Starbucks Attractiveness

THE INDUSTRY ATTRACTIVE? WHY AND /WHY NOT Starbucks currently operates within three industries: Fast-Food Restaurants, Coffee and Snack Shops, and Specialty Coffees. Which are defined by NAICS (North American Industry Classification System). Although all three are separate segments Coffee and Snack Shop and Specialty Coffee basically carry various similarities. Despite this fact that this industry is somewhat narrower when compared to the fast food industry that they are also considered to be a part of, the coffee and snack shop aspect of their overall industry. Attractiveness is their bread and butter.Starbucks currently represents 32% of this industry and continues to grow, making them one of its largest players. This is the industry that they need and have focused the most on. One of the main factors of success are clearly related to their plans for global expansion because Starbucks has all but halted their domestic expansion (Global Data) and focused almost exclusively on the fo rmer. Another fact that illustrates the need to concentrate on this segment is the advancement of overall industry attractiveness their specialty coffees segment (consisting of retail store sales) only comprises 7% of their total revenue.Starbucks operates its largest segment in Fast Food Restaurant Industry, despite their relative insignificance as compared to giants like McDonald’s. It is worthwhile for them to pay close attention to this segment, because McDonald’s and Starbucks may differ in market share, but Starbucks holds a larger market share of the segment that McDonald’s wants/needs to capitalize on: Coffee. So to operate in parallel industries makes for a key success factor dependent on the level of information on competitors that also drive change.Although focusing on its most important segment, the Coffee and Snack Shop, Starbucks should also pay careful attention to this segment as well in order to achieve their optimal industry attractiveness. I h ave come up with a couple options that Starbucks could consider from the information above. First, expanding into international markets is the best way to capitalize in this industry, so continuing expansion is key. China is their primary target currently, as stated above. Continuing to seize international opportunities at a constant but steady pace would be very beneficial.Second, expanding the menu, given this, Starbucks can implement a proactive strategy that includes new and improved menu and convenience items; like, implementing deli items such as Panini’s or wraps. This would continue to further separate the Starbucks brand, which, I’ve determined is the key, in competitive markets. Third, create a new marketing strategy to grab attention. There is much more room for expansion and growth, Starbucks has only touched the available and potential global markets.With its financial strength, international experience, and long standing relationships, Starbucks can spike into an international business powerhouse in no time. However, this process must be at a steady pace. The expansion strategy must incorporate the core capabilities and advantages of the company. They must find excellent people to execute the process of expanding to a new country. The business ties they have created over the years must be used carefully, not to add too much strain on any suppliers.Expanding internationally would also force the company to rely on other markets other than the United States. Being an industry leader, many companies are benchmarking Starbucks. From relatively spending very little, the company could boost spending to include things such as TV ads and other untested marketing outlets, at least on a trial bases. This could possibly be an opportunity to expand their brand recognition, especially with the new logo. Referring back to my second suggestion and inform loyal customers of new menu items. Overall Industry Attractiveness As we have mentioned,

Interview with an Asian American Woman

Interview with an Asian American Woman The Long Journey Towards The American Dream The Vietnam War ended in 1975, which caused many Vietnamese people to be driven out of their homes and immigrate to America, seeking a safe life away from the affects of war and political turmoil (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012). My family was a part of these refugees searching for a way out. I interviewed my mother, Huong Carter who was born and raised in Vietnam and came to the U. S. with the second wave of immigrants after the war had ended.The second wave of immigrants, including my family, could not speak English very well and traveled by boat, which was one of the most dangerous ways of travel during this time (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012). With the threat of pirates, theft, illness, and drowning, my family faced these dangers in order to gain their freedom. Analysis of interview My mother felt frustrated throughout the interview, trying to get her point across but maybe couldnâ₠¬â„¢t find the right words.She wanted to make sure that I knew everything that happened was because of how brave my grandfather had been to leave absolutely everything he had worked his whole life for behind just to keep my mother and her siblings safe and provide a brighter and safer future for them. I was trying to focus on how she felt during these times, and how she felt about being Asian in a predominantly White culture in America. The issues that we had learned in lectures did come up, but she didn’t want to focus on that.She wanted to focus on how hard her father had worked, and how hard each of them had to work, in school and in their jobs so that they could succeed in America where they had freedom and were safe from war. They saw coming to America as a great escape from the dangers of the political turmoil in Vietnam and worked hard every single day to obtain better jobs, more money, and a decent and safe future for their children. The interview gave me a better ins ight of how the â€Å"boat people† traveled and what kinds of dangers they faced, as well as the challenges faced absorbing life in America without fully understanding the language and culture.Early Life For some people, life was easy and comfortable in Vietnam. Huong was brought up in a wealthy family with four other siblings and had a maid and a chauffeur. As kids they didn’t have to do too much to help around the house and usually got what they wanted. Her father was a business man, and owned his own business. They lived in a big house an hour outside of Saigon in South Vietnam. Huong and her four siblings went to a nice public school in the area, and attended private lessons in Math and English. However the war brought on hardships for everyone.The effects of the war and the bombings happening all around where Huong’s family lived made her father decide it was time to leave. With it being much safer to live in the city, Saigon was their first choice, and the whole family made the move into Saigon. The Long Journey to America After the war, the communists took over Vietnam. In my mother’s words they â€Å"brain washed† children into believing in their way of communist life. The government started recruiting children to test out the mine fields from the war for any remaining mines.Huong’s oldest sibling ended up on this list, and it was at this time when their father decided it was time to leave Vietnam. He did not believe in the communist theory and wanted his children to grow up in a safe, free environment. Of course he knew that this meant he would have to give up everything he had worked for in Vietnam, and he knew the difficulties involved in moving to America, but after the communists won the war, their normal way of living was over. Huong’s family started their travels to America with the second wave of immigrants or the â€Å"boat people† (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012).Her father had dec ided to give up everything they had in Vietnam to move to a safer place for his family, and most of all he wanted freedom. The proper legal papers were signed and their cousins in Georgia, USA who had immigrated earlier were their sponsors. They gave all of their money to guarantee space on the boat that would take them to America, and they had to pay with gold bars. The money used was just passage out of Vietnam; they had no idea where they were headed to. They were also told that it was a passenger ship, but it was in fact a freight ship.The government had lied and misled them, took all of their money in gold bars to only send them as far as Hong Kong. The boat ride was long and treacherous. Luckily my mother’s family had paid to get onto one of the bigger boats, meaning it was less likely that they would be attacked by pirates on their journey. What they did endure was extremely cramped conditions and rough seas. For freight ship that could have held maybe 1000 people, 300 0 people were squeezed onto this ship. Their journey to Hong Kong took about one month. During this time, people would commit suicide, die from sickness, or starve.The captain of the ship ordered people to toss over their only possessions and the food they had brought in fear of capsizing the boat during storms. After this, some people would try and steal food from their neighbors. When the boat reached Hong Kong, the government there wanted to send them back to Vietnam. They were not supposed to be there, and they surely didn’t want to take them in. After a month of consideration and more waiting on the boat for the passengers, a camp was set up by the harbor for these thousands of passengers after their long travel on the sea.In this camp, my mother and her family would stay in Hong Kong for an additional 8 months before going to America. For her family of seven, they were given one bunk bed to share. Conditions at the camp were as cramped as on the ship, and very dirty. Th e refugees would be given rice and water every day for food, which they had to line up for. However, they were allowed to get small jobs outside of the camp, so my mother, all of her siblings and her parents would get these jobs so that their family could save enough money to buy a little extra food. After doing even more legal work and consulting with their relatives and sponsors in the U.S. , my mother and the rest of her family all finally got to leave Hong Kong, straight for America. The American Dream My mother arrived in Georgia, USA in 1979, at age 17. She left all her friends and family in Vietnam and the comforts of their old home. She was always so excited to go to America because everyone would talk about this rich land and when they finally got here, it was very overwhelming. At first she was confused. What my mother found in America was not what she expected. There was a lot more poverty and not at all like she had dreamed.Here they were immediately put into high school . Her father held back his children in school to allow them to catch up and make up for the year they had missed. He did this, so that his children would also have a chance to catch up on their English language skills, and do well in school. Their education was a priority and he wanted them to do their best. The language was the hardest part of coming to America, everything was new and unfamiliar. They only stayed in Georgia for two months before my grandfather contacted some of his old neighbors from Vietnam who were now living in California.He didn’t like the weather in Georgia and felt California would probably be a better fit for him. So after only a few months, my mother finally got to California. The children were put back into high school immediately; however times were tough for my mother and her siblings. Their high school consisted of mostly white American, Hispanic and African American children. Her English was not very good at this point, so it was hard communicat ing with other kids, and socializing. Everywhere she went, she had a dictionary with her. She took beginners English class, where it consisted mostly of Hispanics.This class she felt was the nicest because she was with other kids who, like herself, could not speak the main language very well, and had difficulties expressing themselves. Luckily my grandfather’s old neighbor had a daughter, Phuong, attending the same high school, who became friends with my mother and her siblings. Phuong helped make them to make friends and understand American society and culture a little easier. Phuong had been in California much longer than my mother, having come over with the first wave of immigrants. Her English was much better, and she already had a small close group of friends.Huong didn’t have a long high school career, and she often felt isolated, and alienated from other kids. She would be ignored because they knew that she didn’t speak English very well and didn’t want to bother. She was the only Asian besides her siblings and always felt different from everyone else. Going into stores, the clerks would follow her around because they thought she would steal something. Huong felt cheated from having a real high school experience. She never got to go to prom or buy a year book because their family didn’t have enough money.She also felt she didn’t accomplish as much as she could have with her grades due to the language barrier, even when she would spend most of her time studying instead of making friends. However, she still obtained A’s and B’s through her hard work and perseverance, but was disappointed as she always had straight A’s in Vietnam. So she never felt like she was achieving as much as she potentially could. She was too busy trying to understand what everything was. College Getting into college was Huong’s and her sibling’s first priority.Most of the children actually got scholarships , and financial aid to help finance their college funds. Even though, Huong was actually embarrassed to ask for financial aid and have welfare and food stamps, it was the only way to attend college, and further her education. By this point in their lives, college was much easier because they understood the English language a lot better and there were more Asians in college than there were in high school. My mother got a job in the Financial Aid office at her college to help support her family.Her family was still struggling to make ends meet, so everyone had to work. Huong felt frustrated sometimes with her life, she wanted to accomplish as much as she could, but also had to help pay the bills for her family and work. Life was easy in Vietnam with their maids and chauffeurs, and here they had to work hard for everything they had. They lived in a small apartment and took the bus to school because they couldn’t afford a car. Everyone in the family had part time jobs, and would work and study hard every day to help better their careers and education.My mother felt she would study even harder than everyone else because of the language barrier. She had no time to party or date, or to buy nice things, because their lives only consisted of work and studying. Towards the end of her college life, my mother was hired as a data entry clerk with a local Real Estate company. She always felt like she was being treated nice, but maybe not necessarily equally. Management would yell at Huong for mistakes that were not her fault. She was never trained for the job, and was expected to do things that she needed training for.She felt that she wasn’t given any respect what so ever, and had to try her hardest to learn from her mistakes when they were yelling at her. Despite the disrespect and the yelling, she managed to earn a promotion to Assistant Controller with a raise from all her hard work. Huong didn’t have a lot of friends in the work place, but was alwa ys nice to everyone and tried to get to know each colleague. When my mother met my father Jeff in college, things became easier for her. Jeff was from England, and also immigrated to California. He came from a poor family, and also had to work hard to provide for his family and help pay the bills.With all of the things they had in common, Huong felt like she could relate to someone else, and he helped her understand more about American society. He would help her with her homework and her English. With this, life became much easier for Huong, because she understood a lot more about the American way of life. With the extra help, she had more time to go out, have fun and do things that Americans do, like going to the movies, dancing, and eating out. Life Now After being here for 33 years my mother is comfortable with life in America. She never got to go back and visit Vietnam yet, but she wants to when life isn’t so busy.She still misses the food, the culture, and her family in Vietnam, but not only is she living easily, her parents and all of her siblings are also living comfortably in California now. Her parents have a small house in Garden Grove, the center of the Vietnamese community, where they have retired next to other Vietnamese people. She realizes now just how much her father had given up when bringing his family to America, but she knows it had to be done, for their safety and their freedom. She is more than grateful of her father’s decisions, because she got to live in a free country and become a citizen.The main thing is they got to come to a country where there is no war. Her entire family still keeps close to each other by calling one another often, even the relatives still in Vietnam, and they have many family gatherings throughout the year for holidays, birthdays, and also to celebrate Vietnamese traditions. They keep up with their culture, and how they prepare their food, and when they are all together they still primarily speak th e Vietnamese language. Their old customs and traditions are important to everyone in the family.

