Analysis of the salient features of Beck’s cognitive theory Essay

Beck’s cognitive theory assumes that most psychological problems arise from faulty thinking processes. The theory is centred on three factors that form what can be illustrated as a triad. Beck (1976) noted that the three factors that affect the human mind’s capabilities are thoughts, antecedent events and behavior (Figure 1). Figure 1: The foundation of Beck’s (1976) concept of the cognitive theory Source: Created from the description by Bandura (1976) A point worth noting is that these factors cannot act on their own as they do so in synergy with other factors. For instance, behavior is affected by the environment; thoughts are affected by the self (individual); and antecedent events are influenced by the current events. Beck’s cognitive theory perceives antecedent events, thoughts and behavior to be dynamic. In addition, according to (1998), each of the three constituents of the triad is capable of affecting others. However, Beck (1976) notes that in evaluating the triad, cognition or thoughts require more emphasis. This is because it is through thoughts that human beings are able to change their beliefs, attitudes, interpretation and perceptions in different instances. Moreover, thoughts or cognitive factors serve as a platform for filtering or appraising events. In line with this, if the human mind is biased towards one event at the expense of another, the thinking process would elicit some form of emotional and behavioral responses that would imply some problems in life. Therefore, according to this theory, the way human beings think could actually change the way they feel and behave. The cognitive theory serves as a way of understanding and treating depression due to the approach it takes in addressing the various faculties of the mind. In addition, since it highlights issues related to mental capabilities, it is appropriate for addressing mental health issues and other instances of disorders that arise due to depression or factors such as substance use. In postulating the theory, Beck was of the opinion that depressed people often have low opinion of themselves. Precisely, Beck suggested that depressed people believe that the world, their future, and they themselves were the causes of their depression. In addition, Beck (1998) noted that people might be faced with psychological difficulties due to occurrence of automatic thoughts, negative self-assessments and dysfunctional assumptions. Moreover, Beck connoted that automatic thoughts usually pave the way for emotions but occur considerably fast with the affected individual’s little awareness. As a result, such individuals do not view themselves with high esteem. As an example, people affected by stress may address themselves in considerably high critical tones; they also blame themselves for every mishap that befalls them. Beck’s theory and depression Beck (1987) noted that depressed people, apart from having a low opinion of themselves, also develop schemas in their minds such as â€Å"if many people hate me then I am worthless. † Nevertheless, such beliefs are usually primitive, overstated and rigid. It is worthy noting that the self schemas developed in the minds pf distressed people are usually stable but latent and only discernible when they are stimulated by social stressors (for instance when a person provokes the distressed individual) (Beck, 1987). Once the distressed person is provoked, the depressive diagram in the mind of the individual becomes activated by the stress of the event (provocation) and results into a two-fold consequence (Beck, 1976). The first effect is that the content of the distressed person becomes negative. This is characterized by a cognitive triad and the person develops negative beliefs about himself or herself, the world and the future (i. e. every aspect of the cognitive triad becomes negative). In the second phase, there is a systematic bias in the mind that characterized by distortion of information processing capability and being prone to committing errors. Although not all forms of depression are caused by stimulation of the self-schemas, Beck viewed the negative cognitive triad and negative processing of information as the intrinsic features of all depressions (Beck, 1987). The result of the negative schema is fear for all activities by the individual. This is in spite of the fact that some activities could be easily accomplished. For instance, a negative evaluation of self worth may be â€Å"I am unworthy, I just can’t do this†; and a negative evaluation of the world or daily events may be â€Å"Everything that happens to me is just enough evidence that my world is crumbling, this world does not need me. † On the other hand, a distressed person’s evaluation of the future may be â€Å"It seems that nothing will ever get better for me even in future. † From the above illustration, Beck’s Cognitive Model of Depression clearly shows how early experiences in life can lead to the development of dysfunctional beliefs, which in turn cause individuals to have negative self-views, which in turn result into depression (Beck, 1987).

Analysis of “The Shield of Achilles” Essay

The Shield of Achilles is a poem of nine stanzas where the author W.H.Auden has used an episode from the famous Homeric epic ‘Iliad’, as the name suggests. Achilles as we know was the greatest hero of the Trojan War and his shield as mentioned here has its reference in the book eighteen of the Iliad. There Thetis, the sea goddess and Achilles’ mother requests Hephaestus the divine blacksmith to make a shield for Achilles whose armor has been taken away by the Trojan hero Hector when he killed Patroclus to whom Achilles had lent it. Auden here has narrated the episode of the Iliad where this shield is in the making. Interestingly unlike the epical shield which was decorated by Hephaestus with stars and constellation, two beautiful towns full of people, scene of cultivation, a vineyard laden with grapes, herd of cattle, dancing girls and boys, the shield in question presents a scene of lifelessness, destruction and decadence of a moribund society of people. The poem starts with an unnamed woman and a man whom we later identify as Thetis and Hephaestus. She is looking over his shoulder to watch the shield which is being made there. Contrary to her expectations she finds the shield being decorated with barbed wire enclosures and bored officials, weary sentries, detached and dispassionate men folk, a weed-choked-field and a frustrated young boy who knows nothing about love being always exposed to murder and rape. In the poem whenever Thetis peers over the blacksmith’s shoulder hoping to see some beautiful decoration of natural beauty being embossed on the shield, some morbid spectacle is sure to greet her eyes. Finally when Hephaestus leaves after finishing the shield, Thetis is distraught to find a horrific picture which makes Achilles’ doom all the more evident. The poet has used a method of flashback to emphasize the deplorable condition of the modern human society. Whenever Thetis looks over ‘his shoulder’ Auden gives us a glimpse of the beauty of the past by mentioning what she expects to see and what gruesome sights unfold before her. The poem shows a contrast between the ancient world of real heroes and the modern world of debasement. The poet W. H. Auden thus uses the shield of Achilles as a subject but all the beautiful descriptions of Homer have been replaced to show the poet’s disgust with blankness and  shallowness of the modern society.

