Poverty in the United States

The poverty threshold of the United States (U.S) indicates that an approximate of (13-17) percentage of the United States’ population fall below the poverty line. This translates to 39.1 million poor people. Those living in the rural areas are poorer compared to those in suburban areas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Poverty in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It has been found that the poverty is a cyclic process varying with time. The level goes up and down regardless of age, region, or family size. It is ironical that as poor as the country is, it registers the highest number of immigrants per annum. Inadequate fundamental learning, a wide gap between the incomes of the o-level learners and the professionals, among others, are some of the cited causes of the poverty, but lack of employment is the root cause. According to Adams, the United States has failed to create enough jobs for it s people (2001). A large number of its population is unemployed. It is from a job where the Americans ought to obtain their income, which in turn develops the country starting from the family level. One can choose to create his/her own job or otherwise opt to be employed. In U.S, very few have their own jobs to absorb the jobless, and this affects much the American youth. The young people are much energetic and innovative and given the opportunity, they can develop and change the situation of a country. Since the reverse is the reverse is the case in U.S, unemployment remains the root cause of its poverty. If a country could manage to provide basic education to more than half its people, poverty could appear nowhere in the country. Bradley says that a large number of the children in United States lack the elemental knowledge (2003). There exist a positive correlation between education and employment, which in turn correlates with poverty. It appears like a culture in America where c hildren get the mandate to choose between leisure and education. Majority prefer the former to the latter. Any employer focuses much on the educational background of a willing employee before giving him/her the job. In the case of U.S, countless never qualify for the jobs even if the opportunity arises because of their poor learning backgrounds. This brings the reason as to why learned strangers are ever securing the few jobs leaving the American redundant. Once they secure them, they expand their own countries rather than U.S and hence its high poverty levels. Another problem associated with poverty in the U.S is the high government taxes. Majority of the employed people in U.S are foreigners and not citizens of the country. As it is the case for any employed person, he/she is liable of taxation by the government. The few employed U.S citizens suffer the high taxes though their salaries are equally high.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Hacker, they are unable to, not only develop their country, but also themselves (2006). The remaining category of employed non-citizens experiences a double taxation. They pay taxes for both U.S and their countries giving them not even a chance to uplift U.S, which is left poorer than before. In conclusion, it is often mistaken that adequate food and good heath facilities can eliminate poverty. This is not the case because in U.S, these are there but poverty still prevails. Efforts have been made to improve the academic facilities of the country but foreigners only enjoy these services and in turn secure the available jobs rendering the American unemployed. This unemployment makes the United States a poor country. Reference List Adams, J., Pearlie, S. (2001). Dealing With Diversity. Chicago, IL: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. Bradley, D. (2003). Determinants of Relative Poverty in Advanced Capitalist Dem ocracies: American Sociological Review. 68(3), 22-51. Hacker, J. (2006). The Great Risk Shift: The New Insecurity and the Decline Of The  American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press. This essay on Poverty in the United States was written and submitted by user Arnim Zola to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Porters concept of the diamond

Quotes of Alexander Graham Bell

Quotes of Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor who was first to patent a successful telephone apparatus and later commercializes a domestic telephone network. To quote Alexander Graham Bell, we have to start with the first voice message ever transmitted, which was, Mr. Watson - come here - I want to see you. Watson was Bells assistant at the time and the quote was the first sound of a voice ever transmitted by electricity. Alexander Graham Bell Quotes Wherever you may find the inventor, you may give him wealth or you may take from him all that he has; and he will go on inventing. He can no more help inventing that he can help thinking or breathing. The inventor looks upon the world and is not contented with things as they are. He wants to improve whatever he sees, he wants to benefit the world; he is haunted by an idea. The spirit of invention possesses him, seeking materialization. Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds. I may be given credit for having blazed the trail, but when I look at the subsequent developments I feel the credit is due to others rather than to myself. When one door closes, another door opens; but we so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it. America is a country of inventors, and the greatest of inventors are the newspaper men. The final result of our researches has widened the class of substances sensitive to light vibrations until we can propound the fact of such sensitiveness being a general property of all matter. Perseverance must have some practical end, or it does not avail the man possessing it. A person without a practical end in view becomes a crank or an idiot. Such persons fill our asylums. A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with – a man is what he makes of himself. Concentrate all of your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. The most successful men, in the end, are those whose success is the result of steady accretion. Watson, if I can get a mechanism which will make a current of electricity vary in its intensity, as the air varies in density when a sound is passing through it, I can telegraph any sound, even the sound of speech.​ I then shouted into the mouthpiece the following sentence: Mr. Watson, Come here, I want to see you. To my delight, e came and declared that he had heard and understood what I said. I asked him to repeat the words. He answered, You said, Mr. Watson, come here I want to see you.

Learn how to write a conversation properly and get an A!

Learn how to write a conversation properly and get an A! Writing a Conversation: Main Tips to Follow If you ask language theoreticians what the main difference between spoken and written language is, they will probably say that there is none. However, it is obvious that both spoken and written language has a completely different influence on the audience so it can become a powerful instrument in rendering thoughts and ideas. When a conversation is held, the audience can obtain information directly and to interpret it without anyone’s corrections and word choice. However, when a written piece is given, the reader is not present, and understanding of the topic greatly depends on the choice of words. This means that if you want to insert a conversation into your story, you need to be familiar with all of the rules and demands in order to make such dialogues clear and understandable. Writing skills are not enough: you need to understand the physical and social background of people. In addition, it is important to know what a conversation is and how to render posture and gestures. A vivid dialogue shows how people agree or disagree, talk and express their thoughts. This means that you need to learn dialogue writing and formatting if you want to render a conversation and to make it an important part of your story. Knowing all of these peculiarities will surely help you to grab the attention of the reader. If you are ready to master this complex but yet effective writing tool, just go on reading, and we will provide you with all of the necessary details! What It Takes to Write a Great Conversation Before getting started and learning all of the tips on writing dialogue, let us determine what it is in order to use it effectively. So what is a conversation or a dialogue? It is an intentional discussion between people. Usually, it includes sharing opinions, ideas, fears, reactions and so on. Try not to use unnecessary details If you want to render interaction of people, it is important to give contextual clues.   It is very important because your readers are willing to listen or to watch the setting. When you are working on a conversation, you need to avoid fillers. For example, if you are describing a cell phone conversation, there is no need to add phrases like ‘I want to speak to Mrs. Smith’. Just go directly to the dialogue, like this: ‘Hello?’ [Her voice was low and insecure, almost in panic.] You may find it difficult to avoid fillers in situations when there is a need to introduce a new character. However, it is still a great chance to picture the character in vivid colors. For example: ‘Amanda was talking to Mrs. Johnson and a stranger. When I approached, the stranger gave me a cheerful smile’. ‘She was an attractive young woman with bright blue eyes. Her hair was curly, and the dress she wore was pure charm and innocence. It was a real pleasure standing in the rays of her light.’ Try not to omit the description of appearances, because they give a necessary background to characters and future plot of the story. Limit irrelevant dialogue tags Dialogue tags give readers information about who said what in the story. However, they are not always necessary. Instead of writing ‘John said’ you can provide information about gestures and posture at the end of the line. This will give your conversation additional motion, and the text will be more live and vivid.   Compare the following examples: ‘What are you reading?’ He asked. If based on the scene context it is obvious who is speaking, there is no need to include the dialogue tag. Try using gestures instead: ‘What are you reading?’†¦ He moved closer and looked over my shoulder. As you see, such gestures give your story additional details, and the reader can picture the situation more clearly without unnecessary repetitions. Most of the writers always use this simple but effective tool. Say no to fancy tags If for some reason you don’t want to use gestures or consider them out of place, you should still avoid fancy dialogue tags. Complex word combinations and phrases may distract the audience, so if you still need to mention the speaker, it is better to stick to a plain ‘he said’. Sequence of dialogue tags In case the above methods are not appealing, you can still try other options.   For example, to break the monotonous flow you can switch places of dialogue tags. Luckily, there are no rules that say you should start every line with ‘Matt said’. Try placing these tags in the middle of the conversation or at the end of your dialogue, and you will see how much brighter the story will be. Don’t forget to add conflict or disagreement If you want to make conversation an important part of your story, it is necessary to include conflict to it. In reality, when we are mad at someone, we can remain silent for weeks. However, in stories, it is necessary to render the tension through your dialogues. It is a way of transmitting emotions to your readers. Do you like reading stories, where characters get along so good that they don’t have a single disagreement? The only way to make your story exciting and appealing is to give the readers a chance to see a conflict, a collapse of different opinions and tension. In case you are not sure how to cope with such a task, you can always contact our professional writers. They will help you to come up with a catchy conflict and to build a plot around it! Mention goals, hopes, and fears of your characters It is not necessary to make your story characters happy, positive and honest all the time. Try adding shades to their personality, and you will see how the story will benefit.   The flow of the dialogue may require asking complex questions or avoiding answers. That is when you need to depict the weak sides of your characters, just as the police does during an interrogation. When you are working on dialogues, you need to understand your characters good enough: what motivates them, what are they afraid of, how will they benefit from the conversation and so on. How can their goals and desires influence the conversation and the whole course of the story? By building a connection between the conversation and goals of participants, you can create a deeper dialogue. This advice is crucial if you are working on a detective story or a mystery because sharing information becomes the main source of finding new clues and tips. Use subtext and gestures It is not a secret that subtext is a very important part of the story and is the key to understanding readers’ ideas and thoughts. It can answer the ‘why’ question, explaining what is hidden behind the words and phrases.   Adding subtext is a great way to make the context stronger and to explain elements that can’t be explained otherwise.   For example, ‘I was invited as a lecturer to Michigan University.’ She exclaimed. ‘Isn’t it where John, your former boyfriend is working?’ As we get from the context, he is not happy with the proposal and is quite suspicious whether she was invited by her ex-boyfriend. Obvious tension made the conversation more interesting, and a simple discussion of a job offer turned into jealousy and suspicions. Draw a picture of the tone and atmosphere We all love stories with an atmosphere, so adding colors and context is crucial for creating good and catchy dialogue. A context is a place, where the conversation unfolds. In addition, the context provides background information that leads to a certain dialogue. If you devote enough time adding context to the conversation, you will be able to avoid dialogue tags or adverbs. For example, ‘I saw her leaving with a stranger’. She cried. If you want to make the story more intriguing and catchy, you can add context to the story, describing what and where it is happening. Anna was missing for almost two days now. No one has seen her on campus, and she didn’t come back to her home town either. Hundreds of people were surveyed, and the police were losing hope of finding her alive and healthy. Around noon they received a phone call from Anna’s roommate. ‘I saw her leaving with a stranger’. She sobbed. Such details help readers to see the story behind and to explain the despair of police, family, and friends of a missing woman. Formatting a Dialogue It doesn’t matter what type of story you are writing: following rules of creating a dialogue is a must. To distinguish dialogues and conversations, you need to know common rules. First, all of the conversations should begin and end with quotation marks. Below are some of the additional rules you need to keep in mind when formatting a story. Breaking paragraphs to distinguish speakers Every dialogue involves at least two people, so the audience should have a clear understanding of who is speaking and when the next phrase begins. To reach this goal, you need to follow some visual rules: Every paragraph and every new speech should be indented; Even if it is an unfinished phrase, it should be on a separate line. Using quotation marks If you place a part of the text into quotation marks, it means that someone is speaking. It is also possible to use double quotation marks. For example, â€Å"Have you seen our English teacher today?† If several sentences make a single part of the dialogue, you can place them in a single quotation. For example, Mary exclaimed, â€Å"I was so worried about you! Why didn’t you tell me that you were leaving?† In case your character quotes someone’s statement, you can place the main dialogue in double quotation marks and use single ones around the words that are quoted; To mark speech, it is also possible to use angle brackets. Such an approach is often used by European and Asian writers. Punctuating dialogue tags Dialogue tags are a part of a conversation and are used to explain the reader who is speaking. That is why you need to know how to punctuate them properly: Separate the tag and the dialogue using a comma; If the tag is placed at the beginning of the sentence, you need to place a comma before the dialogue. If the tag is placed at the end, you need to put the full stop before the quotation mark is closed. For example, Anna said, â€Å"I would love to go with you.† Or â€Å"I would love to go with you.† Anna said; If you place the dialogue tag in the middle of the sentence, you need to put commas on both sides of the tag. For example, â€Å"Oh my God†, Mary exclaimed,† Where did you get it?†. Using question and exclamation marks You need to place both of them inside quotation marks. For example, â€Å"How did the meeting go?† or â€Å"I am so tired†. You shouldn’t separate your dialogue tag from the conversation if there is already an exclamation mark. Using dashes and ellipses When you want to show that the ending of the phrase is abrupt, you need to use dashes. Ellipses show that the thought is lost. Keep in mind that dashes are not hyphens. For example, where is b − â€Å"Anna began? If you want to show that the dialogue was interrupted, you can also use dashes. For example, â€Å"All I wanted was – â€Å"Don’t even start that!† In case you want to show that your character lacks words, you can use ellipses: â€Å"What I mean is†¦.† Breaking a dialogue into shorter lines If your character needs to make a long speech, it is better to break it into smaller paragraphs. This will make the text simpler to understand. To achieve such a result, you need to start the dialogue with opening quotation marks and then switch to the next paragraph. Place closing quotation marks at the end of the final paragraph. Conclusion Including dialogues to your story can make it engaging and vivid even though creating an interesting conversation is a real challenge. If you want to succeed, follow the tips above, master formatting and you will surely create an outstanding dialogue to spice up the story!

