Apollo Group Phoenix University Essay

What constitutes as training? The answer to this question is there is formal and informal training. Formal training is those programs that take place in an educational or training institution, with the goal of obtaining a certificate, diploma, or degree. A broader definition could also include structured activities that are not part of formal training and often referred to as non-credit on â€Å"non-informal learning activities†-usually called â€Å" informal learning†- are not usually considered to constitute training per se, but they may influence participation by learners. The objective of trainings in my selected organization is based on its strategy to out beat its competitors through delivery of quality products in an on time delivery status and this is accomplished through informal trainings (Palameta, Meyers, Gyarmati, Voyer, 2014). The relationship between training programs design and capabilities are to recognize the purpose of the training program which is to help employees learn the skills needed to help the organization accomplish its strategies in meeting customers’ expectations of services and products offered by the company and to build on wealth for its shareholders. To design an efficient training program it is up to the trainer to establish what the capabilities of the organizations employees are to become effective learners and what changes in behaviors of employees contribute to specific learning outcomes, this would include, verbal information, which is recall of names or labels, facts and bodies of knowledge. It includes specialized knowledge that employees need in their jobs, for example in my selected organization which is a distribution center for Hon Furniture Manufacture, it is imperative that employees know the technique of using a scanner to scan product into location, label product for specific stops on delivery and stage those specific products in the correct loading zones. All of these function rely on recall of information. Intellectual skills which consist of concepts and rules. This is important  trait for employees to have for solving problems, serving customers and creating problems. In the Hon organization employees input and ideals are encouraged on how to move product in the most efficient safe and timely manner, employees are rewarded for ideals that best suit the companies day to day operations. Motors skills are critical for Hon Distribution Center as motors skill include coordination of physical movement, employees that are hired to do the job for the company must be able to left product in a safe manner and move product to different location within the facility and load product into specified transportation vehicles. All employees start the day with a trainer guided exercise before the start of work each work day. And are required to attend trainings for safe lifting practices each year (Noe, 2011). Attitudes of employees toward the organization is important, it consist of the beliefs and behavior of each individual employee, It is important to the organization that each employee is recognized for hard work done and that the employee are given a chance to express thoughts and given feedback on work performance before the end of each shift. Employees are made to feel that their beliefs and thoughts matter to the organization and that they are not just considered workers for the company. Cognitive strategies relate to the process of learning, employees are directed during the learning process to relate learning material to the importance of being able to complete a job for the organization in the most efficient and safe manner and how to solve problems when they arise on the job (Noe, 2011). References Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From – To. Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.

