Linking male underachievement with stereotypical laddish behaviour

Linking male underachievement with stereotypical laddish behaviour Much of the current research on underachieving boys in education is focused on suggesting solutions in terms of teaching methods. It is possible to criticise this approach as one can argue that in order to effectively formulate strategies aimed at helping boys who underachieve, you need to actually understand why they are underachieving. Some research suggests that the phenomenon of new laddism is just the old fashioned problem of boys behaving badly (Chaudhary, 1998). The solutions therefore do not actually focus on the cause of bad behaviour just focus on dealing with the behaviour itself. Media representations of underachieving boys are also problematic. They all too often ignore important questions and issues, such as which boys are underachieving? Delemont (1999) points out the problems with the crude portrayals that suggest boys underachievement and laddishness are synonymous; they are not. Not all laddish boys are underachievers and not all underachievers are laddish. Objective 3 of this research was addressed in detail in the previous section the literature review. Objective 1 and 2 of this research will be implemented through the collection and analysis of empirical data. This study is interested in an in-depth analysis of the year 10 and 11 boys at the researchers school, and specifically the reasons why they adopt laddish attitudes. Objective 1 will be focused on through analysis of the school staff as well, in particular looking at the process that causes certain types of behaviour to be labelled as laddish. Cohen and Manions (1996) description of a case study the researcher observing the characteristics of an individual unit sums up this piece of research neatly. Howard Becker (1970) describes one aim of case studies as the attempt to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the group under study. This researcher be attempting to gain a comprehensive understanding of boys who underachieve at Tewkesbury School. Case studies can also be used to produce typologies, or a set of categories defining types of a social phenomenon. Douglas (1967) suggested that case studies could be used to discover the different types of suicide by uncovering the different social meanings of suicide. There is a possibility that this research can produce some typologies about the different types of behaviour that causes male underachievement. The potential issue with this research strategy is that it is not possible to generalise on the basis of my findings. It is impossible to determine how far the findings of this research can be applied to underachieving boys in other schools. As Bryman (1988) suggests, one way around this would be to repeat the research in other schools looking at the same phenomenon. The issue though with attempting to repeat the research is that it is difficult to make direct comparisons of the results of studies carried out either by different people, or by the same people at different times. Historical research as a strategy is not appropriate to this topic as it is generally associated with the study of non-contemporary phenomena this research is clearly not interested in anything non-contemporary. Experimental research is also not appropriate to this topic as its very nature is at odds with what this research is attempting to do experimental research will try to objective by taking phenomena out of its natural context, this research needs to understand what is happening in a school environment. Action research was considered due to the in-depth nature of the analysis it engages in but this research is not focused on one specific problem that can be tackled this way, the researcher is interested in exploring a range of issues linked to laddish behaviour and underachievement. This research will produce qualitative data in the main. Denzin and Lincoln (1994) describe qualitative research as studying things in their natural settings, and attempting to make sense of phenomena in terms of the meanings people give to them. Some quantitative data will also be produced as well, which Myers (1997) states is often produced through survey techniques within a social setting and as such works well when used alongside qualitative methods. Orlikowski et al. (1991) say that there are three categories into which qualitative research strategies fall into, depending upon the researchers view of the world; critical, positivist and interpretivist. Whilst this researcher does believe that in terms of a critical perspective of the world, people are influenced by social and cultural circumstances, he does not believe that the main of his research should be to free people from the restraining forces that impact upon their lives. His role is simply to understand better the key aspects of laddish behaviour and underachievement. This research will also not be adopting a positivist methodology, as the researcher does not believe that human beings can be studied in the same way that the natural sciences use to study particles, gases and rocks. The French writer Auguste Compte was the first person to use the phrase positivist philosophy (Compte, 1986). He believed that scientific knowledge about society could be accumulated and used t o improve human existence so that society could be run rationally without religion or superstition getting in the way of progress. Compte believed that the scientific study of society should be confined to collecting information about phenomena that can be objectively observed and classified. He argued that researchers should not be concerned with the internal meanings, motives, feelings and emotions of individuals these states only exist in the persons consciousness so cannot be observed, and cannot be measured in any objective way. The fundamental part of positivism is its use of statistical data. Positivists believed that it was possible to classify the social world in an objective way. Using these classifications it was then possible to count sets of observable social facts and then produce statistics. You can then look for correlations between different social facts. If there is a correlation between two or more types of social phenomena, then a positivist might suspect that one of these phenomena is causing the other to take place. This can be criticised though, for example if you look working class boys underachieving in school, the correlation between those two factors is not necessarily causal. It may simply be an indirect correlation. Positivism is based upon an understanding of science that sees science as using a mainly inductive methodology. This begins by collecting the data. The data is then analysed and out of this analysis theories are developed. Once the theory has been developed it can then be tested against other sets of data to see if it is confirmed or not. If it is repeatedly confirmed then positivists like Compte assume they have discovered a law of human behaviour. Other researchers though have not accepted the inductive method. Indeed, many use an alternative, a deductive approach. This alternative methodology is supported by Karl Popper in his book The Logic of Scientific Discovery (1959). The deductive approach reverses the process of