Newspaper article to evaluate Essay Example for Free

Newspaper article to evaluate Essay Newspaper article to evaluate and review the purpose of faith schools in multi-faith and multicultural Britain. Faith schools in Britain are schools that teach general national curriculums but using religious principles and aims within their teaching. The extremities of these principles vary between different faiths and different schools. The term â€Å"faith schools† was first used in 1990 when Muslim institutes demanded for more freedom within education. There is approximately 7000 faith schools in Britain, almost a third of all state funded schools with around one and quarter million pupils but many ask if there is any need for such a large number of faith schools in a society that is becoming more secular. In 2006, 197 faith schools made up the 209 primary schools in the UK that achieved â€Å"perfect† results in that year’s league tables. All students reached the expected standard for 11 year olds in English, maths and science. The best school in the tables was North Cheshire Jewish primary school which offers â€Å"a traditional Jewish education†. The most improved school was St Anne’s Roman Catholic primary school whose results tripled within three years. Some would say that faith schools create a â€Å"social sorting† of children according to class, ability, religion and academics. This could be backed up by the fact that faith schools achieve higher exam results on average in the UK. However, the pupils who attend the secondary faith schools who have been to high-achieving primary schools appear to be from more well-off families. As well as this, according to a report for the Government, faith schools only achieve better results as they select the best pupils, not because of their religious ethos thus raising the question in whether if there is a need for faith schools. The Politics Show South has surveyed all the secondary schools in the region and found that 72% of pupils at the regions faith schools got five good GCSE results, as against a national average of 53. 7% getting five good GCSE results. Four out of five faith schools in the South beat the national average. A parent at the Islamia Primary School in Queens Park, North London, also sees cultural advantages for her children in faith schools. I wanted them to have a sense of pride as a Muslim but also to be following the English curriculum so that they could hopefully continue on to university and mix with everyone else. â€Å"But at the same time theyd know about Islam from a Muslim and not a Christian point of view. † As well as result statistics, faith schools are also keen on imposing discipline and teaching ethics to students. Some say that â€Å"the force of their religion and faith and the ethos of how to become a good citizen will be there all the time. † This means that students who study at these faith schools may have difficulty indulging in a crime or hating people or doing something which is not like their religious ethos. However a lot of people would agree that the rise of multi faith schools within the country would actually produce more secular societies as the rise in numbers and funding of one particular faith for schools could lead to unsettlement from other faiths. Also, single faith schools can also leave children unequipped to deal with life in mainstream Britain as only select things are taught within single faith schools. Director of National Secular society said: If they are moving from restricted communities into a single faith school, they have very little contact with those from the majority community. And then suddenly, when they are 16 they come out into the majority community for the first time and into the workplace. Im worried about the implications of that.

Case Study Templeton hardware

Case Study Templeton hardware Executive Summary This report provides an analysis on the case study of Templeton hardware and its acquisition of the two companies, namely lodestone landscapes and the great outdoors. Through this case study of Templeton hardware, it can be seen that the acquisition of this two companies have had its detrimental effects, therefore requiring the need to accurately identify the source problems. Three toolkits are used in this report to diagnose the issues that are present. They are namely SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), six thinking hats and brainstorming. These toolkits help to remove the communication barriers and organisational conflicts which are present. Adding to the toolkits, interventions could be used together with the toolkits to ease the change process in the organisation. The report proceeds on to provide further recommendation which could be used as a platform to make necessary changes to curb the economic downfall of Templeton Hardware. The recommendation s thus aim to aid in the recovery process. It is recommended that Templeton Hardware should set goals and targets with their employees which are both challenging and achievable. This would enhance cooperation and cohesiveness among the employees in the company. Intervention strategies can also be used to achieve the organizations overall effectiveness. 1. Introduction This report recommends measures and solutions to Templeton Hardware on improving business prospects and helping the organization restructure in the best approach to enhance its performance. The toolkits that have been used to diagnose and identify key issues are the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), six thinking hats and brainstorming. 