Abercrombie and Fitch report Essay Example for Free

Abercrombie and Fitch report Essay ? Abercrombie & Fitch was established in 1892, and originally was a retailer of outdoor and sporting goods. In 1976, it went bankrupted and was acquired by Limited Brands in 1988. Michael Jeffries was nominated to become CEO in 1992, and he dramatically improved the status of A&F to be a global fashion retailer. Now the symbol of American style and beloved brand by many customers worldwide, Abercrombie and Fitch produces mainly apparel, fragrance and lifestyle goods targeting at consumers aged from 18 to 25. There are 4 sub-brands in A&F which are Abercrombie and Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks. Each sub-brand has its own characteristics and its positioning in the fashion market is slightly different. Abercrombie & Fitch is rooted in East Coast traditions and Ivy League heritage, it is the essence of privilege and casual luxury (Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 2012, P. 3). Abercrombie Kids is for the kids who want to be like their older brothers or sisters and the core concept of it is casual and preppy looks. Hollister’s heritage stems from Southern California and was designed to represent cool beach style. Gilly Hicks is the newest and smallest brand in A&F made only for the girls’ clothes or underwear. With the opening of a flagship store in Canada in 2005, A&F started to enter the global market. Now it has 139 stores outside of the US, and it recently opened stores in Seoul, South Korea and in Shanghai, China to expand into the Asian market. We chose Abercrombie and Fitch since we would like to see how successful this multinational apparel company can be by insisting its All-American style in different cultures. We wanted to explore its unique retail strategy and brand positioning as this brand is sought after a lot of young adult. Several controversial issues of A&F were the deciding factor in our choice of company. Work Oriented Culture Of all the methods which exist for explaining cultural differences, â€Å"the dimensional approach is more influential† (Peng & Meyer, 2011). Geert  Hostede, a Dutch professor, established the overarching theory consisting of five cultural dimensions. The first is power distance which outlines the expectation and acceptance of the unequal distribution of power by the less powerful members of a country (Peng & Meyer, 2011). Individualism vs. collectivism is the cultural dimension characterized by whether the  citizens view themselves as distinctly different or dependent upon group involvement. The third cultural dimension is masculinity vs. femininity which refers to the values, traditional male or female, which are held in the highest regard. Determining the extent to which an individual will embrace uncertain circumstances is the uncertainty avoidance dimension. Finally, long-term orientation deals with the emphasis the citizens place upon â€Å"perseverance and savings for future betterment† (Peng & Meyer, 2011). The US is the home country of Abercrombie and Fitch. Scoring a 40 caused the US to be in the lower half of the countries for power distance. Hierarchy is â€Å"established for convenience† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014) as superiors are easily accessible and communicate informally. Information is free flowing as managers take input form their subordinates. The US received the highest individuality score of 91. Citizens are considered â€Å"the best joiners in the world† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014). It is not extreme for Americans to work with people with whom they are not familiar as deep friendships are not commonly formed. What an individual is capable of doing or has already done will determine their value of being  hired or promoted. Ranking 15th on the masculinity scale with a score of 62 indicates a masculine nation. US firms create a culture of â€Å"live to work† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014) where higher status and financial rewards are key driving factors. Leaders which are forceful and decisive are highly valu ed. Employees who are less visible and indecisive are not able to attain success With a score of 46, the US is shown to have a below average uncertainty avoidance. Innovation is extremely valued as new ideas are quickly accepted. As compared to firms in higher uncertainty avoidance countries, US firms will quickly go after new, emerging, and risky opportunities. The US is seventh from the bottom of the list for long-term orientation with a score of 29. While future planning is involved in US firms’ decision making process, quarterly reports are incredibly significant and limit the time firms can look ahead. Employees’ savings rates in countries such as the US are much lower than those in long-term oriented nations. Home Region Oriented Firm Rugman and Verbeke in 2004 established a triad of economic power consisting of Asia, the EU, and North America. Analysis of 380 firms determined how many were home-region oriented, bi-regional, host-region oriented, or global (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). A home-region oriented firm has â€Å"at least 50% of their sales in their home region of the triad† (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). To be a bi-regional company, at least 20% of all sales must take place in two regions, but the company cannot have more than 50% in the region where the company is based. If a firm has more than 50% of its sales in a region different than its home region then the firm is considered host region oriented. In order to be global, a firm must have â€Å"at least 20% of their sales in all three regions of the triad, but less than 50% in any one region† (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). A&F is considered a home region oriented company based upon the released date from 2013. Of the $4,116.9 million in sales, 64.59% or $2,659.09 million is generated in the home region, North America. $1,116.78 million or 27.13% of all their sales take place in the EU region. Asia is far behind as the remaining 8.28% of sales, 341.03 thousand dollars, is dispersed across the  rest of the world. No calculations were needed as the sales figures and percentages were given. (Csimarket.com, 2014). The industry for which A&F operates can explain their sales distribution. As the company is in the fashion and retail industry, its’ sales are incredibly dependent upon the affinity of the customers for specific brands and styles. Since the company is based in North America, the firm is much more familiar with the prevalent style which would need to be present to increase sales. A&F also established itself in their home country before expanding. These factors could explain the firmâ€℠¢s international orientation. Ownership Advantages First, one downstream ownership advantage of A&F is the possession of a specific brand image which is not easily imitable. The firm operates under different brands – Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister, and Gill Hicks – for slightly different targets. Each sub-brand represents a different brand image but they eventually add up to one big image, â€Å"American Cool†. To the fashion retailers, the most important ownership advantage is their own irreplaceable brand image. In this context, A&F has its distinct position in the fashion market and is using their brand image successfully to attract the customers (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, P. 3). Second, the other ownership advantage of A&F is its’ in-store experience. A&F stimulates the customers’ senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch by utilizing handsome male models, music, fragrances, rich fabrics and interior design. Customers (mainly females) can get a chance to take a photo with the models, and this became a representative in-store experience of A&F. In addition to this, A&F uses certain perfume to attract customers and to make them remember A&F for a longer time than just seeing, which is called â€Å"scent marketing†. Also, the stores always play the video of the American beach to emphasize its â€Å"cool† brand image. A&F only sets up the flagship stores and controls them through the managers who are trained in the US and sent to the international flagship stores to monitor the whole operation. This system makes it possible to transfer this in-store experience to the newly established flagship stores very well. Therefore, all A&F stores, even those  overseas, are committing the standardized in-store experience by offering customers the same experience (Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 2012, p. 4). Uppsala Model & Network Internationalization Model – Differences â€Å"The Uppsala model views that market knowledge is gained only by operating directly in a market; thus the model focuses on experimental knowledge† (Childs & Jin 2013, p. 38). According to the Uppsala model, will increase their market commitment gradually based upon their experience in the market and based on the knowledge they gain in the market. On the other hand, according to the Network internationalization model, firms can start their internationalization before they enter the market by settling network relationship in advance. Therefore, firms do not have to follow the stages of the Uppsala model but â€Å"building a number of such relationships constitutes a large and important investment, and once established, a nd organizational or ownership advantage† (Vahlne & Johanson 2013, p. 195). Uppsala Model & Network Internationalization Model – Similarities Both models consider the network as important knowledge that firms should gain. The network facilitates information and experience by building up the trust in a relationship and also by learning from other market players. Within the Uppsala model, the core concept of the gradual extension of a company’s internationalization into a market, which gains the company valuable experience, should be based on the interplay with customers, suppliers, and other competitors. As the company’s network broadens, it can get more knowledge and at the same time its degree of internationalization will become higher. In this context, we can find similarity between the two models. International Trajectory In 2005, A&F first opened its’ flagship store in Canada. Starting from this, A&F entered the European market with opening flagship stores in major cities of the European countries, such as London, Milan, Paris, and Amsterdam. On December 15, 2009, A&F opened its first Asian flagship store in Tokyo as a starting point to enter the Asian market. Currently, A&F owns 19 flagship stores in Canada, 110 in Europe, and 11 in Asia. Among those stores, 39 are sales subsidiaries. In Canada, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong, A&F has wholly-owned subsidiaries because there are DCs in those countries, meaning that they are the most important countries in each continent (Abercrombie &  Fitch Co. 2012, PP. 19, 101102). Firms who have a strong brand image and possess asset specificity (a unique product or a unique way of doing business) are more likely to internationalize quickly (Childs & Jin, 2013). A&F is a good example of this case, so it could skip the lower stages of the Uppsala model, s uch as sporadic exports or exports through sales agents, and could set up the subsidiaries directly overseas, which only takes 7-9  years. Consequently, now we can assume that the company is already in a quite higher stage of the Uppsala-based stages model with its sales subsidiaries and wholly-owned subsidiaries. Degree and Nature of International Sourcing Abercrombie and Fitch does not own factories producing the products and it has not sourced more than 10% of its merchandise from any single member of its approximately 155 vendors in 20 countries, including the United States, China, Vietnam and Guatemala (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 4). In particular, more than 90% of its suppliers are in Asia (Google.com, 2011). The company has established supplier product quality standards to ensure the high quality of fabrics and other materials used in the company’s products (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 5). Abercrombie and Fitch has two distribution centers (â€Å"DCs†) in New Albany, Ohio. The two DCs were initially responsible for the distribution of merchandise to the stores and direct-toconsumer customers, both regionally and internationally. Since 2009, A&F has offshored its DCs by using a third-party DC (TNT Fashion) in Roosendaal, the Netherlands for the distribution of merchandise to stores and direct-to-consumer c ustomers located in Europe and a third-party DC in Hong Kong since 2011 for the distribution of merchandise to stores located in Asia. Its two DCs in New Albany, Ohio currently only support its North American stores, and direct-to-consumer customers outside of Europe (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 5). The nature of offshoring the DCs is to broaden the direct-toconsumer business worldwide and facilitate the international expansion of Abercrombie and Fitch stores in Europe and Asia. Furthermore, Abercrombie and Fitch has a strong, cooperative and long-term relationship with its vendor factories. When the CEO Mike Jeffries was asked about the cost pressures from raw materials and labor costs, he emphasized  that a strong relationship with vendors has been key since they had assisted A&F and been fair in terms of cotton prices and other increases. He also added that A&F and vendors have been there for each other for the long term (Barrie, 2010). Strategic Advantages and Drawbacks of International Sourcing and Offshoring The first advantage of international sourcing is that A&F can hedge against the supplier risks. Since A&F has relationships with over 100 vendors in 20 countries, it can flexibly switch from one source to another when necessary. A&F has the ability to increase its total supply capacity. Even if there are a sudden wave of demand for certain products, having a strong relationship with over 100 vendors will ensure A&F a certain supply of products and therefore the supply chain will be more stable (Inboundlogistics.com, 2011). However, such global sourcing strategy also brings some disadvantages. The source of production activity is too dispersed; it is a challenge to find qualified executives who know the local business environment and understand the corporation’s inner workings especially in the Asia Pacific region (Inboundlogistics.com, 2011). We would advise Abercrombie and Fitch to send executives from the US to those countries and hire local managers simultaneously to ensure the production activity smooth. The primary advantage of offshoring is to reduce costs. Offshoring its distribution centers in Europe and Asia can save distribution and transportation costs of merchandise to stores in Europe and Asia. However, if the third-party distribution center in the Netherlands or Hong Kong shuts down suddenly, the distribution of merchandise in Europe and Asia will be totally disrupted. Therefore, A&F should leverage the risk by running an additional distribution center in some low-cost countries, such as Vietnam. This move will also support A&F’s future expansion. Opportunities and Threats in Vietnam Opportunities Labor cost in Vietnam are absolutely lower than that of China (JETRO, 2011) (NWPC, 2014). See Appendix 1 for figure 1. Government policy to attract FDI (Kim, Lee & Cheong, 2011). See AppendixThreats 2.  TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) – Cost reduction, lead time reduction, and tax benefit. See Appendix 3 for table 1. Currently only 16% of A&F clothes are produced in Vietnam (Google.com, 2011). See Appendix 4 for figure 2. Vietnam has a better status for lead times, infrastructure, and working circumstances than other developing countries (Kim, Lee & Cheong, 2011). As A&F doesn’t operate their own manufacturing facilities but uses vendors, it can be intense competition among the companies who want to attract vendors in Vietnam. Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka which have lower labor cost than Vietnam are trying to develop their infrastructure and manufacturing conditions to attract vendors. In the future, those undeveloped countries can be a threat to the Vietnam market. Minimum wage in Vietnam is increasing by 15% in 2013, and 17% in 2014 (Vettoretti & Huyen, 2013). Suggestions for the Emerging Market We suggest establishing a distribution center (DC) in Vietnam as a strategy to create synergy with the new manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. Currently, many global fashion retailers are trying to generate vertical integration in the emerging markets because they can control the demand fluctuation easily and simplify procurement and administrative procedures eliminating the need to deal with a wide variety of suppliers and distributors. If TPP is concluded, the degree of tariffs will decrease, so it would be better to concentrate on upstream investment in Vietnam. Because emerging markets are not wellorganized and there is more lack of conditions than the developed market, owning a DC will be more stable and protective. Eventually, a DC in Vietnam will create good access to the Asian market. In  overseas developed markets, A&F doesn’t own the distribution centers but uses third-party DCs in the Netherlands and Hong Kong. However in Vietnam, we assume that A&F would set up a distribution center as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The third-party logistics in outsourcing the whole distribution to a specialized company would reduce the cost. Now A&F has only third-party DCs in overseas and there is a threat to be shut down. In order to prevent this situation in advance, owning at least one wholly-owned DC is practical. Because a wholly-owned DC totally controlled by the company, the company can adjust to the demand fluctuation better than a third-party DC. Therefore wholly-owned DC will function as a safety net in a case there is an uncontrollable problem in a third-party DC. Strategic Objectives of Entering China With regard to market seeking, â€Å"China will represent the biggest market potential for our brands,† said Craig Brommers, senior vice president of marketing for A&F (Fashionunited.com, 2014). Undoubtedly, China is a huge and growing market with a population of approximately 1.4 billion. Therefore, A&F has been trying to locate its potential customers by opening the first flagship store in Shanghai and 8 Hollister stores in different cities since 2012. The company plans to open over 100 new stores under its Hollister and A&F’s label in China over the next ten years (Fashionunited.com, 2014). With regard to efficiency seeking, there are an abundant suppliers and a low-cost labor force. Specifically, over 60% of its vendors were located in China in 2011 (Google.com, 2011). Also, there has been a distribution center in Hong Kong since 2011. Therefore, A&F can achieve lower transportation costs since the delivery is closer to its target markets. Past Foreign Entry Modes Abercrombie and Fitch started its international expansion in London by opening the first overseas flagship store in 2007, and it almost adopted a single foreign entry mode in the last 7 years. A&F established a wholly-owned subsidiary when entering a new market, such as the Netherlands, UK, Hong  Kong, Singapore and Japan. However, A&F opened its first Hollister store in Dubai in 2013 through a joint venture with Majid Al Futtaim Ventures and an A&F flagship store is expected to open in Dubai in 2014 the same way (Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, 2014). For Abercrombie and Fitch, establishing wholly-owned subsidiaries is a better entry mode for international expansion. A&F can enjoy full control of the international stores since it pursues an intensely American retail and marketing strategy (Marx, 2010). Therefore, establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary enables A&F to integrate the operation of its subsidiaries tightly with itself and to control what the subsidiary should follow. In addition, it takes a lot of efforts to establish an effective relationship in a joint venture and the cultures of the companies may be incompatible. Financially, The parent company can consolidate the results of its wholly-owned subsidiaries into one financial statement (Basu, 2014).Considering that A&F is opening more international stores worldwide, the financial reporting would be too complicated if it engages in joint ventures in many different countries. Multinational Strategy – Home Replication Stage The multinational strategy of Abercrombie and Fitch closely resembles the home replication strategy. There are several evidences from practice. First of all, the local responsiveness of A&F’s international stores is very low. The staff greets shoppers in English, rather than the local language of the foreign countries. This results in foreign customer alienation since some customers will be forced to surface their rusty English during the transaction (Marx, 2010). A&F replicates its home country-based competencies such as brand positioning. Sex appeal is a big part of the brand’s charm in the United States; A&F also puts this masculine ideal into practice of its international stores. Particularly, many of the male staff members are half-naked in the stores (Marx, 2010). Finally, the implementation of its marketing strategy and operation is easier. The store design and the interior are the same worldwide along with extremely dim lightings, a strong smell of cologne and p erfume and the staff singing or dancing with the  pounding American songs. ‘Real-life’ Social and Environmental Dilemmas A ‘real life’ social dilemma has adversely impacted A&F in recent years surrounding its CEO. The official website of the company states the company strives to be â€Å"an inclusive environment that values the differences of its associates and customers† (Anfcareers.com, 2014). While this is the official statement, an interview with the CEO, Mike Jeffries, brought a contrasting view to light. Jeffries identified his target market by claiming, â€Å"a lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes]†¦Are we exclusionary? Absolutely† (Walker, 2014). A&F has since released an apology, but boycotts, negative celebrity statements, and petitions were enacted. This issue is an ethical dilemma to the firm because of their strategic place in the clothing market. In order to stay popular, an essence of exclusivity has been built around the brand, since the more exclusive the brand appears, the more interest the brand receives. This has been A&F’s approac h, but this strategy is not inclusive. The firm had to determine whether to increase their size options or continue with the current productive model. The most important stakeholders for this dilemma are the CEO and those who hold a large portion of A&F’s stock. If A&F is not able to effectively remedy the situation then the company’s profits will continue to suffer. A&F is a public company so their performance directly affects their stock. If the dilemma is not resolved quickly, it could trigger a chain reaction of a loss in profits which leads to lower stock causing several holders of the stock to drop it effectively dropping the value of the stock. The effects of this dilemma could have extremely long lasting repercussions. An environmental issue which has become a dilemma for A&F is the implementation of harmful chemicals in their signature fragrances. Within the fragrance Fierce, â€Å"11 secret chemicals that are not listed on the label† (Henricks, Malkan, & Shils, 2014) were found that heighten allergic reactions. This particular fragrance caused reactions from various activist groups such as Physicians for Social Responsibility, MomsRising, and others which total over 1.5 million people (Henricks, Malkan, & Shils, 2014). Utilizing harmful chemicals is an ethical environmental dilemma for A&F  because the current formula has generated incredible revenue. The official website of the company addresses large environmental impact areas such as limiting their carbon emissions, but nothing addresses something  which impacts the environmental on this particular scale. If A&F is able to hide these chemicals and still gain their desired sales results then it has little motivation to stop acting in this manner. The most important stakeholders surrounding this dilemma are not only the executives and upper management of the company, but also the lowest store employees. A loss in serious sales will affect most employees in a company, but this situation would directly affect individual store employees.Customers may stay away from the stores in order to avoid the negative side effects resulting in a loss of profit and jobs for store employees. Developing a Globally Standardized Strategy Currently, Abercrombie and Fitch already has an established a globally standardized strategy to cope with the selected dilemmas. The strategy is laid out on a website by the company which was created specifically for displaying the considerate side of A&F. Covering everything from the sustainability to collaborations to specific policies, A&F clearly display their globally standardized strategy to â€Å"ensure that the highest values of human rights are being upheld at our headquarters, in our stores and within our supply chain† (anfcares.org, 2014). A&F should have a globally standardized strategy. Even if ethical imperialism is not wise, the specific industry operations call for a globalized solution. Several ethical viewpoints are almost universal for garment manufacturing. Several unethical decisions such as environmental negligence and the use of harmful chemicals have resulted in scandals and dilemmas because of the accessibility of information. For example, the infamous interview with the CEO was conducted years before it gained notoriety. By having a globally standardized strategy, A&F could mitigate potential situations before they arise. The selected dilemmas have global relevance. Inclusion, the principle dealt with in the social dilemma, is incredibly important to a multitude of  cultures across the world. A store in the Netherlands which openly admitted to not wanting homosexual customers would experience a similar backlash. The environment issues also reaches across borders. Asthma, one of the problems which are heightened by the fragrances, is prevalent in â€Å"an estimated 300 million people† (Aaaai.org, 2014). Abercrombie and Fitchs’ Actions Compared to Unilever The actual solutions by A&F are not similar to the solutions practiced by Unilever. Both A&F and Unilever have explicit codes of conduct and plans to deal with ethical dilemmas which arise. Even though these plans exist, A&F has demonstrated that its actions do not always align with their official stance. Unilever’s approach to social impact such as gender equality has been greatly documented, and one of their main goals by 2020 is to â€Å"help more than 1 billion people improve their health & well-being† (Vis, 2014). The implementation of this policy is seen as Unilever has helped generate around â€Å"65,000 microentrepreneurs† (Vis, 2014). A stark contrast exists between Unilever’s actions and those of A&F. Unlike Unilever, the ultimate actions of A&F and their refusal to stock larger size clothing proves the company is dedicated to portraying a positive image without actually helping to make a positive change in society. A&F’s actions toward their environmental impact align almost with their actions for social justice. Although its’ official stance is to reduce its environmental footprint, the company has taken no action in light of the protests by environmental groups driven â€Å"to get rid toxic chemicals from the environment† (Lutz, 2013) which are the result of their colognes. Unilever’s approach towards economic longevity has been greatly noted as â€Å"75% sites [send] zero waste to landfill† (Vis, 2014). Unilever’s approach is much more preferable to A&F’s approach. From a social standpoint, Unilever’s actions have actively made a beneficial social change as Unilever continues to fulfill their promises. A&F continues to ignore their customer’s plight even though the company claims to truly care. From a corporate standpoint, Unilever’s approach is better because many news outlets have cited the company as making a positive c hange, while A&F continues to have controversies resulting in a sales drop of 10%. Overall, Unilever has a much better strategy than A&F. Figure 1: Average Monthly Wage of Asian Countries (Nwpc.dole.gov.ph, 2014) Appendix 2 Improvement of the Vietnam Government Policy on FDI (Kim, Lee and Cheong, 2011) The Vietnam government policy for FDI was dramatically improved by registering into WTO (World Trade Organization) and preparing for PNTR (Permanent Normal Trade Relations). Besides, the government adopted global standards, abolished discrimination of foreigners, and opened the service part such as finance or communication. As a result, FDI into Vietnam broadened to various areas, for example, fabrics, mining, energy, finance, logistic and so on. Especially concluding PNTR between the US made it possible to participating into WTO and encouraged foreing investors to enter into the Vietnam market. Another important change in the policy is related to the modification of legal restrictions or rules. On 1st of July, 2006, the government changed the original law for FDI which had been adapted only to the local people into the newly modified law for FDI which is commonly adapted to the both parts of foreigners a nd local people. This was the effort of the government to create more competitive investment conditions which are changing subject of application, and abolishing double price and repatriation tax. Also the government has been modifying the original business law, investment law, land law, and corporate taxation. References 1) Aaaai.org 2014, Asthma Statistics | AAAAI. [online] Available at:http://www.aaaai.org/about-the aaaai/newsroom/asthma-statistics.aspx [Accessed 14 May. 2014]. 2) Abercrombie and Fitch 2012, Annual report 2012, Abercrombie and Fitch Co., New Albany, Ohio. 3) Anfcareers.com 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch Careers. [online] Available at:http://www.anfcareers.com/page/Diversity [Accessed 15 May. 2014]. 4) Anfcares.org 2014, A&F Cares Our Strategy. [online] Available at:http://www.anfcares.org/sustainability/environment/strategy.jsp [Accessed 16 May. 2014]. 5) Barrie, L. 2010, Abercrombie & Fitch sees opportunities in higher costs. [online] Just-style.com. Available at: http://www.just-style.com/analysis/abercrombie-fitch-sees-opportunities-in-highercosts_id109585.aspx [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 6) Basu, C. 2014, The Advantages & Disadvantages of a Wholly Owned Subsidiary. [online] eHow. Available at: http://www.ehow.com/info_8627934_advantages-disadvantages-wholly-ownedsubsidiary.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 7) Childs, M. and Jin, B 2014, Is Uppsala model valid to fashion retailers? An analysis from internationalisation patterns of fast fashion retailers. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 18(1), pp.36 – 51. 8) Csimarket.com 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) Jan. 31, 2014 Sales per Country and Region, Annual Report – CSIMarket. [online] Available at:http://csimarket.com/stocks/segments_geo.php?code=ANF [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 9) Fashionunited.com 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch aims to open 100 stores in China – Report Executive. [online] Available at: http://www.fashionunited.com/executive/report/abercrombiefitch-aims-to-open-100-stores-in-china-20142304495372 [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 10) Geert-hofstede.com 2014, United States – Geert Hofstede. [online] Available at: http://geerthofstede.com/united-states.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 11) Google.com 2011, Abercrombie & Fitch Production and Expansion – Google Maps. [online] Available at: https://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=6&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=2073664 88920603185286.0004b07bb7b95fb0f4d6c&dg=feature [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 12) Henricks, S., Malkan, S. and Shils, J 2014, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics : Abercrombie & Fitch: Stop Spraying Toxic Fragrance!. [online] Safecosmetics.org. Available at: http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=739 [Accessed 14 May. 2014]. 13) Inboundlogistics.com 2011, Supply Chain Gain: Global Growth – Inbound Logistics. [online] Available at: http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/supply-chain-gain-global-growth/ [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 14) Kim, T., Lee, J. and Cheong, J 2011, Firm Level Productivity and Survey Results for Korean Firms in Vietnam and Indonesia. KIEP Research Paper No. Policy Analysis-11-22, pp.16-180. 15) Lutz, A 2013, Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-and-fitch-worst-controversies-20138?op=1 [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 16) Majid Al Futtaim Fashion 2014, Hollister to make its Middle East debut in 2013. 17) Marx, W. 2010, In Tokyo, Abercrombie Misses Its Mark. [online] BoF – The Business of Fashion. Available at: http://www.businessoffashion.com/2010/02/in-tokyo-abercrombie-misses-itsmark.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 18) Nwpc.dole.gov.ph 2014, Official Website of National Wages and Productivity Commission. [online] Available at: http://www.nwpc.dole.gov.ph/pages/statistics/stat_comparative.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 19) Overseas Research Department Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) 2011, The 21th Comparative Survey of Investment-Related Costs in 31 Major Cities and Regions in Asia and Oceania. p.68. 20) Peng, M. and Meyer, K 2011, International Business. 1st ed. London: Cengage Learning, pp.7276, 363, 458-459. 21) Rugman, A. and Verbeke, A 2004, A perspective on regional and global strategies of multinational enterprises. Journal of International Business Studies, 35(1), pp.3–18. 22) The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business 2013, Abercrombie & Fitch Equity Research Report. pp.3 – 4. 23) Vahlne, J. and Johanson, J 2013, The Uppsala model on evolution of the multinational business enterprise – from internalization to coordination of networks. International Marketing Review, 30(3), pp.189 – 210. 24) Vettoretti, A. and Huyen, H 2013, Vietnam Set to Increase Minimum Wages from December 31, 2013. [online] Available at: http://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/vietnam-set-to-increaseminimum-wages-from-december-31-2013.html/ [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 25) Vis, J 2014, Making Progress, Driving Change. 26) Walker, J 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch: Sorry!. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/abercrombie-and-fitch-apology_n_3323668.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. Abercrombie and Fitch report. (2016, May 19).

