Is Booking Travel over the Internet Causing the Decline of High Street Travel Agents? Essay

Is booking travel over the internet causing the decline of high street travel agents? During the decade leading up to 2007, ways of buying tourism products as changed a lot. Ten years ago people choosing a holiday more often than not a package holiday, by going to the travel agent and choosing one from a number of brochures and after chatting with the travel agent. Many people still chose this method but a lot more people are buying packing holidays, more people now buy online, or over the telephone, through teletext. People tended to find it cheaper to and more flexible to buy their flights from one internet site, their accommodation from another and book a hire car with another site, rather than buying a package holiday out of a tour operator’s brochure. They are not always financially, protected when booking travel separately. Holidaymakers are â€Å"turning their backs on the traditional high-street travel agent in favour of booking trips online†, reports sundayherald. com. Between 2000 and 2004 there was an 11% drop in the number of bookings made at travel agents, with only 47% of overseas holidays now being reserved through a high street travel agency, according to figures from market researchers Mintel. Many people book breaks by phone, and just 31% of overseas trips were booked in person in 2004,† says the report. â€Å"The research shows that traditional sun, sand and sangria package holidays are the main type of trip booked on the high street, with just one in five d omestic trips booked at travel agencies. Richard Cope, international travel analyst at Mintel, reportedly said consumer confidence in the internet was driving people away from booking in person. â€Å"Mintel’s research shows that almost one in five UK holidays are now booked online, with consumers becoming increasingly confident about making their own travel arrangements. † Mintel figures also indicated that, overall, more holidays are being taken. In 2004 65% of British people went on holiday, compared to 62% in 2000. Some 44% of holidaymakers now take more than one holiday a year, up 14% since 2000. Altogether, Britons took 43 million holidays abroad in 2004. http://www. m-travel. com/news/2005/10/number_of_booki. html Technological changes within tourism surround several different factors from medical advances to the innovative space tourism. Similar to tourism, technology is an ever changing and sometimes unstable business. Better communication, transport and safety have encouraged new consumers to the industry. Improvements in water supply, medicine and knowledge have meant areas are opened up which were not possible before technological advances. In today’s society in which a consumer wants easier, quicker and cheaper service only technology has helped tourism fulfil the customers demand. Another massive effect on tourism is the rapid increase in online booking that has given consumers more opportunity to make a holiday. Through technological advances, online booking has been one of the biggest factors in affecting tourism, leisure and recreation in today’s world. There were 37,600,000 Internet users in the United Kingdom (representing 62. % of the population) in March 2007, according to Internet World Stats. This was up by 144. 2% compared to 2000. (Internet World Stats, March 2007) and a new Google Survey has shown that surfing the web has topped watching television as Britain’s favourite past time. On average residents in the UK spend 164 minutes online every day compared to 148 minutes watching television (Daily Mail, Friday 10th March 2006). This shows how much the internet is now an integral part of life and has had an effect on other aspects influencing the tourism business. More and more people are now booking their holiday on the internet, as many people are looking for a better priced deal than they’re being offered by their travel agent. Both holiday and airline bookings have not dramatically rose in sales from the travel slump of 2001-02 due to the massive consequences of September 11th and the threat of terrorism which has increased (it saw similar slumps although smaller after the Madrid bombings and 7/7 terrorist attacks). The Iraq war, the SARS/bird flu epidemics and very consistent hot European summers have persuaded the usual long haul travellers to stay at home. This has seen a loss in sales and therefore profits causing one of the hardest aviation crises of the industry. The number of job cuts that were announced in 2003/04 was well over 100,000 according to BBC News, November 2005. Routes had been slashed and several European carriers were barely clinging to life. The turmoil in the industry went from Aer Lingus to XL Airways, but times were changing and the industry needed something new. Survival tactics started to emerge and online travel started to show evidence of bucking this gloomy trend. The Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), as cited in a May 21, 2002, Financial Times article had cited for many years that online spending was increasing and predicted it to triple at the end of the decade. Looking at e-commerce data overall, the firm counted travel as the biggest online sector, followed by electronic products and apparel. IMRG also said British shoppers were buying larger and more expensive goods online, such as furniture and kitchen appliances. This showed a large gap in the sub-market that needed to be exploited. Online Travel Spend ($bn) Europe N. AmericaU. K 20002. 4 6. 4 0. 20015. 8 11. 00 1. 8 200212. 7 18. 7 3. 7 Source: Datamonitor At the start of the boom these were seen as survival tactics by the airlines and the government also pushed for more progress in online booking to make the travel industry more prosperous. The economic realities forced travel companies to be more efficient in running their business. Websites, for example were able to promote the latest ticket prices, particularly at a time when they were being slashed on a day-to-day basis which was used to tempt travelers back into the air. Similarly travel sites e-mailed a wide ustomer base with relative ease to promote special deals. It is seen as the cheapest method of booking a holiday, the LogicaCMG (a marketing body) has said that phone bookings typically cost about ? 30 to service. By contrast net bookings cost around 75p. One of the biggest online travel sites Expedia, took an initial knock from 11 September, but then saw its transaction volumes recover by 80-85% during October. â€Å"Like every travel company, we experienced a downturn, but we then recovered a lot more quickly than the traditional industry† said James Vaile, managing director of Expedia in the UK. Online travel sites are also well positioned to exploit the recent procrastination by consumers in booking holidays. People are booking later than usual in recent years and the internet is seen as the obvious and natural place to hunt down last-minute bargains. As this bar chart shows travel sales online rose rapidly from 2006-2007 and it is expected to continue to rise to over $30 billion. The consumers weren’t only using the internet to book their holidays but also to research and gain knowledge of the destinations they wanted to go to. The search engines were flooded with searches over cheap flights, accommodation and new destinations (as shown in the rankings). From the bar chart below it shows that web-search is the preferred method of obtaining travel information with it being preferred nearly twice as much as personal recommendation, the second most preferred method. This is then followed by TV programmes, but the travel agents became the fourth option of consumers to collect travel information. Web-searches are high due to people liking to make their own decisions at their own pace and this can’t be done in travel agents where they are pushed, poked and pressured. This is unpleasant for the consumer and has changed the trend in which consumers went to travel agents for advice, whereas now they would rather use the internet. As this pie chart to the left shows the internet has had a huge impact on the booking of a holiday, with 79% of all booked holidays using the internet in the process. Also, the internet has seen a large increase in the number of â€Å"last minute† business as many tourists feel it is better-placed and they can search for the best priced, most suitable holidays or excursions. Furthermore, since the growth of the internet, online advertising has been used as a huge marketing tool, where holiday and travel providers can target large quantities of potential customers and keep advertising costs low. This has also been used to great effect as they appear to be a successful method and an efficient way of gaining business from the wallet-conscious consumers, whereas high street advertising receives less notice. Moreover, the internet has caused the high street travel agencies to close, therefore creating job losses within the businesses. This is mainly due to the fact that more people are booking direct with the holiday providers, thus cutting out the middle man and saving money by doing the research and booking themselves. This is usually done by using the internet or telephone booking where the overhead costs are much lower as an outlet has to be staffed and incur running costs such as electricity bills and also because of the larger volumes of people that are able to access the service. A recent example of this is was in 2001, when Airtours, the UK’s largest tour operator had to cut one-in-seven of its high street branches in an effort to return to profitability. According to finance director David Jardine, around 120 shops going under the name â€Å"Going Places† were closed as the business stated that they were finding there was an â€Å"increasing trend in customers wishing to book direct†. On the other hand, online companies such as Expedia. com have seen their profits on the rise over the past few years as would be expected, although they had not anticipated such a large growth. For the last three months of 2001, Expedia saw its net income surge to $19m according to BBC News, compared with a loss of $2. 6m in the same quarter of 2000 and also the firms evenues were in excess of $80 million for 2001, over double that for 2000, showing how quickly it has established itself as an efficient internet booking service. So in conclusion online booking for travel has dramatically changed tourism in the world. It has provided a less time consuming, cost effective and an overall efficient/productive method in organising tourism which has seen triggered a rapid rise in sales. Airlines are now recovering after effects that were unforeseen. BAA Limited, formerly the British Airport Association said seven UK Airports handled a total of 11. m passengers in August 2006 making it a record summer with the highest number of passengers ever recorded over a two month period. BAA also revealed here was a 6. 8% increase in passenger traffic for the 12 months to August 31st 2006. Bigger discounts and better security could tempt more people to book holidays online, a LogicaCMG survey (http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/technology/3939035. stm) found. However, the future of online booking although seen as prosperous can also turn, but due to the recovery in airline business they are starting to hit back. Prices are starting to rise and now you must book early to get the best price. The same survey revealed that online discounts were still not high enough to tempt potential customers onto travel websites and that the process was still too complicated for some consumers. A serious issue with online booking is the fear of fraud. Consumers are not convinced that any personal and financial information they hand over would be kept secure by online travel shops and this is slowing the potential growth that could occur otherwise. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) sees the online travel market having a long way to go before it replaces high street travel agents. ABTA estimates that by the end of 2007 online travel will be 17% of the UK’s ? 28bn travel market but this growth will only occur if trends continue as it relies on steadily growing numbers of people happy to book holidays online and as well as improvements in technology and the creation of better websites by travel firms. Issues over security, faults and complications need to be solved if this method of booking is to prosper.