1.1 Case Overview and Key Issues Templeton Hardware was Australias leading hardware chain. It acquired The Great Outdoors and Lodestone Landscapes to cement its place as the leading retailer of â€Å"all things outdoor†. Its CEO, Jacquie Todori overconfidence had drove what was later discovered as a poor business decision with detrimental effects for the organisation. The Difference in management styles caused organisational conflicts and problems started to arise one at a time. Expectations were not met and the business as a whole was spiralling downwards at an alarming rate. The board was not happy with Jacquies decision and was anticipating changes to the company. 2. Diagnosis 2.1 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is employed at a management level to evaluate the current position of the business and determine future management strategies by putting problems into perspective. It also helps to uncover opportunities that can be exploited, manage and minimise threats, understand business weaknesses and capatalise on company strengths (Clark, 2008). 2.1.1 Strengths Strengths are the internal characteristics of the business that give it a competitive edge over others(Marketing Teacher, 2000). Templeton Hardware was recognised as Australias biggest hardware chain which shows its position as a market leader. They secured a significant portion of the market share and had the capability to acquire two established companies. Templeton Hardware had a constant growth vision to expand and diversify its companys products and to enter different market segments to make it more profitable. Part of its growth vision required decisions which had adverse effects and Templeton Hardwares willingness to take the risk to acquire the two companies can be considered a strength. Templeton Hardwares decision to offer jobs to the franchisees shows the necessary measures taken to retain employees and keep them in employment without retrenching them. 2.1.2 Weaknesses Weaknesses are internal aspects that could possibly endanger the business or obstruct further economic growth (Mindtools, 1996). Insufficient market research and lack of foresight led to a decline in sales targets and failing to achieve its profit expectations. The loss of product exclusivity resulted in Templeton Caravans not being able to attract its primary target audience, essentially the baby boomers, whom were perceived as having the capital and mindset to purchase caravans. Templeton Caravans had clearly failed to understand the trends, mindset and spending patterns of baby boomers and that led to dissatisfaction and avoidance. The change in management style saw few franchisees from Lodestone Landscapes accept offers in the new organisation, namely Templeton Landscape Solutions, and even they decided to leave after a period of time. The acquisition of The Great Outdoors led to generic products being produced. Products were generally seen as being mass produced and not client s pecific. By outsourcing the projects it had received, Templeton Landscape Solutions managed its talents poorly and overall service standards dropped. The company as a whole saw negative survey comments and this poor feedback started to feed its growing unfavourable reputation. The organisation also had ineffective management of its resources and had not been hiring enough staff to ensure work ran efficiently in the optimum manner. 2.1.3 Opportunities Opportunities are external aspects that an organisation can use to its advantage to improve existing conditions (The Economic Times, 2014). Templeton Hardware should first look into achieving a good financial position which would improve its declining reputation and would enable it to secure bank loans for future investments. It should also look into sending its employees and management executives for team building activities and to increase the cohesiveness among them. By providing its staff with the relevant skills, its workforce can be effectively managed and relevant departments could have job specialists who have broad knowledge on their job scope. This helps to reduce the role ambiguity among its staff since an employee is assigned to few specific tasks and not many interdepartmental roles. Templeton Hardware could also invest in technological infrastructure to improve its customer management system. Employees can then follow up with clients in a more efficient manner and this removes the need for clients to repeat themselves which dealing with different. This system could also record a history of transactions to facilitate future purchases or warranty conditions. Templeton Hardware could move into creating a conglomerate-like business model by having unrelated businesses running under one roof, move its existing products into new market sectors or seek takeover opportunities from competitors whom are on the verge of bankruptcy. 2.1.4 Threats Threats are components in the business environment that could cause potentially cause trouble for the organisation (The Economic Times, 2014). The large and increasing number of competitors could give potential choices to its customers and could deter them from purchasing at Templeton Hardware. This could lead to loss of market share and revenue and pave further downfall. Continuous usage of outsourcing its projects can result in its outsourcing companies becoming competitors in the future as they will now have direct contact with the clients. With respect to its employees, the companys inability to retain existing employees would cause a loss in tacit knowledge and staffs years of experience and it may have to consume time and resources to train new employees. The rising cost of wages and higher employer to employee contributions could affect the profitability of the business. Also, if Templetons existing products lines become unpopular or not needed in large quantities, downsizing of the organisation would be a looming possibility. The SWOT analysis diagnoses in a prioritised manner and actions can be taken accordingly. The SWOT analysis offers a way of collecting data but can sometimes be used as an overview of the situation. 