Principle of physiology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principle of physiology - Assignment Example A marking rubric is provided. This is the guide that the markers are going to use to mark your practical worksheets. Study it carefully. You need to print one of these sheets and include with your worksheet. It may take 15-20 minutes to generate a report so please be patient. This report will tell you how similar (in a %) your work is to other published work. In the example below there is 82% similarity (unacceptable!). One the right hand side it lists where the information has come from listed under 1, 2 and 3. Ideally you should have 0% if you have referenced correctly and put the answers in your own words. Once you have the report if you have any hits (coloured text) which for this piece of work should total no more than 20% you will need to write a short justification for each hit that you receive on your worksheet. Alternatively you can re-write those sections and re: run the Turn It In Report. I understand that students like to include the instructions and or questions in their submission. If the highlighted text is part of the question or instructions for the worksheet then you do not need to justify. You only need to justify â€Å"hits† (highlighted text) that you receive on your answers. Diagrams from textbooks are acceptable but they must be referenced correctly. If you use the diagram exactly how it appears in the textbook the reference would be (Sherwood, 2010). If you add something to the diagram to aid in your explanation (preferable) then the reference would be (modified from Sherwood, 2010). If you have drawn your own original version of a diagram to explain then you will not need to reference (even better option). If you are getting lots of hits and it is showing a lot of similarity with already published work then you are not doing this correctly. You need to modify your style of writing (put it in your own words) and seek assistance with referencing and / or scientific writing. You cannot copy slabs of text from

Role of high frequency trading in modern financial markets Essay

Role of high frequency trading in modern financial markets - Essay Example High Frequency Trading or HFT used propriety trading strategies which allow traders and firms to conclude transactions within the micro-seconds. With the help of sophisticated computer algorithms as well as other tools positions can be easily taken and closed within seconds or less than a second to take advantage of the smallest movements in the prices of the securities. HFT firms are not only market makers but they offer critical liquidity to the market also. In 2000, the overall volume of HFT was relatively low however, during the recent years, it witnessed an explosive growth. Firms are increasingly relying on HFT to gain required advantage as well as to remain ahead of the competition. The closely guarded algorithms process large volume of data at really rapid speed and offer cost advantage while having smaller portfolio holding periods. Though the overall number of firms using HFT is relatively low however, the overall volume of trade showed erratic trends with rapid increase as well as decrease in the overall trading activity. This paper will discuss and describe what High Frequency Trading is and will further elaborate on the role of HFT in modern financial markets. Modern financial Markets Financial Markets are still under the stress of financial meltdown which started during 2007-2008. With massive breakdown of banks and other financial institutions, the crisis exposed the overall vulnerable nature of the modern financial markets and created an uncertainty over the ability of modern markets to function properly and effectively. Though the major impact of the financial crisis is over however, financial markets are still under the stress. In such an environment, regulatory bodies have developed rules and regulations which did not allow firms to take on the speculative positions and implement proper risk management systems in place. The importance of new parameters of risk became significant specially in the wake of the recent financial crisis wherein reg ulatory bodies became relatively more conscious in terms of erratic behavior of financial services firms. (Aldridge, 24) It is also critical to note that the financial markets have grown more complicated over the period of time. The sheer size and volume of the transactions, the use of information technology as well as development of sophisticated trading and valuation models added more complexity to the overall markets. Despite the fact that the markets operate on the basis of the perfect market hypothesis and all the subsequent theory has been developed on this promise, it is still important to note that many imperfections exist in markets allowing market makers and investors to take advantage of such opportunities. There has been a relentless improvement and development of modern technology which will continue to dominate the present and future of the financial markets at the global level. The development of new technologies has actually created new opportunities which human trad ers may not be able to spot as well as execute. As such, modern financial institutions tend to focus on combining the power of human insight with the speed and efficiency of the modern