Information Paper

Use Daniell Jackson CIS 207 August 1, 2012 Timothy Thacker According to (Anthony Robbins, 2010) â€Å"The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives†. It is imperative that in any organization there needs to be a detailed and efficient flow of information. Communications is the key for a business to be successful, and it provides the solid foundation needed to construct a solid business process. One other very important part of communications in a company is the flow of that information which ultimately produces the results whether good or bad.This paper will describe how information is used and how it flows at Document Logistic Agency (DLA) Document Services Jacksonville in the IT department. It will also describe any concerns with properly controlling the information flow, including keeping it safe from unauthorized use. DLA Document Services Jacksonville is a Department of Defense (DoD) command that provides a web-based solution for ordering documents. The communication flow starts from the customer level as documents such as publications, posters, retirement programs, and many more available products are ordered online.Although the Document Services Online website where most of the communications is done electronically, there is still a need for communication flow for those of us here at DLA in order to produce the customers required results. I thought it would be fitting to compare the communications that I have experienced here at DLA and my military communications experience, to show some of the differences As a 23 year retired veteran of the United States Navy, communications becomes a major part of everyday life.Military men and women are introduced to what is known as the chain of command and the structure in which it is written at each command. Communications is something that we are taught not to take for granted because it could be the difference between losing and saving a life in a give n situation. Once retired and transferred into what most military men and women call â€Å"The Civilian World,† I immediately discovered that there is a difference concerning military and civilian communications, the flow, and the concern of controlling that information.Here at DLA document services we have a variety of personnel that come together to produce products for the customer. The accountants manage and handle financial issues, machine workers print and produce the orders, information technology personnel maintain the servers, and management oversees the entire business process. Upon reporting for work here at DLA, I have been privileged to several communication issues that have caused issues, but have been addressed and changes put in place.One of the main issues I discovered was that as the network security engineer, there was no communications between the system administrators working on the servers. There was no sharing of information, which consistently resulted in changes to the system by the system administrators, but no upward communications of these changes through the IT department. The program manager was not informed of the lack of maintenance on the servers and the only concerned seem to be that the systems stay up to produce orders.This line of thinking was unfamiliar to me and I felt it would be a recipe for disaster. â€Å"Information sharing is critical to an organization’s competitiveness and requires a free flow of information among members if the organization is to remain competitive† (JP Hatala and J Lutta, 2008). Although we held a bi-weekly meeting that consisted of minutes from the last meeting and the old business to new business concept, it was clear that it served no purpose and I was determined to change that concept.I introduced the Configuration Control Board (CCB) to the Program Manager and showed her how it would make our meetings more effective by allowing communications to flow from the bottom to the top. Eventually I was able to get the SA’s to fill out a configuration change form and submit that form through the leadership, so that all parties would be aware of any major changes to our systems. We ensure that our transmission and handling of sensitive information is handled discreetly. The protection of our information is controlled on a need-to-know basis, which is the same as when I was in the military.The only concern that I had was sending and receiving emails with sensitive information such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and other detailed information via e-mail without encryption. We started ensure that we encrypted our emails to add that extra layer of needed security on sensitive documents. We also started the digital signature initiative that ensures all CCB documents are genuinely signed by each responsible IT department personnel, using our Common Access Cards (CAC).The DoD CAC card allows employees to have their own unique identification, authentica tion privileges, encrypting, and crypto graphical ability to sign emails and other documents. DLA Document Services Jacksonville delivers quality products to the men and women of our military. Although there were some issues with communications, the improvements have been astounding. We realized that when companies are dealing in the information technology field there is a need for excellent communications amongst team members up, and down the organization so that the best customer service can be provided.We discussed the importance of ensuring that communications is protected and secured because it is the cornerstone of maintaining that need-to-know responsibility. References Anthony Robbins (2010), Power of Giving. Retrieved on July 30, 2012 from http://www. power-of-giving. com/tony-robbins-quotes. html JP Hatala and J Lutta (2008), Managing Information Sharing Within an Organizational Setting: A Social Network Perspective. Retrieved July 30, 2012, from https://ehis. ebscohost. c om/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=2&hid=3&sid=8a83ca4d-a18d-4679-b2e7-f631c1b0a62c%40sessionmgr11

Law and Ethics of At-Will Employment Research Paper

Law and Ethics of At-Will Employment - Research Paper Example We will deep-dive into the law and evaluate the ethical implications of the law. Introduction to the law The at-will-employment law in USA states that the contract of employment between an employer and employee can be terminated by either of the two parties at any point of time for any specific reason. This implies that the employee can resign from the job without any contractual obligations to the employer and the employer can separate the employee without any obligations post the separation. Because of the nature of the contract, its duration is a moment and it is renewed from every moment to moment. History The law of at-will-employment finds its beginning in the late nineteenth century. Untill that time, most of the workers in US were employed in the agricultural sector and were appointed for particular harvesting season. During that time, the workers were subjected to work for a particular master for the entire season. Workers who leave their jobs before the end of the term will have to forgo their wages for the period that they worked. Although there was no specified term for the duration of contract, the same will be implied by the courts. This was termed as the entire-contract doctrine. The entire-contract doctrine led to high income insecurity amongst the unskilled workers. With the advancement of technology and growth of production in masses and manufacturing plants, majority of the workers shifted from agricultural sector to the industrial sector. Workers in this sector were hired for the indefinite period and therefore not subjected to the entire-contract doctrine. From 1880s, some of the courts started to view the employment contract as a contract that can be terminated by any of the party at any given point of time and any reason. This evolved as the at-will-employment law and became prominent in many states. Trends in At-will-employment doctrine The at-will-employment doctrine was favorable for the laborers as it removed the monetary insecurity a rising out of the entire-contract term. It meant that the workers were paid for the time they worked even if they quit or were separated. Because of the advantage to the workers and new theories in the field of human resource management, organization started to reorganize their workforce into ‘internal labor markets’ (Doeringer & Piore, 1971). According to this arrangement, the workforce was organized in the form of hierarchical levels where significant experience and training at a particular level provided the way for the level up. Organizations started to design policies centered on the employees so that they stay with the firm for a long duration. Employees were given advantages of fixed promotion cycles along with increasing pay. During the large part of twentieth century, at-will-employment along with the concept of ‘internal labor markets’ was the norm. Workers were further benefited from the presence of unions that were responsible for negotiation of contracts and contract terms. Beginning in the 1970s, many state courts started to impose restrictions on the employers regarding their right to lay-off employees. The courts started to impose tort liabilities on firms that were proved of making unjustified dismissals. Besides this, courts also started to incorporate tenets of good faith and fairness as a part of the employment co