induction. It starts with a theory and tests it against the evidence, rather than developing a theory as a result of examining the data. Popper argues that scientists should start with a hypothesis; a statement that is to be tested. This statement should be very precise and should state exactly what will happen in particular circumstances. On the basis of this hypothesis it should be possible to deduce predictions about the future. Popper differs from positivists in that he denies it is ever possible to produce laws that will necessarily be found to be true for all time. He argues that however many times a theory is apparently proved correct, there is always the possibility that at some future date the theory w ill be proved wrong, or falsified. He suggests that scientists have a duty to be objective, and to test their theories as rigorously as possible. Therefore, once they have formulated hypotheses, and made predictions, it is necessary to try constantly to find evidence that disproves or falsifies their theories. Some though argue that in practice scientists operate in very different ways from those advocated by Popper or positivists. Thomas Kuhn (1962) has developed an analysis of science which sees it as being far from the objective pursuit of knowledge. He argues that science is characterised by a commitment to a scientific paradigm. A paradigm consists of a set of beliefs shared by a group of scientists about what the natural world is composed of, what counts as true and valid knowledge, and what sort of questions should be asked and what sort of procedures should be followed to answer those questions. Kuhn does not believe that the same methods and procedures are found throughout scientific history; rather, they are specific to particular sciences at particular times. Scientists may ignore evidence that does not fit their paradigm. To Kuhn, a scientific subject is one in which there is an agreed paradigm. There is no guarantee that this accepted paradigm is correct: it may well be replaced by a new paradigm in the future. If Kuhns view of science is accepted, then it is doubtful social research can be considered as scientific. There is no one accepted paradigm in social research the different perspectives all see the social world in different ways: they ask different questions and get different answers. Kuhns work has been criticised though as you can argue that it has little relevance to social science and based upon inadequate evidence. Anderson, Hughes and Sharrock (1986) believe that he has underestimated the degree to which there is conflict and disagreement in natural science. Most of the time alternative paradigms are debated. A careful examination of the history of science shows that the periods of revolution grow in size while those of settled normality contract. The approach that this researcher will be adopting as identified by Orlikowski et al. (1991) is interpretivism. This most closely matches this researchers approach to research, and as a teacher of sociology it has been refined over the past ten years of either studying or teaching the subject. The interpretivist approach suggests that qualititative data collection techniques should be used. Social action can only be understood by interpreting the meanings and motives on which it is based. Many interpretivists argue that there is little chance of discovering these meanings and motives from quantitative data. Only from qualitative data with its greater richness and depth can the sociologist hope to interpret the meanings that lie behind social action. Interpretivists reject the use of natural science methodology for the study of social action. The natural sciences deal with matter. Since matter has no consciousness, its behaviour can be explained simply as a reaction to external stimuli. People though, have consciousness they see, interpret and experience the world around them in terms of meanings. Max Weber talks about how understanding the motives behind peoples behaviour could be achieved through verstehen imagining yourself to be in the position of the person whose behaviour you were seeking to explain. Phenomenology represents the most radical departure from positivism. Phenomenologists go even further than interpretivists in that they reject the possibility of producing causal explanations of human behaviour. They do not believe that it is possible objectively to measure and classify the world. To phenomenologists, human beings make sense of the world by imposing meanings and classifications upon it. These meanings and classifications make up social reality. They believe that researchers should limit themselves to understanding the meanings and classifications which people use to give order to and make sense of the world. Studies which utilise this method concentrate almost entirely on the subjective aspects of social life which are internal to the individuals consciousness. DATA COLLECTION Convenience sampling was used to select the participants in the research project. It was convenient because the researcher works at the school involved in the study. There is nothing random about the students and staff who have been chosen and the researcher is making no claim of representativeness and generalisability to anywhere other than his school. That is not the focus of the research instead it is focused on simply gaining an in-depth understanding of the key issues involved in laddish behaviour and underachievement. This method of sampling was also used due to the fact that it is by far the easiest way to access participants. This research will use two main methods of collecting data: interviews and secondary data analysis. The main data collection technique will be semi-structured interviews. Interviews are as Yin (2003) states, able to provide insights into complex situations. And as Goldthorpe et.al (1968) found, interviewees could be prompted if they cannot decide how to answer a question. The interviews will be semi-structured because this will allow the students and staff to express their views, explain their individual circumstances and expand on any answers. The researcher though will be able to guide them towards the specific area of interest because there will always be some pre-planned questions. The key is, as Marshall and Rossman (1989) put it the participants view on the phenomena of interest should unfold as they truly view it, not as the researcher views it. The use of more than one method allows the researcher to engage in methodological pluralism. This is the idea that we should tolerate of a variety of methods in sociological research, because methods should be seen as part of the research process as a whole. (Bryman, 1998). The key advantage to the researcher is that it allows him to combine both positivist and interpretivist research methods, which allows him to benefit from triangulation, which is where the strengths of one method balance out against the weaknesses of another, and allow me to cross-examine the results. Methodological pluralism has become more and more popular in recent years amongst sociologists, although the idea itself has not escaped criticism: However, consensus over methodological pluralism is incomplete, and does not even mean that subscribing sociologists have actively sought to promote pluralism. As