Public School System Essay

Abstract The public school system in America is a topic that is surrounded by great debate. There are many questions that surround this topic. The research question for this paper was, is the public school system failing to prepare our children for the future? And, what solutions are available if the system is failing? The methodology the researcher used in this paper was literature review, and he also conducted an interview with someone working in the field. In this paper the researcher explains how the public school system is failing to prepare our children for the future. The paper also explains how the teaching styles are out dated. The researcher also explains the solutions that are already in place and the possible solutions for the future. Introduction For several decades, the public school system has been a topic of great debate. There are many questions surrounding this topic, such as: Is the public schools system failing to prepare our children? Who should make the curriculum? Who should make the policies? And what role and say do the parents have in their children’s education? These are just a few examples of the questions that may come up with the topic of public education. This topic is important to me because of the diverse educational background I come from. I started out my educational experience in regular classes and then was moved to advanced classes and finally, after failing, I ended up at an alternative school. That is why I ask the question, is the public school system failing to prepare our children for the future, what are the problems, and if it is what is being done to fix it? Due to my educational background I do believe that the public school system is failing to prepare our children. I also believe there are many contributing factors, such as, the school staff, the government, the teachers union, and even the parents. I also believe that there are many ways to fix the system, like new union and staff rules, changing the curriculum, and involving more educators than politicians when forming policies. This topic is important for all children in the U.S. public school system, because if the system is successfully improved, their learning experience will be greatly enhanced. It will also benefit the teachers, because they will have the opportunity to truly serve the community rather than just going to work. This has become a very complex topic but after reading the research ahead you will see that the answer is relatively simple. Review of Literature There is an idea that our public schools are failing to prepare our children for the future. This future could be four year college, technical school or directly into the work place. It is the job of our public schools to prepare each student for all of these futures. However, it seems that the idea that their failing has become the reality and it is a concerning thought that America is producing children less prepared for the world than are other countries. The National Center for Education conducted a study in 1995 involving students from forty one countries. They tested skills in math and science for students in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades. What they found at the fourth grade level was that the students were above the international average in mathematics and science. At the eighth grade level they found that the students scored below the international average in mathematics, but above the average in science. At the twelfth grade level they found that the students scored below the international average among the lowest of the participating nations. (Calsyn, Gonzales, & Frase, 1999) This seems to be the trend with our students in America. They tend to level off instead of advancing like students in other nations. Part of this problem is due to the teaching that the students receive. This is described in the 1995 study by the National Center for Education; â€Å"eighth grade U.S. mathematics teachers’ typical goal is to teach students how to do something, while Japanese teachers’ goal is to help students learn how to do something and also understand mathematical concepts so that they can solve future problems.† (Calsyn, Gonzales, & Frase, 1999) Some teaching was said to be boring and out dated. The students sometimes seem like drones listening to the person in the front of the room rather than grasping the whole idea. Mike O’Conner described in his interview. (O’Conner, 2012) The documentary Waiting for Superman also talked about the case of the bad teacher. Which, if your school has one, it was said that you would be stuck with it? This is mainly because of the union benefit called tenure that protects teachers from being dismissed for the wrong reasons, but also makes it very difficult and sometimes impossible to dismiss the bad teachers. (Guggenheim, 2010) Teachers are not the only problem and should not be the only source of blame. There are higher positions to the school system than just teachers such as principals, administrators, and city officials that all play a role in the failing system. The article Dependant teachers, Ineffective Principals, Failing Children describes the differences between having good administrators and bad. The article goes on to say that if a school has a good administrator they will attract good teachers. Then it talks about bad administrators and their need for power and control. This in turn will attract teachers who have dependency needs and do not tolerate independence. (Muschel, Fall 1979) In other words, if you have bad leaders you get bad followers. This article also describes how through the use of rules, regulations, paperwork, and language an administrator can control the staff. They do this to give themselves job satisfaction, but it ultimately stops the teachers from effectively engaging in the classroom. (Muschel, Fall 1979) The government officials also play a role in the way our schools’ lesson plans are laid out. The article Needed: Educational Philosophy as a guide for Decision Making in the Public Schools touches on this. (Klein, Spring 1977) The article talks about how the endeavors of our politicians change our schools curriculum. It also states that the direction our country is going in comparison with other nations changes our curriculum. One example of this is during our endeavors to beat Russia into space our children were required to learn complex and abstract science and math disciplines. (Klein, Spring 1977) Another example of the politics behind education is the No Child Left Behind act of 2002. This act by congress states that each state set up a standard that each student has to test at. It also gives the parents the right to pull a child out of a failing school and put them in a better one. In addition it holds the state accountable for its education. The article Conflicts over Directing the Education of Children: Who Controls, Parents or School Officials, talks about this act. It says that the schools are more accountable for a student’s yearly success. It also states that the schools need to use researched based methods of teaching. It also talks about how the act is somewhat of a control of parental rights; in the manner that it is up for the individual to seek education. Overall, it mainly talks about how the act should help improve students who are in economically disadvantaged areas, but does not touch on the failing children in the more economically fluent areas. (Russo, 2005) Mike O’Conner also talked about the No Child Left Behind act in his interview. He mainly said that it is a good idea, but it is about twenty years too late. He said this because of the times we are in. He also described how this is the technology and information age, it is time we start teaching in that capacity, rather than make provisions that still support our old system. (O’Conner, 2012) One other problem which was touched on by the film Changing Education Paradigms. This problem was the fact that children are medicated for ADHA too much and too quickly. It was described that children now are being bombarded by information from every technological device around them. This, in turn, distracts them from the information on the blackboard, which appears boring. To deal with this the students are medicated to calm them down and making them pay attention. It also showed that the prescriptions are given more frequently as you head east across the states. (Robinson, 2010) That is just some of the problems with public education today. There are many more like attendance issues, and the children’s home environment. These are just some of the main points surrounding our public schools problems. Now it is time to address some of the solutions to these problems. As the problem of the failing public education system grew so did the demand for a solution. Educators and others came up with one solution which has mixed reviews. This was the invention of the alternative, or charter schools. These schools are set up for the student to ultimately succeed in today’s curriculum, with more ease and confidence. The article An Oasis of Hope: the Power of Thinking Developmentally (McCarty & Quirk, 2003) talks about how the public schools have placed some children in low quality, control based programs which give them limited outcomes. It goes on to say that these children need to be put in alternative programs that follow positive guidelines. These guidelines should follow these principles: All children must have opportunities for success based on efforts which are celebrated by significant adults. All children need to be seen for their strengths. All children must have opportunities to develop qualities which follow a healthy developmental progression. All children have the right to live and learn in contexts relevant to their real lives and dreams. (p. 106) The article also describes how to use these principals in the framework for alternative schools for special needs children. (McCarty & Quirk, 2003) The idea of alternative and charter schools is in our own backyard of Milwaukee. â€Å"Wisconsin ranks among the leaders in education,† according to the article Alternative Education Programs in Milwaukee. (Howard, Summer 2003) The article states that, â€Å"in 1990 the state of Wisconsin legislated mandatory alternative education programs for children at risk of not graduating from high school.† Howard states that the legislation set parameters that qualify the children as at risk such as; one or more years behind their age group in the number of high school credits attained, habitual truants, adjudicated delinquents, and parents. (Howard, Summer 2003) The article also says that by August fifteenth of each year the schools must have a plan in place for each student who is at risk. It goes on to describe the classes as a fifteen to one student to teacher ratio, which allows personalized time with each student. (Howard, Summer 2003) Howard also talks about three different alternative schools which are Silverspring Neighborhood Academy, Shalom High School, and Cornerstone Achievement Center. Each school has a different approach to the alternative setting, but they all share equal success with their students, according to the article. (Howard, Summer 2003) The video documentary Waiting for Superman is a great example of the successes of charter schools. This documentary talks about several schools across the country. Most of these schools are in the larger cities, but some are in the suburbs. It talks about the great success stories that each school has where the public sector is failing. It also stated that the students graduating from the schools shown were adequately prepared for college. The film also showed the demand for the schools in the failing districts, because the students had to be placed in a lottery just to get in. According to the film, almost all the students who attended the charter schools were successful and most went on to college. Another way the school system can improve is by completely restructuring the way the children are taught. According to Mike O’Conner, in his interview, the schools were designed to educate children fifty years ago. He states that the schools need to â€Å"personalize learning† and base the education on â€Å"competency rather than credits.† One example of this would be not having â€Å"archaic technology bans such as cell phones and I Pads.† Also, with the competency rather than credit program, a child could start school and finish at their own pase, rather than six years of elementary, two years of middle school, and four years of high school. An example of that is two students start their freshman year; one student finishes school in three years, the other in five. Mike also says that part of the â€Å"solution is pacing, relevancy, and refocusing on creativity† which will help keep children involved and help them develop their passions. This is the focal points of what he is trying to do at his school. He also states that although these are great solutions, he does not see it at the state or national level yet. Additionally he thinks that if the school system does not act soon on these ideas, America’s dropout rate and failure rate will rise drastically. (O’Conner, 2012) Discussion As the research shows the public school system is failing to prepare our children. There are many contributing factors to this. The way I see it is there are too many people trying to be in charge. The schools are controlled by federal, state and local governments. First of all, none of these bodies are education experts. Second, each of these government bodies has their own interests in mind, not necessarily the well being of the children. Third, the three different bodies of government seldom see eye to eye with each other. This is why I think the state and local government need to step out completely in the areas of curriculum not in the areas of budgets. I think if this happened the school system will be on one united front, which would be a good start. They could make teaching a federal job then, and at that point they could abolish the teachers union, and the teachers could still get union like benefits. With this they could make the teaching jobs more performance based. This would also abolish the idea of bad teachers and administrators, because if they have bad performance they would no longer be working in that field. That is just part of the problem. The bigger problem at hand is our outdated curriculum and teaching style. I experienced this, my whole life in school, until my senior year of high school when I was placed in an alternative program. The idea of alternative and charter schools is great, because it gives children a chance, and it promotes competition with the public sector. I think the charter schools are on the right track, but if they do not keep continue with innovative ideas, they will be in the same situation as the public sector. I think the best way for all to benefit is to restructure the whole teaching curriculum and learning environment. I think we need to structure it as if our current time was 2025 and not 2012, because if we do that we will not be starting out dated from the get go. Conclusion Public education is an important role in our children’s lives. It is there to help them develop learning and life skills for the future, so that they may go on and play vital roles in society. It is unfortunate that the research shows that our current public school system is failing to prepare our children for the future. It also shows that there are many reasons for this such as, the government, the design of the curriculum and teaching styles, school staff, the parents, and, in some regard, the teachers union. There is hope however, the invention of the charter school is helping children graduate and preparing them for college. There are also some acts that the government has put in place to have some accountability for the children’s success. It is hopeful because there are others out there trying to reshape our whole education system to benefit today’s needs. Our current system is failing. We are behind in almost all subjects when compared to other nations. This is a scary thought when you think of a global economy. Our children are not as prepared as children in other countries to fulfill job needs on a global scale. This means that our children currently are less likely to have the skills to make the new inventions that will carry our nation into the future. This potential is that America, as a whole, will fall behind other nations in all aspects, and it could all be due to education. All of these are frightening thoughts and if we do not act quickly and make changes now it is only going to get harder. Education is one of the most important parts in building society. In our country we are provided the opportunity to have somewhat free public education. Our system seems to be failing; this failure provides a great opportunity. There are many ways to repair it and it is time that we stop crawling with the issue, and start making leaps and bounds. If we start working together we can rebuild the corner stone to a successful society, which is education. References Calsyn, C., Gonzales, P., & Frase, M. (1999). Highlights from TIMMS. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2010). Waiting for Superman [Motion Picture]. Howard, T. (Summer 2003). Alternative Education Programs Milwaukee. Reclaiming Children and Youth , 121-123. Klein, D. S. (Spring 1977). Needed: Educational Philosophy as a Guide for Decision-Makeing in the Public Schools. Education , 290-293. McCarty, B. C., & Quirk, C. A. (2003). An â€Å"Oasis OF Hope†: The Power of Thinking Developmentally. Reclaiming Children and Youth , 105-107. Muschel, I. (Fall 1979, Fall). Dependent Teachers, Ineffective Principals, Failing Children. Education , 06-12. O’Conner, M. (2012, February 2). A Principals Point of Veiw. (D. Miller, Interviewer) Robinson, K. (Director). (2010). Changing Education Paradigms [Motion Picture]. Russo, C. J. (2005). Conflicts over Directing the Education of Children: Who Controls, Parents or School Officials? The Journal of Education , 27-40.