The Simulator-Manual Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Comprehensive Performance Evaluation Process Research Paper

Comprehensive Performance Evaluation Process - Research Paper Example With this concern, this paper intends to describe a comprehensive performance evaluation process that would result in performance change of the faculty as well as the staff members at a particular educational institution. Discussion Critical Analysis of the Comprehensive Performance Evaluation Process After acquiring a brief idea about the procedure of comprehensive performance evaluation, it can be affirmed that it is the teachers and the students belonging to a particular educational institution who are mainly assessed in a comprehensive evaluation procedure within the background of educational settings. According to Verma (2013), it can be observed in this similar concern that there are certain major factors that underline the effectiveness of certain goal settings such as performance-enhancement objectives especially in the field of education. As noted by Verma (2013), the factors comprise assisting the educational instructors or the teachers in their career planning along with p rofessional advancement, supporting those individuals who are involved in making effective decisions concerning the management of teachers and enhancing the quality of the teachers. Furthermore, Verma (2013) also recognized certain other significant factors that largely emphasize the effectiveness of certain goal settings such as performance-enhancement objectives in educational settings. In this regard, as highlighted by Verma (2013), these factors entail identifying proper programs associated with staff development, validating selection procedures of the teachers, evaluating introduced staff advancement programs and creating along with developing a database particularly for educational institutions. On the other hand, it can be argued that there are certain crucial factors that have been apparently observed, affecting the effectiveness of certain goal settings such as performance-enhancement objectives related to education field by a certain extent. In this regard, Beletskiy (2011 ) identified these factors to comprise deterring the responsibilities that are ought to be performed by both the students and the educational instructors for the students as well as deficiency in the capability towards supporting a favorable initiative and adoption along with execution of ineffective management related techniques. According to Verma (2013), the above discussed crucial factors might be duly considered as the readiness of the educational institutions for change. Beletskiy (2011) argues in this similar concern that the urgency or the keenness towards making effectual changes throughout the educational institutions is essential for such changes to become much effective (Beletskiy, 2011). Thus, it can be affirmed that the identification of the aforesaid factors would eventually ensure moderate growth or change in the performance-improvement objectives of the educational institutions by a considerable level.

The Effectiveness of Tanglewoods Recruitment Strategy Case Study

The Effectiveness of Tanglewoods Recruitment Strategy - Case Study Example According to the research findings it can therefore be comprehended that Tanglewood is undoubtedly one of the rapidly growing merchandise in the US and its need to provide efficient and reliable means of recruitment cannot be over emphasized. According to the management of the expansive merchandise, the different satellite branches enjoys the autonomy of devising their own peculiar methods of running the affairs of the merchandise provided their exist resonance in the management team. One of the issues that remain a challenge to the highly prolific merchandised firm is the ability to identify plethora of recruitment methods and within them opt for the most cost effective and at the same time objective, rational and reliable. The merchandise firm having progressively emerged from a simple firm located within confined region to a complex one with branches in other areas initially not intended, there is reasonable understanding of what recruitment method is sound with regard to the thei r dealing. Having recruited thousands of employees from junior levels to the management level since 1975, the firm is much endowed with the skills to select competitive individuals who can easily acclimatize to their dynamic and quick responsive to their clients demand using the least resources. The firm for all the recruitment it does have documented the material facts which includes the total recruit and the cost of recruiting the staffs. This paper critically observes the data and identifies the effectiveness of the methods that have been used to obtain the required human resource. The table below shows the cost of doing recruitment applied by the firm Fixed cost (cost of set up per site in $) Media 10,000 Referral 10,000 Kiosk 40,000 Job service 10,000 Agency 50,000 Variable costs ($) Material cost per applicant 10 10 1 5 10 Processing cost per applicant 30 30 30 15 30 Additional pre-hire cost 20 120 20 - 20 Orientation and training 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 From the table a bove, the cost of each method of recruitment can then be quantified the effectiveness is not only pegged on the cost. The cheaper the cost is no reflection of the effectiveness since it can give recruits that would demand more in terms of induction and training. The effectiveness of a method is a consideration of all the parameters involved in the recruitment and the efficacy of the recruited persons to provide the intended roles with little training thereafter. In terms of the cost in a snapshot, recruitment through Agency remains the most demanding in terms of resources standing at $5,160 while that through job service remains the most cost effective standing at $1,120. Effectiveness of each Method of Recruitment Media Besides being cost effective in the recruitment process, the use of media also reaches a large pool of people from which the firm can enjoys the need to sieve the applicant and retain the best of the applicants. Media application also reduces the span of time requir ed to process the interview as part of the interview can be done without close attendance by the management as in the automated voice interview (Noe, 2006). Referrals Referrals is also one of the cheapest methods of recruitment, it relieves the company’s management from the tedious process of going through the whole process of recruitment. It also imbibes into the employees a sense of belonging and they feel they are part of the management team (Noe, 2006). This has a positive effect in the discharge of their duties as they will be more enthusiastic to work with profound zeal. Kiosk The kiosks as a means of recruitment is seen to be costly in the initial stages but in the subsequent recruitments, they are much cost effective since the kiosk machine can serves it purpose for a long time with just little maintenance cost. It does not only save on the cost of recruitment but also reduces the time spent by the management going

Analysis of Starbucks Caf Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of Starbucks Caf - Assignment Example The CEO and chairman of Starbucks Cafe is Howard Schultz. The mission of the company is to inspire and nurture human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time (Starbucks, 2012). The company is a publicly traded company whose stocks are sold in the open market under the symbol SBUX. The common stocks of Starbucks Cafe were trading at a price of $55.79 as of January 31, 2013 (Yahoo, 2013). The firm’s revenues have grown by 24.24% during the last two years. The future development of the company will be achieved by its continued expansion into foreign markets. The company has a market presence in 31% of the countries worldwide. The core competency of the company is in the sales of gourmet retail coffee. Starbucks Cafe in 2012 entered into a partnership with Green Mountain. Following the announcement of the deal the common stocks of Green Mountain increased in value by 6% (Andrejczak, 2012). The company has mastered the management of its supply chain. It s ources coffee using fair trade coffee practices. The store has 192,866 employees and 39.66% of its workforce works outside the United States (Cnn, 2012). The employees of the company are very satisfied with their jobs. There is a low employee turnover rate at the company. The planning at Starbucks Cafe is performed by the executive management team led by his CEO Howard Schultz. The firm also has a board of directors that oversees the operation. The company faces structural problems such as dealing with the human resource challenges of having a large labor force, negotiation with suppliers and farmers, and fierce competition. The decisions the company makes are mostly programmed, but the firm’s at times makes nonprogrammed decisions to adapt to market changes. The firm faces certain uncertainly in the price of acquiring coffee since coffee is a commodity whose price fluctuates. The firm since its inception has done a good job at planning for the future. During the 1990’ s Starbucks was one of the fastest growing franchises in the United States. The company is organized as a publicly traded company whose stocks are sold in the New York Stock Exchange. The decision making of the company is organized in a centralized system. The corporate headquarters of the firm are located in 2401 Utah Avenue, South Seattle WA 98134. The reason that the company uses a centralized system is because the company must maintain consistency across its company owned and franchisee locations. A drawback of centralized systems is that it inhibits creativity. The organizational culture of the company is excellent. The firm believes in the value of diversity. The employees are referred too as baristas. The firm offers tremendous customer service to its clients. Starbucks Cafe has an excellent managerial team. The success of the company is evidenced by the outstanding financial performance of the firm. The managers of the company have done a great job of training its employees. The baristas of the firm are extremely productive workers. There is good teamwork among the workers of the firm. The managerial staff has also done a great job of integrating technology into its facilities. Starbucks Cafe was one of the first food places to offer free Wi-Fi internet to its customers. Howard Schultz is a charismatic leader. Charismatic leaders are able to have a profound effect on its followers. There are different performance indicators that the company must monitor closely. An important performance indicator is market share. Starbucks has a 33% market share in the U.S coffee marketplace. An important metric to measure the profitability of the company is net margin. The net margin of the company in 2011 was 10.65%. A third performance