Carrier Planning Report for Mba Student

CAREER PLANNING ASSIGNMENT DEEPENDRA SINGH A30101911072 Sec- B, Sem-IV A Career has been defined as the sequence of a person's experiences on different jobs over  the period of time. It is viewed as fundamentally a relationship between one or more organizations and the individual. A career is a sequence of positions/jobs held by a person during the course of his workinglife. Many of today's employees have high expectations about their jobs. There has been a generalincrease in the concern of the quality of life.Workers expect more from their jobs than justincome. A further impetus to career planning is the need for organizations to make the best  possible use of their most valuable resources the people in a time of rapid technologicalgrowth and change. Career planning as a concern is of recent origin. The reason for thislack of concern regarding career planning for a long time has been the careless,unrealistic assumption about employees functioning smoothly along the right lines a nd the  belief that the employees guide themselves in their careers.Modern personnel administration has to be futuristic, it has to look beyond the present tasks,since neither the requirements of the organization nor the attitudes and abilities of employeesare constant. It is too costly to leave career to the tyranny of time and casualty of  circumstances, for it is something which requires to be handled carefully through systematization and professional promoting. Fortunately, there has lately been someappreciation of the value of career planning and acceptance of validity of career development as a major input in organizational development.Career Planning aims at identifying personal skills, interest, knowledge and other features;and establishes specific plans to attain specific goals. Aims and Objectives of Career Planning Career Planning aims at matching individual potential for promotion and individualaspirations with organizational needs and opportunities. Career Planning is making sure thatthe organization has the right people with the right skills at the right time. In particular itindicates what training and development would be necessary for advancing in the career  altering the career path or staying in the current position.Its focus is on future needs andopportunities and removal of stagnation, obsolescence & dissatisfaction of the employee. OBJECTIVE OF CAREER PLANNING †¢To attract and retain the right type of person in the organization. †¢To map out career of employees suitable to their ability and their willingness to betrained and developed for higher positions. †¢To have a more stable workforce by reducing labour turnover and absenteeism. †¢It contributes to man power planning as well as organizational development andeffectiveachievement of corporate goals. To increasingly utilize the managerial talent available at all levels within theorganization. †¢It helps employee in thinking of long term involvement with th e organization. †¢To provide guidance and encourage employees to fulfill their potentials. †¢To achieve higher productivity and organizational development. †¢To ensure better use of human resource through more satisfied and productiveemployees. †¢To meet the immediate and future human resource needs of the organization on thetimely basis. NEED FOR CAREER PLANNING †¢Desire to grow and scale new heights. Realize and achieve the goals. †¢Performance measure. †¢High employee turnover. †¢To educate the employees †¢It motivates employees to grow. †¢It motivates employees to avail training and development. †¢It increases employee loyalty as they feel organization care’s about them. ADVANTAGES OF CAREER PLANNING In fact both individuals and the organization are going to benefit from career planning anddevelopment. #For Individuals 1. The process of career planning helps the individual to have the knowledge of variouscareer opport unities, his priorities etc. . This knowledge helps him select the career that is suitable to his life styles, preferences,family environment, scope for self-development etc. 3. It helps the organization identify internal employees who can be promoted. 4. Internal promotions, up gradation and transfers motivate the employees, boost uptheir morale and also result in increased job satisfaction. 5. Increased job satisfaction enhances employee commitment and creates a senseof belongingness and loyalty to the organization. . Employee will await his turn of promotion rather than changing to another organization. This will lower employee turnover. 7. It improves employee’s performance on the job by taping their potential abilities andfurther employee turnover. 8. It satisfies employee esteem needs. #For Organizations A long-term focus of career planning and development will increase the effectiveness of  human resource management. The advantages of career planning anddevelopment f or an organization include: 1.Efficient career planning and development ensures the availability of human resourceswith required skill, knowledge and talent. 2. The efficient policies and practices improve the organization’s ability to attract and retainhighly skilled and talent employees. 3. The proper career planning ensures that the women and people belong to backwardcommunities get opportunities for growth and development. 4. The career plan continuously tries to satisfy the employee expectations and as suchminimizes employee frustration. 5.By attracting and retaining the people from different cultures, enhances cultural diversity. 6. Protecting employee’s interest results in promoting organizational goodwill. CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 1. Identifying individual needs and aspirations: It’s necessary to identify and communicate the career goals, aspiration and career anchors of  every employee because most individuals may not have a clear idea about these. For this  purpose, a human resource inventory of the organization and employee potential areasconcerned. 2. Analyzing career opportunities:The organizational set up, future plans and career system of the employees are analyzed toidentify the career opportunities available within it. Career paths can be determined for each  position. It can also necessary to analyze career demands in terms of knowledge, skill,experience, aptitude etc. 3. Identifying match and mismatch: A mechanism to identifying congruence between individual current aspirations andorganizational career system is developed to identify and compare specific areas of matchand mismatch for different categories of employees. 4.Formulating and implementing strategies: Alternative action plans and strategies for dealing with the match and mismatch areformulated and implemented. 5. Reviewing career plans: A periodic review of the career plan is necessary to know whether the plan is contributing toeffective ut ilization of human resources by matching employee objectives to job needs. Review will also indicate to employees in which direction the organization is moving, whatchanges are likely to take place and what skills are needed to adapt to the changing needs of  the organization.

Activities Coordinator

Along with the views of Human Motivation, Psychological Behavior, Environmental Factors and Quantitative and Qualitative Strengths, Social Influence and Capabilities play important roles in achieving certain objectives (Brehm, 2004).   Activities intended for social interactions credit a big help in creating personal relationships for the reason that the triggering of an individual’s interest will eventually make it easier for one to be persuaded to adhere with one’s desire and expectation (Cialdini, 1998). Changing the Community’s Lifestyle Take for example having a goal within a community to change the lifestyle, or perhaps the view of people towards a healthy lifestyle.   In order to achieve this certain goal, development psychology clearly defines that change does not happen in an instant.   It follows a step-by-step process, wherein keen observation and analysis on the behavior and interests of the community must be taken consideration on to be able to identify the level of motivation and techniques shall be imposed to (Brehm, 2004). Instilling Physical Activities Benefits Positively The differences of each individual and the complexities of the differences may be hard to specify for in every community, there would always be those who would not conform to the general masses.   Ã‚  Learning psychological strategies to eliminate anyone’s unhealthy beliefs in anyone or anything’s perspective on to realigning values in any area of life, is considered an intellectual way in making the subjects follow (Grottke, 2006). Information Dissemination Indulging the subjects of the advantages and benefits taken from physical education and enlightening them with the disadvantages caused by the opposite or disregarding such way of living will make them realize the essence of the activity. The information can be disseminated in a form of flyers, advertisements and door to door consultations citing people who suffered illnesses and sickness due to inconsistent physical activities.   In that sense, by capturing their sympathy and instilling a form of fear in their minds, it will be easier for them to be persuaded. Fear and Risk Taking Fear, being one of the highest factors in emotion and a bug in motivation, serves motivation strategy to prospects.   Inculcating the horrors of an unhealthy lifestyle will horrify the living daylights of their life (Lieberman, 2005).   Making them realize that taking physical exercises will deprive them from living longer and thus will lose everything which they have sown earlier than those who are healthy.   Eventually, since most are busy in their jobs, they will grab the most efficient way in gaining a healthy lifestyle, which implies that the Center shall gain generous support from those who have been persuaded to help not only their selves, but a deeper sense of sympathy to those who need their assistance. Door-in-the-face Technique A kind of persuasion with an arrogant form of approach which is then most likely not to be accepted, hence, the persuader at hand a slighter and more levelheaded appeal which eventually the real gist of the negotiation.  Ã‚   It is a subliminal way of slightly fooling subjects to have them trapped in one’s desire.   It could be effective, but a feeling of guilt will later lurk in the scene. Foot-in-the-door Technique   A related trick of persuasion, a little similar on the first, but somehow degrading if realized, since that is a kind of method which tends to amaze the receiving party which then makes it hard for him to refuse such offer given that the offer was ascending.   Effective though, but then again, it’s like tricking the receiver still over one’s benefit. Essence of Techniques The use of door-in the face technique, foot-in-the-door technique and the art of persuasion are by study proven to be effective in dealing with social interactions.   The gift of persuasion or influence is considered as the most valuable one, which if further developed and enhanced will not only reach the hearts of those inside the vicinity of the Center’s jurisdiction, but the nation as well. Conclusion Concluding such, in this massive form of competition in the complex world of business, being wise by evaluating effects of every move taken must be clearly specified and analyzed.   Characteristics of an effective Activity Coordinator must know what to take (Williamson, 1995), when to take and how to use effectively what is taken (Hughes Beatty, 2005), what to sacrifice and what to throw away (Straker, 2007), when to commence and when to leave (Segil, 2002) – but never to abandon, instead, to save and develop what had been started (Hesselbein, Johnston, Foundation, 2002; Runde Flanagan, 2006). References: Brehm, S. S. (2004). Social Psychology (6th ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Cialdini, R. B. (1998). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Revised ed.). New York: Collins. Grottke, R. L. (2006). All I Needed to Know in Life I Learned Selling Door to Door. New York: BookSurge Publishing. Hesselbein, F., Johnston, R., Foundation, T. D. (2002). On High Performance Organizations: A Leader to Leader Guide (1 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hughes, R. L., Beatty, K. M. (2005). Becoming a Strategic Leader: Your Role in Your Organizations Enduring Success (Lst Ed ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Lieberman, D. J. (2005). How to Change Anybody: Proven Techniques to Reshape Anyones Attitude, Behavior, Feelings, or Beliefs New York: St. Martins Press. Runde, C. E., Flanagan, T. A. (2006). Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader: How You and Your Organization Can Manage Conflict Effectively. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Segil, L. (2002). Dynamic Leader Adaptive Organization: Ten Essential Traits for Managers (1 ed.). Toronto: Wiley. Straker, D. (2007). Leadership styles (Publication. Retrieved June 28, 2007, from Changing Minds: http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/leadership_styles.htm Williamson, O. E. (1995). Organization Theory: From Chester Barnard to the Present and Beyond (Expanded ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, USA.