Personal impression of English class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal impression of English class - Essay Example When I write, I know I'm leaving a permanent record of my thoughts and visions. I will be judged by the readers who share my writing and it's important to me to be perceived as a competent writer. It gives me a sense of pride and a feeling that I have created a worthwhile essay. The hours spent formulating the idea, outlining, and drafting is hours well spent when I get a feeling of accomplishment at the successful completion of an essay assignment. I especially enjoy the ability to paint a picture, complete with sights and sounds, using only the printed word. One of my favorite descriptions came from an essay I wrote titled "Ocean City: The Best Place to Be!": Ocean City has street parties that clean away the restlessness and replaces it with laughter. Cozy, Old World cafes touched with that European flavor give diners a feeling of sophistication and class; and spontaneous dancing venues with swirling lights, swimsuit-clad bodies, and reggae and salsa music encourage relaxation, cel ebration, and fun. This description of Ocean City gives a feeling of being in the middle of the activity and spending a carefree day with the crowds. It invokes sight, sounds, colors, and smells, I very much enjoyed writing it as I imagined myself at the beach. I have learned that visualizing the setting, the people, and the situation aids me in the ability to describe it. Another skill I have acquired that adds quality to my essays is knowing when not to write too much and conclude the essay with an appropriate closing.

The development of a marketing plan for Deloitte Croatia Essay

The development of a marketing plan for Deloitte Croatia - Essay Example Deloitte Croatia is entering its 11th year of operation in Croatia. The audit service line is now recognised as the market leader in Croatia. The challenge now is where to go from here! The goal five years ago was to become number one in the local market which has now been achieved. Marketing per se has not been the major success factor in obtaining this achievement, however, as we seek to progress to the next level, the idea that marketing needs to take us to the next level has been recognised. Our success historically has been achieved by having the right people at the right place at the right time. Two years ago, we setup a marketing support function, and it is the belief of partners that we can now â€Å"pull away† from our competitors by having a more market orientation and adopting the holistic marketing concept in a more meaningful way. The market is still considered immature from the perspective of clients understanding the value that a global firm such as Deloitte can bring to their businesses. This is clear, as 50% of the market is still serviced by local auditors who are not internationally accredited and who are not able to â€Å"bring to the table† global solutions. It is in this area that the partnership believes that there is potential to obtain new and emerging businesses, and small businesses that will qualify for European Union funding for economic development once Croatia enters into the European Union in five years time.[Bamako, Ivan. 2008]... Last year Deloitte celebrated ten years of operations in Croatia. This was a high profile local event, with the Prime Minister of Croatia attending the celebrations and at the same time opened our new offices in the city of Zagreb. Deloitte Croatia is a partnership that forms part of Deloitte Central Europe. This regional partnership consists of seventeen countries within Central Europe. We are the only regional partnership made up of so many different countries. Most other partnerships consist of their own country, so in many ways we are unique within the Deloitte world. Deloitte Croatia is organised into five functions or service lines. The service line offerings are Audit and Advisory, Risk Advisory Services, Taxation Consulting, Financial Advisory and finally Management Consulting. The biggest service line is Audit and Advisory, which accounts for approximately 50% of the business. Deloitte's growth over the past five years has been spectacular. Five years ago, we were still the smallest of the "Big 4" in the Croatian market place. Today we are the biggest by revenue and by employees. The success of the practice over the past five years has been the result of bringing the right people into the practice from local Croatians but also bringing in international professionals who brought with them significant international expertise. This was very much appreciated by local business and it has resulted in significant growth for the practice over the past five years. The growth year on year has been 25%. This in itself has caused a few challenges for the practice in trying to find enough quality people to help with the workload. Local universities have not been able to generate a

Assignment - Literature Review on Improving Reading Fluency

- Literature Review on Improving Reading Fluency - Assignment Example I tend to think that appreciating and correcting them would be better. There is need for careful teacher observation to student interaction with computer programs so as to integrate more content into the curriculum. Additionally, careful examination should be conducted on computer programs that record the best interaction rates with students. The choice of using computer programs is commendable especially when dealing with young children. In addition, the combination of both qualitative and quantitative data gives the study a sense of professionalism. Wide Reading Fluency Oriented Reading Instruction, repeatedly reading three texts for a period of five days, pre-reading activities for the primary text of the week, developing vocabulary, making predictions about the content of passages, teachers reading sections of texts while the students echo read the same text to provide students with the chance to work with their partners in order to re-read the text again. The use of spelling patterns was quite interesting and helpful to the participants. In the addition, creation of semantics, morphology, orthography, and phonological awareness enables participants be able to decode important figures of speech. The use of spelling patterns was quite interesting and helpful to the participants. In the addition, creation of semantics, morphology, orthography, and phonological awareness enables participants be able to decode important figures of speech. Wide Reading Fluency Oriented Reading Instruction, repeatedly reading three texts for a period of five days, pre-reading activities for the primary text of the week, developing vocabulary, making predictions about the content of passages, teachers reading sections of texts while the students echo read the same text to provide students with the opportunity to work with their partners in order to re-read the text again. There is need for careful teacher observation to student

Leadership, Attitude, Emotions and Issues Related to Employee Assignment

Leadership, Attitude, Emotions and Issues Related to Employee Satisfaction - Assignment Example He has a little â€Å"concern for Employees†. At this stage, it becomes important for Suprana to sit back and rethink her approach. She needs to make herself as a diplomat and need to increase her concern for employees. Aziz however, needs to be consistent and keep on trying. He needs to find other ways to increase his motivational level and try to voice his opinion to the top management. According to the financial reports of 2008, Google has revenues of more than 21.796 billion US dollars. Without any doubts, Google stands amongst the top organizations, when it comes to growth, profitability, brand image, brand recall and brand equity (Honeyman, pp. 19-21, 1982). Experts of organizational behavioral studies suggest employee pleasure as the prime reason for this outstanding performance of Google. The efforts it has been doing for outclassing employee satisfaction has raised the operating cost of Google like anything, but it seems that Google is not even bothered a bit by the increased costs. An uncountable amount of chef is prepared every day at the Google office. State of art Gym, volleyball court, lap pools, onsite car washes, saloons, dry cleaning shops, free on-site medical checkups and free transportation facilities are just some of the facilities that the employees enjoy at Google. Except for these, Google offers to its worker's benefits like parental leaves, automatic life insurance, tuition reimbursements etc. Google management understands that by all these efforts they can shape the attitudes of their employees that in turn results in desired behaviors from them. On the other hand, this will create employee satisfaction and satisfied employees create satisfied customers (Robbins et al, pp. 259-299, 2009). For the past few decades, organizations have diverted their attention towards studying concepts of employee attitudes and emotions, employee satisfaction and leadership issues.

Miumiu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Miumiu - Essay Example The portfolio of products of this brand includes Apparel, Jewellery, Accessories including eyewear, Bags and shoes though the main focus is on apparel. The collections portray the strong and autonomous identity it has created for itself (Jackson and Shaw, 2006, p.69). The brand aims at evoking a lavish sense of intimacy and liberty with an attention to intricacies and superior quality. The brand targets those women who would explore and experiment with their choices in fashion. Thus liberty, freedom and autonomy are the key words that drive their business. Miu Miu had the opening fashion show in Paris in 2006. In 2011, it also started retailing its products online. The concept in which the Miu Miu boutiques were designed had a liberty aspect to it in the most dramatic way possible and a combination of archetypal material and futuristic facets were incorporated in the style to highlight the unfailing courage of the modern opulence and sensuality in the style of Miu Miu (Tungate, 2012, p.192). The flagship store was also shifted to a building of historic relevance in Milan, in order to incorporate this taste and the fashion shows were conducted in Paris rather than Milan which the brand believed went better with the image of the brand. The uniqueness was maintained also by eliminating men from their target of customers. In its efforts to promote the brand in times of recession, the brand launched â€Å"The Women’s Tales† a project in which five prestigious women film directors were asked to shoot silent films which would have a focus on the Miu Miu line of clothing and accessories and the first four were screened at the Venice International Film Festival. The fifth one is on the making. The theme around which the brand revolves is ultra modernity, style and luxury (Liu, 2010, p.47). The products are designed by the specialists after thoughtful observation of the recent developments around the world, the changing society and shifting cultures. Thus t he brand has moved out of the limitations of the showrooms and boutiques in order to interact with the rest of the world full of diversity. All these have led the family business to a becoming a successful fashion brand operating in more than 70 nations. History of the parent company: the Prada Group The Brand Prada came into existence in 1913, when Mario Prada set up a store selling luxury items including bags and jewellery in Milan. The goods were handmade and exclusively designed with materials of first class quality. Immediately the brand became a status symbol for the aristocratic population of Europe. In 1919, the brand started supplying merchandise to the Italian Royal Family (Prada, 2012, p.5). In 1977, the granddaughter of the originator, Miuccia Prada, restructured the brand with Patrizio Bertelli, a Tuscan businessman, and sustained the business in a new way. Over the years, opened stores in various other places and met success. The brand still targeted the elite of the s ociety and produced apparel, shoes and other accessories. The brand Miu Miu was the brainchild of Miuccia Prada who started this new brand as a form of diversification strategy targeting the ultramodern women. Employee Creativity and Innovation in MIU MIU The distinctive feature of Miu Miu comes from the typical process of management

