Cultural Identity Interview and Analysis Essay Example for Free

Cultural Identity Interview and Analysis Essay An interview with a member of the Mexican American community was conducted on December 1st, 2007. This research will provide a summary of that interview; particularly, it will include a description of the rules, norms, traditions, and values of Mexican American culture. The research will also discuss: a) how the assumptions regarding cultural norms affect the interviewee’s behavior in his daily life; b) any disadvantages related to his culture being outside â€Å"the norm† and how he reacts to that; c) any advantages related to being assimilated to the â€Å"normative† culture and how he reacts; d) his sources of strength or support; e) an analysis of the four dimension theory and how it relates to the interviewee’s life. Finally, the research will provide some insight on how one can effectively communicate with people of other cultures. In fact, communication with various members that belong to other ethnic groups (i. e. Arab Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, etc) may be difficult some at times because of the cultural difference that exists between the groups. Jose Luis Aguilar was born in Tijuana, Mexico on January 7th, 1972. Mexican is the ethnic group he belongs. He lived in Mexico for 29 years. In 2001, he immigrated in Los Angeles, California. Job opportunities, presence of family members, and the presence of a massive Mexican community were the factors that brought him to immigrate into the United States. Mexican Americans are the largest Hispanic or Latino ethnic group in the United States. According to the 2000 Census, approximately 20 million Hispanic or Latinos of the 35 million in the United States are Mexican Americans (U. S. Census, 2000). Mr. Aguilar’s native language is Spanish. However, during the past years spent in California, he was able to learn basic English, although it remains a second language as the majority of the Mexican American who live in the United States. Richard Schaefer stated â€Å"as of 2002, about 23 percent of Mexican Americans are English dominant, 26 percent are bilingual, and 51 percent are Spanish dominant† (Schaefer, 2006, p. 241). Mr. Aguilar’s religion is Catholic. Indeed, Mexican Americans represent â€Å"the largest number of Catholic immigrants to the United States comes from Mexico; Mexico also sends the largest number of Protestant immigrants to the United States† (Murray, 2006). Mr. Aguilar is married. He has a 1 year-old son. Aguilar’s family has a patriarchal organization as the same as other many Mexican American families have. According to Kathleen Niska, Mexican Americans Families â€Å"continuity was characterized by mothers doing tasks inside the house, fathers doing tasks outside the house, and both parents performing toddler and early childhood tasks† (Niska, 2001). One of the Mexican traditions that Mr. Aguilar mentioned during the interview was â€Å"quinceanera†. This ritual is celebrated in church when women reach the age of 15 to thank God that they arrived to this stage of their lives. Similar to a wedding day celebration, the celebration of a girls fifteenth birthday is a major event in most Hispanic girls’ lives as it means that she begins her journey to adulthood (Mattel, 2001). They are ready to get married. The ritual of quinceanera is viewed not only as a gesture to strengthen faith and family but also as a means to prevent teen pregnancies. A quinceanera also allows for sending a message of sexual responsibility (NC Times, 2008). Mr. Aguilar is an independent contractor mainly for real estate management companies. He provides general maintenance services at $10 an hour. So far, he had limited choices regarding the jobs (e. g. janitorial, landscaping, and maintenance) he could do since he moved into United States. Lack of education and his pending status with INS (he has not received his green card yet, work permit only) were the obstacles that did not allow him to obtain better paid jobs. According to David Spener, â€Å"Mexican immigrant workers play an important economic role inside the United States as well. They constitute a significant portion (8 percent) of the total U. S. manufacturing work force† (Spener, 2000). Mexican Americans are usually have been seen by American companies as â€Å"cheap labor†. Mr. Aguilar shared that members of his culture had been affected by any form of racism, prejudice or discrimination. In particular, he pointed out the bilingualism issue and the tension that the proposition 227 created among his community. Proposition 227 went into effect in 1998 and required that all public school instruction had to be in English. A) How do assumptions about cultural â€Å"norms† impact your