Marketing Plan: Product and Performance Essay

Executive Summary Mobility, latest trends and technologies are three most significant factors that customer seek today when they walk-in in an electronic item’s outlet. Years before the journey of technology started out from the calculator the most basic computer as we call it. Today that technology has emerged and the most latest is PDA (Personal Digital System), full computer in a small device to perform all of the tasks. New Nokia Mobile phone has all the features of a desktop computer, no need of a laptop. The phone is easy to carry, manages schedules, and can perform all the business related tasks. The size itself has become important apart from mobility. The concept that we are launching is of a radio and music player which is latest in the sense that you can wear it as a fashion accessory. Radio is considered to be one of the most important media apart from television and internet. The major source in use during cricket matches, exercising in the morning and during traveling for work or school. 73% of college going women (18-25) years of age surveyed tune into radio, although the channel loyalty is not there. The most frequent listening occurs after dinner time. This is different from male radio listeners as the FM channels are replacing cassettes as a music source while driving, other survey shows that one of the popular source of music are the FM stations, FM 89, 91 and 106.20 are extremely popular within the target market. The major target market for our product is the age between 15 and 26. According to the statistics, 30 million Pakistanis are aged between 15 and 24. Considered in the context of total population (approx. 180 million), 16.667% of Pakistanis are young. Statistics shows that 60% of population is under 25 that is 2/3rd and nearly 10 million are in the urban areas. GEN X and GEN Y is the most experienced  and accessed generation in the human history. This generation is the technologically accessorized generation, with everything hanging from their clothes, from cell phones to CD players, and computers are a way of life. This is a branded generation, brand names, association with the great life and other symbols are important. The emerging concept of brand association amongst teens and adults, and awareness will make our product more appealing to the customers. Our Primary objective is to achieve get our product recognized and make the consumers to get performance of the product way better than their expectations. Our Secondary objective is to make good profits and make more products like this with working hand in hand with the fashion and our way would be walking from earrings to necklaces, bracelets and other fashion accessories. Marketing Research Methods of Data collection: Basically there are two methods of data collection: 1) Primary Data 2) Secondary Data Primary Data Collection: Primary Data is that data which is collected specifically for the project at hand. The primary data for our assignment resulted from the unstructured interviews that we conducted from different friends and family members and also many strangers. Secondary Data Collection: Secondary Data is that data, which has already been collected for some other purpose but can be used as reference material. The secondary data for our assignment came from the internet, newspapers and magazines. Current Market Situation: The current market situation is that from the cheapest of phones to the most expensive, every smart phone has at least a radio in it that works from earphones that do the job of an antenna or the smart phones carry wireless radio connectivity. Other than that most phones have music players. In such a market where mobile phones are treated as a necessity from quite a long while we’d enter with a product that has a lot of internal memory, long batter and works hand in hand with the fashion. In other words, the market we are making is new where fashion and technology work together but a relatively alike market of mobile phones has a situation that cares more about apps and memory than on radio and/or music player. So, we are going to come in with focus on music players and radios that would even make consumers look different by the fashion of earring they’d carry. A new market but has links with the standing strong market of mobile phones. The Product Introduction of product: Now days, mobility is becoming an important factor in electronic devices. The concept that we are launching is of an earring radio and music player which is latest in the sense that you can wear it as a fashion accessory. We are  launching it under the brand name LAPCA. Radio is considered to be one of the most important media apart from television and internet. The major source in use during cricket matches, exercising in the morning and during traveling for work or school. Technical and Functional Aspect of the Product: This product would be an earpiece connected to a player that would be smaller than a phone. Both the devices would be connected via Bluetooth. Their range of connectivity would vary to more than 20 square meter so the consumer doesn’t need to keep the device near and playlist functions would increase the ability of product to play songs as per the mood of the consumer. Reason of using earrings with the wireless earpiece is to make the product easier for people to wear and increase the range of our target market. People would not need to get their ears pierced to wear earrings and we bring music player and radio attached to such a small earpiece that would not be noticed much (like the other offerings of attached Bluetooth earphones that appear too large). Objectives and issues: Increase the profits by at least 10% in the first year of the launch. Issue: How to increase the awareness amongst customers about this product? To create 10% market share for the product and to work to improve it further. Issue: What measure to take to identify the potential customers of the product in the market? To identify 5 potential outlets where to place the product initially. Issue: How to identify the potential outlets? Mission statement: â€Å"We are the followers of the latest trend we strongly believe that fashion develops, we provide the best and quality is never compromised. Technological flexibility and innovation are the key factors that we emphasize on while shaping a solution for our customers.† Vision statement: â€Å"Innovation† Our product Oriented Definition: â€Å"We manufacture earrings radio with music player† Our Market Oriented Definition: â€Å"To the trendy and tetchy, Moby X is the radio and music player that provides mobility and a perfect blend of fashion and technology that makes you feels different and latest than others.† Target Market Moby X will form a major share of its market amongst those people who are attracted towards the product with exclusive appearance, unique functionality, style and design. We will market our product through multiple segment strategy, as we are be targeting GEN X and GEN Y belonging to upper class and upper middle class of our society. Through multiple marketing, Moby X can achieve market position as because it is a product which provides mobility, style and fulfills the needs of the consumers. Moby X is a part of the most reliable and trusted technologies belonging to LAPCO which is using Japanese latest technology in it which would further strengthens the reputation it would acquire. Now days, there is a growing trend of adopting the inimitable style which people will definitely feel after purchasing the product. The mini chip radio and music player in the earrings itself is fascinating and will communicate on its own towards the people who are engrossed through mini products. Positioning †¢Product Positioning: Moby X would provide higher frequency range compared to other radios available in the market, will have a long lasting battery and the most important advantage that our product provides is the mix of fashion and technology that forms our distinctive attribute. Value Proposition: Moby X is a better quality product providing distinctive feature and being a leader makes it more special and different from other competing products.  LAPCO using latest Japanese technologies is most reliable and durable. Market Positioning: Moby X has been positioned in the customers mind as a part of their lifestyle it impeccable suited their personality. It has positioned on the following grounds: Made for you exclusively Lifestyle and technology Earrings with variety of colors and design Fine-looking wrapping and easy to carry Statement: â€Å"Enjoy with Style† †¢ Characteristics affecting Adoption: †¢ Relative Advantage: The first of its kind is being introduced in the market; the concept itself will attract the customer. †¢ Compatibility: Moby X higher range of frequency will make it easier to add channel and thus more value to the product. Secondly, memory of 20GB to carry your songs and making of playlists. †¢ Complexity: Moby X is easy to use and the demo CD provided with the product provides the proper guide and features to use the product. †¢ Divisibility: Moby X is an expensive product and initially no discounted rates can be offered. †¢ Communicability: The experience that customers take with them will make its use and difference spread amongst customers. Market Analysis Basis of Segmentation Demographic segmentation: Demographics refer to the characteristics of population including such factors as size, distribution and growth, because people constitute market, demographics are of special interest to market executives. Age: Our product caters to women ranging from age 15-26 yrs old. Moreover, through our advertisements we have portrayed an active woman who is working out or busy in kitchen chores. Occupation: Moby X targets women belonging to each and every type of occupation whether it is a housewife, student and working women. Income: Our product Moby X caters to upper class and upper middle class. Any one lying in the income bracket of Rs 50,000+ can afford this product Psychographic Segmentation: The psychographics of the Moby X can be analyzed by reviewing the advertisement. The lifestyle shown in Moby X advertisements portray successful, sophisticated, professional women who are active energetic and full of life. Behavioral Segmentation: Under this aspect LAPCO Company has based their segmentation on the basis of customer desired benefits. People would prefer buying our product because it’s the first ever product to be launched by LAPCO with radio and music player facility which is easy to use, and more over its attractive mix of not only radio and music player but also as a fashion accessory. SWOT Analysis Strengthens Being first of its kind to be launched in the market The smaller size The mobility The attractive package and demo included in the gadget The exquisite location of electronic gadget’s outlets in different malls Easy to use In accordance with the latest fashion Attractive mix of radio and music player hand in hand as a fashion accessory Japanese technology, one of the most reliable manufactures Weakness Limited warranty Requires proper maintenance Batteries are to be charged according to usage level thus requires cost to keep the gadget working Opportunities The customers are fond of accessories which can help extend our accessories from earrings to rings, bracelets and necklace Hearing radio can replace the care tapes as being mobile and fashionable in nature Being a new product creating a new market the competition is minimized to a great extent The distinctive attributes will outweigh the element of high price The opening of the new malls throughout the country with better electronic outlets will provide a better location to display the gadget There is an opportunity for line extension New technology is in its growing stage which helps attract customers with its distinctive attributes The interests of teenagers in acquiring latest technology will further increase the market share Computer system placed at the electronic outlets could help provide free demos of the product at the outlet A survey at the outlet about the buying experience of the product and after sale experience can help make the product more effective and increased customer satisfaction The smaller size and mobility if appreciated could provide line extension for the product Threats The electronic market is still under developed in Pakistan The fluctuating electronic and political conditions of the country can hinder the sale of the product Less awareness amongst the public about the electronic items The training of sales person for the product Competitors can come up with a similar and better product before our product is established The higher price of the product could lead to duplicate products in the market The health conscious people could resist the product The fashion conscious people may not take the initiative to buy the product The analytical buyer Marketing Environments (PEST ANALYSIS) Political: The fluctuating political environment in the country can be dangerous. Since the product being developed is manufactured in another country the support of the government is required to keep the government conditions in import and export stable and to strengthen relationships with the other country to grow the business further. Economical: The product that is being launched is an expensive product the economic conditions will determine the national income or the buying power of the consumer which indirectly will determine whether the people would be willing on the products that are not part of their basic needs. Social: Since the product is an earring radio and music player which would be fixed in an earring placed quite close to the ear can be considered as dangerous for the ear. Proper awareness about the product and the setting of the frequencies accordingly so not to affect the ear would have to be justified to the people. Technological: Pakistan is developing technologically and further awareness and development will assist in improving the product’s functionality. Competitor Assessment COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Moby X is competing in portable media industry. Major Competitors: Our major competitors are all those manufacturers who are specialized in and dealing with microelectronic items, who believe in size and design of product with quality. Moby X direct competitors are small radios (ear piece) and mp3 players that can fit in ear easily. