Historical Perspective of Changyu Wine Company

Ynatai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Limited is a Chinese wine company that produces and sells wine, brandy and tonic wine in the Chinese market as well as other international markets.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Perspective of Changyu Wine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company was established in 1892 and remains the largest and oldest wine producing company in the Chinese market. The cumulative wine output is estimated to be 80,000 tons annually (Changyu 3). The company has a 21 percent of the Chinese wine market share. Sales Volumes Amid the global recession experienced in 2007-2009, ChangYu was ranked by a Canadian research firm among the few wine companies that beat the financial odds to improve their market shares in foreign markets as well as earn a more strategic place in the global wine market (CN wine news (a) 2). In the period between January and November 2008, the volumes o f wine sales in the Chinese wine market registered a 32.9 percent increase (CN wine news (a) 3). In the global market place, Changyu was raked in the seventh place after attaining $890 million in 2008. Wine enterprises that came before it included Constellation brands ($ 3358.8million), EJ Gallo ($3080 million), Foste’s Group ($1667.9 million), Castel-Freres ($980 million) and the Wine group ($910 Million). Earlier in 2007, Changyu had attained the 10th ranking in the global market, and was ranked at 79th place among the largest Chinese companies in the local market. At the time, the sales revenue for the wine company was approximately 27 billion Yuan. Still, this was way below what market analysts believed a global wine company should have in terms of sales revenue. Changyu’s general Manager said that the company was targeting attaining annual sales revenue of at least $ 1.5 billion annually (CN wine news (a) 11). To do this however, the company acknowledged that it w ould need to increase its production, adopt better sales techniques and move to newer markets.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Products Some of the wine brands that have great sales potential include the 4 chateaus brand and the Jiebaina Brand. The latter registered 1,600 tones of sales in 2007, consequently earning the company 700 million Yuan, which translated to 40 percent of the total Changyu revenue in the same year. Overall, the company has products in the wine category, brandy, sparkling wine and healthy liquor (China daily 1). Number of Stores In China, Changyu has at least one distribution outlet in each province. The outlets sell wine and other products manufactured by Changyu to wholesalers only. The wholesalers on the other hand are mandated to deal with retailers, who sell the products to the consumers. In the export market, Changyu has distribution networks in over 20 countries. The largest exporters of the company’s products include the United States, Netherlands, Thailand, Belgium and Singapore among other countries. Between 2001 and 2007, Changyu had only four wineries in New Zealand, Beijing and two provinces of Shandong and Liaoning (Underwood 5). The company promoted these wineries at wine culture clubs and eventually managed to get more consumers to come aboard. This was in line with the â€Å"4+1† strategy that the company had earlier adopted. The strategy involved opening four chateaus and developing a single core product. In most chateaus that came up after the initial trial, the Jiebaina was the core product that was promoted (Underwood 4). Changyu increased its distribution network by employing more people in its sales team. Jenster (cited by Underwood 4) notes that in 1989, the company had only three sales people. In 2006 however, the company had a record 1500 sales people. In 2008, the company was working with a web of wholesalers throughout China to distribute its products to 3,000 nationwide retail outlets. In 2009, Yan reported that Changyu had adopted a vertical distribution in 2002 with the aim of addressing some of the challenges that the company faced with powerful distributors (11).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Perspective of Changyu Wine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With such distribution, the company was able to break down the control of sale terminals from the distributors and give the control back to the company. Changyu did this by sending regional sale representatives to the main sales regions. The action to send the sale representatives to specific regions weakened the power that distributors had on the company’s products and consequently helped the company to achieve control of all the terminals in its sales networks. Yan reports that this approach enhanced distribution of the company products and also improved sales (10). In a report filed by CCTV in 2006, Changyu’s General Manager was quoted as saying that the company had constructed a distribution network in more than 40 regions and countries in preparation to rolling out an international brand. â€Å"We will purchase wineries in Australia, France and Italy when the right time comes† Hongjiang (quoted by CCTV broadcast 3). In 2008, Changyu invested 200 million Yuan in promotional activities of the Jiebaina Brand. The company also put up a new product line for the brand and also improved its manufacturing technology (Yan 3). Overall Industry Context Changyu’s performance since its return to the active market in 1989 has been a story of one success after another. Its â€Å"4+1† strategy has worked well with the consumer to restore the Chinese confidence in their locally brewed wines. The winning of a court battle in 2007 in order to retain the Brand name â€Å"Jiebain a† for its red wine had positive outcomes for the company, because the Chinese had come to associate the â€Å"Jiebaina† brand (although different wine brewers used the name for their red wines) as an authentic Chinese brand.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Relationship with marketing In the Chinese Market, Wine is categorised as a fast moving consumer product. Changyu’s main competitors in the Chinese market are: Dynasty and Great Wall. According to CN wine news (a), Dynasty and Great Wall concentrate their marketing activities on restaurant channels (12). Chang Yu on the other hand markets 55 percent of its products to the retail market. Statistics on China’s wine marketing trends indicate that restaurants account for 51 percent of the market share, while retail channels account for 49 percent of the market share. From this statistics, it is therefore apparent that the Dynasty and Great Wall concentrate their marketing efforts on the 51 percent market share (which they have to share), while ChangYu concentrates on the 49 percent market share represented by the retail outlets. The retail outlets gives the marketing department in ChangYu quite a number of marketing platforms since the retail channels comprise of supermark ets independent food shops and specialty shops (Yan 12). Like every other fast moving consumer product, there must be an existing good working relationship between sales and marketing in Changyu. This is especially so because sales usually depends on the amount of efforts that the marketing department puts in place. In Beijing for example, CN wine news (b) notes that Changyu faces stiff competition not only from the main competitors mentioned elsewhere in this essay, but also from small wineries which sell their products at relatively low costs (4). In spite of the competition however, the sales for Changyu products have remained constant over the years especially in the restaurants and retail outlets. To uphold this, the marketing department in the company have had to enter into an agreement with Donghaixinye Trading Co., which is responsible for the placement of Changyu’s two brands (Cabernet and Castel) in Beijing (Styles 4). In this market, this action by the marketing te am has enabled the sales department to record 35 million Yuan in the Beijing’s 800 people high end market and 45 million Yuan in the middle and low income target market. Changyu’s preference within the Beijing market is rated at 35 percent, something that is credited to the marketing efforts by the company towards placing its products more strategically in the highly competitive market. CN wine news (b) further reports that Changyu has taken advantage of the Chinese high patriotism, which means that most people prefer local wines than imported wines (4). Since Cabernet and Castel are two of its brands that target the high-end market, Changyu specifically markets such in high end hotels in major towns where the wealthy Chinese patrons frequent. To beat competition, Changyu like other players in the wine sector also carries out promotions and sells consumption packages at reduced costs during holidays (Wine China 2). The wide range of wine and alcoholic beverages, Changy u is able to tap into both the brand –conscious consumer market that attaches quality to the specific brands, and the price-conscious consumer market, which is easily swayed by prices and promotions. According to CN wine news (b), majority of the middle-class and low income earners falls in the latter category. Incidentally, any market player intent at selling volumes has to focus their marketing efforts on this category of buyers, since the majority of the population in china are middle income earners (16). Market statistics indicate that young people who have fewer commitments in life, and have just entered the job market are more willing to spend money on entertainment. Compared to the senior citizens, CN wine news (b) notes that wine selling at 250 to 300 Yuan has more appeal with the young population, while the senior citizens tend to prefer wine priced between 10-35 Yuan. Middle aged wine drinkers on the hand prefer wine priced between 40 and 60 Yuan (45-52). Developmen ts in China’s Wine Industry With Changyu being among the three biggest wine makers in the Chinese market, the growth of the wine industry has worked to the company’s advantage. Together with Dynasty and GreatWall, Changyu enjoys 50 percent of the Chinese wine market share. The remaining 50 percent is shared by other local wine makers as well as international wine imports. Collectively, the three leading wine manufacturers (Changyu, Dynasty and GreatWall) earn 67 percent of all profits generated in the industry (China Business Intelligence 6). According to China Trade Gateway, the Chinese wine markets has started experiencing the positive effects of a booming economy, where a considerable number of the population acquires purchasing power and are hence able to spend on consumption patterns which were previously seen as a preserve of the rich (1). In addition to consumers purchasing alcohol for purposes of using the same at home, the increased entertainment venues which serve wine as one of the main alcoholic beverages is another consideration that will enlarge the wine market in the country (Styles 3). Being one of the large wine companies in the company, the recent trends can only mean better sales for Changyu. Critical Evaluation Changyu’s selling approaches is seen to be serving the company’s interests well so far. The company seems to have a clear target market for each of its products and also seems to have a strategic position in the market. While the company has some of the premium wines meant for the high end market, it seems to recognise that volume of sales in a business do matter and have hence designed specific products to cater for the emerging middle class income earners. The court battle won against other wine makers over the trademark of the name â€Å"Jiebaina† seems to be working well so far. Before winning this court case, which will eventually mean that Changyu is the only company that trades its red wine u nder the Jiebaina label, the name was used as an antonym for red wine (Underwood 8). The effect of the sole ownership on the red wine brand manufactured by Changyu will most probably be an increase in the sale volume of this specific brand of wine. Reports by the CN wine news (a) indicate that apart from the Chinese people buying local made wines out of patriotism, they also consume red wine more due to related health benefits (45). The recognition of the wine maker in international wine circles also means that its products can now target an international market just like other international wine makers do. Luckily for the company, the wine quality seems to be satisfying both the domestic and international markets meaning that product quality is one of the company’s strong marketing strategies. Conclusion In most consumer products, sales are a direct resultant of marketing, whereby the right product is sold to a specific market at the price most appropriate for that market. H ow a product is branded or packaged and promoted also contributes significantly to the volume of sales that a product attains in a competitive market. Other factors that affect sales include product placement and distribution. By placing the product in outlets where the intended consumer can easily see and purchase the same, the product manufacturer is more likely to register increased sales. For Changyu, the distribution in the Chinese market looks like a well thought strategy that not only makes the products available to the mass market, but also one that seals any loopholes that may create dependence on the distributors. Overall, Changyu sales continued on an upward trend even in the middle of the recession. This could only mean that either the quality is extremely good that people still bought even when the economic times were hard, or that the marketing of the products still continued irrespective of the recession. A third alternative would be that the target market Changyuâ₠¬â„¢s products were not as severely affected by the recession like other people were. Whatever the case, it is evident that Changyu made profits when other companies (especially) in other sectors were complaining about reduced consumerism. Works Cited CCTV broadcast. Construct Global Distribution Network, Create International Brand. July 2006. 23 March 2010. http://www.changyu.com.cn/english/history/news0001.asp?id=1000000328 ChangYu. Getting Better with Age. Dec. 2004. 23 March 2010. http://www.changyu.com.cn/english/history/news0001.asp?ID=1000000406 China Business Intelligence. China’s Wine Industry development and Import Analysis (Part 1): Bright prospects for China’s Wine Market. Dec. 2008. 22 March 2010. http://chinabizintel.com/industry-updates/chinas-wine-industry-development-and-import-analysis-part-1.html China Daily. The predicts for Chinese wine industry of 2008. Feb. 2009. 23 March 2010. http://www.winechinaexhibition.com/en/news2.html CN wine news (a). Wi ne sales of Changyu Jumped to No. 7 in the World. April. 2007. 22 March 2010. http://www.cnwinenews.com/html/200904/7/20090407083054.htm CN wine news (b). China’s Wine Industry development and import Analysis. May 2009. 23 March 2010. http://www.cnwinenews.com/html/200907/28/20090728162702.htm Styles, Oliver. China to become leading wine producer? Decanter Newsletter. May 2008. 22 March 2010. http://www.decanter.com/news/255843.html Underwood, Laurie. Winning Strategic case 1: Up the price ladder with Changyu: China’s Oldest wine producer moves upscale, heads offshore. Dec. 2009. 23 March 2010. http://www.ceibs.edu/link/latest/22323_2.shtml Wine China. Changyu. Dec. 2008. 24 March 2010. http://www.winechina.com/en/brands/chy01.asp This essay on Historical Perspective of Changyu Wine Company was written and submitted by user Harmony J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