Domestic Terrorism In The United States Essay Example for Free

Domestic Terrorism In The United States Essay To varying degrees, domestic terrorism has survived and affected the social and political structure of the United States. As defined by the country’s Department of Justice, these words connote â€Å"the unlawful use of force or violence, committed by a group(s) of two or more individuals, against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives† (U. S. Department of Justice, 1994, p. 26). Though such characterization is considerably clear in its meaning, oftentimes a case-by-case interpretation is necessary to ascertain where extremism ends and terrorism begins. Terrorism vs. Extremism A more concise demarcation between extremism and terrorism is evident in the recognition that extremism is not unusual in any political environment, and is more often than not directed by societal pressures, civil discourse, education and the law. On the other hand, in terrorism, the violence is far beyond control by civil, educational or societal elements and must be tracked down, penalized and castigated by law enforcement agencies. The Dictionary of Political Thought defines extremism as â€Å"a vague term, that can mean a) the taking of a political idea to its limits, regardless of unfortunate repercussions, impracticalities, arguments and feelings to the contrary and with the intention not only to confront but also to eliminate opposition; b) intolerance towards all views other than one’s own; and c) the adoption of means to political ends which show disregard for the life, liberty and human rights of others† (Scronton, 1982). The complexity of separating terrorism and extremism is that in various situations, domestic groups which are seemingly law-abiding at present, may be contemplating of violent actions in the future. As it is, many violent groups started as non-violent discussion or protest movements with very lofty ideals; however, as time elapsed they evolved into something else. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, provides a suitable and a more fitting characterization of terrorism when he described it as â€Å"the deliberate and systematic murder, maiming and menacing of the innocent to inspire fear for political ends. † USA Patriot Act Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act stretched the definition of terrorism to include domestic in contrast to international terrorism. An individual is said to be involved in domestic terrorism if he/she does an act that is dangerous to human life, that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, and if the act appears to be intended to a) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; b) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or c) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Further, the acts have to take place chiefly within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, then these acts can already be regarded as international terrorism. Clearly, Section 802 does not create a new crime of domestic terrorism. Nonetheless, it does extend the kinds or the nature of actions that the government can examine and probe into when it is investigating terrorism. The USA Patriot Act stretched out the powers of the government when they do their investigations and some of these powers are applicable to domestic terrorism. Such definition of domestic terrorism is expansive enough to cover the actions and activities of many known activist campaigns and organizations. Greenpeace, Operation Rescue, Vieques Island and WTO protesters and the Environmental Liberation Front have all recently engaged in activities that could make them subject to investigations as engaging in domestic terrorism. Contemporary Domestic Terrorism Though governments, private and public institutions have been beleaguered and weighed down by terrorism for hundreds of years in one form or another, the strategies and the application associated with it have changed and progressed as surely as the societies upon which it is imposed. Technological advances in the transportation, communication and in the area of weaponry have permitted the capacities of current domestic terrorist groups to get their message out and have enhanced their ability to take aggressive and sadistic action to achieve their objectives. President Clinton launched a counter-terrorism bill to the Senate and House of Representatives in February of 1995. One exceedingly contentious proposal in the bill is the assigning of the Department of Defense a dominant role in assisting the investigation of domestic terrorism incidents in which chemical and biological agents are utilized. Currently, the military can be used in cases of terrorist activities where there is an alleged employment of nuclear weapons or devices and much more if such allegation has been established (Hall, 1995, Sec A). Though the amplified role of the military would be limited, necessitating a further amendment to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, civil liberties experts cautioned that it would infringe the tenets of civil supremacy over the military and would only rekindle the hostilities and anti-government sentiments of the citizen-militias and conspiracy theorists (Landay, 1995). Furthermore, several Congressmen, law-enforcement officials and some military advisers concur that such employment of the military would be an exceedingly precarious approach in combating domestic terrorism. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat from New York, responded to questions as to whether the use of the military, in an expanded role, should be a part of the counterterrorism package, said, â€Å". . . the military defends the nation and does not involve itself in internal affairs† (Minzesheimer, 1995, Sec A). Incidents and Implications There has been an evident and persistent decline in the number of terrorist incidents in the United States during the past twenty years. To further delineate the trend of decline over time, a comparison of the average number of incidents per year during each of three, six-year periods would be useful. During the six year period from 1977 through 1982, there was an average of 59. 0 incidents/year; from 1983 through 1988 an average of 15. 7 incidents/year were recorded; this compared to an average of 5. 3 incidents/year investigated during the period from 1989 through 1994 (FBI, 1994). *** ACTIVE GROUPS OPERATING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES CLASSIFIED AS TERRORISTS African National Prison Organization (ANPO). An arm of the African Peoples Socialist Party. Animal Rights. Principally against use of animals for any purpose beyond their natural existence. Armed Resistance Group (ARG) aka Revolutionary Fighting Group, Red Guerrilla Faction. This group has been characterized in 1988 as tired and aging revolutionaries. Greenpeace Principally environmental-use extremists. Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Reorganized and relocated several arms of its group in 1989. Macheteros. Puerto Rican nationalists. Ohio Seven. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Very public-relations oriented. Radical Feminist Organizing Committee (RFOC). Driven-out of the feminist movement in 1989, operating independently. RAMBOC (Restore a More Benevolent Order Coalition). Targets and actively pursues the US assets and people of foreign groups with terrorist links, such as the PLO, SWAPO, ANC, etc Rolling Thunder aka American Foundation for Accountability; primary focus is to draw attention to the POW/MIA issue from Vietnam War. Satanic Cult. Associated with attempted bombing of churches and kidnapping, and animal sacrifices, tombstone vandalism, and miscellaneous actions. Skinheads (SKA). Groups consist of both racist and anti-racist factions. SS Action Group. Principally anti-Semitic. Apparent Motivation There are principally four classifications into which groups that are regarded as domestic terrorists can be distinguished currently existing in the United States. These groups can be generically delineated as being either motivated by religious convictions, racial prejudice and supremacist goals, anarchistic/anti-government/politically motivated, or in pursuit of unique special interests. These classifications have been extracted from a collection of the categorization and delineation of extremist and terrorist groups by two respected subject-authorities, Stephen Segaller and FBI’s Department of Justice. Segaller, in his book Invisible Armies, classified domestic terrorism in the United States into four groups as well, but lists them as being: a) Cuban infighting (political), b) â€Å"backwoods terrorism† (a combination of religious, racist and anarchistic), c) violent Puerto Rican independence groups (political), and d) a handful of domestic revolutionary Marxist groups (anarchistic/anti-government and racist) (Segaller, 1987, pp. 221-225). Theoretically speaking, the stimulus for the creation and sustained existence of extremist and terrorist groups can unequivocally be associated in many circumstances to ethnic, cultural, religious, and racial feelings of superiority. An accurate depiction of the continuum formed by these supremacist attitudes, and how they promote further tension is succinctly articulated by Frank G. McGuire, when he said that as long as Christians feel superior to Jews (or vice-versa) and Catholics feel superior to Protestants and Ashkenazic Jews feel superior to Sephardic Jews, men feel superior to women and whites feel superior to blacks/browns/yellows/reds and so on, such phenomenon will be with us (McGuire, 1990, p. 10). These cultural, racial, gender, and a myriad of other differences that are present among people in society, particularly one as diverse as the United States of America, must be acknowledged and respected, but shouldn’t be seen or considered as a encumbrance to peace and harmony within society. Nor should these diversities be seen as wholly benign in their impact on the functioning of society as a whole. Tibor Machan, a social and political commentator, showed a well-timed dissertation on the myths and erroneous beliefs associated with viewing multiculturalism as simply a difference in dress, music, dance, and customs. Dr. Machan asserted that cultural differences, whether a result of race, gender, religion, or whatever, impacts both negatively and positively on other cultures within the society (Machan, 1996, pp. 134-135) and further opined that attitudes of cultural-superiority and intolerance are directly related and incorporated into many of the extremist views and motivations that are plaguing America today. The period from 1982 through 1994 showed that the targets of domestic terrorism were predominately commercial establishments. The majority of incidents directed against commercial establishments were conducted by animal-rights and/or anti-abortion extremists, either attacking stores that sold fur, or clinics that performed abortions or provided abortion advice, respectively (FBI, 1994; McGuire, 1990). Religious Racial Supremacy/Intolerance Religious intolerance founded upon fundamentalist standpoints has been the stimulus for acts of terrorism all throughout history and such as involved Orthodox Jews, Moslems, Catholics, and Protestants. Perhaps, there is no issue or idea among human beings that is as provocative and as seditious as that of religious beliefs. Auspiciously, at least as far as the United States is concerned, terror stimulated by religious intolerance has not been as significant a threat as in other parts of the world like in Africa, the Middle East or Bosnia. â€Å"America is a unique nation in that it guarantees the freedom of religion with the First Amendment and the right to [keep and] bear arms with the Second Amendment. This means that people can believe whatever they want, and they can buy the guns to protect that belief† (LeBaron, n. d). The statement was made in direct reference to Mormon fundamentalism and summarizes the very ideology upon which this country was founded which also provides an insight into the potential dangers that exist with religious extremist groups. Recently however, there has been rhetoric and open threats of aggression from different extremist groups that describe themselves as being inspired by religion, nonetheless, have undisputedly displayed racial supremacist and hate-mongering views. The leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, advocates sundry rhetoric of black supremacist views and religious fervor. He professes to have the faith and devotion of some four million people (Fletcher, 1996). In addition, several white-supremacist clusters, including some of the many Christian militia splinter groups, advocate exceptionally caustic and hate-filled threats as well, apparently an endless, ages-old game of â€Å"I call you a name, you call me a name. † Oddly enough, two racial supremacist groups representing opposite extremes, the Nation of Islam and the Posse Comitatus, have concurred to an ultimate end-state segregation of the United States into regions of pure racial integrity. Another group operating within the United States that has historically merged a racist agenda with religious rhetoric, and was truly very sadistic in its actions and objectives, is the Ku Klux Klan. They have, however, considerably lessened in both their membership numbers and invisible power-base in recent years, and though there are still very strident individuals appearing from time to time, the danger posed by the Klan nowadays is essentially restricted to local regions, and their activities are in the form of parades and rallies. As the Klan has faded in its activities and numbers, it has been replaced by the tremendously vicious and rapidly growing racist movement known as the Aryan Nations, which is strongly associated with the Identity Church that proclaims Anglo-Saxons as Gods chosen people. The fundamentalist Mormons are another religiously-motivated cluster within the United States that are catching the attention and concern of law enforcement and other government officials. This group has been at odds, to a certain degree, with the government since its creation in the early 1800s. Many of these fundamentalist Mormons are well-armed conspiracy-minded survivalists, who have retreated to the mountains of central Utah to await Armageddon, which they believe will occur on April 6, 2000. Believing in their gifts of prophecy and revelation, and fired-up by heavenly visions and doctrines of blood atonement and oaths of vengeance, they have isolated themselves awaiting the end of the world and fearing that the government is about to take away their freedoms (LeBaron, n. d. ). A specifically insightful yet explosive issue to a huge section of the American people, despite individual beliefs, is the classification of particular abortion clinic-related hostility as domestic terrorism. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994 in concurrence with the Attorney General Guidelines (AGG) on General Crimes, Racketeering Enterprise and Domestic Security/Terrorism Investigations, instigated and directed the creation of the Department of Justice Task Force on Violence Against Abortion Providers to look into conspiratorial acts of violence against abortion clinics and personnel as domestic terrorism (FBI, 1994). Although personal opinions on the ethical aspects associated with abortion, whether for or against, are not wholly confined to religious beliefs, the most articulate, open and visible anti-abortion advocates are directly allied with religious organizations. As it is, abortion rights and issues persist to be one of the most contentious and conflict-ridden questions among Americans and motivate exceedingly passionate and rousing rhetoric and reactions from people from both sides of the matter. In the period between 1982 and the end of 1984, there were a total of 220 separate acts of violence, including 89 cases of bombing, arson and other serious incidents, conducted against clinics where abortions were performed or abortion-advice offered (Segaller, 1987, pp. 222-223). Ethnically and racially stimulated bias, extreme loathing and carnage are as much a part of human history as any other characteristics of mankind, and have at least to some extent have a bearing on the cultural and social identities of essentially all civilizations to date. From the subjugation of Hebrews by ancient Egyptians, to present-day current situation in the Balkans, racial and ethnic differences have triggered incalculable suffering and death. The history of racial and ethnic turmoil in the United States is no different, and is seemingly experiencing an increase in such activity recently. Racially-motivated extremist and terrorist groups in the United States, especially those of today, seem to employ religious rationalizations and teachings for their sadistic tendencies and aggressive actions, and all indications point to the fact that such trend will continue at an accelerating rate into the foreseeable future. Anarchistic/Anti-government /Political Terrorist clusters of today that are actually anarchist, anti-government or political in their motivations are mostly associated with the growing self-determination, radical citizen-militia movements, or have been around a relatively long time, such as the Puerto Rican freedom fighters. The former has drawn considerable attention, and extracted wary concern from law-enforcement and civil-rights groups due to the bombing in Oklahoma City, and their rapid and continuing growth in numbers and visibility. A few of the more extreme citizen-militia groups, often motivated by New World Order conspiracy theorists and anger over a belief that government has become too large and repressive in everyday life, are openly soliciting and calling for the overthrow of the United States government. These groups, when linked with the self-described â€Å"Constitutionalists,† are being considered as extremely dangerous by many law-enforcement and watchdog groups (Knickerbocker, 1995). The Puerto Rican terrorist groups have been almost exclusively limited in their actions to operating within Puerto Rico against local and federal targets of opportunity. Unique Special Interests Within this designation of domestic terrorist groups are those of relatively recent creation, or at least they have relatively recently gained high public visibility through their actions. Groups such as the extremist animal-rights groups, environmental extremist groups and homosexual-rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Earth Night Action Group, and Act Up, respectively, have emerged within the past two decades and have actively used violence, destruction and intimidation to gain recognition, and to further their respective political agendas. References *** McGuire, Frank. 1990. Security intelligence sourcebook: Whos Who in terrorism. Silver Spring, MD. : Interests, Ltd. U. S. Department of Justice. 1994. Terrorism in the United States, 1994. Washington, DC. : National Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Terrorist Research and Analytical Center Scronton, R. 1982. Dictionary of Political Thought. New York: Hill and Wang Hall, M. 1995. â€Å"Clintons Military Police Plan Under Fire. † USA Today, 11 May Sec. 5A. Landay, J. S. 1995. â€Å"Tempering Terrorism. † The Christian Science Monitor, 8 May Sec. US. Minzesheimer, B. 1995. â€Å"Terrorism Bill Warning: Go Slow. † USA Today, 1 May Sec. 5A. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1994. Terrorism in the United States 1982 – 1992; Terrorism in the United States 1994. Segaller, S. 1987. Invisible armies, terrorism into the 1990s. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Machan, T. 1996. â€Å"Fallacies of Uncritical Multiculturalism. † The Freeman, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 134-135. LeBaron, G. Jr. â€Å"Mormon Fundamentalism and Violence: A Historical Analysis available at http://www. tcd. net/~garn/ polygamy. html. Fletcher, M. A. 1996. â€Å"Farrakhan Vows to Take Libyas Aid. † Washington Post, 26 February, Sec. A1. Knickerbocker, B. 1995. â€Å"US Militias: The Dark Side of Frontier Independence. † The Christian Science Monitor, 24 April, Sec. NATIONAL.

