Globalisation in Kenya Essay Example for Free

Globalisation in Kenya Essay Globalisation is the process of integrating the world community into a common system,on the economical and social grounds. The economic integration is the initial phase globalization,which ensures reduction of geographical inequalities by first creating jobs and business opportunities all over the world. This is then followed by social integration which is the second phase of globalization. (www. worldbank. org/kenya ) Globalisation involves the opening up local standards to measure with the international standards. Globalisation in this context implies the process of transforming a country to a higher level in terms of economic and social development. United Nations Development Program is a global Development Network,that purports to create change and connect countries to knowledge,exposure and resources that enable their citizens lead a better life. It was established in Kenya in the the year 1964,by then known as Technical Assistance board. It was a a kind of agreement with the Kenyan Government. This program operates on attaining the following objectives;creating job opportunities,empowerment of the community,assist in enhancing security, Sustainability and Strategic Outreach. ( http://www. ke. undp. org/index. htm ). UNDP-Kenya involve itself actively in poverty reduction through improved groups which create employment and continuous income generation made possible. It ensure community empowerment by advocating the human rights,gender,judicial reforms and police. Security is enhanced through peace and security projects, without forgetting its role fighting out the spread of HIV/AIDS among the Kenyan sustainability projects address the preservation and conservation of Kenyan natural resources for the future generations,where strategic Outreach involves in creating an environment for in promoting partnerships for Aid and donor coordination and advocating initiatives related to sustainable human Development and mainstreaming of Kenyas policy,planning and visioning frameworks. The UNDP-Kenya also gives intelligence on socio-economic trends ,resulting from periodic analysis. Kenya is in East Africa and it was initially called Kirinyaga and later named Kenya,a name derived from the second highest Mountain in Africa. It is a country composed of people from different ethnic groups ranging over forty two tribes,with diverse cultures, making a total population of over thirty millions people. Statistics show that 80% percent of the Kenyan population are mostly farmers(www. worldbank. org/kenya ),and they live in dispersed rural settlements. The remaining 20% of the population lives in concentrated urban areas of Nairobi and Mombasa. The country is faced by problems like ethical divisions,drought,poverty and and the HIV/AIDS Epidemics,(http://www. fh. org/cdi_kenya ). Kenya is among the countries with highest population growth in the world,and it frequently experiences droughts,implying that it is unable to sustain its growing population . Poverty in Kenya can be seen evaluated from various angles ranging from increased dependency,inability to participate in development activities,high level of unemployment,inability to feed its population,lack of proper housing ,inappropriate and poor health facilities,inability to educate the young ones and in meeting their basic needs. The country is lacked as being the 30th most unequal societies globally in terms of resource distribution and gender biasness,where the top 10% of the of the population controls the Kenyas wealth. The group of people that is adversely affected by abject poverty includes the pastorals communities,agricultural laborers,unprofessional workers,female headed households,orphans and street families. (World bank website). Poverty reduction. Kenya is characterized by a high level of poverty like most developing countries of Africa,which a huge percentage of its population leaving below the the poverty line. This calls for intervention in attaining economic globalisation. UNDP-Kenya actively involves itself in poverty reduction throughout creating a favorable environment for trade,investment expansion and creation of employment among the Kenyan population. The enhancement of a favorable environment for trade automatically encourages both local and foreign direct investments which later leads to more employment opportunities hence income for the Kenyan population which increases their level of income,that adversely reduce poverty and increase the national output. At the executing level in attaining these goals,UNDP undertakes projects that involve improved groups ,which generate income and create employment. The projects are carried out in conjunction with the Government of Kenya ministries mostly the ministry planning and the ministry of youth affairs,and Non Governmental organizations at the community level. UNDP ensures the achievement of the above objectives in reducing poverty by the observation of the following practices; Resource development for Kenyan Capital market Authority,direct support to the Agricultural sector it being the backbone of the Countrys economy specifically in the tractor project,the development of bee and Honey products export processing related industries,provide professional and expert support to the Kenya Private sector Alliance,support the youth Employment scheme and the small enterprises Program,growing sustainable Business program,women empowerment in the â€Å"fanikisha† project,creating a link between the informal sector and trade opportunities, and last the enhancement of foreign direct Investments in commissioning the United National Conference on trade and Development(UNCTAD) to review the Countrys Investment laws and policies. UNDP gives an hand to exporters , small scale producers , manufactures and service industry a link to export marketers, and provides technical assistance to targeted products and developing their markets. This adds value to the Kenyas exports and thus a common good to the countrys economy and its people welfare. Democracy and good governance are the basis for the social Globalisation and it involves the respect of human rights,observation of just and the rule of law. This ensures smooth running of the government and the efficient allocation of resources , without forgetting accountancy in the use of public services. UNDP ensures Democracy and good governance is exercised in the country in Major national and local level institutions. It acts as a watchdog for the Kenyan people in ensuring efficiency,effectiveness,transparency,accountability and equality in the provision of public services and perpetuating the public confidence in ht e governments financial management system. UNDP ensures this by giving a hand in budgeting,planning and economic management process. The practices of UNDP that guarantees the achievement of Democracy and governance include the following; Engineering the formation and capacity building of Public Reform and Development Secretariat which design development priorities,improve the development partner relations and approving public money spending. UNDP also ensures democracy through community empowerment through active participation in ensuring that humanity and human rights are observed like in support of Women Advocacy through federation of women lawyers in Kenya who solely specialize in ensuring that women rights are not violated,establishing organizations taking care of needs of persons with disabilities,empowering of youth through the ministry of youth affairs,providing elections assistance programs and giving a hand in the implementation Human Rights in attaining a sustainable human Development. UNDP-Kenya supports the attainment of the the countrys new constitution and its willingness are assessed in its participation in support for the referendum, co-financed by Department of Finance and International Development, Swedish International Development Agency, Norway and Netherlands. UNDP-Kenya supports the public sector reforms,enables parliamentary participation,supports anti-corruption efforts, and also gives an hand in Kenya restoring the rule of law and observation of justice through creating awareness about the human rights,in an attempt to assist Kenya attain millennium development goals. Ensuring that there exists security is wide sphere among the Kenya communities,ranging from physical security to the provision of basic needs like food and health. Kenya is characterized with poor disaster management and preparedness which lead to massive destruction on a calamity striking,leading to a bigger loss than when measure we to me taken on either disaster management or preparedness. Calamities strike from natural to human initiated. UNDP-Kenya actively participates in ensuring food security,safety from physical harm and conflict, and healthy security. It tries to reduce the danger and the vulnerability of the population to natural catastrophes like drought and flood,and the man made catastrophes like war,in working closely with the Kenyan government,civil society and other United Nations agencies. It achieves its purported objectives by building disaster capacity management,mitigation,prevention and preparedness. Kenya is prone to inter-ethical wars because of its many different ethical communities, and UNDP ensures the formulation of policies that and programs that prevent conflict ,and rather promote peace and co-existence among the Kenyan communities. Health issues are addressed through the Programs HIV/AIDS prevention policies. Environmental management and conservation. Kenya is characterized by environmental abuse in terms of pollution , the inappropriate way of disposing refuse and depletion of indigenous species. This call for an intervention so as to conserve the environment and its constitutes for the coming generations and better stay of the current generation,in either protecting the species or avoiding the break up of health complications. UNDP actively involves itself in the environmental conservation and management and poverty into Kenyas National policies,planning process and strategies,reinforce community environment and natural resources governance,and ensure the development of sustainable energy sources and distribution of the energy in meeting the household needs,that generate income by creating employment opportunities and in meeting the energy requirements in other sectors of the Kenyan economy. Reaching out to donors and Consultants, and the provision of advocacy. There is normally a gap between the potential donors and the governments that need aid,and this is due to lack of negotiation ground and lack of trust. This requires an Intermediary in joining the to ends,which is in this case UNDP in Kenya,which also provide the advocacy. UNDP-Kenya provides an avenue for the Kenyan population to get assistance from within and outside the country. This is through