Automobile production chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Automobile production chain - Essay Example This paper aims to discuss how globalization exactly impacted this process. First, in the automobile production process, the component which has the greatest impact on whether the automobile will became a success in the marketplace is the deign stage of the production chain. In here engineers, suppliers, marketers, distributors, and even customers collaborate to create a new automobile. After the specifications of the new car, a prototype is created to validate the assumptions made by the design team. After the prototype, the parts for the new automobile product will be sourced. In sourcing out the necessary components, close coordination between and among the third-, second-, and first-tier suppliers, company, production staff, and the design team is necessary to pave the way for an efficient assembly line for the product. After the final assembly, the company coordinates with its distribution networks to create an effective and efficient distribution programs for the car to reach the end consumers or the consumers to be able to reach the car. In the above production chain, almost all its stages are affected by globalization; however such impacts were driven by different factors for each of the production chin stages. For example, "major auto assemblers invested heavily in the emerging markets, building new capacity and modernizing existing plants" (Humprey 2003, p. 121) because of cost reduction possibilities (for the final assembly chain), for the long-term growth prospects (for the distribution chain), and many more. On the other hand, the assembly and component manufacturing portion of chain is the most global process. In the assembly and component manufacture, the economic activities of organizations across national boundaries are well coordinated. Never have we seen a single economic activity so global it is now impossible to create an automobile just from the economic resources of a single nation (Liu, Sui & Gu 2008, p. 11). As Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck and Gereffi said, "the world automotive industry, like many others, is in the midst of a profound transition. Since the mid-1980s, it has been shifting from a series of discrete national industries to a more integrated global industry" (2008, p. 302). An impact of the increasing globalization of the automobile industry on the production chain is the creation of affiliated design centers and centralization of the heavy engineering work of vehicle development (Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck & Gereffi 2008, p. 302). In terms of the usual distant relationship of the automobile manufacturer with its suppliers, this is no longer the case now. In Thailand for example, the foreign manufacturers spend constant effort in developing the local suppliers by offering resources, training, feedback and solutions (Petison & Johri 2008, p. 76). Such support had enabled some local automobile parts suppliers to become global as in the case of Brazil (Grisis & Ribeiro 2004, p. 415). In some places, this close coordination had resulted in the creation of supplier parks either as a modular consortium or industrial condominium (Morris, Donnelly & Donnelly 2004, p. 129; Howard & Squire 2007, p. 1192). As the business environment of the automotive industry becomes more and more global, so as does the complexity of this environment (Li & Chandra 2007). Geffen and Rothenberg observed that "[a]utomobile assembly plants worldwide face increasing pressures in the environmental arena"

Without Seeing The Dawn Essay Example for Free

Without Seeing The Dawn Essay Babies are born with an inherent drive to learn. Your challenge as the parent of a child with learning or attention problems is to help him build what Drs. Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein (Raising Resilient Children: Fostering Strength, Hope, and Optimism in Your Child) call islands of competence, to offset the frustrations and low self-esteem that can result from his learning struggles. The goal is to find subjects or activities where he is self-motivated to learn, enjoys the process of learning, and sees the value of what he learns. Deborah Stipek, Ph.D, Dean of the Stanford University School of Education, is an expert in the subject of motivation in young children. Shes also a mother, so her latest book, Motivated Minds/Raising Children to Love Learning, is full of practical advice. Dr. Stipek says kids will be self-motivated to learn when they: Feel competent about something Have some choice and control over their learning Believe that intelligence isnt fixed at birth Feel loved and respected by their parents Help Your Child Discover His Passions Help Your Child Discover His Passions One way to build a sense of competence in your child is to encourage his passions. Theres an academic payoff to building competence this way. Dr. Stipek says, The good news may seem paradoxical: research has shown that the indirect strategy of helping your child enjoy learning and see its value is the best way to improve your childs grades and raise his test scores. If your child has a particular strength in school, such as being a math whiz, find ways outside of school to expose him to math in the real world computers, hands-on science museums, and math camps. If he struggles with most school subjects, look elsewhere for his passions. Pay attention to whatever makes your child perk up. Is it animals? Plants? Music? Art? Dinosaurs? Video games? Skateboards? To play on these passions, help your child deepen his knowledge. For example, if your Internet provider allows you space for a family website, let the child help build one on his favorite subject. He could research and write abou t the foremost skateboard athletes in the world. Post his drawings of himself skateboarding the galaxy. List  unanswered questions about skateboards. Let family and friends interact with the website, too what else would they like to know from your in-house skateboard expert? Give Your Child Some Choices All of us thrive when we feel were acting of our own volition. Children with learning and attention difficulties are no different. For example, when we offer them a choice between two acceptable alternatives, such as doing either their math or social studies homework first, they feel a sense of control over their own world. This leads to greater pride and self-motivation. Dr. Mel Levine, author of the set of tapes called Developing Minds, says, Help children develop a sense of control by presenting things they do not want to do as choices. For example, let a child decide whether to do homework before or after dinner. At school, consider letting a child who dislikes chorus participate in the spring performance by selling tickets. Help Your Child Develop Persistence Dr. Stipek reports on experiments that reveal a childs beliefs about intelligence affect his motivation to succeed. If he believes intelligence is fixed at birth and he missed out, he is liable to quit without trying. If, on the other hand, you help him to understand that persistence is more important than the luck of the draw, you promote a child who can learn to succeed on his own terms. This is the struggling child who changes from saying, Whats the use? to Ive learned how to slow down and double-check my work. Dr. Stipek says, Emphasize notions of flexible intelligence. Tell your child, in every way you can, that brainpower is something you acquire. Make the following sayings (or their age-appropriate equivalents) your family mantras: Success is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. Geniuses are made, not born. Let Your Child Know You Love and Respect Him Every child needs to feel that his parents are on his side. You can demonstrate your love and respect for your child with learning problems by accepting, connecting, and supporting, no matter what. You still love him, even when he forgets his assignment. Youre interested in the details of each day. And when hes upset, you help him to give words to feelings.  Respect your child by helping him understand not only his specific learning difficulties, but strategies for coping in school. For example, if your child cannot hold multiplication facts in long-term memory, he may not do well on a standardized math test. He needs both a strategy to practice his math skills and a strategy to take the test. He may need different ways to drill multiplication, such as tactile manipulation of objects, drawing pictures, or saying the tables out loud. He may also need more time on the test. Help Your Child Identify Steps to Success Our culture reveres inborn talent and luck. Unfortunately, that can leave out the child who struggles in school. He begins to believe that no matter how hard he works, school success is outside of his control. If you help him identify small, concrete steps to reach his learning goals, you can recognize each accomplishment along the way, nor matter how big or small. Then the effort of learning is valued as much as the outcome in school. Help your child learn to set attainable learning goals, such as studying a math concept from a variety of angles until he understands it. This might mean that you must be content with something like a C grade in Math but an A+ in Effort. It will be important to communicate regularly with your childs teacher so all of you (parents, teacher, and child) can work as a united team. With the teachers help and ideas, your childs learning goals will be supported both at school and at home. You also want your child to learn that making mistakes is a natural pa rt of the process of learning. Thomas Edison, said to have tried 10,000 times to perfect the light bulb, said, I didnt fail. I just discovered another way not to invent the electric light bulb. Foster Long-term Motivation Research tells us that parents who encourage a childs self-sufficiency often have children who are motivated from the inside, out. This means holding back a little before you jump in to help your struggling child. Children with learning disabilities are especially vulnerable to developing perceptions of themselves as academically incompetent and to develop low expectations for success, Dr. Stipek says In an effort to ensure success we sometimes provide more help than children with learning problems or AD/HD actually need. This takes away from their own pride in accomplishment and  the enthusiasm that a sense of achievement and competence can produce. Children with learning difficulties often have a marvelous ability to see the world in new ways. When you guide your child to pursue his interests, operate from his strengths, and not shy away from challenges, you help him build a positive cycle of accomplishment and self-motivation. Celebrate each hard-won stumbling step your child ta kes on the way to learning and developing strengths, so that in the long run, he can sustain his motivation and passion for learning.

Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay A) MEANING OF LIFE – BY JEREMY FINK. B) CHARACTERS: JEREMY FINK, LIZZY MULDOON, MRS. FINK, MR. MULDOON, MR. OSWALD, SAMANTHA AND RICK, JAMES AND MR. FINK. CONFLICT: THE CONFLICT IS ABOUT JEREMY TRYING TO FIND FOUR KEY’S THAT WOULD OPEN THE BOX WHICH HIS DAD LEFT IT FOR HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY PRESENT WHEN HE DIED AND JEREMY IS TO FIND THE KEY THAT WOULD FIT ALL FOUR SPOTS IN THE BOX BEFORE HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. SETTING: HAPPENS IN MODERN DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY. BASIC SITUATION: JEREMY AND LIZZY TRY TO FIND THE KEY BEFORE JEREMY’S THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. C) PLOT: JEREMY SEE’S THE POSTMAN WITH A BOX ADDRESSED TO HIS MOM. JEREMY TAKES THE BOX AND OPENS IT TO SEE A BOX. WHEN HIS MOM COMES AND SEES HIM WITH THE BOX HIS MOM TELLS HIM HOW THE BOX WAS HIS PRESENT HIS DAD LEFT HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY AND HAD TO FIND ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS THAT WOULD OPEN IT BEFORE HIS BIRTHDAY COMES. LIZZY AND JEREMY GET IN TROUBLE AND THEY HAVE TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEN THEY MEET MR. OSWALD WHO TRIES TO HELP THEM. THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS TO DELIVER STAFF TWO NEW PEOPLE WHICH THEN THEY GET TO MEET NEW PEOPLE. D) CLIMAX: IS WHEN LIZZY AND JEREMY OPENED THE BOX AND DISCOVERED HIS FATHER’S MEANING OF LIFE. E) FALLING ACTION: IS WHEN JEREMY OPENS THE BOX AND FINDS IT FULL OF STONES. JEREMY THEN REMEMBERS HIS FATHER HAD COLLECTED EACH STONE AT EACH IMPORTANT EVENT OF HIS LIFE. F) RESOLUTION: IS WHEN JEREMY FIND OUT THAT MR. OSWALD, JEREMY’S MOM, THE MAILMAN, AND LARRY FROM LARRY’S LOCKS WERE ALL IN JEREMY’S DAD’S PLAN TO GIVE JEREMY THE BOX AT THE RIGHT TIME AND SO THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS, ALTHOUGH MR. OSWALD HAD THEM ALL ALONG. BY HAVING THIS PLAN HIS DAD KNEW THAT JEREMY WOULD MEET NEW PEOPLE AND GET TO EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT THINGS HE WOULD NEVER DO. G) POINT OF VIEW: FIRST PERSON BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH FEELINGS AND EMOTION IN THE BOOK. H) PERSON VS PERSON- JEREMY AND LIZZY AS THEY TRY TO FIND THE KEYS TO THE BOX. PERSON VS SOCIETY- JEREMY AND THE SOCIETY MEETING NEW PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIND THE KEY TO THE FOUR HOLES. I) THEME: A LESSON THIS STORY TEACHES ABOUT LIFE IS TO NEVER GIVE UP, AND ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. J) SIMILE- AS HARD AS IT CAN BE WITH HOPE ON THE WAY. SIMILE- LIFE IS AS EVENTFUL AS A JOURNEY. METAPHOR- NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

