An Analysis of Relationships in “The Kite Runner” Essay

â€Å"In the Kite Runner, relationships between fathers and sons are never joyful†. What do you think of this view? After having read the statement, my initial thoughts were that of course, at some point in the novel, relationships between fathers and sons were happy and full of joy, though after more consideration, I have decided that I agree with the statement, as, even in jubilant moments, the foundations of the relationships are built on lies and deceit, darkening the meaning of the temporarily- found happiness. An example of this would be the relationship between Ali and Hassan who seemingly had a very strong relationship, in which Ali was proud of the person his son was slowly becoming and cherished him dearly, as if his presence simply made the world a better place- â€Å"he had found his joy, his antidote, the moment Sanaubar had given birth to Hassan†. This suggests that, despite the fact we later learn that Ali isn’t Hassan’s paternal father, he has loved him as if he were his own from the very moment he was born, raising him as his own. The extent of Ali’s love is masked, however, by the fact that he lied to his ‘son’ his entire life, something some would claim to be selfish as he wanted to retain an ounce of self-respect, to have something he could call his own and, finally, to actually have a child, as he wouldn’t be able to have one any other way, due to his being sterile. On the other hand, some may say that of course, some of the happier relationships in the novel are purely and simply that: joyous relationships with no ulterior motive or reasoning. For example, the relationship between Hassan and Sohrab, in which it is completely obvious that Hassan would have done anything for his son, whilst being totally honest with him so as not to keep anything from him which may have tainted their lives together in anyway, other than his experience in the alley; omitted in order to allow hi son to maintain his innocence a while longer, in a world where it would surely be taken from him too early anyway. Hassan yearned for his son to be given the best opportunities in life, so as not to be a servant his whole life- â€Å"taught him to read and write- his son was not going to grow up illiterate like he had.†

Salsa Music and New York

This is probably because of the zesty taste of the condiment that can be found in the tunes and moves of the music, but the familiarity does not end there. Just like salsa (the condiment) is made from various vegetables, so is the music a mixture of many different kinds of Latin dance forms (such as rhumba, mambo, and chacha), other Puerto-Rican, Dominican, and Afro-Cuban music strains, Jazz, and rock music.The ain instruments used in salsa include percussions, keyboards, brass, and guitars. Most of the time, salsa music is also accompanied by dance. Salsa was made popular in the 1970s mostly by clubs in New York. Later on, in the 1980s, this style of music also became popular in areas such as Miami, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Columbia. (The Columbia Encyclopedia 2007). Since then, salsa has evolved vigorously through the years and has emerged as a very significant and dynamic component of popular music scene, especially for the social identity of the Latinos.The music that came to be called salsa developed out of Cuban dance genres, specially the son, guararba, and rumba, that had evolved into a cohesive set of commercial popular styles by the 1920s. By the 1940s, these genres, promoted primarily by RCA Victor (which monopolized the record industry in Cuba), enjoyed considerable international appeal, and Latino communities outside of Cuba had come to play an important role in the evolution of Cuban music.Puerto Ricans, who had eagerly adopted Cuban music for decades (especially since the introduction of radio in 1922), had come to regard such genres as their own, generally at the expense of indigenous genres like plena and bomba. Meanwhile, since the 1920s, New York City had become the scene of a lively blending and competition of diverse grass-roots and commercialized Latin American music.Together with Puerto Rican bandleaders like Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez, many Cuban musicians had based themselves in New York City, which they established as a center f or the music that would eventually be labeled â€Å"salsa† by the record industry (Manuel 1991). The growth of salsa as a vehicle of social identity was inseparable from its development as a commercial entity. Indeed, the more salsa flourished, the more it as subject to the pressures of the corporate music industry.Some of these pressures, toward standardization, stylistic conservatism, and absence of sociopolitical content, operated in direct opposition to the grass-roots attempt to use the genre as an expression of barrio identity. Thus, the development of salsa can be seen as an ongoing dialectic between, on the one hand, the Latino community's attempt to shape salsa as its own sub cultural expression and, on the other hand, the tendency of the commercial music industry to glamorize, decontextualize, and depoliticize the music as a bland and innocuous dance music,

Food Ethics Essay

The ethics surrounding food hasn’t always been a major contributor in ones decision on what to eat. In the beginning, we would have to physically hunt or gather our meals in order to survive. The choice of what was for breakfast, lunch or dinner solely relied on what was accessible to us. The ethical questions would only come as a result of a modernized food system, where other options for food became accessible and convenient. In the essay Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace, the author describes lobsters in New England in the 1800’s as having an â€Å"Unbelievable abundance (238). Read more:  Good people analysis  essay These crustaceous creatures were all over the shores of New England. Wallace writes about the Boston seashore as, â€Å"being littered with lobsters after hard storms†¦ (238). † Yet, Lobster were considered â€Å"low-class† and as Wallace states, â€Å"†¦eaten only by the poor and institutionalized (237). † It was considered unethical to even feed the poor lobster â€Å"†¦more than once a week (238). † This was modernized New England, which eventually changed at the turn of the century, just as Lobster shifted from being â€Å"low class† to â€Å"chewable fuel†. As the world became more industrialized, food became centralized. The shift from small businesses to large companies started to occur. The lobster industry changed as well during these times as Wallace describes, â€Å"Maine’s earliest lobster industry was based around a dozen such seaside canneries in the 1840’s, from which lobster was shipped as far away as California†¦ (238). † Just like the lobster industry in New England, many companies in the United States started to fulfill the demands for products to gain a profit. Ethics became secondary to making money. Corporations would produce so much that they would drive the price down, increasing its affordability and making it more accessible and widely consumed. Eventually, large companies would become so efficient and affordable, that small businesses like farms and mom and pop shops found it increasingly difficult to compete. Many small companies and farms had to either adjust their products to niche markets or work as a subsidiary to these corporations. Along with mass production of products, was a new manufacturing process. Foods started to become streamlined in such a way that they would grow in the harshest of environments. These new forms of industrialization lead to the creation of processed foods. The companies found ways to maximize profits while making the costs as affordable as possible for the consumer. The supermarkets offered everything one could think of, packaged and ready to eat. Although the prices for most foods were at an all-time low, hunger and malnutrition still existed. There were also issues arising regarding consumer trust in food safety, and the effects on the human body. As a result of these cost efficient products, people in the United States started to become increasingly heavy, leading to an obesity epidemic and a major health crisis. The ethical issues involving economical behavior of consumers and agricultural ethics are at question. Is it unethical for corporations to mass produce unhealthy foods, knowing the adverse side effects on the environment and growing rates of obesity in the United States? The trend seemed to lead to, the more affordable the food, the more we consume. Is this a personal problem or are the companies to blame for offering these products to us? We must first look into the goals of a business and if ethics play any part in the obligations to supply our population with affordable food. The very basic objective to any business is to create a profit. This is what allows companies to continue function and thrive. The best way for this to happen is to make something that is sellable and where there is room for profit. In the food industry corn is not only a commodity it’s a common ingredient in almost every product on our shelves. According to Michael Pollan, in his book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, It is also used to feed most of the animals that become meats in our supermarkets. To say that corn is widely used would be an understatement. It seemed that we couldn’t produce enough of this plant. Not only is our climate great for growing it, we also were able to store it very effectively. The boom in corn production can be traced back to the nineteen seventies. Since those same years, â€Å"†¦American’s average daily intake of calories has jumped by more than 10 percent (Pollan 102). † The reason for this increased caloric intake leaves many to question whether people are eating more because it’s less expensive or people are eating the same amounts but the food contains more calories. Either way, the companies that were producing these items didn’t seem to be bothered by the problem affecting â€Å"three of every five Americans being overweight (Pollan 102). † The truth is that the companies are driven by profits. The Americans who consume these foods create the profits. Additionally, a lot of these companies are traded on the public market and have a responsibility to their shareholders, who subsequently are the same ones buying these foods. So the companies were being driven to make profits for the people invested. Two of the biggest soda companies in the world, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have followed these trends as well. As Pollen says, â€Å"By 1984, Coca-Cola and Pepsi had switched over entirely from sugar to high-fructose corn syrup. Why? Because HFCS was a few cents cheaper than sugar (thanks in part to tariffs on imported sugarcane secured by corn refiners) and consumers didn’t seem to notice the substitution (104). †It’s as if these corn companies were monopolizing the industry, trying to turn-over as much product as possible. The increased production would eventually lead to increased portion sizes. Instead of lowering the prices of products, companies started charging a small upcharge for additional food and soda. This practice of continually turning over product has become so dangerous that now, â€Å"†¦in 2000 the number of people suffering from [overnutrition]-a billion- had surpassed the number suffering from malnutrition-800 million (Pollan 102). † There is clearly something broken with this system. These companies are catering to our consumer appetites and enabling us to act accordingly. You would think that the prices of the food being low would solve our food problems globally, but the answer is unfortunately no. These companies are in places where there is both a market for high sales and where they can grow these crops. Most of the areas that are facing malnutrition are in remote areas of the world. These areas wouldn’t make the companies money and therefor there isn’t an incentive for them. On the other hand, America is of course one of the largest consumer countries in the world. Our desire for food is unsurpassed by most counties. There is no question that Americans have a sweet tooth. It is part of the human makeup to consume high energy foods and is linked to natural selection. According to Pollan, â€Å"Add fat or sugar to anything and it’s going to taste better on the tongue of an animal that natural selection has wired to seek out energy-dense foods (107). † Pollan also suggests that, â€Å"natural selection predisposed us to the taste of sugar and fat (its texture as well as taste) because sugars and fats offer the most energy (which is what a calorie is) per bite (106). It’s only natural for humans to consume these ingredients, because after all we are â€Å"predisposed† to do them. This of course doesn’t mean that we are completely free of blame for our overindulging. We are all individuals and are responsible in formulating our own decisions. The companies which provide us with these calorie-packed foods and beverages also list their nutritional information on the packages. If we were to eat any packaged foods, we would be responsible for understanding the health risks involved. The real problem is whether we have the mental capacity to control our physical urges. There is extensive research that suggests, â€Å"†¦people {presented} with large portions will eat up to 30 percent more (Pollan 106). † At one time in our history, this might have served us. Now, there is no question that our bodies are becoming poisoned from this. Knowing all of this information, companies continue doing their best to offer these calorie-packed foods. This is evident in just about every corner store and fast food restaurant. The ethics concerning public safety and effects on the human body are clear. Companies are only concerned over their ability to raise a profit. Their aim to create profits from the overconsumption of high energy foods has been effective in making Americans unhealthy, while continuing to turn over profits. While the companies are certainly a large part of the problem, the consumers are also to blame. They have enabled this overproduction by continuing to consume the same products making them sick. Additionally, people seem to be ignoring their recommended caloric intakes and are choosing to eat more and more. Companies can only be blamed for producing products with limited nutritional value. They are ethically absolved of their responsibilities if they inform their consumers properly. Their goal is to make profits, not worry whether their consumers are eating the recommended serving size or not. The best way to take control of this issue would to be to consume less and choose healthier options as individuals. The more aware we become as individuals, the healthier we will become as a society.