All About Geography Questions and Answers

All About Geography Questions and Answers While the word geography is derived from Greek and literally means to write about the earth, the subject of geography is much more than describing foreign places or memorizing the names of capitals and countries. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand the world - Â  its human and physical features - through an understanding of place and location. Geographers study where things are and how they got there. My favorite definitions for geography are the bridge between the human and physical sciences and the mother of all sciences. Geography looks at the spatial connection between people, places, and the earth. How Is Geography Different from Geology? Many people have an idea of what a geologist does but dont have any idea of what a geographer does. While geography is commonly divided into human geography and physical geography, the difference between physical geography and geology is often confusing. Geographers tend to study the surface of the earth, its landscapes, its features, and why they are where they are. Geologists look deeper into the earth than do geographers and study its rocks, the internal processes of the earth (such as plate tectonics and volcanoes), and study periods of earth history many millions and even billions of years ago. How Does One Become a Geographer? An undergraduate (college or university) education in geography is an important beginning to becoming a geographer. With a bachelors degree in geography, a geography student can begin working in a variety of fields. While many students begin their career after achieving an undergraduate education, others continue on. A masters degree in geography is very helpful for the student who desires to teach at the high school or community college level, to be a cartographer or GIS specialist, of work in business or government. A doctorate in geography (Ph.D.) is necessary if one wishes to become a full professor at a university. Although, many Ph.D.s in geography continue on to form consulting firms, become administrators in government agencies, or attain high-level research positions in corporations or think-tanks. The best resource for learning about colleges and universities that offer degrees in geography is the annual publication of the Association of American Geographers, the Guide to Programs in Geography in the United States and Canada. What Does a Geographer Do? Unfortunately, the job title of geographer is not often found in companies or government agencies (with the most notable exception of the U.S. Census Bureau). However, more and more companies are recognizing the skill that a geographically-trained individual brings to the table. Youll find many geographers working as planners, cartographers (map makers), GIS specialists, analysis, scientists, researchers, and many other positions. Youll also find many geographers working as instructors, professors, and researchers at schools, colleges, and universities. Why Is Geography Important? Being able to view the world geographically is a fundamental skill for everyone. Understanding the connection between the environment and people, geography ties together diverse sciences as geology, biology, and climatology with economics, history, and politics based on location. Geographers understand conflict around the world because so many factors are involved. Who Are the Fathers of Geography? The Greek scholar Eratosthenes, who measured the circumference of the earth and was the first to use the word geography, is commonly called the father of geography. Alexander von Humboldt is commonly called the father of modern geography and William Morris Davis is commonly called the father of American geography. How Can I Learn More About Geography? Taking geography courses, reading geography books, and, of course, exploring this site are great ways to learn. You can increase your geographic literacy of places around the world by getting a good atlas, such as Goodes World Atlas and use it to look up unfamiliar places anytime you encounter them while reading or watching the news. Before long, youll have a great knowledge of where places are. Reading travelogues and historical books can also help improve your geographic literacy and understanding of the world - Â  theyre some of my favorite things to read. What Is the Future of Geography? Things are looking up for geography! More and more schools across the United States are offering or requiring geography be taught at all levels, especially high school. The introduction of the Advanced Placement Human Geography course in high schools in the 2000-2001 school year increased the number of college-ready geography majors, thus increasing the numbers of geography students in undergraduate programs. New geography teachers and professors are needed in all areas of the educational system as more students begin learning geography. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) has become popular in many different disciplines and not just geography. The career opportunities for geographers with technical skills, especially in the area of GIS, is excellent and should continue to grow.

Describe the factors that influence the cost of maintenance. Are any Essay

Describe the factors that influence the cost of maintenance. Are any factors more important then others Why - Essay Example Of the above mentioned factors the most important factor is the quality of systems design. Creating a well documented system allows all other aspects of the systems to be traceable and with complete evidence. Hence any latent issue or technical issue that might come up can be easily resolved. Also, all the communication and messages are more accurately sent to the intended users. Although the development of strong and quality system documentation can prove to be an expensive and time consuming task, this allows the other possible issues in the future to be resolved more easily and fast, which thereby lead to reduced maintenance costs (Hoffer, George and Valacich). Quality documentation also allows upgrades and changes to be made more easily and any person with proper knowledge of the platform on which the system operates can use the documentation to maintain the system

Production and operations Management Assignment

Production and operations Management - Assignment Example In addition, crude oil is also used for wide varieties of other purposes. The fractional distillation of gasoline produces an output known as gasoline. Gasoline is mainly used as fuel in internal combustion engines. Gasoline is traded in regional market; whereas, crude oil is the part of global market. Generally, the price of a commodity increases as demand increases (there are some exceptions to this rule) (Oxford). Since crude oil is a non-renewable energy source, its demand will not fall regardless of its price variation. Hence, when the demand for crude oil increases, its price also increases. Crude oil prices have a direct impact on the gasoline prices as crude is the major raw material used in the production of gasoline and other petroleum products. â€Å"Crude oil accounts for 55% of the price of gasoline while distribution and taxes influence the remaining 45 %† (Mazeel, 2010, pp.106-107). To illustrate, one barrel of crude oil contains 42 gallons of oil. If the price for one barrel of crude oil is $75, raw material worth $1.78 is required to produce a gallon of gasoline. This figure does not include transportation and other process charges. In total, when the global demand for crude oil increases, there will be a proportional increase in the retail price of gasoline also. When the global crude oil production is decreased by 10%, the crude oil supply might fall and this situation would probably result in a rise in crude oil price. Under such circumstances, domestic oil retailers may be forced to raise their prices in order to avoid loss. If Marathon adopts effective business strategies, the company may keep the price at the pump the same without losing profits even in times of a decline in global crude oil production. In order to achieve this goal, the Marathon has to acquire materials at reduced rate by researching different markets because a decrease in cost of production is