Outline a plan to stop a planned terrorist incident conducted by Research Paper

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Leadership and ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Leadership and ethics - Assignment Example There is no doubt therefore that any leader who takes an ethical approach will enjoy the support of employees and easily lead them in sharing the common organisational goals both short and long term. Today’s business leaders have no option other than embracing ethics in their leadership styles so as to appeal to the employees, investors and even the general public. The first pillars of ethical leadership or more related to the moral person element of leadership requiring that leaders should poses traits like trustworthiness and fairness which are desirable. The other pillar focuses on the moral manager aspect thus requiring ethical leaders to foster normative behaviour at the expense of what is unethical among followers through transactional efforts that clearly communicating ethics and rendering their support for ethical behaviours (Brown &Trevino 2006). It is imperative therefore ethical leaders stress the importance having a two-way communication; apart from airing their ideas and opinions they must also listen to their followers (Brown et al, 2005). The two-way communication is particularly crucial in ensuring information flow in the organisation.The leaders inspire norms on how to handle colleagues and this greatly influences team relations in the affirmative (Mayer et al, 2012). Ethical leadership therefore not only motivates employees b ut also saves the company of financial issues and helps grow the organisations reputation outside. Additionally, ethical leadership has immense power of eliminating tensions, personal attacks and resolving conflicts in the place of work (Mayer et al, 2012). It encourages freedom of expression and respect for diverse opinions. Thus rendering employees free and ready to listen & respect what colleagues have to air. Ethical leaders are role models in the organisations are they are capable of commanding

Information Paper on World War I Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information on World War I - Research Paper Example Historians have identified three direct main causes that led to the war. They are the conflict between the Central Powers like Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Powers like France, Russia, Britain, Italy and the United States. Widespread militarism and economic imperialism pushed the ambitious leadership of the countries to the warzone. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the flashpoint that sparked the war. That was on June 28, 1914 when a Bosnian Serb student by name Gavrilo Princip, shot and killed him. Ferdinand was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. That student wanted Serbia to be independent from the domain of Austria Hungary. The latter demanded that those responsible for the assignation must be punished .Stewart Ross writes â€Å"On 23rd July, 1914 Vienna sent Serbia an ultimatum that, if accepted, would have made Serbia virtually an Austro-Hungarian province. The Serbs had 48 hours to accept it—or face the consequences.à ¢â‚¬ (p.7)When Serbia did not comply with the demand and Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia. Serbia, as the ally of the Allied Powers, declared war on Austria Hungary. Central Powers intervened on behalf of the later and thus a chain reaction resulted and a full-fledged war was in the offing. Widespread militarism initiated the mind war first. The upper class with the stockpile of weapons and wealth in abundance remained suspect about the power of the other. Desire for maintaining the superior level of military power bothered them much. The Royal Navy of Britain was the envy of Germany and Austria Hungary as it was much superior to theirs. They thought that the ideal strategy to contain the naval might of Britain was to declare war. Economic imperialism empowered by trade with the foreign colonies was the strong point with Great Britain and France. Germany and Austria Hungary had few foreign colonies

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Economics of Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics of Immigration - Essay Example However, the economic impact largely depends upon the skills of those immigrated (House of Lords, pp. 5). A question however arises. Why is there a large need for immigration? In many poor countries, the population grows at a faster pace than the creation of employment opportunities. The political instability, economic and social problems all propel certain people to immigrate, either legally or illegally, to developed countries. Mexico is one such country that has shown a large increase in immigration to countries such as the United Sates. Many of the Mexican workers in the United States have immigrated illegally, without any inspection or a Visa (Yoshida, pp. 2). The major relationship of migration occurs between the United States and Mexico. Around 9 million people, born in Mexico have now migrated to United States. This migration has largely created economic changes in Mexico and United States. Two major factors have resulted in the blooming of this relationship. The first is bec ause of increased economic growth. Secondly, because of high inequality in Mexico and between Mexico and United States, the immigration has increased (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp. 39). Immigration is largely because of economic factors and it further has economic impacts. The paper shall attempt to discuss the economic reasons of immigration into the United States from Mexico, what economic effects it has had on the U.S and Mexican economy. It also covers America’s policy, regarding immigration. As mentioned above, economic factors play a major role in an increase in immigration in the United States from Mexico. After the Second World War, there was a baby boom in both the United States and Mexico, but eventually in 1960, it reduced in US but continued to grow in Mexico. The Mexican economy did not create as many jobs as it should have for the working population; therefore, it resulted in immigration into the United States. Economists have concluded that around one third of immi gration from US to Mexico in the past decades has occurred because of an increase in birth rates. (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp.39). However, the baby boom does not remain the only economic factor, explaining immigration. The second largest reason for immigration into the United States is due to the weak Mexican economy. For the past decades, the Mexican economy has not created enough jobs; the minimum wage remains too low. Even though the Mexican economy grew in 1960s and 1970s, the 1982 debt crisis rocked the economy largely, resulting in emigration from Mexico in search for higher paid jobs. The trend towards higher immigration into the United States from Mexico has largely been followed by recessions or slumps in the Mexican economy (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp.39). In fact, the economic factors play such an important role in the process of immigration in United States from Mexico that the major source of revenue in Mexico comes from remittances sent by Mexicans working in the United S tates (Drachman & Paulino, pp. 124). Although immigration to another country may occur because of political instability and religious reasons, in the case of Mexico, this immigration has largely occurred because of economic problems. Mexicans have gained economically because of this immigration into the United States. It increases the wage per hour of an average Mexican worker; therefore, increasing the standard of living. Moreover, the United States

HR Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HR - Research Paper Example Diversity in the workplace mainly encircles people from diverse cultural backgrounds, language, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious belief and other values. Diversity is also reflected when people belong to variety of educational fields, work experiences, personality, socio-economic context, marital status etc. At the same time it can’t be denied that a diverse team includes people from different backgrounds and mindsets, which create differences among the members of the team. Therefore for a manager it’s necessary to organize, manage and lead the diverse team and motivate the team members to work towards achieving a common objective. With the advancement and modernization of technology, diversity is a growing need to all teams in an organization so as to facilitate proper understanding and communication in team work, superior contribution, accomplishment of the underlying objective, and withstand in the competitive market. Diversity in a team may ofte n lead to conflicts, i.e. when people from different culture and experience work together, a conflict is often found to arise between them as their thoughts and perceptions differ. Conflict in diverse team may arise due to miscommunication and incompatibility in information, diversified social category, and diversified values which affects their performed tasks and their delegated authorities. In this context we can discuss the advantages and disadvantage of group work and individual work. Teamwork is beneficial as information sharing in a group paves the way for a wide range of ideas and thoughts to come up. It is unlikely for innovative ideas to come out as a result of two-sided communication between the decision-maker and the individual worker. Idea sharing in a group of equal level people can arouse exceptional ways of thinking. An employee may perceive an issue from an entirely unusual perspective than their coworker. This way of thinking can introduce changes in the process of carrying out performance, in policy creation, and in developing a product. Additionally, each employee’s understanding is negligible in a sense that it is not possible for an employee to make right decisions every time which becomes easier when they perform in a group (Werner & De Simone, 2012). Although the term â€Å"Diversity† covers a wide range of factors, the first and foremost to be considered while discussing diversity is the culture of the organization. In general â€Å"culture can be defined as a set of shared values, beliefs, norms and artifacts that are used to interpret the environment and as a guide for all kinds of behavior† (Werner & De Simone, 2012). A few cultural attributes are migratory status, geographic origin, language, race, religion, community and neighborhood, food preference etc. Thus organizations form a subset of the sociopolitical culture at large. A multicultural organization consists mainly of 6 key features namely pluralism, str uctural incorporation, complete amalgamation of unofficial networks, elimination of discrimination and prejudice, equivalent recognition of organizational objectives with all the diverse teams and nominal amount of inter-team conflicts. In a multicultural organization it is essential on the part of the manager to maintain a balance between his employees since culture could become a sensitive factor which might influence the performance of the staff. For example, â€Å"