Strategic Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Plan - Essay Example In line with the company’s vision which is to be continually recognized as the innovative manufacturer of highly engineered electronic sensors through innovative research and development that would revolutionize the electronic sensor industry through its more productive, highly accessible and affordable products consistent with standards of excellence and social responsibility, the Electronic Sensor Manufacturing Company, has identified the following internal capabilities, as well as opportunities and threats in the external environment, eight years from now: Company facilities were improved concurrent with advancement in technology in the areas of machine shop, surface mount, testing, and processing using state of the art engineering equipment and facilities. Abiding by ethical standards continue to pay off in terms of better financial performance with employees exhibiting higher performance and productivity due to an environment of trust, employees are therefore more loyal c ontributing to low turnover, and a preponderance for higher investor loyalty, among others. Reliance on long term debts to fund research and development, as well as state of the art equipment and facilities could prove to have potential drawbacks in terms of the financial turmoil in the global

Managing Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Knowledge - Essay Example Knowledge is passive, analytic and atomistic (Thomas, Kellogg & Erickson, 2001). This does not imply that knowledge is power, rather applied knowledge is power. To apply knowledge, to use the abundance of information that is available in any organization today, codification of knowledge is essential. Codification of knowledge into information implies making knowledge portable, re-usable and transferable within the organization (Hall, 2006). Only when this is possible can knowledge become power. Organizational knowledge can then be used to gain competitive edge over the rivals but the organization should know how to use that power. Technological advancements have made it possible to retain knowledge and transmit it to the persons concerned within the organization. Knowledge can be a powerful weapon when retained, transmitted, disseminated and applied. It is thus important to understand the implications and the ways of retaining and applying knowledge. Knowledge has been classified into two categories - tacit and explicit. Explicit knowledge is that which has been previously defined and codified. It is usually gained through formal education, training, books and now the internet. Explicit knowledge is static and does not have the capacity to renew itself (Ehin, 2008). It requires an outside entity to keep it current. Tacit knowledge on the other hand is acquired by interacting with others and is connected to life's experiences. Tacit knowledge is the basis for generation of new knowledge or "the key to knowledge creation lies in the mobilization and conversion of tacit knowledge" (Nonaka cited by Marwick, 2001). The individual tacit knowledge characterizes the human capital of an organization. Human capital is the combination of genetic inheritance, education, experience and attitude towards life and business (Bontis & Fitz-enz, 2002). Human capital is the source of innovation and strategy. Sustained competitive advantage can accr ue from a pool of human capital. Human capital adds value and is not substitutable. An organization is not a passive repository of knowledge. The tacit knowledge in the form of organization culture may interact with the explicit knowledge of the individual. The core competencies of an organization incorporate both tacit and explicit knowledge and should be conceived as a mix of skills and technologies (Lindgren & Wallstrom, 2000). These interactions and combinations result in new knowledge as organizational learning or innovation. This knowledge has to be efficiently managed so as to derive competitive advantage. Managing knowledge Managing knowledge or knowledge management (KM) is nothing more than getting the right information to the right people at the right time. It is also known by other terms like organizational learning, organizational memory and expertise management. Most organizations may not even be aware of the knowledge they have, let alone knowing how to manage knowledge. They may under estimate the value and creation of knowledge; they may even unknowingly give away what they possess (Earl & Scott, 2001). They may defer the sharing of knowledge or under invest in the utilization of the knowledge. As organizations started recognizing these facts, they created the post of a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO), whose popularity and demand has increased in the recent

Heroes and Intellectuals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heroes and Intellectuals - Essay Example That is a question that haunts us all at some point in our lives. â€Å"Weve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. Thats who we really are.† (Rowling, n.d.) Those who choose the light are expected to fight for it at all times. However, is being a hero an obligation? It is really a choice. In essence, evil, obligation and heroism are separable in various circumstances and this explains the belief that no one has the obligation to fight evil whereas he/she puts the lives of the loved one in danger. This essay seeks to dissect various aspects relative to evil, obligation and intellectuality. The word evil is associated with all sorts of bad things which may endanger the lives of people in a society. The question as to whether some people who have the ability to fight evil can do so even if the lives of their loved ones is in danger is debatable. Whereas I agree that, those with ability in political, religious or economic arenas to fight evil for the sake of the numerous lives of the other members of the society other philosophers such as Rousseau (1999), argues that there should be values attributed to any kind of heroism. Rousseau (1999) asserts that heroism requires recognition of values and a cognitive decision to undertake the top most risk in the fight for the attainment or defense of such values. This explains that despite that fact that heroism can be attributed to an element of choice, the fundamentals includes cognizance of the values and the greatness of the danger. This belief can be counter argued that heroism can be justified not only by choice by necessity . For instance, if only one option to save a life exists then this is attributed to personal sacrifice. In cases where personal sacrifice is foremost and the only way, then there is no aspect of choice in this situation. This explanation disqualifies the belief that heroism is by choice, because there is a possibility of making a choice not to save

DQ 7 m 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

DQ 7 m 5 - Essay Example Whereas it is believed that all traits of leadership cannot be taken as a concrete path but can be observed as per situation and according to the system of an organization. In the article, â€Å"What a Racquet?† it is briefed that the success of Wilson’s Company is based on the approach towards observing leadership style in his organization. The main reason of its successful journey is the charismatic approach. Charismatic Leadership is based on the leader’s exceptional insights and foresightedness to understand and predict all the consequences if certain things lack, therefore immediate measures are taken to avoid loss before hand (Raelin, J. A. (2003). Weber refers Charismatic Leadership as a more spiritual belief or connection between a leader and his followers. Author refers Jim Baugh as a charismatic leader because he possibly worked for the reasons of failures and he worked his best to come up with a product which fulfills the customers’ demands with perfection. In my opinion, he firstly worked on the issues which can cause major loss if not addressed initially and immediately, like knowing the customer’s demand before designing a product can assure sales or concentrating on the key point of marketing a product can publicize to acknowledge mass majorities (John Bell, 1997) Charismatic Leadership is something which is not produced artificially after training, but it’s a niche of a person which can be groomed but cannot be infused. Meindl says that it is a social contagion, which is slightly arguable because there are many options or business tactics which are common and can be observed easily like Jim Baugh did but Leaders sometimes skip them though they are proved to be good leaders with appropriate sense of leadership. It is because they lack foresightedness or their instincts are not approaching for the things that should be done before to avoid negative repercussions. (David Obstfeld, 2005) Sensemaking is

Native American Culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Native American Culture - Term Paper Example Native Americans wanted to control the environment and the human being or the supernatural beings that surrounded or threatened them. Particular articles were solely for religious uses, and some were for secular needs alone. Decorations did not always provide clues as to their uses; most of the religious articles were completely devoid of ornamentation. A few people used plain-ware bowls for food preparation, while others used polychrome bowls for the same purposes, yet under a different set of circumstances they could fulfill a religious function (Kuiper 176). The specific aim of the Indian artist was not just to set down realistic account but to form the semi-magical designs so universal in the art of non-Western cultures. Carvings paintings, effigies, or realistic portraits were not merely pictures of people or objects; they embodied the essence of that particular subjects as well. Native Americans often attached names to designs for convenience of people as it helped to avoid con fusion. Although the dissimilarities between the artistic languages of different times were immense, there were also similarities, for the borrowing of art forms from distant and occasionally foreign peoples was a common practice (Kuiper 181). Despite the similarities between the art of forms of different cultural groups and various cultural groups and dissimilar times, one cannot talk of Indian art as though it were on its own a concept. Just as there were numerous hundred native languages, dialects, and speech forms, so were there an equal number of tribal styles, motifs, and design forms. Aesthetics, or perceptions of beauty are among the most difficult concepts to identity in any Native American musical culture. Native Americans tended to evaluate performances according to the feelings of connectedness they generate rather than according to specifically musical qualities. Some communities judged the victory of a performance by how many people