its intensified network in Africa and all over the world given that its a global organization t helps in promoting partnership for both foreign and domestic aids and donor coordination and advocacy initiatives intended for sustainable Human development and its coming going into the Kenyas policy,planning and focusing framework. It also gives the Kenyan government an underground hand in preparing papers and reports for presentation in consulting Group meeting. Conclusion. Globalisation is seen as an integration of the world on either economically or socially in meeting the international standards. Economics integration involve the opening up of trade channels,investing all over the world and most importantly meeting the international standards. Social integration normally come after economic integration and it involves improving the peoples welfare in terms of their living standards,life style and respect human right through an informed judicial system that respects law and justice. United Nations development is an international network that solely aims at improving humanity by connecting countries to knowledge,exposure and resources that enable their citizens lead a better life. It is a vehicle to globalisation in the countries where it is established are mostly in the Developing countries like Kenya. Kenya like any other developing countries faces problems that need to be solved by reorganizing themselves and setting out solutions through a third party assistance. UNDP is among the third party participants in ensuring globalisation in Kenya and it intervenes through small improved groups,and in giving the government of the day technical advice and at times given responsibility to act on behalf of the government,given its expertise in analysis and implementation in attaining globalisation. It intervenes through its specialized programs in ensuring security in terms of food,health and physical security,it provided outreach services to the country in acting an advocacy role between donors and government,it directly involves it self in projects that reduce poverty by reaching the affected groups directly,it provides the government of the day with professional issues like budgeting and related economic issues like strategic planning. References Food for the child website: http://www. fh. org/cdi_kenya Tripod Website: http://lautbry. tripod. com/cpce/globalization/index. htm United Nations Website: http://www. ke. undp. org/index. htm

Abstract Globalization Essay Example for Free

Abstract Globalization Essay Abstract Globalization is a term now circulating frequently in both popular media as well as formal academic disciplines. It has many meanings, some of which are contestable, others simply descriptive. This work attempts to explore some implications of globalization for the field of curriculum studies. This paper is an attempt to explore some of the symbols of nationality that are embedded in, or associated with, our curriculum, and to suggest that these may present some problems in terms of values and of equality. The work will explore the hegemonic relationship exerted by culture through the curriculum, relating this particularly to the ways in which a curriculum might be assessed. The particular curricular examination suggests that African-American life and history are reflected in various conceptions of the curriculum. Therefore the study will also consider how functional approach to teaching social skills to African American students is infused throughout the curriculum. Curriculum Development Introduction A vague presumption has come to pervade the publics understanding of education, namely that its content should somehow be apolitical and value-free. If values are not explicitly addressed in the classroom then what is taught are simple â€Å"facts† unadulterated and value-neutral. Values, however, are not a separate category of the mind, but arise, part and parcel, out of our total understanding of reality, our worldview. It is this realization that three of our contributors bring to bear, each in a different way, on the problems of the contemporary curriculum. James B. Macdonald (1971) asserts: The process of curriculum development includes selection from the total culture and the creation of a pattern of encounter that will maximize the authenticity of the material and the probability of its being internalized by learners. As a system of ideas and beliefs, it includes aspects of the cognitive world isolated by disciplines and/or subjects in terms of facts, information, generalization, principles, laws, and the like. It also includes awareness of and facility in the use of expressive symbols such as art, music and language. Further, it includes systems of value orientation for action in the form of such things as modes of inquiry, seeking new knowledge, respecting the integrity and worth of individuals, being concerned for other peoples, using democratic procedures , and so forth (pp. 97-98). Macdonald takes issue with the attempt of all scholars to mimic science as the only reliable path to â€Å"truth. † For him, restructuring the curriculum does not mean trying to integrate the disciplines as they now exist, but rather, seeking an altogether new worldview -what he calls a new â€Å"anthropology. † His point is that we need to consider values, meaning, and purpose in the curriculum in order to create a more adaptive and accurate vision of the world. A balance must be maintained between local culture and global culture. Thanks to that balance, groups win be able to develop or reinforce local cultures, and at the same time will be able to communicate with the main global culture in a mutually reinforcing relationship. We must of course agree as to what language to use to communicate throughout the global network. The problem is not very different from what we do for instance in air traffic control. At a certain moment we must accept that in order to communicate we must have a common global language. This does not negate local languages and cultures on the contrary. The fact that one speaks English does not prevent him/her from communicating in his/her native Italian, nor does it reduce his/her pride in Italian culture. By speaking English, he/she is able to communicate that culture to other cultures, and vice versa. The â€Å"Global Education† mentioned in the abstract might be understood as the universal education of humankind a worthy goal. But we first have to ask: what will we teach? There are too many facts to be taught, yet they are insufficient. We need instead to exercise our intelligence to grasp and teach what is best namely the promotion of our well-being. The cultural/historical dimension, whereby students are stimulated to broaden their perspective on life, is already being addressed in some programs of curriculum reform. At my home institution, Temple University, for example, a two semester course entitled â€Å"The Intellectual Heritage† is required for all undergraduate students. This course introduces seminal texts and ideas from Western, African, and Asian traditional intellectual histories and cultures. Through classic works such as the Tao Te Ching, the Koran, and the Analects, the heritage of all humankind, students are able to enlarge their intellectual and historical vision, while becoming sensitized to the values of their own, often unexplored, roots. This suggests that curriculum must include voices, visions, and perspectives of people of color and other marginalized groups. Literature Review Henderson noted in her paper that conventional economic theory is based more on the values of economic theorists and their wealthy sponsors than on actual observation of real economies (Davis 1988). Not only economics, but everything that is taught bears the stamp of someones values whether those of a legislator, a teacher, a textbook writer, or a group of academic theorists. Value-neutrality is one of the most pervasive misconceptions of modern education. The curriculum is not unbiased, and students are not left to form their own opinions. Whatever is taught bears the imprint of the values implicit in society, and if by chance those values are part of the cause of a societys problems, then it becomes necessary to address them openly and critically in the educational curriculum. This, of course, is the real meaning of â€Å"academic freedom,† something that the American public has yet to accept. The problem of what set of values, what sort of vision of humankind, we could put in place of or at least use to modify our present faulty vision is taken up by Charles Weihsun Fu in a brilliant analysis of the distinctions between two of the worlds dominant worldviews: the Eastasian and the modern Western. Fu skillfully juxtaposes the Confucian and Judeo-Christian understandings, pointing out the social and political consequences of each, and especially their inherent weaknesses. More specifically, he contrasts their respective bases in personal morality and social responsibility on the one hand and in law and contractual relationships on the other. Fu concludes with a proposal for interweaving these two approaches which, if introduced into the Western curriculum, could serve simultaneously to correct our destructive tendencies toward alienation while softening our pretensions of moral superiority. His arguments seem to us to feed well into those of Johan Galtung, who discusses the path to global peace under the next theme. The process by which change is to be accomplished likewise is addressed by Frances Moore Lappe, as she critiques our political value system. Too often, Lappe argues, the curriculum teaches only superficial explanations for societys problems, relying upon the unexamined assumptions of single disciplines, which are often graced with the label of common sense. She calls for the introduction of dialogue into the curriculum to force us to delve deeper into the underlying causes of problems, thus revealing their true complexity. Such dialogue ultimately demands the critical self-evaluation of values and a sense of political engagement that she believes are essential for an active, informed, truly democratic citizenry. If they are to achieve a productive dialogue rather than a polarizing debate, both Western traditionalists and the multiculturalists must face some facts. The growing number of people of color in our society and schools constitutes a demographic imperative educators must hear and respond to. The 1999 Census indicated that one of every four Americans is a person of color. By the turn of the century, one of every three will be of color. Nearly half of the nations students will be of color by 2020 (Council for Exceptional Children 2002). Although the school and university curriculums remain Western-oriented, this growing number of people of color will increasingly demand to share power in curriculum decision making and in shaping a curriculum canon that reflects