Strategic Management Case Study

Introduction Harley-Davidson is one of the oldest business organizations in the motorcycle industry with over 10 decades of experience in the production and supply of motorcycles. This is evident in its historical performances attributed with sustained competitive results of the company’s motorbikes in the racing arena (Vasudha 2011). This was a powerful branding strategy that propagated the company to market leadership due to sustained competitiveness of its products in the market. Specifically, the company has managed to establish a unique brand founded on proud history, unmatched riding experiences, in-depth connection with its customers, and a sustained personal relationship with its customers. In terms of rich history, the company is cherished for being the first largest manufacturer of motorcycles on a global scale. It is also closely related to one of the best motorcycles in the United States in the early 20th century with its services ranging from military activities, policing, and racing (Vasudha 2011). The firm is also linked to the origin of the famous riding leather accessories, sportster, and the origin of most of the motorcycle racing competitions in the US and the world in general (Vasudha 2011). Simply put it is impractical to analyse historical development of motorcycle technology and innovations without mentioning Harley-Davidson Furthermore, the company has for many years managed to establish powerful brand community where its customers are proud to be associated with Harley-Davidson. Specifically, the company has not only observed high quality in its products and services but also developed a powerful relationship with its customers due to its many years of portrayal of the American image of happiness, individuality, and freedom (Vasudha 2011). This culminated to most consumers valuing the experience of owning a Harley motorcycle. For instance, the formation of the Harley owners group which was the largest motorcycle club in the world allowed the company to establish close relationships with its customers. In addition, the company formed a unique anniversary celebration practice where its customers celebrated riding the motorcycles in a celebration (Vasudha 2011). These are powerful tools that made its customers feel like they really own the company. The consequence was increased levels of customer loyalt y. To enhance its competitiveness and its relationship with its customers, the company has established an online marketing platform that is not only used for promoting its products but also building on the brand community through its online HOG program (Vasudha 2011). This allowed the company to establish an online followership of its brand culminating to the emergency of a Harley lifestyle that replaced the brand in the context that consumers who bought Harley products were more interested in the lifestyle associated with owning the motorbike. As a consequence, the company established personalised relationship between it and its consumers. In conclusion, Harley has effectively managed to integrate its services into the lifestyle of its customers by providing high-quality products and services that are linked to the rich historical background and huge community attachment. This has culminated to formulation of a sentimental value on ownership of any Harley product among consumers. Its ability to sustain many years of innovativeness and still keep in close contact with its customers has culminated to emancipation of a lifestyle approach to marketing its product and hence, it is trust to say â€Å"It is a unique brand that is built on personal relationship and deep connections with customers, unmatched riding experiences, and proud history† Reference Vasudha, M 2011. Harley-Davidson’s Commitment to Brand Communities. Case study Reference no. 511-006-1

Company Case MKT 202 Essay

1. Microenvironmental factors involve actors, who remain close to the company and they affect the company’s ability to serve its customer. The company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer market, competitors, and publics all of these are part of microenvironment. Toyota Prius introduction and relaunch were affected by several microenvironmental factors. These factors are discussed below: a. Firstly, the Toyota Company itself was a major microenvironmental factor that affected its product at the very beginning. The marketing department of Toyota didn’t do enough promotional activities for its new vehicle. In a country like U. S. where as we all know all SUVs sell likes hotcakes, no one would really be interested to buy a dull hybrid car. Also the department involved in designing the product was too weak to attract customers at first. When it was launched people considered Prius to be small, cramped compact with a very dull design. Also due to its low horsepower, the pickup time was very long. The car took 14. 5 seconds just to go reach a speed of 60km/hr. No matter how much environmental friendly and energy saving the car was due to low promotional efforts by the company and also the dull design, the introduction of Prius was highly affected. Also, even if the car was worthy enough of a purchase because of its environment friendly quality and fuel saving, enough people didn’t hear about it. But later on, Toyota did make its new version and the marketing of the product was raised as the brand image developed. b. Secondly, as we all know, the presence of a competitor can really make it hard for a company to position its product well. During the time Prius was being launched it had to face, Honda as its competitor. Honda successful launched its insight even before Prius came to the market. Of course not to mention, vehicles like Hummer, Ford were already there before Prius to keep customer’s attention towards them. But Toyota did differentiate its product from its competitor on providing benefits which other competitors weren’t able to provide at a cheap cost. c. Third factor was the customer themselves, who were totally inclined towards the brands which they have been using all their lives like General Motors, Ford and others. So the international markets for Toyota in U. S. were pretty weak at first. But then again, as new version was developed with new style a design and as the car’s horsepower was improved it did get customer’s attention. 2. Macroenvironmental involves larger societal forces, which includes demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces. There were several macroenvironmental factors, which played a role in affecting the introduction and relaunch of Toyota Prius. The factors are discussed below: a. Firstly, demographic factors played a part in affecting Prius. Even though Baby Boomers and Gen X had people who were middle aged and old and were potential customers for Prius. But the Gen Y included the young bunches who were more into sporty and stylish vehicle, attributes which Toyota Prius lacked. Toyota simply didn’t speak Gen Y’ers language. But Toyota had been able to deal with it since people from Gen X’ers had environment conscious people who were a big market for Toyota. b. Secondly, cultural factors played a big role too. American culture has been prone in using 4-wheel drives and they simply didn’t want a weird looking car to be a part of their lives. Also, people view of society, under cultural factor, played a part too. A patriot American would buy his countries product rather than buying products from other countries. Another factor under culture is people’s view of organization. Companies like General Motors, Ford, Audi had a stronger brand image then Toyota during that period of time. As the time went, new version came out, Toyota was able to fit in the culture and the U. S. government on introducing various incentives on hybrid vehicles also helped it. c. Thirdly, technological factor. Technology has always been there making our lives a better and there has been so much competition in the market on providing superior technology that, some company have trouble to establish a image against those companies who have already established a strong position in the competition. Toyota was technologically inferior compared to its rivals like Audi, Ford, and GM. Also, Prius at its very initial stage was not the car which people took interest in driving because of its technical lacking. Low horsepower, high pick up time, dull design all of these affected its image. Toyota was able to deal with it on its new versions. 3. Toyota market strategy was first used on people who were techies. It focused on early adopters, techies who were attracted to the advanced new technology. Techies were so into the Prius that they started modifying it technically and paying a great deal of attention to it. Toyota was able to differentiate its product in a way that no other company could with such a low cost. That’s why Prius became the best car ever used in US. After absorbing large revenues from the techies, it used it second version to target a wider market segment. Toyota was able to serve the bigger segment which consisted of those people who were environmentally conscious and as well as those desirous of fuel efficiency. Toyota did an immense amount of spending on media to let people know about its second version. In future Toyota can improve its strategy by introducing the hybrid feature into several models of car it has and thereby making a greater sales in return. But it shouldn’t introduce the hybrid feature in all the cars, since if other competitors starts making the same kind of car and has better brand image, then Toyota can no longer differentiate its product. But as demand for hybrids go up, Toyota should maintain a steady production and invest on making other new types for serving other segments and maintain a balance.

Telecommunications and wireless technology Assignment

Telecommunications and wireless technology - Assignment Example The scope of technology and communication is not limited to any particular field or scope, rather it has helped making different sectors more easy to work with. Information system is an entire concept which is based on the implementation and installing of the information system in the organizations and networks for the benefit of fast working and easy execution of tasks. Literature Review: The journey of modern communication can be stretched back to the days when the communication means were slowly being transformed from wired communication to wireless ones. The wireless concept was a totally new idea which provided the people with more options in terms of the remote facility, usage of the mobile phones on the go, better services, and many more functionalities that were simply not provided by the wired telephone networks. This wireless technology came in form of 1st generation technologies formally known as the 1.G. these standards were specified by a centralized body known as the In ternational telecommunication Union (I.T.U), which looks into the matters of communication and networks and aims for further advancements and developments. I .T.U is a centralized body that looks into various aspects of the overall communication technologies promoting safer communications, specifying rules and regulations, dedicating channels and frequencies, providing platforms for further research, collaborating with other mega partners towards improvements of the communication technologies and also ensuring that the communication technologies are incorporated into other fields for the purpose of welfare of mankind and society. The first generation technology was formally known as the AMPS technology(Arokiamary 2009) which is acronym for Advanced Mobile Phone Services, these services were characteristic of being analogue in nature, facilitating limited number of customers across a dedicated channel, and with limited or no secure mechanism for protecting the privacy and data of the customers. Another characteristic of this concept was its limitation to mere voice traffic and being void of the data communications. To bring about advancements in the concept of wireless means of communication, a step forward was taken in form of migration towards second generation technologies which were formally known as the 2.G, which again was being parented by the I.T.U. The 2nd Generation technologies were meant for overcoming all the short comings that were there in the 1st generation technologies in form of the limited capacity, limited channel and customer entertaining, less secure means of operations. All this was overcome by transferring the overall concept to digital transmission and relying on the digital signal in contrast to the analogue signals which were largely in practice in the predecessor technological servicing entity. Few of the features of the second generation technologies included digital transmission, higher frequency bands, more secure algorithms adopt ion for the purpose of improved functioning and secure services, along with the using of channels and coding techniques that made the overall process of communication easy not just for the subscribers but the service providers as well. Some of the major concepts and entities of the second generation technologies include the usage of G.S.M (Global Systems for Mobile Communications), G.P.R.S (General

Careers in Archaeology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Careers in Archaeology - Research Paper Example Before World War II, professional archaeology grew out of the growth of antique markets and the development of large museums. Nevertheless, after the war, archaeologists found their place within a specialized department in most major universities, and in the 1970s, a private market for archaeology expanded with the growth of government regulations on cultural preservation (Patterson). Professional archaeologists in an academic setting choose between three generally defined subgroups of academia: the university, the college, and the community college. The first, the university, features a faculty that teaches graduate courses, courses in an upper-level undergraduate context, and introductory level courses. Since the university is the only institution that offers advanced graduate degrees in archaeology, such as the Ph.D., a Ph.D. is likely required to be hired to a university staff. However, having a Ph.D. alone is not good enough for a vast majority of universities looking to hire ne w faculty. A college or a community college offers only upper level and introductory level teaching positions. Faculty otherwise spend their time petitioning for research funds or actually conducting their research in laboratories or the field. Archaeologists may also find themselves in other departments within the college or university, such as in anthropology, art history, architecture, and history. Teaching archaeology, according to some authors, requires a high degree of creativity to allow students to understand the material and social processes that generate their own subjectivity and to question and transform these processes (Hamilakis 288).   Also primarily within the public sphere are museum positions open to archaeologists to contribute to the museum’s collection of historical artifacts.  