Wayne Mcgregors Career As A Choreographer Drama Essay

Wayne Mcgregors Career As A Choreographer Drama Essay Wayne McGregors career as a choreographer has been experimental and Innovative. This essay is an overview of his career so far as a choreographer, looking mainly at his work as Artistic director of Random Dance, Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet and his interests in Technology and Science. The essay begins with a brief biography of McGregors career and goes on to show his collaborations and choreographic works and finally analyzes what makes him unique as a choreographer. Wayne McGregor was born in the year 1970 in Stockport, England. He studied dance at Bretton Hall College which was at The University of Leeds and he then went on to study at the Josà © Limon School in New York. In the year 1992 McGregor was appointed choreographer in residence at The Place, London and in that same year he founded his own dance company known as Wayne McGregor | Random Dance which was invited to become the resident company at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London in the Year 2002. In 2004 Wayne McGregor was appointed Artist-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge at the Department of Experimental Psychology. (www.randomdance.com) In the year 2006, Wayne McGregor was appointed as the Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet. This was a great achievement as he was the first Modern Dance choreographer with no ballet training to be given this role at the Company. In 2009 McGregor premiered his production of the Opera, Dido and Aeneas at the Royal Opera House, London, this was his Opera debut. His newest choreographic works are Outlier, which was premiered this year by the New York City Ballet on May 14th and Yantra, premiered by Stuttgart Ballet on the 7th of July this year. (www.randomdance.com) Wayne McGregors company Random Dance premiered Xeno 1 2 3 at The Place, London in January of the year 1993, this was their debut as a company. Throughout the 1990s Wayne McGregor and Random Dance continued to develop the company with choreographic works such as AnArkos 1995, 8 legs of the Devil 1996, The Millennarium 1997 and Sulphur 16 1998. Wayne McGregors interest in technology developed and his choreographic works from the year 2000 onwards really reflected this with performances such as Aeon 2000, digit01 2001, PreSentient 2002, Polar Sequences 2003 and Qualia 2004. (www.randomdance.com) Wayne McGregor has a great interest in science which greatly influenced his choreography in 2004. During his time at the University of Cambridge where he had a fellowship for six months at their Department of Experimental Psychology, he started to research a condition called Ataxia. . (www.randomdance.com) The word ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia have problems with coordination because parts of the nervous system that control movement and balance are affected. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and eye movements. The word ataxia is often used to describe a symptom of incoordination which can be associated with infections, injuries, other diseases, or degenerative changes in the central nervous system. (www.ataxia.org) At the Department of Experimental Psychology, McGregor worked with scientists who had interests in areas such as object recognition and spatial processing, movement analyses, cognitive dimensions of notation, and relationships between representation and self. ( Kupper, 2007, p.178) After his research Wayne McGregor choreographed Ataxia, the performance was designed with the help of his experiences with neuroscientists; his company of professionally trained dancers, along with the help of a person experiencing an ataxic movement disorder, her name was Sarah Seddon Jenner. ( Kupper, 2007, p.178) McGregor uses lighting effects to add to the choreography and bring it to life as he does in many of his choreographic pieces. In a review of Ataxia for The Guardian, Judith Mackrell says In Wayne McGregors latest work there is a moment, in the middle, when the stage seems to dissolve into an electric brain storm. Pulsing currents of brightly coloured light stream in disorienting patterns around the space. The music judders and strains as if several clashing scores were being played at the same time. (Mackrell, 2004) In 2005 McGregor continued to use science as a tool of exploration for his choreography for the piece Amu. He worked with heart imaging specialists for this piece, along with artistic collaborators. They wished to question both physical functions and symbolic resonances of the human heart. (www.randomdance.org) In a review of Amu in The Sunday Times, Debra Craine says If you thought about it too much it could haunt you. Each minute of every day, through a complex web of arteries, your heart is pumping the bodys lifeblood. Its a fact of nature that we take for granted but its something that the choreographer Wayne McGregor and the composer John Tavener want us to think about. Their fascinating new collaboration Amu (Arabic for of the heart) is all about the organ, seeing it through McGregors embrace of science and Taveners famous spiritualism. (Craine, 2005) McGregors concepts for choreography include technology as well as science, a good example of this would be Entity which was premiered by Wayne McGregor | Random Dance at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London on April 10th 2008. Entity incorporated technology, with the use of a soundscape which was an hour long, created by Jon Hopkins and Joby Talbot. It incorporated the use of video; the video design was created by Ravi Deepres. (www.randomdance.org) The choreography was initiated from McGregors Choreography and Cognition research project which is a collaboration with scientists of Neurology and Psychology. (www.randomdance.org) The choreography was described by Gia Kourlas of the New York Times when he said, Wayne McGregors Entity begins and ends with a video of a greyhound seeming to run in place. The reference is significant: as entities, these slim animals are at once refined and fidgety, highly flexible and, of course, able to devour space at great speed. For Mr. McGregor, those are key physical ingredients that his dancers, also entities, must possess to have a solid grasp of his movement. In this world of glossy distortion, there isnt a place for hazy shapes. (Kourlas, 2010) After the success of his choreography for Chroma performed The Royal Ballet in 2006, Wayne McGregor was given the job as Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet. In 2008 audiences saw another great choreographic piece by McGregor which showed his innovative use of technology and lighting to make his choreography unique, this performance was called Infra and premiered at The Royal Opera House, London March 13th 2008. (www.randomdance.org) McGregor collaborated with many people while developing and choreographing Infra. Wayne worked with Monica Mason, Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet. He commissioned a British artist called Julian Opie to collaborate with him and create a visual set to add to the piece. For the music Wayne collaborated with cult composer Max Richter to create a unique soundscape to accompany the choreography. The choreologist for Infra was Darren Parish who recorded Waynes choreography in rehearsals with the use of Bensch Notatation. (BBC Documentary) The producer was Will Harding, the lighting designer that worked closely with Wayne McGregor was Lucy Carter and the costume designer was Moritz Junge. The artist Julian Opie that worked on the set design had never designed for the theatre before. Opie had created screen lights, which showed the silhouettes of a male stick figure and a female stick figure in light, these are in Dublin on OConnells Street. While researching for his set design for Infra Opie observed people walking along the streets and how they moved like choreography. (BBC Documentary) The music created by Max Richter was created on a synthesiser and Waynes choreography was created before the music as this is the way McGregor worked on this particular choreography. The performance was twenty five minutes long and cast included twelve dancers plus a cast of fifty extras that were included in the choreography. The process of creating Infra from the very beginning to the premier performance on opening night was filmed by the BBC for a documentary. The documentary gave great publicity for Wayne McGregor and Infra and he won South Bank Show award for Infra in 2009. . (BBC Documentary) (www.randomdance.org) In an interview by Sarah Crompton for The Telegraph, Wayne McGregor talks to her about the process of his collaboration for Infra with Julian Opie, McGregor explains: We both feel that the body can never really be abstract but he feels that there is a difference between a functional action he jumps up to demonstrate raising an arm, tying a shoe and a pose. A pose for him is something that cant be connected to meaning in a really exact way and I found that really interesting. So what we have done is worked with this absolute physicality and, at the other end, a kind of language which is oppositional to that. (McGregor Wayne, citied in Crompton 2008) In a review of Infra by Debra Craine for The Times, she gives her opinion on what strikes her about the performance, she says: The first thing that strikes you about Infra is Julian Opies set. His evocative figures, drawn in outline on a giant LED screen, move back and forth high across the stage, like busy London commuters. Underneath are the live dancers, the inner manifestation of the outer world above. Their memories, fears, dreams and desires are being lived out in the intimacy of their own heads. McGregors movement may still be a full-body workout (undulating torsos, limbs constantly in motion, muscles yearning to exceed their limits) but it speaks as strongly of compassion and anger, of happiness and anxiety, tenderness and tears. (Craine, 2008) Wayne McGregors appointment as resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet, was a great achievement, he continues creating choreographic pieces for his company Random Dance, while choreographing for The Royal Ballet. But does he work in a different way with the dancers in his company than he does with the Royal Ballet. During the rehearsals for Limen in 2009, Emma Crichton-Miller talked to Wayne McGregor about his creative approach and the development of his new work. She asks him: Do you work in a different way with your own company Wayne McGregor | Random Dance than you do with The Royal Ballet? To which Wayne Explains: In every new piece I create the process is different as the individuals in the studio (whatever the company) have their own direct effect on the choreography. That is one of the great motivators of working deeply with both companies; the individuals within them are incredibly inspiring. Equally, there are differences in the circumstances of making. At Random I have the dancers all day for many weeks at a time, exclusively. Their priority is dancing only my work and our collaborative journey together reflects this singular commitment. At The Royal Ballet I cant have the dancers exclusively, and theyre doing lots of other repertory simultaneously, so the demands they place on their bodies in a day are different and how I use their precious time is tempered accordingly. Both circumstances, each with their own innate challenges, nurture me in distinctive but highly complementary ways.