their experiences, histories, struggles, and victories. People of color, women, and other marginalized groups are demanding that their voices, visions, and perspectives be included in the curriculum. They ask that the debt Western civilization owes to Africa, Asia, and indigenous America be acknowledged (Grossman 1998). The advocates of the Afro centric curriculum, in sometimes passionate language that reflects a dream long deferred, are merely asking that the cultures of Africa and African-American people be legitimized in the curriculum and that the African contributions to European civilization be acknowledged. People of color and women are also demanding that the facts about their victimization be told, for truths sake, but also because they need to better understand their conditions so that they and others can work to reform society. The significance of culture in curriculum implementation is supported by Michaels (1981) study of differences in narrative styles used by African American children and their European-American teacher. In Michaels study, a European-American teacher did not make explicit the literate narrative style employed in school learning and, thus, African-American children did not acquire a prerequisite skill for reading acquisition. Narrative styles are culturally acquired. The narrative style employed in school is based on the European-American culture and does not need to be made explicit to most members of that culture. Schools and the curriculum are often portrayed as culturally neutral and, because the practice of schooling has become traditional, it is difficult to identify the specific aspects of culture that are present. A more specific example of teachers response to students cultural or ethnic background is found in a research study reported by Perry Gilmore (1985) in which African-American childrens access to advanced literacy is denied on the basis of their level of acculturation rather than acquisition of prerequisite skills. Creators of the standard curriculum as members, of the society, function in multiple settings (e. g. , systems) and, as a result, are socialized by many agents. Attitudes about what children should be taught and how they should be taught are shaped. Likewise, attitudes about social issues such as race and ethnicity are also influenced heavily by multiple systems-giving messages, sometimes conflicting messages, about the importance of these factors. Branch (1993) suggested that the ethnicity and race of the teachers/educators and learners figure prominently in the learning equation. He posits that the attribution of characteristics to learners influences how they perform in the classroom, perhaps as much as their abilities. Frequently, teachers view African-American childrens academic performance as a function of their race and ethnicity and the children themselves may develop limiting self-perceptions as a consequence of their interactions within the ecosystem. For example, Fordham and Ogbu (1986) reported that some African-American high school students perceive academic excellence as an instance of â€Å"acting White. † Background It was not easy, even in the heyday of nineteenth-century nationalism, to define what was meant by national identity. Nations were often based on some notion of unity, or of consanguinity, or of some shared culture, or appearance, or language. None of these seems to be either a necessary or a sufficient condition, however. The United States manages without consanguinity, for example—though it currently seems to see language as a defining issue, as can be seen in the moral panic about the possibility of non-English speakers forming a majority. The pedagogic will seek to produce structures and curricula that are designed to maintain national identity, particularly at moments when national authority might seem to be in question. Bernstein (1971) expressed part of this when he wrote that â€Å"how a society selects, classifies, distributes, transmits and evaluates the educational knowledge that it considers to be public reflects both the distribution of power and the principles of social control†. If existing power structures and distribution are to be maintained, knowledge, and the particular kinds of knowledge that constitute cultural capital, must be selected and transmitted to particular groups. Such cultural capital must be identified, protected and valued over other cultural phenomena. Authorities need to assert their identity and control, and, in the context of the arguments presented in this paper, they need national and cultural symbols to do this, and they need control over the way in which they are transmitted. Some of the unhappy facts of our condition are being disseminated through the media, but in spite of this we still suffer from serious misunderstandings about the nature of global problems. While we have all been told that there are environmental, economic, and political crises the greenhouse effect, species extinction, the hole in the ozone layer, the Third World debt, the instability of political institutions and have been informed that there are some causative agents such as carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation, poverty, and a dearth of the appropriate sustainable development, we clearly do not comprehend. We misunderstand precisely because an insistence on the facts alone constitutes that little bit of knowledge that is a dangerous thing. Western traditionalists and multiculturalists must realize that they are entering into debate from different power positions. Western traditionalists hold the balance of power, financial resources, and the top positions in the mass media, in schools, colleges and universities, government, and in the publishing industry (Duckworth 1996). Genuine discussion between the traditionalists and the multiculturalists can take place only when power is placed on the table, negotiated, and shared. However, multiculturalists must acknowledge that they do not want to eliminate Aristotle and Shakespeare, or Western civilization, from the school curriculum. To reject the West would be to reject important aspects of their own cultural heritages, experiences, and identities. The most important scholarly and literary works written by African-Americans, such as works by W. E. B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson, and Zora Neale Hurston, are expressions of Western cultural experiences. African-American culture resulted from a blending of African cultural characteristics with those of African peoples in the United States (Wald 1996). Rather than excluding Western civilization from the curriculum, multiculturalists want a more truthful, complex, and diverse version of the West taught in the schools. They want the curriculum to describe the ways in which African, Asian, and indigenous American cultures have influenced and interacted with Western civilization (Combleth 1988). They also want schools to discuss not only the diversity and democratic ideals of Western civilization, but also its failures, tensions, dilemmas, and the struggles by various groups in Western societies to realize their dreams against great odds. The inclusion of African-American literature (a) clearly reveals the conflicts and contradictions of class, race, and gender bias in a democratic society, (b) puts students in touch with their own bias and that of their peers, and (c) helps students learn to challenge bias in themselves, their peers, and the larger society, and in the literature they read. The teachers personal commitment allows to overcome aspects of the school culture and resistance and racial conflict among students to reach a point of shared understanding and experience for students. The racial conflict clearly raises the issue of personal and group identity, however. Method Curriculum development is designed to reflect the course of study in schools. It is intended to present information to students in an organized manner through various instructional methods and strategies. Teachers must be cognizant of creative and innovative ways to individualize and maximize learning for pupils by providing practical learning activities. Designing curriculum involves two major methodologies (Grossman 1998). The first methodology is experimental instruction. Experimental instruction is designed to intrinsically motivate student interests inside and outside of the classroom. The second approach, systematic instruction, involves teacher/student interaction. The major purpose of systematic instruction is to develop a skill or concept and design materials and activities that enable students to achieve the selected objectives. Curriculum development in most school districts is concerned with developing academics in order to equip pupils to master the complex tasks presented by our society. This approach is valid for most pupils. However, due to poor social and interpersonal skills development of many minority and young African-American students, social skill development may be necessary before academic skills can be mastered. It is generally agreed by most professionals in the field of education that schools should be involved in teaching social and interpersonal skills. For example, social skills education and interpersonal skills development are ideal ways to teach responsibility for self and others and for exploring the meaning of human interaction and relationships. A social skills curriculum can also help students understand: (1) how to develop self-esteem along with their emotions and how their emotions affects others; (2) how to develop positive social relationships; (3) respect for others; (4) respect for rules and regulations; (5) ways to develop moral and character; (6) ways to examine ones values; (7) ways to make responsible choices; (8) their potential and worth as human beings; (9) How to develop a sense of responsibility toward others and ways of behaving appropriately in public places; (10) the role and duty of responsible citizens; and (11) how to develop effective communication skills. Curriculum strategies outlined in this text are designed to address the social skills and others as they relate specifically to African American students. Experimental, direct, and systematic curriculum methodologies were employed. The phenomenon of educating African-American students has been studied and investigated extensively, resulting in numerous educators advocating that these â€Å"special† students demonstrate inappropriate social skills/ behaviors inside as well as outside the classroom. Developing the appropriate social skills for successful interaction with peers and significant adults (teachers, parents) can be considered one of the most important accomplishments of childhood and early adolescence should be addressed as soon as possible. This is particularly true in the area of establishing and maintaining relations with peers and authority figures. Not