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Moby X is not just a FM radio with music player but it is also a blend of fashion and technology. Long lasting Japanese battery gives it an edge over other mini radios and music players that have maximum life of 2-48 hours on continuous use. Providing maximum FM band range from 87-108 MHz among its competitors who offer mini radios with FM band 88-108 MHz Furthermore, adding value to the music player with 20GB built-in memory which wouldn’t look small for at least 10-15 years from now. COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES Differentiation: Moby X is an innovation in the arena of radios and all kinds of music players. It gives connectivity to the outside world in a way that adds value and beauty to the face. Focus: Moby X is designed especially for upper middle class and upper class urban population including GEN X AND GEN Y, fashion followers and trend setters. COMPETITIVE POSITION Multiple Markets: We are following the multiple market strategy for Moby X by focusing more towards the upper class and upper middle class of the society. Channel and logistic A value delivery network is made up of the company, suppliers, distributors and ultimately customers. Here will be a layer of intermediaries that will perform work in bringing our product and its ownership closer to the final buyer. For our earring radio and music player we will have both a direct and indirect marketing channel. We will have a customer marketing channel. Since our product is new we need to do personal selling and convince consumers to buy our product. Then eventually as we gain a foot hold in the market we will have retailers selling our product. Marketing Strategy MARKETING MIX PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION: Moby X is broadly classified as consumer product and under this category we define it as a specialty product because it is a perfect mix of style and technology. It involves strong brand preference and loyalty, special purchase efforts by consumers, little comparison of brands and low price sensitivity. LEVELS OF PRODUCT Core Product Moby X provides a solution to its users that connect them to the global world and at the same time add value to their beauty. It is smallest in size but greater in quality and style that’s what the consumers want. Actual Product Moby X, an earring radio and a music player. Augmented Product Customers are provided with the free demos of the product on computer system installed at the outlets and for further understanding, instruction booklet is also provided with Moby X. It includes 3 years’ money back warranty and a pair of fabulous earrings along with the product. Customers are encouraged to share their views about the buying experience of the product and after sale experience through surveys conducted at the outlets. An exclusive website is designed to cater its customers for solving all  their queries regarding the product. Online purchasing service is also available. PRODUCT COMPOSITION Product Quality: Moby X works great, everywhere in the world, under brand name LAPCO using Japanese microchip technology and providing the FM band from 87 to 108 MHz’s Stereo-sound is really excellent plus 3-years money back warranty is also given. Product Features: Push-button Auto Seek Microchip Technology so you can immediately and perfectly tune in stations (Automatic FM Tuning). Provides high quality stereo sound. Long last Japanese battery included. 3 years (Limited) Warranty. Size – (1/3x 1/3 x 3/8) mm is the size of radio chip. 30 x 20 x 5 mm is the size of the earring. Weight – 1/2 oz is the weight of the earring radio. Ideal for use in parties, sports, travels, hiking, working, Jogging, bike riding, boating, fishing, picnics, reading, camping, skate boarding, gift giving, foot and vehicle surveillance, to pass the time while waiting for subject, anywhere, everywhere, in the form of earring as simple microchip (radio). A music player memory of 20GB built-in. Product Style and Design: It comes in many splendid colors with different style for female. It is designed in a way so as to increase portability. BRANDING Brand Equity: Moby X will establish it with the passage of time because of its good quality and better understanding of customer needs. Brand Name Selection: Moby X is selected as the brand name because it defines the mobility and easy to carry feature of the product and X signifies the extra factor that we  provide to our customers in the form of earrings (fashion accessory). Brand Sponsorship: LAPCO is manufacturer’s brand. Brand Development: No extension. Packaging: Moby X comes in a square and heart shaped gift box. Labeling: All the important information is mentioned on the label. The label contains the name of the product, name of the manufacturer and distributors, warranty limit, warnings, guidelines on usage. Product Support: A booklet on guidelines regarding the product is provided with Moby X. Free demo CD is also given. Product Mix: Initially Moby X is introduced in the form of earring but with the passage of time it will offer in other versions also like in the form of bracelets, rings, and lockets. Product Life Cycle: Our product is at the introductory stage of product life cycle stage. PRICE Marketing Objectives: â€Å"To create a market share and to stand out as distinct product amongst the other competitors† Marketing Mix Strategy: The price has been decided based on the competitors and customer needs and requirements. The price is aligned with other marketing mix covering the promotion, placement and product. Cost: The organization has tried to achieve economies of scale but not the cost of quality. The cost is being monitored and is kept to a minimum by choosing the best deals given by the supplier and managing the cost accordingly. Organizational Considerations: The price set has been influenced by different functions of the organization including the finance, manufacturer, sales and marketing and the higher  management. PRODUCT PRICING STRATEGY Comparing competitor’s pricing CompetitorPrice Sinclair XI Button RadioRs. 2304.93 FM Mini Radios Rs.719.44 ZI AM Radio Rs. 8405 Tiny FM Radios (China Toy Factory Inc)Rs.1200 Mini Mp3sRs. 1500 (starting from) Competition Based Pricing: We are following the growing rate pricing according to which we fix our price after considering all the factors as to Rs. 3500. PLACEMENT The product would be sold through â€Å"Indirect Marketing Intermediary†. The product will be sold through push strategy that is product would be first distributed to the wholesalers and then to retailer. The retailers would assist in creating contact with the other retailers which would expand the network and add value. PROMOTION Moby X being a new product in the market would require intensive advertising. The positioning and the idea behind the brand selection would be used as a basis for advertisements and the advertisements would be informative. ADVERTISING Radio: Radio FM channels would be able to attract the major cream who could use our product and create a positive word of mouth for others. Since they being the regular radio listeners would be excited to use this product as they could carry the radio with them. Newspaper: Moby X is an expensive and new product. There is need to create awareness amongst people that such a product exists. ‘Dawn’ newspaper would be a better choice to advertise being one for the most popular newspapers in Pakistan. A full page would be dedicated to advertise the product providing  a detail know how of the features and distinctive attributes. Apart from ‘Dawn’ the other newspaper that the product would be advertised in are ‘The News’ and ‘Daily Times’. Magazines: Moby X being a technology product it would be advertised in magazines as ‘SHE’ a leading magazine. Another magazine that is famous amongst out major target segment the teens is ‘Young Times’. It is Dubai based magazine is especially for kids. Since it is a fashion product also magazines like SHE, STYLE, SYNERGYZER and MAG would also be used to advertise the product. Billboards: The locations where we have decided to place our advertisements are all the upper class areas in the populated cities of Pakistan. For instance the major areas identified all the other malls where luxury electronic item’s outlets are available advertising would be done by placing billboards. In Karachi, at Teen Talwar, Boat Basin, Shahrah – e – Faisal and other markets like Tariq road, Saddar Mobile mall and the road that leads to Jinnah International Airport. Television: The few major channels as HUM TV and GEO TV will be given the task to advertise the product. Websites: Msn.com/Click on line a website providing information regarding new technologies, funmaza.com a famous website viewed by most of the Pakistanis and Apniisp.com that offers all the latest songs. Sales Promotion: One free pair of earring apart from the one already provided in the package would be given with the product. Public relations: Brochures providing details of the safety of using the product would be distributed in public places. Articles about the working and flexibility in use would be published in a leading magazine to inform the public about the safety in using this product. Action Programs July: We will launch a sales promotion campaign in Karachi city which should be estimated at around RS. 2 Million. During this period our aim is to make the consumers aware of the product through excessive adverts it is  essential for us to educate our dealers and consumers properly. Our main awareness campaigns will be concentrated toward the television and internet it will fix in a relatively low and economical budget. August: Increase our relative market share and launch our product in other major cities of Pakistan i.e. Lahore, Islamabad. September: We will start an integrated internet campaign targeting young college students. The campaign will show the functions of Mob X. This campaign will be supported by online ads. October: We will hold a trade sales contest offering bonus to retailers who sells the most Moby X during one month period. November: We will be launching our online store that will enable us to make direct sale with customer. Anyone can place an order via email and we will deliver the product at the given address and payment on delivery. Furthermore, customization over earring designs would be launched. December: We will look forward to enter the international market and depending on the situation we face at that time we will alter our marketing strategies. Implementation and Control Plan Goals: After the launch we will look out the awareness and recognition of Moby X among the target customer. The targeted sales, profits, availability and elevated market share are also major parts contributing towards achieving our goals. Performance: Measure the performance and activities of the outlets, their interactions with our target customers. We will measure the performance by setting different tests after the first launch of Moby X. Tests will be encompassed of surveys, personal interviews, focus groups and via e-mails. Evaluation: The results of the surveys, mails and others will be then synchronized for the evaluations. Evaluation is conducted to identify the gap between the expected and actual performance. Corrective Actions: This is the last control which is set and applied if there is a difference amongst the expected and actual performance Moby X and we then otherwise will take the corrective actions to close the gap. Contingency Plan We have launched this earring radio and music player under the brand name LAPCO so value and prestige is associated with this product. We have used the latest Japanese Technology in our product through which frequency and signal of radio can be cached easily. But the problem can occur in our product is that at some places user might not find tune into radio and their might be some problem in signal catching. To combat with this problem, we have used the latest Japanese technology as stated before and will use more advanced technology in our product in future in order to satisfy our customers and provide them with a delight of getting to hear news and be updated in an area where most signals don’t even work.