Persecution of Muslims in Burma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Persecution of Muslims in Burma - Essay Example She remained under house arrest for almost 21 years. However, she was released in 2010 and everybody shifted their focus from Burmese politics to other matters. Burma again caught the attention of humanists all over the world recently because of the ongoing ethnic violence against the minority Muslims by the government and the Buddhists. Majority of the people in Burma are Buddhists even though Muslims constitute a substantial portion of Burmese population. â€Å"The Muslim minority in Myanmar mostly consists of the Rohingya people and the descendants of Muslim immigrants from India and China, as well as descendants of earlier Arab settlers† (Persecution of Muslims in Burma, 2012). It should be noted that financial abilities of majority of the Muslims in Burma are better than the majority Buddhists. This is because of their prominence in business and trades. Buddhists are not at all interested in watching the minority Muslims gaining progress in Burmese politics and business. As a result of that they started violence against Rohingya people to expel them from Burmese territories. â€Å"Credible reports available online suggest that â€Å"It began on 3rd June 2012 when 11 Muslims were killed by the Burmese Army and the Buddhist mobs after bringing them down from a bus† (Hyderi, 2012). Since then hundreds of Muslims forced to sacrifice their lives in front of the fury generated by the Buddhists. One of the most surprising fact about this violence is the stand taken by the humanist and Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Even though neutral observers all over the world expected Aung to condemn this incidents, to their utmost surprise, she justified these massacres. â€Å"Myanmar Noble Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi says she will not back the minority of Rohingya Muslims that have been persecuted and killed by the majority Buddhists† (Myanmar's Suu Kyi says she can not back Rohingya Muslims, 2012). This paper analyses the details of t he prosecutions of Muslims in Burma. Why prosecutions of Muslims in Burma are happening? â€Å"The Myanmar government and its majority population refuse to recognize Rohingya Muslims as citizens and label the minority of about 800,000 as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh, an impoverished state that has shown no willingness to help the Rohingyas† (Myanmar's Suu Kyi says she cannot back Rohingya Muslims, 2012). It is a fact that there are plenty of Muslim states in the proximity of Burma. Pakistan and Bangladesh are Muslim dominated countries whereas India’s northern state Kashmir is also a Muslim dominated state. People from these Muslim states are crossing the borders of Burma and settling in Burma. This process started in the past and continued until recent times. As in the case of other countries, the internal resources are getting reduced in Burma also because of the over exploitation and population growth. Burmese people or the Buddhists do believe th at the illegal immigrants or the Muslims are looting their resources. That is why they started violence against the Muslims recently. They argue that Burma is for Burmese people or for Buddhists; not for illegal immigrants or Muslims. Majority of the Burmese people and the administration believe that all the Muslim population in Burma are illegal immigrant

Research About Differences in Grade Essay Example for Free

Research About Differences in Grade Essay Introduction The field of Information Technology is one of the most interesting courses of study. This is very evident in the growing number of students pursuing the field in our school, College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC). In our (the CIC community)commitment for excellence as stipulated in our vision and mission, the school administrators, faculty and staff are continuously seeking ways on how we can improve our programs, the content and delivery of instruction and most especially our students. We do such by attending fora, conducting various seminar/workshops/trainings, benchmarking with other schools, peer mentoring, pursuing graduate studies and eventually aspiring and working for a university status through an ongoing accreditation with PAASCU (Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities). In the 4-year stint of offering the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, often, we are able to have not less than three blocks every semester. As a private school competing with so many others within the province, we represent quite a volume in our enrolment. However, most often than not, most students do not earn impressive grades. Though they pass, their grades as evidences of their performance in their different subjects, are quite low. Despite of the effort and commitment of the faculty to adapt, implement, innovate strategies for facilitating learning, very few of our students make it to have high grades especially in major subjects. Among these subjects are Computer Organization, Database Management System and System Analysis and Design. This leads the researcher in making this term paper to seek an answer to the problem cited below. Statement of the Problem Considering the subjects mentioned above, this study aims to answer: Is there a significant difference on the performance of the students in these three major subjects? Significance of the Study This term paper is deemed important for the following groups of people in our academe: For the teachers. The result of this study will shed some light on different performance, if there is any, of our students in the subjects concerned thereby providing an opportunity for improvement. If there is such difference, the subject and the teacher handling it may provide some effective means that others may use. Moreover, this term paper may also bring forth some more ideas for us, teachers, to get to know more our students and therefore provide them with the necessary intervention for better scholastic achievement. For IT students in CIC. Students, whose grades are used in this paper, may be benefitted thru proper interventions that maybe drafted for them. For future takers of the subjects mentioned here, this may prepare them for the semester wherein they will take the subjects. For the researcher, herself. This term paper is the culmination of her struggle with Statistics. The success of this paper may lead to more papers where topics learned in this subject may be applied for the creation of new knowledge and for delivery of information. Quite an exciting future for the researcher, she believes. Scope and Delimitation This term paper entitled â€Å"Difference of Selected BSIT 3 Students’ Performance in Three Major Subjects: A Term Paper† is focused on finding the difference, if there is any, in three major subjects taken by BSIT 3 of the College of the Immaculate Conception last 1st Sem of School Year 2010-2011. The subjects concerned were Computer Organization, Database Management System and System Analysis and Design. Computer Organization, mostly theoretical in nature, deals with various hardware structures and their interaction with each other. Database Management System, on the other hand, aims to develop a skill in designing, creating and maintaining and/or manipulating a database using MySQL. Lastly, System Analysis and Design focuses on the rudiments of systems development through a feasibility study which is collaborative in nature. These are three different subjects taken by mostly the same students, inclusive of irregular students, under different teachers. This term paper is limited only for the three subjects. It is not concerned, in any way, how those subjects were delivered nor with each student’s intellectual capacity. Definition of Terms CIC. College of the Immaculate Conception CIC community. Refers to the CIC administration, faculty and staff. Programs. Refers to the different course offerings of CIC Blocks. Refers to each class of students consisting of, ideally, not more than 40 students. IT Subject. Refers to each subject offered in the Bachelor Science in Information Technology curriculum. Computer Organization. Refers to the IT subject that presents the various hardware structures (down to transistor level) that compose a computer, their individual functions, how they interact with each other, how they can be organized and controlled to perform the task assigned to the computer. Database Management System. Refers to an IT subject that tackles the following topics: the physical database design process (the last stage of database design), data administration functions, which encompass concurrency control, database security and recovery. System Analysis and Design. This It subject deals with the different phases of systems development focusing on analysis and design where students will learn the rudiments of systems development through a feasibility study. College. Refers to CIC. Methodology The methodology employed in this study is the simple analysis of variance (ANOVA) or one-way ANOVA. According to Prof Isidra Marcos (2011), a distinguished professor in the NEUST graduate school, ANOVA is used for testing that two or more independent samples were drawn from population as having the same mean or to test whether or not more than 2 samples (or groups) are significantly different from each other. Each column in this table refers in each subject. The first column is for Computer Organization, the second one is for Database Management System and lastly for the System Analysis and Design. The last row displays in each cell the number of grades in each column. For the first subject, 31 grades corresponding to 31 students were gathered. There were also 31 and 33 on the second and last columns respectively.

How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking Introduction Majority of people get performance anxiety when they need to make a speech in front of the audiences. According to Lake (2015), seventy-five percent of the population suffers from the fear of public speaking. Over time, people will try to avoid participating in any speeches as they feel nervous while speaking. In fact, there are few ways to overcome the fear of public speaking which are organizing the presentation, breathing exercises, and practicing more. (NG CHAI YET) 1st point: Organizing the presentation The first way to overcome the fear of public speaking is by organizing the presentation (Golberg, 2016). There are several steps to organize the presentation. First of all, the speaker should understand the topic of the presentation and organize the information (Hall-Flavin, 2014). It is important to make sure that the information is correct, clear, and related to the topic in order to make fewer mistakes and not digress from the topic. The speaker should do research and get correct information from books, articles, journals and suitable website which are related to the topic. Secondly, the speaker can try to remember the arrangement of the speech (Martinuzzi, 2013). By remembering the arrangement, the organized information can help the speaker be more confident and remain in control during the presentation. For example, the speaker can use the presentation slides to help them remember the arrangement and reduce their fear of public speaking. Besides that, one of the reasons for the fear of public speaking is the speaker fear of receiving the questions (Martinuzzi, 2013). Before speaking in public, the speaker should prepare a list of potential questions from the audience (Martinuzzi, 2013). This can increase the speakers confidence reducing the fear of public speaking. In addition, another reason for the fear of public speaking is the anxiety that could cause the speaker to forget or disorganize the main points. Therefore, the speakers can make a cue card with the main points and ideas (Goldberg, 2016). However, the main point must be in point form and not in essay form. The cue card helps the speaker to avoid forgetting the main points and reduces their fear of giving a presentation on stage. In short, these steps in planning a presentation can help the speaker to be prepared for public speaking with a more confident and relaxed attitude. (MIMOSA TAN SIN YIE) 2nd point: Breathing exercises The fear of public speaking can be overcome and eliminated by learning breathing exercises. Breathing is a useful tool for relaxing and refreshing the mind as it is something that people are able to control and regulate. There are several methods for breathing exercises. Speaker can take the time to inhale and exhale before starting the speech(Weil, 2016). Taking a deep breath before start the speech can lower the speakers stress level and reduce anxiety. For example, stage fright can be a significant hurdle to the speaker that wanted to share the information with the audiences. Therefore, breathing can increase self-confidence and enhance the speakers voice to be louder. Moreover, try to breathe normally and comfortably when speaking too fast (Peters, 2010). Generally, people who are nervous will speed up their speaking instead of enunciating the sentences properly because they are trying to end the speech sooner. Focusing on breathing can not only calm the speaker but also a powerf ul relaxation technique for the speaker to continue the speech with better performance. Furthermore, pause and breathe between the points during the speechis another way to overcome the fear of speaking (Nuumburg, n.d). For instance, take a breath after an idea is given out and introducing another with few second later can rebuild the speakers confidence and undoubtedly, it can manage and release fear. In fact, it will also sustain the physical capacity for the speaker to talk for a long time. The benefits of breathing exercises are both physical and psychological. Thus, learning to breathe naturally the benefits will be enormous for reduce the fear when they having a speech. (RENEE TAN CHAI NI) 3rd point: Practice more The most common way the speaker can overcome the fear of public speaking is more practice. For practice public speaking, they have to understand their speaking material so that can prepare well to deliver the speak (Martinuzzi, 2013). Practice can help them to understand their speech but not memorize it. When practicing public speaking in the home, they can practice in front of the mirror (Sahay, 2016). This is the most effective way because it is able to help them to pay attention to their posture, gestures, movement and facial expressions. Gentle expressions will gain the audiences attention and they will concentrate to their speech. Moreover, they can record their speech by using a video camera and watching it in order to make corrections easily (Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, 2014). Furthermore, they can try practicing public speaking in front of an audience. Looking for an audience to evaluate to their performance. They can also join a club that can give them opportunities to speak in front of the audience, such as Toastmaster. Toastmaster is a communication and leadership development organization worldwide (Toastemasters International, n.d.) It is a great place for people to practice public speaking because the people who study with the program will give them valuable advice (Gray, n.d.). More practice with public speaking will help them gain more experience. Thus, they will feel more comfortable when speaking in front the audience and no fear. (ROSELIND KANG KAI QI) Conclusion In conclusion, public speaking is a form of communication to share ones thoughts to influence others. It is a need to everyone regardless for education or career purpose. Preparation is very important as good preparation can overcome ones fear and increase their confident level towards a success performance. People will be benefited by having several keys in their pocket to overcome the fear of public speaking. (NG CHAI YET) References Lake, R. (2015, April 28). Fear of Public Speaking Statistics and How to Overcome Glossophobia. Retrieved from creditdonkey: https://www.creditdonkey.com/fear-of-public-speaking-statistics.html Martinuzzi, B. (2013). 11 Easy ways to Finally Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking. Retrieved from https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/easiest-ways-to-manage-your-public-speaking-fear-2/ Hall-Falvin, D. K. (2014, February 25). Fear of public speaking: How can I overcome it? Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phobias/expert-answers/fear-of-public-speaking/faq-20058416?p=1 Goldberg, D. F. (2016, November 10) Teacher: How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved from http://www.teachingvillage.org/2016/11/10/teachers-overcome-your-fear-of-public-speaking-by-david-f-goldberg/ Nuumburg, C. (n.d). Breathing Exercises to Make Life Easier. Retrieved February 18, 2017, from Seleni Web site: https://www.seleni.org/advice-support/article/breathing-exercises-to-make-life-easier?gclid=Cj0KEQiA25rFBRC8rfyX1vjeg7YBEiQAFIb3b8vjJkUUWOwBZn5VtqntjdlWKw9G-Rr6C3xNykfu7tEaAnNb8P8HAQ Peters, K. (2010, January 12). Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2017, from Six Minutes Web site: http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/vocal-variety-speech-breathing/ Weil, A. (2016, May). Three Breathing Exercises. Retrieved February 18, 2017, from Dr. Weil Web site: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/stress-anxiety/breathing-three-exercises/ Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M. (2014, February 25). Mayoclinic. Retrieved from Fear of public speaking: How can I overcome it?: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/expert-answers/fear-of-public-speaking/faq-20058416 Gray, C. M. (n.d.). How I (Finally) Got Over My Fear of Public Speaking. Retrieved from themuse: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-i-finally-got-over-my-fear-of-public-speaking Martinuzzi, B. (2013). Open forum. Retrieved from 11 Easy Ways to Finally Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/easiest-ways-to-manage-your-public-speaking-fear-2/ Sahay, U. (2016, December). Enzuke. Retrieved from How To Overcome The Fear Of Public Speaking: http://www.enzuke.com/how-to-overcome-fear-public-speaking/amp/ Toastemasters International. (n.d.). Retrieved from Who We Are: https://www.toastmasters.org/About/Who-We-Are