only can social skills deficits have a negative impact on future interpersonal functioning, it may also affect current functioning, reducing the quality and quantity of the learning experiences to which students are exposed in their educational settings. Social skills have been defined as goal-oriented, rule-governed, situation-specific learned behaviors that vary according to social context. Social skills involving both observable and nonobservable cognitive and affective elements that help elicit positive or neutral responses and avoid negative responses from others. As such, social behavior constitutes an intricate interfactional process. As a result, the behavior of school-age children influences and is influenced by that of their partners (e. g. , teachers, mentors, tutors, and peers) within the interaction. Society expects that when children reach various developmental stages, they will demonstrate greater foresight and more controlled behaviors. Society also expects that children will be capable, not only of meeting increased demands within learning tasks, but also more complex, subtle social situations. Failure to meet these expectations may increase their sense of social alienation and helplessness. The curriculum presented here is designed to enable African American students to become socially contributing members of society by meeting expected standards. Strategies have been developed to assist educators in providing these students appropriate social skills training to enable them to operate successfully in the schools and society. Intervention techniques have been selected based upon research techniques to assist young Black students in controlling aggression, assuming responsibility, and becoming productive members of the group. The author highly endorses that proactive approach be employed when teaching social skills to African-American students. Since proactive instruction provides children with social intervention before negative behaviors occur, this approach is preferable to reactive teaching. Whereas proactive instruction teaches social skills before social rejection is experienced, reactive instruction waits for the individual to fail and then applies intervention strategies. Many African-American students have problems developing appropriate social skills due to the problems outlined throughout the text. Proactive instruction will prevent many of the negative consequences of inappropriate social skills, as well as improve the self-image of young African-American males. Recommended strategies for proactive instruction may assist the boys in: 1. dealing positively with accusations 2. accepting the feelings of others in a nonthreatening manner 3. respecting the feelings of others 4. avoiding fights and conflicts 5. dealing effectively with teasing 6. giving praise or compliments to others 7. accepting compliments from others 8. apologizing for inappropriate behavior 9. expressing anger in a positive way 10. showing affection and appreciation toward others 11. practicing self-control These instructional activities may be expanded or modified as needed. As indicated, African-American students must be taught appropriate social skills if they are going to be contributing members of society. The social skills outlined here should be infused throughout the curriculum and integrated as needed by the teacher. These strategies are seen as immediate, useful sources for teaching pro-social skills to African-American students. Additionally, the curriculum is based upon in-depth research and years of teaching and observing the social skills development of African-American students. Results The initial step in developing a social skills curriculum is to identify those general social behaviors that are critical to successful social functioning. These general social behaviors are then rewritten as general objectives, which provide the framework for constructing other components of the curriculum. The second stage is to sequence specific objectives as they relate to the general objectives. All specific objectives are designed to achieve the general objectives. Specific objectives are stated in behavioral and measurable terms. The third step is to identify activities and resources that can achieve the stated objectives. Activities should be functional and reflect real life experiences that African-American students are exposed to. As much as possible, parents should be involved in reinforcing the social skills taught. Parents may be used as resource individuals and may offer suggestions relative to material and activities. The fourth step is to include cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity into the curriculum. This approach affords young African-American males the opportunity to appreciate and understand their own self-worth and sense of importance and belonging as well as identify Blacks and other minorities who have made significant contributions in several fields. An additional benefit is that the young Black males can identify and associate with appropriate role models. A curriculum that does not highlight the contributions of Blacks and minorities gives an inaccurate and distorted view of the many significant contributions made by them. Multicultural activities and strategies enrich the curriculum by showing differences in cultural styles, patterns, and interests of diverse groups. Conclusions and Recommendations A social skills curriculum should be based upon those social skills needed to function successfully in ones society. Much of the research reviewed indicates that a significant number of y African American students have not mastered the social skills needed to function successfully in our society. A functional approach involves exposing the learner to real-life situations, concepts, and activities such as self-identity, acquiring self-concept, achieving socially acceptable behavior, bonding, respecting the rights of others, maintaining good interpersonal skills, achieving independence, employing problem-solving skills, taking turns, and communicating appropriately with others. It is language the exquisite use of symbols that makes us truly human, and I would like to see a core curriculum in which students study the origins of language not just parts of speech (Frisby 1993). I would also like to see students consider how symbol systems vary from one culture to another, how language can be shared, and perhaps all students should become familiar with a language other than their own, so they can step outside their own language skin to understand better the nature of communication. And surely a course of study on the centrality of language would include mathematics, which is a universal symbol system. All human beings respond to the aesthetic. This condition is found in all cultures on the planet, and students, in the new core curriculum, should study the universal language we call art. When Picasso confronts the unspeakable agonies of war, the dismembered child, the scream of a bereft mother, the shattered home, and puts them on a huge canvas called â€Å"Guernica,† he makes a universal statement about destruction that can be felt in the heart of every human being (Spears-Bunton 1990). I am suggesting that for the most intimate, most profound, most moving experiences, we need subtle symbols, and students should learn how different cultures express themselves through the universal language of the arts. Bibliography Bankee N. C. Obiakor F. E. (1992). â€Å"Educating the Black male: Renewed imperatives for Black and white communities. † Scholar and Educator: The Journal of the Society of Educators and Scholars, 15, 2:16-31. Bernstein, B. (1971). â€Å"On the Classification and Framing of Educational Knowledge†, in Young, M. F. D. (ed. ) Knowledge and Control: New Directions for the Sociology of Education, London: Collier-Macmillan. Bok, Derek. Higher Learning. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1986. Branch C. (1993). â€Å"Ethnic identity as a variable in the learning equation. † In E. Hollins, J. King, W. Hayman (Eds. ), Teaching diverse populations. Albany: State University of New York Press. Combleth, Catherine. (1988). â€Å"Curriculum In and Out of Context,† Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 3:2, pp. 85-96. Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). (2002). Addressing over representation of African American students in special education: The prereferral intervention process An administrators guide. Washington, DC: National Alliance of Black Schools Educators. Davis, Allen J. (1988). â€Å"Education for Citizenship: The Role of Progressive Education and Interdisciplinary Studies,† Innovative Education 13, 1. Duckworth E. (1996). The having of wonderful ideas and other essays on teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press. Falvey, M. A. (Ed. ). (1995). Inclusive and heterogeneous schooling: Assessment, curriculum, and instruction. Baltimore: Brookes. Frisby C. (1993). â€Å"One giant step backward: Myths of Black cultural learning styles. † School Psychology; Review, 22(3), 535-557. Fu Charles Wei-hsun. (1988). On the Task of Constructive Modernization of Confucian Ethics and Morality, Taipei: Universitas (Philosophy and Culture) Monthly. Fordham S. Ogbu J. U. (1986). â€Å"Black students school success: Coping with the burden of acting white. † The Urban Review, 18(3), 176-205. Grossman, H. (1998). Ending discrimination in special education. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Hirsch E. D. , Jr. , (1993). â€Å"The core knowledge curriculum Whats behind its success? † Educational Leadership, 50, 23-30. Macdonald, James B. (1971). `Curriculum Development in Relation to Social and Intellectual Systems. In The curriculum: Retrospect and Prospect, part I, pp. 97-112. Seventeenth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Chicago: University of Chicago press, 1971. Michaels S. (1981). â€Å"Sharing time: Childrens narrative styles and differential access to literacy. † Language in Society, 10, 423-442. Obiakor, F. E. (1994). The eight-step multicultural approach: Learning and teaching with a smile. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Obiakor, F. E. (1999). Beyond the steps: Multicultural study guide. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Obiakor, F. E. , Schwenn, J. O. (1996). Assessment of culturally diverse students with behavior disorders. In A. F. Rotatori, J. O. Schwenn, S. Burkhardt (Eds. ), â€Å"Advances in Special Education: Assessment and Psychopathology Issues in Special Education† (Vol. 10, pp. 37-57). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Spears-Bunton, Linda A. (1990). â€Å"Welcome to My House: African American and European American Students Responses to Virginia Hamiltons House of Dies Drear,† The Journal of Negro Education, 59:4, pp. 566-576. Wald, J. L. (1996). â€Å"Diversity in the special education training force. † NCPSE News, 1, l6.