Strong Arguments In Dispute Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strong Arguments In Dispute - Essay Example It is these evidence which is very effective and helps strengthen the argument put forward in this book. In America, there is a serious problem of illiteracy where religion is concerned. Prothero aims to highlight this fact and he does it not only by introducing arguments. Any normal argument may not satisfy the reader and keep ho engrossed. So using his style of writing he injects into the argument numerous facts to support it. These are well-chosen facts properly structured. Prothero uses an extreme amount facts, statistics, quotes, and he even uses murder trial to help him prove this point. These are all great pieces of evidence, but the strongest piece of evidence was the â€Å"Religious Literacy Quiz† and its results. Prothero gave this literacy quiz to his students at Boston University, and he learned that almost every student knows nothing about religion. He included simple questions like: â€Å"Name a sacred text of Hinduism†, and the student’s answers showed â€Å"†¦ only one in four could name a single Hindu scripture† (Prothero 196-197). He adds further that one in three United States Christians can give the names of the gospels. This piece of evidence was a very successful strategy for persuading his audience. Unlike the facts and quotes he uses, this quiz engages the reader, makes them participate in the text, and has them test their own knowledge against his acquisitions. Once the reader finishes this quiz, it brings the text down to their reality and makes the reader pay attention to how bad the problem actually is. He does this in a two-step process. First, he mentions the question encouraging the reader to participate. This creates a link between the reader and the matter. The reader gets engrossed in the book as he aligns such evidence one after the other in various places.

Roxbury Manufacturing Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Roxbury Manufacturing Company - Assignment Example Calculating the DOL for 2011 and 2012 to explain the 20% decline in profit from a 10% decline in sales; The DOL is calculated as follows; Degree of Leverage (DOL) = Contribution Margin/ Operating Income Assume that the first year is (2011); The DOL for 2011 = Contribution Margin/ Operating Income = [1,000, 000/500,000] = 2 In response to a 10% decline in sales, the operating income (profit) will decline by; 2*10% = 20% in 2011. Assume that the first year is (2012); The DOL for 2012 = Contribution Margin/ Operating Income = [900,000/ 400,000] = 2.25 In response to a 10% decline in sales, the operating income (profit) will decline by; 2.25*10% = 22.5% in 2012. Now, assuming the following changes happen; - Sales decline again by 10% The sales for the year 2013 would be; [90/100*$ 3,600,000] = $ 3,240,000 - By cutting wastage, costs can be reduced by $120,000 The variable expenses for the year 2013 would be; [$ 2,700,000 - $120,000] = $2,580,000 The Revised Income Statement, if the above changes are made will appear as shown below:

Frontier Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Frontier Airline - Essay Example The airline has thus faced a number of challenges. First, it has been difficult finding and training adequate number of staff, especially pilots and technicians. Tin general, there are a shortage of qualified staff and the turnover of employees is quite high. Secondly, the airline has had its business disrupted as a result of labor strikes by employees. Most of the workers are represented by unions, and therefore cases of labor strikes are common. Thirdly, there has been an increase in the labor costs in the United States. Given that labor costs make up a significant percentage of the total operating costs, the airline has been pressured to increase salaries and benefits for the workers. This has in turn increased the operating costs significantly. Forth, the airline relies on a single manufacturer for all of the regional jets. One of the major risks is the inability of the manufacturer to provide the required parts and services in good time. Finally, since the airline is affected by the common stock, the price of this stock may flu ctuate as a result of the actions of other partners, competitors or the economy in general. In addition to the above internal challenges, there are external factors associated with the airline industry in general. First, the airline faces competition from other regional airlines operated by major airlines. In addition, some of these airlines offer low fare prices, making it difficult for the airline to attract higher passenger numbers without reducing fare prices. Secondly, the airline industry has generally been affected by a number of labor strikes. Therefore, the new collective bargaining agreements entered into by different carriers generally help to increase industry wages which in turn affect the airline. Thirdly, the recent economic problems experienced in the United States and around the world have impacted the airline’s operations. There has been a

Working while being a college student is bad Essay

Working while being a college student is bad - Essay Example Not every student is fit for a work study but a large number participate in the program since they have no other source of funds to cater for their educational expenses. Working while in college comes with some challenges that pose significant obstacles to the students in their pursuit to attain educational excellence thus making it a bad idea. It is prudent that working while in college is not advisable as it is associated with a number of drawbacks that include; careful in managing time for both the job and school work, stress related to the job as well as the wages earned might induce the students into dropping from their studies to concentrate on those jobs (Perozzi 37). Time is a precious resource for any college students since he/she has to balance all activities to attain both academic and extra curriculum excellence. Part-time jobs while in college come with an additional time obligation since the students concerned will have to set aside between four to twenty hours a week for working depending on the kind of jobs they undertake. That implies that students who take work study programs should have an excellent sense of time management for them to juggle between school work and job obligations. Conversely, a majority of the students who are working while in college they do not evaluate their time management abilities prior to indulging in the program rather the desire to make an extra dollar or rather financial constraints drive them to the program. Often students who do not manage to balance their studies with job obligations end up failing in their GPA or worse situations drop out of college before graduating (48). It is apparent that working w hile at college is something that comes along with extra demand for the students’ time thus imposing additional pressure on their lives a thing that a majority of the students are not capable of handling. Conversely, students are denied the chance to take other

Supporting families and carers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Supporting families and carers - Essay Example Lizzie’s level of commitment is however more compared to that of her siblings as most of the time she is taking care of her sick mum. As a result of this, she gradually becomes socially isolated. This paper is a discussion of social isolation in relation to supporting families and carers. This is the state in which an individual experiences a need for increased level of association with others, but is not able to make contact with them (Larsen and Lubkin, 2009). Because human beings are social in nature, they have a need for social interaction. Interacting with others and spending time with them offers a person a sense of belonging, thereby making life meaningful to them. The need for social support is an aspect that is firmly connected to social isolation. According to Larsen and Lubkin (2009, p. 88), social support is the â€Å"social context or environment that facilitates the survival of human beings by offering social, emotional, and material support needed and received by an individual†. As mentioned earlier, life becomes meaningful through interaction and spending time with others, being able to enjoy common activities such as sports and going out with peers, having a clear mind as well as feeling free and being free among other things. In the case of Lizzie and her siblings, enjoying such things has been made impossible by their mother’s illness. Being a young carer, Lizzie seems particularly affected as she is even unable to concentrate in class as portrayed in the short film. When she gets back home from school and finds her mother’s cup of tea exactly where they left it with her siblings, she can’t help but worry and rush upstairs fearing the worst. Lizzie and her siblings live very different lives compared to their peers. While their peers are able to get early to school and begin classes in time, Lizzie and her two siblings are always late. This doesn’t happen on a few occasions, rather it happens every

Enterprise Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enterprise Development - Essay Example No it is not! It is also not possible for a gambler to gain consistently over a large period of time. Even the best of gamblers lose money consistently which proves that the role of chance is quite significant in gambling. This is not the case in entrepreneurship because there are many examples where entrepreneurs have earn large returns over a long period of time. Entrepreneurs and gamblers are different in the way that gamblers leave many things to chance whereas entrepreneurs do not (Wee, Lim, & Lee, 1994).There is no doubt that the role of chance in the success of an entrepreneur is also not negligible but this is nowhere similar to chance taken by gamblers. Entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckeberg etc all started their business as entrepreneurs but today they are known to the whole world. This cannot be said for any known gambler of the world. Entrepreneurship is not gambling because there are many controllable factors in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs have a lot of control in how they manage their business and risk which is why entrepreneurship is not equal to gambling. Entrepreneurship is much more than gambling as it involves studying markets and taking calculated risks in hope of yielding high returns. One can easily gauge customer demand and using sampling and other procedures to do a trail run in order to test a particular product or service. Measures like these can be taken to cut down the risk and decrease uncertainty of any business. This is why gambling cannot be equated to entrepreneurship. There are many factors that play a role in the success of entrepreneurs like innovation, strong will, and farsightedness. All these factors decide whether an entrepreneur will be successful in the longer run or not. This shows that the success and failure of entrepreneurial ventures is not dependent on chance but on factors like innovation. Will innovation, strong will, and farsightedness makes a gambler

