to take place in this particular environment.I am sure there are cases where certain doctors have made a stand for themselves, but with the repetition of the same behavior this dominant culture may be able to change. Where the houseman ship doctors are treated with equal respect and are able to apply what they have learnt over the past few years in their houseman ship years. 3. This argument fits with my experience as an observation that I have seen happen over and over again, it is no other than an public area which most of us are bound to go to in some time in our lives in different occasions, the hospital.It is always said that right after graduating as a doctor, the worst fear for all of them is their houseman ship years. It is a dominant culture that all new doctors who are coming in for their houseman ship are pushed around and are made to work over time. In other words they are bullied by their superiors. It has been a culture that has been happening all around the world and many have come to accept it as a norm. I believe that there can be an artifact of a counterculture here.For example, senior doc tors, will intentionally post questions for houseman ship doctors in front of a patient and then mock them for the answers given to enforce their authority as senior doctors. This can be emotionally damaging depending on the degree of verbal abuse. Another case would be houseman ship doctors are treated as the lowest employees in the hospital during their houseman ship years; they are not only pushed around by senior doctors but by the nurses as well. They are made to do irrelevant work and lots of running around.Senior doctors will make houseman doctors to do their shifts as well, resulting in the housemen to be wore out and exhausted. Some of these housemen will eventually break down, for they are not able to cope with the pressure and stress. Then again this happens over and over again in all parts of the world. It would make a lot of difference if some doctors have the capability to stand up and make a change in this environment. As time goes by, more stories and incidents will occur causing the dominant culture to be questioned and a breakthrough for a counterculture to take place in this articular environment. I am sure there are cases where certain doctors have made a stand for themselves, but with the repetition of the same behavior this dominant culture may be able to change. Where the houseman ship doctors are treated with equal respect and are able to apply what they have learnt over the past few years in their houseman ship years.4. Reference Martin, J and Siehl, C (1983) Organizational Culture and Counterculture: An Uneasy Symbiosis. Organizational Dynamics, pp 52-64

World History: Ancient Civilizations

Joseph Reyes 2-B World History Ancient Civilizations People have been on the earth for hundreds of years. They have come together to become the best of the best. Civilizations were ways to put humans in to an organized group and to survive the ways of nature. Two civilizations were successful and survived for a long time. Ancient Mesopotamia was a much different civilization then Egypt, but both were organized in a similar way. They both developed by setting up their government, controlling their environment, and their values. In Mesopotamia the priest was in charge of dividing the farmers into groups to farm and take care of the land.In Egypt the priests were in charge of making a record of their pharaohs and marking the most important happenings of their reigns. Mesopotamia used the Code of Hammurabi which was laws that concerned daily life, business, medicine, property, and family. It was based on an eye for an eye (revenge) and was to give justice for all. In Egypt the pharaoh wa s considered a god that ruled the Egyptians and had absolute power that made all the laws of the land and decisions. This is both civilizations form of government and was successful for years; some of those laws are still in modern day government.Egyptians used the Nile River which provided food and water, farming, and transportation of goods. This helps them in their survival for the fact that they were living in the middle of a desert. In Mesopotamia, they developed city-states which were around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These rivers were a key in their survival; they used these rivers for food, transportation, as well as plants. The rivers created a Fertile Crescent which allowed farming in Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent were important it was surrounded by desert and anything outside of it can’t be farmed. Using heir environment was an important key factor for the survival of these two great civilizations. As I said earlier Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was a god and was one with the divine. The Egyptians (supposedly) built the pyramids for the pharaohs to be buried in after they died and along with all of his possessions. The Sumerians and Akkadians practiced polytheism which was the worship of many gods. They believed that keeping the gods happy was the key to happiness and prosperity. They built big temples called ziggurats which were supposed to link Earth with the heavens and link people with the gods.These were the beliefs of the civilizations and have shape humans in to believing in religion and God. All of this contributed to the success of the two civilizations. With their government controlling their actions and giving justice where needed. They also controlled their environment to use for their own advantage which allowed them to eat and use for transportation. Building great monuments for their beliefs and believing to obey all the rules of God as well. I believe all this contributed to the success of two giant civilizatio ns.