Artifact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Artifact - Essay Example It starts out with the caucus in the house of Oedipus as the kingdom of Thebes is under a plague which has led the people to drought, hunger and suffering. The people are calling to the gods in fervent prayer that the kingdom does not suffer its downfall. Oedipus meets them to query on what they are doing and calms them as an answer to their prayers is soon to come. Hence he assures them and gives his promise that he will do everything to put an end to it. Creon utters what will be the solution from the gathered information and that is to punish the killer of Laius, the previous King whom Oedipus succeeded. This is where the plot thickens and the entanglements of their relationships unfold. Forewarned by a prophecy that a son born to Laius and Jocasta would slay his own father and marry his mother to father his very siblings, Laius ordered the death of his son upon its birth. Bound by the feet, thus Oedipus’ name, and abandoned in Mt. Cithaeron, the king had presumed that what had been foretold had been prevented. But the baby survived and was saved by the shepherd who found him in the mountain. Upon his delivery to Polybus of Corinth there had been an incident of another slurring in a banquet wherein he was jested as not being a true son of his recognized parents. Then he sought the truth from Apollo and was informed of the same prophecy already known to Laius and Jocasta â€Å"Woes, lamentations, mourning, portents dire; To wit I should defile my mother’s bed. And raise up seed too loathsome to behold. And slay the father from whose loins I sprang† (Sophocles trans. Storr, 1999/1912). Oediopus left Corinth in search of his destiny. On his journey he met a man who humiliated him. Contrary to the belief that Laius was killed by robbers, it was in Oedipus’ own hands that his life came to an end. Thereafter, he came to Thebes and was hailed for solving the riddle of the Sphinx and gained the love of the people who suffered therefrom. H e was made the king by the people and assumed himself in the position that was formerly belonging to Laius. This included everything from his riches down to his queen widowed by the former’s death. Under his rule, the kingdom of Thebes was in a prosperous state and flourished until the advent of the succeeding plague which haunted the king in search of its end. Oedipus was firm in ensuring the people that they are not to worry and that he will be able to put an end to the plague in the same way that he had previously done with the Sphinx. Driven by this promise, he sets out to find the culprit and initially blaming Creon as the mastermind in a plot to oust him from his throne. But what unfolded was something that was beyond his contemplation. His own history and the prophecy came together to reveal the biggest irony of his quest. Teiresias, the kingdom’s greatest oracle reveals the link between Laius and Oedipus. The king had been reluctant to accept the reality of the prophecy and to what it means in his identity. The blind prophet had been accused many things in his denial but was later vindicated by the inevitable truth that has been stabbing at Oedipus all along. Like many of the unwanted realities that men exert all effort to evade, the Greek hero was the same. But ultimately the truth shall prevail and that fate is inescapable though we may try hard to do so. There are voices of reason that should have

Critical Analysis of a Childs Reading Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of a Childs Reading Essay Reading is an essential skill in modern society. Not only does it enable people to access information, it provides people with a great deal of pleasure. It is vital that primary schools equip children with effective strategies for reading as well as foster a desire to read that will stay with them throughout their lives. This analysis of reading will firstly give a brief outline of the context of my school placement. It will analyse two pupils as readers and their strategies. The school’s policy indicates that the context of teaching reading is very important suggesting a variety of text styles. English Williamson (2005) inform us that the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy (DfES 2001) broadened the range of texts children are introduced to at primary level. The school is superbly resourced, with thousands of books available to all pupils. Silent reading is also practised daily. X Primary is a larger than average three-form entry primary school with 472 pupils. It’s in an area of average to high socio-economic status and the majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds with few pupils who speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. (Ofsted 2010). Below is an analysis of a childs reading. I will focus on analysing the childs mistakes in reading, called miscues (Hall, 2003) to gain information of the child as a reader. See more: how to write a critical analysis outline Pupil A was chosen for assessment as he enjoys reading and is a strong reader. He has had several school moves due to family issues, and has received intervention and support throughout his time at Primary X due to his level of absence. He is eager to learn, and was keen to read for me. The assessment involved analysing his word recognition and comprehension skills. This provides an opportunity to understand how Pupil A as a fairly fluent reader may process a text. The text which was read by Pupil A was chosen as it was unknown to him. It was also chosen as a text that was suitable for his level of reading. Many of Pupil As miscues take place in the form of substitution. These miscues often relate to his syntactic knowledge. He reads a instead of one (line 3) and but instead of and (line 8). He also produces the miscue even (line 9) as an insertion. These miscues suggest that he is making predictions about a text using his syntactic knowledge. This suggests that Pupil A brings his own knowledge to a text which causes him to make predictions (Smith cited in Hall, 2003), resulting in a miscue. This suggests that Pupil A uses his syntactic knowledge to obtain meaning in what he reads (Hall, 2003). This miscue can also alter the meaning of the text which may affect his understanding. Pupil A makes the same miscue when he substitutes for for from (Page 2 line 1). He self corrects and asks for reassurance in his correction. Pupil A also corrects himself on the word quickly (Pg 3 line 3). This self-correction reveals that he uses syntactic knowledge to process the text, but also that the text Pupil A sees is different from the text on the page (Goodman cited in Hall, 2003). Goodman suggests that there are two texts in question when reading takes place, being the actual text, and the perceived text. Pupil A demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the text. He demonstrated an understanding for the organisation of the text and recalled events of the story. Pupil A demonstrated an ability to infer from the text and evaluate it. When questioned, he was able to express that he liked the text and expressed why. He demonstrated emotional or psychological response to the text and characters feelings. This suggests that Pupil A engaged with the text and was interested in the plot. In conclusion Pupil A demonstrates a clear ability to read fluently and uses different strategies for decoding words. His ability to decode unknown words could be extended by knowledge of consonant digraphs. Pupil A shows an ability to understand a text on a literal level, as well as engaging in a text by making inferences and evaluating a text. We could improve this motivation to read by encouraging Pupil A to read regularly for pleasure. Pupil B was chosen as although she receives literacy support, she does not enjoy reading. She has accessed literacy support since starting at Primary school in Year 3 and has made considerable progress and is able to read certain texts independently however she also shows little interest in reading for pleasure. She is willing to read with me, as she is used to reading with adults, in a 1-1 situation, and is comfortable with me as I have been in her class for several weeks. She is reluctant to pick a book she in unfamiliar with and cannot think of a favourite author/book when questioned. Pupil B begins well, with her decoding strategies revealing her processing of a text but also her phonic knowledge. She reads the word spider lings (line 8) correctly, by segmenting the word in her head first. She then blends ‘ling’ quietly, to herself, and then asks for reassurance to put both words together. This is because this is an unusual, unknown word, and Pupil B is unfamiliar with the term. She stumbles over the word ‘different’ (line9). She did not segment the word out loud and so it is difficult to determine which strategy she used to decode the word. Nevertheless, it is possible that Pupil B may have used one of two strategies. For the first strategy, it’s possible that she segmented and blended the word in silently. This suggests that Pupil B is confident in segmenting and blending. For the second strategy, Pupil B may have used her graphophonic knowledge to decode the word. Therefore it is possible that she recognised the word from previous reading exercises. She demonstrates her grapheme-phoneme correspondence knowledge in her unsuccessful attempt to decode the word notice (line 10). She fell silent which suggests she attempted to segment the word in her head. However, Pupil B finds this strategy unsuccessful and then chooses to segment the word out loud Pupil B often falls silent throughout the exercise, and waits for a prompt. I feel this is due to her lack of confidence rather than lack of knowledge. Pupil B demonstrates her grapheme and phonemic knowledge (Hall, 2003) by successfully sounding out the first syllable of the word ‘children’ (line11). She was unable to sound out the second syllable. This suggests that she struggled to sound out a particular grapheme. It’s possible that Pupil B was unfamiliar with the consonant digraph il. However, Pupil B demonstrates a fluency in reading which may suggest that she uses sight reading as a strategy (Ehri cited in Hall, 2003) to process a text. Erhi (cited in Hall, 2003) suggests that readers find new ways of identifying words. Finding new methods to identify a word can help a reader to become a more fluent in reading. My reading assessment can provide an insight to how a reader may process a text (Ellis Lewis, 2006 but it’s only an insight. I cannot be certain that the suggested reading strategy is the method used. The childs responses is dependent on the text. Another influence could be the texts difficulty. Too difficult a text may cause them to make miscues and create an unfair representation of the reader (Campbell, 2011). A readers inability to engage in the text may be because the reader is not interested in the text. To remedy this, it would be useful to find out what books the reader prefers. Another strategy for developing reading is shared reading which provides opportunities for children to peer assess. Iversen Reeder (1998) suggest that this allows children to actively participate when they feel comfortable. This is useful when children haven’t developed full confidence in their own reading ability, it provides a ‘safe’ structure encouraging contribution. This would be beneficial if both pupils could work together as Pupil A may help Pupil B become more engaged with the text. After analysing both Pupil A and Pupil B, I was surprised at how both pupils used similar techniques, however they were different when reading aloud. I felt there was a gap in understanding and intonation from both pupils, despite being close in age, and both receiving support. I believe another difference was the pupils was desire to read, with Pupil A keen to read books, demonstrating a clear opinion on authors or genre, however Pupil B was reluctant to name a book she’d read, and didn’t have a favourite author/style. I believe this lack of enthusiasm for reading will hinder her development, regardless of support put in. In conclusion, both pupils show an understanding and varying strategies to break down a text, however the major difference seems to be their attitude towards reading itself. References EDP 4120 Assessing Reading Riley, J Reedy, D. (2000) Developing writing for different purposes: teaching about genre in the early years. Paul Chapman Publishing, London. Iversen, S. Reeder, T. (1998) Organising for a Literacy Hour, London: Kingscourt Publishing. Hall, K 2003 Listening to Stephen Read: Multiple perspectives on Literacy Buckingham: Open University English, E. and Williamson, J. (2005) Meeting the Standards in Primary English. Routledge Falmer. DfES. (2006) The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics, London: Department for Education and Skills. DfES. (2006) The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics: Core position papers underpinning the renewal of guidance for teaching literacy and mathematics, London: Department for Education and Skills. DfEE. (1999) The National Curriculum: Handbook for primary teachers in England, London: Department for Education and Employment. Ofsted 2010 Campbell, R 2011 Miscue Analysis in the Classroom Leicester: UKLA