interviewee’s behavior on a day-to-day basis? Mr. Aguilar pointed out how one particular assumption regarding Mexican Americans culture affects his life on a day-to-day basis. He mentioned that one of his cousins was a gang member; he was killed months ago. A popular assumption is that Mexican American gang membership is generational which means the membership from a father to a son or from a family member to another one. Therefore, based on this assumption, people believe that he is a gang member. So, Mr. Aguilar’s behavior is direct to prevent anything that may mislead people in this sense, e. g. wearing red or blue, or specific clothing, or having tattoos. B) Does your interviewee recognize any challenges or disadvantages related to her/his culture being outside the â€Å"norm†? How does he/she respond to those challenges? Similar to several other fellow Mexican Americans, Mr. Aguilar is able to communicate in his native language without learning English properly. In fact, Spanish language is commonly spoken in the city of Los Angeles. Almost every place (grocery stores, restaurants, public offices, and so forth) has signs and directions in Spanish language. This massive promotion of Mr. Aguilar’s native language in the United States encouraged by Mass Media represents a disadvantage. Radio and television have also been factors that allowed Mexican Americans, as Mr. Aguilar, to maintain their original cultural values. In fact, in 2004, there were over 678 Spanish language radio stations compared to 1982, when there were 12 Spanish language television stations in the United States. This number more than doubled within 10 years. Several artists (e. g. Jennifer Lopez or Shakira) helped to promote their cultures by singing in their traditional languages (Jandt, 2007). Mr. Aguilar has responded to this challenge by enrolling himself in an adult school in order to improve his English. However, as of today, he is still struggling to write, read and speak English fluently. C) Does your interviewee recognize any privileges or advantages associated with assimilating to the â€Å"normative† culture? How does he/she react to that recognition? Mr. Aguilar recognized that being assimilated to the â€Å"normative† culture has some advantages. In particular, he stated that a positive aspect is that immigrants learn the language of the â€Å"normative† culture; they are able to avoid any form of isolation and segregation. Furthermore, these immigrants likely will not face any prejudice from the dominant society as he experienced during his stay in the United States. During the interview Mr. Aguilar recalled a few family acquaintances with 3rd generation sons and daughters who had an adaptation in the American culture different compared to their parents. In fact, they were able to go to school, learn the language, get a college education, and obtain a good job. They became a part of the American culture. In fact, they celebrate the 4th of July and the Thanksgiving, which are truly American holidays. They also had to learn about professional sports other than Mexican soccer. He now is also watching baseball, basketball, and American football games. D) What does that person cite as being sources of strength or support? Mr. Aguilar cited church and family as his sources of strength or support. As many others fellow Mexicans Americans, Mr. Aguilar gives exceptional importance to religion and family on a day-to-day basis; he is very active in his community especially with humanitarian initiative promoted by his catholic church. Mr. Aguilar is very family orientated. He tries to spend as much time as possible with his family; it may be common to see him doing business with his families around. E) An analysis of the four dimension theory and how it relates to the interviewee’s life A theory from the course that was well related to Mr. Aguilar’s interview is the â€Å"four dimensions of culture† by Geert Hofstede. Particularly, Aguilar’s interview confirmed that in the Mexican culture masculinity is predominant, mostly due its history. Mexican families were mainly patriarchal therefore men were in charge of the family; they were working to provide money and food while women were at home taking care of the children. Mexican culture is based more on collectivism due mainly to the fact that more people with financial difficulties seek to one another for help or gather together (e. g. two or three families living in the same apartment). Power distance is embodied in the Mexican culture. Mexico is a developing country with significant financial problems. The difference between people (e. g. poor and rich people) is well marked. Finally, the fourth dimension, uncertainty avoidance, is correlated to religion and history of the cultures (Jandt, 2007). Roman Catholic Christian cultures and cultures with Romance languages (e. g. Mexico) tend to score high. In conclusion, communication with various members that belong to other ethnic groups may be difficult at times because of the cultural difference that exists between the groups. However, inclusive language can be an effective way to communicate with such members. Mr. Aguilar and the interviewer are from different culture backgrounds. There were times during the interview where inclusive language was used to avoid miscommunication. Choosing the right words when communicating with members who have different backgrounds may help to prevent miscommunication that may end up stereotyping them on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, or other factors. Furthermore, conducting research and gathering information on members with different backgrounds may help not only to overcome language issues but also can assist people in becoming more culturally sensitive. References Jandt, F. E. (2007). An introduction to intercultural communication (5th ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Mattel Inc. (2001, May). Happy fifteenth quinceanera barbie ®! mattels girls division launches first hispanic-tradition theme barbie ® doll. Retrieved on January 11, 2008 from http://www. shareholder. com/mattel/news/20010515-43065.cfm Murray, B. (2006, January). Latino Religion in the U. S. : Demographic Shifts and Trends. Retrieved on August 19, 2007 from http://www. facsnet. org/issues/faith/espinosa. php Niska, K. (2001). Mexican American Family Survival, Continuity, and Growth: The Parental Perspective. Retrieved on August 19, 2007 from http://nsq. sagepub. com/cgi/content/abstract/14/4/322 NC Times. com (2008, January). For Latino Catholics, Quinceanera ritual provides lessons on faith, family - and sex. Retrieved on January 11, 2008 from http://www. nctimes. com/articles/2008/01/05/faith/17_56_271_3_08. txt Schaefer, R. T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic Groups. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Spener D. (2000). Mexican labor at the center of North American economic integration. Retrieved on August 19, 2007 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa3688/is_200007/ai_n8892489 U. S. Census Bureau (2000). Profile of General Demographic Characteristics:2000. Retrieved on August 19, 2007 from http://factfinder. census. gov/servlet/QTTable? _bm=y- geo_id=01000US-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_DP1-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U.

Initial Teaching Assignment Essay Example for Free

Initial Teaching Assignment Essay In my role as a tutor of support teaching and learning in schools my responsibilities include: promoting cognitive elaboration *Cognitive psychology is concerned with the various mental activities which result in the acquisition and processing of information by the learner. It’s theories involve a perception of the learner as a purposive individual in continuous interaction with his social and psychological environment.( l.b.curzon (2003). teaching in further education. 6th ed. london: continuum. 35.) Holding a good knowledge of outside agencies that maybe used when an issue is outside of my knowledge or expertise. These may include N.S.P.C.C, medical teams including GP’s, health visitors ect, councillors, learning support workers, banks, building societies and the student finance England information for funding or loan advice, police, fire services and social services. All of these outside agencies could be used for supporting my learners and for them to use in their role as a teaching assistant as they are working with children and young people. I work towards promoting social and emotional development, encouraging learners and rewarding them during tasks, discussions, production of work whilst developing into a responsible teaching assistants. Being reliable is paramount to learners giving them a sense of belonging and security that I would always be there to discuss any issues or concerns with them, especially if the issue is a delicate one. Showing my learners that I can promote equality by letting them have every opportunity to attend and participate in every aspect of the lesson is also giving them opportunity to express their own ideas and personality. I myself am always looking to learn and gaining skills from learners is another way of learning and promoting diversity. Every learner is different and giving them opportunity to share their ways and knowledge and including these skills to improve their learning and adding to their new career in a positive way encourages diversity. Understand own responsibility for maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.