2.2 Six Thinking Hats The Six Thinking Hats is used in business settings by various organizations. During meetings, everyone present would have to put on different hats and approach the problems from different perspectives. This notion allows organizations to diagnose issues effectively, make better decisions and come up with creative ideas (De Bono Consulting, 2000). There is no one best approach to using the six thinking hats with reference to which hat should be used first. 2.2.1 White Thinking Hat This hat is used to gather information that is required to address the issue at hand. Data is presented objectively without the presence of arguments and beliefs. (Volunteering North Queensland Inc, 2003) In the case of Templeton Hardware, it can be seen that it is currently facing an economic downfall and the presence of a new competitor in the market added pressure. Templeton Hardware had acquired two reputable companies, namely The Great Outdoors and Lodestone Landscapes. After the acquisitions, the franchisees were offered jobs but they were rejected. The centralized outlook was seen by the baby boomers as a big generic business which impacted the exclusivity of the caravans. Feedback from customers projected poor customer follow-up, constant rotation of sales persons and poor time management. The customers also disliked the impersonal approach of Templeton Hardware and outsourcing. Lastly, the board was unhappy as the business was declining. 2.2.2 Red Thinking Hat Feelings and emotions are addressed when using this hat. (De Bono Thinking Systems, 1992). The red hat identified the boards unhappiness and frustrations with the company’s performance. In addition, the franchisees who were offered jobs after Templeton Hardwares acquisition left after sometime due to conflicting management styles. The board was also fearful of losing the companys image and reputation to a competitor. The annoyance and dissatisfaction among customers was evident through the feedback received and the baby boomers were disappointed with the lack of exclusivity of the caravans. 2.2.3 Black Thinking Hat This hat helps to identify complications and limitations in a situation and helps to steer the organization into the right path. (Mercier Associates, 2012). The lack of market research conducted prior to the two acquisitions and the overconfidence of the board led to the downfall of Templeton Hardware. The board was not prepared for failure and there was no contingency plans in the event of a failure. Templeton Hardware did not understand the spending trends and mindset of their target audience, namely the baby-boomers, which led to the outlook of low brand exclusivity. This resulted in declining sales and possible bankruptcy. Poor customer service was evident from the customer feedback. Clients were unhappy that Templeton Hardware outsourced their projects instead of getting it done on their own. However, the shortage of manpower could be one of the factors why it had done so. It may be necessary for Templeton Hardware to increase their expenditure with regards to hiring new staff and training them. 2.2.4 Yellow Thinking Hat This hat signifies positive thinking, new possibilities and advantages. (Volunteering North Queensland Inc, 2003). The acquisitions of the two companies showed Templeton Hardwares plans to enter a new market segment and increase its profits. By increasing its staff, its efficiency can improve and can lead to a positive impact on sales targets and customer satisfaction. Better sales numbers can also increase the long-term sustainability of the organization and market share with the possibility of overthrowing its competitor. 2.2.5 Green Thinking Hat This hat helps individuals to come up with new recommendations and alternatives to solve the company’s problems through creative thinking (Marissa Martinez, 2009). Templeton Hardwares board could restructure the organization into a more de-centralized one and re-brand its products to increase its exclusivity. Templeton Hardware can improve productivity and time management standards by looking at how other companies operate. Advertisements can be placed in the media for job positions and opportunities to bring in an influx of employees to solve the shortage of staff. Employees should be given opportunities to voice out their concerns and put through special programs to enhance their level of service orientation and communication skills when handling customers. Job scopes can also be better enlarged and enriched in order to improve performance standards. 2.2.6 Blue Thinking Hat This hat sets the agenda for meetings, manages the processes and helps to reach productive conclusions (De Bono Consulting, 2000). There is a primary need to identify the issues, analyse them and solve the problems. Some of the key objectives would be to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company, improving the job security of employees so as to prevent the shortage of manpower, improving customer satisfaction by sending the employees for training and lastly to regain a bigger piece of the market share in order to have a competitive edge over the new competitor. Templeton Hardware can reach these objectives by adopting a change in management. The staff should also be briefed about the challenges during and after the change (Holley et al, 2011). In addition, the creation of a clear company vision would better inform its employees of the company’s core values. It is also imperative that the transition is managed effectively and a momentum is sustained after this transiti on. After the transition period is over, the team can strategise to increase the profitability of the organization. 