Marketing Strategy Of The Times Marketing Essay

Marketing Strategy Of The Times Marketing Essay Times Newspapers Limiteds The Times is one of the most famous newspapers based in the United Kingdom with 692,581 copies in circulation per day. The name of Times is not confined to the United Kingdom but is also a big name in the international newspaper industry. Many countries have newspapers published with the name of Times, such as New York Times, Times of India etc. The Times is published daily, with a special publication of Sunday Times. Its fame is always on the go. Recently, due the massive change in the global newspaper industry, where readers are switching to more interactive and internet based news broadcasts, The Times may have had its blow in terms of sales initially, but it has managed to survive very profitability. With leading newspapers such as The Economist, catching readers tremendously with new and improved marketing strategies, The Times has its own winning strategies. How is it coping up with this change? The marketing managers of the Times have devised a strate gy where the design, the look, the appeal of the newspaper has been changed so as to deal with intense competition, and changing readers preferences whilst bringing about increased revenue. This marketing strategy is backed with extensive marketing research to incorporate proper information in to it, and also takes into account the global context. The marketing strategy to renovate the newspapers very much deals with its e-business strategies. Overview of Newsweeks Marketing Strategy Marketing strategy is the game plan to achieve the marketing objectives as devised by the marketing manager. This game plan comprises the mission, marketing objectives, financial objectives, target markets, the positioning, the marketing mix and the information gathered through marketing research. (Donald, 1992) Mission: The Times mission to keep news circulating in an interactive way, to keep up with the real times, and maintain its strong readership throughout UK with its regular issues and throughout the world with its websites. (Times, 2009) Marketing Objectives: To narrow it down further, its marketing objectives are: To achieve higher sales To increase circulation To increase market penetration Financial Objectives: The financial objectives behind the marketing strategy are: To increase profit margin Target Markets: The Times target market is A smaller group of an elite audience who prefer quality over price. Web users to prefer to get the news on one click. Critical thinkers who want information on a wide variety of subjects. And most importantly the business people. Positioning: The Times positions itself as a thought leader in the world of journalism so that the readers jump on to the latest editions of the Times before any other having a firm impression that The Times will be covering the best news. It is a high-end newspaper which sells commentary, reports and articles that are in-depth, elaborative, interesting and reader-friendly. (Hrichorn, 2009) Strategies: How is The Times going to achieve all of this? Through three main things: Content, Layout and Advertisements. Firstly, The Times keeps a firm focus on its profound glory of original reporting in its publication, with the editorial policy that focuses on rich and fair content. This is backed by the implementation of a new and improved business models in the entire organisation. The newspaper emphasizes more on narrative reporting, and deviate from the news where the paper does not have any original piece of its own to add to. (Hrichorn, 2009) It adds a provocative element in journalism to outrage the readers, through well structured, well presented and strong opinionated articles. Its famous writers contribute articles on the hottest topics of the modern world that the readers are just dying to read. Secondly, The Times timely changes its design and redesigns through employing creativity and innovation. The purpose of the redesigns are to make the newspaper more appealing, more modern, classy, entertaining and reader friendly. The new layout contains sections on, brief news reports, essays and detailed opinioned reports, special features and reports on cultures. The Website Times Online features, online articles as well as an archive of all the in print articles. (Times, 2009) High quality paper is being used for printing the newspaper, so that readers can feel the fine class of the newspaper as soon as they take it in their hand. (Times, 2009) The marketing team of The Times tries to keep the original DNA of the newspaper intact, by just updating it and not changing it altogether. Finally, Times focuses on gaining advertisers and traffic on its website. Advertisers, too, are more inclined towards targeted audiences. The Times newspaper is focusing on a more affluent, high-taste, and deep audience, and the advertisers will be giving ads for just this small group. Whereas, there are separate advertisers for the different groups the newspaper targets. The purpose is to increase sales revenue in its target markets. Marketing Mix Product: The Times has the following product features: An attractive layout design Various sections, with rich content High-quality paper Targeted advertisements Price The Times is charged 90p every day, but 30p for students and  £1.50 on the weekends.. Distribution The distribution of The times, is in selection university shops, all business locations, and several newsstands all throughout UK. To summarise The Times marketing strategy focuses on its content, higher-quality paper and a more elite audience and to become a thought leader all in an attempt to achieve sustainability in the world of journalism with an increase in price. (Hischorn, 2009) Use of Marketing Research Information in the Marketing Strategy Marketing research is the systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting data and findings relevant to a specific marketing situation facing the company (Kotler, 2006). The Marketing Research is a detailed process, which is very crucial to developing a sound and effective marketing strategy. In fact, it is the first step when planning to develop a marketing strategy. The marketing research process includes: Define the problem, he decision alternatives, and the research objectives Develop the Research Plan Collect the information Analyse the information Present the information Making the decision Before devising the marketing strategy for the re-launch of The Times Newspaper, the marketing team had conducted a detailed marketing research that became the foundation of the whole campaign. Research Objectives The marketing research objectives of the marketing team were to: Find out the reason why the sales of the newspaper were declining; The global conditions of the newspaper industry; The reader preferences; Analyse competitors strengths; and Search market segments unexploited by another newspaper as yet; Presenting the information of the research, analysing it and then making the decision based on them is the most crucial element of the marketing research, though the other elements also hold their respective worth. Research Findings So what did the market researchers find out? Following were some of the things that caught immediate attention of the marketing manager of The Times: The Times before 1988 was only known for celebrity and entertainment news. (Times, 2009) The newspaper had been getting fewer ads, which were on the decline of 11.7 percent as recorded by Publishers Information Bureau. This showed that the future was in red. This reduced the revenue per ad thus, affecting the overall profit of the newspaper The reason for this decline was the drastic economic affect upon the advertisers, the vast audience for which the ads were targeted to, was not working too well, and lastly, the falling quality of the newspaper was discouraging the advertisers to place ads in it repeatedly. (Richard, 2009) The newspaper was targeting mediocre readers whose curiosity for news was nonetheless for the sake of knowing things. This audience does not exist anymore. (Hrichorn, 2009) Internet has changed the news reading concept with online journals available at a mouse-click, readers now prefer to go to more catchy, speedy, and interactive delivery of news than having going through user-unfriendly layout of newspapers. Several websites serving to provide the juiciest and fasted news such as The Huffington Post, Yahoo headlines and Politico.com are changing the readership of news scenario. (Richard, 2009) As for the international scenario, more focus is towards, localizing the imprint rather than producing on the basis of mass-customization. And the need is for more fast, rich The rising newspapers of today, like The Economist are exploiting niches in the newspaper market, and focus on their quality more. They are also engaged in online journalism and are attracting readers through impressive and attractive web pages and easy navigation. (Hrichorn, 2009) Although there is abundance of information available for journalists to make use of in their articles and essay, they seldom present a proper insight in their writing. Readers want less of celebrity news, which is splattered across almost every newspaper. Research Conclusions The marketing research findings lead the marketing manager to conclude the following things that were to be incorporated in the newspaper: Times needed to clearly define its target audience and move to a more sensible and serious genre which reflected its foundation. (Times, 2009) The newspaper was in need of gaining new ads, which were not mass- targeted; Improve the print and web layout of the newspaper to appeal to the changing readers preferences; Make the content richer in terms of in-depth essays and world-wide appeal; Target a small segment; Include articles that are related to more serious issues. Enrich the online version. Therefore, with these conclusions the marketing strategy for the re-launch of the newspaper took its roots and sprung up. Effects of the Global Context in the Marketing Strategy Marketing has a lot to do with the international market. Marketers of multinational businesses detect the changes in the international market, and bring about innovation in meeting demands. Where, the international businesses bring about changes, the local businesses suffer from the consequences in the form of changed customer preferences. They get compelled to develop new marketing strategies to deal with this situation. All in all, all the businesses let it be local or international have to deal with global changes. (Kevin, 2000) What changes were there for Times to deal with? First was the international change in the readers preferences. This change was a move towards interactivity in reading from the plain text layout of the conventional newspapers. Second, was the preference towards accessibility and speed. The Times sales were greatly being affected because of this. To cope up with this, the marketing strategy was devised around redesigning the layout and the content of the newspaper. Other than the content, the inclusion of various sections in the newspaper and the website were mainly because of the changing preferences of the readers. Also, a special feature to create your own profile on the website of The Times, was something very new and a strategy to compete with the international market. E-Business Strategy Incorporated in the Marketing Strategy The Times e-business strategy involved increasing readership on its website. So the marketing strategy was kept in line with this. As part of the marketing strategy of the newspaper, was to redesign the web page. The marketing research showed that more and more readers prefer to read online now so redesigning the online layout was essential. Few things were kept in mind: the design was to be so that the readers would find easy navigation through the various interesting articles, there had to be proper illustration along with the news articles, and most importantly, a proper space for user access. What did that mean? The new e-business strategy of the newspaper was to increase reader involvement in the newspaper. So to achieve this, the designing was done so that the website contained a mix of the newspapers own content created by its expert writers and the content posted by the readers. The Times allows reader interactivity to maintain traffic on the website, through a section called comments. (Orienwell, 2009) The marketers found out that readers have accounts of social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook, so the Times sought alliance from these websites, offering the link to its website and allowing readers to comment on articles through Twitter and Facebook. To gain revenue through online operations, advertisements are encouraged for posting on the website and online subscriptions are offered. The Times e-business strategies are to exploit online journalism to the maximum. And its marketing strategy is devised keeping in mind this very important element. New Product Marketing Strategy The Times can offer an online and print supplement of The Times Youth, for the age- group of 18- 25. This is the segment that is least exploited by the competitors of The Times. This segment includes the college graduates, who will the be the leading entrepreneurs, and are just looking to indulge in the changing world, are seeking opportunities to exploit, are waiting to bring change themselves, and have a lot to say about the current situations. Mission: To develop a magazine for the youth who are ready to become the leading entrepreneurs of tomorrow and increaser market share of the newspaper through this. Marketing Objectives: To narrow it down further, its marketing objectives would be: To achieve sales To increase circulation To increase market penetration Financial Objectives: The financial objectives behind the marketing strategy would be: To increase profit margin To cover up the market research expenditure in the minimum time after the re launch. Target Markets: The target market would be the youth between 18-25 who is: Energetic; Business-minded; Political minded; and Change oriented. Positioning: The Magazine is to be a one-of-a-kind youth motivator to bring change in the business world and in the society. Strategies: The strategies could include: Creating word-of-mouth awareness of the magazine; and Catching readers from blogs and viral advertising. Marketing Mix Product: The Times Youth magazine will have sections on, business, politics, society and youth issues. Price The price would range from 20p to 25p. Distribution The limited distribution would be in colleges and Universities, and campus residents. Conclusion The Times executives are sure in the near future the newspaper will be able to achieve profitability with its top-notch marketing strategies that ensure maximum returns. As much as the marketing strategy boosts up sales, the future of the newspaper industry still poses a threat to the old lasting newspapers who have so far had their share in fame. Internet continues to threaten the way the news is being delivered, through the ever changing readers tastes and the need it brings for faster and better. More and more online publications are being developed each day as online journalism continues to exploit readers. Blogs and social networking sites are taking the lead. Future looks more reader-oriented with more and more reader participation and less and less imposition of news from reports. The internet has made readers more opinionated so the newspapers have to watch out. (Orienwell, 2009)