Volcano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Volcano - Essay Example Hot clouds and glowing lava advanced 1 km. down the Genol River. Inhabitants in Muntilan saw the ash fall over surrounding areas. Merapi is considered as the most active of the 130 active volcanoes of Indonesia. Twelve major eruptions have killed thousands. People of Indonesia look at Merapi with awe, wonder and reverence and every year a priest makes the ascent to the top of the mountain to make the prescribed offering. For the last two weeks Merapi volcano has been spewing thick black smoke and the scientists say that a full scale eruption is soon on the cards. The full name of this mountain is Gunung Merapi, meaning Fiery Mountain. It is situated overlooking the ancient royal city of Yogyakarta. Eruptions are a regular feature with Merapi, one of the most active volcanos in the world. Small eruptions take place every 2-3 years, bigger ones at the interval of 10-15 years and the real big ones with tremendous destructive capacity, once in 50-60 years. The eruption of 1006 was so devastating that an entire Hindu Kingdom was destroyed. In 1930, about 1300 people were killed. The 1994 eruption was comparatively less destructive and it claimed 64 lives. Local people consider this volcano as very sacred. They also firmly believe that a supernatural Kingdom exists on the top of Merapi. Merapi is located in the zone called a â€Å"Ring of Fire,† in the Pacific Ocean. When at peace, Merapi is just like a friend to the people and to the tourists who are fond of hiking and climbing. But nothing could be predicted about this wonder of nature. Suddenly you can see the volcanic ash spew and then glowing lava ooze down on all its sides. As it intensifies, the sight of large plume of smoke billowing from it is not only amazing but terrifying! Notwithstanding its fearsome activities, people around the mountain love and respect Merapi and many cultivate crops quite close to the cone section. On November 22, 1994, Merapi shook and was in for a major bout of

Health and social care media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health and social care media - Essay Example In addition to that, I will also identify and describe different techniques for presenting information in the media while analyzing how the different ways in which information is presented influences the attitudes and behavior of people. Furthermore, I will also explain the ways in which information may be used to influence the attitudes and behavior of people in relation to health and social care. In order for a message about health care and social change to reach the targeted audience media is used in many forms to accomplish this goal. Imagine for example the importance of television when it comes to launching a campaign about the care of terminally ill people. Or take for example, the campaign about raising money for health care issues such as solving the cancer problem for the children at Saint Luke's Hospital. In addition to using the TV other forms of media proved efficient when it came to raise awareness about the healthcare issues and the social changes. Such forms of media are print media which usually comes in forms of brochures, pamphlets, direct mail, books, etc. Radio media is again an important source of making people conscientious about health care issues and the social change. Less used are the outdoor forms of media such as billboards, although in some cases billboards are also used to raising awareness among people. Returning to the launching of print c... , first of all the launching of the campaign is meant to improve the ways in which advocacy about such health issues is used in order to better the patient's conditions. Furthermore, through the commission of the pocket guides the media who launched the campaigns hoped to "help hospital staff to understand better the needs of vulnerable older patients and their families and perhaps to appreciate more fully the importance of taking a person-centered approach." Additionally, the launching of the campaign had another purposed of raising awareness about the need for the people of 65 years of age or older to receive better quality care podiatric care in order to reduce the risk of falls, and the also meeting the needs and understanding the role of older careers. Regards the attitudes toward the health care issues such as depression, the launching of the campaign has promoted a "concept of 'successful ageing' developed at the Nuffield Institute for Health, the report calls for improved health and care services to improve older people's quality of life through meaningful activities, socializing and help in adjusting to loss." It is obvious that the launching of the campaign in forms of guides, pamphlets, brochures, etc has raised the awareness among the people about the health issues and the social change of the older people; not only it has raised the awareness, but through that I had proposed solutions to improving or eliminating the existing health care issues. In conclusion, we notices so far the information relevant to health and social care usually reach the public domain through some sort of campaign in which media is involved, The forms of media used, ad we have seen previously are TV, radio, and in the case that we studied print media had prove to be the most