Mark Test of Mirror Self-recognition | Analysis

Mark Test of Mirror Self-recognition | Analysis Critically evaluate the Mark test of mirror self-recognition as a measure of conceptual self-awareness in toddlers. When adults look in the mirror they can possibly say with confidence that they, as adults, know it is their own refection gazing back at them; it is possible that this stems from the fact that they recognise or hold a mentally represented self –image of what they usually look like, which has probably emerged from many mirror reflections, to everyday explicit beliefs which probably provides them with a representation of themselves. But can it be assumed that Mirror-Self-Recognition (MSR) of conceptual self-awareness in toddlers, can enable them to distinguish from the currently perceived reflected self-mirror image, and their mentally represented self-image (i.e. when a child looks in the mirror they know that it is themselves they are looking at), as argued by Wheeler, Donald, Stuss Tulving 1997, (also see Wheeler et al, (1997) for an in depth discussion about self-recognition and autonoetic consciousness). However, this essay will critically evaluate the Mark-Test of MSR whi ch claims that toddlers (18 to 24 months) must have a real concept of their own self-awareness when gazing into a mirror. However, there has been some controversy as to whether MSR tasks actually measures conceptual self –awareness, or are they measuring something completely different. Some of these debates surrounding MSR tasks (Lean and Rich alternative interpretations of MSR) will be explored only after briefly defining the ‘self’ and discussing the mark test of mirror self-recognition as a measure of conceptual self-awareness. Conceptual self-awareness in toddlers is perhaps one of the most widely debated issues in the literature of Developmental Psychology to date (Rochat, 2003). This is because self-awareness is the capacity to explicitly introspect about one’s own consciousness, (i.e. feelings, attitudes, opinions) and as noted by a number a researchers, introspection is a very hard concept to operationalise because they have to rely on self-reports as evidence of what they are trying to explore; especially in young children (Schooler, 2002). With that said, some attempts of introspection in regards of conceptual self-awareness, historically to the present day, have argued introspection can provide important insights of self-concept in development (implicitly, and explicitly), which can possibly provide answers as to why/and or how they develop and hold a concept of the ‘self’ (Neisser 1998; Rochat, 2004). For example, as language matures in development and a child is able to talk ab out something, they are probably consciously aware of what they are talking about (Neisser, 1998) and thus probably is able to distinguish themselves as a separate entity to the environment and others. Most relevant studies have demonstrated that toddlers begin to form a self-concept at around the ages of 18 months, and are able to distinguish much earlier that they are different from their environment, that is, their hands, legs, and fingers belong to them, whereas the table when they touch it belongs to the environment. This normally emerges in the first few months of life and is what Neisser (1998) arguably suggested, originates from two forms of ‘self’. The term ‘self’ in developmental psychology is normally divided into two levels. The first of these levels is the lower level, which is referred to as the ‘self as the subject of consciousness’ such as the knower, the experiencer, and the agent of activity. The second level is the higher and more sophisticated level, which is normally referred to as the, ‘self as the object of consciousness’, which consists of thoughts about cognition about the self (Neisser 1998). Research does not indicate that young babies (birth to 18 months of age) are explicitly aware of themselves; rather this kind of self-awareness is experiencing themselves as doing things (which are basic implicit or perceptually based aspects of the self) and as they mature and learn from their surrounding environments, from their awareness of experiencing (Neisser, 1998). This then provides them with the foundations of thinking about themselves more conceptually, which normally begins to emerge at around 18 months of age when language is more mature, and they develop an awareness that other people and objects are different from themselves, which then translates into a more conceptual self-awareness (the foundations of forming a personality) (see Neisser 1998 and Rochat, 2003). In relation to Neisser’s (1998) and Rochat’s, (2003; 2004) ideology of forming a self-concept, a number of measures from an evolutionary and biological viewpoint were developed to measure whether animals had some form of consciousness; this measure is known as ‘the mirror test of self-recognition’ and was first devised by Gallup (1970), to establish whether chimpanzees can identify with their own reflection in a mirror as an appearance of itself. Part of this procedure of the mirror test, is that the animal is usually marked with a dye, and is then usually observed to see if the animal responds in a manner that is consistent with it being aware of the dye on their own body. The frequency of how many times the animal touched the marked area is then recorded. Mark –directed behaviour might include touching the marking, trying to remove the mark with their fingers, or turning and adjusting the body for a better view in the mirror; which is generally tak en as evidence of passing the MSR task (Gallup, 1970). Similar explanations are used as a gauge of entrance of the mirror stage or the conceptual self, which is normally referred to as the belief that human infants can recognise their own reflection in the mirror (Evans, 2005). Most academics agree that MSR implies that children must have a self- concept if they pass the mirror test, and most children start showing mark directed behaviour (i.e. trying to remove the mark) at around 18 to 24 months (Lewis Brookes-Gunn, 1979). However it can be argued that MSR stems from much simpler cognitive explanations. For example, using a Lean or a more Conservative viewpoint of MSR, both Heyes (1994) and Mitchell (1997) argue that children match their own sensations with their own visual image of with what they perceive in the mirror. This suggests that one does not need a self-concept of what one looks like. Measures to test this comes from evidence such as the ability to match visual input and kinaesthetic feedback (see Heyes, 1994 Mitchel, 1997). Likewise, Loveland (1986) argues that what MSR behaviour measures is an understanding of the reflective property of mirrors, that is, the body parts that infants cannot normally see can be explored using a mirror (for example, a child cannot normally see their face, but with a mirror they can). Loveland suggests that passing the MSR task (marks test) just shows that children have probably learned how to use a mirror to view their own body. Both Heyes and Loveland’s interpretations of MSR tasks do not really tell one much regarding self-awareness, rather all you need is ecological self-awareness (see Neisser, 1988) to pass the MSR task. As already noted earlier, Neisser (1998) argues that self-awareness develops much earlier than MSR evidence suggests. Therefore the MSR tasks is probably rather limited in explaining and validating their argument. However, there is lots of counter-evidence that does seem to suggest that you do need conceptual self-awareness or ecological self-awareness to pass the MSR. For example, Nielsen, Suddendorf, and Slaughter (2006) tested self-recognition of legs (they developed these measures as a way to measure self-conceptual awareness for appearance). Children were placed in a high chair with a tray that obscured the view of their own legs. A mirror was placed in front of their view which was angled so that the children could view only their legs. In the first of two experiments, a within subjects design was used as the leg version vs. face version. A sticker was placed either on their leg or the front of their hair. It was found that very similar numbers of children passed the leg and face task (18mths olds). This shows that leg recognition was just as easy as face recognition. However, this still leaves this question open as to whether mark directed behaviour in either conditions implies self-rec ognition of conceptual self-awareness. In other words, does this really imply that infants know what their faces look like or legs look like; so one could possibly argue what would happen if the mirror image does not match what they see? To investigate this, Nielsen et al. (2006) added another condition called the novel trousers condition. Children were placed in a high chair with integrated trousers (which they could not see). The trousers were attached to the high chair. When the child was placed in the chair their legs slipped straight into the trousers. In the test, only 13% of children recognised themselves in the novel-trousers condition. Nielsen et al. argued that therefore that children do have a self-concept of ‘this is what I look like’. This suggests that mark-directed behaviour does indicate self-recognition and must imply conceptual self-awareness. Children must have a representation of what they look like, which gets easily updated, as they did not recognise wearing those trousers, therefore not reaching for the sticker; the child thinks that the image is not themselves (Nielson et al., (2006) . So far this essay has suggested that some people do not believe that MSR guides self-awareness (which are Lean interpretations). Nevertheless, there is also some Rich interpretations. Both Lewis (2003) and Gallup (1998) believe that MSR involves more than basic interpretations of conceptual self-awareness. Both these researchers argue that MSR assesses the ability to introspect and reflect on their own mental states (beliefs, desires, pretend play and knowledge). This is more of a sophisticated form of self-awareness, than basic conceptual self-awareness, which typically represents holding a Theory of Mind (ToM) (See Premack Woodruff’s (1978) paper for an insightful analysis on whether chimpanzees hold a theory of mind). Nevertheless, Lewis (2003) argues that MSR is an early appearance of ToM, supporting the Rich interpretation of MSR; there is a relationship between pretend play which might guide ToM and MSR, which may provide some support for this idea. On the other hand, there is other bases of evidence against the Rich interpretations. For example, several animals display MSR (however none of these animals display pretend play, and none of them pass ToM (Povinelli Vonks, 2003 on chimpanzees). Moreover, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also show very poor theory of own mind but they show MSR by the mental age of 18 months, demonstrating evidence against the idea. Clearly there are problems with both Rich interpretations and Lean interpretations of MSR (see Williams, 2010 for a deeper account). In conclusion the mark –test of MSR has been the subject of intense debate regarding whether a child at 18 to 24 months holds a real self-concept of self-awareness when looking into a mirror. Mark-directed behaviour has been questioned as to whether it measures conceptual self-awareness or whether it is testing something completely different. Alternative interpretations (Lean and Rich) argue that MSR does not guide self-awareness, rather mark directed behaviour can probably be explained by simpler cognitive accounts. Both sides of the debate (Lean and Rich interpretations) also have their criticisms as some researchers argue that Lean and Rich interpretations may not be correct interpretations of MSR, as self-awareness gets updated regularly. Moreover, the ability to reflect on one’s own mental states relies on the early appearance of Theory of Mind and the relationship between pretend play, but this too has been questioned as some researchers argue that several animals also display MSR (however none display pretend play, and none pass Theory of Mind tests). Nonetheless, mirror self-recognition as a measure of conceptual self-awareness in toddlers is difficult to conclude, because although adults can reflect implicitly what they are consciously thinking, this may not be the case for children; probably conceptual self-awareness in toddlers is a gradual process. That is, the more they experience the world and the objects within it, the more they become aware of their own private and conscious thoughts; however this is hard to measure definitively using the mark-directed behaviour test. References Evans, D. (2005). From Lucan to Darwin. The literacy animal; Evolution and the nature of narrative. Northwestern University Press, 38-55. Gallup, G., G., Jr. (1970). Chimpanzees: Self-Recognition. Science 167 86-87 Gallup, G., G., Jr. (1998). Self-awareness and the evolution of social intelligence. Department of Psychology, State University of New York. Heyes. C., M. (1994). Reflections on self-recognition in primates. Anim. Behav., 47, 909-919. Lewis, M.., Brooks-Gunn, J. (1979).Social cognition and the acquisition of self. New York: Plenum Press. Lewis, M. (2002). The emergence of consciousness and its role in human development. New York Academy of sciences. Loveland, K. (1986). Discovering the Affordances of a Reflecting Surface. Developmental Review. 6, 1 -24. Mitchell, R., W. (1997). A Comparison of the Self-Awareness and Kinaesthetic-Visual Matching Theories of Self-Recognition Autistic Children and Others. Annals New York Academy of Sciences. Nielsen, M., Suddendorf, T., Slaughter, V. (2006). Mirror Self-Recognition Beyond the Face. Child Development, 77, (1) 176-185. Neisser, U. (1998). The Roots of Self-knowledge: Perceiving Self, It, and Thou. Annals New York Academy of sciences. Premack, D. G., Woodruff, G. (1978). â€Å"Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind. â€Å" Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 1 (4) 515 -526. Povinelli, D. J., Vonk, J. (2003). The Chimpanzee minds: Suspiciously Human. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7 (4) 157-160. Rochat, P. (2003).Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life.Consciousness and Cognition, 12(4): 717–73 Rochat, P. (2004). Origins of Self-Concept. Blackwell Publishers, LTD. Schooler, J. (2002) Re-representing consciousness: dissociations between experience and meta-consciousness. Trends Cognition. Sci. 6, 339–344 Wheeler, M., A., Stuss, D., Tulving. E. (1997). Toward a Theory of Episodic Memory: The Frontal Lobes and Autonoetic consciousness. Psychological Bullets, 121 (3) 331-354. Williams, D. (2010). Theory of own mind in autism: Evidence of a specific deficit in self-awareness. City University, London.