Area Study Merging with Cross-National Approach

Area Study Merging with Cross-National Approach Overview Are area studies and a cross-national approach really that different or they have more in common than we might expect? I think it is the latter, having three major similarities. First, these studies have increasingly merged to seek systematic explanations that cut through regions, which had been thought to be fundamentally different or exceptional (such as Latin America). As such, the second similarity is that they have also come to share some roles, such as confirming a theory. Third, the rise of mixed method approach that can combine area study and cross-national approaches further illuminates not only the second similarity but also a common and ultimate goal shared by the two approaches, which to expand our knowledge. At the same time, how they go about playing similar roles and accomplishing the shared goal remains as a major difference. In other words, to answer the second question, each approach is better suited than another to answer particular types of questions. Area studies that are often in qualitative nature ask for conditions necessary or sufficient for particular outcomes to occur, while cross- national approach that tend to be in quantitative in nature is much suited for asking the average effect of an independent variable on such outcomes. Similarities: Area Study Merging with Cross-National Approach Once again, I think area studies and a cross-national approach have come much closer to each other, having three major similarities. The first major similarity is that both studies seem to have sought systematic explanations that cut through regions. While it is straightforward that a cross-national approach seeks such accounts, I argue that this similarity has emerged due to a change in seeing what area study should be. Fundamentally, area study is a study that focuses on particular areas or regions of the world. In the mid 20th century, an area study approach had particularly been used as a â€Å"cookie cutter† strategy. That is, it ‘snips’ out regions or areas that do not conform to accepted ideas or particularly the ones that are studied through the scope of â€Å"ethnocentrism† (Wiarda 1993, 16). Thus, the study is driven by the idea—â€Å"what works in one context may not work in another† –and utilized to understand not just deviant or outlier but ‘exceptional’ cases (Wiarda 2005, 2). For instance, O’Donnell’s area studies on Argentina and Brazil (1973; 1976) caught grater attention in the 1970s; he challenged Lipset’s modernization theory (1959; 1960) that came out a decade ago based on Western states as a widely accepted idea displaying the positive relationship between economic development and democracy. Contra rily to Lipset, O’Donnell showed that a process of modernization actually yielded a bureaucratic-authoritarian regime in the ‘richest’ countries in the region. Dependency theorists, such as Frank (1969) and Dos Santos (1971) also elevated the importance of area studies by arguing that Latin American economies would not follow the path of Western states because the region was exploited as ‘satellite economies’ by the West and ended up contributing to the Western modernization. Recently, Mainwaring and Perez-Linan (2003) empirically demonstrated a non-linear relationship between economic development and democracy in Latin America; they concluded that â€Å"Latin American exceptionalism† existed in the mid to late 20th century because of distinctive economic policies (ISI) and a link between political elites. Regardless of Mainwaring and Prez-Linan’s work, however, I see area study to increasingly become a ‘lesson-drawing’ approach (Wiarda 2005). Instead of pointing out regional distinction and exception as an end goal, these differences are used as lessons for building a ‘mega-theory’ or producing systematic accounts regarding comparative politics. This is in part because of the rise of other area studies focusing on the Middle East and East Asia, which show their paths towards democracy that are distinct from both Western states and Latin America. These studies, therefore, diminish Latin America exceptionalism. In addition, area studies, namely of O’Donnell’s (1973; 1976) have come under much attack for being ad hoc explanations, since Latin American turned to re- democratize in the 1980s. All of these factors have then called for a more systematic investigation for providing an account, which identifies common and different conditions c ontributing to such outcomes (Acemoglu and Robinson 2006). For instance, Acemoglu and Robinson (2006) recognized Lipset’s modernization theory as one of four paths, rather than ‘the only path,’ and sought conditions that make democratization likely, using the cases of Argentina, Singapore, and South Africa. O’Donnell’s later work with Schmitter (1986) on Latin America also merged with Przeworski (1991) and Haggard and Kaufman (1995), which utilized cases from various regions, such as the Philippines, South Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Nepal. These studies have then provided a powerful account, suggesting