Trends And Scenarios In The Airline Industry

Trends And Scenarios In The Airline Industry The Airlines is one among the inventions that had changed the way how people live and experience the world. In due course of time it has now become impossible to imagine business and leisure travel without air travel. The airline industry exists in an intensely competitive market. In recent years, there has been an industry shakedown, which is expected to the trend towards expanding domestic and international services. The airline industry is classified into four categories: International, National, Regional and Cargo. Airlines industry facilitates economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and so plays a key role in globalization making it a large and growing industry. Air travel (both business and leisure) has grown by around 7% in the last decade. Business travel has grown as companies having global presence in terms of their investments, their supply and production chains and also their customers. Availability of aircrafts at affordable prices backed by increased tourism had led to rise in leisure travel. Overall in terms of regions in developed regions like Europe and North America a slower growth is seen when compared to developing regions like Asia Pacific. Airlines profitability is closely tied to economic growth and trade. So based on the GDP growth the demand for airplanes and the air travel will increase. So during 1990-1995, the industry suffered from world recession and the air travels were further lowered by Gulf War. Thus financial difficulties impact airlines/aircraft industry. Deregulation is also stimulating competition, such as that from small, low-cost carriers. Some of the Key terms and ratios for airline industry are listed below. Available Seat Mile = (total # of seats available for transporting passengers) X (# of miles flown during period) Revenue Passenger Mile = (# of revenue-paying passengers) X (# of mile flown during the period) Revenue Per Available Seat Mile = (Revenue) / (# of seats available) Air Traffic Liability (ATL): An estimate of the amount of money already received for passenger ticket sales and cargo transportation that is yet to be provided. Load Factor: Measures the percentage of available seating capacity that is filled with passengers. Analysts state that once the airline load factor exceeds its break-even point, then more and more revenue will trickle down to the bottom line. Airport capacity, technology used, structuring routes and costs to buy or lease the aircraft are very vital for the industry. In addition Weather, Fuel Cost and Labour also play an important role. The industry has to realise the need for a radical change to sustain and also ensure growth and prosperity for their survival. Currently many cost cutting measures are being adopted in the industry. Also to meet the requirements of customers and elevate to customer delight from mere customer satisfaction the industry players concentrate on the quality of service that they offer, both on the ground and in the air. The key challenge is to ensure meeting of customer requirements and at the same time make effective cost cutting measures and continuously being efficient and competitive and profit making. Nevertheless, the aviation industry is characterized by strong nationalist sentiments so in many places despite globalisation airlines will face limitations on where they can fly and restrictions on their ownership of foreign carriers 10 aviation myths More runways are essential Environmental organisations try their best to price people off planes International agreements make the ending of aviations privileged tax free status (including tax-free fuel) become impossible The external costs of the industry are met through Air Passenger Duty (APD) Building new runways has clear economic benefits Aviation helps the UK tourist industry We may be able to fulfil our international obligations with regards to climate change and still have uninhibited growth in aviation and airports We can lessen the damage done to our environment, heritage and countryside that has been caused by aviation and airport expansion and also compensate for the same Airports can expand and we can still meet EU air quality standards Technology has delivered significant environmental improvements in the past and will continue to do so Emerging Markets The Asia-Pacific region and Middle East are the emerging markets in airline industry. They are expected to experience a higher traffic growth and expand rapidly. For better analysis please see the graph below: Regional traffic growth (% change year-on-year): 2009 to 2012F Note: (Data by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation)) Chief Characteristics of Airline Industry Capital Intensive: Its a capital-intensive business which requires huge amounts of money to operate effectively. This industry requires capital for expensive equipments like aircrafts, maintenance systems, control towers, simulators etc. Labour Intensive: Airlines need personals like pilots, crew members, security guards, cleaners, engineers etc. Its a very labour-intensive industry and nearly 1/3rd of the revenue is used for the payment of workforce. Thin Profit Margin: The profit margin is very thin in this industry. It averages to about 1-2% only. Seasonal: Earlier airlines used to see a heavy load during summers (because of vacations) and a relatively lesser load during winters. The seasonal factors results in rise and fall of airline revenues over the course of the year. Over the years the seasonal effect has reduced to a greater extent. History and the Current Scenario of the Indian Aviation Sector Genesis of Indian Airline Industry 1932: Mr. J.R.D.Tata flies a De Havilland Puss Moth from Karachi to Mumbai as part of the first Tata Sons Ltd. Flight to deliver mail carried by British Imperial Airways 1948: Govt. of India acquires 49% stake in Tata Airlines, designated it a flag carrier and renamed it as Air India International 1953: Jawaharlal Nehru, in friendly transaction, convinces the Tata group to let the Government of India acquire a majority stake in Air India International and nationalizes air transport 1953: Indian Airlines formed by merging eight former independent domestic airlines 1960: India enters the jet age with an Air India B707. USA and India are connected for the first time with an Indian Airline 1990: East West Airlines becomes the first private airline since 1953 After 1991 1991: Private airlines were allowed to provide the service under air taxi scheme to operate chartered and non-scheduled services. 1994: Private airlines permitted to operate as scheduled air service providers. 2003: Air Deccan lowered down the fares to 17% of previously charged rates thus introducing the concept of budget airlines in India. Consolidation The under-pricing of tickets due to the intense competition and the increasing number of budget carriers resulted in losses to the budget carriers as well as to the entire aviation sector. Consolidation was looked as the single way out which would lead to less competition and stable fares. The main reason for the increasing costs and reduced efficiency and flexibility for the Indian aviation sector was poor Airport infrastructure and manpower shortages. In 2007, there were 13 scheduled carriers which was estimated that this number would fall to 8-10 by 2010 in this fragmented Indian domestic aviation sector and the estimation is almost true considering the current scenario of the aviation sector. 2007: Jet Airways announced that it would buy Air Sahara for US$500 million 2007: Air India and Indian Airlines merged into one entity named NACIL 2008: Kingfisher-Deccan deal was the third alliance in the Indian aviation sector. Current Scenario of Aviation Industry The Indian Aviation Industry, being one of the worlds fastest growing aviation industries, has a compound annual growth rate of 18%. There are 454 airports and airstrips in India, of which 16 are international airports. As of May 2006, private airlines accounted for more than 75% of the sector of the domestic aviation market. The Indian aviation sector saw an increase in revenue by nearly US$ 21.4 million in December 2009 due to increase in traffic movements. Moreover, the Airport Authority of India may gain better margins in the near future as predicted by Ministry of Civil Aviation. These have been attributed primarily to the boost in the share of revenue from Delhi International Airport Limited and Mumbai International Airport Limited. According to a report released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines rose from 67, 61, 000 to 80, 56, 000 for the period January February 2009 and January February 2010 respectively. The increase in passenger marked a growth of 19.2% for the aforementioned period. Some of the factors that have resulted in higher demand for air transport in India include the growing purchasing power of middle class, low airfares offered by budget airlines, the growth of tourism industry, increasing outbound travel from India and overall economic growth of India. Besides this, Indian airports are being ranked among the top airports of the world. The Hyderabad International Airport now ranks amongst the top 5 Airports in the world as per the annual Airport Service Quality passenger survey. The other airports to figure in the top 5 are the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. There are even talks going on between India and United States to make the country an aviation hub. The Airport Authority of India is set to spend over US$ 1 billion in 2010, towards modernization of airports. The civil aviation ministry has also converted Delhi airport into an international hub for passenger airlines to help the airport utilize large amounts of additional capacity. The investment policy of India in aviation industry currently allows FDI up to 100% under the automatic route for green field projects and for existing projects, FDI up to 100 % is allowed; upto 74% under the automatic route and beyond 74% under the government route. Potential for Growth Despite the slowdown and slow recovery, Indian Aviation industry sector still continues to look promising. This is primarily due to the burgeoning middle class with increasing massive purchasing power, low cost carriers providing services at very attractive low fares, the growth of Indian tourism and increasing outbound travel from India. In addition, the Government has planned to modernise non-metro airports, phasing out new international routes, putting into place new airports and renovating existing ones. Experts are estimating the growth of industry as high as 25% YoY. Since 2006, most of the major Indian airline operators such as Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines have reported large losses, reason being high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, rising labour costs and shortage of skilled labour, rapid fleet expansion, as wheel as intense price competition. Adding to all these problems are the new players entering the industry even before the existing players could stabilize their operations. As a result, all the airlines suffered even further when the recession hit. Even then also the Indian aviation industry has been more prone to crisis as compared to their global counterparts and thus, India has the highest passenger growth rate among the entire airlines sector in the world including economies like Australia and France. The total number of passengers travelling by air will be a whopping 400 million by 2020. To meet with this accelerated demand, existing players need to increase fleets and broaden their reach including regional destinations as well. They are also going to get the competition from international low cost airlines like Air Asia (Malaysian) and JetStar Asia (Australian). Flight into the future As estimated by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), by 2011, the Indian aviation sector is likely to cross the mark of 60 million domestic passengers, whereas the total number of passengers i.e. both domestic and international is expected to cross the 100 million-mark over the next three years. India is gearing up for heavy investments in the aviation sector of India. According to the Investment Commission of India, Investment opportunities of around US$ 110 billion by 2020 are now being predicted. It is estimated that about US$ 80 billion will go towards purchase of new aircraft and US$ 30 billion for the development of airport infrastructure. Over the next 10 years, the Indian aviation sector will try to cash in on the potential to grow by 25% annually, as said by Praful Patel, the Minister for Civil Aviation. Also it could attract the highest investments among all the industries in India i.e. an amount up to $45 billion. India needs improvements in services offered, huge number of skilled personnel and to stop already experiencing shortage of pilots and thereby problems like direct and indirect employment. Hence, India can look at this time to play a transforming role in this sector, as it holds great promise for development as well needed for the Indian economy to grow at a faster rate. Major players in domestic market Indian Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Full Fare Airlines Jet Airways Ltd. IndiGo Jetlite Budget AirlinesSpiceJet Paramount Airways Go Air Kingfisher Red Current Market Shares Challenges faced by Airline Industry 1) Rising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) Prices: ATF prices form about 40% of the total operating costs of airline industry. As fuel prices climb, a trend of airline stock prices going down has been noticed. The rising fuel prices make it difficult for airlines to increase profits and they are forced to increase the air fares. 