Bell, observed: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ individual sociologists no matter how tolerant, catholic and eclectic are v ery unlikely actually to be methodological pluralists à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ . It is the structure of sociology that became pluralist not sociologists themselves. (Bell and Roberts, 1984). Indeed, Payne et al (2004) conducted research aimed itself at measuring the extent to which methodological pluralism is used in sociological research. They concluded: Only about one in 20 of published papers in the mainstream journals uses quantitative analysis, ranging from simple cross-tabulations to multivariate techniques. This is not grounds for an argument that there should be less qualitative research, but rather that there should be more quantitative research. The site for the research will be Tewkesbury School. The research project is not intended to be an exhaustive study of laddish behaviour and underachieving boys in the local area it is specific to the researchers school and the needs and priorities of that school moving forward. The research will be focused on male students in year 10 and year 11. They have been selected for two main reasons those are the two year groups for which we have the most accurate data on who is underachieving, and improving the performance of these boys is the main priority for the school moving forward. The data on underachievement is generated by subject teachers who are judging the progress of students against their FFT (D) (Fisher Family Trust) targets. These type D targets are based upon the progress made by schools in the top 25% percentile of value-added schools nationally. Also, as Epstein et al (1998) points out it is at this age group that laddish behaviour begins to impact most heavily on educ ational performance. The staff that will be interviewed will be from a range of subject areas including English, Maths and Science. The research will analyse the different levels of underachievement and seek to identify reasons why these boys may be underachieving more in certain subject areas. Interviewing different staff allows for cross-comparisons of responses which will allow key themes to emerge. Indeed, as Holstein et al (1995) suggest, the interviewing process itself often creates new knowledge rather than just revealing data that was previously present in the interviewees heads. The following staff will be interviewed: 1 Head of Maths Faculty. 2 Head of Science Faculty. 3 Head of English Faculty. 4 Head of Humanities Faculty. 5 Head of Arts Faculty. 6 Head of Technology Faculty. All these staff have an in-depth knowledge of performance in their faculties, and have specific experience of the underachievement by students. The interviews will be recorded, where possible, for two reasons to ensure that the analysis of data is based upon an accurate record, and to allow the interviewer to concentrate on the actual interview. Secondary data in the form of school exam performance and monitoring reports will also be collected to form part of the analysis. This will allow the research to understand the scope of current performance levels. To help focus the interviews in terms of reflecting the main objectives of this research they will be structured in according to key themes, for example patterns of behaviour that are labelled as laddish, understanding of current underperformance issues, awareness of the issues involved in boys choosing to behave in a laddish manner. In terms of analysing the interviews, as Bogdan and Biklen (1982) put it; the researcher should aim to work with the data, analyse and break it down into manageable units, search for patterns and decide what is important. This summarises neatly the modern interpretive approach to qualitative data analysis and the approach that this researcher will use. LIMITATIONS AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS There are many potential problems in any research problem, and especially when researching a topic like this project is aiming to. The key one is generalisability this research cannot be generalised to any other educational setting, as it is purely relevant to the setting that the researcher is currently employed in. This does raise a question mark over the validity of the findings, but as most interpretivists argue, including Ackroyd and Hughes (1981), the researcher is not limited to what he or she can immediately perceive or experience, but is able to cover as many dimensions and as many people as resources permit. The depth of data gathered by this research should enable the researcher to find the truth, or at least the best representation of it available, hence ensuring a good degree of validity. The reliability of unstructured interviews can also be questioned as they are artificial situations, as Bryman (1988) notes, do they really capture the daily life, conditions, opinions, values, attitudes, and knowledge base of those we study as expressed in their natural habitat? Perhaps even more problematic is the issue of the researcher maintaining objectivity when interviewing colleagues in an environment in which he works. Labovs (1973) work also points out the way that school children can respond differently when interviewed in different contexts. They often respond in a certain way when interviewed in a formal setting that is very different from how they respond in an informal setting. Any research project which has interviews as the main source of data is hampered by interviewees who exhibit bias or poor memory recall, (Winlow 2001). This researcher has attempted to deal with this by gathering data from a range of sources, i.e. the various heads of faculty, and a range of students. This allows the researcher not to be dependent on one or two respondents for key data. But one must approach this research with the knowledge that people are not robots, especially school students, and that errors are bound to creep in, in terms of bias and honest mistakes of recollection. The issue of ecological validity pointed out by Hammersley and Gomm (2004) which is that interviews are unnatural social situations and the context affects the behaviour of interviewees so much that the resulting data cannot be seen as valid, does need to be allowed for, but overall it is expected that any bias or misinformation will be minimised. The researcher himself needs to alter his mindset slightly when conducting the interviews he has to view them not as colleagues but as research subjects, and this role change needs to be communicated to staff. Linked with this role change is the need for the researcher to gain the trust of his colleagues, as they may well be nervous about expressing their views openly, and so to encourage open and honest discussion, anonymity for academic staff will be guaranteed where required. (Biggam 2008). The use of quantitative statistics to measure and understand the extent of underachievement also has its issues. Atkinson (1978) believes that they are simply the product of the meanings and taken-for-granted assumptions of those who construct them. This is particularly the case when analysing teachers perceptions of who is underachieving, so the researcher must be wary of this. As Byrne (2006) states, they are useful to most social scientists they are