The Ideologies Of Islam And Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Ideologies Of Islam And Christianity - Essay Example Islamic law tends to be formed through careful observation and education that Islamic jurists receive through issuing fatwas through sharia. Islam claims Sharia law to be successful because of its revelation from God.Therefore, the ideal nation which embraces Islamic law will ultimately be perfect.The sharia is characterized as a discussion on the duties of Muslims.Sharia, translated as "the way" in Arabic, refers to the body of legislation that regulates a Muslim's lifestyle. These laws derive from interpretations of the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and his actions. Islam, therefore, parallels the judgments of God with those of His final messenger because the medium through which both travels is a man who God has trained to embody perfection. A prophet or a messenger is a testament to sharia since he claims the word of God that is seen through his wisdom and knowledge.Christianity works in the same venture as Islam in many elements. The Bible gives divine auth ority to the King and the council.The King usually leads his court to ultimate decision making and has divine authority as it is granted by God. Christianity is very keen in giving the Church divine power, with no separation of church and state. As a matter of fact, this realm dominated many empires for ages.What might be some of the consequences of these theologies for domestic and international politics?The consequences of these politics are that they clash against modern values that are part of society.

Management in Businees Administation Research Paper - 1

Management in Businees Administation - Research Paper Example Likewise, I being the manager, I had to be confident and presumptuous. Equally important, I had to be enthusiastic, charming, passion and pontificated. I had to have an ability to support others and spearhead solutions in a problem-solving manner. Evenly, I had to drive to support others and spearhead solutions that would solve problems. Similarly, I had to have a desire to serve others, be respectful, sensitive to their needs and expectations, and nurture ability become a passive manager. As well, I had to have prior knowledge on how the industry operates, by having passion, for continued growth and perfection. Studies by Kozakiewicz (2014, p. 186), also taught me how to encompass all positive characteristics and qualities that encapsulate the desirable manager. I have with time managed to develop authentic skills. This has helped me to relinquish all the self-imposed pressure to perform or look good and manage in a healthy manner. For instance, I learned how different departments work. As such, I had to follow a path that encompasses the entire coaching system. I have to take the time to craft the right questions in order to get the salespeople involved in the conversation. As part of the passion, I have to deliver value in every conversation and honor what other people are doing inside the organization. Per se, I will encounter little resistance and only minor pushback when it is time to hold people accountable for the goals and results. As well, the academia has solidified my abilities to become a genuine humble leader who embraces vulnerabilities. Backed by Zawadzki (2013, p. 18), I believe that I am driven by the higher self to deliver value and make an impact instead of being ego. I as well came to note that I had an ability to be true about myself without attempting to emulate other people. I, therefore, plan to use tools and approaches that complement and align with my personality. This plan will include values, talents, strengths

Short answer paragraphs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short answer paragraphs - Assignment Example Most Americans cannot afford the insurance coverage because the health care costs are high. The result is many Americans survive without the needed care that puts them at risks of various health problems. Costs for health rise as the needed treatment costs are above what would have been used to prevent the problem (Cebul 2008). A Health indicator is a characteristic that can be measured in an individual so as describe an aspect of health. Body mass index compares the weight, relative to height and age, against the measures of a healthy weight. It helps decide if interventions are needed. It refers to how societies compensate for the health care. The different options depend on the resources devoted on to them that eventually determine the amount and quality of care given to people. Some options may provide for the most advanced care while others compensate for basic care only. Medicaid is a government funded program that provides health care for low income families and those with limited resources. Those eligible to be beneficiaries can be children with disabilities, pregnant women, or parents of eligible women. Individuals in difficult conditions i.e. disabled and poor, have all their entire problems taken care of. For better services in future, beneficiaries can be asked to contribute back some share later in life when they have the capability (Cebul 2008). Increased costs of health care are due to the excess use of medical resources by patients and high costs associated charged by medics for fear of malpractice suits. The patients should be asked to take charge of their medical purchasing options. The health care system is unsuccessful because insurance dulls peoples’ consumer instincts. When medical care tends to be cheap or free, people do not shop around for other options. People do not also think otherwise before visiting the

The future of healthcare Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The future of healthcare - Coursework Example The administrators have to keep up with advances technology by updating their skills in technology to offer guidance on the use of these technologies (Mandl & Kohane, 2012). In the next decade, the proportion of America senior citizens will increase. The average life expectancy in the US has risen from 47 years in 1900 to about 79 years, and it is estimated that it will be around 84 in 2050 (Schiller et al., 2012). Death rates are gradually reducing as the life expectancy of the people goes up. The changing trend will compel health care administrators to increase funds for the long-term care and develop substitutes for nursing homes. The rise in the number of older patients from the Boomer generation and the loss of providers is a significant challenge to the health care system in the country (Schiller et al., 2012). Administrators have to ensure that they set aside enough resources to guarantee that the aged patients receive the much-needed medical services. Improved funding will ensure that the old generation receives the best medical services. Schiller, S., Lucas, W., Ward, W., & Peregoy, A. (2012). Summary health statistics for US Adults: National health interview survey, 2010. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 10, Data from The National Health Survey, (252),