A SWOT and PESTEL Analysis of EasyJet

A SWOT and PESTEL Analysis of EasyJet 1. Introduction and History A successful example of a European no frills airline is easyJet. Stelios Haji-Ioannou (Greek) founded the company in 1995. It is based on the low-cost, no-frills model of the US carrier Southwest. The concept of easyJet is based on the belief that demands for short-haul air transport is price elastic. That means, if prices for flights are being reduced, more people will fly. Traditionally airline concepts are based on the assumption that airline traffic grows in line with the economy and that cutting prices will only lead to a decrease in revenues. With the introduction of the no-nonsense concept to the European market, after its deregulation in 1992, easyJet has proven this theory wrong and goes from strength to strength by actually increasing the size of the market and more recently by taking away passengers from the majors (see www.easyjet.com for passenger figures, financial data and employee statistics). Today, it offers 125 routes from 39 European Airports (see www.easyjet.com for route launch dates), with Luton, Liverpool, Geneva, Amsterdam as base airports  [1]  and is operating 72 aircrafts (November 2003). November 1995: easyJet starts flights from Luton to Glasgow and Edinburgh with to leased Boeing 737-300 with a capacity of 148 seats at a price of  £29 one way. Seats are being sold over telephone reservation system only. In 1996 easyJet takes delivery of its first wholly owned aircraft and goes international with first services to Amsterdam from Luton. One year later easyJet launches its website, easyjet.com which will from 1998 onwards form an integral part of the business concept (and which provides for some 90% of the bookings today  [2]  ). In August 2002 easyJet expands its fleet and routes by acquiring British Airways low-cost subsidiary Go. In October 2002 the airline signs a deal to purchase 120 Airbus, which will facilitate the airlines ongoing growth strategy. Up until now, one of the cornerstones of the easyJets low-cost model has been to operate a single aircraft type fleet which so far has been the Boeing 737 series because uniformity means efficiencies in train ing, maintenance and operating costs. However, easyJets new deal with Airbus is being viewed by the company as stunning as the additional costs, which incur through the new type of aircraft are far outweighed by the financial benefits of this deal. easyJet argues that both Boeing and Airbus aircraft have broadly similar characteristics but that a wider aisle on A319 will make it quicker to embark and disembark, that it has an extra seat on board (150 vs. 149) and that overall the A319 will lower costs by about  10% compared to the current mix of aircraft, which will contribute to lower ticket fares. (See appendix 1 for Stelios Haji-Iannous other easyGroup enterprises). 2. The Mission Statement of easyJet To provide our customers with safe, good value, point-to-point air services. To effect and to offer a consistent and reliable product and fares appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes. To achieve this will develop our people and establish lasting relationship (see www.easyjet.com) The basis of an organisations mission statement should answer the question What business is the company in? easyJet is doing this by stating that it provides point-to-point air services to its customers. That clearly underlines that easyJet is not in the people or food business, neither in the service business as such, but in the mass-transportation business, and as such its model is based on cost efficiency of the mass-transportation business. Moreover, it reflects several decisions about what kind of air service easyJet wants to provide. Evidently, its focus is on European routes, targeting business and leisure travellers alike. Furthermore, it aims to offer safe, good value transportation. easyJets mission statement also gives information on the How to get there? by putting emphasis on its people and suppliers. What is missing from the statement is the importance of the customers point of view, which could be expressed by saying, for instance, we want to be recognised asà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Also, as the mission statement is the bedrock for the marketing plan it should be more quantifiable, as to how much market share easyJet aims to gain in the future, for example. 3. Competitive Analysis In order to analyse the airline industry in detail, it is useful to apply Porters five competitive forces. The threat of substitutes Minimal threat from other modes of transport like train and car on domestic routes. Usually the time and cost advantage of the low-cost carriers far outweigh the increased comfort and flexibility of trains or cars (e.g. on the route Luton/London to Glasgow a train takes around 6 hours and costs around  £80 while a easyJet plane takes just one hour and costs around  £29). On international routes distances are usually too great for car or train to be an alternative to air travel, expect maybe from London to Paris, which can be reached by Euro Star. The threat of new entrants High capital requirements negate threat to some extent. easyJet was started with a loan of  £5 million, with 2 leased aircraft, but required a  £50million investment raised by debt and equity in year two to speed expansion and buy 4 new planes. The UK low-cost market is quite mature in comparison to the rest of Europe and easyJet, as the biggest operator has quite a comfortable position. However, expansion into new European markets might prove more difficult as established; cash strong holiday firms like TUI are setting up their own low-cost operations (see information about Hapag Lloyd Express, www.hlx.com) Lack of take-off and landing slots makes it difficult for new carriers to find suitable airports. Loss leader is required in order to join the low cost market. The power of suppliers The price of aviation fuel is directly related to the cost of oil, as an individual company easyJet does not have the power to alter this. Airplane manufacturers are concentrated in the industry, with Boeing and Airbus providing the majority of commercial planes and with easyJet operating one type of aircraft until recently. easyJets deal with airbus however shows that favourable agreements can still be reached. The dependence on spare parts from one manufacturer could pose a risk. The more easyJet expands the more power it will posses over its suppliers The power of buyers Buyer power within the airline industry and especially the low-cost market is relatively strong, as customers will often shop around for the better price, particularly with the dependence that the low cost airline has on Internet sales. Price discrepancies can be easily found and exploited by the consumer, meaning that the operator must keep a regular check on prices. Need for customer loyalty because of low switching costs Customers have the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on their side which provides: 1. protection against the consequence of travel organiser failure for people who buy package holidays, charter flights and discounted scheduled air tickets; and 2. licenses airlines and ensures compliance with requirements of European and UK legislation relating to financial resources, liability and insurance of airlines.  [3]   Rivalry among existing firms Ryan air, BMIbaby, MyTravelLite and Buzz are major competitors of easyJet in the UK. Virgin Express, Hapag Lloyd Express, Germanwings and Air Berlin already are or might become competitors in the light of future expansion plans. Ryanair is the only one of these so far to have succeeded and shown a continuous yearly profit (see appendix 2 for financial data). A growing number of tour operators (like Thomas Cook and TUI) are selling air only scheduled seats to reduced prices  [4]  . British Airways and other traditional carriers out of the UK are competitors as well but on a lower scale as they target different market segments (see appendix 3 for more detail). 