the entrance and exit or authoritarianism to depend on a strategic bargaining between political (military) and economic elites in the wake of economic downturns. Hence, the first major similarity is, once again, a tendency of both area studies and cross-national approaches to seek systematic accounts that cut through regions. While cross-national approach is essentially thought to have such a goal, area studies have come to understand the need of the goal, while no single region seems to stand as entirely exceptional or can be isolated from the rest of the world. As such, the second similarity is that they have also come to share some roles. When area studies, at least some parts of the studies, have come close to cross-national approach theoretically, these studies can play a similar analytical role as well, namely the role in confirming a theory. The theory of political activism may be a good example. Mainly based on Western states, including the United States, empirical cross- ational studies have suggested that well-established democracies have increasingly faced a â€Å"legitimacy crisis† or increase in â€Å"democratic deficits† (Norris 2011, 3- 5). Using a wide range of indicators such as a declining civic engagement or voter turnout (Teixiera 1992; Putnam 2000), declining party loyalties (Aldrich 1995; Dalton et al. 1984), and surveys, they show dissatisfaction and decrease in confidence in national governments (Norris 2011). As such, Fung and Drakeley (2013) conducted an area study focusing on East Asia, ranging from South Korea to Indonesia and Cambodia, and confirmed that even in ‘transnational democracies’ face similar challenges with old democracies or what Norris (2011) calls ‘democratic deficits.’ The area study shows that East Asian states are remarkably similar with Western democracies in a sense that democratic regime may be ‘flawed’ but not ‘broken.’ In turn, cross-national studies can also confirm a theory based on area studies. For instance, Lipset’s modernization theory on the basis on Western Europe has been reinforced with a growing number of empirical cross-national studies (Boix and Stokes 2003; Epstein et al 2006), although debatable (e.g. Przeworski and Limongi 1997; Kennedy 2010; Teorell 2010). Geddes (2003, 351-365) explicitly stated the literature on modernization theory has become much more â€Å"persuasive† because â€Å"large-n studies have begun to play a greater role in the comparative development fields.† Third, the rise of mixed method approach that can combine area study and cross-national approaches further illuminates not only the second point but also a common and ultimate goal shared by the two approaches, which to expand our knowledge. For instance, Liberman (2005) recently suggested a mixed-method approach, called nested analysis, which is a research design employing both a Large-N statistical analysis and small-N case studies for in-depth investigation. In particular, this approach advocates the use of a large-N analysis as a guide to draw a subsequent small-case N analysis for two different purposes: a model-building tool for testing an outlier case and a model-testing tool for confirming an online case. Coppedge (2002) is a good example of the nested analysis; he developed a large-N study to determine the need of an area study on Venezuela, which appeared to have a large portion of residuals since the 1990s. Fish (2005) also employed a mixed approach, which conducted a larg e-n analysis and the Russian case study. Similarly, King et al (1994) and Brady et al (2006) also suggest a mixed approach, which, though unlike Liberman, utilizes area studies to draw a large- n analysis. For instance, Krieckhaus (2006) briefly reviewed areas of Latin America, East Asia, and Sub- Saharan Africa to argue distinctive effects of democratic governance on economic growth. This area study thus confirms not only a null relationship between the two variables in cross- national studies but also the positive and negative relationships that appear when empirical analyses are conducted separately. In short, these mixed approaches show that area studies and cross-national studies can reinforce their finding or give a valid reason for each to be conducted; and ultimately, these mutual roles highlight the most important similarity –both studies contribute to enhance our knowledge in comparative politics (Walt 1999). Different Questions and Approaches At the same time, how they go about playing similar roles and accomplishing the shared goal remains as a major difference. In particular, area studies are usually qualitative in nature, with some exceptions (e.g. Mainwaring and Prez- Pinan 2003). This means that, as I mentioned sometimes, area studies are a small-n or case study, which intensively examine particular events with careful attention to historical and cultural contexts. King et al (1994) similarly argue that a small- n study is better at conducting a descriptive inference, which is the â€Å"process of understanding an observed phenomenon on the basis of a set of observations† (55). As such, area studies are particularly suited for asking two questions. The first one is, â€Å"what are conditions necessary or sufficient for a particular event to arise?