MOIGC Assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MOIGC 1 - Assignment Example Opportunities for currency exchange as well as mediums of communication have developed from the introduction of internet. More people can make international visits without any hazards and take advantage of currency exchange. Enterprises can communicate well through the development of systems of communication and office automation. There are more advantages than disadvantages of globalisation. It has shown a positive trend of development till date. Globalisation will most certainly bring in bright changes in the world and make it more powerful in the near future. The assignment here highlights all these points in a comprehensive manner, so that the idea of this business assignment can be translated in a more appropriate way. Globalisation has become an inevitable part of the world economy. This can be stated from trades that take place between various countries in different parts of the world. From past evidences, it can be easily understood that global economy was existent from a long period of time. Explorers had to face various risks to conquer new places and resources found there. A new age or era seemed to emerge from imperialism of the 19th century (Gibbert and Durand, 2006). Globalisation contributed in building an era, where different nations directly competed with each other. A lot of changes took place, encompassing development of the underwater cables of telephone, steam ships that are iron hulled and screw driven, radio, satellite technology and the most vital of all is the internet. These technologies have proved to be helpful as the process of communication became easier and faster for the whole world. It was available at any time and from anywhere. In organisations, introduction of the pr oduction line and association of the same with scientific management enabled mass production (Hakansson and Waluszewski, 2007). As a result of this, manufacturing levels of the third world companies became cheaper than the

Nursing Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing Conflict Management - Essay Example The article entitled â€Å"A literature review of conflict communication causes, costs,The article entitled â€Å"A literature review of conflict communication causes, costs,benefits and interventions in nursing† written by Brinkert (2010) which was published in the Journal of Nursing Management proffered pertinent   issues relative to presenting a review of related literature on the subject of conflict communication. The article was replete with presenting relevant issues about conflict in the nursing profession. Since the author presented a literature review, he used authoritative secondary sources of previous studies and researches that discussed the causes, costs of unmanaged conflict, the benefits of normal conflict communication, as well as the identified strategies which were deemed most effective in addressing conflicts encountered by nurses. One of the most relevant findings was stated as â€Å"while conflict cannot be entirely eliminated from nursing, particular sources of destructive conflict may be decreased or eliminated† (Brinkert, 2010, p. 151). Likewise, the author revealed that conflict communication is a facet in the nursing profession that remains underdeveloped. The content is highly beneficial to nurse managers in terms of its extensive and comprehensive content that included determining the origin, nature, causes, costs and other interventions and strategies that would be helpful in resolving conflict within the nursing profession.