Agriculture Technology Essay -- Farming Technologies Essays

Agriculture Technology People have depended on agriculture for years as the primary source of getting food. We have developed all kinds of ways to manipulate nature so what we can produce higher yield crops, more nutritious crops, bigger crops, crops that withstand cold, and farming equipment that allows us to manufacture these crops with relative ease. Why then are there five billion people being malnourished and forty thousand children dying each day from hunger? It seems as though world hunger is more a result of the lack of distributing the food properly than the lack of quantity. agriculture has turned into a high profit business and biotech companies like Monsanto are constantly trying to come up with better and more efficient ways of farming. Are they doing this to try to solve the world hunger crisis, or merely to make a profit? Background In Agriculture The first people that started to depend on farming for food were in Israel and Jordan in about 80000 B.C.. Farming became popular because people no longer had to rely on just searching for food to get their food. In about 3000 B.C. Countries such as Egypt and Mesopotamia started to develop large scale irrigation systems and oxen drawn plows. In about 500 B.C. the Romans started to realize that the soil needed certain nutrients in order to bare plants. They also realized that if they left the soil for a year with no plants, these important nutrients would replenish. So they started to leave half of a field fallow (unplanted). They then discovered that they could use legumes, or pulses to restore these vital nutrients, such as nitrogen, to the soil and this started the process known as rotating crops. They would plant half the field one year with a legume... ...ural land to produce soybeans, and manioc for export to feed cattle. As you can see the real cause of hunger is the lack of access to food, not the lack of food itself. Hopefully some day we will be able to distribute the food that we have to all of the hungry people across the world. This would be the real fix to the problem, not genetically altered foods. Bibliography Thompson, Paul B. Agricultural Ethics. Iowas State University Press: Ames, Iowa, 1998 Barbour, Ian Ethics in An Age Of Technology. Harper Collins Publishers Inc: New York, 1993 Altieri, Miguel A. Genetic Engineering In Agriculture. Food First Books: California, 2001 Thompson, Paul B. and Stout, Bill A. Beyond The Large Farm. Westview Press, Inc.: Colorado 1991 The World Book Encyclopedia.World Book, Inc.: Chicago 1993 Links http://www.biotech-info.net http://www.foe.org

Tim berners lee :: essays research papers

Tim Berners-Lee graduated from the Queen's College at Oxford University, England, 1976. Whilst there he built his first computer with a soldering iron, TTL gates, an M6800 processor and an old television. He spent two years with Plessey Telecommunications Ltd   (Poole, Dorset, UK) a major UK Telecom equipment manufacturer, working on distributed transaction systems, message relays, and bar code technology. In 1978 Tim left Plessey to join D.G Nash Ltd (Ferndown, Dorset, UK), where he wrote among other things typesetting software for intelligent printers, and a multitasking operating system. A year and a half spent as an independent consultant included a six month stint (Jun-Dec 1980)as consultant software engineer at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Whilst there, he wrote for his own private use his first program for storing information including using random associations. Named "Enquire", and never published, this program formed the conceptual basis for the future development of the World Wide Web. From 1981 until 1984, Tim worked at John Poole's Image Computer Systems Ltd, with technical design responsibility. Work here included real time control firmware, graphics and communications software, and a generic macro language. In 1984, he took up a fellowship at CERN, to work on distributed real-time systems for scientific data acquisition and system control. Among other things, he worked on FASTBUS system software and designed a heterogeneous remote procedure call system. In 1989, he proposed a global hypertext project, to be known as the World Wide Web. Based on the earlier "Enquire" work, it was designed to allow people to work together by combining their knowledge in a web of hypertext documents. He wrote the first World Wide Web server, "httpd", and the first client, "WorldWideWeb" a what-you-see-is-what-you-get hypertext browser/editor which ran in the NeXTStep environment. This work was started in October 1990, and the program "WorldWideWeb" first made available within CERN in December, and on the Internet at large in the summer of 1991. Through 1991 and 1993, Tim continued working on the design of the Web, coordinating feedback from users across the Internet. His initial specifications of URIs, HTTP and HTML were refined and discussed in larger circles as the Web technology spread. In 1994, Tim founded the World Wide Web Consortium at the Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Since that time he has served as the Director of the World Wide Web Consortium which coordinates Web development worldwide, with teams at MIT, at INRIA in France, and at Keio University in Japan.