made out of something, not nothing, and that provided we pay careful attention to the ways in which they are made, and in particular the processes of operationalisation they can be of very considerable value to us. Finally, in terms of ethics there are a range of potential issues to take into account. The researcher will be abiding by the code of ethics as set out by the British Sociological Association and the BERA. Participants will all give voluntary informed consent, which involves the need for them to substantially understand what the research involves. This ensures that no deception of any participants is involved. This does of raise the methodological issue of ecological validity, but it is not possible for the research to remove this issue. All participants have the right of withdrawal at any point, and this right is explained to each participant at the outset of any research. This research does involved the participation of children, so appropriate consent has been gained first from the school headteacher, as gatekeeper, from the parents/guardians of any children involved, and of course from the children themselves. Brookman (1999) talks about the issue of confidentiality and its impac t upon the research, but as discussed earlier, all participants were offered full anonymity as a condition of their participation. Essentially, as Israel and Hay (2006) point out, the ultimate purpose of having research ethics is to avoid harm and do good. They comment that contemporary researchers are normally expected to minimise risks of harm or discomfort to participants. This research will strive to ensure that this is the case.

Obama Victory Speech 2008

In Obama’s speech, he uses many inclusive pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘our’. This shows that they are all the same; by doing this it creates a sense of unity among the audience. This is effective because it gets the audience on his side; if he used exclusive pronouns such as ‘you’, it would make the audience feel less united. He also says ‘America can change’, by doing this he personifies and metonymies ‘America’. This is effective as it makes the people think about what he means by ‘America’ in that context, he could have easily said the ‘people of America’ but that would be very dull.We also see here again that he uses ‘America’ in a united sense. This all links in with the semantic field of the speech, of ‘the American Dream’, which is all based on peace and unity among the people of America. Another technique Obama uses are exophoric references and anecdotes, such as â€Å"She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voices heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon cooper is 106 years old. †This is effective in the speech as help explain the point Obama makes to the audience. It is also something the audience can relate to .He also waits until right at the end to say â€Å"Ann Nixon cooper is 106 years old,† this turns a sentence about someone ordinary into someone extraordinary. Apart from the general references he makes, there are also very famous ones, such as ‘A man touched down on the moon’ and ‘a preacher told a people ‘We shall overcome. ’† He uses these exophoric references effectively, to remind the audience about the situations they have overcome, which inspires them. Also, when he makes these references, he doesn’t clearly state the event but vaguely describes it.He does this to make the audience think about what h e is saying, but at the same time not to undermine them by being too clear. In the reference ‘A man touched down on the moon’, he uses the word ‘man’ which is much more inclusive than a person’s name, and it makes the audience feel united in that event and as if they were a part of it. Furthermore, when he gives the quotation of ‘we shall overcome’, everyone immediately recognises that famous quote, and relates to MLK. Obama also picks this quote out in particular, as it is about overcoming which is the main topic of his speech and in the way it is said, it sounds like a statement.This is effective as it reinforces and adds credibility to what he says, which means the audience are more likely to accept it. During the speech, Obama’s tone and body language varies. For example, when he is giving an anecdote, he talks in a calm manner with long sentences, few pauses and no hand gestures, ‘At a time when women’s voices we re silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up†¦ ’ Then when he starts to make a point his tempo rises and he uses sentences with many pauses with also strong hand gestures, ‘That while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt†¦ This is effective as it shows emphasis on the points that are very important and makes them easier to remember; also it shows a contrast between the main points of the speech and the anecdotes. In the Obama’s speech he uses few religious references, such as ‘Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. ’ He says this because he himself is religious, but also America is a strongly Christian country and he targets those in audience who are religious. This effective as it gives impression that God is on their side and motivates people.Also the way Obama says that at the end of the speech is similar to how a priest would end his speech in a Ch urch, which again gives it a very holy and religious feeling. During the speech Obama shows advances in many things, such as technology. He shows this by saying â€Å"no cars on the road or planes in the sky† and â€Å"she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote,† by saying this he contrasts the past with the present, and it makes the audience think how far they have came, in terms of technology in a short space of time.Another advance he shows us is in equality, by saying â€Å"when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin,† he reminds the audience of the time when it use to happen. This effective because it shows change, by contrasting the past with present, and he shows this change to show the American people that if they did it then why can’t they do it again, which motivates them. Also when he says â€Å"couldn’t vote for two reasons – †¦ there is a slight pause, he does this as the audience know what’s coming next which makes them think. Throughout the speech, Obama’s main buzz phrase has been â€Å"Yes We can. † This phrase is good as it is only three letters long and is repeated through the speech several times, making it easy to remember. He uses these when making a point, such as â€Å"America can change. Yes we can† and â€Å"nation conquers fear itself with a New deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can,† this motivates the people and gets them on his side.Also Obama uses this phrases right at the end of point or paragraph, so the audience know its coming and after it’s said they can repeated the phrase, this is why he leaves a short pause after each point for the audience to react . This is effective as it makes the audience think and concentrate on the speech. The word â€Å"yes† in the phrase as adverb shows the agreement between him and the people. The word â€Å"we† as a first person plural pronoun denotes as collective force or unity and the word â€Å"can† as a modal auxiliary verb suggests the ability or possibility of someone doing something.