NonProfit Management Case Study Essay Example for Free

NonProfit Management Case Study Essay Introduction The civil society has taken a very active role in the quest for democracy that continues to spread across the continents till it reached the Middle East region only recently. This is clear given the successive revolts that have taken place in many of the Arab countries calling for real democracy. Therefore, especially in Egypt, efforts should be directed toward defending civil society organizations and activists who are being threatened by the coercive authoritarian government actions over the past decades (Naidoo, 2007). The civil society as identified by Khallaf (2010) comprises â€Å"non-governmental organizations (NGOs hereafter), community groups, professional associations, trade unions, media organizations, research institutes/ think tanks, and advocacy and human rights civil society organizations† (p. 2). However, the current paper aims at focusing mainly on the role of NGOs in strengthening democracy. This is due to the major role NGOs play in several areas in order to enhance democracy. Among these are their role in: (1) allowing a wider range of interest groups to have a ‘voice’, pluralizing institutions to act in a ‘watchdog’ role vis-a-vis the state, networking and creating alliances of civic actors to place pressure on the state, (2) working with grassroots organizations comprised of poor and marginalized groups, and (3) exerting some pressures on the state by pressing for change and developing alternative policies (Mercer, 2002). Previous Studies of civil society in Egypt, over the past twenty years, have been both superficial and confined to only limited areas, namely (issue based publications, academic publications, training materials/ manuals, directories, conference publications, empirical comparative studies, civil society organizations’ (CSOs) publications, donor guide books and publications, CSOs coalitions occasional papers, evaluation studies, and web based sources) (Khallaf, 2010). (Figure: 1). Figure : The diversity of civil society research in Egypt Therefore, more detailed studies should be directed toward deeply investigating the civil society organizations operating in Egypt. Khallaf (2010) has mentioned that more research has been directed recently to track the actual magnitude of civil society through donor efforts in Egypt. However, the literature has pointed to serious gaps in the study of NGOs in Egypt. These include; First: Updated statistical information on number of NGOs. Second: The systematic evaluation of NGOs activities. Third: periodic assessments such as the CIVICUS or Civil Society Index and the Philanthropy study. Forth: studying participatory governance and the involvement of civil society in decision making processes. Fifth: changing Laws and regulations governing NGOs in Egypt. Sixth: An impact assessment of all new NGOs working in charity or development. Seventh: an assessment of aid effectiveness to Egypt (Khallaf, 2010). Finally: a detailed diagnosis of the NGOs operating in Egypt is needed. This should focus on both internal and external analyses of the selected NGOs and provide policy recommendations for possible improvements in the sector. The current paper attempts to draw light on how the civil society operates in Egypt. A well recognized Egyptian NGO was selected in this ethnographic research. It is called the Future Protectors Association for Care and Development or â€Å"Homat Al-Mostakbal†. The reason behind selecting it is the higher credibility and the good reputation it is enjoying. This is quite well perceived by the researcher based on her personal experience with this association. The current research can add valuable insights both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, it attempts to cover few of the gaps mentioned about the civil society research in developing countries and Egypt in particular. Practically, proposed recommendations can serve as strategic agendas for improving the performance of the selected NGO in particular and the entire NGO sector in general. The current paper is organized as follows; the first section will provide detailed information about association’s background. This will be followed by the analysis section which would sum up the major facts collected about the association. The analysis is based on qualitative in-depth interviewing1 conducted with five key persons in the association including its founder. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are presented, to guide future research directions, at the conclusion part here later. Background Future protectors association for care and development (homat al mostakbal) is one of the well known non-governmental organizations in Egypt. It is located at 425 Avenue Road, Roushdy, Alexandria, Egypt. It is a group of young people who work in the field of developmental work and volunteerism in for a better future and a true renaissance to Egypt. It serves in the great Cairo area and some other governorates including; Alexandria, Dakahleya, Gharbeya, Menoufeya, and others. It was originally founded on the 2nd of Novermber, 2004 by Eng. El-Dreiny and his daughter engineer Marwa El-Dreiny. It was mainly founded seeking community development. The vision of the association is to be one of the largest civil society organizations working in the field and leading the areas of development, community care, and voluntary work in Egypt and the Arab world by year 2020. The mission of the association is the development and care of the community through several dimensions including; raising the general level of education and the development of production philosophy, increasing awareness of drug taking problems, providing health awareness, raising the cultural level of young people, and providing a variety of social services. These are to be achieved while taking into account the mastery of work and commitment to the principles of ethics and team work cooperation. The primary objectives to fulfill the pre-mentioned vision and mission include the following; Providing guidance and better utilizing the power of potential volunteers in various activities of the association and developing their skills while strengthening their moral values. Increasing the awareness of community members about the dangers of drugs and training of cadres for different age groups. In addition to providing technical support to partners and trainers in the field of awareness against the dangers of addiction and drug. Training community members by spreading the production thinking and helping youth and poor families in establishing small craft projects to supply industries with high quality products at competitive prices. Providing social services (in kind physical technical) and the work projects for poor families, orphans, deaf and dumb cases. Developing different segments of the society, especially children and young people both culturally and scientifically. This would entitle them to acquire new skills, open their horizons to different lives, and raise the level of education among the educated classes with aim of bringing progress and prosperity to the society in large. The major values of the association comprise the following; Intentions precede action Our basic principles are our main priority. Understanding the priorities and giving a high commitment to them. Mastering our work. Best employing our resources. Our clients are our core interest. Team work spirit. Commitment to a safe environment. The association is registered under the old NGO law. This entitles the association to be under the scrutiny and supervision of the Directorate of Social Affairs. Here is the copy of the registration certificate. Figure : Formal Registration Certificate The association tries as much to manage its institutional memory. This can be manifested in the form of reports including information about what happened in the past. Other reports are prepared for each activity and collected annually to be archived and documented for each committee. Also, there are few attempts to record religious seminars and cultural meetings either video or audio. Sometimes the association registers the campaigns to serve the new members by providing them with information about the work flavor. These tentative mechanisms are aimed at saving association heritage of knowledge and transfer it to the future generations who would complete the mission. The organization chart of the association was revised recently. There are intentions to modify it also however some limitations hinder this at the current period. The chart is decomposed into the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the Chairmen of the various Committees the Vice Chairmen of the various Committees -who are appointed by the administration according to experience and seniority- the executive management including Secretary, the financial management. There were areas for development and the last updated organization chart was reproduced recently in 2011. The association was built on the basis of predominantly volunteerism however; there are 17 formal employees who are getting paid monthly. There are mainly three managers; executive, financial, and legal affairs. Staff members do not perform overlapping roles, instead there is a clearly specified job description for each single role. This would allow the upper management to apply a strict accountability procedures based on assigned responsibilities. The association is able to deal smoothly with the threat of losing any/all staff member(s). Sometimes, the operations of a highly specialized department, which loses a key staff member, can be postponed until the appointment of a new person. However, in the key roles like secretarial work, work cannot be stopped and duties can be referred to any interested volunteer. The collectivity and shared team working spirit that characterize the association enable it to face sudden problems of this sort. The association is having a board of directors. It is composed of 9 members, 1/3 of them are dropped during each nomination period. The nomination is made for 6 upcoming years. It is preferred to nominate persons with strong public relations to offer some facilities and those who have the expertise and strong knowledge about association’s policies. The association is membership based. There are different types of members including volunteers, affiliated, and working member. The membership status is documented only for continuing members who are then entitled to receive a formal membership card. Members pay a symbolic annual fee of about 20 pounds which represents one of the financial resources received by the association. The following chart represents the progress that has occurred in association’s membership from 2004 to 2008. In 2010, the number of volunteers has reached 4000. Figure : The number of volunteers The following chart represents the geographic allocation of volunteers across the different governorates. Figure : The geographic allocation of volunteers The social and economic background of the members is diverse. Majority of members are classified to be from the middle to upper middle social class. They are almost well educated having a clear intent toward the importance of charity and development societal roles in their country. They have strong religious understandings which enable them to volunteer their efforts for the sake of making others happy while earning credits (thawab) and pleasing the only god (ALLAH). The association has completed a huge number of successful projects2 and some of which are seasonal. The seasonal projects include distributing El Kheir bags and Ramadan lamps. It is planning to undertake some continuous projects not to be owned by the association but by encouraging the youth to execute them and the association can be a partner by 10%. Attached here below in the appendices is a list of the projects and activities the association is involved in. The primary beneficiaries of the association are; Volunteers, university students, school children, widowed women, poor families, knowledge seekers, patients, orphans, and the elderly at large. The association is not specifying a certain population to focus on serving. Activities are therefore not based on the coverage of a particular area, but they are tailored to achieve certain goals across the various geographic segments. 