4. Marketing Mix Price Low price is a key element of the brand. Uses differential pricing; off-peak travelling and booking in advance makes a ticket less expensive. Discounts for tickets booked online. Product no-frills, point-to-point air services also car hire on its website (use of the Internet for bundling products) and links to other easyGroup websites (see appendix 1 for other easyGroup enterprises). Place/distribution Internet booking system (over 90% of bookings). Telephone reservation system. Promotion Highlights its number one position among Europes low-cost airlines (advertising strap line: Size matters!, slogan: the webs favourite airline) Advocates internal marketing, creative work done in-house. No Bullshit approach (Stelios), humorous, attention-catching campaigns (e.g. the giving away of free tickets on Gos inaugural flight and Stelios protesting in a orange boiler suit against an increase of airport fees at Luton in a branch of Barclays bank which owns the airport). 5. SWOT Analysis 5.1. Internal Analysis Strengths Image, differentiation on price and brand. Is financially successful. Is being seen as an innovative and flexible organisation. Has a strong e-business. Is part of the consortium that has been awarded to run UKs air traffic control system (NATS). Weaknesses Has no customer retention policy Has little or no scope outside of Europe. Lack of service, flexibility and business focus (such as frequent flyer programmes e.g.) make the low-cost model unappealing for most business travellers. The two drivers of growth, the focus on price and the focus on convenience (frequent flights, few connections, more nearby airports e.g.) are reaching their natural limits. Differentiation from there remains to be difficult. easyJets own success makes it difficult to recruit and train staff quickly enough. 5.2 External Analysis Opportunities Experts predict great potential for future growth in the next years (see appendix 4). The current recession is favourable as people and businesses are more cost-conscious. More full-service airlines may withdraw from the regional market to focus on more profitable long-haul routes leaving the market to the low-cost operators. The short-breaks market, an important market for easyJet grows more rapidly than the UK travel market as a whole  [5]  . Reduced aircraft prices Threats Difficulties to expand as viable new routes from London are scarce. Competition is likely to intensify, given the saturated market and the shortage of other options  [6]  . Increased competition is likely to lead to greater difficulties in demanding incentives from communities, like the very low fees easyJet received at Luton  [7]  . Companies cut on business travel in times of economic downturn and because of new time-consuming security measures travel substitutes like videoconferencing are introduced  [8]  . 6. Situational Analysis easyJet seems to be positioned very well with experts predicting excellent growth opportunities for the low cost-sector. Given the saturated market and the shortage of other options in the UK, competition is likely to intensify inevitably followed by consolidation, an early sign of which is easyJets purchase of GO. The UK market offers little growth opportunity, therefore concentration will be on the continental market, a step forward in this direction is setting up a major new base at Berlin, with flights from 11 European cities  [9]  , and possibly as well on Eastern Europe. Focus remains on pricing Strategy and expansion of its route network. Promotion needs to persuade people that it is safe to fly and establish easyJet as Europes largest low-cost carrier (as easyJet is already doing in its advertisement: Size matters!) 7. PEST Analysis Marketing Plan PEST analysis for easyJet for the next 5 years The following factors are likely to have an influence on the airline industry and should therefore be taken into account when formulating a Marketing Plan for easyJet. Politico-legal factors Threat of war in the Middle East The Air Miles scheme is not considered as a taxable perk by the government in the way that company cars are taxed which may change to allow easyJet to compete on more equal grounds with the likes of BA. A EU east-enlargement may provide access to viable, new markets. Economic factors Likelihood of increasing fuel costs, congestion and other environmental restrictions, as well as the prospect of higher security and insurance costs to reflect the risk of terrorism. As the recession is likely to last for some more time, business travellers will keep an eye on their travel expenses. Globalisation should continue to boost traffic in the long-term. The introduction of the single currency in Europe is likely to bring more business to easyJet as Europe becomes more integrated. Socio-cultural factors To win over the French and German publics might cause problems as there appears still to be a general reluctance to use credit cards over the phone and Internet  [10]  . The public are general quite friendly to the prospect of cheap flights. However they may feel begrudged where they see promotions found in newspapers where flight are for  £10 only to find that the actual cost is much higher for the particular time or day they wish to fly on. Technological factors A key issue will be the extent to which technological advancements such as the use of the Internet on distribution and cost synergies from industry consolidation can offset upward pressures on prices and costs. easyJet has to keep track of technological developments in the field of e-commerce and aircraft manufacture in order to gain a competitive advantage. 8. Conclusion 8.1 Strategic issues facing the airline industry The face of aviation is gradually evolving. The long-standing problems of the industry in the form of large numbers of network carriers and substantial over-capacity in many markets were exacerbated by the events of September 11th (see appendix 5 for a post-Sept. 11th overview). This is likely to pave the way for some acceleration in the process of airline restructuring and consolidation. Experts believe that there is not room for the current multitude of carriers in Europe, and that these will eventually be whittled down to three or four major airlines, with the others absorbed or restructured to focus more on regional traffic. This also represents an opportunity for no-frills carriers to increase their market share. Along with this, some restructuring of the industrys complex and outdated regulatory system will be required. In the longer term, trend growth may itself slow gradually as the big air travel markets mature. In addition, falling yields, which have boosted air travel growth in the past, cannot be relied upon to persist, at least at the rate they have for the past decade or so. If cost trends are less favourable for example because of increasing fuel costs, congestion and other environmental restrictions, as well as the prospect of higher security and insurance costs to reflect the risks of terrorism the scope for lower yields would be less, and this might reduce future growth trends. A key issue will be the extent to which favourable cost trends such as the impact of the Internet on distribution costs and cost synergies from industry consolidation can offset these upward pressures on prices and costs. The full-service airlines, saddled with big networks and strongly unionised workforces, cannot easily embrace the management strategies of the no-frills airlines. Moreover, their scope for de fensive mergers is limited by competition policy. The ability of international airlines to expand is limited by ownership restrictions (In the US foreigners cannot own more than 25% of a national airline, in the EU the restriction is 49%  [11]  ). The no-frills market within Europe is immature relative to that of the US. The sector accounts for only around 5% of all intra European capacity, though the share is much higher in the UK domestic market and on services between the UK and Europe, closer to 20%. Further strong growth is expected over the next 2-3 years as new operations start up, and new destinations are added to the existing carriers networks. However as the UK market becomes saturated, these carriers are likely to focus their development at continental European hubs. The experience of the US market suggests that deregulation will be followed by industry consolidation. So far there has been limited progress in this direction but many are viewing the current crisis as the catalyst necessary to completely restructure the European airline industry . In the US the industry has consolidated into seven major carriers, which carry over 80% of passenger traffic of US airlines. Europe is far more fragmented with the equivalent figure for the seven European majors at only 47%  [12]  . 