Catastrophic Predictions Essay

The most recent predictions were observed on the date December 21, 2012; for which the Mayan calendar ran out. Other prediction statements involved the earth being centered in the middle of the Milky Way and the planets becoming lined in such a manner that would affect the earth’s polarity. There have been a countless amount of catastrophic disaster predictions foretold for many years. Even some famous individuals like Nostradamus have made predictions that caused panic and havoc amongst believers. Incidentally, most predictions are challenged by scientist; to prove that they are truly false statements and can be provide evidence against them. So, why do we want to assume the worst before hearing all the facts? Catastrophic predictions for December 21, 2012; expressed the concerns that doomsday or Armageddon were at hand. Two of the most popular predictions were the Mayan calendar and the planetary alignment. Between the two predictions several individuals have derived a conclusion; that on a certain date changes in our earth’s astrological makeup will be involved in changing our lives. Now, does that mean the end of time as we know it or just an event which occurs in cycles? In the course of scientific evaluations; each element has been logically examined to provide answers to contradict the beliefs that these predictions will be the end of times. Scientists and historians working together can explain the prediction of the ancient calendar of the Mayans. The Mayan calendar is about to end its cycle and the new beginning arrives on December 21, 2012. Doomsday believers feel that the Mayan’s stone calendar is the real thing this time. These believers feel that the government is withholding the truth. In fact, the Mayan calendar differs from our current system that we use today. Our calendar holds only twelve months per cycle year. The Mayan calendar is often referred to as the Calendar Round. â€Å"The Calendar Round covers a time period equal to 52 solar years or 73 ritual years. The time is significant because in every Calendar Round all the possible combinations of haab and tzolkin cycles will have been experienced and they will re-synchronize at the same starting point (Bellenir, 2004).† Scientific explanations for this prediction of the end of days show that it has been misunderstood by many individuals. Basically, the haab cycle consist of eighteen months of twenty days per month and an additional five days at the end of the cycle (Lewin , 2011). Each day in the haab months is given a name from the tzolkin list. It is similar to our list of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The exception is that the zolkin list has unique names for each one of the twenty days. Evidence dated during a prior Mayan calendar ending cycle has been found. The theory of climate change could be observed in the discovery. Scientists are researching what seems to be a plant that once lived during a previous Mayan calendar cycle. â€Å"5,200-year-old plants flash frozen. Millennia ago when the last great calendar cycle of the Mayan came to an end, rapid climate change shook up the world and devastated habitats (PR Newswire Association LLC, 2009).† Could there be other evidence that has yet to be found to show what happens during that cycle? Certainly, there will need to be more studies done, but until then, individuals will express their own beliefs and opinions regarding the predictions using the Mayan Calendar. â€Å"The planetary alignment with Earth suddenly at the center of the Milky Way in 2012 — causing untold destruction as the earth’s crust ruptures, seas swamp our coastlines, volcanoes erupt and continental fault lines shatter (Machosky, 2009).† Can planetary alignment really cause the Earth’s magnetic poles to reverse and cause havoc across the planet? Disasters that maybe experienced from such an alignment could result from environmental changes. Followers of this prediction feel that we are already experiencing effects with the Earth’s weather elements and the earthquakes felt around the planet. The polar ice cap is still melting at a slow rate. Could this cause the water level to rise in areas if the poles reverse? Scientists and meteorologists feel that this prediction has will not cause any catastrophic disaster for us. The equinoxes (and solstices) has caused concerns and is often misunderstood when this cycle event happens. â€Å"The Sun is not a pinpoint object and takes some time to cross the galactic equator; they coincide once a year for several years (Stuart, 2011).† Winter solstice was observed on December 21, 2012; which is when the Sun has reached its furthest southern point and starts heading a northerly direction. â€Å"A few days before and after the winter solstice, the change is so slight that the Sun’s path seems to stay the same, or stand still (Yankee Publishing, Inc., 2012).† Does this mean it is a sign of a catastrophic event? No, this happens all the time and our Earth has no drastic affect. Individuals can often seek more reliable proof through specialist. Even the best scholars and scientists will often bump heads during their investigation period of a prediction. The difference between the two groups of specialists is the way they use the â€Å"results base factor†. Scholars will derive their material from proven result factors; along with any theory that is applicable. Scientists mainly need to have actual facts for a proven base result. Both will probe at the task, until satisfied in their findings. It would be hard to keep any catastrophic disaster a secret. Why would they? They have just as much to lose as everyone else if the Earth was going to be in harm’s way. If we take a look back at some of the famous writings of Nostradamus and his prediction materials we would find encoded messages; which have been studied by other scholars even today. â€Å"Nostradamus’s deeply arcane approach; including obscure astrological methods and the use of an esoteric code known as the â€Å"Green Language† (Abbott, Gold, & Rotella, 2000).