2.3 Brainstorming Brainstorming is often used as an effective tool to come up with innovative solutions for problems which may exist internally or externally in an organisation. A general process can be used to create an outline of the issues and solutions to the key problems (Oslapas, 1993). 2.3.1 Problem Definition The main problem to be addressed would be the declining yields and returns in Templeton Hardwares business model. The customers, the companys board and management and organisations circumstances are established criterias to be used to convene the brainstorming. 2.3.2 Collating Data Creating Solutions The management decision to acquire two new companies without enough market research and its lack of foresight is evident. It failed to foresee all the outcomes that may arise from the acquistion and was overconfident that the outcome would be a positive one. The solution would simply be to conduct more extensive research on market conditions and develop products according to the market needs and requirements. Templeton Hardware should also look into enhancing its brand value and exclusivity. The companys board should take a more proactive role in making major decisions from a broader perspective and contingency plans can be drawn up in the event of an adverse outcome. The change in management styles and poor employee management led to high job dissatisfaction levels. This impacted employee retention numbers and the employees willingness to remain at the organisation as they did not feel appreciated. The employees felt overworked and were unsure of their own job scope as they had been tasked with interdepartmental duties. Team building and bonding enables each of their staff to get to know one another better and increases the staff unity and morale (Spaho, 2013). To prevent the staff from feeling stagnant in their job, they should implement job enlargement measures by retaining its existing staff and retraining them with the necessary skills (Cloke et al, 2000). Employees can also be more involved in decision making as this would give them a sense of responsibility and make them feel valued in the company. A flatter organisation structure would bridge the gap between the management and the employees and help the management to get a bottom up persp ective from ground zero. Customer service declined as employees were usually engaged in multiple responsibilities. This made customers dissatisfied and sales targets were not achieved. Previously, it was perceived that if a customer had patronised the store and purchased something, he/she would return to make future transactions. However, this is a wrong perspective and Templeton Hardware should look into providing something which surpasses its competitors marketing strategies. This could be customer service or the use of an â€Å"no frills, rock bottom pricing† marketing strategy. By adopting a customer centric structure, they need to train staff to have higher service standards (Pathak, 2010). The staff should understand customer needs and should be rewarded accordingly using performance appraisals or awards as a form of recognition (Lucas, 2009). 3. Recommendations Templeton Hardware should look into team building and team bonding activities to enhance cohesiveness while increasing its autonomy to involved more employees in the decision making. It should retain and retrain existing staff to increase job productivity and specialisation. Temporary downsizing should be implemented if the situation calls for. Through investments in technological infrastructure and by adopting a customer centric structure, it can enhance its customer management system. Templeton Hardware can also create a RD department to conduct extensive market and product research. The board should also contribute by increasing its pro-activeness in making decisions and contingency planning. It can also look into potentially enhancing the brand value and image through marketing campaigns or word of mouth. 4. Conclusion In conclusion, by using the appropriate Organization Development Consultant’s Toolkits such as SWOT Analysis, Six Thinking Hats and brainstorming, a deeper perspective of the companys situation has been attained. The main problems have been identified and a constructive approach can be taken towards resolving the problems. From the diagnosis conducted using these toolkits, enhancing Templeton Hardwares overall cohesiveness while maintaining the level of employee performance and management is a realistic target. Furthermore, implementing structural change strategies during organization change would further enhance organization effectiveness and better facilitate the transition period.

Effects of Streaming on the Music Industry

Effects of Streaming on the Music Industry In the past couple of years, streaming has become one of the main ways to listen to music. With streaming is it having an Effect on the music industry that we have come to know of. This point has many Positive and Negative statement about the effects on the music industry. Some of the main Streaming Sites or Apps are Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music. With these streaming sites, many of the CEOs believe that their apps have helped the music industry from going into a decline in most of its sales. Or Artists believe it is helping the profile platform for Musicians. Results from streaming in the past couple of years are that the rates of piracy have heavily declined because of Apps like Spotify and Pandora. Spotify has been one of the main impacts on the music industry from 2015, Due to its free subscription to stream music. CEO of Spotify Daniel Ek, claiming Now, finally, after years and years of decline, music is growing again, streaming is behind the growth in music, and Spotify is behind the growth in streaming.