3 The association has unique policy for recruiting both members and staff. For the former, recruitment is based on the real intention to perform volunteer work. For the latter, recruitment is based on the exact mission to be completed within the functional department the potential candidate will join. The association views the current recruitment policy to be an effective one. Therefore, there are no plans to change its policy during the current period. The ratio of association’s founders to its members is roughly estimated to be 10%. Taking into considerations that the number of registered volunteers is roughly 4000, only 100-200 of them are active ones. The association depends on a self financing scheme. Majority of funds come from membership fees, donations (in cash or in kind), and revenues from profit-based committees. There is one company which operates in the field of quality and 75% of its income is transferred to the association. There are some funding projects such as the share the good, CSR, and Ijada company. Only 10% of the directed donations are taken to cover a proportion of administrative expenses but the money of Zakat is kept untouched. The association collects money from Egyptians. The money comes in forms of Zakat, sadakat, and in cash or in kind donations. It utilizes no foreign funding alternatives except for the single initiative with the United Nations. This partnership agreement was made under pressures from Dubai police and entitled the association to receive a fund of $ 10. 000 in order to execute some projects. The association has neither an initial endowment nor an emergency fund. It depended mainly on donations during the initial construction phase. There is a bank account for the association where the money collected from the various sources is being deposited to or withdrew from when necessary. The association does not always profit from most of its projects because they have low profit margins. Some seasonal projects might generate profit like the partnership with Toshiba Company to distribute Ramadan lamps. Donations are considered as part of the revenues. The association uses money coming from donations, sadakat, and the yield of some revenue-based activities. The general overhead costs of the association are estimated roughly to be from 30-40% of the budget. The ways to manage costs to the least possible level include, inducing members to rationalize consumption rates, closely monitoring monthly expenses, rationalizing staff recruitment process, and covering the costs of high telephone bills, hospitality and administrative outlays through collecting in kind donations. The association does not recognize any kind of support offered by the Egyptian government. The old government has provided only some facilities to make agreements with some concerned authorities such as ministries. This was mostly perceived prior to the revolution. However, the picture of the new potential government is still vague and there is no assurance that the new government would adopt a pro-civil society philosophy or not. There are tentative expectations about possible cooperation from the ministry of environment in the future. Analysis Based on the results of the in-depth personal interviews conducted with key persons in the association two types of analysis were made. The following section starts by presenting the first type of analysis which is the SWOT. This will be followed by the PEST analysis. 1. SWOT analysis The association enjoys a number of strength points. These strengths include, but not limited to, the following; a. Strong team spirit is a huge asset, good and efficient management system, good public relations, raising the skills of volunteers through gained experience, and very good reputation perceived by partners and the community at large. b. The presence of strong networks both locally and internationally. Locally with government institutions such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, the Adult Education in Alexandria, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Environment (protocol of cooperation),partnership training with the engineering industries sector TV ITVs affiliated to the Ministry of Industry, Alexandria Biblotecha library (Department of Public Relations and Information), Morkoseya Church, the Food Bank, and the Egyptian (permanent agreement). Internationally, networks with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime in the United Nations, the Dubai Police (working as technical/training consultants to raise awareness of the damages of drug addiction. c. Good coordination with other local and international organizations. Examples include organizing joint training programs with renaissance makers club in Kuwait, the Ministry of Awqaf in Kuwait, the American University of Kuwait, Gulf University, CID in Kuwait and the Ministry of Defense, Union of Arab Doctors (donations to Libya), the office of Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-Awa, Toshiba Arab company and Ocean Express Company and Isam Abu-setta for heavy transport, New Horizons and Xeon, Arab Academy for Science and Technology, University of Pharos, Alexandria University, Cairo University, Helwan University, Ain Shams University, Menoufiya University, Western University , Mansoura University, Assuit University. Alshanek ya Balady Association, Alexandria west investors association, and set your goal association, the future hands Hospital. In addition to cultural partnership cooperation with the Egyptian-Turkish Friendship Association. d. The presence of a strong infrastructure in the main headquarters in Alexandria. It is located in a prestigious location, well furnished, and highly accessible. However it is not a private property and thus imposes the burden of paying high monthly rent. This location is equipped by personal computers, laptops, wireless network, and they have electronic marketing forces empowered by strong specialists in the field. e. The presence of an independent financial management and independent social affairs and legal affairs units whose staff are paid. The recycling project, the specialized teams used in field case studies, the illiteracy teachers, and volunteers. f. The lack of specific religious or political directions and the presence of strong relationships with respectable figures in Alexandria. The inclusion of small associations in the many events organized by the association. Dependence on respectable personalities in providing certain services. g. Partnering with the association provides the partner several privileges and huge returns. A list of those privileges and returns to partners and individuals can be found later in the appendices. The obvious weakness points observed in this association include the following; a. Funding problems (almost self-financing by 99% from members) and the presence of many projects in second row but (senior management has recently begun to train the middle class members to complete these projects and continue the transfer of expertise to their followers). b. There are no integration links between the projects. c. Some personal conflict problems might arise sporadically among members. d. Administrative problems, and lack of strictness and formalization procedures due to a conflict between the role of leader and manager, but they overcome this problem by appointing an executive director. e. Inadequate promotion for the association in the media compared to other competitors. The reasons are mainly to reduce expenses and due to the imposed security restrictions. f. The absence of headquarters in some governorates like Dakahleya and Gharbeya which constitutes a big problem because the teams there are highly specialized and they need the proper setting to grow on it. g. The lack of specialization between the work forces in undertaking the projects. h. Some communication problems were present however, the Human Resources Director has solved them. i. Lack of volunteers and problems with their continuity/tenure. In some cases the volunteer has a desire to see the immediate result of his voluntary work which makes them less patient to continue. Most of the projects carried out by the association have longer term impacts and feasibility. j. Shortage in financial resources and operational tools. The major opportunities, brought from the external environment, facing the association for the time being include the following; a. Activating some agreements with the Union of Arab doctors, the Ministry of Environment, various associations, political awareness teams, in addition to different charitable and awareness-raising teams seeking support from the association in terms of logistics and training. b. A strong deactivated relationship with Al-Jazeera training center which is currently under study. c. The existence of many public figures, associations, and young modest advocates who have neither political nor religious direction. The association can take advantage of their cooperation efforts. d. A number of donors from America, Canada and Morocco who have appeared after the revolution as service volunteers like doctors. e. Localities and the Council of the People elections. This can be achieved by nominating independent members. Any successful nominated member can offer some facilities and services to the association. Also, this will give the chance for the association to be presented as one of the active civil society organizations participating in crafting the new constitution. f. Offering many partnerships to join the association with large well known institutions such as New Horizons, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, and other new companies through exhibitions. Their offered contributions come mainly in the form of donations. g. The existence of promising facilities to complete some strategic projects through governmental entities. h. Reducing some of the strict scrutiny procedures imposed previously by the old government and the security apparatus. i. The expansion and proliferation in the environment of charity work, the launch of various public events and the intense presence of the civil society activities. j. The potential for participation with other unknown may be small, associations to perform some other projects outside the scope of work of the association. This represents the potential for diversification and expansion of work coverage. k. People’s Openness and their new reconciliation with the community with the desire to join the civil society institutions to provide charity services. l. The presence of various finance institutions through which the association can expand its operations scale after getting approvals from concerned authorities. m. The neutrality of the association both politically and religiously is a major strength. It is manifested in attracting bodies of various ideologies either as beneficiaries or participants. These include for example, Morosely Church