Employees' Access to the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employees' Access to the Internet - Essay Example It is clear from the discussion, an organization must allow its employees to use the Internet freely but it must implement strict measures to deal with security issues. According to Australia’s one of the major communications companies, Telstra, there has been a three-fold increase in Australian employers limiting the access of their workers to social network sites in the space of 10 months. In fact, throughout the same duration the total number of URLs usually permissible while working has reduced by approximately 60%. (Davidsson) gives an interesting response to the facts by saying that â€Å"organizations should not block their employee’s Internet usage, not even social networking sites.† No doubt, limiting the employee’s access to the Internet can bring in full of nasty worms and a wide variety of security threats. In view of the fact that the needs of a professional workforce can cause anger and augment valuable turnovers however, limiting the employe es’ access to the Internet access can also decrease efficiency by making difficult or interrupting execution as well as completion of organizational activities. In fact, companies restricting employees’ access to the Internet specifically social networking sites will also cause a risk of preceding online networking chances, identifying critical agreements, leads and take delivery of appropriate industry news (Davidsson). In addition, (Davidsson) discusses the viewpoints of various researchers such as the research carried out by Dr Brent Coker while working at the University of Melbourne showed that employees who make use of the Internet just for enjoyment and entertainment at work within a realistic limit of approximately 20% of their total time they spent in the office are more fruitful and active by approximately 9% as compared to those who don’t have these facilities. Additionally, Coker also says that employees need to zone out for a bit to retrieve their at tention. In this scenario, small and self-effacing breaks for instance a rapid surf of the Internet, allows the brain to rest itself, and as a result leading to a higher total net attentiveness for a days’ work, and consequently, greater than before output.† Certainly, companies must take care of their resources and confirm that their employees make use of the Internet for work as intended. In fact, an organization does not just permit its workers to have full Internet access, close its eyes and hope for the best. According (Davidsson), â€Å"an organization must put into practice formal policies on the use of social networking sites in the place of work and the suitable and efficient software tools that help maintain those policies† (Davidsson). Many researches show that if organizations do not stop their employees from using the Internet, employees with unlimited and unnecessary Internet access will misuse their lots of precious time and open the network to vir uses, spyware and a wide variety of other security threats. On the other hand, an organization cannot just disconnect from the world. In this scenario, there is need to implement a set of rules and regulations in order to ensure effective use of the Internet. In addition, it must establish suitable use strategies, choosing and implementing security technology, and finding the way to deal with ethical and legal concerns.  

Mass Media and Communication Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mass Media and Communication Proposal - Essay Example As a result, such devices have increased improved their use from basic communication services to entertainment and interaction purposes. To most people, the mobile phone is an important device for communication, entertainment, and organization. The increased need for mobile has led to brands take that as an opportunity to increase their interaction with their consumers. The according to reports, the past two decades have seen a significant increase in interaction between brands and consumers due to the mobile as platforms are providing an always-on connectivity (Meijer, Bannister, Thaens, & IOS Press, 2013). The fast implementation of technology around the world has been attributed to the continued advancement in the application of cell phone in the especially corporate world (Fierce Mobile IT (2013).The increase has been attributed to the fact that technology, especially in the mobile phone, has led to localized and easily personalized, thus becoming one of the effective ways that, when embraced in the corporate world, can increase brand engagement. In the transport sector, the social media has played a critical role in relaying information on operations. For example in the air transport, Airline postponements are one of the most common sources of client frustration. Not only do the delays happen frequently, but also people are quite vocal about their outlooks when their flight is overdue. Some air transport companies such as @JetBlue have embraced Twitter to ensure they are is always responds to their customers because they understand it is important for cultivating customer loyalty. T hey not only do interact with blissful customers, but they also respond to and assist frustrated customers as hastily as possible (Meijer, Bannister, Thaens, & IOS Press, 2013).

Has UK Anti-Discrimination Legislation Succeeded in Providing Equality Essay

Has UK Anti-Discrimination Legislation Succeeded in Providing Equality in Workplace - Essay Example 202-18). This paper discusses whether UK anti-discrimination legislation succeeded in providing equality for all in workplace or not in a concise and comprehensive way. This research is based on the premise that the implementation of the provisions of these laws on employment falls largely in the area of operation of professionals in human resources (HR). These professionals responsible for recruiting, selecting and perform other labour practices affecting the recruitment and retention of workers with and without disabilities. The purpose of this investigation has been to identify how HR professionals have responded to date to this legislation and what more can be done to support the critical role they play in minimizing discrimination against the disabled in workplaces. Sparrow (2000, pp. 202 18) mentions that workplace diversity appears to have a rather short history as a field in organisation studies if one locates its emergence only within contemporary scholarship. Issues that commonly fall within the study of workplace diversity have always existed. ... Yet, early conceptualisations of organisations were rooted in universalistic approaches that largely ignored race, ethnicity, gender, culture, sexuality, and other social identities. Race and gender in organisations gained some attention after the passage of equal employment legislation in the United States during the 1970s as well as in the UK (Sparrow, 2000, pp. 202 18). This work appeared under the rubric of women in management and in studies of the effects of affirmative action and workplace discrimination (Sisson, 1994, pp. 123-131). Substantive attention to workplace diversity in organisations is attributed primarily to the publication of Workforce 2000. This report forecasted a radical increase in the number of women and racial/ethnic minorities entering the United States workforce. It seems this forecast was largely on target although some changes in the profile of the workforce were unforeseen, including an increase in the number of workers with disabilities and growing religious diversity. Women constitute 48 percent of the United States workforce. By 2020, 32 percent of the US labour force is projected to be ethnic minorities, and four of every ten people entering the workforce from 1998 to 2008 will be members of minority groups. Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the United States, surpassing African Americans. Sisson (1994, pp. 123-131) urged organisations and decision-makers to identify ways to "manage" this growing diversity. Consequently, the field was initially practitioner-driven with scholarly attention lagging. Some would argue this accounts for the frequently lodged criticism that much of the literature on workforce diversity is atheoretical. However, in the last ten