Sprayer and Probability Questions Essay Example for Free

Sprayer and Probability Questions Essay 1. A real estate office has been averaging 1.8 sales per day for the past several months. What is the probability that the office will make 4 sales today? .0723 2. A washing machine in a Laundromat breaks down an average of two times per month. What is the probability that the machine will break down more than 28 times in the next year? .1775 3. Flaws occur randomly in a particular fabric with a mean rate of occurance of 1.5 every 5 sqare yards. If you purchase 20 square yards of fabric, what is the probability that there will be at least 5 flaws in your fabric? . 5543 4. A coil of wire has 500 metres of wire. Suppose there are 20 nicks (the most common problem with wire) are randomly distributed on a coil. a) What is the probability that in a 50 metre length of wire there will be at least 7 nicks? .0011 b) What is the probability that in a 31 metre length of wire there will be exactly 3 nick(s)? .0920 5. Two students have started a business to seal driveways during the summer months. They rent a pickup truck and a power sprayer. With this they will use a tar based spray to seal asphalt driveways. Past experience has shown that the best time to sign up customers is to ring their doorbells between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. on any weekday evening. Any jobs that they obtain will be completed the next day. In the months of June. July and August they find that they get an average of 2.9 customers per hour ringing doorbells. a) What is the probability that they will get from 5 to 7 jobs in an evening of soliciting? Â  b) They charge $25 per driveway. If the truck costs $45 per day, and the spraying equipment costs $20 per day and the material to seal one driveway costs $6, what is the probability that they will make a profit on any given day.

Children are a Blessing from God

Children are a Blessing from God Many have heard of yuppies but have you heard of dinkies? The first type refers to those young urban professionals who are financially secured. Dinkies (double income but no kids) refer to those married couples having no intention or unwilling to have children. Look at nature birds, bees, trees, plants and all other living things created by God. Is there a specie that does not reproduce? Every Gods creature, even a single-celled amoeba, procreates for the survival of their specie. Yet why some married couples, capable of being parents, refused to have children? Freedom to travel and to enjoy life is a frequent answer. Other reasons include less expenses, less responsibilities and fewer problems in short less headaches. A few crudely replied, We simply dont like children as if they have never been children themselves. Some argue that the old Chinese saying, raising children to safeguard our old age, no longer applies as they saw the presence of neglected parents around. They are absolutely right. Bringing up children involves countless sacrifices and giving up many of lifes enjoyment. A parents responsibilities start from a childs conception onwards to adulthood and oftentimes beyond. From a purely economic viewpoint, investing the money spent in raising and educating a child could easily provide for a comfortable retirement. All these reasons centre on avoiding responsibility and maximizing enjoyment in life. Barring any justifiable reason, there is only one appropriate word to describe this self-centred attitude selfishness. The reason to raise and to sacrifice for our children can also be summarized simply in one word love the opposite of selfishness. Love for God, our Creator by following Christs teachings. Married couples should regard it as their proper mission to transmit human life and to educate their children; they should realize that they are thereby cooperating with the love of God the Creator. They will fulfill this duty with a sense of human and Christian responsibility. (CCC #2367) Love for our spouse, i.e. to bring forth the fruits of a sacred marriage. Fecundity (producing or capable of producing offspring) is a gift, an end of marriage, for conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful. Children are the fruits of our love for our spouse and fulfillment of our marriage. The Catechism teaches A child does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from the very heart of that mutual giving, as its fruit and fulfillment. (CCC #2379) Look at those who intentionally shrink from their responsibility of having children. They may look happy and carefree but can they really find joy in their lives? I felt sorry for a former colleague suffering from mid-life emotional problems. Adamantly, he ridiculed the formality of marriage and refused to have children. I wonder if his newest Mercedes limousine, latest audio-visual equipment, memories of world travel and investment portfolio could take the place of children Gods gift that he had refused in giving joy to him and his spouse. Danny, a friend who recovered fully from cancer, told me that the support of his wife and two daughters gave him the courage to withstand the rigors of chemotherapy and other pains. He praised God for the most precious gift, his children. As for those neglected parents in their old age, they have done their duties for God and for their children. Whether their children will fulfill their own towards their parents is another matter. In comforting neglected parents, my wife, Mary, explained, Consider the joy and happiness that your child had given to you as consolation for your past sacrifices and love. Be glad that you have done your duty. A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift. The supreme gift of marriage is a human person. However, those couples who did not receive this gift need not despair. (They) should unite themselves with the Lords Cross, the source of all spiritual fecundity. They can give expression to their generosity by adopting abandoned children or performing demanding services for others. (CCC#2379) Before receiving the gift of children at his old age, Abraham asked God, What will you give me for I continue childless?(Gen 15:2) Remember, sometimes God acts in a mysterious way. Spouses suffering from infertility may not realize that Gods gift comes in many ways and at different time. Instead of giving them children, He may have given other gifts. Have faith and follow His will. For those who are struggling to support large families, they can find solace in our Churchs teaching: Sacred Scripture and the Churchs traditional practice see in large families a sign of Gods blessing and the parents generosity (CCC#2373). Our children are indeed a blessing and a gift from God.