Universalist Approach To Strategic Human Resource Management Business Essay

Universalist Approach To Strategic Human Resource Management Business Essay Your role and background is that of a Human Resource Management generalist consultant who has been called in to provide observations and suggestions to the current situation. You are an HRM generalist who has been asked to sit in on the meeting with John of PF. The CEO will ask for your opinions about how the organisation can move forward and overcome the current issues that it is experiencing. This is based on two critical forms of fit. Firstly, external fit and secondly internal fit. The external fit has to do with the HR strategy that fits with the demands of business Strategy. It is also referred to as vertical integration, the internal fit which is also referred to as horizontal integration suggests that all HR policies and activities fit together so that they make a coherent whole, are mutually reinforcing and are applied consistently. The strength of this model is that it provides a simple framework to show how selection, appraisal, development and reward can be mutually geared to produce the required of employee performance. Resource based approach This approach in concerned with the relationships between internal resources of which Human resources are one, strategy and the firm performance. It focuses on the Promotion of sustained competitive advantage through the development of human capital rather than merely aligning human resources to current strategic goals. The universalistic perspective posits the best of HR practices, implying that business strategies and HRM policies are mutually independent in determining business performance. The contingency perspective emphasizes the fit between business strategy and HRM policies and strategies, implying that business strategies are followed by HRM policies in determining business performance. The configurationally perspective posits a simultaneous internal and external fit between a firms external environment, business strategy and HR strategy, implying that business strategies and HRM policies interact, according to organisational context in determining business performance. Recruitment and selection Using the three recruitment methods of advertising in the national press, advertising in the technical press, and the internet, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each. National press When considering a press adverting campaign there are two main venues to think about; newspapers and magazines. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The magazine ads look better but the quality and the workmanship that goes into producing a magazine ad make it expensive. The readership of a magazine, on the other hand, is much easier to target, and is comes with the type of magazine you choose; a car magazine, sports or fashion magazine. On the flip side, magazine ads are viewed more times than newspaper ads and can double the exposure of the readership. the newspaper ad is much quicker and cheaper. Newspapers vary in circulation and with that they vary drastically in price. From the national press advertising campaign in newspapers, advertising in newspapers still holds a charm. Newspapers give credibility to the ads unlike radio advertising that is heard while doing something else, newspaper reading is done when a person has leisure time and his attention is not diverted. Local press advertising has benefits when dealing with a local supplier. Internet Advertising is the branch of marketing that deals with communicating to customers about products, brands, services and companies. The Internet, as a global communications medium, provides advertisers with unique and often cost-effective ways of reaching advertising audiences. As with all media, however, advertising on the Internet has unique advantages and disadvantages. Advertising on the Internet is almost a necessity for modern businesses, especially those that do business outside of their local community. Consumers use the Internet for more than simply entertainment or information, as they do with radio, television, magazines and newspapers. Consumers use the Internet to assist them in nearly every aspect of life, creating countless opportunities to place relevant, targeted ad messages. The Internets vast reach can allow advertisers to reach significantly more people than traditional advertising media at a fraction of the cost. Internet advertising is ideal for businesses with a national or international target market and large-scale distribution capabilities. As a rule, the more people your business serves, the most cost-efficient internet advertising can be. Internet advertising can also be more targeted than some traditional media, ensuring that your messages are seen by the most relevant audiences. One disadvantage of advertising on the Inter net is that your marketing materials are automatically available for anyone in the world to copy, regardless of the legal ramifications. Logos, images and trademarks can be copied and used for commercial purposes, or even to slander or mock your company. This is not the case with television and magazine advertising, wherein images must be replicated rather than simply copied electronically. Another disadvantage is the fact that the Internet-advertising gold rush has begun to introduce ad clutter to the Web. Web users are so inundated with banner ads and spam email that they have begun to ignore internet advertising just as much as ads on traditional media. Technical press There are many trades, technical and professional magazines read by customers, suppliers and businesses in your sector. If your business sells to other businesses, advertisements in these publications can be a powerful way of gaining sales, product enquiries, higher profile, trade partnerships and even potential investors. Editorials are generally perceived by readers to be independent and impartial and are therefore seen as more trustworthy than advertisements. Editorial support or endorsement helps lend your business credibility with the reader. A proactive PR strategy can increase your chances of gaining favorable editorial content. The technical press can also be used for recruitment and to source suppliers. Trade magazines provide a variety of ways to advertise: Classified advertising particularly for recruitment and gaining suppliers. Display and semi-display display advertisements are bigger and more sophisticated, often appear on editorial pages or in special supplements, and can use pictures and other design devices. Advertisement features theyre laid out like editorial pages but feature you and your business or product. You pay for them, and you may also be given advertisement space. Your suppliers might advertise as well and offset the cost. Loose inserts that you supply yourself to the magazine publisher for them to insert into the magazine. Advantages and Disadvantages of performance related pay Performance related pay is the idea of Fredrick Taylor who comprised his theory of scientific management. It is a bonus salary increase awarded in line with an employees achievement over a range of criteria. These criteria depend on each job. Awards are decided based on appraisal results. They must link achievements to pay. Advantages Rewards employees with highest productivity It is argued this system motivates staff It enables firms to recruit highly qualified staff who like the idea of being to earn a bonus Encourages employees whose performance is not u to scratch to leave company on a voluntary basis Easy to identify companies aims and objectives Disadvantages Only those who perform well get paid High flyers find it attractive possible to give employees no pay rise at all Inflation means pay will be cut and this coupled with; the indignity of being judged and found wanting, would make it that employees see a job elsewhere. Employees can be de-motivated if the goals set are too hard to achieve. Disgruntled employees Performance related pay cannot be determined unless there is a measuring system in place to assess output. It also provides a limiting factor to the use and extension of incentive pay in instances where work is difficult to measure. Where output cannot be measured, the sensible solution seems not to pay any bonus. However, because some jobs are difficult to measure, doesnt mean that good performance shouldnt be rewarded.. Learning and Training The essential purpose of training is to develop that knowledge and those skills and aptitudes which contribute to the welfare of the company and its employees. Further, all training programmes aim at making the employees more effective and productive in their present job and increasing their potential for higher level jobs. For effective transfer of training to occur, two conditions must be met; The trainee must be able to take the material learnt in the training process and apply it to the job context in which they work. The use of the learnt material must be maintained overtime on the job. Benefits of Good Training Programme It increases performance on the job, if applied. It help employee to raise current skill levels and correct any deficiency that have in doing their job efficiently. It enables present employees to acquire more and greater skill, thus increasing their versatility for transfers and their qualifications for promotions. If employees are properly trained, accidents, soiled work, and damage to machines and equipment are reduced. Training helps employees to adjust to new methods and processes that are introduced from time to time. Good training reduces dissatisfaction and absenteeism because it helps both new and experienced employees to use to the full, their individual capacities. It improves the quality of output which will benefit the company in the long run. Training improves the promotional prospect. Evaluation The HR Manager has o critically assess the training after the training exercise to determine if there is any change in their knowledge, skills, attitudes and ability. It is important to understand which skills; attitude and ability existed before therefore it is recommended that a measure of performance be undertaken before the training program begins. Transfer/behaviour This address the question, to what extent did the participant job behaviour change as a result of the training? Are the participants using their newly acquired skills and knowledge in their work environment? Is their change in behaviour and new knowledge sustained, are they using them effectively overtime. Is the trainee able to transfer the new skills to another person? Result Results answer the question, how is the training impacting on the organization overall. Is There a reduction in cost, increase in sales, are there more persons being attracted to company, improvement in production levels, less customer complaints or reduction in incidents? Performance appraisal This system is designed to measure the actual job performance of an employee. It provides feedback about the success about previous trainees and discloses the need for additional training. It helps to determine rewards or sanctions eg, of reward are pay increases based on his/her performance, promotion, commendation, demotion, warning or termination. It also gives the employee a clear understanding where he stands in relation to the organisation performance expectation. Performance Management System Performance appraisal is a method of evaluating a workers performance to ascertain how well he/she is meeting up with performance standards and targets and communicating it to the worker in order to set up a plan of improvement. Performance is the degree of accomplishment of the tasks that make up an employees job. An individuals performance is a combination of: Effort-physical and mental energy put in a work Ability-personal characteristics used doing a job Role perception-an understanding of direction and requirements of a job Performance evaluation on individual and group is usually based on: Standards set at the planning stage Performance targets set for individual or groups Accountability-the rate at which an employee understands and takes responsibility for his actions Competencies-the skills, experience, knowledge that a worker exhibits in a job Uses of performance appraisal Performance appraisal information can be used for: Promotions Firings/layoffs Merit pay increases Individual and organisational training and development Suggesting changes in behaviour, attitudes, skills or knowledge Selection procedures, and Human resource planning Performance Appraisal Methods Performance appraisal methods include: Goal setting, or management by objectives (MBO) Work standards approach Essay appraisal Critical incident appraisal Graphic rating scale Checklist Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) Ranking methods 1. Goal setting or management by objectives. Management by objective consists of the following steps: Establishing a clear objectives for the work to be done by an employee Developing an action plan indicating how these objectives are to be achieved Allowing the employee to implement the action plan Measuring objective achievement Taking corrective action when needed Establishing new objectives for the future 2. Work standards approach. This method of appraisal involves setting a standard or an expected level of output and then comparing each employees level to the standard. Performance standards include: Quantity Quality Time Cost Dependability Accuracy Attendance, etc. 3. Essay appraisal In this method the appraiser prepares a written statement (narrative) describing a workers strengths and weaknesses, and past performance. A typical essay appraisal question might be Describe this employees performance, including quality and quantity of work, job knowledge, and ability to get along with other employees. 4. Critical incident appraisal In this method the appraiser keeps a written record of incidents that illustrate both satisfactory and unsatisfactory behaviors of the employee. The appraiser then uses these incidents as a basis for evaluating the employees performance. 5. Graphic rating scale This method requires the appraiser to indicate on a scale where the employee rates on factors such as quantity of work, dependability, job knowledge, and cooperativeness. Graphical ratings include both numerical ranges and written descriptions. Ex. On quantity of work (1) the worker does not meet minimum requirement (2) Does just enough to get byà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(5) has a superior work production record. 6. Checklist In this method the appraiser answers with a yes or no to a series of questions about the behaviour of the employee being rated. The checklist can have varying weight assigned to each question. 7. Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) This method of appraisal determines an employees level of performance based on whether or not certain specifically job behaviors are present. BARS consist of scale value and anchors. Scale values define specific categories of performance such as: Excellent, good, average, poor, etc. Anchors are statements which indicate the level of performance on the scale opposite that particular anchor. 8. Ranking methods In this method of appraisal, the performance of an employee is ranked relative to the performance of others. Ranking methods include: Alternation ranking Paired comparison ranking, and Forced distribution Alternation ranking-the appraiser lists the names of employees to be rated on the left side of a sheet of paper. The rater chooses the most valuable employee on the list, crosses that name off the left-hand list, and puts at the top of the column on the right-hand side of the paper. The rater repeats the process for all names on the left hand side of the paper. Paired comparison ranking: suppose a rater is to evaluate six employees. The names of these individuals are listed on the left side of a sheet of paper. The rater then compares the first employee with the second employee on a chosen performance criterion, such as quantity of work; he then makes a mark on the first employees name if he produced more. He then compares the first employee with the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth employees on the same performance criterion. Forced distribution-In this method, the appraiser places a certain percentage of employees at various performance levels. It assumes performance in a group of employees is distributed according to a normal curve. Thus, the rater could place 60% of employees as meeting expectation; 20% as exceeding expectation, and 20% as not meeting expectations. Model of Attendance Your company wont suffer much from the occasional employee day off or sick day, but patterns of absences can create havoc in your work place. With several employees out of the office, production slows, or other employees may have to pick up the slack causing the quality of their work to suffer. While you cant prevent every absence, you can take steps to decrease the number of overall absences. Create an Attendance Policy Some employees may show up late or take several days off because they do not understand the companys stance on absences. You need a clear-cut attendance policy so every employee knows what you expect of him. Include reasons for acceptable absences, what you consider unacceptable and any disciplinary action or reduction in pay the employee may face after abusing holiday or sick days. Make sure every employee receives a copy of this policy. Have your supervisors monitor their employees and enforce the policy. Improve Morale If your office staff suffers from general low morale, employees will start to dread coming to work. This can increase absences throughout the staff. Spend time each week on boosting morale. Make sure every employee has regularly scheduled breaks throughout the day. Offer group lunches, prizes for completing projects or other incentives. Creating a positive environment that incorporates hard work with down time helps boost morale. Reduce Stress An employee can feel stressed in the workplace, especially if she has a large workload. High levels of stress can lead to avoidance, or even cause an illness. Both of which can lead to frequent absences. Make sure every employee has an even workload and can complete tasks given to them. Create teams to complete projects, rather than assigning one employee to the entire task. Reducing workloads and placing the right people with the right jobs will reduce stress levels in the office. Steers and Rhodes developed a model on absenteeism which according to Harrison and Martocchio, 1998 was deemed to be very influential and frequently cited in literatures about absenteeism within organizations. The model states that the capability of employees or workers to attend work is primarily dictated by how motivated as well as their ability to attend and perform their duties. These variables, ability and motivation have been thought to interact in a manner that an individual supposed ability to be present at work usually moderates his/her enthusiasm to attend work-what has been known as attendance relationship(Steers and Susan, 1978).The two further argued that personal characteristics or attributes which include sex(gender), tenure, family size, education, in addition to that, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, the ability to attend which encompass sickness, family responsibilities, accidents as well as transport problems, pressure to attend that include attendance reward system/incentives/bonuses, work group norms all either in isolation or in combination influence absenteeism of employees. It is worth to note that these were addition to their initial model developed in 1978 which only identified job satisfaction as the only specific significant factor affecting attendance motivation. From the diagram, attendance motivation is influenced by organizational practices, culture of absenteeism, attitude, values and goals of employees. Employees who are fully satisfied with their jobs do have strong loyalty to the organization and proud of it hence will desire to actively engage in activities to better the organization, and this is done by being present at work. REFERNCES Retrieved August 12, 2011, from World Wide Web http://smallbusiness.chron.com/things-improve-employee-work-attendance-19070.html Retrieved August 3, 2011, from World Wide Web (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Retrieved August 3, 2011, from, from World Wide Web http://www.businessballs.com/trainingprogramevaluation.htm Retrieved August 12, 2011, from, from World Wide Web http://managementhelp.org/training/basics/reasons-for-training.htm Daft, R. and Marcic, D. (2007). Management, The New Workplace. Ohio. USA: Thomson Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (1996). Principles of Marketing. New Jersey: Prentice hall.