(Hassan, C, 2016) Lars Ulrich drummer of Metallica believes Streaming is a good way for musicians and artist to get a higher profile on themselves. He also states Its a choice for the fan to be part of, its a choice for the artists who are involved in making their music available on streaming services. Its a choice by the record companies that represent the artist. Fifteen years ago those choices didnt exist.(BBC news) But besides all these Positives there have been many negative remarks on the topic. When Apple music did their 3-month free trial, the apple artist wasnt actually getting paid for the music that the members were streaming. Which has made a contribute to Taylor Swift pulling her music off of Apple music because of a high based disagreement over payment. Payment is also a factor that most people disagree with when it comes to Spotify or Apple Music. When a some is played on Spotify it has to be running for more than 30secs for the artist to get paid which can go from $0.004 for the smaller artist to $0.0084 for the well-known artist. Which in conclusion has made some famous artist non-eager to join Spotify. In the US the revenue for music sale has been hovering are $7Bil since 2010, which only went up by less than one percent from 2014 to 2015 to $7.02Bil. With this, Cds and Downloads have started to become abounded as streaming has now risen to become one of the number one platforms for music listeners. With all the contributing statements Does streaming effect the music industry you can tell that most people are with thinking that it is positive or negative, but you do get people who think that it is both with good reason to back themselves up. in future years to come will we see a drastic change in the music industry thanks to streaming?. Bibliography: Hassan, C, 2016 Spotify CEO Claims the Music Industry Would Be Dead Without Spotify http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/02/17/71963/ Jones, R, 2016 Online Streaming drives increase in Australian Music Industry http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-11/online-streaming-drives-increase-in-australian-music-industry/7314660 Sisario, B Russell, K, 2016 Music sales remain steady but lucrative cd sales decline Is streaming good for Music 2015 http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33526045 Iahn, B Streaming effect on the music industry https://themusicuniverse.com/streamings-effect-on-the-music-industry/ Wolf-Mann, E, 2015 Spotify Music Industry Revenues http://time.com/money/4086968/spotify-music-industry-revenues/ University, A, 2016 How streaming is changing the music industry http://au.blogs.american.edu/audio-technology/how-streaming-is-changing-the-music-industry/ Ellis-Petersen, H, 2016 Streaming revenues bring big boost to global music industry https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/12/streaming-revenues-bring-big-boost-to-global-music-industry

Immigration Policy :: essays research papers

American Immigration Policy Immigration has held a major role in shaping our country. Immigrants have provided many things such as customs, manufacturing, inventions, and entertainment. Many people today don't realize how greatly we have been affected by immigration. A survey was given to ten people. The survey contained a list of people who were all immigrants. When asked how many actually were, only one person got the question right. Old Immigration occurred between 1840-1890. Immigrants during this time period came from countries such as Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland). Next came the period of New Immigration. These newcomers came from Italy, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Austria, etc., most of whom were peasants who couldn't speak English. The people who migrated during the period of Old Immigration disliked these aliens because it meant lower wages for themselves and the new immigrants had greater advantages including poor and political machines. These people also were not willing to adapt to American ways of life, created their own little towns that resemble their homeland. They were treated as outcasts. New Immigration ended with World War I when the immigrant boats were being sunk. Immigration is still continuing today. Current Immigration includes people from Latin America, the Philippines, and Asia. Laws regarding immigration are constantly changing to fit the needs of society. In 1854, the Know-Nothing Party declared the need for strict limits on Immigration. Members of this party felt it was necessary that immigrants must be residents of the United States for 21 years before being granted citizenship. The campaign ended in 1860 during the time of the Civil War due to the demand of immigrants needed to enlist in the Union Army. Ten years later, the Naturalization Act is passed. This states that only "white persons and persons of African descent, " are able to become citizens. This excludes all Asians. This trend continues for several decades. In 1921, Congress decides to pass immigration restrictions, first establishing a quota of 350,000 immigrants. The quota is increased as times change. In 1995, it was passed that the total number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the United States be limited to 650, 000 a year. Immigrants were given visas, which allowed them to come to this country. Visas were distributed for family and employment-based immigrants, and persons from "adversely affected" countries. Strict regulations have also been made due to the large amount of people entering the country illegally. The nation is on the right track.