The Formative And Summative Assessment English Language Essay

The Formative And Summative Assessment English Language Essay Why is assessment necessary? Schwartz and Webb (2002) state that from the past 30 years and the great number of language teaching research, assessment is not only the central part of work for teachers, but also the main driver of learning. That is to say, assessment is for teachers and students, to know not only how well they have done but also where they have done well and where they need to make great efforts. Assessment is frequently divided into summative assessment and formative assessment. Testing is the basic way of summative assessment. We often set a test at the end of the learning period. Formative assessment involves the collecting of information or evidence of a learners learning progress in the classroom. (Wang, 2006) Testing is the method most often used in China. For example, in 2011, 9,330,000 high school students took part in the University and College Entrance Examination in China. The enrollment rate of the exam is 72.3%, and only approximately 40% students would be enrolled by universities. Actually, 2011 was not the peak time, the real peak time was at 2008, at that time, the number of Chinese students attending the University and College Entrance Examination is 10,500,000. In 2009, there were 740 universities and 1168colleges in China. Therefore, it is hard to imagine how difficult if the university and colleges selected students without testing. That also led to tests becoming the most important way for evaluating students no matter when they entrance the high education before or after. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Formative and Summative assessment Why assess?, in answering this question, it deals not only with the purposes of assessment, but also the issue of who needs or uses the results. Biggs (1999) pointed out the important distinction between formative and summative functions. The main purpose of summative assessment is to make a judgement regarding each students performance. Students are marked at the end of a module, course or unit, so the results of such assessments are often presented in marks or grades. Summative judgements are also used to accredit learners as the end of the programme. (Falchikov, 2005) Nevo (1995) described these judgements as being for certification and diagnostic purposes. There is a critical thinking about summative assessment: Can test scores be used to inform us about our teaching and learning? Nevo (1995) considered that the answer is: not very much. Because of the students ability and achievement in learning are not measurable in terms of one single test. Even if they can reveal some problems about our teaching or learning, it is often too late to do anything about them, as it is already the end of a learning period. Different from summative assessment, formative assessment is based on information collected in the classroom work and that attention to improving its practice can enhance the learners achievements. For example, English teachers ask students to write an essay, complete a research project, or give a speech in front of whole class. This kind of assessment will provide more information on students learning during the learning process and will be useful for teachers to adjust their teaching according to students needs and base teaching on the success or difficulties of students learning. Formative assessment will be similar to activities that are often carried out in classroom. Students may develop their assessment tasks based on certain classroom activities, work out criteria to be followed when assessing students performance, and do record keeping. The issues involved here are summarized very briefly by Miller, Imrie, and Cox (1998). Formative assessment focuses on the process of learning, and gives students practice in essential skill such as essay writing, problem solving. This type of assessment should be to provide regular feedback to students in order to stimulate learning. (Miller, Imrie and Cox, 1998) Harlen (2004) states the relationship between assessment for formative and summative purpose. Teachers can use summative assessment evidence to help learning, and at the same time, using formative assessment information for summative assessment. It is both a weakness and a strength that summative assessment derived by interpreting formative evidence in a different way that both are in the hand of the teacher. 2.2 What to assess? Journals/ reflective logs/ diaries Brown (1997) argued that learning diaries, logs and journals are essentially the same, in that all are regarded as to promote feedback and all are based on the concept that the feedback is beneficial language learning. Nevertheless, someone always keep it in her/his mind that there are differences between these three activities. Take one example, Freeman and Lewis (1998) find that logs has less personal than diaries. Logs record a learners activities truthfully, while diaries are a personal selection of events that can add some reflection and understanding of their learning. Furthermore, Gibbs (1995) puts journals between diaries and logs, because journals include some reflection but not as personal as a diary. Journals Journal writing is a powerful way for individuals to give accounts of their experience (Clandinin and Connelly, 1994: 421), while writing journal is not only for this purpose, Brown (1997) points out four purposes of leaning journals. He discusses that journal writing as a type of assessment tool creates students opportunities to reflect their learning progress and problems; record students learning experiences. It is also a chance for expressing feeling and emotion of their leaning. Logs Brown (1997) states that student can use learning logs to provide a self-report of their learning experience. In order to solve the problem of this kind of assessment, Brown (1997) proposes that logs may include information concerning what language error or mistakes starts have been made, the reason why occurred this kind of error, how to solve this problems and which kind of approaches will be helpful. Freeman and Lewis (1998:254) emphasize that making an explicit and clear criteria is very important. They advise teacher to tell their student: what to record; how much detail to record; the number and range of items to include; the time period over which to record; the desired format; the type of analysis to be carried out prior to submission. Diaries A diary is a book, which has a separate space, or page for each day, students can write down their learning experiences they have and their private thoughts. A diary with real-time features includes written records, but also involves pictures and other multimedia. Therefore, diaries are described as an appropriate form of assessment where the learning is focusing on the processes of doing something rather than on the result. Diary writing could be a way of building up students confidence in their own thoughts and feelings, rather than taking on other peoples in an uncritical fashion. It could be said therefore to encourage independent thinking (Ashcroft and Foreman-Peck, 1994:59). Falchikov (2005) critically evaluate the advantage and disadvantage of diary writing. These techniques are easy to use and cost effective. What is more? Self-reporting is believed to engender self-revelation, therefore, useful for collecting intimate information. However, a number of disadvantages have also been identified. Assessing logs, journals and diaries As with many of the newer assessment methods, little is recorded in the literature about how logs, journals or diaries may be assessed. Bound and Knights (1994) asserted that setting an assignment which teacher believe will encourage reflection is not sufficient, as the intent of the student is a important determinant of what actually happens. Additionally, Brown (1997) indicated that no study had been done to certain whether the use of learning journals changes the style of learning. Based on his own experience of using the learning log method, assessment may be carried out in a number of ways. Teacher may mark the written record, or using the guidelines supplied as criteria against which to judge the work. Students may submit a self-assessment of all or part of the record. McNamara and Deane (1995) refer to that peer assessment is not suitable method for assessing logs, journals and diaries. Because these diaries were, meant to be private and read only by the writers themselves Oral presentation Falchikov (2005) states that in oral presentations, students research a topic and present their achievement in front of their teacher and other classmates. Oral presentation are often linked with self or peer assessment. Falchikov (2005a) find that involving students in the assessment of oral presentation is very beneficial. At the same time, ask the other peer have to provide feedback, which can get the other students concentration. This way will be more active engagement than simply listening. This kind of assessment will not only improve the oral skill of the students, but also may be developing the other skill. Portfolios Because progress tests and proficiency tests are both need to assess students at the certain time, students only get one-off chance to reveal their real level of knowledge. It is unfair to some students who are not good at exams innately. As a result, portfolio assessment appeared, unlike traditional measures which tend to evaluate students possession of knowledge at the certain time, portfolio assessment can allow students to show their best pieces of work over the period of time. There are some obvious benefits of portfolio assessment; firstly, it makes students more independent and self-governing. Whats more ¼Ã… ¸Students have a chance to modify their work before submitting, it will have a positive wash back effect on assessment. (Harmer, 2007) However, the pitfalls still exist in portfolio assessment. Using portfolio assessment can be time-consuming; teacher need more time to give the marks. The reliability of portfolio assessment need to be consider, because students complete this kind of assessment out of classroom, it is difficult to confirm that the students finish their assessment by themselves, nobody helps them. (Harmer, 2007) 2.3 The relationship between assessment and pedagogy Before we discuss the relationship between assessment and teaching approach, we need to clear the concept of these approaches: Their definitions, features and so on. The Presentation, Practice and Production (PPP) PPP refer to presentation, practice and production. At the presentation stage, the teacher introduces new vocabulary and grammatical structures. At the practice stage, the lesson moves from controlled to guided practice. At the production stage, teacher will encourage students to present what they have learned and perform some communicative activity. In this stage, the heart of the matter is on meaning ¼Ã‹â€ fluency ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °rather than forms (accuracy). (Harmer, 2007) Some of the advantages of the PPP model are that first it is clear and easy to conduct by the teacher. Secondly, it is easy to evaluate, as there are often clear goals to be obtained. Thirdly, there is the belief that learning with focus on forms will become one kind of habit (Skehan, 1996). Nevertheless, with the development of theories in TESOL, some language teachers keep it in their mind that the PPP model is not valid. It is not enough for the teacher to simply help practise the structure. The teacher should also try to create meaningful teaching materials for student to use the structures learned in real communication (Wang, 2006).. Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) Task-based Language Teaching is widely promoted in English language teaching nowadays. Many teachers are asking what is Task-based Language Teaching? How is TBLT different from communicative language teaching? Task-based Language Teaching is, in fact, a further development of CLT (Walsh, 2011). Thornbury (2006) suggests that TBLT has emerged from the strong form of CLT. It shares the same beliefs, as language should be learned as close as possible to how it is used in real life. However, it has stressed the importance to combine form-focused teaching with communication-focused teaching. When students are carrying out a task, they are focusing on the complete act of communication. Sometimes, however, we may wish to focus their attention on individual aspects of language, such as vocabulary, grammar or individual skills. We can call these activity exercises. Another kind of activity, which is very common in CLT, comes halfway between tasks and exercises. This kind of activity consists of contextualised practice of language items (often a particular grammar point). For instance, it could be an activity that helps the students to master the present continuous tense by getting them to describe what is happening in a picture. This kind of activity can be called an exercised-task. (Littlewood, 1993) Differences between PPP and TBLT Willis (1996) provided two perspectives to identify the difference between PPP and TBLT. The way learners express language in TBLT is completely different from PPP (Willis, 1996). In TBLT, all 3 components (task, planning and report) are free of language control, students have to rely on their own language resources. The purpose of TBLT is using language for real communication. In PPP model, learners adjust their language at the practice stage. Nevertheless, in TBLT, we adjust our language at the report stagethe last one. The planning stage encourages students to consider appropriateness and accuracy of the language form in general, rather than the production of a single form. The report allows learner to exchange their idea and information freely, but in PPP model, learners do not have any freedom to a certain extent. TBLT can provide a context for grammar teaching and form-focused activities. PPP is different in this aspect (Willis, 1996). In PPP model, with the presentation of the target language coming first, this context has to be invented. However, in TBLT, the context is already established by the task itself. When students finished the task, the language is already familiar. The activities in TBLT encourages learners to use the target language to analyse and think, not just simply to repeat. A PPP model leads from accuracy to fluency; a TBLT cycle leads from fluency to accuracy (combined with fluency). Overall, PPP offers a simplified approach to language learning. It is based upon the idea that you can present language in a clear way. Moreover, your language develops by adding new forms from one lesson to the next. However, simply being able to produce forms in isolation will not help learners acquire the language for communication. Research proves that if there are plenty of opportunities with students to practise language in meaningful context, which will be the best way for students to acquire language effectively. (Frost, 2004) 2.3.4 Introduction of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Although people have different understanding of communicative language teaching, the following three principles suggested by Richards and Rodgers (2001): Communication principle: the core of CLT activities are real communication, which will promote language learning. Task principle: the language used in activities is for carrying out the tasks, which will promote learning. Meaningfulness principle: language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning process. It is important to note that CLT requires a higher level of communicative competence on the part of the teacher. It also requires that teacher develops a wider range of skills beyond the presentation and explanation of grammatical structures (Hedge, 2000). In a communicative classroom, a great deal of time is spent on managing learning, setting up activities, organizing resources, guiding students in pair/group work. Howatt (1984) proposes a weak and a strong version of CLT. With the weak version, learners first acquire language as a structural system and then learn how to use it in communication. The strong version of CLT claims that language is acquired through communication (Howatt, 1984:279). This means that learners discover the structural system in the process of learning how to communicate. In other words, the weak version regards overt teaching of language forms and functions as necessary means for helping learners to develop the ability to use them for communication, whereas the strong version regards experiences of using the language as the main means or necessary condition for learning a language as they provide the experience for learners to see how language is used in communication. Savignon (2004) maintains that CLT in its strong form cannot be adhered to via a single textbook, implicitly suggesting that ELT materials that are termed communicative must be adhering to the weaker form. 3. Methodology 3.1 Research question The topic research question: What are English teacher own beliefs about the effects of assessment on teaching English experience? Finding the balance between formative assessment and summative assessment. Then try to find the relationship between assessment and pedagogy. I intend to centre on teachers viewpoints on English language assessment. From teachers aspect, the questions will draw attention to the close relationship between assessment and pedagogy. What type of assessment is beneficial to teaching? That is to say, what kind of assessment is good for learning English? When assessment is solely dependent on test results, teachers tend to begin teaching to the test (washback effect). Teaching has become test practice. They try to find out what will be tested and how it will be tested. Is it good for learning English? 