Swot Analysis Of Acd J Co - 1446 Words

V. BUSINESS STRATEGIES Mission ACDJ Co. provides quality products with desirable features to any consumer at mid-level cost. We are consistently focused on research and development in order to be able to offer the best overall product in the industry. SWOT Analysis The following diagram summarizes how our SWOT analysis defines the Key Success Factors of the market and Distinctive Competencies of the Company. Strengths Weaknesses Distinctive Competencies Skills in marketing, communications Local presence in major market focus Entrepreneurial relationships Few people initially limit serviceable market Large company skills Small biz experience Good relationships Using technology to reduce client costs Opportunities Threats Key Success Factors Large # of businesses starting in United States South America. Business growth Focus on profit Small budgets Low barriers to entry Well funded competitors Need for local presence Core strengths in marketing/strategy Local presence Small Business focus Venture Capital relationships Introduction of New Services: New team members will bring new skills and potentially allow us to offer new services to our small business clients. One possible example is helping small businesses expand their operations overseas. The functional strategies that were used to meet the firm’s objectives were as follows: Price: The given start price at $10.00 was raised each quarter gradually by about $0.15 to $0.25. In this category, the firm

The Ethics Of Sports Apparel - 1798 Words

Founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former University of Maryland football player, Under Armour is an innovative company in the sports apparel industry. Under Armour’s founder Kevin Plank came up with a ground-breaking idea that changed the way that sports apparel is looked at today. Plank wanted to originate an apparel that would help athletes like him keep cool and dry when they engaged in vigorous activities during high temperature condition, so he created sports apparel using synthetic materials as an alternative to natural fibers such as cotton. Being a former athlete allowed Plank to understand the discomfort of wearing a sweat cotton fiber shirt during sport practice, or work-out, and he worked relentlessly to develop a shirt that†¦show more content†¦Provide a five-forces analysis to support your answer. I believe that bargaining power of customers and threat of new entrants are the three main key forces that have the potential to impact negatively Under Armour’s growth stability. Under Armour relies mainly on Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Sports Authority for more than 20% of its revenues and problems at these retailers could affect its growth pace. While Under Armour faces rigid competition from Adidas and Nike, they could also see the competition go up from other companies as it does not hold process or fabric patents. Furthermore, Under Armour’s hard core competitors, Nike and Adidas Group, are continuously coming up with new ideas in order to fight for that number one spot and to earn the customers’ loyalty to their brand. Five Porter Analysis Competitive Rivalry within the Industry- Nike and Adidas pose threat and Under Armour does not hold patents. Bargaining power of suppliers- Diverse supplier base limits their bargaining power. Bargaining Power of Customers- Wholesale customers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Sports Authority hold leverage. Threat Of New Entrants – Existing sports apparel companies could enter the performance apparel market. Threat of substitute products- Demand for Under Armour’s products is expected to continue. 2) Does Under Armour have any core competencies and, if so, what are they? Under Armour core competencies are to keep theirShow MoreRelatedThe Ethics Of The Sports Apparel Industry3201 Words   |  13 Pagesathletic market world, being the number one is what many athletes strive for—that is what sets the standards for many sport clothing companies, to deliver products that allow athletes increase their performance while striving to take the number â€Å"one† spot. Under Armour works to deliver products that do that and more. 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Benefits of Music Education - 2049 Words

Kris Epperson Mrs. Wilder-Newland English 12 15 March 2012 Benefits of Required Music Education According to â€Å"College Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers,† â€Å"Students in music appreciation classes scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math than students with no arts participation.† Music programs are being cut and underfunded even though these programs should be the first to be funded; they provide a magnitude of benefits. Music should be taught progressively just like English or social studies. The music class would start out as it does in most music classes in elementary school, going through the basic history and learning how to play the recorder. Then, in middle school, it would†¦show more content†¦Language arts is a core class throughout all levels of education, and music helps young students to be more aware of and focus on phonemes that make up the English language (â€Å"Start†). In the most basic form, music has helped teach children the alphab et. A study done by Cohen-Taylor in 1981 stated, â€Å"†¦popular song lyrics used as reading materials caused middle grades students to approach printed materials in a positive manner. Students had been approaching reading materials with apathy†¦kids became enthusiastic and excited about using lyrics as reading materials. Reading skills can be effectively taught using popular song lyrics† (Eady and Wilson â€Å"Restructuring Music’s† 244). This method would be well accepted throughout student bodies across the nation. A distinct tie exists between music and the human brain. â€Å"It speaks to the emotions, the angst, the happiness, and it really ties kids into their emotions. Everything seems so life and death, so right now† (Gutjahr). There are one hundred billion neurons in the brain (Levitin 85). Almost every part of the brain lights up when a person listens to, plays, or reads music. Playing an instrument requires carefully timed physical m ovements, which enables the motor cortex (â€Å"Your Brain†). The hippocampus, a part of the brain which plays a key role in long term memory, helps