2) High input costs: Input costs are high due to:- Various taxes by State Governments and on repayment of interest on foreign currency loans taken for purchasing aircrafts due to which some airlines are under high debts . Due to shortage of technical personnel, manpower costs are also high. 3) Decreasing returns: After the advent of Low cost carriers, the legacy carriers were forced to decrease their prices and thus profits were impacted. With the ever-increasing competition, there is a price war that is giving low returns to all airline operators. 4) Employee Management: Training, recruiting and retaining talented employees is a major concern due to shortage of skilled personnel including pilots, unionism and cut-throat competition. After- recession effects like retrenchments, salary cuts along with no-new-hiring policy, strikes by Air India and Jet Airways staff etc. has made this task even more challenging. 5) Infrastructure Upgradation: The infrastructure upgradation progress in India is far behind the western countries. While steps are being taken to upgrade major airports in Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai, another issue that is yet to be fully addressed is security. Proper airline scheduling and passenger handling is another task besides physical and IT infrastructure. Attracting private sector investments and implementing the planned projects efficiently is a concern. 6) Overcapacity: There has been excess capacity of aircrafts that were ordered to increase market share before the global slowdown but were delivered after the same. 7) Regional connectivity: Though there is excess capacity in some airlines, some areas are still not well connected due to poor infrastructure. The airlines have to concentrate on building remote regional connectivity other than concentrating only on metros. 8) Environmental Regulations: The carbon emission and fuel efficiency standards have to be met by technology investments and commitment. RD on bio-fuels, that have the capacity to reduce aviations carbon footprint by up to 80%, needs to be carried forward aggressively. 9) Congestion: Due to increased passenger traffic and cargo growth, there has been congestion on major routes on airports like Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai etc. This has to be tackled effectively by either expanding capacity or creating new airports. All this needs real strategic planning in the industry with technological innovations and best management practices. global scenario and trends In the past decade, travel by air has increased by 7% per year, for both business and leisure. Large aircrafts like the Boeing 747 have made it convenient for people to travel at affordable costs. Governments in developing nations give impetus to the development of infrastructure to lure tourists from prosperous countries and add to their national economies. Besides tourism, business travel has grown considerably owing to the rapid growth of world trade in goods and services. Some airlines are owned by the state. The ones that are independent are vulnerable to economic uncertainties. Changes in the regulations of the governments and the presence of an intensely competitive market have led to many hardships in the industry Commercial flights began within a decade of the invention of aircraft in the early 20th century. There was a surplus of aircraft and pilots worldwide after world wars I and II. DELAG, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft, the worlds first airline, was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by The Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt. By the 1950s, airline companies created the framework of international travel and commerce that exists to this day. The Airline industry is highly unionised viz. there exist multi-unions. The industry is highly regulated in terms of routes, hours of work, etc. De-regulation in US in 1978 and in Europe in 1990s and again 2007/08 has removed control of the government over fares, routes and has marked the entry of new low cost airlines in US, Europe and now India and SE Asia. In Europe, major players like Iberia, TAP, Alitalia, KLM, Air France, Lufthansa were all once state-owned. The aviation industry is governed and set apart by strong nationalist sentiments towards a countrys domestic flag carriers. In many parts of the world, airlines will, therefore, continue to face confines on where they are allowed to fly and restrictions on their ownership of foreign carriers. The global airline industry being high competitive has resulted in huge cumulative losses. Many airlines have either gone bankrupt or have collapsed. For example, Sabena, Swissair, Alitalia, Delta, United. future trends Worldwide economic activity, reflected in the global gross domestic product (GDP), is the most powerful driver for airplanes demand. The global GDP is projected to grow at an average of 3.2 percent per year for the next 20 years. Reflecting the economic growth, worldwide passenger traffic will average 5.3 percent growth and cargo traffic will average 5.9 percent growth over the forecast period. The above graph represents the growth in the future. However, this growth can be achieved only if the surging price of fuel is controlled as it directly affect flight schedules, ticket prices and services offered. So order to survive airlines need to become more lean and mean by addressing issues like rising costs, constraints on revenue growth and increasingly dissatisfied customers. Now we need to understand that three features are vital. That is services that give customers more control over their journeys, an infrastructure that can be easily changed to cope with variations in demand and greater collaboration among travel providers. The 5 technological innovations that can help the industry deliver the above mentioned features are Self-service solutions: Its a cost cutting measure but now gives the passengers the choice and control they want Integrated baggage handling: Using IT systems and process and technologies like RFID together and thereby speed up at the same time efficiently handle the security checks for the customers baggage. Shared Services: There are three levels of shared services. One is share commodity application which reduces infrastructure costs. Next is common service hosting, which allows applications to be used by the partners and other clients. Then finally traditional application hosting, which enables multiple clients to use commodity applications as per their usage rate. Modular, flexible airport operating systems: Airports need to improve their operating systems and have a modular, flexible architecture so has to improve the efficiency and contribute to growth. New Security Technologies: Identity management solutions like finger print matching etc. and other such improved techniques have to be employed as the threat of terrorism is growing. Thus with all such measures we can expect a good growth in the airline industry. Opportunities The rise in low cost carriers and increasing disposable income of consumers with the growing population of youth working generation, especially in metros, all give rise to tremendous opportunities to the aviation industry- 1) Enhancing non-aeronautical revenue streams and Airport retailing: Revenues from vehicle parking, advertisements, shop rentals are being targeted with increased modernisation of airports and attracting international luxury brands for a 24/7 shopping experience for the customers. E.g.- New airport terminals such as the T3 in New Delhi. 2) Airport development through PPP: The restructuring of airport infrastructure for metro and non-metro airports, developing Greenfield airports by attracting large private investments is a part of governments Eleventh Plan, where it expects an investment of around US$ 6.5 billion. This would fulfil the gaps to build world-class user-friendly airports with modern technology and provide airport capacity ahead of demand. 3) Bio-Fuels: Instead of focusing only on crafting fuel-efficient engines, manufacturers of aircraft (like being done by Boeing and Airbus),can focus on developing sustainable bio-fuels that can protect them from wavering profits due to rising fuel prices. 4) Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business: This offers high investment and business potential. An Ernst Young report says that the MRO business in the aviation sector can absorb investments of up to US$ 120 billion 2020. Air India has signed an agreement with GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co. (GE), to set up a $90 million facility to maintain aircraft engines in Mumbai. 5) Private Jet market: With increasing number of billionaires in the country and the glamour quotient attached to airlines, the private jet market in India is a great business opportunity. The government is also considering permitting private airstrips in the country. 6) Heli-tourism and Commonwealth games: A major portion of visitors during the Common wealth games including spectators, athletes and coaches will travel via airlines. Tourism to various parts of India can be boosted at the same time by heli-tourism or attractive offers by airlines connecting major tourist spots. 7) Exploring alternate revenue streams: Air Cargo operations Ground Handling opportunities lie in offering comprehensive ground-handling solutions,3rd party handling and service contracts with private airports.E.g- AI-CIAL at Cochin Training will be needed for pilots, airhostess, engineers, cabin crew, technicians, ground staff which is a huge business opportunity considering the demand for aviation jobs. Internet business can be leveraged for e-ticket bookings thus saving agent commission costs and airline websites can pose as one stop shops for all travel related information thus boosting revenues. Emergency medical services (EMS) business Eurocopter, a division of EADS which is world leader in the field of aerospace defence and related services, is looking forward to entering the emergency medical services (EMS) business in India. Leading hospital majors like the Manipal group and the Apollo group are being considered for the purpose. The company operates around 480 helicopters in India that cover both the civil and military sectors. The company also plans to increase its business area by entering the heli-tourism sector.