The Physics of Basketball Essay examples -- Athletics Sports Essays

The Physics of Basketball The more and more I look around I begin to see how physics are integrated into practically everything that we do. These things would surely go unnoticed without making a conscious effort to notice them. For example simple things like riding a bike, or driving a car, or playing catch with a son or daughter. Just as these activities are loaded with elements of physics, sports are also, especially basketball. Physics play a part in every aspect of the game, from dribbling, passing, and shooting, to things as simple as setting a screen. First we should take a look at the elements of dribbling. Dribbling is all based on conservation of energy and the two different types of collisions, elastic and inelastic. The more air pressure a basketball has inside it, the less its surface will bend or deform during a bounce, and the more its original energy will be stored in the compressed air inside (Bill Willis, 2001). The reason for this is that the air inside of the ball can return the energy of the ball better than that of the material of the ball, which is usually leather. This is the basic concept of the conservation on energy. A reason to inflate the ball more is to produce a more elastic collision between the ball and the surface it is hitting. The more inflated the ball is the less energy is lost in the deformation of the ball, ensuring you that it will bounce back. The less energy that is lost in this process will make the collision more elastic, and produce a better bounce of the basketball. Another aspect of basketball that relates to collisions in the very basic, but useful technique of setting a â€Å"screen† or â€Å"pick.† This collision is more of an inelastic process that involves one player runn... ...I step foot on the floor. Sometimes I think we get lazy and don’t take the time to think about how physics affect our lives, because you don’t realize how integrated physics are in every thing we do until you have to look at things critically. With this newfound knowledge, hopefully I will be able to play basketball just a little bit better. Bibliography 1).Kirkpatrick, Larry D. and Wheeler, Gerald F. Physics a World View. 4th ed. Fort Worth, Philadelphia, San Diego, New York, Orlando, Austin, San Antonio, Toronto, Montreal, London, Sydney, Tokyo: Barrosse and Vondeling, 2001 2).Willis, Bill. The Physics of Basketball. 30 April 2003 http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/physicsof/basketball.html 3).Unknown. The Physics of Basketball. 1 May 2003 http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/trobinso/physicspages/PhysicsOf/Basketball/Physics%20of%20 Basketball.html

Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs :: essays research papers

Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs What is religious persecution? At the beginning of this project, I thought religious persecution was a black and white topic with a clear definition. I thought that religious persecution was simply the persecution of a group because of their religious faith. However, I discovered that there are no simple explanations of religious persecution, and it is a much more complex and controversial issue than I had imagined. In fact, some events categorized as religious persecution reveal only shades of grey and ambiguities and do not neatly fit this simple definition. I wanted others to come to this same understanding. Therefore, I have formulated my own definition of religious persecution. It is the persecution of individuals within a group in the struggle to maintain their religious identity, or the abuse of power by an individual or organization that causes members of a religious group to suffer. In the case of the Holocaust, there is little argument about who created the extermination camps or what caused the death of approximately 6 million Jews. The Holocaust is probably the most well-known case of religious persecution. But my research shows that the persecution of the Jews extended well beyond simply targeting all the members of a particular faith. Instead, Hitler labeled the Jews as a race, and used his political power to exterminate the entire race. While violence against Christians has been increasing worldwide, and while Christians in the East are becoming "an endangered species," according to author William Dalrymple, attention to the crisis in the broadsheets and broadcasts of the West is "occasional and momentary" at best. No doubt this reticence must in part have to do with the West's tendency to quarantine religion out of public discourse and concern. The persecution of Christians lays a special injunction on the church in the West to examine modern paradigms and strategies for evangelism. Often Christian missionary approaches are founded on racial and religious assumptions that assign native populations and traditional cultures to an inferior status. The general premise is that prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries, people lived in a morass of darkness and depravity. This traditionally has been the basis for the almost-militant missionary scramble for native souls. Some U.S.-based Web sites include references to India as a "a land of 333 million gods" that is a virtual "Babel" linguistically and the self-identification of missionaries as "warriors of Christ," "crusading" for the "lost" and "unreached. Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs :: essays research papers Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs What is religious persecution? At the beginning of this project, I thought religious persecution was a black and white topic with a clear definition. I thought that religious persecution was simply the persecution of a group because of their religious faith. However, I discovered that there are no simple explanations of religious persecution, and it is a much more complex and controversial issue than I had imagined. In fact, some events categorized as religious persecution reveal only shades of grey and ambiguities and do not neatly fit this simple definition. I wanted others to come to this same understanding. Therefore, I have formulated my own definition of religious persecution. It is the persecution of individuals within a group in the struggle to maintain their religious identity, or the abuse of power by an individual or organization that causes members of a religious group to suffer. In the case of the Holocaust, there is little argument about who created the extermination camps or what caused the death of approximately 6 million Jews. The Holocaust is probably the most well-known case of religious persecution. But my research shows that the persecution of the Jews extended well beyond simply targeting all the members of a particular faith. Instead, Hitler labeled the Jews as a race, and used his political power to exterminate the entire race. While violence against Christians has been increasing worldwide, and while Christians in the East are becoming "an endangered species," according to author William Dalrymple, attention to the crisis in the broadsheets and broadcasts of the West is "occasional and momentary" at best. No doubt this reticence must in part have to do with the West's tendency to quarantine religion out of public discourse and concern. The persecution of Christians lays a special injunction on the church in the West to examine modern paradigms and strategies for evangelism. Often Christian missionary approaches are founded on racial and religious assumptions that assign native populations and traditional cultures to an inferior status. The general premise is that prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries, people lived in a morass of darkness and depravity. This traditionally has been the basis for the almost-militant missionary scramble for native souls. Some U.S.-based Web sites include references to India as a "a land of 333 million gods" that is a virtual "Babel" linguistically and the self-identification of missionaries as "warriors of Christ," "crusading" for the "lost" and "unreached.