8.2 easyJets Future easyJet has to consider whether it should respond to new entrants by ceding niche-segments or by competing aggressively on price, routes and service in an attempt to drive the entrant out of the market. To make the strategic decision market research on the size of different combinations of pricing and service is needed. easyJet also needs to know how much it costs the competitor to serve, and how much capacity the competitor has for, every route in question. Finally, the new entrants competitive objectives are of relevance to anticipate how it would respond to any strategic moves easyJet might make. By obtaining these information residual uncertainty would be limited, and the incumbent airline would be able to build a confident business case around its strategy  [13]  . It is advisable that easyJet targets mainly leisure travellers as business often demand frequent flights to a wide range of destinations, seek quality service and frequent flyer programmes, and are willing to pay a premium for these benefits. Also, trying to appeal to widely different customer needs runs counter to the overall trend in service industries, in which distinctive approaches, tailored to different customers, have generally come to dominate  [14]  . No real opportunity offers the long-haul business as it is very different, both technically and in customer needs, to short-haul travel. easyJet should continue to focus on price and attempt to connect the dots in its network, which cost less than opening new cities. Thereby, it needs to make sure that a growth in its network and fleet does not lead to higher operating costs. It should also consider putting more emphasis on direct marketing by e.g. introducing a customer retention scheme. To differentiate its brand further on promotional lines, easyJet could introduce a CRM (cause related marketing) scheme, developing a reputation for being a caring airline, e.g. by selling shares in forest help programmes over its website, collect ing foreign currency on flights for charity etc., thereby giving its passengers a sense of psychological comfort and well-being  [15]  when they choose to fly with easyJet. Overall, easyJet has to develop a realistic and accurate assessment of the market-niche to be served. A relentless commitment to quality service and cost control is as important as the discipline to establish a growth plan (see www.easyJet.com for easyJet product life cycle and marketing strategy). (Word count 3,144) Appendices Appendix 1 Under the easy brand Stelios Haji-Iannou has furthermore established and Internet car rental service (easyRentacar), a chain of Internet cafes (easyEverything), a financial services site (easyMoney), a portal site for bargains on the net (easyValue) and a free e-mail service (easy.com). In all his ventures he is using yield management to extract the ideal margin from each customer  [16]  and keep costs down. Furthermore, yield management can help to better use price in the marketing mix to best reach the most customers  [17]  . However, there are no cross-shareholdings between easyJet and these other easyGroup companies. easyJey operates independently from the other companies although some cross-marketing agreements do exist. Also, results of the non-airline businesses have been mixed as they have lost  £75m in three years  [18]  . Appendix 2 Profit for Ryanair April September 2002 Year-on-year increase 151m à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ ( £96m) 71% Source: Tran, M. (2002)  [19]   See http://www.ryanair.com/download/morganjune.pdf for actual data. Appendix 3 Compare Airline Traffic Data (Europe) Air Transport World http://www.atwonline.com/Pdf/worldairlinereport_2002.pdf Appendix 4 The airline market is currently being re-shaped by the expansion of existing low-cost airlines. It has been estimated that they will expand their European market share from 5% to 25% by 2010, establishing themselves on a long-term basis. (Source: International Travel News (2003), available on http://www.internettravelnews.com/article/20223 Friday, 28th November 2003) Low-cost airlines are gearing up to take large chunks out of their rivals. In a decade, low-cost airlines may be the dominant form of air travel in Europe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. In Europe, no-frills travel accounts for only 5% of European air travel, but it is likely to grow to claim a 12-15% share in the next decade. (Source: BBC News (2002), available on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2038192.stm; Friday, 28th November 2003)

Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Hemingway Hills

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" relies on symbolism to carry the theme of either choosing to live selfishly and dealing with the results, or choosing a more difficult and selfless path and reveling in the rewards. The symbolic materials and the symbolic characters aid the reader's understanding of the subtle theme of this story. The hills symbolize two different decisions that the pregnant girl in our story is faced with. Both hills are completely opposite of each other, and each "hill" or decision has a consequence that is just as different as the appearance of the hills. Hemingway uses drinking, the hillsides, and a railroad track between the two hills to help convey his theme. The beer in this story is used to represent the couple's usual recreational activity to that they do together. Their recreational activity bothers the girl because "that's all [they] do †¦ look at things and try new drinks." This gives the reader some suspicion that the girl has grown tired of doing the same things over and over again and would like to do something different, like getting married and starting a family instead of goofing off all the time. She wants to stop behaving like an adolescent girl and become a woman. These desires and feelings show that the girl is ready and desiring a change, however her male partner doesn't seem at all interested in changing his ways. Hemingway presents the reader with two contrasting hills. One of the hills is dull, desolate, uninviting and barren, it was very much like a desert; "it had no shade and no trees." The other hill, however, is beautiful, plentiful in nature, and abundant. It had "fields of grain and tress along the banks of the Ebro River." A train track runs between these two hills, and this helps give the reader a sense of impending decision. Symbolically, the girl can choose one "hill" or the other, and she is in the middle of the "track" weighing her options. The girl must choose what path she wants to take with her life. She can choose to abort her child and risk becoming barren and sterile, or, she can choose to keep her baby and her life will be plentiful and beautiful with the delight that children often bring to their parents. If she chooses to abort her baby, she will become like the barren hill, however, if she chooses to keep ... ...woman on the train represents the wiser, older and mature person that the girl would like to be. She stands in contrast to the American and appeals to the girl's secret desires to grow up, and cease with the same old routines. The girl often talks about "having a fine time" and "trying new drinks." The woman is displayed as a mature, and older person who works instead of "having a fine time" and "trying new drinks." By her work she is contributing to the world more than she is taking from it. She is no longer attracted to the leisurely and selfish lifestyle. She is in an indirect supporting role to the girl because she is the opposite of what the American is and she represents someone that the girl would like to be. In closing, the theme of this story is conveyed through the symbolism that Hemingway chose. Because of the symbolism in this story, the reader is able to understand the girl's inner conflict. Through the contrast of the hills and the American and the woman, we are able to see that the girl is neither like the American nor like the woman. She is like the railroad track sitting between the two hills trying to make up her mind, and follow a trail of her own choosing.