Snapshots of Love Essays -- Personal Narrative, essay about my family

Most of the snapshots of my life are held in the photo albums of my mind. Some were captured by a camera, and those pictures I keep in a shoebox under my bed. I'm lucky to have "shoebox photos" of the earliest things I can remember. For example, three days after my third birthday, Katherine Emily arrived. I remember my dad taking me to see my new baby sister; we stopped at a gas station on the way to the hospital and bought my mom candy and a cola. That day, the camera caught the tiny smile only a big sister could have as she holds one of the best birthday presents ever. I don't take up even half of a blue hospital chair as I cradle Katie in my arms. She is wrapped all in white, like the little angel that every baby is. My white, hooded sweatshirt has faint patches of sky blue, and just a tiny crimson triangle of a T-shirt peeks out from behind the zipper. Looking closer, a third person can be seen: my mother's wrist-banded hand holds Katie's head up. My tiny arms weren't quite strong enough for that task. That was the first time I ever posed with Katie. Looking at that photo makes me remember all the other pictures I have of Katie and me, even when there was no camera with film and batteries ready to go. It's these pictures that I'll never lose. Before Katie and I went off to school, we spent our days in the tunnels and caves of cardboard boxes and secret hideaways under the kitchen table. Our house has never been short on toys (there were six kids born before Katie and me), but boxes have always been a favorite. I remember being able to easily slide through the long passageways, my back not even brushing against the "ceilings" of our tunnels and forts. Katie had an even easier time ... ..., on the right, Horseshoe Falls bubbles under a mist that slowly rises above the horizon. Katie and I lean against the heavy, black railing, and against each other. Our smiles are sweet and happy, reminiscent of Katie's first birthday. These two shoebox pictures of Katie and me are just two snapshots in a shared photo album, filled with every cake, thought, joke, and sweater we've shared. In the midst of looking through the collection, Katie yells at me, "Hey, that's my shirt!" "You borrow my stuff," I reply. "Not without asking." "You had my black skirt for three months." "I asked for it." I let the fight peter out, not wishing to waste a memory on an argument about clothes. There will be plenty of hair-pulling, name-calling, and angry situations between Katie and me to come. I want to save my film for better times. Snapshots of Love Essays -- Personal Narrative, essay about my family Most of the snapshots of my life are held in the photo albums of my mind. Some were captured by a camera, and those pictures I keep in a shoebox under my bed. I'm lucky to have "shoebox photos" of the earliest things I can remember. For example, three days after my third birthday, Katherine Emily arrived. I remember my dad taking me to see my new baby sister; we stopped at a gas station on the way to the hospital and bought my mom candy and a cola. That day, the camera caught the tiny smile only a big sister could have as she holds one of the best birthday presents ever. I don't take up even half of a blue hospital chair as I cradle Katie in my arms. She is wrapped all in white, like the little angel that every baby is. My white, hooded sweatshirt has faint patches of sky blue, and just a tiny crimson triangle of a T-shirt peeks out from behind the zipper. Looking closer, a third person can be seen: my mother's wrist-banded hand holds Katie's head up. My tiny arms weren't quite strong enough for that task. That was the first time I ever posed with Katie. Looking at that photo makes me remember all the other pictures I have of Katie and me, even when there was no camera with film and batteries ready to go. It's these pictures that I'll never lose. Before Katie and I went off to school, we spent our days in the tunnels and caves of cardboard boxes and secret hideaways under the kitchen table. Our house has never been short on toys (there were six kids born before Katie and me), but boxes have always been a favorite. I remember being able to easily slide through the long passageways, my back not even brushing against the "ceilings" of our tunnels and forts. Katie had an even easier time ... ..., on the right, Horseshoe Falls bubbles under a mist that slowly rises above the horizon. Katie and I lean against the heavy, black railing, and against each other. Our smiles are sweet and happy, reminiscent of Katie's first birthday. These two shoebox pictures of Katie and me are just two snapshots in a shared photo album, filled with every cake, thought, joke, and sweater we've shared. In the midst of looking through the collection, Katie yells at me, "Hey, that's my shirt!" "You borrow my stuff," I reply. "Not without asking." "You had my black skirt for three months." "I asked for it." I let the fight peter out, not wishing to waste a memory on an argument about clothes. There will be plenty of hair-pulling, name-calling, and angry situations between Katie and me to come. I want to save my film for better times.

Social Influence Research - Do the Ends Justify the Means? Essay

Social Influence Research - Do the Ends Justify the Means? To what extent does the importance of social influence research, justify the methods used in its investigation? The debate about ethics in psychology focuses on two areas: protection of participants and benefiting society. This is a double obligation dilemma as if some psychologists are not allowed to do certain experiments because of ethical restraints; this can cause problems with validity. In social psychology, these psychologists have an obligation to use their research skills to advance our knowledge of human behaviour, for the ultimate aim of human betterment. Milgram’s study into obedience involved participants becoming a ‘teacher’ and applying an electric shock to the ‘learner’ (who was a confederate) when they answered a word association question incorrectly. The participant was not aware that the shocks they administered were false and some believed they may have killed a man. In this instance therefore, the code of conduct and ethical guidelines published by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and American Psychological Society (APS) in 1993 were broken in more than one way. The participants’ right to withdraw was disabled as the prods given by the experimenter (such as â€Å"please continue† etc) made the participants feel that they had no choice but to continue. The were also involved in deception as they thought they had administered real shocks and were not informed of the confederate being present. This study, however, was conducted in the 1950’s and the ethical guidelines were not in position and therefore this study may be published in modern day t... ...very case. For example, there was only one prisoner who tried to resist and went on a hunger strike. When he was put into solitary confinement the others were allowed to release him by means of giving up their blankets. They refused. They saw they situation as every man for themselves. Another benefit to society was also the impression this experiment left on the prison system in America at the time, and some aspects of this were changed as a result. Therefore in conclusion, in these two experiments alone, the unethical methods used can be justified as they have helped to profit humanity by providing insight into how humans behave when put into certain social situations. Without these ethical guidelines being broken, both experiments would have lacked ecological validity and the results would not be legitimate.