Gerotranscendence as an alternative ageing theory

Gerotranscendence as an alternative ageing theory The theory of gerotranscendence has been chosen for the purpose of this essay as it represents an alternative ageing theory and can be useful when planning to carry out a research project in a nursing home with the aim to find out how elderly people experience their daily life in an institution. The theory of gerotranscendence may help provide a more balanced understanding of the quality of life of the older adult living in a nursing home (Tornstam, 1989: Tornstam, 1997b). A brief description of the theory of gerotranscendence follows. Fawcett (2000) argues that the theories on human ageing may be divided into two main categories: biological ageing theories, and  the psychological and social ageing theories. This essay aims to describe, analyze and present a critique of Lars Tornstams theory of Gerotranscendence. According to Tornstam (1992, 1994, 1996a) human ageing is characterized by a general process towards gerotranscendence. Gerotranscendence is a shift in meta-perspective, from a materialistic and rational view of the world to a more cosmic and transcendent view. It is a natural and individual process that leads to maturity and wisdom in old age (Tornstam, 1996b). Within this essay, the basis of this theory will be explored, together with the analysis of its development. Moreover, the theory of gerotranscendence will be viewed in the light of the nursing science and whether it is easy and logical to comprehend. Values and assumptions will also be reviewed. These are the topics that this essay will attempt to discuss in relation to the nursing practice, education and research. 2.0 Description of the Theory of Gerotranscendence The theory of gerotranscendence was developed by Lars Tornstam, professor of sociology at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. This theory has been developed as a reaction to the prevailing ageing theories within gerontological nursing (Tornstam, 1992). Tornstam (1992, 1994, 1996a) states that human ageing, i.e. living into old age, is characterized by a general process towards gerotranscendence. This process involves a change in the way individuals perceive basic concepts, and it occurs after a certain point in life. The definition of reality also changes as a result of this. In a normal ageing process this shift is made from the middle-aged persons definition of reality based on a materialistic and rational vision, to the ageing persons more cosmic and transcendent vision. Tornstam turned to eastern cultures and religion, in the form of Zen Buddhism in order to formulate his theory (Tornstam, 1992, 1994, 1996a). According to Tornstam (1994), a transcendent vision of life involves a change in the perception of time, so that the boundaries between past, present and future are erased. In the same way the boundaries between the self and other individuals may also become diffused. These boundaries between past, present and future, and between self and others, which in a materialistic and rational way of thinking are so important, become superfluous in old age (Tornstam, 1992, 1994, 1996a). As a consequence, the individual with a transcendent perspective experiences in old age a need to spend more time on meditation and less on material things and superficial social relations. The material world is avoided, whilst the older adult turns to spirituality a more important concept in life. A person who has experienced gerotranscendence view the younger generation as captured in a materialistic conception of the world, spending their time on superficial relationships and things (Tornstam, 1989). Thus, as Tornstam sustains, after mid-life there is a new conception of life, which in turn brings a change in how we look at life i.e. a shift in meta-perspective, as Tornstam labels it. This new meta-perspective provides the individual with an easy way to understand what to value in old age (Tornstam, 1994). The shift in meta-perspective is normal for all individuals according to Tornstam, since it is genetically conditioned. Gerotranscendence is the end result of a natural process towards maturation and wisdom in which reality is defined differently than in mid-life. Due to its natural origins, gerotranscendence lead the older adult to have an increased life satisfaction after mid-life (Tornstam, 1994). The progression towards gerotranscendence may be hindered or accelerated by cultural characteristics. The presence of predominant values of effectiveness, materialism and independence in Western culture may obstruct or retard such process (Tornstam, 1997c). Tornstam suggests that the theory of gerotranscendence is one of several valuable theories on ageing (Tornstam, 1994). Other theories, such as the social breakdown syndrome, may be relevant for some elderly people (Fawcett, 2000). This theory is meant as a supplement which represents another paradigm. However, Fawcett (2000) suggests that two paradigms may be valid at the same time, it is only necessary to know what they represent. 3.0 -Theory of Gerotranscendence: An Analysis 3.1 Concept Analysis No definition of the concept behind gerotranscendence is provided by the author (Thorsen, 1998). Rather than providing a definition, the author of this theory chooses to describe the concept by an analysis of social values combined with a portrayal of the distinctive features of gerotranscendence (Thorsen, 1998: Gamliel, 2001). One may argue that the lack of a direct definition of the concept behind this theory may itself cause vagueness in its usage both in education and practice. Within practice nursing, there is a general agreement within the literature that signs of gerotranscendence are often interpreted as pathological rather than a natural process (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten Carlsson, 2000: Wadensten, 2007). Wadensten and Carlsson (2000) argued that a lack of a clear definition of the concept behind gerotranscendence may result in an incorrect and/or absent theoretical framework to relate to, influencing both nursing in practice and nursing research (Meleis, 1991). Perhaps Torn stam has chosen not to define the concept because he thinks that a brief description would only serve to narrow down the understanding of the concept (Fawcett, 2000: Watson, 1997). One may also argue that the lack of concept definition can be used as an advantage both in nursing research and practice as it will unconsciously increase its applicability in different contexts (Meleis, 1991). Is the Concept logically derived? The concept of gerotranscendence is in many respects a logical one since it is intuitively easy to understand as it may make the readers recognize their own ageing process and their experiences with older adults (Meleis, 1991: Wadensten, 2006). Within an academic point of view, this type of intuitive feeling for a concept is not considered very scientific, but is probably important since it makes it easier to grasp the general idea of  the theory. On the other hand, the lack of definition makes it more difficult to understand. Secondly, Tornstam derives the concept of gerotranscendence from concepts present in Eastern cultures and eastern Philosophy, such as Zen Buddhism which are rather unfamiliar and unscientific from a Western cultural and logical point of view. Concepts such as mystical, meditation, cosmic communion and especially his description of diffuse borders in time and between objects, makes the concept of gerotranscendence hard to understand in a logical sense both in nursing education and nursing practice (Thorsen, 1998: Wadensten, 2007a). The shift in meta-perspective i.e. past, present and future become diffused, whilst the self and others become indistinct are often denominated to be pathological in Western cultures (Wadensten, 2007a). From this perspective the concept of gerotranscendence may appear illogical. In line with these arguments, Wadensten and Carlsson (2000) investigated whether nursing staff in Swedish nursing homes could recognize signs of gerotranscendence. Qualitative interviews and an interview guide based on the theory of gerotranscendence were used. Findings showed that staff noticed signs of gerotranscendence; however most of these signs were interpreted as pathological sustaining previously raised arguments (Wadensten and Carlsson, 2000). If the theory of gerotranscendence is used to provide an interpretative framework, these signs would be seen as normal aspects of ageing. 3.2 Theory Analysis The basis of the Theory of Gerotranscendence Tornstam (1992 and 1997a) argues that within gerontological research there is a prevailing research paradigm which negatively affects nursing and gerontological research and alternitavely health care distribution. He (Tornstam, 1994) states that gerontology is encapsulated in a natural science paradigm, entailing that research is primarily focused on the behavior of the elderly, where the individuals are regarded as research objects only, discarding experiences, attitudes and behaviors. This research paradigm generally states that the researcher shall assess and analyze the actual facts concerning a phenomenon in an objective and unbiased manner. Tornstam (1992 and 1997a) argues that within this prevailing gerontological research the latter is not achieved. Gerontological and nurse researchers can modify the paradigm by asking the elderly themselves about their understanding and experience of their own situation, in other words a more phenomenological approach. Wadensten (2005) conducted a qualitative descriptive study in order to introduce the theory of gerotranscendence to older people. Participants were invited to participate in group sessions at a day centre during which they discussed their ageing process. A video on the theory of gerotranscendence was shown, and participants were asked to discuss the description of the ageing process described in the video with their own personal experiences. From this study, Wadensten (2005) concluded that involving the elderly in their own care is an opportunity to use aspects of the theory of gerotranscendence as an intervention in nursing. Wadensten (2005) argued that nurses are in an ideal position to improve the quality of life for the older adult and to promote health using a phenomenologic al approach, through discussions about ageing. Furthermore Tornstam (1992) claims that the anthropological research tradition may be useful in this respect. An immediate reaction in the nursing literature (Thorsen, 1998: Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten, 2007a; Roy, 1984 consider referencing actual article) proposes the following questions: Does Tornstam himself consider this criticism when formulating his own theory? Does reversing the prevalent paradigm mean that one is assuming the perspective of the elderly? Isnt it a researcher in mid-life who is performing this reversal? Does turning to Eastern religion and philosophy mean that the elderly in Western cultures are not being taken seriously? It is conspicuous that Tornstam, who criticizes gerontological research and theory development, appears to fall into the same trap as the other theoreticians. Some authors argue that the basis of the theory of gerotranscendence is acquired only from a little number of elderly. Others argue that such theory should be developed by asking elderly populations within a Western culture. However Tornstam (1989) justifies the latter as he thinks that they are captured in a materialistic and rationalistic world. Tornstam reverses the values he claims are predominant in the West, stating that they are the real values of the elderly. Tornstam also does not ask the elderly from a Western culture about their vital spiritual values. Most of the elderly in the West have their spiritual roots in this religion. Perhaps nursing practice, research and education would have felt more familiar with Tornstams ideas if he had based his theory on Christian philosophy and Western Cultures. What Kind of Theory and at Which Level is it Valid? Tornstam recounts his own increasing feeling of doubt when the theory of disengagement was rejected by the gerontological community. He had first agreed that the theory