IntelliP: Effective Mechanism for Resource Monitoring

IntelliP: Effective Mechanism for Resource Monitoring IntelliP: Effective Mechanism for Resource Monitoring in Private Cloud Vivekanand Adam Abstract—Cloud computing paradigm makes huge virtualized compute resources available to users as pay-as-you-go style. Resource monitoring is the premise of many major operations such as network analysis, management, job scheduling, load balancing, billing, event predicting, fault detecting, and fault recovery in Cloud computing. Cloud computing is more complicated than ordinary network owing to its heterogeneous and dynamic characteristics. Hence, it is a vital part of the Cloud computing system to monitor the existence and characteristics of resources, services, computations, and other entities. Monitoring data between hosts and servers should be consistent, and data transfer from hosts to servers should be efficient. In this paper, I will use an effective mechanism for resource monitoring called IntelliP which is based on a modified push model. It reduces useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers in CloudStack. Keywords—Cloud computing, Monitoring, self-adaptive, coherency, CloudStack, IntelliP. I. Introduction Cloud computing has rapidly emerged as a method for service delivery over TCP/IP networks such as the Internet. It disrupts the traditional IT computing environment by providing organizations with an option to outsource the hosting and operations of their mission-critical business applications. Cloud computing paradigm makes huge virtualized compute resources available to users as pay-as-you-go style. Resource monitoring is the premise of many major operations such as network analysis, management, job scheduling, load balancing, billing, event predicting, fault detecting, and fault recovery in Cloud computing. Cloud computing is more complicated than ordinary network owing to its heterogeneous and dynamic characteristics. Hence, it is a vital part of the Cloud computing system to monitor the existence and characteristics of resources, services, computations, and other entities. Apache CloudStack [1] is one of the most popular open source IaaS solutions. CloudStack is the best choice of all open source clouds to migrate the services and integrated the maximum security level in its architecture [2]. In IaaS Cloud environments, two aspects should be considered: 1. IaaS hardware and software: In Cloud environment, there are various kinds of hardware and software, including physical hosts, network devices, storage devices and databases. Monitoring system should obtain the performance data of these hardware and software, and report the real-time running status. 2. The Cloud user’s resources: Everything the user has in the Cloud. These are instances, disk volumes, guest networks, templates, ISOs, etc. For all these components, the Cloud user needs clear and reliable knowledge of their status. My goal is to develop an effective monitoring system for CloudStack which will use an effective mechanism for resource monitoring called IntelliP which is based on a modified push model and it reduces useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers. The monitoring system can collect utilization information from both physical and virtual resources. The monitoring metrics should be accurate, i.e. they are as close as possible to the real value to be measured. This can help the administrators know the status of Cloud system, and give end users a clear view of their resources in Cloud. II. Background This existing monitoring system named SCM is proposed to monitoring the Apache CloudStack platform [3]. SCM is a flexible monitoring system supporting for cloud environments, which can monitor both physical and virtual resources. SCM users can choose their interested metrics and set a custom interval. In order to meet these requirements, SCM needs a well-designed user interface, and flexible, dynamic data sources. In Clouds, monitoring metrics are also important to the billing systems, job scheduling and other Cloud components. Because of the characteristics of Cloud environment, the monitoring metrics will be dynamically changed and the volume of data may become very large, a scalable and high performance storage system is needed. The SCM monitoring system has four main functionalities, which are metric collection, information processing and storage, metric display, alert. The architecture of the SCM monitoring system is shown figure 1. Collectors In Apache CloudStack environment, the hosts have different meanings [1]. These hosts may be physical or virtual, customer instances or system virtual machines, so the metrics need to be collected vary with the host’s type. In the SCM monitoring system, they use collectors as the data sources which are deployed on each host. These collectors can easily be configured to collect different metrics. In fact, the collector Figure1. The architecture of the SCM monitoring offers a framework, in which users can develop their own programs to collect metrics they interested in. The collector periodically retrieves performance metric values from the host, e.g. cpu usage, memory usage, disk I/O. When the host becomes management server or storage server, the performance metrics of MySQL, tomcat, NFS and other CloudStack components are also collected. As mentioned above, CloudStack has different network traffics on a host, some of traffics do not to need be monitored. The collector monitors the public and storage traffics. The collector also monitors the network devices through SNMP. These metric values are then pushed to SCM Server. The SCM server The SCM server is the core of the SCM monitoring system. There are five main modules of the SCM server. Host aggregator is used to aggregate the metric values from the collectors. A host aggregator may receive metric values from a lot of collectors. Apache CloudStack provides an API that gives programmatic access to all the management features. They designed the platform aggregator to communicate with ACS management servers and call the ACS API through HTTP to get the CloudStack related information, such as the version of CloudStack and how many zones, pods, clusters and hosts in the current environment, etc. After a pre-set time, the aggregators send the metrics to the storage module. The storage module is used to communicate with the storage system, putting the metric values into the storage system or getting values from it. The storage module receives the metrics from the aggregators and stores all these data locally, when the metrics file is large enough, it puts the metrics into the storage system. This can reduce the I/O operations on the storage system. The statistics module is a data processing module. It analyses the metric values from the storage module and provides the average, minimal, maximum, performance outliers, etc. To improve the availability of the ACS, abnormal running information should be reported to the Cloud users immediately. The alert module obtains exceptions from statistics and records the information, and then notifies the Cloud user. If the ACS scale is large, there are hundreds or thousands of hosts, multiple SCM Servers may be needed for load balance. The SCM Client The metric values are organized as a tuple (metric name, timestamp, value, tags), these tuple are not friendly to the Cloud users. So just collecting various resource utilizations information is not enough to explain the observed performance of hosts or applications. In order to let the Cloud users easily to understand the meaning of these metric values, it is very important to display information in a simple and flexible way. The SCM Client gives an overview of the whole system, and displays the metric values in time series graphs with several filters, which is used to help the Cloud users quickly find the minimal or maximal of the current metric value or calculate the average performance in a period of time. Also the Cloud users can customize the graphs by selecting the metric names and tags in tuples. Then only the interested metric values will be displayed in the user interface. Storage system The metric values need to be stored persistently for analysis as well as displayed on the fly. Resources in the Cloud change dynamically and the deployment of the Cloud is large. Monitoring such distributed system may produce a large amount of metric values. So the storage system should be scalable and flexible, with the ability to collect many thousands of metrics from thousands of hosts and applications at a high rate. Above system uses pure push model for data collection [3], hosts initiatively send running status (CPU, memory, I/O, etc.) to a monitoring server. This model has better real-time, and makes the monitoring data between hosts and servers higher in coherency, but lower in efficiency. Usually, the push model is triggered by a time interval or exceeding a threshold. The value of time interval and threshold is important to this model. If the value is too small, even a little change on hosts may make the status information deliver to monitoring servers over a network. This may cause network congestion. If the value is too big, a lot of useful information may be ignored. It consist useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers. A pure Push or Pull model is not suited for many different kinds of virtualized resources III. Related work In Clouds, resource monitoring is the premise of job scheduling, load balancing, billing and many other major operations. Therefore, data coherency and real-time are important indicators for a monitoring system of Clouds. Elastic compute is one of the main characters of Clouds, resources in Clouds change dynamically. So the monitoring system should adapt to this kind of situation. To solve the above problem He Huang and Liqiang Wang proposed a combined push and pull model called PP model for resource monitoring in Cloud computing environment [4]. The PP model inherits the advantages of Push and Pull models. It can intelligently switch between Push and Pull models depending on the resource status and external customer request. But the combination of the push model and pull model is more complex to the pure push model and pull model. When there are a large number of requests, event driven method will increase the load on the monitoring servers, and the servers will become the bottleneck. The switch between push and pull has some extra costs [4] and it consist useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers. In an attempt to minimize unnecessary and useless updating massages, and maximize the consistency between the producer and consumer. Wu-Chun Chung and Ruay-Shiung Chang [5] have proposed GRIR (Grid Resource Information Retrieval), which is considered a new algorithm for resource monitoring in grid computing to improve Push model. They examined a set of data delivery protocols for resource monitoring in the push-based model, such as the OSM (OffsetSensitive Mechanism) protocol, the TSM (Time-Sensitive Mechanism) protocol, and the hybrid ACTC (Announcing with Change and Time Consideration) protocol. This hybrid protocol is based on a dynamically adjusted update time interval and the consideration for early update when the change is larger than a dynamic threshold. IV. Proposed solution We can use a self-adaptive mechanism for resource monitoring in Cloud computing environment based on push model. As mentioned earlier, push model has better coherency, but lower efficiency in small threshold situation. We can set up a transportation window to store metrics before they are delivered to the monitoring server. We can design an algorithm to control data delivery. The design of the Self adaptive Push Model Monitoring data between hosts and servers should be consistent, and data transfer from hosts to servers should be efficient. In this section, I introduce a self-adaptive push model called IntelliP, which is based on a modified push model. It reduces useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers. IntelliP has a transportation window, as shown in following figure 2. Figure 2: A push model with transportation window. When collectors get metrics from adapters on hosts, instead of delivering these data to servers immediately, they put these metrics into the transportation window. The window accepts a new metric and then compares it with the average value of the former metrics. (1) If diff is smaller than the current threshold, collectors put the metric into the window and keep accepting new data, otherwise, deliver the metric to monitoring server and empty the window. When the window is full deliver the average value of the metrics in the window to monitoring servers. The size of transportation window is not fixed, in order to adapt to the dynamically changing situation of Clouds the window size changes too. Small size means that resources change frequently, and large size hosts are running in a stable status. When the window is full, that means in the past periods of time, hosts were running in a stable status, and the next few periods may still in this status, so the size of window adds one. If diff is bigger than the threshold, it shows that CPU usage, Memory, I/O throughput or other resources of a host changed suddenly. This may indicate that the host becomes active. An IntelliP data delivery control algorithm At this moment, the window size reduces to half of the original size, so more metrics will be delivered to monitoring servers. In push model, the value of threshold is very important. IntelliP decides the size of threshold according to two parameters ÃŽ ± and  µ. Α ÃŽ ± has a close relationship with the current network condition. If current network condition is good, ÃŽ ± is small, more metrics would be delivered. While current network condition is poor, the value of ÃŽ ± increased, less metrics would be on the network. When the network condition is in an ideal status, the value of ÃŽ ± is 1. Another parameter is a constant value set by users. Users can customize the size of  µ according to their requirement. We use m_average as the average value of metrics in window, and define threshold as; threshold= ÃŽ ± Ãâ€"  µ Ãâ€" m (2) One problem is that if the host was running smoothly for a long time and resources usage on this host did not change a lot, then the size of window will be very large. This will lost a lot of metrics. We set an upper limit of window size to solve this problem, when the window size increases to the maximum limit, then the size would not increase any more. . V. conclusion and future work In Clouds, resource monitoring is the premise of job scheduling, load balancing, billing and many other major operations. Therefore, data coherency and real-time are important indicators for a monitoring system of Clouds. Elastic compute is one of the main characters of Clouds, resources in Clouds change dynamically. Using a self-adaptive push model called IntelliP, which is based on a modified push model we can build an effective cloud monitoring system which will reduces network congestion and also reduces useless monitoring data coherency between hosts and servers in CloudStack. In future I will try to improve data delivery control algorithm for increasing effectiveness and adaptive nature of monitoring system, which will be available for all. References Apache Project, Apache CloudStack, 2013 [online] http://cloudstack.apache.org Sasko Ristov and Marjan Gusev, â€Å"Security Evaluation of Open Source Clouds† EuroCon 2013, 1-4 July 2013, Zagreb, Croatia. Lin Kai; Tong Weiqin; Zhang Liping; Hu Chao, SCM: A Design and Implementation of Monitoring System for CloudStack, Cloud and Service Computing (CSC), 2013 International Conference on , vol., no., pp.146,151, 4-6 Nov. 2013. He Huang and Liqiang Wang, PP: a Combined Push-Pull Model for Resource Monitoring in Cloud Computing Environment 2010 IEEE 3rd International Conference on Cloud Computing. W. Chung, R. Chang (2009), A New Mechanism For Resource Monitoring in Grid Computing, Future Generation Computer Systems FGCS 25, PP 1-7.