3.2 Interview Question Design In the beginning, my interview questions are very generalization, and contain some specialized vocabulary. I used to have an interview experience, so I know if the questions are too hard to answer, will be putting pressure on interviewees. Therefore, I try to make my question simplification and concretization, in order to reduce the pressure on interviewees. Interview questions of teachers 1. According to your teaching experience of students, summative and formative assessment, which kind of assessment do you think is good for language teaching and learning? Why? 2. Could you explain the advantage and disadvantage of each assessment respectively? 3. When you assess your students language learning, how many factors do you consider? What are they? 4. Do you consider the motivation of your students? 5. Besides testing, what are the other methods that can be used to gather information about the knowledge and performance of language learners? Please give examples if possible. 6. What are the usual formats of the tests that you have taken in your experiences of English teaching? 7. Is there any particular format that you like or dislike? Give your reasons. 8. Do you think examinations could reflect student learning better than the other type of assessment? If yes, give a reason. If no, please take one instance. 3.3 Methods the Rationales Since the total conception of the research was based on investigating English language teachers and Chinese learners own beliefs about the effects of assessment on learning English experience, go without saying, the research methods used should be satisfied this determination. Qualitative approach is above all else a person-centred enterprise and therefore particularly appropriate to our work in the field of language teaching (Richards, 2003:9), so it deserves to be depended on in my research. A number of different interview types can be employed to gather data for qualitative research. Interviews are often associated with survey-based research, as well as being a technique used by many qualitative researchers. In structured interviews, researchers usually ask an identical set of questions of all respondents. Less rigid are semi-structured interview, in which the researcher used a written list of questions as a guide, while still having the freedom to digress and explore more information. On the other hand, in unstructured interview, no list of questions is used. Instead, interviewers develop and adapt their own questions, helping respondents to open up and express themselves in their own terms and at their own speed. (Mackey and Gass, 2005) Mackey and Gass (2005) stated that interviews could allow researchers to investigate phenomena that are not directly observable, such as learners self-reported perceptions or attitudes. In addition, because interviews are interactive, researchers can elicit additional data if initial answers are vague, digression, incomplete, or not specific enough. Another advantage of interview is that they can be used to elicit data from learners who are not comfortable in other modes. Take one instance, some learners are more at ease speaking than writing and more likely to provide extended answers in a conversational format. Depending on the research question and the resources available, interviews can also be conducted in the learners mother tongue (L1), thus removing concerns about the proficiency of the learner affecting the quality and quantity of the data provided. According to the two groups of interviewee, I apply in different interview type. For students group, I prefer using semi-structured interview. For teachers group, the narrative interview may be the best policy. Actually, the narrative interview is one kind of unstructured interview. Flick (2002) defines that the narrative interview is different from the traditional way of interview, which will help the researchers free themselves from the question-answer pattern and approach the personal experience of interviewees. The interviewees are encouraged to tell their own stories of the assessment on learning English experience. 3.4 Research Procedure I explained to my interviewee in the beginning about the whole process, the orientation of the questions, and the time needed approximately. During the process of our interview, the interviewees could speak both English and Chinese. Because I had no experience about how to conduct an interview, and did not do the Pilot Study that is a simulated interview before the real interview. Therefore, when I interview my first participant -Wing, sometime she confused by the question which sounded profound. Wing was my best friend in China and she was very nice and patient. If she did not understand what I mean, she will discuss with me about this question. Then I revised my questions with her help. She proposed some suggestion for my interview. I also discuss with her about my question for students. During the process of interview, I encourage interviewees to talk about some of their own experiences. Moreover, do not mind if they use Chinese to explain the questions more clearly. Finally, after we went through all the questions, the interview was going smoothly. 3.5 Ethical Concerns There are some important ethical concerns, which have been considered throughout the entire study. At first, consent both in written (see Appendix) and verbal form was given to each potential participant previously, so that they could have enough time to decide whether to join this research. Because my research method is interview, my participants are not anonymous to me. Therefore, protecting their privacy and holding in confidence what they share with me must be the best policy. I will fully inform all of participants about my research purpose, and make sure they totally understand what their agreement to participate entail. Furthermore, participates can withdraw from my research at any time. 4. Result Teacher A : Wing What is Wings belief about the effects of assessment on learning English experience? Wing thinks that English assessment, especially test is absolutely very important. Because she worked in a Cram school, has lots of pressure from the administrate of the school and her students parents. What is assessment? Wing regards the language assessment as a tool to keep a check on her learners, through a language assessment, she can find out strengths and weakness of her students and herself. Actually, in most of cases, Wing thinks that assessment is to do with testing. Do you think examinations could reflect student learning better than the other type of assessment? If yes, give a reason. If no, please take one instance. Wing believes that examinations cannot be said to be the best means of assessment, but the test is really the most effective way to measure students language learning effect. Besides testing, what are the other methods that can be used to gather information about the knowledge and performance of language learners? That is to say, what are the other methods that you prefer using to assess your student? You have some choices: teachers observation, interview, journals/ reflective logs/diaries, oral presentations, portfolios. Wing recalls the day when she was a student, both her English and Chinese language teachers recommended diary writing as an effective means of improving language proficiency. Therefore, when she started as a teacher, she began to try to use this method to assess her students. Actually, diary writing is the better way to assess student grammar and vocabulary. Towards grammar, she could identify common error in the use of article, tenses and preposition. Common errors in the spelling of particular word were also easily spotted. Towards vocabulary, diary writing can be very good to help students understand some words of their special usage. For example, lots of students always confuse the usage of the words hope and wish, because in China, there is a word can express both these two words. In students diaries, many students often want to express a strong desire or hope for something, but they always confound these two words. Wing mentions that some students translate their meaning from Chinese to English directly, they do not think in English way. After a period, Wing finds that dairies writing have some shortcoming. For example, sometimes teacher is hard to control what student write. Sometimes what students write are not teacher want to assess. Sometimes Wing finds that it is quite difficult to comments or analyses her students diaries, because diaries is their own experience. Therefore, Wing changes her assessment method in the other way. She ask all of her student to read a series of books BOOK WORMS which was published by Oxford University Press. This series of books are the simplification of many world famous works. Every time she will layout a book requires students to read at home, and then write impression of the book. she wants to find out the difficulties her students had with a summary assignment they had been given, so she requested that her students write in their diary, talk about the difficulties they had when they did the assignment. However, Wing also finds out that if she too frequently requires students to do like that, by the time the students have lost all their motivation for writing diary. According to your teaching experience of students, summative and formative assessment, which kind of assessment do you think is good for language teaching and learning? Why? Because Wing works in a Cram school, each student in this school has a goalthat is to pass the exam. This invisible to students a great deal of pressure, will definitely affect their learning effect. She believes that formative assessment is good for language teaching and learning. Consider the other methods (you mentioned at question 3) that you prefer using to assess your student again, which is your purpose of this assessment method? Formative or summative? Formative assessment. Wing think that it could be for summative assessment, but she think there is intense pressure on her students from exam, she does not want to put more pressure on her students. Therefore, she always assess her students by formative purpose. In your classroom, what teaching methods do you usually use? Grammar translation approach or you can say that is PPP (Presentation, Practice and Production) module. When you assess your students language learning, how many factors do you consider? You have some choice: linguistic (Grammar and Vocabulary), interest, culture background, motivation, teaching approach, to foster learning ability. Wing states that she will consider grammar and vocabulary at the first place, because all of her teaching and assessment are examination-oriented. Do you think that your main teaching approach will influence you to assess your students? Wing says that it is difficult to answer this question. She want to say yes, because her teaching goal is examination-oriented, she use grammar-translation approach, therefore, she is unable to control herself to consider linguistic (Grammar and Vocabulary) when she assess her students. Teacher B: Linda What is Lindas belief about the effects of assessment on learning English experience? Linda works in a private high school, she has approximately 2 years teaching experience. What is assessment? Linda always use language assessment in her classroom, she regards language assessment as a way of keeping a check on the student learning. She always carry out an assessment with recording-keeping, to discover learners achievements. Do you think examinations could reflect student learning better than the other type of assessment? If yes, give a reason. If no, please take one instance. Linda thinks that examination is not the only way that could reflect student learning. She cannot decide which one is better. Besides testing, what are the other methods that can be used to gather information about the knowledge and performance of language learners? That is to say, what are the other methods that you prefer using to assess your student? You have some choices: teachers observation, interview, journals/ reflective logs/diaries, oral presentations, portfolios. Linda indicated that she always use interview and oral presentation to assess her students. Compared to other skills, Linda pays more attention to speaking skill during she assess her student. She suggests dividing her process of assessment into two parts: If it is the first time she meets a student, she prefers to interview s/he face to face. Regard to her all class, Linda think oral presentation is not only benefit for students learning, but also good for team cooperation spirit. According to your teaching experience of students, summative and formative assessment, which kind of assessment do you think is good for language teaching and learning? Why? Formative assessment. In the process of learning, keep abreast of student mastery of knowledge, correct errors in a timely manner, to amend his mistakes early is better than the final. Consider the other methods (you mentioned at question 3) that you prefer using to assess your student again, which is your purpose of this assessment method? Formative or summative? For interview, Linda think formative assessment will be her purpose, because it focus on what are the next steps in learning. For oral presentation, summative assessment will be h