Early Victorian Prisons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Early Victorian Prisons - Essay Example Prisons are considered to be institutions used for imprisonment or incarceration and in England today accommodation for prisoners in these institutions are divided into wings that are usually identified by a name, number, or letter. Today there are an estimated nine million people imprisoned worldwide, with the United Kingdom alone accounting for approximately 73 000 inmates in its facilities. This high proportion of prisoners has been associated with many things, such as better funded criminal justice systems, a more strict approach to law and order, and a larger gap between the rich and the poor. There are numerous differences between the prisons of today and those of years ago; one major change being that in early Victorian England people were imprisoned and often sentenced for lengthy periods of time for seemingly important things such as 'picking oakum', whereas in today's world that is certainly not the same situation. Victorian prisons were seen as unpleasant and rundown places with a main goal to keep the surroundings as miserable as possible in an attempt to deter people from committing crimes. The prisons were small, old, and badly-run. London and its suburbs held over a dozen prisons in all, and debtors and convicts, those to be rehabilitated and those simply to be detained all had no trouble finding a place to wait out their days. By the 1860s there were two distinct types of Victorian prisons: the local and the convict prisons. The older, which dated back from as far back as the Saxon times, was called the local prison. This itself was made up of two equally distinct parts: the jail (or gaol) and the House of Correction. Prisons in England during the early Victorian era are of particular interest and subjectivity, and in order to be able to come to a clearer and more cognitive view on this subject matter, the following questions must be addressed: 1. What are prisons 2. To what extent did early Victorian prisons in England deter and reform criminals 3. What are some conclusions that can be made on early Victorian prisons in England By discussing these four questions, we can come to a more knowledgeable and understanding opinion on this subject of interest. This is what will be dissertated in the following. What are Prisons Prisons are literally defined as places where persons are confined and usually deprived of a range of personal freedoms, as punishment for particular and often various crimes. Prisons are also often times used as a tool of political repression, particularly in times of heightened war or conflict. "A prison system is the organizational arrangement of the provision and operation of prisons." The United Kingdom has the highest incarceration rate among all of Western Europe, with an approximated 109 out of every 100 000 people imprisoned in the present day; today there are 139 prisons in England and Wales, with 19 of those having been built rather recently - 1995 or beyond. The rise in the prison population in England has been primarily attributed to changes in terms of sentencing. Crimes such as shoplifting and other forms of petty theft have overtly harsher sentences in the present day than years ago; in 1995 alone over 129 people were in prison for shoplifting, and in 2001, 3 000 people were sent to prison for petty theft for a first time

Market Segmentation Essay Example for Free

Market Segmentation Essay A definition of market segmentation is groups of potential buyers that have two things in common, similar needs and a reaction to the marketing strategy. (Kerin, 188) There are four different segments to the market. They are geographic area, demographic focus, psychographic referring to lifestyle and behavioral which refers to where the person makes purchases, what they are looking for, how often they shop, and their reason for purchasing. Kerin, 193) A definition of target market is one or more groups of consumers that a company uses for purposes of market focus. The five criteria for selecting a target segment are, market size, growth expectation, competitive position, cost associated with reaching the segment, and compatibility with the objectives and resources of the organization. (Kerin, 198-199) where a target market is groups selected for company focus, market segmentation is used to divide potential buyers into more specific groups. The statement, â€Å" Sometimes a firm can achieve a key differential advantage by simply emphasizing how its offering satisfies existing consumer demands/desires and needs better than its competitors† can be very true in that a company can use what is already known about their customer base to identify their products best focus group. Companies can use this advantage to instill positive feeling about their products to their already existing customer base as well as competitor clientele. A marketing strategy called product repositioning can help a company to change the importance or usefulness of a product in a consumers mind in comparison to a competitor product. A company will use head to head positioning (pg. 202) in order to compete with suppliers of similar products. An example of this type of positioning is Pepsi vs. Coke. These two companies sell soda that the attempt to convince theirs and the opposing companies customers of buying. An example of a company, product, and positioning strategy is Splash Lagoon Water Park in Erie, PA. This company operates as an indoor water park resort type facility and serves mostly families with young children. They offer entertainment such as water slides, a wave pool, arcade, and laser tag. Their value to the consumer is advertised through television, internet, direct mailings, and word of mouth. They have nearby a competitor in Castaway Bay Water Park, which is owned by Geauga Lake, located in Ohio. Both of these companies offer similar product offerings and amenities. Splash Lagoon uses a head to head marketing approach in offering competitive rates, coupons, group discounts, and hotel accommodations much like that of its Castaway Bay competitors. Referring to the concept called managing the product life cycle, the statement, â€Å"Sometimes demand patterns must be modified for consumers to perceive a firms product differentiation as worthwhile. † This is seen in a variety of products offered from many different companies. Many companies will attempt to re-gain a consumers interest in a product or line by changing the formula or offering a different look for the packaging. Often times the familiarity of a certain product to a customer can cause them to overlook it when new and more appealing products enter the market. Many companies also add other products from their line in combination with a product to increase brand recognition. An example of a modification in managing the product life cycle is the Mr. Clean Magic eraser. The product has a very large consumer popularity. There are now many other companies manufacturing the same type of product and offering it for a lower cost. The Magic Eraser was improved by the company by giving several different options available. The original brand product is still available in addition to larger versions of the same product, multi pack options, and recently marketed a bathroom specific eraser product containing Febreeze cleaning solution to increase consumer interest.