The Coach That Never Came :: essays research papers

The book, â€Å"The Coach That Never Came† was a very interesting book. In the beginning, John, Steve, Mike, and Craig were all talking about their new baseball coach that they were going to be getting that day. The boys had never heard of the man and no one in the town seemed to know who he was. The boys talk about their new coach all day while they are in school. After school was over that day, the boys went to the baseball field to prepare for their first day of baseball practice. Practice was to start at 3:30. It was 3:45 now, and their new coach hadn’t arrived yet. The boys, along with the rest of the team, waited around for awhile for their coach to come. After waiting for about an hour, they became curious and decided that they would go to Coach Anderson’s house to see why he wasn’t at practice. Craig said that he knew where the coach lived, because he had heard his mother talking on the phone about him. As the boys arrived at the house, they saw that the door was partially open, so they decided to let themselves in since no one answered the door when they knocked. As the boys entered the house, they couldn’t decide on which room they wanted to go in first. They quickly decided on that when they saw a person lying on the floor in the kitchen. The boys quickly ran out of the house and ran to Mike’s house to call the police. When the police arrived to Mr. Anderson’s house, they told the boys that their coach had a heart attack and died. The boys were very upset by this since they had never even met the man. Eventually, the story goes on and the boys get a new coach, but they never really get over what the found that day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that one of the main characters in this book would have to be Craig. He has black hair, green eyes and is of average height. Craig was just a usual guy until all of this happened to him. He received good grades in school, and was a great student. Craig’s parents were very proud of him and thought that he was the greatest son that anyone could ever have. Craig is a senior at Central High School, and was already crowned Homecoming King.

Symbolism in William Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay -- essays resea

Symbolism in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies renders either through a character, intention, or theme. The author uses these symbols to have a greater impact on the readers’ interpretation of the novel, rather than merely revealing the idea. First and foremost, the beast and its several manifestations are few of the many signs that support deeper meanings. Furthermore, there is Piggy, one with intelligence and responsibility and one very important symbol. Finally, there are the two fires which are vital representations in the novel that contrasts and demonstrates irony. The use of symbols does provide a deep elucidation of the novel, but it supports an even more profound significance for the readers’ perspectives as well. In the novel, the beast is an inclusive symbol which comes to the boys in many distinctive figures. Due to their fear of the unknown island and each other, they begin to suppose that there is a tangible ‘beastie’ with them on the island. Each character arranges an emotional fear within themselves from their sinister side of human nature. All the fear can then have the ability to bring the fictional beast to life. One way they perceive the beast is through an unfortunate parachutist who lost his life and is blown onto the island. Although he is harmless, Ralph describes him as a monster with, â€Å"†¦teeth, and big black eyes.† (Golding 136). All but 1 2 Simon know the genuine behind their fears and the shape of the creature. Knowing that, â€Å"†¦Maybe it’s only us.† (Golding 96), he confronts the beast at the summit of the mountain and soon understands that he is no more but dead flesh. However, his truth eventually leads to his demise during the savages’ chaotic... ...e soul. Succinctly, Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a mental exertion of symbols which are meant to have the readers reflect above and beyond to more individual thoughts. The analysis of the novel becomes more interesting and authentic through the themes that it is shown through. The fire, the beast and Piggy are only some of symbols on the mechanism of human nature and even nature in itself. The many representations also intend to stand for simple theses and are meant to have an impact on how one thinks about the present society. There are always small signs in everyday life which represent and help develop the civilization known today. The nature of a symbol is a capability to manipulate and explore relationships between various ideas and information. Ultimately, the novel uses this nature to support deeper characteristics in both the literary and human worlds.

Comparison Shopping Project

I think the first and foremost purchase consideration is the price, next is the quality and then is the convenience. Every consumer desires the quality of the product is good and the price is lowest. If that desire meets, the consumers will choose the more convenient way to get the Item they would Like to buy. So now there are two ways for me to get the poll fleece Jacket. The market price of the poll fleece Jacket now Is 99 ARM. But In the UNIQUE online shop Is sold 106 ARM, more 7 ARM Is for the express fee. Shopping Comparison If I choose to buy in the UNCLE physical agent, I need select a day when I am free to go to the mall by bus.It takes me about 1 hour to arrive there. And I will use about 20 minutes to find the UNIQUE physical agent. Unfortunately, the shopping mall is open at 10:00 am. It may occupy all of my forenoon time. It is not a good thing for a student who is busy with her study. When I get the physical agent, there are many poll fleece jackets for me to select and fit. I can touch every of the poll fleece Jacket to decide which one should I purchase. Meanwhile I can select many colors of a same style poll fleece Jacket to fit and finally pick the right color and size to purchase.Once I change my mind, I can change anyone I want before I pay. And then I will go back by bus with my new poll fleece Jacket. The bus tickets cost me for 4 ARM, and when I get back is almost the time of the afternoon. If I choose another way that purchase poll fleece jacket online, I would pay more 7 ARM for the dispatch fee. I open my computer, and enter the UNIQUE online shop. Then I need to go through all of the electronic catalogs and try to find the poll fleece Jacket entry. And then click the poll fleece Jacket links to access to the interface.In the interface I can find many kinds of the poll fleece Jacket. Subsequently, I should scan of the information about the product. Firstly, I will select some attractive product such as better mode or color and put in my electronic shopping cart. Secondly, I will scan the information of these products and carefully analyze and compare with them. There is a zone that I can see the referral or recommendation from other consumers who has bought the product. Finally, after I Identify all these products, I will come to a best choice and purchase the desirable poll fleece jacket by online banking.To use the online banking, I must my bank card is security. The process totally wastes me for merely 2 hours. In the other side, I am watching the computer all the time in the duration of buying. My eyes may be tired at end. Unfortunately, my decision is should not be changed. Once the order of the product is submitted and come into force, I must accept the product. Although there are something I am not satisfied with, such as the color is dimmer Han I see online or the size is not my size etc, I cannot return it to the seller except pay the additional dispatch money.If I am not willing to pay the extra fee, the product is a waste thing. It will be a bad shopping experience. Recommendation All of above is about the two ways to purchase. As we can see, there are spaces for the two purchasing process to improve. Buying in physical agent is not convenient for the consumer, and it wastes time. The price in the shop is the market price and may be higher than online shop. But consumers can select among many kinds of the olla fleece Jacket and purchase one they most satisfied.Foremost the quality of the product is assured. To attract more consumers to buy in the physical agent rather than online, the shop should carry out some activities such as give some presents or trial packs of the shop. Buying online is convenient to the customers, but rate of online fraud is increasing. Consumers may not always get satisfied product, and the online bank payment is also has some risks and problems. The digital certificate is not protect well, the bank need to research a new technical invention to do that wel l.It is regrettable that not every product online is in good quality. So there need a third-party in the process of buying online, the third part should inspect every product selling online to assure the quality of them. It will make many consumers buying online instead of purchasing in the physical agent. With the development of technology, buying online may be completed the same as the physical agents in the future. The consumers can choose which purchasing process they like. And each process might not cause problems.

Evaluation of Journal Article: Heijes, C. (2010) Cross-Cultural Perception and Power Dynamics Across Changing Organizational and National Contexts: Curacao and the Netherlands, Human Relations, 64 (5) 653-674.