or El-Azhar in my life project. The major threats or challenges, brought from the external environment, facing the association include the following; a. The societal openness can produce many competitors; some of them are supported by huge funding schemes and are biased toward the fulfillment of certain political religious agendas. b. Security threats to volunteers and the possibility of exposure to risk in places where they provide services. The possibility of being abused by law breakers due to the lack of security in the Egyptian streets mainly after the recent events. c. Exploiting association’s activities for the beneficial interests of others. This is totally rejected. This might impose the threat of diluting the association’s public image. Examples include candidates’ coverage for elections or political support using association’s name and good reputation. d. The presence of some competitors with high media coverage, such as resala. e. The culture of voluntary work is still somehow tentative. The lack of awareness of others about the culture of volunteerism and societal responsibility. f. The necessity to invest in volunteers to improve their skills and derive maximum value out of their participation. g. The unstable economic situation of the Egyptian State. h. The role of the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been hindering the progress of the work of the civil society for long years ago. i. The emergence of the Muslim brotherhood and the ancestors (salaf) as major competitors. j. Lack of human rights and political awareness and the prevailing unjustified freedom leading to chaotic results. k. The culture of the conspiracy against Egypt and the presence of some many unnatural Egyptian T. V talk show moderators. l. The owners of certain rented headquarters are drug dealers. This represents a major threat calling for immediate actions in moving those headquarters. 2. The PEST analysis a. Political Factors The political environment in which the association operates appears to be unstable. This status has recently turned to be much intense following the revolution due to the emergence of new political groupings. There are some promising expectations that the new democratically elected government will set new policies that are pro the civil society. The new policies are expected to contain modified laws that regulate taxation and provide more support and facilities to NGOs’ operations. The old government economic policies seemed to be incredibly inefficient resulting into a deteriorated national economic performance. This government had also no hand on regulating the marketing ethics of operating NGOs. Its major concern was on prohibiting religiously oriented activities and banning NGOs participation in the political life. b. Economic Factors The slowdown in Egyptian national economy has impacted the role of the association. This was reflected into low interest rates on savings and high interest charges on borrowings. The inflation rate continued to grow reducing the purchasing value of the Egyptian pound. The long-term prospects for the economy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and other economic indicators will depend on the policies and procedures adopted by the new elected government. c. Socio-cultural Factors The dominant religion in Egypt is Islam. The association is not discriminating against either religion or gender. The partnership with morkoseya church is an evidence to support this claim. The role of women continues to grow largely and rapidly in the Egyptian society. They are becoming well educated, highly paid, and having a self commitment toward volunteer work. The majority of people the association is targeting its services are illiterate. The general population lacks a solid awareness regarding green environmental issues. This is a very important role of the association in advocating for a green environment and promoting green activities. These include reducing consumption and disposal rates, saving energy, recycling disposed items†¦etc. d. Technological Factors Technological innovations make life easier for all. The association utilizes as many of the technological facilities like wireless connections, fax, and international calls to carry out daily activities. The emphasis should be directed toward strengthening association’s technological infrastructure to be able to do business through online communication channels. There are strong promises regarding what the future can bring to the civil society in general and to the association in particular. This is manifested in several key points. First: the majority of people are becoming motivated to volunteer work. Second: the increased public awareness of the importance of civic and collective actions in contrast to confining the role of the individual to achieve purely personal goals. Third: the strong promises and positive perception maintained by the majority of the poor toward the role of the civil society due to government failure to satisfy their needs. Forth: the diversity in working areas removes many of the restrictions imposed on the civilian work. Fifth: the potential for cooperation from the new elected democratic government. Sixth: the potential for receiving huge inflows of international donors’ funds. Finally, the presence of many initiatives aimed at community and society renaissance that could be built upon. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the previous systematic analyses, the following conclusions are reached. The selected association is one of an above medium size. It has several branches covering a range of governorates in Egypt. In addition to that it has multiple international partnership agreements abroad with some countries like Kuwait and Dubai. It is innovative due to the creativity exercised by its members in proposing and launching new project initiatives given the limited financial and physical resources available to them. The diversity of its projects adds to its effectiveness by solving problems in multiple critical areas. Administratively, the association can be run more efficiently than its current status. The overhead costs can be controlled so that not to exceed 10% of the annual budget. This can be achieved through cutting back on hospitality, renting, and utilities expenses or finding a sponsor company to offer them for free. The remainder of the budget should be entirely devoted to implementing key projects and programs. Once those two objectives are met – keeping O. H costs to the minimum and maximizing the pool of resources available to projects – the association can enhance its reliability and credibility as perceived by the various stakeholder groups. It has to overcome one of its critical weaknesses which is the deficient public media coverage. Adopting innovative promotional campaigns, through media, flyers, and positive word of mouth, can bring in extra revenues, many volunteers individuals or corporations, government support, and a favorable public image. It has to integrate advanced sophisticated techniques to save institutional memory for the next generations. Applying digital archiving, video and audio recordings of important projects, seminars, and events, keeping records of association’s best practices are all effective methods to save memory beside the conventional paper-based archiving mechanism. Web presence is very critical to the association. It is not well developed because the current website is down and the main gate to potential members is through the social media like the face book. Thus, developing a full featured website can provide good communication channels for the association both locally and internationally. The association has to allow potential members to register online. The composition of the board of directors needs some adjustments. A combination of co-founders, highly prestigious figures, wealthy capitalists, experienced technocrats – given the fact that they are all politically and religiously unbiased will allow the association to leverage each party’s privileges respectively. The reason is that co-founders are well informed about the association, its mission, vision, goals and have an intuitive inner commitment to achieve them. The highly prestigious, well known, famous, and rich members – who represent the status symbol can bring in extra money through their special donations and strong contacts with bureaucrats. The wealthy capitalists can have a win-win situation. On the one hand, they can enjoy public credibility and commitment toward social responsibility and on the other hand they will cash in the association to derive this legitimacy. Experienced technocrats can propose better structural reforms, manage operational complexities, and implement strategies to improve performance by capitalizing on strengths and overcoming weaknesses. The association is membership-based and it serves multiple interests. It channels members’ annual fees to implement projects serving members of the poor communities. It also develops the skills and competencies of its members in return for their volunteer time, money, and efforts. The non-profit nature of the association should not hinder its attempts to implement profit-based projects. These projects are important to cover the high overhead cost, keep an emergency fund â€Å" to hedge against bad economic conditions,† invest surplus in revenue earning initiatives, finance new developmental projects, and finally keep work flow smoothly while enjoying the tax exemption privilege. Providing full fledged free support should be only restricted to severe cases. These include very poor, eldery, disable, and young sick children in highly marginalized areas. Otherwise, providing services should have something in return. For example, providing microfinance for poor families can be balanced against donating a certain percentage of periodical revenues to fund other projects. One more thing that should be emphasized specially after the revolution of January 25th is augmenting international funding options. The association has to devise an effective strategy to share a large portion of international donor money coming into Egypt to support democracy. Only with a clear schedule of valuable projects, the association can guarantee international donors’ support without facing the threat of policy conditionality i. e. , imposing a certain development agenda on fund recipient as a condition to be granted the money. This can secure association’s activities financially, allow it to cover O. H costs, implement expansion plans, and better serve society’s compelling needs. General recommendations to improve the civil society in Egypt; 1. The presence of a regulatory environment for transparency rather than for control. 2. Ensuring enough flexibility in law application and enforcement i. e. , the law versus the implementation issue. 3. Promoting an openness commitment to partnership between government and public institutions and the civil society. 4. Supporting a bottom-up approach to development from donors’ side. 5. Supporting the creation of institutions rather than only short or medium term programs to promote for sustainable development. 6. Mobilizing mechanisms to maximize the real value perceived by the beneficiaries from the donors’ dollars. Page (2011) mentioned that only 10 to 30 percent of this actual grant will go to the real beneficiaries. 7. Supporting the youth-led NGOs so that they can actually participate in leading the winds of change toward democracy in Egypt. P. S. for those interested in accessing the association for donations, or more research work, here are association’s contacts. Address