retrieve memories that give sound both meaning and context. The visualShow MoreRelatedThe Benefits of Music Education Essay990 Words   |  4 PagesThe Benefits of Music Education Due to budget cuts, students all across America are missing an opportunity that could benefit them greatly. Many changes all across America are cutting the fine arts program out of schools. The fine arts program is incredibly important for a child. Children should be exposed to music at a young age to help them succeed as an adult. Music education should be properly funded so they can gain important knowledge and life skills in school. Music benefits kids in multipleRead MoreBenefits Of Music And Art Education977 Words   |  4 PagesThe Benefits of Music and Art Education If we live in the land of many opportunities, then why should music and art programs be cut from schools? When people hear the term â€Å"art†, their first initial thought would most likely be drawing or painting. However, it’s a lot more than the visual art forms that can be set on a paper or canvas; According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the term â€Å"Art† is â€Å"something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses importantRead MoreMusic Education and the Benefits Essay examples1700 Words   |  7 Pages Most understand that music is a useful tool for relaxation and leisure time. Fewer know that learning a musical instrument, or even listening to music for long periods of time, can have a positive impact on one’s academic abilities. Numerous researchers and college professors have looked into this correlation and again and again have produced data that confirms this common theory. Studying music can no t only improve academic skills, but sharpen motor skills, memory, and create a well rounded, enrichedRead MoreThe Effects Of Music Education On Mainstream Education Essay1619 Words   |  7 Pagesanswering if music education has enough crossover benefit to include it into our mainstream education. Two scholarly articles, a blog, a personal story and an online article were selected and consulted to find the answer to this question. Many authors in many articles had minimal criticism of music education and most were in favor of music education. Findings were that yes, music education does in fact have enough crossover benefit to include it into mainstream education. Music education may be timeRead MoreMusic Education: A Necessary Part of the Educational Process or Not?623 Words   |  3 Pagesor not music education is a necessary part of the educational process is one that never seems to end. To those who are musical in any aspect of the word, music education is extremely important to students of all ages. To those who don’t value music so highly however, music education is a frivolous waste of time that could be spent learning core subjects such as math, reading or grammar. In support of the necessity of music education, there are many benefits that come with studying music, even someRead MoreThe Importance Of Music Education790 Words   |  4 PagesTime Music education is a subject in school that should be essential for all students. If students continued to expand their music education, they would have higher test scores in subjects such as math and English. Having a school system where everyone is able to benefit from a school wide requirement of music education. Music education will help improve student test scores and improve students language development. Students who take music classes have higher test scores. Music education helpsRead MoreMusic Education Has On A Student929 Words   |  4 Pages Music education is often pushed to the side in terms of academics. It is often the victim of many budget cuts as it is seen as unnecessary and expensive. Looking from an outside point of view, most fail to realize how much of an impact music has on a student. The only loss they see when cutting a music program is that a student would simply no longer have the ability to learn an instrument. However, music education proves to provide much more knowledge and skills to a student than that. In learningRead More Music in Education1081 Words   |  5 Pages Why Music Is Important To Having A Complete Education nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;With school budget cuts, and no music instruments, more and more people are beginning to realize the benefits of having music in education. Providing music as part of education helps develop intelligence that leads to greater success in school and in life. Everyone from VH1 Save The Music to The National Association For Music Education agree that, â€Å"Every student in the nation should have an education in the artsRead MoreHigh School And The Neural And Scholastic Benefits Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesGerald Ford said, â€Å"Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.† Music can do so much for the youth of the nation because it encourages group cooperation, independent study, and a way to relax. It has often been debated whe ther the benefits of music in school are significantRead MoreHigh School And The Neural And Scholastic Benefits Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesFord said, â€Å"Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.† Music can do much more than just affect the morals of young adolescents. It has often been debated whether the benefits of music in school are significant enough to encourage continued participation in music during high

Rayon’s market Free Essays