Evaluation of Journal Article: Heijes, C. (2010) Cross-cultural perception and power dynamics across changing organizational and national contexts: Curacao and the Netherlands, Human Relations, 64 (5) 653-674. Introduction This essay critically evaluates Coen Heijes’s paper on power differences in cross-cultural perception and how power imbalance across diverse organizational and national contexts result in various cross-cultural perception between two particular ethnic groups, namely European Dutch and African Curacaoans.To be more specific, this review is critically discussed for the following parts. First of all, the theoretical framework development is briefly examined from dimensional approach to contextual approach. After that follows the research approaches that Heijes adopted and puts forward the advantages and disadvantages, as well as, considering the limitations of them. Eventually, the potential implications for individuals should be involved and particularly wheth er they positively relates to intercultural working in cross-cultural management.Brief description of the article In this article, Heijes (2010) presents a comparative analysis of cross-cultural perception between European Dutch and African Curacaoans in Netherlands and Curacao respectively, as well as including two organizations namely the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the police, each of which owns diverse power dynamics. Through using the exploratory case studies, which enable to test the â€Å"emerging findings in wider survey-based research† (Cassell and Symon, 2004, p. 27), the author tends to illustrate how power differences impact on cross-cultural perception. In order to provide more exactly evidence, Heijes applied a set of various methods in collecting data. Most of data were gathered from interviews between Curacaoan and Dutch employees in IRS and police. Moreover, choosing different interviewers was taken into consideration with the purpose of avoiding inter viewer bias; it is mainly due to the fact that ethnic background of the interviewer plays a dominant role in determining the respondents’ answers.After that, it is followed by participant observation to supply further data. Then data were categorized into four groups and based on an iterative process for checking and interpreting the findings. As for findings, from the anthropological perspective, Heijes concluded that cross-cultural perception between two ethnic groups that are relatively similar, that is because the same external background of the two countries and differs due to the internal context of two different organizations.However, the cultural differences were not very much; therefore, the findings indicated that power dynamics plays a crucial role in influencing the cross-cultural perception not only in internal organizational context, but also in external national context. In other words, taking the power dynamics between different groups into consideration is mu ch more essential for determining cross-cultural perception and cooperation than only rely on a value-based approach.Theory and Literature This article based on Hofstede and McSweeney’s theoretical framework for understanding the power dynamics and cross-cultural perception alongside changing organizational and national contexts. Heijes broadly illustrates the dimensional approach, which one of the most acknowledged and comprehensive cultural typologies is that put forward by Hofstede (Chiang, 2005), is â€Å"monolithic and rather static description of national cultures† (Heijes, 2010, p. 653).In spite of widely application and its popularity, it also challenged by â€Å"a more contextual approach based on actual interaction† (Heijes, 2010, p. 654). The literature assists the author in developing theoretical frameworks through quoting â€Å"many methodological and theoretical criticisms† (Chiang, 2005, p. 1545) surrounding the dynamics of cross-cultural p erception. Firstly, in terms of Hofstede‘s framework, Hoecklin (1996) points out that this framework not only enable to analysis national culture, but also especially focus on understanding the effects of cultural differences in organizations.However, due to â€Å"reduce the complexities of culture† (Deschepper et al, 2008, p. 2), Jackson (as sited in Heijes, 2010, p. 654) correctly argues that dimensional approach unable to address the â€Å"dynamics of cross-cultural interaction within the complexity of power relationship†. Furthermore, the methodological flaws of Hofstede’s model are pointed out by McSweeney (2002), whose critique maintains whether culture can affect differences in behaviour between people from diverse countries (Williamson, 2002).Finally, Marrewijk (1999) makes clear that power imbalances might influence on cross-cultural perception, as well as bringing about different behaviour determined by using contextual approach. Having considere d all the arguments above, this exploratory article through using comparative analysis of cross-cultural perception and emphasising on various contexts between different organizations and countries, which own different power dynamics, to demonstrate how power differences impact on cross-cultural perception.Heijes’s critique of dimensional approach is relatively convincing, however, there are some concepts that the author may be overlooked. For instance, power dynamics and cross-cultural perception are relatively important concepts that the author should be explained. Because of power dynamics related to the Hofstede’s dimensional approach, which is very essential for understanding the main idea of this journal. Moreover, power dynamics, that is, are not very easily to observe and even unconscious occasionally (Boonstra and Gravenhorst, 1998). As Gajewska-De Mattos et al. as cited in Heijes, 2010, p. 654) has argued that â€Å"dimensions were non-commensurable with dat a on actual cross-cultural perception†. Research Approach: In order to demonstrate the research question: â€Å"How power differences impact on cross-cultural perception† exactly, the author adopts a comparative analysis of perception alongside â€Å"two changing axes namely external national context and internal organizational context†, both of them within the home countries of Curacaoans and Dutch, and in two specific organizations: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the police.According to Yin (2009), the reason why choose case study as research method is that questions tend to explain some present circumstance and acquire â€Å"the holistic and meaningful characteristics of real-life events† (p. 5). Moreover, the case is well suited to examine â€Å"complex contemporary phenomena† (Ogawa and Malen, 1991, p. 274) in depth and â€Å"within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evi dent† (Yin, 2009, p. 18).The unique advantages of the case study is enable to deal with various evidence namely â€Å"documents, interviews and observations†, which superior to other research methods (Yin, 2009, p. 11). Another advantage can be to provide more opportunities for â€Å"the researchers that they would not have otherwise†, however, the disadvantages of the case study are obviously, that is the results enable to apply to other individuals (Lanthier, 2002). Interviews, as one of the most significant sources of the case study information, removed gender within the organization and treated all espondents as male (Heijes, 2010). In this journal article, the interview started with open-ended questions. These complex and long questions are too difficult for respondents to answer as well as too difficult to gather the information for interviewers due to the fact that the â€Å"respondent fatigue† (Bryman and Bell, 2011). After interview with open-ende d questions, the interviewers moved to semi-structured interviews that â€Å"interviewer and respondents engage in a formal interview† (Cohen and Crabtree, 2006).On the other words, the interviewers follow some specific questions that have already prepared and the list of questions needs to be covered during the interview in a particular order. Semi- structured interviews usually last for approximately an hour, which might be in full accordance with that of 80 minutes. Another question about whether should record the content during the interviews or not. A study by Yin shows that â€Å"using recording devices is a matter of personal preference†, moreover, recording can provide more accurate information than any other method (2009, p. 09). But a recording device is not permitted to use in some particular situations. In this journal article, the author employed interviewers who differed not only in gender, but also own diverse ethnic background in order to avoid bias of the interviewers; this is a significant way to improve the degree of accuracy. Besides interviews, participant observation is a special mode of observation that should â€Å"assume a range of roles within a case study situation and actually participate in the events being studied† (Yin, 2009, p. 111).The participant-observation research method has already widely used in anthropological studies in terms of different cultural or social groups, which is suitable for using in this journal article (Becker and Geer, 1957). Moreover, one of the most advantages of participant observation is that some topics may be no way to collect information other than through participant-observation (Yin, 2009). Dewalt (as cited in Kawulich, 2005) rightly points out that it has ability to enhance the quality of the data collection and interpretation. However, the limitation of the participant-observation is much obviously.The researcher must consider the â€Å"gender, ethnicity, class and theoret ical approach†, which may impact on observation, analysis and interpretation (Kawulich, 2005) Findings and Conclusions After the process of data collection and analysis, as for Curacaoan context, Heijes can be confirmed that power dynamics between the two groups plays a significant role in determining the perception. That was concluded from the results of the research that cross-cultural perceptions within the groups are relatively similar, that is mainly due to the fact that they own the same national culture and only influenced by the different contexts.However, in colonial area, the cross-cultural perception was effected by the postcolonial setting as well as the power imbalance. Finally, the findings consistent with the argument, which is power imbalance effects cross-cultural perception, after than lead to different behaviour depending on different contexts. Considering the main findings and the arguments, it can be concluded that these findings are valid.In terms of Dutc h context, the findings illustrate that power dynamics impact on cross-cultural perception not only in organizational contexts but also including the national and postcolonial contexts. That means we should take both aspect of contexts into consideration when determine the relationship between power imbalance and cross-cultural perception. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that culture contexts are relatively similar between these two groups, and have no impact on the relationship between cross-cultural perception and power dynamics.In the conclusion, Heijes puts forward the limitations of the approach and research method, as the exploratory case studies only pay attention to the effect of power imbalance on perception between two countries as well as within two organizations. Furthermore, the author even recommends further investigating other cases about how power dynamics of postcolonial context impact on cross-cultural perception and how these areas interrelate to each other. Moreover, this research would provide assistance in understanding the significant interrelationship between power dynamics and culture.

Free Essays on Choosing A Mate

The classic story Lord of the Rings, written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, inspired many reader’s imagination while giving them a taste of not only fantasy but Old English history as well. As an Old English Professor, the author portrayed many elements drawn from this very first period of English Literature. As a result, an atmosphere of good and evil, typical of Old English, permeates throughout this work of fiction. In such a setting lived the Old English-like hobbits who spoke an Old English- inspired language and practiced Old English customs. The setting of Lord of the Rings has an Old English quality, typically one were good and evil is fought. In the novel, the setting changes many times, from â€Å"frightening underworlds to magical prairie like scenes†1 that symbolizes goodness. The book takes place in Middle Earth, which is described by Tolkien as a mysterious place full of acts of righteousness and wickedness. Example of a places where bad behaviors occurs are evidently the Mount of Doom, Rohan Forest, the Mines of Moria2 and the deep dark forest at night fall. Mist, Rain and gloomy are all characteristics of these murky atmosphere. On the other hand, Tolkien creates a peaceful environment. Examples of calm tranquil surroundings are found in the author’s description of the Forest of Lothorien, home of the elves and the hills of the Shire where the hobbits live and where an atmosphere described by Tolkien as â€Å"A primitive state of existence, untouched and uninfluenced by civilization or artifici ality†3: and â€Å"Partially dark, especially dismal and dreary†4 reigns. The nature of both places symbolizes goodness. These two settings of good and evil confront each other throughout the story, as seen more clearly through the personalities of the inhabitants. The hobbits live in the peaceful hills of the Shire. They are a breed of miniature people with â€Å"pointy ears whose height range is between two and four fee... Free Essays on Choosing A Mate Free Essays on Choosing A Mate The classic story Lord of the Rings, written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, inspired many reader’s imagination while giving them a taste of not only fantasy but Old English history as well. As an Old English Professor, the author portrayed many elements drawn from this very first period of English Literature. As a result, an atmosphere of good and evil, typical of Old English, permeates throughout this work of fiction. In such a setting lived the Old English-like hobbits who spoke an Old English- inspired language and practiced Old English customs. The setting of Lord of the Rings has an Old English quality, typically one were good and evil is fought. In the novel, the setting changes many times, from â€Å"frightening underworlds to magical prairie like scenes†1 that symbolizes goodness. The book takes place in Middle Earth, which is described by Tolkien as a mysterious place full of acts of righteousness and wickedness. Example of a places where bad behaviors occurs are evidently the Mount of Doom, Rohan Forest, the Mines of Moria2 and the deep dark forest at night fall. Mist, Rain and gloomy are all characteristics of these murky atmosphere. On the other hand, Tolkien creates a peaceful environment. Examples of calm tranquil surroundings are found in the author’s description of the Forest of Lothorien, home of the elves and the hills of the Shire where the hobbits live and where an atmosphere described by Tolkien as â€Å"A primitive state of existence, untouched and uninfluenced by civilization or artifici ality†3: and â€Å"Partially dark, especially dismal and dreary†4 reigns. The nature of both places symbolizes goodness. These two settings of good and evil confront each other throughout the story, as seen more clearly through the personalities of the inhabitants. The hobbits live in the peaceful hills of the Shire. They are a breed of miniature people with â€Å"pointy ears whose height range is between two and four fee...