† Nostradamus did not make it easy to read his predictions and for many years individuals have tried to break the code. His followers believe that much of Nostradamus’s predictions have already happened and that he was gifted with the sight of true predictions. Furthermore, the slightest misdirection or code breaking could result in a false statement predicting that the end is near. Who should we believe when it comes to the facts that a catastrophic disaster is coming our way? Many movies have been created with different outcomes of a catastrophic disaster. Each film is pointing the finger; that we are not prepared enough. The government is in control on the way things will be handled during a catastrophic disaster, even in the moves. We can feel confident that our government would inform us that the world was in danger. They would even have a plan set in place just for such an event. Many individuals have even started their own game plan for action during doomsday. Preparing for any expecting disaster is often taken seriously by individuals believing that the predictions are about to come true. Some believers handle it in different ways; for example: they might have planned to attend a celebration party. Others may celebrate the passing event in private settings. If this sounds familiar, it should because that is what they did on the Millennium (2000). A brief reminder of that prediction was that computers were not going to work. Which turned out to be just a small programming issue and computers still work today. Many bank account customers rushed to withdrew funds; in fear that their money would be lost. What are we afraid of? Is it the not knowing what? Or could it be the not knowing when a disaster will occur that has many getting ready ahead of time? Those individuals who believe in the disaster will shift into a survival mode. Survival supplies are stockpiled for the long duration of the event. The amount of supplies depends on the individual’s needs and type of disaster being observed. Water is one of the major items on the list; both for drinking and cleaning needs. Using special care not to store plastic bottles of water in direct sunlight; for research is still pending on the harm from toxicants produced during prolonged sun exposures (Rogers, 2012). Food and medical supplies are another demand on a stockpile list for survival of a disaster. Having a list ahead of time can help keeping track of the inventory. In addition, individuals may take it even future by seeking out a place to hold out until the disaster is over. Underground shelters have been designed and are in place for safety measures; at a high purchase price. Believers in the catastrophic prediction will gladly spend money on solid, reinforced, deep underground shelters; designed to withstand most disasters. These shelters are equipped with electrical power or self-contained with solar power. The price range depends on the size verse the structure. â€Å"Diameters of 8†², 9†², 10†², 11†² 12†² x 20†² to 50†² lengths are available on custom orders. Prices start at $49,900 (Atlas Survival Shelters, 2012).† This example is for the shelter itself; the property cost is additional. Shelter manufacturers have different floor plans to choose from, remember the buyer could be living in it for a long time. It depends on what you believe in; there is another type of believer and they will reach for the heavens in time of need. Religious communities will often come together to make peace. In times of despair many churches will have gatherings for prayer so members can join together with each other. Past religious cults even had predictions that their group called â€Å"Heaven’s Gate† of 1997 was to meet with a spaceship. That prediction cost thirty nine individuals their lives. Of course, no spaceship ever arrived for them.The news media was quick to report this sad event; massive suicides are common when misadvised individuals want to believe what someone tells them. Once the danger passes the due date; how do we react finding it was indeed another false statement? Some individuals start to unpack their underground shelter and others may keep it ready for the next prediction. While others just feel like it is another day; glad that they disbelieved in the predictions. Everyone has a choice to believe or disbelieve in the predictions. We should be able to give more thought into the research results of specialists; for indeed there are more explanations in favor of nothing going to happen. Another perfect example has passed by on â€Å"December 21, 2012† for the outcome has been proven that in view of the scientific spectrum no evidence occurred that put us in danger of existence. Future false statements will be tested each time by professionals and facts will be shared openly to us all. Giving us a safe and secure feeling to continue our daily lives; until next time. References Abbott, C., Gold, S. F., & Rotella, M. (2000). The Secrets Of Nostradamus: A Radical New Interpretation of the Master’s Prophecies. Retrieved 2012, from Publishers Weekly: http://www.lirn.net/services/proxy?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/197051024?accountid=40833 Atlas Survival Shelters. (2012). Galvanized Corrugated Pipe. Retrieved from Atlas Survival Shelters: http://www.atlassurvivalshelters.com/aboutus/nbc/corrugated/ Bellenir, K. (2004). In Religious Holidays & Calendars. Retrieved from Credo Reference: http://www.lirn.net/services/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.credoreference.com/entry/ogirholidays/the_mayan_and_aztec_calendars Lewin , N. (2011). The Haab. Retrieved from THE MAYAN TRADITION – THE OTHERS CALENDARS: http://www.4-ahau.com/en/The_Haab.html Machosky, M. (2009). Apocalypse now? Well, more like, three years from now. Retrieved 2012, from ProQuest: http://www.lirn.net/services/proxy?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/457147731?accountid=40833 PR N ewswire Association LLC. (2009). What if the Maya Were Right and Doomsday is Just Around the Corner? National Geographic Channel Investigates the Science Behind Ancient Clues in 2012: Countdown to Armageddon. Retrieved 2012, from ProQuest: http://www.lirn.net/services/proxy?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/447787532?accountid=40833 Rogers, C. D. (2012). Are Clear Water Bottles Safe for Sun Exposure? Retrieved from National Geographic Society: http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/clear-water-bottles-safe-sun-exposure-20417.html Stuart, D. (2011). The Order of Days: The Maya World and the Truth about 2012. Retrieved from Gale Science in Context: http://ic.galegroup.com:80/ic/scic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Journals&disableHighlighting=false&search_within_results=&prodId=SCIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CA263992162&userGroupName=lirn_crevc&jsid= Yankee Publishing, Inc. (2012). First Day of Winter 2012: The Winter Solstice. Retrieved from The Old Farmer’s Almanac: http://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-winter-winter-solstice