Milgram’s Destructive Obedience Essays -- Psychology

Stanley Milgram was a social psychologist best known for an experiment he did regarding destructive obedience (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2011). According to McLeod, Milgram had originally set out to prove that Germans were somehow more obedient than Americans. This was a short while after WWII had finished and the horrors committed by the Nazis under Hitler’s authority had been learned. His experimental results were contradictory to the results predicted by fellow psychiatrists, college students and some adults of various occupations. They had predicted that very few people would obey an order that would harm another person; however, the actual results proved quite the opposite. Instead of proving that German’s were more obedient, Milgram opened the door to the possibility that anyone is capable of carrying out orders that would harm another person (2007). Douglas Navarick expanded on the experiment’s results and derived a three-stage model for defiance and withdrawal (2012). After comparing the three sources on the previously mentioned topic, it is my belief that the peer reviewed journal (Navarick, 2012) is the most credible. Its credibility is largely accredited to the established requirements of publication in the journal it is found in. Hockenbury and Hockenbury summarized Milgram’s experiments as simply as they could. The test subject was led to believe that the second participant was as uniformed as they were and that their roles in the experiment were chosen at random. They were told that the experiment was about learning and memory and the effect punishment has on them. The test subject was given the role of â€Å"teacher† and the other participant given the role of â€Å"learner† seemingly at random. The second partici... ... it means avoiding personal discomfort. A source is considered credible if it is accepted by general consensus of the experts of the field it concerns. It should also show the scientific facts that support it. A standalone source that does not show any form of reference to other psychologists that agree with or support his/her theory would not be considered as credible. Works Cited Hockenbury, D., & Hockenbury, S. (2011). Discovering Psychology (5th ed.). New York: Worth. McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Obedience in Psychology. Retrieved 25 March 2012, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/obedience.html Navarick, D. J. (2012). Historical Psychology and the Milgram Paradigm: Tests of an Experimentally Derived Model of Defiance Using Accounts of Massacres by Nazi Reserve Police Battalion 101. Psychological Record, 62(1), 133-154.

Digital Divide Essay

The term digital divide emerged in the mid-1990’s to describe the gap that exists between individuals who have access to technology and those that do not have access (Eamon, 2004). Computer technology has transformed modern society in profound ways (Behrman & Shields, 2000). Everyday society exposes citizens to technology in some form. Citizens integrate technology into common tasks such as signing into work, paying bills, shopping, paying taxes, and even reading the local newspaper (Behrman & Shields, 2000). The increasing integration of technology into society cause school systems to be more resolute about including technology in every classroom. School leaders generally agree that access to technology prepares students to succeed in the 21st century (Bell, Judge, & Puckett, 2006). Other researchers point out that increasing access to technology in the classroom environment does not ensure academic improvement. These researchers point out that there are limits to the advantages that technology offers. A meta-analysis by Crismann, Badgert and Lucking (1997) involving 27 studies concerning academic achievement of students who received traditional classroom instruction or traditional classroom instruction with technology integration showed interesting results. On average, students receiving technology infused instruction attained higher academic achievement than 58. 2 percent of those in traditional classrooms (Page, 2002). The digital divide addresses societal differences that correlate to the educational outcomes of students. Such differences raised concerns about the emergence of the digital divide between the children on one side who are benefiting from technology and the children on the other side who the lack of technology access leaves behind (Becker, 2000). Key Terms and Definitions 1. Application – computer software; also called a program 2. Broadband – a type of data transmission in which a single wire can carry several channels at once. Broadband technology can transmit data, audio, and video all at once over long distances. 3. Chat – real time, text-based communication in a virtual environment 4. Digital Divide – the gap between those with regular, effective access to digital technologies and those without 5. Digital Technology – machinery and computer equipment used for practical and informative purposes 6. Learning Portal – any web site that offers learners and organizations consolidated access to learning and training resources from multiple sources 7. Multimedia – interactive text, images, sounds, and color 8. Network – two or more computers that are connected so users can share files and devices 9. Online – a computer communicating with another computer 10. World Wide Web (www) – a graphical Internet tool that provides access to homepages created by individuals, businesses, and other organizations Statement of Hypothesis Researchers define the digital divide as discrepancies in technology use and access in learning environments based on ethnicity and socioeconomic status (Pearson & Swain, 2002). School systems and government programs supply technology equipment and software to United States’ schools in effort to close the digital divide. Nearly every school is now equipped with computers, and over two-thirds of our nation’s children have access at home (Shields & Behrman, 2000). Equal access and supply cannot close the digital divide alone. Teachers need adequate training on selection of technology and integration of technology. Teachers, parents, and students must become technology literate in order to close the digital divide. Review of Literature Advantages of Technology and Academic Performance The digital divide influences academic performance because limited student access to technology minimizes experiences and knowledge necessary to succeed academically. Computer based technology contributes to children’s academic achievement. Researchers associate having a home computer to better academic performance (Jackson et al. , 2006). Schools play a critical role in providing access to computers to students who do not have home computers. Teachers can have a profound effect on the digital divide by carefully examining how and when technology use is necessary. Regular use of technology in the classroom directly contributes to student achievement, both by making students more effective in their learning and teachers more efficient in their teaching. Teacher education should not focus on technology alone, but on its alignment with the curriculum. In order for this alignment with the curriculum to take place, more computers must be available for students use. Technology integrated into the curriculum increases students’ time on task and extends learning into the home, beyond the traditional school day (Shield & Behrman, 2000). Classrooms benefit from the advantages of technology if planning is efficient and effective for a particular group of students. Students must understand that the use of technology within lessons supports productivity. Technology is a tool that students use for learning, research, networking, collaboration, telecommunications, and problem solving. Technology lessons must be meaningful and engaging for students to improve academic performance. Teachers are able to shift student learning from memorizing answers to questions to knowing how to find answers. Activities that encourage students to use technology outside of the classroom such as using the technology lab, school media center, or local public library prepare students for future educational experiences. Using technology for academic tasks plays a positive role in student achievement (Wenglinsky, 2005). If students participate in authentic technology enhanced activities on a regular basis, these activities will offer students the support they need to become learners that are more proficient and possibly narrow the divide. Limitations of Technology and Academic Performance The level and quality of the student interactions with technology can limit the academic advantages that technology offers. Students must be able to use computers for more than web-surfing, chatting, game playing, and participating in low-level thinking activities. Student interactions with computers must be quality interactions that allow students to do research and create original multimedia products. Although 99% of public classrooms have access to computers, many students are not meeting the technology standards set by the National Educational Technology Standards (Morgan & VanLengen, 2005). While technology exposes students to activities that allow them to use higher order thinking and problem solving techniques, they still prefer to engage in non-academic activities on the Internet. Becker (2000) states that â€Å"most student Internet activities were recreational in nature – such as email, chat rooms, web-based games, web surfing, and listening to music†. Many children’s activities on the Internet appear to be for entertainment purposes instead of educational purposes. While the Internet gives students access to an array of educational tools, it also gives them access to non-academic material. Teachers often have trouble monitoring student use of appropriate websites, electronic mail messages, instant messages, and live chat rooms. Without careful observation, students can easily use school time to access material that is inappropriate for children and will not improve academic improvement. Even if teachers properly monitor students, they may not benefit from having access to computers in the classroom. Research by Lilia C. DiBello (2005) states that many teachers have not been properly trained to integrate technology in the classroom. While teachers may be comfortable with navigating various types of software, they often have trouble implementing the technology to meet technology standards (DiBello, 2005). Teacher preparation programs now require future teachers to take a technology course as a graduation requirement. However, technology is rapidly changing and school systems offer few opportunities that allow teachers to keep up with the changes modern technology brings. When teachers are not willing and not prepared to integrate technology into their classrooms, they often fail to prepare students to perform authentic tasks using the computers. Teachers often use computers for low-level thinking activities such as drill and practice (Pearson & Swain, 2002). According to Pearson and Swain (2002), students in high-poverty schools use computers for drill and practice 35% of the time, as opposed to students in low-poverty schools, who used computers for drill and practice 26% of the time. Schools who are below the poverty line are also more often to use computers for remedial purposes instead of higher order thinking skills. Teachers rarely teach students to use the computers to answers questions that they ask, research topics, or to prepare multimedia projects that coincide with the subjects they have learned in the classroom. Importance of Closing the Divide The digital divide exists both quantitatively and qualitatively. Gillan (2003) supported that quantitative gaps exist in schools and families where there is not enough access or time spent with technology. Qualitative gaps refer to selection of appropriate applications and quality training. Many studies have drawn the conclusion that the key factor in closing the digital divide may not be access alone. As years have passed, attention moved away from who is connected to the question of who is served. It is important to consider that the upper-to-middle classes are given high-quality access to technology because technologists are hard at work creating â€Å"solutions† designed just for them. According to Morgan and VanLengen (2005), most affluent students use software that requires the use of critical thinking skill. Less affluent students predominately use drill and practice software. Many school officials feel that technologists ignore solutions for the poor. The result is often that schools give the poor low-quality access that could actually hurt them and, in some sense, widen the divide. Because of the continued influences of technology on society, the United States must address the digital divide and implement strategies to narrow the gap. It is imperative to focus on what can be done if needs cannot be met. Students that are technology savvy have significant advantages over their peers. Students with limited technology skills will not have the same educational or job opportunities and information that will be necessary for full and knowledgeable participation in society. Leaders should not subject students to the wrong side of the digital divide just because computer access at home is limited or none. It is the responsibility of the schools and communities to help narrow the gap. The schools are the primary source of computer access. Schools can promote digital equity for young children by including access to computer resources used in developmentally appropriate ways (Judge, 2005). The digital divide has consequences that extend beyond the school. If the digital divide was only a matter of unequal access to equipment, closing it would simply involve duplicating the resources of wealthy schools in poorer schools (Riel, Schwartz, & Hitt, 2002). Educators need to learn the basics of information literacy: searching, evaluating materials for quality, risk assessment, and equally important privacy protection. These skills go beyond online behavior to include mass media and everyday communications. Conclusion It is the job of educators to plan technology-integrated lessons that are appropriate for the particular group they are teaching. Educators must have knowledge and skills to integrate technology into meaningful activities of interest and relevance to children. Educators need to be aware of the advantages and the limitations of technology for all students. The primary key to closing the digital divide is investment in literacy and education. The biggest barrier to use of digital technology is lack of skills. It is possible that the next generation of the World Wide Web, referred to as Internet, emphasizes the need to go beyond text to give users a sensory experience of the web. Some governments are exploring the use of cell phones, and applications like voice recognition technology or use of visual icons on various devices. The implications for closing the digital divide are important to society. Closing the digital divide will offer educational advantages, future employment and earning opportunities, chance for social and civic involvement, equity, and civil rights for all.