should be rejected, but later he felt intuitively that this theory had an explanatory force which gerontological researchers were unable to achieve. Tornstam thus used logical reasoning combined with his own feelings when formulating the theory, which indicates a theory based on deduction (Tornstam, 1989). On the other hand, empirical data have evidently been vital to the formulation of the theory. Tornstam reacted to the many myths on ageing that persisted even though empirical research proved the opposite (Tornstam, 1989). He also noted that the elderly themselves reported being very satisfied with their lives, even though they had evidently reduced their social activity, and also did not feel lonelier in old age than earlier in their lives (Roy, 1984). These empirical findings clearly contributed to the formulation of the theory of gerotranscendence. Moreover, it provides a new understanding of what is called passivity of the elderly (Tornstam, 1989). The theory of gerotranscendence is mainly developed through deduction, but also with input of empirical data, and hence is doubtless quite typical. It is hard to define the theory as either deductive or inductive, but it is probably primarily deductive (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten, 2006). Generalisation Potential of the Theory? The theory states that all humans will naturally develop towards gerotranscendence, that this is a universal phenomenon. In other words, the theory aims to apply for all individuals (Wadensten, 2006). What about the difference between Eastern and Western values? The theory also includes strategies to explain why the expected development towards a transcendent existence does not occur. These explanations state that cultural characteristics may prevent such a normal development. On the other hand Thorsen (1998) argues that in Western post-modern cultures the ageing processes are becoming manifold, often contradictory. Elderly present versions of the selves that are becoming complex, multiplied (multiple selves), acting at different scenes, stamped by varied cultural values, presenting mixed versions of activity and passivity, engagement and retractment, wordliness and transcendence (Thorsen, 1998). This in turn sheds further doubts on the ageing process and how such process should be v iewed by the healthcare workers, nurse researchers and the elderly themselves. Redfern and Ross (2006) argue that despite numerous theories of ageing, interpretative frameworks and guidelines of care, the ageing process and the care involved cannot be standardized into one single definition and/or guidelines of care. What is the Aim and Intention of the Theory? The theory of gerotranscendence attempts to explain why a transcendent form of life is the most natural one. His explanation is that this is a biological necessity for everyone. Tornstam also explains why we dont see so much transcendence among the elderly in our Western culture (Wadensten, 2006). He claims that this is because our culture does not allow or appreciate transcendence, and instead regards such phenomena as unnatural and irrational. It may also be discussed whether the theory presents predictions about a positive old age. The theory states that a transcendent old age is positive and this may be understood as a normative prediction on old age. On the other hand, Thorsen (1998) warns that Tornstams theory should not be viewed as a universal process, applicable for every human being. Thorsen (1998) narrates that old age and its process are embedded within society as the latter contains notions about normative appropriateness to various age groups. 4.0 Critique of the Theory Is the Theory Coherent and Consistent? The theory is predominantly coherent, for a reader it is easy to understand what Tornstam means when he describes the ageing process as a development towards a more contemplative form of life. Thorsen (1998) highlights some unclear arguments from the theory presented by Tornstam. Thorsen (1998) argues that the theory of gerotranscendence points out that throughout mid-life an individual is more materialistic and rational. If it is true that we are more materialistic and rational in mid-life should that not apply to everyone, also those people living in the East? If this is a genetic factor it should apply to all people. Or do cultural characteristics take precedence over biological factors? (Thorsen, 1998). Thorsen (1998) considers this part of Tornstams theory to be somewhat vague and inconsistent. In line with this perspective Thorsen (1998) argue that old people, like young people, are undergoing an individual and social process of change. At the same time individuals of all ages are influenced by changes in the spirit of the age. Thorsen (1998) argues that irrelevant from the age group; changing cultural characteristics leave their stamp both on the individuals world-view and his/her perception of self. The main argument of Thorsen (1998) is that he rejects the notion proposed by Tornstam that transcendence is determined by intrinsic genetic factors. In fact Thorsen (1998) states that self is neither cultural, ahistoric, bodiless and genderless in the ageing process. This argument puts more doubts on how the older adult and the ageing person should be viewed within the society, more precisely within the healthcare system. Furthermore, one may question whether there is consistency between Tornstams own paradigm and his theory. According to his research paradigm the values and opinions of the elderly themselves shall form the basis of theories on ageing which in turn provide an interpretative framework in health care education and practice settings. The theory of gerotranscendence is logically derived from another theory and is based on empirical research with the elderly as research objects. One may argue that it is hard to find the consistency here between Tornstams theory and his paradigm. Likewise, the consistency becomes somewhat ambiguous between Tornstams research paradigm and his own research to verify his theory as the author applies the survey method (Tornstam 1994) to verify his own theory, which may seem rather peculiar viewed in the light of his severe criticism of the natural science paradigm. Tornstam (1996b) also states that phenomenological philosophy and anthropology may be useful poin ts of departure for approaching the theory. It can hardly be said that Tornstam himself employs such a theoretical basis; it was not before the qualitative study in 1997 that he introduced this approach. The implications of the above argument on nursing education involve that further research is required in order to test the validity of the theory of gerotranscendence, as research on the latter is limited. This is also sustained the nursing literature reviewed for the purpose of this essay (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2000). Within the practical settings, the implications of the above argument involve the revising of the practical guidelines provided by Tornstam, based on his theory (Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Although these guidelines provide an interpretative framework for nurses within nursing practice, when viewed in the light of lack of rigorous nursing research about the topic, one needs to consider their specificity and sensitivity to identify the signs of gerotranscendence in the older adult. Is the Theory Useful for Nursing? The theory of gerotranscendence is formulated in a gerontological research community and is not specifically linked to nursing (Gamliel, 2001: Tornstam, 1997b). Will the theory of ageing in general and this theory in particular be useful for nursing? In order to answer this question one must first explain what is meant by useful. Theory may be useful both for developing the theory structure of an academic subject and for the practical exercise of a profession (Meleis, 1991). In terms of theory structure this theory may lead to a more balanced understanding of the old patient. The theoretical bases that have been predominant within nursing are role theories and the activity theory. Role theories, such as the theory of the social breakdown syndrome, explain the withdrawal of the elderly as loss of role in society (Redfern Ross, 2006). The passivity of the elderly in institutions has also been interpreted with similar theories. Thus, there are grounds for stating that the theories which have so far been employed in nursing are based on one paradigm and mainly on one explanatory strategy loss of roles (Fawcett, 2000). When the withdrawal of the elderly is only considered a disadvantage and is explained to be caused by loss of roles, it is logical that activation is chosen as a means to curb a negative development. The theory of gerotranscendence may provide another interpretation and explanation of the withdrawal of the elderly (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). For practical nursing a new perspective may have concrete consequences, both for the occupation itself and for the nurse personally. Nurses, like other occupational groups, perform their occupation on the basis of theoretical knowledge, intrinsic values and practical skills. A practicing nurse is many years younger than the old patient and will probably be influenced by those values that Tornstam calls Western and which are predominant in mid-life. Because of all these factors the nurse may easily find that the old person has a passive and pathetic form of life, and consider the right remedy will be to activate the patient (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Nurses have till now been trained to, and been socialized into a role in which everybody thinks that all elderly are to be activated whether they want to or not. Nurses have learnt that activity is healthy and we know that activity may prevent social isolation, physical decline and complications (Redfern and Ross, 2006). Thus, the nurse feels that her knowledge of this phenomenon gives her a right and duty to activate the old patient. The nurse can motivate and defend her choice of action by a theory which states that it is good for people, including the elderly, to be active. In this perspective one may argue that Tornstams theory may be a useful supplement. If his theory is emphasized as much in practical nursing as the above mentioned theories have been, the nurse will be entitled to let the patient choose what many of us would call passivity. The nurse will be able to explain on the basis of a theory why the patient has been given such a choice (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Secondly, the nurse will have a better conscience while performing her job. Many nurses find they are forcing the elderly to be active. This type of coercion is against ethical principles such as the autonomy principle, and serves to give the nurse a bad conscience. The nurse is in an awkward position, between the benevolence principle based on the paradigm that Tornstam criticizes so heavily and the autonomy principle. The theory of gerotranscendence may help to lessen the conflict between these two principles. 5.0 Conclusion Tornstams theory of gerotranscendence introduces a completely new method of interpreting old age. What makes this theory special is his new interpretation of the withdrawal and passivity of the elderly as another form of activity. This activity is qualitatively different from the visible activity that we have focused on so far, in the form of social activity and engagement. Tornstam labels this form of activity transcendence and says that it helps to enhance the experience of a good life. Tornstam contributes to a balanced understanding of living into old age, and is obviously right in his criticism of how we have transplanted mid-life values into old age. His theory may to a large extent provide a new understanding of life in old age, for example old people who refuse to extend their social sphere, or who do not find activities in institutions meaningful. Tornstams theory is interesting and exciting to read and is extremely relevant for nursing. It can offer new ideas to nursing and insights into ageing and into those values and theories that influence the exercise of a practical occupation.