Britton to acquire American Fiber market consists of Rayon, Nylon and Cotton. Rayon’s market share was increasingly rapid until 1959 but started to fall by year 1960. Nylon was introduced in 1955 and was eating up the market for Rayon. We will write a custom essay sample on Rayon’s market or any similar topic only for you Order Now It has achieved a good increase in market share every year.1 . 3rd largest producer of rayon in the SSI . Increased earning difficulties 2. $MOM liquid assets 2. Rayon industry was declining 3. No short or long-term debt 3. Entry of new fiber products 4. Modern central manufacturing facility l. Problem Institutional Should MR., Inc. Acquire American Rayon Inc. (AR’) ? Operational Is Marc’s management control system well suited to handle AR’? II. Objectives 1. To find out viability of MRS. acquisition of AR’. 2. To find out how much should MR. pay for the AIR acquisition. 3. To find the Net Present Value of AR’. Corporate Objective 1. Growth is the explicit objective of the acquisition program 2. And borrowing capacity Areas of Consideration 1. SOOT STRENGTHS AIR is the 3rd largest producer or Rayon Strengthen liquidity AIR had over $20 million in liquid assets that were not needed for operations – No short or long term debt They had a modern manufacturing facility, their facilities can be retrofitted for ewe technology. MR. has a long history of successful acquisitions through its diversification campaign (therefore they have enough experience in handling risks and problems connected to acquisitions. – James Clinton, President of AR’, had expressed willingness to stay and offer his services even after the acqui sition for two years. WEAKNESSES MR. has a weak R D MR. maxed out credit benefits From 1955, rayon began to falter AIR faced earning difficulties with a shrinking industry MR. management lacked the technical know-how to contribute o ARIA’S profitability OPPORTUNITIES upcoming innovation (polyester) in the fiber industry. THREATS The growth of Rayon has been falling which was about to become obsolete. – Introduction of new raw materials in the tire cord business- Acquiring AIR might entangle MR. in a dying business Competitors in the fiber industry 2. Macroeconomic Indicators Political Political climate in different countries producing and buying automobiles regarding policies on import, export and manufacture of automobiles and automobile components. This will also include policies on allowing setting up of manufacturing plants by foreign companies. Stability of governments. This may affect the future conditions in a country. Taxation policies. Economic Recession – Demand for cars, during the period, would result to decline as a result of higher levels of unemployment, lower purchasing power and the resulting postponement of new car purchases, decline in per capita automobile travel and volatile fuel prices. Reductions in per capita automobile travel directly impacted demand for tires a nd thereby tire cord in the replacement market. Debt Crisis – . Credit restrictions as a result of austerity measures implemented by debt ridden governments, consumer indecisiveness, weakening consumer confidence as a result f periodic flaring up the region’s financial problems, would result in slowing down auto sales Level of economic activity that affects need for commercial use of automobiles Exchange rate, interest rate, GAP, inflation other economic indicators Demographic The population figures and automobile buying capacity of people. The aging baby boomer population and their proximity to retirement age is increasing annually while the number of young drivers in the 16 to 29 year age bracket is increasing at the slowest pace. The discrepancy between the growing number of retirees and the educed number of young drivers is bound to manifest itself by way of reduced growth in the vehicle buying population. Socio-cultural Lifestyle and preferences of people that ha s an impact on their choice of types of automobiles. Social norms that impact the decision to own and use automobiles versus other means of transport. Market Profile and Outlook There is significant uncertainty since MR. is uncertain about the future of the rayon business. There are different perceptions about whether the potential of the AIR acquisition is big, but in new unfamiliar area such as rayon market the information is not enough. There are huge questions surrounding the potential of this business. Questions like how the market may evolve, considering the fact that the rayon industry had enjoyed one of the most spectacular successes in the history of tire manufacturing and at one point, the rayon industry started to decline. On another note, AIR is also expected to pick up and gain market share as smaller companies vertical and functional integration; taking the fact that MR. already has strengths in the manufacturing of power brake systems, industrial furnaces and etc. The acquisition may be able help MR. to enter the new market of rayon production and also use rayon to get deeper into tire manufacturing. Competition Different synthetic fibers compete for shares of the total fiber market principally on the basis of relative prices and relative quality characteristics. Diversification program created significant strains on the Company’s organization structure and financial position. Since continued rapid diversification was considered imperative, Company’s highly- centralized decision-making processes had shifted to a highly decentralized management structure, which transferred substantial decision- making power to division managers. In 1961, there were seven divisions. All marketing, purchasing, manufacturing, research and development, personnel matters, and accounting were handled at the division level. Each division has its own manager (usually a Vice-President) and had responsibility for the growth and profitability of his division. A division manager could get stock options and earn an annual bonus of up to 60% of his base salary depending on the earnings and growth of his division. Divisional sales and earnings goals. Divisional sales and earnings formulated by each general manager and submitted each November to the head office for review by Mr.. Britton and the Corporate Staff. The corporate staff provided legal, administrative, and financial support to the divisions and handled external affairs, financing and acquisitions as well. The staff, including corporate officers, consisted of fewer than 60 people, about half of whom would be classified as secretarial and clerical. With this, Mr.. Britton has the capacity to exercise adequate to exercise control over the decentralized organization through its power to hire and fire at the division manager level and important, through control of the elaborate capital budgeting yester. s product lines were power brake systems for trucks, buses, and automobiles; industrial furnaces and heat-treating equipment; and automobile, truck, and bus frames. How to cite Rayon’s market, Papers

A Picture of Stereotypes free essay sample