Ethnocentrism Essay examples -- ethnocentric culture essays research p

Are we limited in knowledge, in imagination, and in understanding by the culture we grow up in? In other words, are we ethnocentric, and if so is it a bad thing? To answer that, one must understand what ethnocentrism is. According to Macionis (2004), ethnocentrism is â€Å"the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture†. We are not born with culture; culture is a socially learned behavior, or set of values that a given groups holds as a norm and are considered to be true and right. It is these cultural norms that connect the individuals of the group, which make up a society. No society can exist without culture and no culture can exist without a society (Giddens, Duneier, & Applebaum, 2002). The two are intrinsically intertwined. It is hard to see past one’s own culture and reach into another for understanding; we find it hard to comprehend the fact that our truths and values, that are so innate to us, do not represent universal truth. So what is universal truth; who is right and who is wrong culturally? Here in lays the importance of understanding ‘cultural relativism’, or â€Å"the practice of evaluating a culture by its own standards† (Macionis, 2004), making the previous question irrelevant since culture itself is present in every society, it is therefore, universal; ha ving no right or wrong. Like culture, ethnocentrism is unavoidable and like culture, ethnocentrism is universal to all cultures to some degree. To claim no ethnocentricity would be to separate oneself from one’s own culture. It is only human nature to be grounded in and reflective of the culture that you have been immersed in since birth, as it is your connection to your heritage. In this sense, ethnocentrism is not all bad, and can be beneficial in promoting cultural diversity (Rosaldo, 2000). It becomes bad when we do not acknowledge other cultures or we expect others to adopt our cultural norms because we believe their cultural norms are wrong. This behavior stems mainly from the troublesome nature of not understanding the basis for their beliefs and values, and from intimidation due to the mere existence of a different view of norms within a culture, leading to a threatening atmosphere when our cultural validity is challenged. Crossing the lines between cultures has become more common with technological advances. What was once a world where cultures rarely c... ...ion cooking show relative to the cultural values present in the show itself and in the chefs, it is very apparent that these differences are what defines a culture and makes one so very different than the other. Learning to accept these differences and appreciating them for the ways they are engrained in society can lead to an appreciation for that culture. Works Cited Giddens, A., Duneier, M., & Appelbaum, R.P. (n.d.) Welcome to Sociology. Chapter 3: Culture & Society. http://www.wwnorton.com/giddens4/chapters/chapter3/welcome.htm Iron Chef. (n.d.) The World News. http://www.sbs.com.au/ironchef/ Macionis, J. J. (2004). Sociology, Tenth Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. Manon, Louis R. III (1999, November). Multiculturalism: Walking the Walk. http://astro.ocis.temple.edu/~wgreason/sampaadana8.html Rosaldo, R. (2000, Winter). Issues in Ethics. Of headhunters and Soldiers: Separating Cultural and Ethical Relativism. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v11n1/relativism.html Shotokai. (n.d.) http://www.shotokai.cl/filosofia/06_ee_.html Wikipedia. (2004, March). Iron Chef. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Chef

Presidential Campaign Financing :: essays research papers

Running Head: Presidential Campaign Financing Abstract President Bush won reelection against Sen. John Kerry in a presidential race that shattered previous fundraising and spending records to become the most expensive in U.S. History. Both candidates benefited from the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which went into affect just before the 2004 election cycle began and doubled the individual contribution limit from $1,000 to 2,000 dollars. Anyone trying to run for President of the United States must raise enormous amounts of money to keep there campaigns going. President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, for example, raised a total of nearly half a billion dollars in private contributions during the presidential primary season. More efforts are going to have to be made to keep the spending of non-party affiliated groups, such as the 527 groups, to a minimum. Presidential Campaign Financing and Spending: Election 2004 President George W. Bush took in a record $360 million for his 2004 re-election campaign, easily exceeding the $192 million he raised in his 2000 campaign. President bush spent $306 million of the money he raised which was also another record. John Kerry not only finished behind him in the election he also finished behind him in campaign funds, but still posted totals that far exceeded any other election period. Kerry raised more then $317 million and spent more then $240 million. Both partied during the campaign declined public matching funds, which would have not let them use all of the fund that they had raised, and would have limited there spending. Once they accept there partied nomination however they must accept the Public funding. For the 2004 election cycle the public matching funds they received were $74.6 million dollars. (Democracy 21.org, 2004;unknown author,2004)

Chromatography Essay -- Essays Papers

Chromatography is a method of separating and analyzing complicated substances. This is done in two phases, a mobile phase and a stationary phase .During the stationary phase, said substance is stationary, while during the mobile phase, the substance moves in a specific direction. During the mobile phase, the substance is filtered through the stationary phase. The stationary phase in necessary in order for the substances to be separated even though it doesn?t involve movement of the substance because it filters the substance through the stationary phase.. Since the substance is made of different, specific substances, each can go though the process of chromatography at different rates. This causes the components of the substance to be moved over materials made for absorption at different times. This makes the different components of the substance absorb at different rates. This is done numerous times and is a very precise method of separation. This process can be used to separate a w ide variety of things, and can be used to separate most volatile or soluble substances. This process is used many like because it is gentle enough to separate delicate solutions, like those of proteins. There are many types of chromatography, the types of which are as follows: Gas Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography, Ion Exchange Chromatography, and Affinity Chromatography . Gas Chromatography uses a pressurized gas camber to filter gasses by either thermal conductivity or flame ionization. There are three types of gas chromatography: capillary gas chromatography, gas adsorption chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography. Capillary gas chromatography used more often than any other type of gas chromatography. In this form of chromatography... ...ntro to Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Environ/CHROMO/chromintro.html> Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordanaro. "Gas Chromatology." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordonaro. "Liquid Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordanaro. "Ion Exchange Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rececca, and Julia Bordonaro. "Affinity Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 "Chromatography." Shaffald Hallam University. 25 Feb. 2008

Diffusion Coefficient Apparatus Essay

General Start-up Procedure: ïÆ'Ëœ Prior to running an experiment, students are advised to perform the following startup procedure. ïÆ'Ëœ Fill the water with clean (preferably filtered) water to approximately 20 mm from the top. ïÆ'Ëœ Plug the main cable to the electrical supply. Be sure that the voltage of the supply is correct to suite the equipment. ïÆ'Ëœ Switch on the main power on the control panel. ïÆ'Ëœ Adjust the set-point value on the temperature controller to 500C. Warning!! Do not set the temperature controller beyond 700C. Switch on the heater. Observe the water temperature heats up to 50 0C and remain constant. The equipment is now ready for experiment. Priming procedure for capillary Tube: Before using the capillary tube in an experiment using acetone, students are advised to clean the inside of the tube. ïÆ'Ëœ Prepare a weak solution of detergent. ïÆ'Ëœ Use the Hirschman pipette to fill the tube with the solution. Tapping the of side of the tube may be necessary if the solution is trapped and does not flow down. ïÆ'Ëœ Turn the tube upside-down and shake. Empty the tube. ïÆ'Ëœ Repeat steps 2 to 3 with acetone. ïÆ'Ëœ The tube is now ready for student experiment. General Shut-down Procedure: ïÆ'Ëœ After the completion of an experiment, students are advised to shut down the equipment as follows: ïÆ'Ëœ Switch off the heater and air pump. ïÆ'Ëœ Adjust the set-point value of the temperature controller to approximately 5 degree below the room temperature. ïÆ'Ëœ Allow the water to cool down until it is safe to touch. Open the drain valve and empty the water tank. ïÆ'Ëœ Detach the flexible tubing and clean the capillary tube for next use. (Refer to priming procedure) ïÆ'Ëœ Switch off the main power. Unplug the main cable if the equipment will not be used for a long period. EXPERIMENT OBJECTIVE: To determine gas diffusion coefficient of acetone using the established Winkelmann’s method. Procedure: 1. Perform the start-up procedure. 2. Partially fill the capillary tube with acetone to a depth of about 35 mm. 3. Carefully insert the capillary tube through the fitting on the top of the water bath cover. Do not over-tighten the fitting. 4. Observe the initial level of acetone through the telescope. Record the level of acetone. 5. Connect the flexible tubing from the air pump line to one end of the capillary tube. Switch on the air pump. 6. After 30 minutes, switch off the air pump. Disconnect the flexible tubing and close the two capillary tubes ends with the cap provided. Observe and record the level of acetone. 7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 at 30 minutes intervals. ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION: Plot t/ (L-L0) against (L-L0).Determine gas diffusivity, D from the obtained slope, S. Compare the experimental value with the theoretical value that can be predicted from empirical equations (e.g. modified Maxwell’s equation by Gilliland).