† Returning to the works by O’Donnell and Schmitter (1986), Przeworski (1991), and Haggard and Kaufman (1995), they essentially found economic downturn and ‘authoritarian bargaining’ between political and economic elites as crucial and interactive conditions that change the likelihood of a regime change. Acemoglu and Robinson (2006) as well as Boix (2003) also constructed a model where the level of income inequality and capital mobility to interactively alter the probability of democratization, as they contribute to power relations between political elites and mass citizens. Area studies are also suited for questions that identify important actors. The identification of domestic actors is crucial because they, according to Mahoney (2011, 115), â€Å"create†¦structures, which in turn shape subsequent actor behaviors, which in turn lead to the development of institutional structural patterns† It is also important, as Walt (1999, 12) points out that the main task of political science research is to produce â€Å"useful knowledge about human social behavior.† As such, the above studies are also praised for identifying important actors, such as political elites, business actors, and military, which are â€Å"black boxed† (Rueschemeyr et al. 1992, 29) in Lipset’s modernization theory and subsequent empirical studies that focus on the relationship between economic development and democracy (e.g. Prezeworksi and LImongi 1997; Epstein et al 2006; Boix and Stokes 2003; Kennedy 2010; Teorell 2010). Ziblatt (2006: 322) commented, â€Å"their accounts improve upon the agentless structural functionalism implicit in modernization theory by reasserting the primacy of collective actors resources, preferences, and strategies.† Teorell (2010, 151) also argues, â€Å"The key theoretical virtue of this novel approach is that it integrates the previous †¦traditions by providing structural conditions explaining preference and actions of ordinary citizens, in turn affecting the strategic choices made by political elites.† In turn, cross-national studies are naturally equipped with a larger sample size and conducted through statistical or quantitative analyses. As such, they are better suited for asking, â€Å"what is the average effect on an independent variable on the same or similar outcome seen across the world?† (Mahoney 2011; King et al 1994). Put differently, King et al (1994) argues that, while area studies tend to be good at descriptive inference, large- n studies are better suited for causal inference—that is—to â€Å"demonstrate the causal status of each potential linkage in such a posited mechanism the investigator would have to define and then estimate the causal effect underlying it† (86). For instance, Boix and Stokes (2003, 531), building on Lipset, specifically concluded, â€Å" A simulation of the results shows that for low and medium levels of development, the probability of a transition to democracy grows by about 2 percent for each $1,000 increase in per capita income.† Similarly, Kennedy (2010, 797) notes â€Å"a 1% increase in per- capita GDP above the country mean† increases the probability of democratic transition. These specific numbers would not come out of area studies; for instance, although Haggard and Kaufman (1992) identified economic downturn as a crucial condition for a regime change, they do not specify exactly how bad the economic situation has to be; it was rather relative judgment in comparing cases.

Meningitis In College Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"She thought it was just the flu. We all did. But she didn’t seem to be getting any better. Her parents made her go see a doctor, which was a good thing. It turns out she didn’t have the flu. It was something much worse. Something more dangerous, something more contagious, something life-threatening, something scary,† said my friend Ashley. I was on the phone with her talking about her roommate at Elizabethtown College. It turns out that her roommate, Jocelyn has been diagnosed with Meningitis. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meningitis is a dangerous infection that can cause the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord to swell. There are two types of Meningitis. The most common type of Meningitis is caused by a virus. Viral Meningitis is a mild form, and can be treated with very little treatment. Bacterial Meningitis, commonly referred to as Meningococcal Meningitis is more serious and can cause more serious effects including permanent damage to your nervous system, and in the most extreme cases, death. Outbreaks of Bacterial Meningitis are common in small communities, most often college campuses. ‘   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  College students are at especially high risk to contract Meningitis. Several reasons behind this are the fact that students are participating in the â€Å"college lifestyle.† Recent evidence indicated that college student residing on campus in dormitories or residence halls appear to be at higher risk for meningococcal meningitis than college student...