My Philosophy of Education :: Educational Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy of Education A few years ago I happened to witness a teacher touching the life a student. The teacher gave him praise and self-confidence; in return the student began to work harder towards his goals in life. He realized the meaning of inspiration and strived towards his goals, the teacher had turned around a student’s life. That student’s life happened to be mine. One of the main reasons why I want to become a teacher is to touch the lives of students. I will use my philosophical view to tell you why I chose to become a teacher. I will discuss the nature of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of public education, teaching method, and my curriculum to state my philosophy. First, I will discuss the nature of students. Most students are basically similar. Students are motivated to gain an education, to pass; they want to gain certification weather as a high school diploma or a college degree. Unfortunately there are students who stray from this path because of no inspiration to better themselves. A student must be motivated to succeed into today’s society and most students want to succeed in life, therefore they should have learned the basic morals and skills to survive. However, most students who are motivated are basically good morally. For instance, good student that misbehave do so because they want to gain attention. If each student is paid attention to then the majority of the students will turn out as inspired decision makers. Let’s move on to a different point. Secondly, I will discuss the nature of knowledge. I believe that the nature of knowledge is absolute and it is discovered. In my education 210 class my teacher ask us Questions. Therefore to gain the answer to these questions we must either look the questions up or she will give us hints to discover them. This type of learning is called discovery learning. All through out history knowledge has been discovered, take for example archaeologist. Archaeologists discover new things everyday dealing from ancient civilizations to dinosaur bones.

OVER PAID ATHLETES Essay -- essays research papers

Argument I believe professional athletes are overpaid. These athletes are making millions of dollars to have fun and play. They are getting paid to do what elementary kids do every day. Professional athletes are should be paid about sixty to ninety thousand a year. The reason I say this much is because they are at a professional level and have worked hard to get to that status. In theory, professional athletes are overpaid because the U.S. is more focused on entertainment value in today’s society, rather than important issues like employment or cancer. First, the commissioner for all the sports should lower all of the salary caps for the players. Next, all of the athletes should be placed on a merit system. Meaning if the athlete is making 12 million dollars and there performance or statistics (such as shooting percentage, rebounding, or rushing yards), decrease by 20% or more, that athlete should have a pay cut. Also, when the athlete performs and does what he or she was employed to d o, the athlete should be considered for a raise. Then, once this has been accomplished, the athlete will have worked for his paycheck and appreciate the hard work and dedication that he or she has committed. One summer in July in the city of Copperas Cove, Texas, I was just getting off of my $5.65 an hour job at Blockbuster Video. I sat down to watch television with my niece. I got the remote and turned the TV to ESPN. I watched 18-year old Lebron James accepts a 90 million dollar contract fr...