The Color Purple

English 102 24 April 2007 Awakening of an Abused Woman â€Å"The Color Purple† is set in the rural south and told through a series of letters written by the protagonist, Celie, chronicling her journey from pain and humiliation to triumph and rebirth. Throughout most of her life she has been treated as a servant. Her only worth as a woman is for cooking, cleaning, taking care of the family and fulfilling men’s desires. She has never been taught how to love or be loved and throughout most of the novel Celie is abused and very unhappy but she thinks that this is the way women are supposed to live. It is not until she lets women into her life, which lead Celie to her epiphany, that she realizes that she deserves more out of her life and that she is worthy of respect. Through sharing relationships with them, Celie sees how women should be treated from another perspective than what she has been taught by her family. Celie’s life is one of struggle and despair. The first line of the story is what her step father told her when she was only fourteen years old, after raping and impregnating her. This statement is so profound that it explains why she is so scared of men her whole life and emotionless to the things that are done to her. The line states, â€Å"You better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy. † (Walker, 1). It is then that she starts writing to God. She can not tell anybody what has happened to her, not even her sister, Nettie, whom she is closest to at the time. Nettie wouldn’t even understand, she thinks, because she is younger then Celie and Celie doesn’t even understand what is going on. Celie feels the only way to go through life is to remain silent and persevere. Her only outlet is through her letters to God. Celie’s stepfather, Fonso, then marries Celie off to a widower who needs a mother for his children and someone to do the housework. The widower, Mr. ___, originally came for Nettie’s hand in marriage but Fonzo refused. Fonso gives Celie to Mr. ____ instead, telling him â€Å"She ain’t fresh†¦She spoiled. Twice. †, then he goes on to say, â€Å"She ugly. But she ain’t no stranger to hard work. † (Walker, 8). This is where Celie’s self worth is really shown to her. She feels that all she is good for is the hard work she accomplishes inside the home. The way the people closest to her talk about her in combination with all the bad things that has happened to Celie makes her feel worthless. She has very little self-worth and self-esteem. She is a product of excessive physical and mental abuse. The oppressive brutality of her life continues when she marries Mr. ___, who beats her and subjects her to a life of domestic servitude. Nettie later decides to run away from Fonso’s house because of the constant abuse towards her and decides to move in with Celie and Mr. ___. Nettie sees that life is not that much better at Celie’s house and after Mr. ____ tries to rape her she decides that she must leave there, also. Consequently, Fonso tells Celie that he will make sure her and Nettie never speak again. For many years after Nettie left she writes Celie letters, but Fonzo hides them before Nettie gets them. Fonso tries to break the only bond Celie had that brought her any happiness. It is not until Celie lets women into her life, once again, that her thinking starts to change. The first woman she becomes close to is her daughter- in- law, Sofia. Sofia is very strong and fierce, the total opposite of Celie, and she was not to be ruled over by her husband or anyone else. Sofia fights back when her husband, Harpo (Mr. ’s Son), tries to rule her with an iron fist. Sofia refuses to be oppressed despite the prejudiced society of the 1930s south in which they all live. Sofia instills in Celie a newfound strength. â€Å"Celie is so immersed in oppression, she accepts the point of view of Mr. : she advises Harpo to beat Sofia. Thus, she agrees with her oppressor in the idea that a woman should only obey, work and be silent. After this moment of deep humiliation, Celie has the first serious conversation in the book. Sofia comes to see her, furious, and Celie has to explain her attitude. She discovers she is jealous of Sofia's capacity to fight. This conversation is a new beginning for Celie. Both women find a moment of community, they do something together. The pronoun [pic]us[pic] is finally used: [pic]I laugh. She laugh. Then us both laugh so hard us flop down on the step[pic]. †(Averbach). The woman who has the most profound effect on Celie is Shug Avery, Mr. ___’s mistress whom he has three children with. The reader would probably think that Celie would be deeply hateful of her husband’s mistress. However, she is excited to meet her because Celie feels as though she is everything that Celie could never be. Her first words to Celie though were â€Å"You sure is ugly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Walker, 46), which is probably the most dramatically reinforced proof that Celie has ever had of her own ugliness. Celie even notices that Shug calls Mr. ____ by his real name, Albert, which demonstrates to Celie that Shug is more than just a mere servant to Mr. ____ and that Mr. respects Shug unlike Celie. Mr. ____ goes out of his way to make Shug happy and shows her such respect. Celie doesn’t understand why Shug is worthy of respect but she is not. This reiterates to Celie that Mr. ___ feels like he is superior to her but not to Shug. Shug stays with Celie and Albert for a while when she is sick and Celie takes care of her until she gets better. This is when Celie and Shug bond as woman and friends. Celie is so magnetized to Shug’s independence and freedom that she loves spending this time with her. Shug is the only person, other than Nettie, who has ever treated Celie like a human being and enjoys her company. They share a romantic relationship later on, as well. The significance of Celie and Shug’s sexual relationship is that Celie learns how to be proud of her body and that she learns how to use it to enjoy sexual intercourse. Celie has never truly enjoyed intimacy with any other person. She did it simply because she felt she had to in order to make them happy. Celie becomes Shug's only true friend. Shug is a blues singer and everyone enjoys her while she is on stage or sleeping with them but when she was ill none of her so called â€Å"friends† visited her. Celie was the only one who took care of her and spent time with her when she couldn’t be the life of the party as she usually was. Shug, like Celie never had much affection in her life and never knew how to love or be loved. Shug wrote Celie a song to show her appreciation for Celie and sang it to Celie at one of her concerts. This made Celie feel so good because nobody had ever showed their appreciation for anything that she had ever done. Later on in the novel Shug finds the letters that Nettie had been writing Celie for years. Once Celie finds out that Mr. ___ hid all of Nettie’s letters from her she feels anger and betrayal towards Mr. ____ because she never felt that he would do something so hurtful to her. She was still fearful of him at this point, so she takes all the letters out of the envelopes and leaves the nvelopes, hoping that he wouldn’t find out that she had found Nettie’s letters. As she starts reading the letters she has an epiphany when she realizes that Mr. ____ tried to rape Nettie and that it was the real reason she left. She read of how Nettie was in Africa and how different it was compared to the small farm Celie has lived at most of her life. She finds out th at her sister has been taking care of her two children that she had with Fonso and that Fonso was not her real father. Now she feels she has something to live for and that she does not have to be trapped by Mr. __’s abuse anymore. She has a whole new family, that she thought before were dead. She wants to kill Mr. ____ for hiding all this from her but Shug tells her not to because if she did she would never be able to see her family. Celie eventually leaves town with Shug and Shug’s husband, Grady, to live in Tennessee. As time goes by Celie’s step father passes away and Celie finds out that her real father left her his house and a dry good business. She has found a new independence by running this store. She’s excited because now that she has a house Nettie will have a place to return to. Celie’s relationship with Shug suffers many ups and downs. Shug had moved in with Celie in her new home but left to pursue a younger man. Celie still prevails because of her newfound independence as a business woman. Shug eventually returns and lives with Celie. As Celie’s confidence is built she starts to understand and forgive Mr. _____. The strength of these women combined with their care for one another offer opportunities for all of them to continue growing, despite the racist and sexist world they live in. During the course of the book, they cry together, laugh together, affirm life together, and share one another’s joys. They respect one another. They live in a world that Celie could never have imagined when she was fourteen. Due to her experiences with Shug, Sofia, and Nettie, Celie is able to triumph over the sexual and racial oppression that smothered many of her female ancestors. Works Cited Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcourt, Inc. , 2003. Literature Resource Center. Averbach, Margara. 1998. Gale Group. 23 April 2007 Pifer, Lynn. Find Articles. Winter 1998. 19 April 2007 . The Color Purple