World Flight Essay -- Theology

Throughout life, culture implicitly and explicitly communicates ideas to people. Explicit statements are found in songs and art that clearly exhibit a perspective about life. Implicit messages from culture are discovered when compared to the key tenets of worldviews. An example of this implicit communication is found in the song â€Å"Clocks† by the band Coldplay. Based on analysis of the lyrics, the song â€Å"Clocks† expresses the World Flight worldview. To begin with, the lyrics of â€Å"Clocks† illustrate the World Flight perspective of God. A primary example of this idea is found in the chorus of the song. Specifically, the ancient worldview argues that God can be defined as Forms of ultimate perfection from which the earth was made. Additionally, the perspective’s main philosopher, Plato, argued that all of life must be focused on the world of the Forms. These beliefs are found in the song â€Å"Clocks† when singer Chris Martin announces, â€Å"You are and nothing else compares† (2002). Initially, this lyric seems to be a simple statement of perfection; however, the lyric reflects the worldview’s beliefs about God when compared to the World Flight perspective. The lyric becomes a cry to the world of the Forms and to the seeking of that world. The singer’s words are transformed from a mere emotional rant to a spiritual affirmation that nothing in this world compares to the Forms of the next world, expressing the World Flight perspective. Another expression of the World Flight perspective of God is found in the ending measures of the song. As the instruments cease playing, the singer states, â€Å"You are home, home, where I wanted to go† (2002). Based the ancient perspective of God, this lyric reflects the lifelong search for the world of ... ...ion of the World Flight solution to the song reveals the expression of the worldview through a musical format. Overall, the presentation of humanity’s problem and solution in â€Å"Clocks† allows one to conclude that the work embodies the World Flight perspective. In conclusion, the World Flight worldview is expounded in the Coldplay song â€Å"Clocks.† An analysis of the song illustrates the definition of God and humanity that is characteristic of the World Flight perspective. In addition, the worldview’s problem and solution for humanity are presented through the lyrics of the song. While songs often have simplistic meanings of love or loss, a deep examination of music reveals profound philosophical perspectives that have the power to shape thought and action. Works Cited Coldplay (2002). Clocks. On A Rush of Blood to the Head [CD]. Nashville: Capitol Records.

Essay --

This part discusses the key findings found in the previous chapter and relates in to the literature review section of this research. All of the research objectives were met and research questions had definite conclusive answers. The information gotten from the questionnaires appears in a flow linking all research objectives together and answering all research questions which will be discussed and analysed below one after the other. Objective 1 To understand innovation and how its absence leads to the failure of businesses Innovation is a change in technology, source of organizational renewal & growth and the primary source of competitive advantage (Porter 1990). Question 10 & 11 gives us some understanding of innovation and Question 7 & 8 gives leads on how lack of innovation can lead to business failure. Questions 10 required respondents to say the propose direction they think innovation should be directed to. 17 respondents were of the opinion that innovation should be inspired from employees and those at the bottom of the organisational hierarchy because they are in constant discussion with customers. Those at the bottom like employees at the customer service know a lot more about customer’s needs, wants and complains compared to the knowledge top management has about customers. 3 of the respondents were of the opinion that management has more experience, exposure and business knowledge as compared to lower level employees and so should influence innovation and then get employees execute it. This approach is usually not the best because management are not in direct contact with customers and so influencing innovation will be like dictation what employees should offer customers. 26 respondents said management should influenc... ...they want to innovate because the goods and/or services they want to produce are for the customers. If management innovates without customers consent, they may manufacture something customers don’t want and they product and/or service will not be accepted which will mean wasted resources producing them. Despite the important role customers play in innovation, famous leaders like Steve Jobs of Apple and Henry Ford of Ford don’t see the importance of taking customer’s opinion into consideration when innovating. Question 9 asked whether customers should be taken into consideration when an organisation wants to innovate. 72% of respondents strongly agreed that customers should be considered, 26% agreed, 2% disagreed and no one was neutral or strongly disagreed. This study proves that customers are a vital part of an organisation especially when innovation is concerned.