Leadership styles example: Virgin

Leadership styles example: Virgin The term leadership can be defined as â€Å"influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts towards goal setting and goal achievement (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004, p.716). Leadership styles for that reason acts as a mean of motivation since employees are working collectively with management through delegation and empowerment. Consequently, ways in which employees are managed have an effect on their ability, motivation and attentiveness. Motivation is thus defined as â€Å"wanting to do something or wanting to achieve a certain result (Thompson and Machin, 2003, p.154). In my perception, motivation within a workforce is subsequently valuable given that it helps to increase productivity along with output over a period of time helping to meet business objectives. With reference to Virgin; a multinational company established by Richard Branson, his style of leadership is shown to entail certain characteristics in relation to the question seeing â€Å"all enterprises are linked by the single powerful central image of the founder and the characteristic red livery   (Mullins, 2010, p.37). Styles of management therefore are shown to influence motivation and perceptions within a workforce. Branson style is thus exposed to motivate; even though Virgin pays staff with low salaries, employees within Virgin complete work to a high standard to the extent employees are important projectors of the brand image. The suggestion of visionary, inspirational and participative style can therefore be considered as essential in motivating workforces in achieving their goals and in giving a good corporate reflection. A participative style of leadership is directed towards democratic management whereby managers permit workers to key in views or ideas transversely before making decisions. From experience, this seems essential in motivating depending on the type of organisation, here employees participate in the decision making process and feel part of the progression. According to Billsberry J â€Å"this style can thus lead to better quality decisions which are then more effectively implemented autocratic may stiffly creativity, not use available expertise and fail to establish motivation and commitment   (1996 p.43). Having a sense of entered ideas can add towards job satisfaction and allow management to listen to workers views and ideas. In good judgment, it is seen to enhance and increase motivation as workers enjoy work through a logic sense of contribution which is an intrinsic source of motivation (motivation from inside the individual). In addition, when I was working within a restaurant as a waitress, we were managed in an autocratic route, where everyone was given instructions on what tasks to perform without having any insights on decisions. In my opinion this was fundamental to motivate me as I knew what to do and what was expected of me, whereas the idea of participative would mean I wouldn be motivated as personally I am motivated by factors such as rewards e.g. money. In a situation where crucial decisions needed to be made, for example when lots of customers came in, decisions are made quicker than being participative as this slows down the business through consultation making it inflexible for management and patrons. De-motivation could therefore take place as customers may complain possibly having an impact on employees in the sense jobs aren „ ¢t done well. The reason why workers are motivated then depends on the type of organisation the business is. Within Virgin it could be viewed being participative is appropriate because of the nature of the industry. For instance, management at Virgin Atlantic and their cabin crew are there to be helpful and welcoming, a participative style could motivate as cabin crew are an important feature as well as feeling part of Virgin. Virgin shows aspect of a participative manner seeing that Branson stated â€Å"I have to be good at helping people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step back. The company must be set up so it can continue without me (McDermott, 2010). By stepping back and encouraging participation workers would feel trust is being implemented upon them, effectively this could individually motivate as they feel valued. A sense of involvement also makes employees feel they are contributing to Virgin „ ¢s success. Nevertheless, although ideas are shared, management may not take any form of action to each proposal as workers have diverse views as well as it being difficult to implement all ideas. In planning for the organisational behaviour event (group activity) we had a participative style to which everyone contributed on what we were going to do. This leadership style was good in the sense members coming up with several ideas, during the process however; I felt this caused some minor confusion as during the night part of the group didn „ ¢t turn up, which could be reference to the range of ideas recommended. In improving the event, we should have assigned a leader with more direct control over the group; this for me would have motivated me more as fewer mistakes are made in relation to more control, though other people may prefer a participative style. An early idea on motivation in the 19th century was by Frederick Taylor who â€Å"was a believer in the rational economic concept of motivation workers would be motivated by obtaining the highest possible wages   (Mullins L, 2007, pg.43). An inspirational and visionary style may well be undermined in motivating as Frederick Taylor states workers are only motivated by money and it is a manager „ ¢s job to tell employees what to do. In supporting his judgment Taylor did an experiment with a group of workers linking altered factors with output, drawing up the conclusion money is linked to higher output. In this sense money could be seen as a vital way for motivating; if workers work harder and produce higher production, higher pay would be rewarded as a result, making employees achieve a set target. A participative, visionary and inspirational leadership is thus unessential in motivating workforces as in Taylor „ ¢s observation employees are motivated by monetary rew ards. Incorporating Taylor „ ¢s concept within Virgin could conversely motivate staff, as employees like high pay linked to performance. Except the negative aspect is quality of service may be affected as not all workers are liable to be motivated by money and would want visions along with inspirations to motivate. As a result if workers are unhappy the Virgin brand may be pretentious as Virgin cabin crew are an important projector of the brand image. Although scientific management is viewed as outdated and has been criticised for being too bureaucratic towards workers and the lack of flexibility involved, many organisations still use this as a mean of motivation as workers are motivated by extrinsic factors such as reward, which I personally am motivated by partially. Visionary leadership â€Å"involves having clear goals, being sensitive to stakeholder needs and interests and inspiring them with passion and determination   (Buchanan and Huczynski 2010 p.609). Richard Branson is disputed to have implemented visionary within virgin as he provides goals to employees on what Virgin is accomplishing, Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic stated â€Å"corporations should put their employees ahead of customers and shareholders to build sustainable businesses   (Rex Mathew 18 November 2005), giving visions that Virgin couldn „ ¢t be successful without its employee, so would motivate as workers feel appreciated and have the visions to work towards their goals. In effect â€Å"visions seem to bring about confidence on the part of employees, confidence that instils in them a belief that they are capable of performing to their full potential   (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.108). By having clear goals employees feel motivated as they will kn ow what is expected of them as well as what they are capable of. In this sense visions are essential in bringing out the best within employees. According to Nanus â€Å"Vision, if properly selected and implemented, is so energizing that it in effect jump starts the future by calling forth the skills, talents and resources to make it happen   (Robbins, 2003 p.344). When applying idea of visions to my employment, this generally would motivate me as having a sense of direction makes me feel determined to achieve a certain goal set. For example, if my manager gave visions about sense of direction and where they are heading with enthusiasm this would inspire me to work harder to fulfil the satisfaction we may gain by accomplishing something. Just by managers stating their goals and the strategic action to achieve them would be a sense of vision personally. Inspirational in an organisation is a perceived importance as an online journal titled, The Role of Inspirational Leadership in Geographically Dispersed Teams â€Å"the positive relationship between inspirational leadership and individuals commitment to the team and trust in team members was strengthened in teams that were more dispersed suggesting that inspirational leaders are important in all contexts but that their importance is underscored in highly dispersed contexts   (Joshi, A, Lazarova, M. Liao, H, 2009). This illustrates inspirational leadership is vital during motivating as management relationship are strengthen with employees to feel appreciated by the company, making workers work hard in giving something back. In my view, by being motivated workers are more satisfied producing quality services and products which can be demonstrated at Virgin. Furthermore according to a survey conducted by the chartered management institute â€Å"The power to inspire is rated highes t and desirable leadership qualities. The inspirational leader connects with the led, appreciates the capabilities of others and through trust will unlock the power in others   (Mullins 2005 p. 304).In context, inspirational can motivate as when working in a group for my marketing presentation it was the inspirations of the group and the connection that motivated me personally as we had to work together to achieve a fine advertising campaign. Having inspirations from individuals motivated me to work harder as we all strived to achieve a good end result of the advertising campaign giving me self satisfaction. A participative, visionary and inspirational style of leadership isn „ ¢t necessarily essential in motivating, for example a content theory of motivation is Maslow „ ¢s hierarchy of needs; what motivates the individual. Workers need to satisfy their basic physiological needs such as pay and condition, individuals would then work towards each level to gain self satisfaction in the form of motivation. When applying this conjecture to Virgin, the strength of Maslow „ ¢s theory is individuals have basic needs so applies to the majority. In theory, this resonance an effective way to motivate staff within Virgin as employees could fulfil their needs slowly working towards self actualization, for example a cabin crew may work hard to gain promotion. Yet, when applying Maslow „ ¢s theory into practice, it could be a difficult process as different people have diverse needs as well as the theory being too simplistic, which may be hard to apply within an organisa tion. If this presumption was applied to my job, it wouldn „ ¢t really work for me as it isn „ ¢t a job I want to be in for a time period, therefore I wouldn „ ¢t work to self actualization but personally money, as a result, some levels would motivate me in the short term though not in the long term; in future a job that motivates me personally is something of interest to me. In talking about motivation, the human relations theory can be shown to motivate in regard to leadership styles. The human relation theory has its heredity in the Hawthorne study conducted in the late 1920 „ ¢s and into the early 30 „ ¢s by Elton Mayo; employees were now accepted as having social needs and interests, not as being motivated machines visualized by Taylor. The suggestion of â€Å"participative, visionary and inspirational style of leadership is essential to effectively motivate the workforce   can then be deduced as Elton Mayo experiment showed having an interest in workers boosted their motivation level even if it was only changing lighting settings, it also outlines importance of teamwork in an organisation. When applying this theory into Virgin, the repercussion shows employees would be motivated; in the lecture a video was shown when Richard Branson visited his stores which he talks to employees and takes an interest in them, in return employees are more motivated as Virgin pays staff with a low wage, however staff produces work to a high standard to the degree it is a valuable brand name in society. In conclusion, participative, visionary and inspirational is seen to effectively motivate, however because of convolution in different organisations and ways in employees are organised/ managed other methods are shown to motivate as alternatives to leadership styles. If Virgin were to adapt the characteristic as stated, the outcome may be a quantity of employees will perhaps not feel as motivated in comparison as all workers are different. The theories of motivation are thus dissimilar to management in practice; a theory may sound good in principle, but when applying to organisations there will be issues arising such as employees having different needs and because of this are motivated by different aspects. In addition, not all motivation of employees is to be achieved because of dissimilar desires. Businesses therefore need to consider employee motivation as an important process in achieving their objectives. MODULE FEEDBACK FORM Reference list Bennis W and Goldsmith J. (1997) Learning to lead, page 108 Billsberry J (ed.) (1996) The effective manager: perspectives and illustrations, page 43 Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) Organizational behaviour an introductory text, fifth edition, page716 Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) Organizational behaviour, seventh edition, page609 Joshi A, Lazarova M Liao H (2009) Getting Everyone on Board: The Role of Inspirational Leadership in Geographically Dispersed Teams. Organization Science, 20(1), 240-252. [Online]Retrieved from Business Source Complete database, Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1hid=8sid=5fb20d14-bd45-4d39-8de5-204dcc9235f8%40sessionmgr14bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bthAN=36606878#db=bthAN=36606878 [Last accessed 5th Nov 2010] Mathew R (2005) Put employees first: Sir Richard Branson. Available: http://www.domain-b.com/people/in_the_news/20051118_richard_branson.html [Last accessed 13th Dec 2010] McDermott, F (ed.) (2010) To be a Leader: lessons from Richard Branson and Jesus Christ. Available: http://mcdermottsmiscellany.blogspot.com/search/label/Richard%20Branson. [Last accessed 4th Nov 2010] Mullins L. (2005) Management and organisational behaviour, seventh edition, page 304 Mullins L. (2007) Management and organisational behaviour, eighth edition, page 43 Mullins L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour, ninth edition, page 37 Robbins S. (ed.) (2003) Organizational behaviour, tenth edition, page 344 Thompson and Machin (2003) AS business studies, page 154