The Struggle between Social Classes

Rich girl marrying a poor boy or vice versa—this is a very recurrent theme in love stories of all times. In the film genre, this theme also serves as a topic of interest as it reveals the conflict between the upper and the lower classes in society. In Jack Clayton’s (1959) film, Room at the Top, the director shows how the struggle between the two classes operates in the British society after the World War II. Depicting a poor man’s struggle as he tries to alter his place in society, the film attempts to mirror the reality that the poor will likely give in to the intention of the rich in view of economic struggle.Analysis of the characterisation, plot, theme, and motifs used in the film provides viewers a better knowledge of the two social classes. Characterisation The beginning of the film strongly suggests representations of the lower class. The main character, Joe Lampton (played by Laurence Harvey) is depicted sitting comfortably on a train, with his feet rais ed on the opposite seat, thus showing his mended socks. The introduction alone shows the man’s class standing, as he cannot afford to buy a new pair of socks, and resorts instead to wearing an old and tottered pair.This attitude of settling with the second best or whatever is available is reflected in his choice of women. Realising the difficulty of having Susan Brown as his girl due to the conflict in their social standing, Joe resorts to Alice Aisgill (played by Simone Signoret), his colleague, despite their big age difference. A number of juxtapositions are presented in the film. For instance, in spite of Joe’s financial incapability as symbolised by the socks, he wears the usual coat and tie as he reports for work.Whilst the first denotes poverty, the other suggests decency. Note that the coat and tie is customary in the British society especially in business affairs. As such, he and his colleagues wear the same type of clothing, which somehow levels off their stat us with that of the rich. Nevertheless, this does not change Joe’s social standing, and the way Susan’s family and friends view him. Based on his position as an accountant in Borough’s Treasurer’s Department, Joe is unquestionably educated.However, this does not necessarily help raise his social status as one belonging to the working class. This implies that it is not enough for a person to obtain education and a white-collared job in order to rise in the social hierarchy. Rather, marriage to a rich girl such as Susan, the daughter of a factory owner, could change one’s fortune as proposed later in the film. Juxtaposition is likewise established between the characters. For instance, Joe’s character is presented in opposition with Susan’s suitor, who is influential and sociable.Joe, being a newcomer in the Dufton, seldom socialises with his colleagues, and instead relates closely with a few of them, including Alice, whom he falls in lo ve with later. He is also seen in contrast with Susan, the girl who attracts him a lot. Their social standing primarily draws the line between them. Whilst Joe needs to work hard and establish connection with his colleagues, Susan does not need to work, and instead spends her time acting in local theatre. Also, whilst Joe transfers to Dufton to obtain employment, Susan is free to go on vacation as she pleases.Moreover, juxtaposition is also established between the two female characters, Alice and Susan. Aside from the women’s ages and marital status, they also differ in social status, in that Alice is an average office worker, whilst Susan is the daughter of an owner of a factory. This social difference between the two results in a struggle between them as Susan gets pregnant. Although Joe loves Alice more, and has planned to marry her, Mr. Brown’s (Susan’s father) proposition convinces Joe to change his mind, thus making way for the bourgeois to win over the pr oletarian.In addition, Alice’s former marriage to their colleague also makes less favourable, especially since her former husband would not agree to divorce. Considering this, the film does not only present struggles between social classes; it also demonstrates struggles based on gender as the women’s fate depends on Joe’s final decision. Further to the contrast between Alice and Susan, the former demonstrates more freedom of will, as she does things she likes, ie, shifts career, separates from her husband, and establishes relationship with Joe.Her habit of cigarette smoking throughout the film shows Alice’s easy-going and independent character; although it reflects her tensions in life at the same time. In contrast, Susan is pictured as a fresh and young girl, healthy-looking and innocent. Her social status prevents her from associating with the lower class, such as Joe, but it does not ultimately defeats her will to be independent. Plot The plot of the film supports the idea of struggle between the social classes. It shows a single unified structure, with the conflict appearing near the end, as Joe decides to marry Susan due to the latter’s pregnant condition.His decision conflicts with his wish to marry Alice. Thus, when the latter finds out, she gets totally devastated, and drowns in her sorrow and alcohol, which later leads to her death by car accident. Earlier in the story, Susan’s parents try to separate her from Joe by making her take a vacation. This motive demonstrates the struggle between social classes, in that the bourgeois discriminates the other, by preventing marriage between them. Later on, as Mr. Brown realises his daughter’s condition, he tries to buy off Joe, and offers to make him rich if Joe does what he commands.Initially, Joe exercises his pride and rejects the offer, but realising that Alice cannot be married with him, and that life with Susan would make his life comfortable, he agrees t o the proposition and marries Susan. As such, the class struggle is evident. Mr. Brown uses his money and power to buy off Joe. For his part, Joe cannot disagree with Mr. Brown for he sees this opportunity to escape his current social status. Being Susan’s husband, Joe does not need to work anymore, and all else will go smoothly because Susan is very wealthy.However, just as Joe attempts to escape his own social structure, he is haunted by it, with the death of Alice. Along with the proposition of Mr. Brown to make Joe a rich man is the defeat of the proletarian class. As Joe accepts the offer, he disremembers Alice’s sacrifices and love for him. What is sadder about it is knowing how little time it takes Joe to decide about leaving Alice. As shown in the film, everything happens over one dinner, too short a time to change plans or think things over; thus implying the power of money to further establish social injustice and discrimination, and in turn disregard social equality.Theme The main theme of the film, which is the struggle between social structures, relates to Marxist perspectives. Specifically, the presence of the two opposing structures, the bourgeois (as presented by Susan and her family) and the proletarian (Joe, Alice, and the other employees) implies the conflict in the film. As Marx & Engels (1848) claim, there is a social struggle that exists between the bourgeois or the middle class, â€Å"that sprouted from the ruins of feudal society,† and â€Å"established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones.† In the film, as Mr. Brown gives Joe the marriage proposal, he implies designing Joe’s entire life—his marriage and career, in order to make sure it fits the structure that Susan is born with. Such plan illustrates â€Å"a new condition of oppression,† a new form of struggle for the proletarian. Physical attraction is what leads to the theme of socia l struggle. Everything starts as Joe becomes attracted to Susan and vice versa. Indeed, the two social classes would not conflict with each other if not for Joe’s feelings for Susan.In this consideration, one may see that the effort to reach or blend with another social class may result in a much worse conflict between them. However, such conflict could later lead to â€Å"permanently changing social relations within the system† (Strasser and Randall, 1981, p. 44). Thus, Susan’s pregnancy leads to â€Å"the development of new patterns of social relations,† between him and the Browns. Suddenly, Susan’s parents accept Joe as their daughter’s husband, owing to the reputation that they try to maintain in society.Motifs As mentioned above, the proletarian or working class is given focus in the film. Clayton uses realistic setting and motifs to depict the lives of the working class of the 50s. Amongst these include the dark, small houses where Ali ce and Joe spend their love affair, the male boarding house where Joe resides with her friend Soames, the local train which characterises the transportation means of the common people, and Joe’s seemingly abandoned house where he brings Susan the night they elope.The use of realistic setting thus emphasises the life lived by the proletarians. Juxtaposition is likewise applied to the setting. When Joe visits Susan, he is amazed by the huge house, which consists of the long halls, partitioned rooms, and the big lawn. Servants are available any moment they are needed. This is in full contrast with Alice’s place, which is dark and small. Aside from setting, the behaviour of the characters likewise mimics the ways of the working class.For instance, cigarette smoking is used vehemently throughout the film, giving impression of the start of the â€Å"new wave† era (Wickham, n. d. ), although such practices may be deemed destructive of the image of the working class. Li kewise, the affair between workers despite being committed is also hinted on, which reveals the low regard for morality of the said social class. Furthermore, the Alice’s fate at the end also reveals the proletarian’s lack of strength to face reality, the tendency to be alcoholic, and the low self-esteem amongst them.In contrast, the ways of the bourgeois are seen in better light. They are dressed neatly on each occasion; specifically, Susan’s mother shows modesty by the way she behaves and carries herself even whilst at home, whilst Susan shows coyness towards Joe. However, the proletarians are pictured with more social dynamics than their counterpart. This is seen as Soemes introduces Joe to their officemates. Everyone, despite their positions in the company, welcomes Joe with glee, whilst Susan’s suitor intimidates him.During the party where Joe and Susan meet again, the guests seated with the Browns look at Joe with contempt, after finding out that he does not belong to their social circle. In sum, whilst the proletarians are depicted as misguided and weak, the bourgeois are seen as virulent and vile. The monotonous music that the director employs does not entirely affect the whole of the film, yet it helps highlight important scenes such as the introduction, the falling in love and break up between Joe and Alice, the news about Alice’s death, the wedding, etc.Likewise, the actors’ costumes, which are limited to office and home settings, depict the simplicity of the people in the 50s. The director’s effort to make everything look realistic, from the setting, the costumes, the love scenes, the dialogues to the props, allows the viewers to see the film in a realistic perspective. Moreover, the plot structure, which shows the dilemma of a man in choosing between the woman he loves but cannot possess and the woman who merely attracts her but is prepared to be his wife, adds to the realism of the film.The only el ement that seems irrelevant yet not impossible is the time when Joe encounters the mob just before his wedding. This scene is irrelevant to the plot, but may have been added to achieve catharsis. Since Joe is the cause of Alice’s accidental death, he is made to pay for what he does before he marries Susan. Despite the irrelevance of the mob scene to the plot, it nevertheless presents other aspects of the proletarians.As depicted in the film, the men that beat Joe are not scavengers; rather, they are working men, considering the way they are dressed up. Based on this scene, the proletarians in the British society are pictured as ruthless just like the bourgeois who would buy off people’s freedom in order to make their daughter happy. As Joe decides to leave Alice for Susan, the film once again shows that in the face of struggle between the two classes, it is usually those in the upper class that emerge as the winner, leaving behind the poor at the losing end.References Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1848) The manifesto, Available at [Accessed on 23rd July 2009]. Room at the Top (1959) Directed by Jack Clayton, London, British Lion Films [video:DVD]. Strasser, H. & Randall, S. (1981) An introduction to theories of social change. London, Routledge. Wickham, P. (N. d. ). Room at the Top (1958). Available at [Accessed on 23rd July 2009].