The Bubble Economy of Japan :: Japanese Economy Economics Finances Essays

The Bubble Economy of Japan The Economy of Japan had experience a tremendous growth since the end of the Korean war. The growth of GNP in 1967 and 1968 was above 10 % (double digit growth period) which exceed countries such as Britain, France and Germany. The economy experienced a boost is due to many reasons, such as: enlargement of industrial facilities, massive adaptation of western technology and education, lower the military expense to 1% of GNP, relation with power nation, human resources and their spirit to achieve "zero defect program". But after the first and second oil crisis that occur from 1973 onward. The economy move downwards partially due to the poor management of economic policy. Although the government had attempt to adjust the economic policy but the recovery was slow. As the soaring of yen continues the demand for export has increase tremendously. With the concern of the United State of this problem, president Reagan and the G5 have signed an agreement with Japan called "Plaza Agreement" , the agreement stated that the exchange rate of Japan and Deutschmark can appreciate against the U.S. . Since then the yen value began to appreciate, Japan was going through a period of trade balance adjustment. While Japan is prepare to go through a period of trade balance adjustment, it will also suffer a period of recession, so the government strongly encourage business activities to strengthen the economy in order to prevent backwash effect. It was this event which boost up the GNP and raise the exchange rate. With this exchange rate advantage it stimulate business activity on housing and stock investment which created a bubble economy. During this period almost the entire country was involve in land speculation or other speculate activities. In this essay it will prove that land speculative activities had create many negative impacts to the Japanese society and economy. Firstly, it will describe the cause of land speculation. Secondly it will discuss on the society and political effects in Japan and lastly it will focus on the economy effects, more over it will include the aftermath when the bubble collapse. The root of this bubble economy is due the wave of land speculation. The wide spread of land speculation activities were mainly because it is profitable. The speculative transactions in assets grew and grew and many believe that this will last for very long period of time. One of the reason that leads to massive investment in the risky activities is because of the success of the Japanese in the international market during 70*s - 80*s. Many Japanese enterprises and

The Industrial Revolution Essay -- Essays Papers

The Industrial Revolution Imagine living in a world in which rights governed society. The people participate in a free market, and property is seen as "an inviolable and sacred right" that cannot be taken away.(1) This glorious idea is called liberalism. Liberalism emerged whole-heartedly during the Nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution. Followers of liberalism believe in the rights of the individual, especially the right to property. Early in its developement, this idea caused deep clashes between the middle class, called the bourgeoisie, and the working class, called the proletariat. These clashes created opposition to the liberal movement; communism became the supporter of this opposition. Many philosophers pushed the development of liberalism. The most persuasive were Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and John Stuart Mill. Smith is often considered the founder of liberalism. Smith "looked forward to a new world, which would escape the sophistry and meanness of medieval Christian thought, but would recourse to...authoritarian political oppression."(2) Smith wanted to make profits with little risk involved. He also believed a constitutional government would prevent government intervention with markets. Free markets allowed for more and cheaper goods, and they would benefit the greatest amount of people the greatest amount of the time. This was called laissez-faire. Smith also believed the state should be responsible for the "stipends of the priests."(3) This was government intervention of an individual right, freedom of religion. Because of Smith's beliefs towards religion, he was somewhat unpopular among Nineteenth-century liberals. These liberals chose to disregard Smith as the founder and preferred to regard David Ricardo... ...irtue; The Moral and Political Foundations of The Wealth of Nations, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995), 193. - Athol Fitzgibbons, Adam Smith's System of Liberty Wealth. and Virtue, 159. - Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment and Frank M. Turner, The Western Heritage, Brief Edition, Volume II, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1996), 523. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 141. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 141. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 125. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 126-7. - Kagan, The Western Heritage, 519. - Dr. Darrow. Lecture notes. 10/2 - Dr. Darrow. Lecture notes. 10/14 - Karl Marx, "The Communist Manifesto," in Sources for the Humanities: Hisotory and Religious Studies, First ed., 48. - Kagan, The Western Heritage, 515. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 30. The Industrial Revolution Essay -- Essays Papers The Industrial Revolution Imagine living in a world in which rights governed society. The people participate in a free market, and property is seen as "an inviolable and sacred right" that cannot be taken away.(1) This glorious idea is called liberalism. Liberalism emerged whole-heartedly during the Nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution. Followers of liberalism believe in the rights of the individual, especially the right to property. Early in its developement, this idea caused deep clashes between the middle class, called the bourgeoisie, and the working class, called the proletariat. These clashes created opposition to the liberal movement; communism became the supporter of this opposition. Many philosophers pushed the development of liberalism. The most persuasive were Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and John Stuart Mill. Smith is often considered the founder of liberalism. Smith "looked forward to a new world, which would escape the sophistry and meanness of medieval Christian thought, but would recourse to...authoritarian political oppression."(2) Smith wanted to make profits with little risk involved. He also believed a constitutional government would prevent government intervention with markets. Free markets allowed for more and cheaper goods, and they would benefit the greatest amount of people the greatest amount of the time. This was called laissez-faire. Smith also believed the state should be responsible for the "stipends of the priests."(3) This was government intervention of an individual right, freedom of religion. Because of Smith's beliefs towards religion, he was somewhat unpopular among Nineteenth-century liberals. These liberals chose to disregard Smith as the founder and preferred to regard David Ricardo... ...irtue; The Moral and Political Foundations of The Wealth of Nations, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995), 193. - Athol Fitzgibbons, Adam Smith's System of Liberty Wealth. and Virtue, 159. - Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment and Frank M. Turner, The Western Heritage, Brief Edition, Volume II, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1996), 523. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 141. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 141. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 125. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 126-7. - Kagan, The Western Heritage, 519. - Dr. Darrow. Lecture notes. 10/2 - Dr. Darrow. Lecture notes. 10/14 - Karl Marx, "The Communist Manifesto," in Sources for the Humanities: Hisotory and Religious Studies, First ed., 48. - Kagan, The Western Heritage, 515. - Rogers, Aspects of Western Civilization, 30.

The Compare, Contrast About the Usa and Canada

Full name: Hoang Hong Ngoc (Jade) The USA and Canada: The compare and contrast This essay will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between two North American countries, The USA and Canada. Both of them are young countries, their histories are linked. Therefore, culturally and historically they are closely related. Although they have many similarities, the two countries still have differences in population, languages and climate factors. Firstly, the USA and Canada have very different populations.The USA has a thriving 300 million whereas Canada has about 32 million (socyberty. com). The second largest country in the world is Canada but as far as its population is concerned, it just has the 33rd position (www. mapsofworld. com). However, the United States has the world's third largest population. Canada and the USA have somewhat similar population distribution patterns. Both of them have population mostly concentrated in major urban centres. However, Canada has only 4 major cities: Ottawa, Toronto, Victoria and Montreal although the USA has over 10 major centres.This is why the population of the United States is more than Canada. Secondly, Canada has two main languages French and English, while the United States which only uses English. In the past both countries are similar where waves of immigration from other countries have created their subculture. Therefore, they have many different languages such as Chinese, German, Russian,†¦ However, English is the most spoken languages of Canada except some province. Furthermore, the USA and Canada support to each other about economy.As geographic neighbor, the USA is the most trading partner with Canada because 70 percent of Canada’s products export to the USA and also Canada is the largest export customer of the United States. Almost the trade in goods between them is source of natural resources, because many of Canada’s important industries are based on them. In addition, investme nt and technology have benefited by Canadians while the USA of markets. Anyway, one part of Canada’s economy depends on the USA. Finally, the climate also has the similarities. The climate varies between different areas, regions.The weather changes from one year to another. For example, the whole of the south of the USA is normally hot from late May to middle September, with the southwest usually being very hot and dry, and the southeast also hot and humid. If planning when to come the USA or Canada you also need to consider how the air change, depending on the time of year, and how the cost and accommodation. In conclusion, it can be seen that the population, languages, economy and climate of the USA and Canada have some similarities as well as differences.In general, the similarities are in languages whereas the differences are in population. However, they still support each other and develop together. REFERENCES Eighth Edition (2013) National Geographic Atlas of the World. http://travel. nationalgeographic. com/travel/countries/canada-facts/ [2013, 03 March] Unknown author (2013) U. S. PopClock Projection http://www. census. gov/population/www/popclockus. html [2013, 03 March] Unknown author (2013) Economy and Finance http://london. usembassy. gov/econ. html [2013, 03 March]