Just Clean Your Hands essayEssay Writing Service

Just Clean Your Hands essayEssay Writing Service Just Clean Your Hands essay Just Clean Your Hands essayJust Clean Your Hands is the program that aims at the promotion of cleaning hands by the health care and support staff in the London Health Sciences Center. The program focuses on the health care and support staff, which is supposed to bear the full responsibility for the maintenance of the clean and healthy environment in the clinic. However, the problem is that the London Health Sciences Center still faces the problem of the low hands cleaning rate that puts under a threat the health of health care professionals, support staff and clients of the clinic. Therefore, the introduction of the Just Clean Your Hands program is essential for the clinic to enhance its quality of services delivered to patients and to secure the health care environment from spreading infections and diseases caused by unclean hands or poor hands cleaning culture of the clinic’s staff.Just Clean Your Hands is the program that aims at the maintenance of the healthy environment i n the London Health Sciences Center’s medical and support staff. The maintenance of the healthy environment is crucial for the delivery of efficient health care services. This program focuses on the training of the staff how to clean hands and to develop the culture of cleaning hands among health care professionals and support staff. In such a way, the program will create the healthy environment in the clinic through the training of the staff and developing right habits of cleaning their hands.Otherwise, there is a high risk of the contamination of patients as well as health care professionals and support staff working in the center. Unclean hands of the health care and support staff is one of the major risk factor for inpatients as well as for the staff. Unclean hands are source of danger and high risk of spreading infections and contamination of patients and health care professionals along with the support staff. At the moment, the London Health Sciences Center has the poor hand washing compliant rate. Therefore, the center faced the high risk of spreading infections and disease because of the poor hand washing culture. The poor hand cleaning culture puts under a threat the health of patients and the health care and support staff.Even though there are objective factors that cause the poor hand washing rate, such as the work overload, but the health care and support staff should respect hand washing standards because it is the matter of hygiene and health of the staff and clients. Health care professionals and support staff should be aware of the importance of cleaning hands to secure themselves and patients from numerous threats and risks, which are particularly high in the health care environment, where the staff and patients are constantly exposed to the risk of the contamination and regular and through cleaning of hands is essential to keep the staff and patients from the contamination by some infectious disease or developing other health problems that may be transmitted via unclean hands.In such a situation, the simple cleaning hands will help to reduce the risk of spreading infections and health problems within the clinical environment will be helpful. In addition, cleaning hands helps to protect clients from deteriorating their condition under the impact of infections brought into the clinical environment because of unclean hands. The cleaning of hands does not need many efforts from the part of health care professionals and support staff. They should just clean their hands regularly and throughout and that is what Just Clean Your Hands is trying to teach them. Furthermore, cleaning hands is the simple but cost-efficient method because it allows saving costs of the health care organization because simple measure that cost next to nothing, cleaning hands, can prevent the development of serious health conditions that will require costly and serious treatment.At the same time, it is worth mentioning the fact that often the pr oblem is not the negligence of the health care and support staff that leads to their failure to clean their hands regularly. Instead, the problem often is the wrong hands cleaning technique. In this regard, Just Clean Your Hands program offers the detailed recommendations and training of the staff to clean hands right that improves the quality of hands cleaning and makes it really efficient. As a result, health care professionals and support staff clean their hands effectively and, thus, secure themselves, their colleagues and clients. Therefore, the implementation of the Just Clean Your Hands program will help the health care and support staff of the London Health Sciences Center to resolve the problem of the low hands cleaning rate and improve the health care environment in the clinic.Thus, Just Clean Your Hands is an effective program that has to be implemented into the London Health Sciences Center to improve the hands cleaning culture of the staff and to secure not only the per sonnel of the clinic but also clients.

The Essence of Chinatown Essays

The Essence of Chinatown Essays The Essence of Chinatown Essay The Essence of Chinatown Essay Essay Topic: Chinatown It is Chinese New Year. The hustle and bustle of trade, the haggling of prices fills the air as people jostle through the crowd to buy that kilogram of barbecued pork, or that bunch of golden rat-shaped decorations to welcome the year of the Rat. However, many people simply run through the epicentre of joyful noise and energy that can only be Chinatown without stopping to wonder at the past it possesses and the reason for its existence in a predominantly Chinese Singapore. Modern day Chinatown I stand silently at the start of Pagoda Street and look down from my vantage point of an overhead bridge to see a place that embodies the very story of Chinatown is the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Sitting right in the center of Chinatown, it is a quaint shop house that has been converted into a wealth of memories and untold stories. These stories are showed to the public on three different levels and exhibit the lives of early settlers. It traces the evolution and growth of both Chinatown and the Chinese people of Singapore, from coolie workers and maids to bosses and politicians. The Heritage Centre shows why Chinatown is the way it is in modern day Singapore. It tells the story of a place that never really sleeps through an exhibit called â€Å"Where the day never ends† and tells us of how Chinatown was always rampant with festive mood during celebrations like the Lunar New Year. Like present day Chinatown, the Chinatown of the past was an energetic place whenever Chinese festivals were around the corner. When asked about what the Heritage Centre taught him, a secondary school student whom I interviewed on location told me, â€Å"This place shows us that that every Chinese person had a stake in Chinatown. It also teaches me not to forget my roots,† The Heritage Centre, for many youth, also carries a cautionary tale against the four vices of life. An exhibit details the lives of people who have fallen to opium smoking, prostitution, gambling and secret societies and is still a relevant warning to today’s Chinese population in Singapore about the dangers of indulging in forbidden pleasures. A Prostitute’s Room I asked one shopper why she went to Chinatown to visit the Heritage Centre and I was told that, â€Å"Chinatown is the place many Chinese had lived in the past. I am a Chinese and I really like to know what my roots are,† What she said clearly highlights to us why Singapore needs a Chinatown: Cultural identity. The Heritage Centre tells us that Chinatown has existed ever since Singapore was conceptualised as a colonial state. The place was characterised by shop houses that possessed five-foot walkways and cramped quarters on the upper floors. Large scale immigration forced occupants of Chinatown to stay in small, cramped and sordid cubicles that lacked proper sanitation and facilities. People squeezed together, sometimes seven in cubicle. However, Chinatown was more than just a living quarter for the Chinese migrants who came by boat from mainland China. It was a retail location for uniquely Chinese goods, a uniquely Chinese socialisation ground which gave birth to the coffee shops that we see in contemporary Singapore. A life-sized model of such coffee shops can be seen in the Heritage Centre. Chinatown was, most importantly, a place representative of escape from oppression, poverty and injustice in mainland China. My late great-grand mother, who came from China with nothing but the clothes on her back once told me that, â€Å"Chinatown, although small, cramp and noisy, was the home away from home for many, a place where Chinese people put down new roots and built new lives for themselves and their descendants. † I believe that this spirit of emancipation and determination to make it in the world is what is so beautiful about Chinatown’s Heritage Centre. While Singapore is a multi-racial nation that does not discriminate creeds, race or religion, it is undeniably mixed in its racial denominations to a very high degree. As such, people need to hold on to their cultural identity. Unlike many other countries where Chinese are not the dominant race and thus need a Chinatown, Singapore’s Chinese population needs a Chinatown not to give them a sense of home, but to satisfy a deep-seated need to retain the uniqueness of being Chinese while becoming Singaporean all the time. Chinese, like all other races, need a place where we can identify with both culturally and, on a deeper level, spiritually. We need a place that tells us who we are and where we really came from and Chinatown provides us with that cultural belonging and identity. Chinatown is â€Å"where Chinese go to be Chinese and not worry about how we would be looked at, simply because it is Chinatown,† as said by a passer-by when I asked him what Chinatown meant to him as a Chinese person. When I started primary research, I did not expect such a deep-rooted sense of belonging to Chinatown in the Chinese people because even I, a Chinese, did not have great attachment for the place. However, I have come to understand that Chinatown is more than a place. It is a record book, a place that history has etched its mark on to educate and enlighten future generations of Chinese people. Therefore, the true idea behind why we need a Chinatown in Singapore is because the essence of the Chinese people is the essence of Chinatown.