Diffusion Of Responsibility Is A Phenomenon English Language Essay

Diffusion Of Responsibility Is A Phenomenon English Language Essay Do the following: Do emotion and our instinct to conform to society and authority affect our ability to think critically? View the following video on the Milgram Experiment: http://youtu.be/W147ybOdgpE Why did about 50% of the subjects, normal everyday Americans, deliver lethal doses of electrical shocks (it was really only an actor pretending to be electrocuted)? To be successful in this assignment, evaluate the following social biases (write one (1) page in Microsoft Word or WordPad): Evaluate the Milgram experiment from the perspective of group pressure and conformity. 1. Using Chapter 4 of the textbook, describe of how group pressure and conformity affected the outcome of the experiment. Your answer should be about two paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) in length. 2. For each example, include at least one quote (citation) from the book that supports your evaluation. Evaluate the Milgram experiment from the perspective of diffusion of responsibility. 3. Using Chapter 4 of the textbook, describe how diffusion of responsibility affected the outcome of the experiment. Your answer should be about two paragraphs (4-5 sentences each) in length. 4. For each example, include at least one quote (citation) from the book that supports your evaluation. *Be sure to include citations from the textbook using the following format- Quote from the book (Boss, 2010. Pg #) Use MS Word or WordPad to complete your assignment. Your teacher wants to know: how conformity affected the outcome of the experiment, with quotations from your text to back it up. Then they want you to explain how diffusion of responsibility affected the outcome, with more quotes from the text to back it up. Diffusion of responsibility is a phenomenon that occurs when we take credit for our successes but blame others for our failures. Taking credit for our successes and blaming others for our failures is a type of self-serving bias. Diffusion of responsibility occurs in groups of people above a certain threshold, where responsibility is not explicitly assigned to particular individuals, and where people subsequently tend not to regard those responsibilities as their concerns, or conceive of those responsibilities as belonging to others. While the specifics of whom we assign to the out group is learned, our brain seems to be wired to see the world in terms of one of us/one of them. Group pressure and the urge to conform are so strong in humans that it can cause us to deny evidence that is right before our eyes. (Boss, 2010. Pg #120) This the e-book In Chapter 4 we will: Learn about the nature and limitations of human knowledge Distinguish between rationalism and empiricism Learn about different types of evidence Set guidelines for evaluating evidence Look at sources for researching claims and evidence Study different types of cognitive/perceptual errors, including self-serving biases Learn how social expectations and group pressure can lead to erroneous thinking Finally, we will examine the evidence and arguments regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and what type of proof would be necessary to establish their existence. Group Pressure and Conformity Group pressure can influence individual members to take positions that they would never support by themselves, as happened in the Stanford Prison experiment described in Chapter 1. Some religious cults exploit this tendency by separating their members from the dissenting views of family and friends. In many cults, people live together, eat together, and may even be assigned a buddy. Group pressure is so powerful in shaping how we see the world that it can lead people to deny contrary evidence that is right before their eyes. In the 1950s, social psychologist Solomon Asch carried out a series of experiments in which he showed study subjects a screen containing a standard line on the left and three comparison lines on the right. One of the comparison lines was the same length as the standard line and the other two were of significantly different lengths.40 In each case, an unsuspecting study subject was introduced into a group with six confederates, who had been told by the experimenter to give the wrong answer. The group was then shown the lines. The experimenter asked one of the confederates which of the three lines on the right they thought was the same length as the standard line. The confederate, without hesitation, gave a wrong answer. The next few confederates gave the same answer. By now, the naÃÆ'Â ¯ve subject was showing puzzlement and even dismay. How can six people be wrong? Page 121 After hearing six wrong answers, 75 percent of the naÃÆ'Â ¯ve study subjects, rather than trust the evidence of their senses, succumbed to group pressure and gave the same wrong answer. Even more surprising is the fact that when questioned afterward, some of these study subjects had actually come to believe the wrong answer was correct. The desire for agreement is normal. However, this desire, when combined with our innate tendency to divide the world into one of us and one of them, can lead to the exclusion of those who disagree with the majority, since people tend to prefer being around people who agree with them. In the corporate world, disagreement is often tacitly discouraged. Outliers or nonconformists who do not agree with group members may be excluded by committee chairs from further discussions or even fired.41 Because of our inborn tendency to conform to what others think, we cannot assume that agreement leads to truth without knowledge about the manner and conditions under which the agreement was arrived. Indeed, the current emphasis on seeking group consensus in decision making may be unreliable. In consensus seeking, the majority in a group is often able to sway the whole group to its view. http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos38200_ta0414b.jpg ASCH EXPERIMENT In Aschs experiment, the naÃÆ'Â ¯ve subject (left) shows puzzlement when the other subjects give what is obviously a wrong answer. http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos38200_ta0427.jpg DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What do you think the naÃÆ'Â ¯ve subject in the picture above is thinking? Think back to a time when you were in a similar situation where you thought you were correct, but everyone else with you thought something else. How did you respond to the discrepancy between your belief and theirs? http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos38200_highlighter_recto.jpg As with other errors in our thinking, we need to develop strategies to recognize and compensate for our human inclination to conform to groupthink. When a group comes to a decision, we need to mentally step back from the group and carefully evaluate the evidence for a particular position rather than assume that the majority must be correct. In competitive ice skating and diving, because of the danger of a judges scoring being contaminated by what other judges say, scoring is done individually, rather than as a group decision. Page 122 Diffusion of Responsibility Diffusion of responsibility is a social phenomenon that occurs in groups of people above a critical size. If responsibility is not explicitly assigned to us, we tend to regard it as not our problem but as belonging to someone else. We are much more likely to come to someones aid if we are alone than if we are in a crowd. We are much more likely to come to someones aid if we are alone than if we are in a crowd. This phenomenon is also known as bystander apathy or the Kitty Genovese syndrome. In 1964, twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese was murdered outside her New York City apartment building. Her killer left twice, when people in the building turned on their lights, before he came back a third time and killed her. In the half hour that lapsed during the attack, none of Genoveses thirty-eight neighbors, who had heard her repeated cries for help, called the police. More recently, in June 2008, an elderly man was struck by a hit-and-run driver on a busy street in Hartford, Connecticut. The man lay in the street paralyzed and bleeding from his head while bystanders gawked at or ignored him. Motorists drove around his body without stopping. No one offered any assistance until an ambulance finally turned up. Diffusion of responsibility can also occur in group hazing at fraternities where no one comes to the rescue of a pledge who is clearly in distress. As social beings, we are vulnerable to the one of us/one of them error, social expectations, and group conformity. When in groups, we also tend to regard something as not our problem unless responsibility is assigned to us. Although these traits may promote group cohesiveness, they can interfere with effective critical thinking. As good critical thinkers we need to be aware of these tendencies, and to cultivate the ability to think independently while still taking into consideration others perspectives. Errors in our thinking also make us more vulnerable to falling for or using fallacies in arguments. Well be studying some of these fallacies in the following chapter. http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos_38200_ta0428.jpg The phenomenon of diffusion of responsibility was regrettably illustrated when no one came to the aid of a seriously injured man lying in a busy street in Hartford, Connecticut after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in May 2008. The victim, Angel Torres, later died from the injuries he sustained. Page 123 EXERCISE 4-4 http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos38200_stop.jpg 1. Whom do you define as us and whom do you put in the category of them? Discuss how you might go about widening the us category to include more people who are now in your them category. 2. Humans seem to have inborn biases toward particular types of people. According to a University of Florida study, when it comes to hiring, employers have a more favorable view of tall people. When it comes to earnings, every extra inch of height above the norm is worth $789 a year. In fact, nine of ten top executives are taller than the typical employee.42 Given this cognitive error and its impact on hiring practices, discuss whether or not affirmative action policies should apply to very short people. Relate your answer to the discussion in the text of the effect of this cognitive error on our thinking. 3. Think of a time when your social expectations led you to misjudge a person or a situation. Discuss strategies for improving your critical-thinking skills so that this is less likely to happen. 4. Think of a time when the public got caught up in a witch hunt. Identify the worldviews and social expectations that supported this witch hunt. Which critical-thinking skills would make you less likely to go along with a witch hunt? Discuss what actions you could take to develop or strengthen these skills. 5. Polls before elections can influence how people vote by swaying undecided voters to vote for the candidate who is in the lead. Analyze whether election polls should be forbidden prior to the election itself. 6. The democratic process depends on social consensus. Given peoples tendency to conform to social expectations and what others think, is democracy the best form of government? If so, what policies might be put in place to lessen the effect of social biases? Be specific. 7. Think of a time when you failed to speak out against an injustice or failed to come to someones aid simply because you were in a large group and felt it wasnt your responsibility. Discuss ways in which improving your critical-thinking skills may make you less susceptible to the diffusion of social responsibility error. 8. Computers (AI) programmed with an inductive logic program can, after sufficient experience working with the ups and downs of the financial market, predict the market with greater accuracy than most experienced financial planners. Given that these computers are not as prone to cognitive errors as are humans, critically evaluate whether we should rely more on AI to make decisions about such issues as college admissions, medical diagnoses, matchmaking, and piloting an airplane. 1. What are some of the sources of knowledge? Ã ¢-Â   Sources of knowledge include both reason and experience. Experience encompasses direct and indirect experience, expert testimony, and research resources such as printed material and the Internet. 2. In what ways might experience be misleading? Ã ¢-Â   Experience can be distorted through false memories, confirmation bias, and reliance on hearsay and anecdotal evidence, as well as perceptual, cognitive, and social errors in our thinking. 3. What are some of the types of cognitive and social errors in our thinking? Ã ¢-Â   Cognitive and social errors are in part the way our brain interprets the world. They include misperception of random data, memorable-events errors, probability errors, self-serving biases, self-fulfilling prophecies, one of us/one of them error, social expectations, group pressure and conformity, and diffusion of responsibility. http://textflow.mcgraw-hill.com/figures/007742168X/bos38200_sa0423.jpg Why is it so many people obey when they feel coerced? Social psychologist Stanley Milgram researched the effect of authority on obedience. He concluded people obey either out of fear or out of a desire to appear cooperativeeven when acting against their own better judgment and desires. Milgrams classic yet controversial experiment illustrates peoples reluctance to confront those who abuse power. It is my opinion that Milgrams book should be required reading (see References below) for anyone in supervisory or management positions. Milgram recruited subjects for his experiments from various walks in life. Respondents were told the experiment would study the effects of punishment on learning ability. They were offered a token cash award for participating. Although respondents thought they had an equal chance of playing the role of a student or of a teacher, the process was rigged so all respondents ended up playing the teacher. The learner was an actor working as a cohort of the experimenter. Teachers were asked to administer increasingly severe electric shocks to the learner when questions were answered incorrectly. In reality, the only electric shocks delivered in the experiment were single 45-volt shock samples given to each teacher. This was done to give teachers a feeling for the jolts they thought they would be discharging. Shock levels were labeled from 15 to 450 volts. Besides the numerical scale, verbal anchors added to the frightful appearance of the instrument. Beginning from the lower end, jolt levels were labeled: slight shock, moderate shock, strong shock, very strong shock, intense shock, and extreme intensity shock. The next two anchors were Danger: Severe Shock, and, past that, a simple but ghastly XXX. In response to the supposed jolts, the learner (actor) would begin to grunt at 75 volts; complain at 120 volts; ask to be released at 150 volts; plead with increasing vigor, next; and let out agonized screams at 285 volts. Eventually, in desperation, the learner was to yell loudly and complain of heart pain. At some point the actor would refuse to answer any more questions. Finally, at 330 volts the actor would be totally silent-that is, if any of the teacher participants got so far without rebelling first. Teachers were instructed to treat silence as an incorrect answer and apply the next shock level to the student. If at any point the innocent teacher hesitated to inflict the shocks, the experimenter would pressure him to proceed. Such demands would take the form of increasingly severe statements, such as The experiment requires that you continue. What do you think was the average voltage given by teachers before they refused to administer further shocks? What percentage of teachers, if any, do you think went up to the maximum voltage of 450? Results from the experiment. Some teachers refused to continue with the shocks early on, despite urging from the experimenter. This is the type of response Milgram expected as the norm. But Milgram was shocked to find those who questioned authority were in the minority. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the teachers were willing to progress to the maximum voltage level. Participants demonstrated a range of negative emotions about continuing. Some pleaded with the learner, asking the actor to answer questions carefully. Others started to laugh nervously and act strangely in diverse ways. Some subjects appeared cold, hopeless, somber, or arrogant. Some thought they had killed the learner. Nevertheless, participants continued to obey, discharging the full shock to learners. One man who wanted to abandon the experiment was told the experiment must continue. Instead of challenging the decision of the experimenter, he proceeded, repeating to himself, Its got to go on, its got to go on. Milgrams experiment included a number of variations. In one, the learner was not only visible but teachers were asked to force the learners hand to the shock plate so they could deliver the punishment. Less obedience was extracted from subjects in this case. In another variation, teachers were instructed to apply whatever voltage they desired to incorrect answers. Teachers averaged 83 volts, and only 2.5 percent of participants used the full 450 volts available. This shows most participants were good, average people, not evil individuals. They obeyed only under coercion. In general, more submission was elicited from teachers when (1) the authority figure was in close proximity; (2) teachers felt they could pass on responsibility to others; and (3) experiments took place under the auspices of a respected organization. Participants were debriefed after the experiment and showed much relief at finding they had not harmed the student. One cried from emotion when he saw the student alive, and explained that he thought he had killed him. But what was different about those who obeyed and those who rebelled? Milgram divided participants into three categories: Obeyed but justified themselves. Some obedient participants gave up responsibility for their actions, blaming the experimenter. If anything had happened to the learner, they reasoned, it would have been the experimenters fault. Others had transferred the blame to the learner: He was so stupid and stubborn he deserved to be shocked. Obeyed but blamed themselves. Others felt badly about what they had done and were quite harsh on themselves. Members of this group would, perhaps, be more likely to challenge authority if confronted with a similar situation in the future. Rebelled. Finally, rebellious subjects questioned the authority of the experimenter and argued there was a greater ethical imperative calling for the protection of the learner over the needs of the experimenter. Some of these individuals felt they were accountable to a higher authority. Why were those who challenged authority in the minority? So entrenched is obedience it may void personal codes of conduct.