Ambivalent Attitudes Toward Abortion In A Postmodern Society Religion Essay

Ambivalent Attitudes Toward Abortion In A Postmodern Society Religion Essay The Christian response to abortion in our western culture has been a matter of preserving the sanctity of life. Although it would seem to be cut and dry to a Christian that abortion violates that sanctity of life, it continues to face constitutional evolvement, differing worldviews, the scrutiny of the more liberal medical profession, and school text books for Christians. All of these concerns illustrate a wayward compass, lacking the ability to find true north. Society continues to weigh the simple yet complex definitions of personhood. Abortion is purported to be morally justified by pro-choice advocates in the postmodern culture. The question of what is right or wrong continues to be argued on both sides of the issue. For instance, the religious community cannot reach agreement, cites Rothstein and Williams (1983), on what a person consists of or when a person begins life. This paper will contend that the postmodern attitude towards abortion in a theistic society has been characterized as ambivalent and such that a society, exposed to liberal schools of thought, and changing modern and family values, errs on the side of science and convenience. Further, decision makers on the pro-choice side have used their agenda to further their secular beliefs through education, and a cavalier approach to sex which gives rise to sexual promiscuity. Additionally, there have been declines in moral thresholds, church attendance, theological literacy, and respect for gender roles in the family. Ambivalent Abortion Attitudes in a Postmodern Theistic Society Disputes over abortion are usually very heated due to the involvement of conflicting worldviews. Abortion is going to have difficulty attempting to reside within a Christian worldview, based purely on their opposing logic. Furthermore, abortion can comfortably maintain itself within the worldview of liberal postmodernism. Challengers of abortion are aware that they are supporting the rights of human life even though they may not be cognizant that they are also supporting the Christian worldview. Also, supporters of legal abortions identify that they are securing a womans right to choose even though they may not be completely aware of their support to the postmodern worldview. A worldview adds perspective and helps us identify with the world around us and how we deduce and appraise not only what we see but how we perceive ourselves to our understanding of life. Religion has the ability to hone a persons worldview, which starts to develop and institute moral perspectives. Religion serves as a main source for determining right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust (Durkheim, 1954 p. 43). In order to have a credible understanding of the postmodern view on abortion which will be discussed next, both opposing views must be examined in order to explain why a postmodern view in a theistic society would embrace a pro-abortion stance. This will explain the difficulty in finding a common ground, in regard of the issues of abortion, and why conversion at this point is not viable especially since postmodern tenets lean toward the secular decision making. Comparative analysis of postmodernism and theistic views: Man is a created being and has a composition pre-determined by an intelligent and purposeful design, as opposed to the secular contention where mans indiscriminate evolvement has no predetermined nature or design. Man is an immortal spirit being in which dwells a mortal body, compared to the secular point of view where man is wholly a physical animal and or machine. Moral law governs universally through marriage, sexual activity, and family, while secularism sees morality as culturally and or individually determined. Luker (1984) sites these differing views as conflicting, pro-choice activist women share almost no common premises and very little common language with antiabortion activist women; in particular, the worldviews and conceptions of motherhood held by the two different groups of women are antithetical (p. 2). The cultural war on abortion has many fronts and those who adhere to liberal postmodernism or answer to liberal postmodern ideology are likely to frame lawful abortion as a set of rights or privileges for the women who in many cases become pregnant carelessly. Hauerwas, author of Theologically Understood, says that liberals not Christians in America are tempted to think of issues like abortion primarily in legal terms such as rights. He explains rights as an agreement between members in a society who have nothing in common and in this context the prolife plus prochoice factions. Hauerwas states that within a liberal society such as ours, the law functions as a mediator of such disagreements. He gives an example of our system of law by saying, Why do Christians call abortion, abortion and that is to say why Christians think that abortion is a morally problematic term? (Hauerwas, 1991, p. 5). Hauerwas demystifies years of elusions by calling abortion, abortion which is already an achievement based on principles. Pro-choice is pro-abortion using the phrase termination of pregnancy, the postmodernist has reduced the churchs involvement and reallocated the moral responsibility onto the medical profession. For most of the twentieth century, abortion was removed from public scrutiny by defining it as a question of medical judgment (Emerson, 1996, p. 44). By circumventing the church we can easily foretell any future decision making within a postmodern society towards abortion. By defining that mistake as take God out of anything and it dies as pointed out here by Nietzsche, parable of a madman Do we smell anything yet of Gods decomposition? Isnt this the crux of postmodern wisdom which is inserting Gods insignificance into the minds of our youth? A culture cannot lose its philosophic center without the most serious of consequences, not just to the philosophy on which it was based but to the whole superstructure of culture and even each persons notion of who he or she is. When God dies, both the substance and the value of everything else die too (Sire, 2004, p. 211). This leads to the next point on Postmodernisms thinking on the sanctity of life, which has created a pro-abortion crisis in America. In the United States alone the abortion rates have increased from 898,000 in 1974 to 1,533,000 in 1980. These figures indicate that on an average day in Washington D.C., abortions are outnumbering live births. Twenty-five percent of all pregnancies are terminated in this manner and forty percent among teenagers. Approximately twenty percent of all women in the United States have had a legal abortion. Sixty percent were under twenty-five years of age, and eighty-two percent were unmarried at the time of their abortions. Sixty-nine percent of these individuals were white. This is the latest available information provided by researchers by the Henshaw, Koonin Smith Institute (1991). The above information shows the influential state and the wide acceptance of abortion and its use as a solution rather than as a last resort. Another way we see secular conditioning, is through what we read, which raises the question are we neglecting to effectively provide enough alternatives to abortions, such as adoption? For a number of generations we have been stealth fully preconditioning society by removing God from public education. Here for example a member of the Texas board of education is reported saying There seems to be a misinformed view of religion in American history, that America is somehow founded on Christianity, and Mize said, We just ask that things be historically accurate (Castro, 2010, Â ¶7). That certainly lessens the burden of trying to understand a postmodern view towards the ultimate decision to dismiss life, since a form of preconditioning has shown a dismissive attitude towards abortion. The textbook often provides the central focus and organizing framework for courses, and students, in turn rely on textbooks as their most readily available source of information about the course topics (Geersten, 1977, p. 102). Postmodern theists are also finding difficulty with the abortion issue when it comes to their education as pointed out here, Evangelicals for the most part tend to adhere to their education group rather than their religion with regards to their abortion attitudes (Schmalzbauer, 1993, p. 6). Education will no doubt reconstruct the minds of our youth as pointed out by Evans when he commented on Wuthnow, 1988 education is a more powerful opinion structuring force than religious discourse itself, and most studies find that the more education a respondent has, the more liberal his or her abortion attitudes (Evans, 2002, p. 418). This helps answer why a postmodern society raises and nurtures its most influential citizens into embracing such secular ideas as Humanism, Naturalism, and Theistic Existentialism. Postmodernism is here to stay and to evolve. It is a major paradigm shift that has vast and deep impact on the world. When modernity hits hard on Christianity, many sociologists predict the inevitable demise and even eradication of Christianity by secularism (Bruce Steve, 1996, Â ¶5). Also having the primarily secularists controlling how textbooks are written and studied can only point to the trickling down effect of God within the hearts of men. By the mid-1990s abortion had been legal for two decades, and the population had become more educated and more secular, and other sociodemographic trends found abortion increasingly acceptable (Strickler Danigelis, 1999, p. 188). There should be equal worry over issues which are of immediate concern for all such as poverty, global warming, aids prevention, war, and more. All of these are of equal value and worth investigation and debating, but abortion is not equated with the same balance of equality. Given the recent numbers of elective abortions, 1,533,000 in 1980 as sited earlier tell us that there are many women who continue to share ambivalent feelings toward abortion. I was pregnant, I carried two unborn children and I chose, for completely selfish reasons, to deny them life so that I could better my own (Flodin, 1990, Â ¶3). If we are going to find a way to bring back the sanctity within our society, we must implement formal instructions in morals and principles as an essential component of the public school curriculum. Secularism campaigns alongside ambivalence; in America we become too complicated with our competing convictions? The answer lies in our public school system which according to the first amendment, Public schools may not inculcate nor inhibit religion. They must be places where religion and religious conviction are treated with fairness and respect. Public schools uphold the First Amendment when they protect the religious liberty rights of students of all faiths or none. Schools demonstrate fairness when they ensure that the curriculum includes study about religion, where appropriate (Haynes, 2010, P.1). An upward battle will continue as long as postmodernists maintain a distant relationship with God. Teachers are permitted to wear no obtrusive jewelry, such as a cross or Star of David. But teachers should not wear proselytizing message (e.g., Jesus Saves T-shirt). (Haynes, 1999, p.7). Here is an example of secular reasoning, Attorneys for Kandice Smith, a sixth-grader at Curry Middle School in Walker County, Alabama, filed a lawsuit in federal court to overturn what they called an unconstitutional dress code. In August, the school banned cross necklaces as part of its new dress code claiming they are gang symbols. School officials threatened to discipline Smith if she didnt hide the cross under her clothes. (Rock star, 1999, Â ¶4). As long as the cross is reviewed as a gang sign abortion will always be consider as a first option. Postmodern societies lean towards abortion as a first consideration rather than as a last resort because it rests in their understanding of God. The postmodern cultures, bible illiteracy clearly exemplifies the ease in which abortion decisions are made, and how religious freedom can be extrapolated from law to err on the side of the secularist, consequently making the first amendment null and void. In conclusion, how can a Christian in a postmodern society consider abortion not as a viable solution to a complex moral issue? The abortion debate has polarized Americans like no other national problem. The abortion issue has created a vast partitioning across Americas cultural, and religious lines, which is also evident at the individual, political, and ecclesiastical levels. How then can a Christian in a postmodern theistic society protect forty percent of future teenage abortions in a society which is profoundly secular given the tenet that abortion is a right? This certainly points to a valid concern held by many Christians, and alludes to a valid misrepresentation on prolife options within our school textbooks. From 1988 through 1993 sampling 27 textbooks representing 16 publishers covering a period of 6 years (Kathy Shepherd Elaine Hall, 1994, p. 267). They referenced topics such as, abortion and legal cases such as Roe v. Wade, pro-life, birth control, teen pregnancy, and reproduction. Citations for abortion were indexed more than 60 times and adoption citations were indexed under 13 headings. Also with this study acknowledgement to abortion was tendered 4 times more page space than adoption. The Humanist manifesto will continue as long as Gods heritage is denied in public school courses. This is happening all across America, schools are simply not teaching about God, and by leaving out His heritage the significance of abortion will continue to all future generations. A theist in a postmodern society must find a way to respect the law of the land that does not mean they take part in it nor does it mean they have to protest, through legal channels its validity. If we are to be effective on the other side, we ourselves will have to become less modern and more postmodern-not completely of it, of course, but more completely in it. (McLaren, 2000, p. 168).