Diary of My Mexican Trip :: essays research papers

Dear Journal,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today I boarded an airplane in Philadelphia. I haven’t been on a plane before, so I was very nervous. The takeoff was pretty smooth. I finally relaxed, then we landed in Atlanta, Georgia. From here I rented a green compact car from Hertz. I drove from Atlanta to Tula in one night. I eventually arrived at the border and showed the officials my voter registration card and driver’s license. I finally crossed the border into Mexico. From here I wen to my first stop, Tula. I stayed at the Sharon, a seven-story modern hotel, is placed right across the street from the town hall and not far from the archaeological area. August 5, 2002 Dear Journal,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I woke up this morning to a beautiful snow covered ground. I drove over freezing roads to a Toltec site. The most spectacular site I saw while I was at the site was the Atlantes, the giant stone sculptures. They are said to be guarding the Pyramid of the Morning Star. After exploring the ancient site, I went back to the hotel and ate at the hotel’s fine restaurant. I had to be sure not to get anything that may make travelers such as myself sick. Shortly after, I checked out of the Sharon and drove into Mexico City and checked into the Matrol for the night. August 6, 2002 Dear Journal,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today I went to the National Art Museum, Museo Nacional de Arte, and saw the beautifully crafted building. There is a lovely double staircase made of bronze and marble enclosed by a semi-circular window three stories high. The artwork in the museum was incredible. The museum has 24 galleries ranging in Mexican art in every form. After an exhausting trip to the art museum, I decided to have dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. Then I had drinks in the lobby bar where a pianist plays nightly as hotel guest can enjoy the music and scenery of the beautiful hotel. August 7, 2002 Dear Journal,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I watched some TV in my room last night as I went to sleep. I was glad to have taken Spanish classes in school, so I could have a slight understanding as to what was being said on TV. Today I went to the Catedral Metrolitana. It is the biggest church in Latin America. The church was so beautiful and very large. There were hundreds of paintings and sculptures throughout the building. The wonderful clocktower was full of statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. I went back to the hotel, gathered my things, and drove to The Casa Gonzalez, where

Video Games: Assassin Simulations Essay -- Video Games Violence Papers

Video Games: Assassin Simulations Video game violence has been a wildly debated topic since the beginnings of the industry. The topic evolved from the debate on media violence or violence in print media. However, the video game debate brings a new angle. Video games, because of their immersive nature, are said to have more impact on children. The proponents and opponents of video game censorship do not really fall into traditional political boundaries. The proponents of censorship tend to be some parents and doctors. Those opposed to censorship tend to be those who play the video games themselves. There is a center faction, however. The center faction consists of those doctors and psychologists who evaluate media violence on a purely medical level. The proponents of video game censorship use a lot of pathos, ethos, but little logos. They mainly believe that kids are driven to violent acts through what they observe in their environment. They invoke images of the school shootings at Columbine. They rely on their own ethos, being mostly doctors or self-declared â€Å"experts† on the subject. The center is a bit different. They rely totally on logos and ethos. They provide statistics and ask you to trust their studies. They also attack the studies and logic by the proponents as faulty. But, despite this, they do recognize that video games are getting increasingly violent. The opponents of video game censorship are mostly video gamers like myself, whose only voice is on USENET and popular web-based gaming forums. We don’t have any â€Å"experts† to speak for us, except for those who take a general anti-censorship stance. Video games, being an expression of free speech and not dangerous to our children, should not be censored. Michael... ...nents of censorship were adults when they committed the crime. In addition, video games are an art form and are protected as free speech under the first amendment. Works Cited Brody, Michael â€Å"Playing With Death† The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter. v16 i11 (Nov. 2000) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Grossman, Dave â€Å"Teaching Kids How to Kill† National Forum v80 i4 (Fall 2000) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Peck, Peggy â€Å"Brain Cells Victims of Video Violence† United Press International (Dec. 3 2002) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Walling, Anne D. â€Å"Do Video Games Lead to Violent Behavior in Children† American Family Physician v65 i7 p1436 Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. â€Å"Gangs in Cyber Space† Yahoo Internet Life (Aug. 1, 2002) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Video Games: Assassin Simulations Essay -- Video Games Violence Papers Video Games: Assassin Simulations Video game violence has been a wildly debated topic since the beginnings of the industry. The topic evolved from the debate on media violence or violence in print media. However, the video game debate brings a new angle. Video games, because of their immersive nature, are said to have more impact on children. The proponents and opponents of video game censorship do not really fall into traditional political boundaries. The proponents of censorship tend to be some parents and doctors. Those opposed to censorship tend to be those who play the video games themselves. There is a center faction, however. The center faction consists of those doctors and psychologists who evaluate media violence on a purely medical level. The proponents of video game censorship use a lot of pathos, ethos, but little logos. They mainly believe that kids are driven to violent acts through what they observe in their environment. They invoke images of the school shootings at Columbine. They rely on their own ethos, being mostly doctors or self-declared â€Å"experts† on the subject. The center is a bit different. They rely totally on logos and ethos. They provide statistics and ask you to trust their studies. They also attack the studies and logic by the proponents as faulty. But, despite this, they do recognize that video games are getting increasingly violent. The opponents of video game censorship are mostly video gamers like myself, whose only voice is on USENET and popular web-based gaming forums. We don’t have any â€Å"experts† to speak for us, except for those who take a general anti-censorship stance. Video games, being an expression of free speech and not dangerous to our children, should not be censored. Michael... ...nents of censorship were adults when they committed the crime. In addition, video games are an art form and are protected as free speech under the first amendment. Works Cited Brody, Michael â€Å"Playing With Death† The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter. v16 i11 (Nov. 2000) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Grossman, Dave â€Å"Teaching Kids How to Kill† National Forum v80 i4 (Fall 2000) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Peck, Peggy â€Å"Brain Cells Victims of Video Violence† United Press International (Dec. 3 2002) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Walling, Anne D. â€Å"Do Video Games Lead to Violent Behavior in Children† American Family Physician v65 i7 p1436 Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. â€Å"Gangs in Cyber Space† Yahoo Internet Life (Aug. 1, 2002) Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP.