I remember sitting by myself, cross-legged on my floral patterned bedspread, surrounded by an array of different volumes of yearbooks that I had collected over my life. I would crack open the spine of each, to peer at the glossy polished pictures depicting everything I wanted to be- pretty, confident, and †¦white. In the July of 1995 I came to the United States, a squirming 5 month-old bundle of fat Asian baby, completely unaware that I had been given a new life, new identity, and a family. This realization was a taxing process and did not strike me with its full force until I reached middle school. I do not know if it was the overwhelming rush of teenage angst, or plethora of imbalanced hormones, but I remember becoming acutely aware that I was adopted- and not white. In class I would feel the stereotypical stares and hear the comments about how I should be good at math, and eat rice. I wanted to scream to my peers, â€Å"That’s not me! In fact, you probably have more knowledge of Asian cultures than me!† Yet, I never did. However, I did decide that if everyone only sees me Asian, then I would become the most stereotypical Asian girl that I could possibly be. Henceforth, during my first two years in high school I began to focus heavily on both math and science courses. I took accelerated science and skipped ahead into an honors math class a grade above me. However, I quickly realized that these subjects were not for me. Though I was quick to push these feelings out of my head and tried to persist down a more technical field- a more â€Å"Asian† field, or so I believed. In accordance with my heavy technical schedule I also took up band and joined the robotics team for a year. However, when it came down to the truth, deep down I did not enjoy anything that I was involved in other then my band class and my previously established community service clubs such as 4-H club and Key club. My grades began to suffer from my lack of interest in the subjects of my class and I began to become depressed by tr ying to fit into the mold that I had created for myself. I was confused. I was conflicted. The only things that I felt passion towards were my limited time in band and few community service clubs. Yet, those things were not classified as fitting the â€Å"Asian† mold though. In fact, these things would segregate me from my peers all over again. I would not be accepted by other Asian peers because I did not have the same cultural experiences as they did, and I would continued to be bullied back into this mold by everyone else. I felt as though I was living a life in which I did not fit into any role. However, as time begin to pass and my angst began to slowly lessen, I was struck with a startling realization. My peers that would bully me with their racial slurs, and stereotypical remarks did not define me. That when the bullies would tell me that I was a â€Å"fake Asian† or that I â€Å"needed to go back to where I came from,† they were all making me choose between two options- an Asian women or a Non-Asian women. And, realistically, I was not either. I was merely only me. A student that has passion for leadership and community engagement, an individual that feels an overwhelming sense of duty to give back to the world in any way she can. An unique women that had an overwhelming love for the humanities, writing, and social sciences. With newfound confidence in both my passions and myself, I entered my junior year of high school with a newfound zeal. I quickly adjusted my schedule to reflect my desired interests with a heavy focus on English classes and quickly took up leadership positions in band and 4-H. And, for the first time in my life, I found that I was exceeding all expectations, I quickly rose to the tops of my classes and turned my grades around- eventually leading to a 4.0 in my senior year classes. Likewise, I discovered that one must first decide what her passions are before she can truly succeed in school and life. That when passion and genuine interest are combined, a sense of self-worth develops very quickly afterwards, leading towards recognition in all fields (merit, professional world, and leadership opportunities). By the end of my high school career I had been given enormous opportunities, both in and outside of school. I had been given an elite role as a section leader in my marching band for two years, been voted a band council member and mentor, and founded and led a clarinet choir that placed 1st at a state competition. Likewise, I had devoted numerous hours to my 4-H group in both elected officer roles, community engagement at a food shelter, and was awarded the name of 4-H All Star as recognition for my dedication and work. Consequently, because of my newfound passion for the humanities in school, I was able to raise my G.P.A. up to graduate Magna Cum Laude and be accepted into Michigan State University’s Honor College. I had found my path in life and school. Though at first a struggle, I had overcome peer bullying, social expectations, and my worst enemy- my own personal identity crisis being an Asian adoptee. My path to success was never easy. I had to face many years of peer discrimination, though I have learned that social and personal molds need to be broken and people should not be confined to the stereotypes that exist in this world today. Thus, I have decided to devote my life to others that are feeling the confines of stereotypes or others expectations. This summer I will be doing a study abroad in Mali, working with dialogue reconciliation to help the people of the country rise up and defeat the stereotypes that have followed them because they are a third world country. Likewise, due to extra work and a heavy freshmen schedule; I have received enough credits to move to junior standing, my first year in college, where I know that I am one step closer to fulfilling my dream- becoming a human rights lawyer. I want to fight for those that are being bullied by the restrictions of an unjust world. To perhaps give children a chance to be adopted, like myself, so they too can follow thei r passions and exceed all stereotypes, restrictions, or people trying to hold them back. I no longer stare at my old yearbooks, wishing that I was someone else- pretty, confidant, and white. No. Now I know that there is no one better, more beautiful, more inspiring and passionate, more unique, or successful then being yourself. I am no longer a picture of stereotypes or of a confused adoptee. I am no longer a picture, no longer a flat one-dimension fake smile. I am a well-rounded, successful, passionate individual that now knows that nothing can stop her.