Active Listening Essay

Listening requires focus and attention, and failure to listen is one of the key causes of miscommunication (Sole, K. (Chapter 2, 2011).Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc). I think at some point in time everyone has been guilty of believing that they knew someone better than they actually did. When we assume we know all there is to know about a friend or a loved one, I believe that we unknowingly stop listening to them. One perfect example of this would be my best friend Carla and I. Carla and I have known each other for many years, we were friends in High school, roommates in college and godparents to one another’s children, so one would naturally think that we knew each other VERY well. One year for Carla’s birthday she asked me to make her a cake, and obviously I agreed. The day of her birthday celebration I arrived with the cake and presented it to her, only to have her wind up extremely unhappy. Carla was under the impression that she had specified she wanted her favorite cake, which happened to be strawberry, but she did not, had she specified she wanted me to make a strawberry cake I would have declined because i am extremely allergic to strawberries, if I consume them I’m nauseated if I touch them I break out in a sever rash. Even after Realizing that she had not requested a strawberry cake she remained upset claiming that as her best friend I should have known she wanted me to make a specific cake and I remained upset because I felt like she either didn’t know or didn’t care about my allergies and as a friend neither of those options were ok. At some point we were able to realize that we failed each other. Had we communicated with one another we could have avoided an unnecessary fight. One way we could have avoided our misunderstanding would have been to actually say exactly what we wanted each other to know, Carla could have asked for what she wanted from me instead of assuming that since I know how much she loves strawberries, that I’d be making a strawberry cake  and I could have asked more questions about what she wanted rather than assume that because she knows my allergies she knew I wouldn’t be making her favorite cake. Another way to avoid that type of situation is to actually listen and focus on the conversation that you’re having. This is where I think active listening comes into play. We weren’t intentionally ignoring each other but I think that our long-term friendship and assumption about how well we knew each other caused us to only listen partly as opposed to completely. In the future I fully intend to be an active listener and completely engage myself in discussions that I have. References: Sole, K. (2011).Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc Active Listening Essay Active listening is one of the most rewarding skill sets that I have learned from the lesson because it has really contributed to my personal growth and my professional lives. Active listening skills refer to the skill of being fully present when you are in a conversation with someone. Very often when we are in a conversation, we are not paying any attention to what the person is saying. We are just waiting for our turn to talk. We are actually having a conversation in our own heads while the person is talking to us. It is when we are not â€Å"present† in a conversation. Before I realized the importance of active listening, the most important thing in a conversation was that people understood what I was trying to share with them. Meaning that my perspective was the most important thing in a conversation and that they had to understand me. And what I learned over the lesson, was that the best way to nurture a relationship was actually to stop caring about people understanding my point. This lesson reminds me that each of us had different experiences, we grow up with different believes, different values, different rules. And how we think and how we view everything that goes on around us are always filtered based on the environment we grew up. Throughout the lesson, I had many opportunities to practice my active listening skills by actively participating in the class discussions. After completed the lesson, I would not say I am an excellent listener, but I definitely feel that I am a better listener. I find myself paying more attention to the speaker and interpreting his/her non-verbal cues, showing that I am listening by probing and providing feedback and clarifying by asking questions. By listen closely, I am able to gain more information about what the person is sharing and to find things that peak my interest. When the person is done with the sharing, I will ask them about what that peaked my interest and let the person respond. By doing so, I am able to understand their point of view and to see things from their perspective. I will not interrupt when the person is speaking as I know that interruption always limit my ability to connect. Improving active listening skills will enable me to reshape my ideas about myself, my beliefs, and everything that are important to me. From now on, I will remind myself to be fully present and fully aware of what others are saying, instead of feeling the urge to find what I am thinking of and what my response is going to be. I will try the best I can to get rid of thinking on my own perspective and to do everything I can to understand the other person’s point of view and make them my priority.

Intro to Chicano Studies

David E. Dominguez April 21, 2013 ECC RM 169 Introduction to Chicano Studies Midterm Have you ever noticed the numerous similarities between you and your peers? No? Perhaps the way you speak upon one another, the tone, maybe the diction, or even the syntax of your voice can all be apart of ones culture. However, communication is only one of the very many key elements when taking in and digesting the term, ‘Culture’ along with its eclectic and widespread meaning.Now, when I say, â€Å"take in and digest†, I simply am referring to act of embracing and understanding the complete meaning of the word and its effect on our everyday life. Many professionals such as Anthropologist, Doctors, Psychologist, Economist and many more Scientist have their own definition of what culture may be, as well as your regular neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and even teachers. So why is this measly word so important?Well figure this, there is only one race everything else is culture, h ere in the United States of America we are what is defined as a multi-cultural society, nationwide. This means that within our country resign many different ways of life, entertainment, appearance, language, social classes, and even many deaths due to disease, thus resulting in a grand amount of what are called cultural clashes.Categorized as conscious and unconscious, these confrontations have an enormous effect on our civilization. Culture is an essential part of conflict and conflict resolution. Cultures are like underground rivers that run through our lives and relationships, giving us messages that shape our perceptions, attributions, judgments, and ideas of self and other. Though cultures are powerful, they are often unconscious, influencing conflict and attempts to resolve conflict in imperceptible ways.In other words, there are many circumstances in which these types of conflicts are in a sense, uncontrollable, meaning our regulatory system of life may have been pre-judged, now bare with me here, to my understanding due to my research, cultures are more than language, dress, and food customs. Cultural groups may share race, ethnicity, or nationality, but they also arise from cleavages of generation, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, ability and disability, political and religious affiliation, language, and gender- nd this just to call upon a few. There are also very many theories to this term, culture. For example, The Resource Pot defines culture as mutual adaption of diversity in life, also as respect and celebrated diversity. On the other hand, the concept and theory of The Salad Bowl reveals another meaning to culture, such as acculturation, acculturation is when two or more cultures come into psychological, physical, or even environmental contact and begin to alter their original customs to further adapt to that in which they have discovered.This theory also reads that this part of culture is â€Å"color blind†, not literally of cour se but symbolically, towards race and ethnicity. Lastly there is the theory of The Melting Pot, which is a more assertive and aggressive form of acculturation, in which the dominant of the two cultures will succeed and overthrow, if you will. This particular theory also portrays the word Ethnocentrism. This is the act of judging ones culture based upon your own cultures’ ways and or beliefs.Emic and Etic are terms used by anthropologists and other social scientists referring to two different types of data collected on human behavior. Often used by cultural anthropologists, an â€Å"emic† point of view is one where the analysis of behavioral and cultural systems is defined in terms that are meaningful to the individual who is a participant within that culture, also known as an â€Å"insider's view†. The emic perspective arises from the participant of the culture being observed.Now, the Etic point of view is which comes from the â€Å"outsiders† of the part icular culture in which is being observed. In a comparison, the Etic perspective is used if the representations are in accord with scientific observers. The etic perspective employs a more logical, analytical and anthropological analysis of one who does not participate in the cultural that is being observed. However, despite any differences between these two perspectives, and due to my educational research, anthropologists agree that any ethnographic work ought to be represented using both the emic and etic views.To fully understand a culture, anthropologists must be able to understand the culture empathetically and scientifically. The two approaches build off one another and allow for a wider understanding of culture. Also, there are many elements in which may influence ones social and personal behaviors/identity as well as their mentality and psychological judgment or comprehension. Just to point out a few- life experiences, environment, personal choices, and Adversity†¦ erso nally, I believe you have to give back to those more in need to fully understand who you are as a person, in today’s society it is a â€Å"give me all about me† society and the more you give the more you gain as an individual and the more you grow and develop your own genuine not manufactured characteristics. Yes, I said manufactured characteristics, believe it or not but people are many times shaped and formed into who they are due to what they watch or see on the television screen or from what they hear on the radio stations, even within our children, its an epidemic.The mentality of the youth in any community as well as anywhere else across the globe, is very gullible and vulnerable. For instance, I observe the television shows on the Disney Channel that my four year old, soon to be five year old little sister watches, and I have learned that in each showing there is constant affectionate and loving relationships between young boys and girls. Now although it is port rayed as humor and may seem completely innocent, it makes me wonder how this will effect my baby in the future, along with the sexual and intimate lyrics played both on the radio stations and at home.I feel that the media contributes to the epidemic of pregnancy in young women now a days. That is just one personal opinion of observation from my perspective as an older brother as well as a young Chicano. I have come across these connections between Disney Channel’s young affairs, the radio stations, and the epidemic of pregnancy through my own personal experiences and visualizations of the youth in my family and across the city. My theory goes on much more into depth but lets stay on topic.The media is only another element in which may influence ones identity; another involves the environment, the habitat, and the beings all around the individual. When we enter the world we enter naked physically, socially, and culturally. Unlike other living creatures humans need social exper ience to learn their culture and survive. Only humans rely on culture rather than instincts to ensure the survival of their kind. The natural thing to humans is to create culture. Culture has to be learned it is not apart of a biological make up; but our biological make up makes culture possible.We as humans do not inherit habits and beliefs we acquire them during the course of social experiences. We come into this life without a language, social class, values, morals, religion, race, we do not even know how to love or hate. It is through human contact that people learn to become members of the human community. Culture is the values, beliefs, behaviors, and materials that form the way of life for humans. Culture interprets our surroundings for us and gives us meaning and allows us to express ourselves.To learn any culture is to learn a person’s values, ideas and of what is desirable in life. Values underline or preferences, guides or choices, indicate what we hold worthwhile in life. Values help define the character of a culture, but it does not provide specific courses of actions. Without any morals or values in life there is no culture, and once again, without culture what is life? What is the point of life without Culture? Without Culture life would be meaningless and boring, I think it is an extraordinary craft to learn ones culture who differs from you.