Preaching to Every Pew: A Book Review Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The issue of immigration continues to be a thorny issue in the United States. The number of Hispanics and Asians is on the rise. Even if there are sectors in the society who want to limit the number of immigrants in the country, it can no longer be denied that immigrants play an increasing role in the fabric of the American society. Up to some extent, the authorities and the people in the society should be able to cope with this reality and make the best use of the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As different races enter the United States, culture becomes richer and more diverse. The society, including the churches, should take note of the changes brought about by this phenomenon and reach out to people belonging to different cultural backgrounds. This multicultural setting, however, is a difficult thing to handle. There are different issues that have to be understood and dealt with if the churches would like to be relevant to all people groups. After all, the church is not only a church for White people but the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly stressed the universality of the Gospel and the brotherhood of all humans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cultural diversity includes differences in language—and this not only involves the grammar and modes of speaking and writing. Rather, there are subtle nuances and differences in expressing metaphors and meaning, which is inherent in every language. As such, those who speak English as a second language would not easily understand metaphors and idiomatic expressions in the English language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to this, every culture has different practices, which would seem incomprehensible or downright crazy to people from another culture. If the lenses of a particular culture were used to understand another, then the result would be conflict and misunderstanding. Dealing with Multiculturalism in the Church   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The churches are not spared from this difficulty of dealing with multiculturalism. However, unlike the corporate world that explores how to deal with multiculturalism, churches are floundering with their efforts to reach out to people belong to different cultures. With this reality in North America, Nieman and Rogers’ book â€Å"Preaching to Every Pew† is a timely advice and provides a blueprint in dealing with multiculturalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book is not merely the musings of two theorists. Rather, the authors did extensive research and interviews with pastors whose ministries are located in multicultural settings. Hence, their ministry is grounded in actual practice, thereby providing credence to the concepts and principles that they explore. Their approach is systematic and comprehensive. They cover all the major factors affecting the issue of multiculturalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors explore hospitality as a theological mandate for pastors and church members to deal with the cultural diversity in their congregations. Indeed, throughout the Old Testament, hospitality[1] is an important commandment of God. In the New Testament, hospitality was extended to Jesus and eventually to the disciples as they propagated the world to different areas of the world. Their setting then was also multicultural. Jesus, himself, offers a great example of cross-cultural communication. When Jesus was in Samaria, he transcended cultural differences and social differences when he talked and ministered to the Samaritan woman. When he spoke to the woman, he used terms and cultural references that the woman could relate to. If he did not, then the chances are, the woman will not listen to him and simply dismiss his claims. By looking at the example of Christ, we can see his sensitivity as well as the way he considered the cultural background of the person he is talking to. Through these theological principles, then, Christians are reminded of their roots and how they can emulate the example of Jesus and of the early disciples in dealing with believers from other cultural settings. This discussion is then followed by an examination of different cultural â€Å"frames† of the congregation. Cultural Frames Affecting Diversity There are four different cultural frames that the author explored: ethnicity, economic class, geographical displacement, and religious belief. These cultural frames were used by the authors in explaining the nature and dynamics of multiculturalism in the church. Through carefully crafted chapters, the authors described the cultural frame under consideration. After such a description, they listed down misconceptions and dealt with them point by point. According to the authors, the concept of ethnicity is more comprehensive than the term â€Å"race† because the former takes into account the communal identities of peoples instead of merely taking note of colors and physical characteristics. In addition to this, people who move to the United States are usually displaced geographically because of economic needs—they do not have much opportunity to work in their countries. As such, they choose to risk their lives and their identities by coming to America. As a result of the displacement, they become disoriented and they might feel that they do not belong to the new society where they relocated. Even if they were Christians from their places of origin, they still find it difficult to assimilate themselves to the American society that they find themselves in. In a sense, ethnicity becomes a question of politics and economics. Their social situation also has an important impact on the way they will accept or listen to sermons directed to them. Furthermore, because of their cultural backgrounds, they will have different views regarding Christianity and the message it brings. Economic class is another cultural frame through which immigrants view their world. Because they have to work a lot and meet their needs, a lot of immigrants would rather go to work on Sundays rather than attend church and listen to the sermon. This should also be taken into account by preachers. After all, a pastor or a priest talking to middle class families will not make much sense to an immigrant who is barely making a living, in the same way that middle class could not relate with preaching directed towards rich people. After dealing fully with the cultural frame, the authors then enumerate several areas in the frame under consideration, which preachers, pastors, and even priests should take into account as they minister through preaching to a multicultural congregation. In conclusion to the chapters dealing with these cultural frames, the authors suggest several strategies in preaching to a multicultural congregation. People from other parts of the world tend to bring with them their own religion. When they enter the United States, they might have come from a Buddhist, Islamic, or non-Christian religions. Each religion would have its own worldview and assumptions about the world. Hence, there is also a challenge in communicating with people from different religions. But in a manner of speaking, those who have a similar concept of a personal God might be easier to talk to than those from polytheistic religions. In the final chapter of the book, Niemann and Rogers provided a discussion on the ministry of preachers and their role in this fast changing world. Multiculturalism is another issue that they have to deal with if they were to minister effectively to their congregations. With globalization raging all over the world and as people become more mobile, the challenges of preaching can easily become gargantuan. The authors, therefore, provided several means in which preachers and pastors can do this. The authors dealt with cultural diversity in the churches. However, they did not dwell much on the social advocacy part of the issue. Nonetheless, the authors did a good job of helping church workers be jolted awake in dealing with cultural diversity. The world tends to be confusing and more difficult to deal with because of a great deal of issues. Yet, the authors have drawn upon God’s word and actual experiences in the field to draw out interesting concepts and strategies to deal with this cultural diverse world created by God. The Authors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both James R. Niemann and Thomas G. Rogers teach Homiletics. The former teaches at Wartburg Theological Seminary while the latter is Associate Professor at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Both authors are Lutheran in background. Even with their background, the authors were able to transcend denominational differences to become relevant to most denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church since the issue they are dealing with affects not only protestant churches, but every church in general. Cultural Diversity and the Challenge of the Times Cultural diversity can no longer be prevented. In fact, it might grow even more pronounced in the coming years as more and more countries become open to each other. Because of this diversity, people from different cultural backgrounds will have different and radical interpretations even if they were listening to the same message. Niemann and Rogers’ book helps preachers deal with this. In the process, they are also helping congregations in the long run in understanding God’s word preached to them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Preaching to Every Pew† is a relevant book to our times—for mainline protestant denomination and even for the Roman Catholic Church. The book provides a comprehensive look at how culture shapes the worldviews of people and how it influences the already complicated process of communication. Since preaching is a form of communication involving the word of God, the authors then outline principles and practices based on scriptures and on actual practice so that preaching can be more dynamic in dealing with cultural diversity. In this regard, the book is a very useful tool for pastors, priests and even lay preachers. It helps them become more relevant and interesting. Hopefully, by consulting this book, pastors, preachers, and priests can avoid becoming boring and insensitive in the church. Rather, they can become dynamic and sensitive to the cultural diversity that God has instituted in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors have provided great insights into the cross-cultural nature of society. These are grounded in biblical principles and practical application. Yet, there is no alternative for loving people and treating them as neighbors in accordance with what the Bible teaches. Differences may be there but through cross-cultural strategies, pastors, preachers and priests can truly help in making these Christians one although diverse. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Church is Christ’s legacy. It is His instrument in working out His will on the planet. The church, on the other hand, even through its flaws and mistakes, is called upon to initiate people into the wonderful experience of following Christ. This is done best by preaching and actual means of reaching out to people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The issue of immigration has been going on in the United States for the past decades. As this trend goes on, the Church is called upon to rethink its strategies and its framework in dealing with an increasingly becoming multicultural society. Although preaching is still a good way of reaching out to these immigrants, additional strategies are needed so that they can become more receptive to the message that the church has to offer. If they were tapped and immersed in the life of the church in the United States, these immigrants can add vibrancy and dynamism to the church through their different perspectives[2]. Christ, as the model of the Church, loved people and accepted them. In the course of his ministry, he showed cultural relevance and sensitivity. The church should no less than follow his footsteps. Otherwise, it fails to be relevant and it fails the mandate given to it by Christ.   Niemann and Rogers have done a great job in showing to the church and Christians alike how to devised strategies and techniques dealing with multiculturalism in the society and in the church. Bibliography Niemann, James R. and Thomas G. Rogers. Preaching to Every Pew: Cross-Cultural Strategies. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001. Warner, R. Stephen and Judith G. Wittner. Gatherings in Diaspora: Religious Communities and the New Immigration. Temple University Press, 1998 [1] Niemann, James R. and Thomas G. Rogers. Preaching to Every Pew: Cross-Cultural Strategies. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001. (p. 18) [2] Warner, R. Stephen and Judith G. Wittner. Gatherings in Diaspora: Religious Communities and the New Immigration. Temple University Press, 1998, p. 368.