My Personnel Narrative

Personal Narrative Marathon- Unforgettable Moment On my right my mom was holding my hand tightly and giving me an advice to stay with my elder brother and his friend, Rushi, she was saying â€Å"Don’t let him go anywhere without you† to both of them as she was supposed to run separately from ladies section. They paid no attention to her because she said that just a few minutes ago. We were in one of the most important and famous marathons in Vadodara, India (first ever event held in the city)!!It became so popular as the fund raised from the event was supposed to be donated to cancer curing organizations and organizers made lots of publicity of the event. It was half past six and thousands of people gathered on an area land of thirty square miles. Hundreds of runners around the country and world participated in the marathon. The Marathon was divided into 5 miles, 10 miles and 21 miles. I was one of them participating in 5 miles running!! I was proud, showing off to my b rother that I went to a marathon at the age of 10 and he didn’t.In just 15 minutes the runners were going to start the greatest marathon in history (at least for me). The moment was coming closer and closer. My heart was beating very hard. It was a chilly, windy and most brisky day in the month November. It was November 22, 2010. I will always remember that date. Children shouting like birds, men talking about cricket and girls’ giggling made me think about one thing- Do people usually wake up at six in the morning to chat like a debate? The smell of the washed shirts as well as the sweat of the people was sharply irritating.I was amazed that people sweating on such a chilly day and before even starting the marathon. The morning was freezing cold-I was sneezing with a running nose. â€Å"Achoo!! † came one from me â€Å"We should have brought Razornax or something. It’s so cold. † Despite my irritation and cold I was excited. In the excitement, we didn’t realize that the event was not very safely organized at least for a 10 years boy!!! The Chief Minister of Gujarat was going to inaugurate the event and hence the security arrangement was very tight. The ground was filled with lots of policemen on top of maddening crowd.The exist of the Marathon to the track was extremely narrow and people were pushing from all around to take glimpse of the Chief Minister. I was just 200 yards away from the START line. My brother was on the right side trying to go to the left of me because Rushi was there. The minute he went there I stopped to ask him and someone pushed me from behind- Boom!! The next moment I was on the ground shouting,â€Å" Help, Shikhar, Rushi, police, help. † My brother came calling â€Å"Help, help. My brother is in trouble. †My brother had to continue running otherwise he would have fallen down.My leg was twisted and I remember my grazing touching the ground. My chest was almost choking. The sand wa s going in my nose, which made me cough hard and throw up. I controlled myself and a few minutes later I was up. A policeman was holding my hand. After a while I met a volunteer in the marathon who called my mom. He called my mom and she was very disappointed by the incident. When she was looking around to find me so I shouted as much energy I had, â€Å"Mom. She pointed toward my direction, upset and disappointed â€Å"This is the last time we are here in the marathon. We are not coming anymore. ,† said my mom sternly.We had to finish the marathon because there were no exits. I managed to walk with my mom in the totally messed up event. Afterward we found my brother and his friend at the end point. We told the whole incident to my grandparents and neighbours. That was really the last time we went to a marathon. This is just an incident, which happened to me and can happen to anybody if the safety norms are not followed properly in organizing suck a large scale event. Beside s the enjoyment and maintaining health, do you think marathons are good? It’s up to you- after reading this, would you like to watch a marathon?