Black People and Prejudice Essay

â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh! † I squealed and jumped for joy the moment I dropped the phone. I hurrily scurried over to my mom to share the news. â€Å"Mommy, I got my first job! † This was the stepping stone to me being an independent young woman. I was officially employed at Hollister Co. as a sales model. I was ecstatic and excited to make some money at the tender age of 15. My first week was definitely a learning experience; from learning how to maintain a cash registrar to folding tons of polos and jeans. Soon through this journey, it started to become bittersweet. With three months of being employed, my shifts were diminishing from 4 shifts a week to 1 shift a week. As I looked at the schedule postings for the week, I noticed a trend with the scheduling of the shifts. Ironically, most of the employees that were working more hours and more shifts were white females. I figured it might have something to do with the fact that my supervisor is a white surfer-boy who is infatuated with beach-blonde beauties. However that did not stop me from asking him to put me on the schedule more. Sadly, I resent the day I had asked him. Unfortunately, he felt that I didn’t have the â€Å"natural beachy look† that Hollister Co. was trying to perceive. I am of Malaysian decent and have tan skin color. Hearing that definitely bruised my ego and made me self-conscious about my appearance. I felt this was a tactic for me to quit, and so I did. Over the months I begin to realize that ultimately there will be people in the world that have a perspective of life that I cannot seem to change. I had realized that this was not my fault; it was his own personal judgment that led him to think that. I was treated this way because of how I looked not on who I am. Many people have tried to explain the reasoning of why people are prejudiced and discriminate against one another. Two readings that are eye-openers about prejudice are â€Å"Causes of Prejudice† and â€Å"C. P. Ellis. † In the essay, â€Å"Causes of Prejudice,† the author Vincent N. Parrillo explains the reasons for racism and discrimination in the United States. Which brings us to Studs Terkel’s essay â€Å"C. P. Ellis,† he tells us the story of C. P. Ellis, a former Klansmen who claims he is no longer racist. With Parrillo’s essay, we will analyze what caused C. P. Ellis to be prejudice and how he changed. Parrillo’s Causes of Prejudice outlines reasons how and why prejudice exists in today’s society. Parrillo first starts out telling us that prejudice is the rejection of a member of a certain culture, and that ethnocentrism is a rejection of all culture as a whole. He then states that there are four areas of study to consider when dealing with prejudice; levels of prejudice, self-justification, personality, and frustration. This theory is ideal to the root of why and where prejudice starts. He explains that the first level of prejudice is the cognitive level of prejudice. This is a person’s beliefs of a culture. The second level is the emotional level of prejudice. This level includes what kind of emotional response a culture has on a person. These emotions for example can be that of hate, love, fear, etc†¦ The final level, explains Parrillo, is the action oriented level. This is the desire to physically act upon their prejudice feelings toward the person or culture. As stated in the text, â€Å"The emotional level of prejudice encompasses the feelings that a minority group arouses in an individual. Although these feelings may be based on stereotypes from the cognitive level they represent more intense stages of personal involvement† (Parrillo 386). His statement holds true. In the sense of economic competition prejudice occurs frequently. We need to realize that jealousy is an important factor of prejudice. There would still be competitions, hatred, and stereotyping. It is just in our human nature. The story of C. P Ellis begins as he discusses his life as being a white male from a low-income class. His frustrations and misfortunes lead him to become a member of the Ku Klux Klan. His father always told Ellis to stay away from blacks, Jews, and Catholics’ and he obeyed his father’s wishes. In a sense, it seemed as if Ellis truly admired his father. At 17 years old, his father soon passed away and Ellis was forced to work to tend to his family. Ellis discusses his frustrations on having to make ends meet with four children, the eldest being mentally challenged and the struggles he has to endure to make it happen. Ellis begins to blame the black people for his tragedy and his misfortune of not being able to have sufficient funds. In relevance to Parrillo’s essay, he explains that â€Å"frustrations tend to increase aggression toward others† (Parrillo 393). This ties into the anger that Ellis began to direct it towards as he stated, â€Å"I didn’t know who to blame. I tried to find somebody. I began to blame it on black people. I had to hate somebody† (Terkel 400). Ellis believed that blaming others rather than himself was the best way to get over his frustrations. We are then exploited to the self esteem Ellis had and his state of mind when starting his racist rampage. To begin with, Ellis shows throughout the essay that he is weak minded and has very low self-esteem. Ellis states, â€Å"The majority of ‘em are low income