Mang Inasal Sample Paper Essay

Numbers of employees of mang inasal – 21 employees including manager including the managers. Number of hours of operation a day – working hours, 8. Staff operation 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, on customers, 9:00 am to 8:00 am. Reasons for choosing the branch location – Since people love to spend most of their time in the mall, Problems encountered during the business operation – the manager laughs that she always encounters some problems to her subordinates, like being late at duties, some members that are hard headed, and reaction of customers that gets the wrong order and slow serving. How they see their business 5 to 10 years from now? – the manager say’s she can picture Mang Inasal being as more popular as before, growing bigger and better. Like jolibee, she sees Mang Inasal having many branches that extends internationally. Notable Experience in running the business – Reasons for having that kind of business – according to the manager, Miss Kristine Loayon, they were informed during their job seminars and orientations, the owner of mang inasal, Edgar â€Å"Injap† Sia , had a target to have a business that people will love and can be successful without a doubt. Since Filipinos love to eat, specially barbeques and Filipino dishes, then why not make food-chain business which features barbeques and pinoy foods Types of products, services offered? – Philippine cuisine Fast food, deliveries and reservations of tables only at the second floor of mang inasal ormoc branch. ECOTAXA – Introduction MANG INASAL – Philippine’s fastest growing barbeque fast food chain, serving chicken, pork barbeque and other Filipino favorites, was first established on December12,2003 in Iloilo City. Currently, there are 445 branches nationwide and with over 10,000 employees system wide. MANG INASAL is doing its share in alleviating the unemployment burden of the country. The presence of every MANG INASAL in a certain area provides not only employment but also opportunities to community members including suppliers of kalamansi, charcoal, banana leaves, vegetables, bamboo sticks, and other ingredients. It also indirectly gives income – generating activities to many. MANG INASAL is operating at the following areas: Bacolod, Iloilo, Roxas, Laguna, Bicutan, Metro Manila, Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Koronadal, Ozamiz, Iligan, Surigao, General Santos, Pagadian, Batangas, Lucena, Naga City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Tagaytay, Palawan, Tacloban, Ilocos Sur and Tarlac. MANG INASAL is targeting to open 500 stores by 2012. Apart from the usual food presentations of multinational food company copycats, Mang Inasal endeavors to adhere to elements that bear a distinctively Pinoy stamp-grilling with charcoal, rice wrapped in banana leaves, a marinade concocted out of local spices and herbs, bamboo sticks for skewers, and the ambiance that encourages kinamot (the ilonggo term in eating with the hands) whenever chicken inasal is served. All these evoke a rush of nostalgia for tradition, culture, and most of all, Home. Mang Inasal is proud to do its share in alleviating the unemployment burden of the country. It is effectively stimulating economic activities in communities where branches are situated. Local suppliers of calamansi, charcoal, banana leaves, sorbeteros, vegetables, fish, bamboo sticks, and other ingredients, as well as LGU’s, trisikad (pedicab) drivers, and a host of other enterprises are benefited by the presence of Mang Inasal in their area. Mang Inasal has steadily grown since it offered franchising. Mang Inasal has branches in Bacolod, Iloilo, Roxas, Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Kalibo, Tarlac, Boracay, Antique, Mindoro, Batangas, Pampanga, General Santos, Tuguegarao, Iligan, Bulacan, Cavite, Baguio, Laguna, Panabo, Cagayan De Oro, Lucena Surigao, Palawan, Agusan Del Sur, Malabon, Zamboanga Pagadian, Koronadal, Rizal, Pangasinan, Dipolog, La Union, Ozamiz, Kabankalan As of today, Mang Inasal has 423 branches nationwide and counting. In Mang Inasal, â€Å"Pinagsikapan naming laging mabilis, laging masarap, at laging abot-kaya† so that the Pinoy can truly say, â€Å"Kumbinsing!†