Communication Release Chilean Miners Essay

The men trapped in the Chilean mine shaft was one of the world’s most successful operations to release miners from the long underground entrapment. The problem or controversy lied in the government restricting information to the men trapped and censoring and losing letters to the miners sent to them from their family and friends. The people thought this was unjust and failed to realize what rescue mission are all about. Psychological effects The letters sent by friends and family of the Chilean workers trapped underground were being kept by authorities due to the content and the authorities belief that it may have severe psychological impact. Authorities’ course of action caused uncertainty and further unseated the miners. Angry relatives were outraged and confronted government officials outside the cave of the San Jose mine. What the families failed to realize is how their form of communication could unintentionally adversely affect their mental state to the relatives or friends trapped under ground. The family’s side One of the miners, Victor Zamora, expressed his complaints to his family about receiving only one letter from them. He feared that his relatives were hiding things from him. His wife, Jessica Cortes, said that the family had sent at least fifteen letters and explained that she wrote daily, also his brothers and mother had sent many letters as well. What she never thought is what the most important thing was for those miners, uncensored communication with family at the risk of the miner’s mental health or freedom. Letters screened According to Jessica Cortes, there was a team of young women who were described as psychologist who read every letter and would place them in a bag and would only send letters to the miners that they deemed appropriate. The partial reason for this process was due to some miners having more than one woman or several. Reading and holding some of the mail was partially put in place to avoid troubling the miners from their women conflicts. In the beginning there were receiving roughly 33 letters and as the number of incoming letters increased into the hundreds it began to take up too much space, space that could be used to send food and water. Ultimately the rescue party chose food and water over letters and told the families to keep in mind that they were running a rescue operation, not a communications exercise (Solar, L. 2010). They were right in continuing with the rescue mission and not giving too much priority in sending mail because the most important thing is to get everyone out safely. Communication is a luxury that the rescuers and the company allowed to keep the men sane, but the priority should be rescue. Trapped for months During their entrapment the bicentennial celebration of the Chilean Independence day came up and the miners had requested wine and empanadas, along with cigarettes, which is a traditional celebratory menu. Although the psychologist on cite had considered the possibility of granting their request, with the support of health officials they denied the request by saying, â€Å"This is an emergency; we are not celebrating. The Chilean mining industry has 600 years of tradition and drinking inside the mine is not allowed,† said Iturra. Again this is a rescue mission not a mean of celebration and communication. If the people could see where the officials are coming from and why they deny certain requests they would be thankful that they care more about getting them out quickly than keeping them essentially imprisoned within a mine drunk and with lots of letters. Conclusion Search and rescue is defined as the search for and provision of aid to people who are in imminent danger or distress. Rescue missions are difficult, time consuming and stressful for all parties involved. Communication between families and the distressed individuals is not a necessity and only further impeaches on the rescue mission itself. People fail to realize that although it is nice to be able to make contact with family and friends that are in these types of scary situation it is a privilege awarded by authorities not a right. Their priority is to get people out safely in this case it was the collapse of a mine that entrapped several miners. References Franklin, J. (2010). Trapped Chilean miners, families frustrated over mail delivery. Retrieved from, The Washington Post. Johnson, B. (2010). Why is the rescue of the miners in Chile taking so long? Retrieved from about.com Solar, L. (2010). Digital Journal. Retrieved from http://digitaljournal.com/article/297127

Chemical Engineer Salary and Experience

Chemical Engineer Salary and Experience Chemical engineering is one of the highest paying degrees for entry level jobs, with even higher payscales for experienced chemical engineers. Chemical engineers tend to be in high demand and are much more employable than chemists. Heres a look at typical salary ranges for chemical engineers. Chemical Engineer Salary Survey Based on Experience Chemical engineers can earn good salaries straight out of school, but years of experience or higher education can double the salary rate. Chemical Engineer 1 Year Experience: $51,710 - $66,286 Chemical Engineer with 1-4 Years Experience: $56,206 - $70,414 Chemical Engineer with 5-9 Years Experience: $64,618 - $84,199 Chemical Engineer with 10-19 Years Experience: $74,546 - $101,299 Chemical Engineer with More than 20 Years Experience: $83,304 - $126,418 Salary survey based on experience is from PayScale.com. According to the US Department of Labor (2008), the median salary for chemical engineering was $78,860. The middle 50% of chemical engineers had salaries between $67,420 and $105,000. The UKs Institution of Chemical Engineers (2006) reported the average starting salary for chemical engineering graduates was  £24,000, with an average salary for all chemical engineers of about  £53,000.

W. E. B. Du BoisThe Souls of Black Folk(1903) Essays - Free Essays

W. E. B. Du Bois'The Souls of Black Folk(1903) Essays - Free Essays W. E. B. Du Bois'The Souls of Black Folk(1903) is a seminal work in African American literature and an American classic. In this work Du Bois proposes that "the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line." His concepts of life behind the veil of race and the resulting "double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others," have become touchstones for thinking about race in America. In addition to these enduring concepts,Soulsoffers an assessment of the progress of the race, the obstacles to that progress, and the possibilities for future progress as the nation entered the twentieth century. Du Bois examines the years immediately following the Civil War and, in particular, the Freedmen's Bureau's role in Reconstruction. The Bureau's failures were due not only to southern opposition and "national neglect," but also to mismanagement and courts that were biased "in favor of black litigants." The Bureau did have successes as we ll, and its most important contribution to progress was the founding of African American schools. Since the end of Reconstruction in 1876, Du Bois claims that the most significant event in African American history has been the rise of the educator, Booker T. Washington, to the role of spokesman for the race. Du Bois argues that Washington's approach to race relations is counterproductive to the long-term progress of the race. Washington's acceptance of segregation and his emphasis on material progress represent an "old attitude of adjustment and submission." Du Bois asserts that this policy has damaged African Americans by contributing to the loss of the vote, the loss of civil status, and the loss of aid for institutions of higher education. Du Bois insists that "the right to vote," "civic equality," and "the education of youth according to ability" are essential for African American progress. Du Bois relates his experiences as a schoolteacher in rural Tennessee, and then he turns his attention to a critique of American materialism in the rising city of Atlanta where the single-minded attention to gaining wealth threatens to replace all other considerations. In terms of education, African Americans should not be taught merely to earn money. Rather, Du Bois argues there should be a balance between the "standards of lower training" and the "standards of human culture and lofty ideals of life." In effect, the African American college should train the "Talented Tenth" who can in turn contribute to lower education and also act as liaisons in improving race relations. Du Bois returns to an examination of rural African American life with a presentation of Dougherty County, Georgia as representative of life in the southern Black Belt. He presents the history and current conditions of the county. Cotton is still the life-blood of the Black Belt economy, and few African Americans are enjoying any economic success. Du Bois describes the legal system and tenant farming system as only slightly removed from slavery. He also examines African American religion from its origins in African society, through its development in slavery, to the formation of the Baptist and Methodist churches. He argues that "the study of Negro religion is not only a vital part of the history of the Negro in America, but no uninteresting part of American history." He goes on to examine the impact of slavery on morality. In the last chapters of his book, Du Bois concentrates on how racial prejudice impacts individuals. He mourns the loss of his baby son, but he wonders if his son is not better off dead than growing up in a world dominated by the color-line. Du Bois relates the story of Alexander Crummel, who struggled against prejudice in his attempts to become an Episcopal priest. In "Of the Coming of John," Du Bois presents the story of a young black man who attains an education. John's new knowledge, however, places him at odds with a southern community, and he is destroyed by racism. Finally, Du Bois concludes his book with an essay on African American spirituals. These songs have developed from their African origins into powerful expressions of the sorrow, pain, and exile that characterize the African American experience. For Du Bois, these songs exist "not simply as the sole American music,

MacGruber ( comedy film 2010 ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MacGruber ( comedy film 2010 ) - Essay Example Such acts made him appear as an idiot hero, who made audience laugh at him ironically (Alter 2010). The theme of the movie revolves around the character of MacGruber, who made life-saving inventions with the help of household materials. Throughout the entire story, he kept on getting in and out of extremely sticky conditions, but he managed to handle those situations with his crazy mind tricks (Taccone 2010). Although MacGruber was a hero and the main character of the story, but every other character of the movie was explicitly called â€Å"idiot† by him for his stupid acts. This has been the main problem of the story because its settings and designed actions failed to make up audiences’ mind about his own comedy action hero (Alter 2010). Therefore, it could be concluded that the director and writer both have intended to present a good comedy movie, but the below average performance and designed actions of the hero have diverted attention of audience from the original theme to his stupid

INTERPRETATION OF & ANALYSIS OF WORK-RELATED DATA Statistics Project

INTERPRETATION OF & ANALYSIS OF WORK-RELATED DATA - Statistics Project Example The interest rate has an effect on the structure of corporate debt. The overall corporate use of dept and the maturity of the debt are affected by the level of the nominal interest. Interest rates have real effects and this will result to inflation. The table suggests that the sampled period had 14.1 percentage points in the ration of the capital financed and the debt incurred. Raising the effective tax on the corporate income from minimum to maximum raised the financed debt by 11.3%. The controlled interest rates resulted to larger estimated effects of taxes on average. Tit rSt = Tit (r + ΔrSt ) = rTit + TitΔrSt. ΔrSt and Tit values are statistically independent. The estimated coefficient should be Tit= r. when ΔrSt together with Tit values are negatively correlated, coefficient Tit will be biased downwards due to the removed value. The table show a correlation between ΔrSt and it T is -0.37. the same results expected in column one which will symbol that the firm assets are longer term because more debt is used. Column two if the table shows the non parametric test, to show if the data is directed correlated to tax. The tax variable was interacted with ghost variables to show the level of the short term interest rate in that year. The results indicate the coefficient is positive. Years when the interest rate is below the quartile, the Tit rSt is replaced by rSt. The level of interest rate is 2%. The content of the table is excellent because it summarizes different variables that are the corporate debt, tax rates, interests/other variables and corporate assets. Interest and other yearly variables of the firm are using a 3 year Treasury bond rate and 3 month Treasury bill rate. It also indicates the calculated Dow Jones index. This is calculated by averaging the opening stock and closing price in each month averaged by monthly figures. The values of the firm GDP is also shown as a