whites, people who really don’t have a part in something. They have been shut out as well as the blacks†¦ So the natural person to hate would the black person† (Terkel 401). Ellis started to hate the fact that he was poor and turned to the KKK. He felt the KKK opened opportunities he could achieve because of the stability and members of the group. Parrillo states that â€Å"self-justification† is lead to believe the main cause of prejudice. He states â€Å"a person may avoid social contact with groups deemed inferior and associate only with those identified as being of high status† (Parrillo 387). We can identify the behaviors and personality Ellis displays is relevant to the same behaviors and personality of his father. Throughout the story, Ellis directed his hatred towards blacks just like his father did. Ellis states â€Å"The natural person for me to hate would be black people, because my father before me was a member of the Klan. As far as he was concerned, it was the savior of the white people† (Terkel 400). We can recognize that his racist ways came from his father who told him what to believe. We can identify this as the â€Å"socialization† factor of prejudice. When one is taught something which they live by all their life they begin to play a role just as the one who taught them those ways. Parrillo elaborates, â€Å"We thus learn the prejudices of our parents and others, which then become part of our values and beliefs. Even when based on false stereotypes, prejudices shape our perceptions of various peoples and influence our attitudes and actions toward particular groups† (Parrillo 394). We can make the connection that Ellis’s father was racist he gained his father’s characteristics as well as his beliefs. This also ties in when he begins to blame black people because he was taught they were the cause of the economic problems he was facing. Ellis states â€Å"If we didn’t have niggers in the schools, we wouldn’t have the problems we got today† (Terkel 402). Here he did not truly experience what he believed but he was told this and began to live by it, which was passed down by his father. Over the time, Ellis and his views about the blacks changed altogether. In the end, Ellis has an epiphany once he realized how much in common he really had with blacks. He soon began to realize that black people were just as normal and looking for the same thing in life. He tells us what he realized later in his life â€Å"As long as they kept low-income whites and low-income blacks fightin’, they’re gonna maintain control† (Terkel 403). The revelation is going to change his life. He refers to they as being the politicians and government. He began to have his own mind set and realize that all are alike and should not be treated differently. Some white people had just as low incomes as some black people, which led him to realize that they were all at the same level. There is no explanation as to why Ellis really decided to all of a sudden change his views. We can relate this to Parrillo’s statement, â€Å"Although socialization explains how prejudicial attitudes may be transmitted from one generation to the next, it does not explain their origin or why they intensify or diminish over the years† (Terkel 394). In conclusion, both Parrillo’s essay and Ellis’s story go hand in hand in showing us the real reason why prejudice and racism still exists today. Vincent Parrillo exemplifies valid points and key notions on why cause a person to be prejudice and racist. C. P Ellis provides an insightful eye and truly gives us hope that maybe people will change their views over the years. Both showed us that prejudice is a prime factor in this society and this is because everyone was born and raised differently. Everyone has their own beliefs and ideas. Value, attitudes, beliefs and culture all are targets of prejudice. Regardless of anything, we will never be able to change that. People just try to persevere to the stereotyping and criticizing of other races and their own. Works Cited Parrillo, Vincent N. â€Å"‘Causes of Prejudice. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2010. 384-398. Terkel, Studs. â€Å"C. P Ellis. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2010. 398-408. Self-Editing Checklist: 1. Do you have a sufficient number of quoted passages from theoretical essay you have chosen and have you commented sufficiently on each? List the page numbers of the passages below. Page 386 Page 387 Page 393 Page 394 2. Do you have a sufficient number of quoted passages from personal essay you have chosen and have you commented sufficiently on each? List the page numbers of the passages below. Page 400 Page 401 Page 402 Page 403 3. Explain the order in which you chose to make your points via the passages you quoted. Studs Terkel then Vincent Parrillo? Page 386 ? Page 393 ? Page 400 ? Page 401 ? Page 387 ? Page 400 ? Page 394 ? Page 402 ? Page 403 ? Page 394 4. Name three writing errors you are likely to make in your prose and check the rough draft for these. Use the OWL website if necessary to look for examples of how to address these problems. List the likely errors below. Alternating long and short sentences. 5. Read your final draft of the essay aloud so that you do not allow your eyes you’re your brain to self-correct the errors in your essay. List the kinds of errors you found below. Spelling, grammar, punctuation.