Free Essays on Living Together

Should We Live Together? A careful review of the available social science evidence suggests that living together is not a good way to prepare for marriage or to avoid divorce. What's more, it shows that the rise in cohabitation is not a positive family trend. Cohabiting unions tend to weaken the institution of marriage and pose clear and present dangers for women and children. Living together before marriage is one of America's most significant and unexpected family trends. By simple definition, living together or unmarried cohabitation is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not married to each other, and sharing a household. By 1997, the total number of unmarried couples in America topped 4 million, up from less than half a million in 1960. It is estimated that about a quarter of unmarried women between the ages of 25 and 39 are currently living with a partner and about half have lived at some time with an unmarried partner (the data are typically reported for women but not for men). Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, compared to virtually none earlier in the century. Unlike divorce or unwed childbearing, the trend toward cohabitation has inspired virtually no public comment or criticism. It is hard to believe that across America, only thirty years ago, living together for unmarried, heterosexual couples was against the law. And it was considered immoral living in sin or at the very least highly improper. Women who provided sexual and housekeeping services to a man without the benefits of marriage were regarded as fools at best and morally loose at worst. A double standard existed, but cohabiting men were certainly not regarded with approbation. Today, the old view of cohabitation seems yet another example of the repressive Victorian norms. The new view is that cohabitation represents a more progressive approach to intimate relationships. How much healthier women are... Free Essays on Living Together Free Essays on Living Together Should We Live Together? A careful review of the available social science evidence suggests that living together is not a good way to prepare for marriage or to avoid divorce. What's more, it shows that the rise in cohabitation is not a positive family trend. Cohabiting unions tend to weaken the institution of marriage and pose clear and present dangers for women and children. Living together before marriage is one of America's most significant and unexpected family trends. By simple definition, living together or unmarried cohabitation is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not married to each other, and sharing a household. By 1997, the total number of unmarried couples in America topped 4 million, up from less than half a million in 1960. It is estimated that about a quarter of unmarried women between the ages of 25 and 39 are currently living with a partner and about half have lived at some time with an unmarried partner (the data are typically reported for women but not for men). Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, compared to virtually none earlier in the century. Unlike divorce or unwed childbearing, the trend toward cohabitation has inspired virtually no public comment or criticism. It is hard to believe that across America, only thirty years ago, living together for unmarried, heterosexual couples was against the law. And it was considered immoral living in sin or at the very least highly improper. Women who provided sexual and housekeeping services to a man without the benefits of marriage were regarded as fools at best and morally loose at worst. A double standard existed, but cohabiting men were certainly not regarded with approbation. Today, the old view of cohabitation seems yet another example of the repressive Victorian norms. The new view is that cohabitation represents a more progressive approach to intimate relationships. How much healthier women are...

Absolutism vs Democracy essays

Absolutism vs Democracy essays The way a household runs is a lot like how a government does, it has social, economic, religious, military and political issues, the way they choose to run it effects the people under it greatly. Families and government must both ask themselves in what way should they respond to these issues. One choice appearing on the far right of the political spectrum is called absolutism. This system has one supreme leader who is absolute and answers to no one. Absolutism can lead to a nationalistic society, which tends to have a more unified and patriotic population. This nationalism leads to a country more willing to defend itself in a patriotic manner. This society also possesses great ability to stabilize its economy if ever in need. Dictatorships can many times lead ultra-nationalism, which comprises peoples rights and freedoms by controlling peoples lives. Along with the patriotism can come its extreme forms of elitism and racism. On the opposite side of the spectrum comes a different syst em called individualism. It involves Individualism protects minority and their rights. Individualism tries to protect minority rights thought protecting their culture. An example of this is the Official Languages Act of 1969. This act declared that both French and English would be the official languages of Canada. Canada was protecting the French culture by protecting the purity of their language. If Quebec were to separate the opposite if this would most likely happen. French would become the main language and the English language would be ignored. Quebec tried to do this once before. In 1977 the provincial government of Quebec attempted to pass Bill 101. What Bill 101 would basically do is make French the official language of Quebec. English language would be lost as an official language. In an effort to protect the English minority in Quebec the federal government took Quebecs provincial government to court and won, eliminating ...

Service Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Service Marketing - Research Paper Example Marketing challenges are a common issue for all service companies. The major focus of these companies is to highlight intangible or tangible element present within the service aspect. In this research study five different companies will be included belonging to different service sectors. The various service sectors chosen for this study are financial services, telecommunication services, airlines, hospitality and health care services. Financial services are usually provided by finance industry and are regarded as economic services. There is wide range of firms belonging to this industry like banks, insurance companies, real estate funds, credit unions, investment funds, accountancy companies, etc. Air transport services are another well-known service for travelling freight and passengers. Telecommunication service is all about enhancing transfer capabilities of user information through telecommunication systems. On the other hand, health care services are highly responsible for provi ding appropriate health care facilities to patients. Hospitality services are inclined towards providing guests accommodation facilities, travel, food, other amenities, etc. Etisalat is the brand name for Emirates Telecommunications Corporation. The company belongs to the telecommunication industry and was founded in 1976. Etisalat is a well-known telecommunication service provider based in UAE. In current scenario the company operates across 15 countries encompassing Asia, Africa and Middle East. The company is ranked as 12th largest operator of mobile network across the globe. Total customer base of the firm is about 150 million. Services being offered by the company are mobile and fixed line telephony, digital television and internet services. It can be stated that fixed line telephony and digital television is a form of tangible substance being offered by Etisalat. The company has even entered into approximately 150 roaming agreements, expanding across 186

The Concept of Leadership in the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Concept of Leadership in the media - Essay Example Through research conducted at Fortune 500 companies, the issue of corporate social responsibility has been made significant. The research was conducted in relation to leadership issues and stated that companies more involved in corporate social responsibility were most likely to be morally irresponsible. As a way of supporting his argument, the article author gives examples of Enron and BP. Enron was involved in an accounting fraud scandal that cost its shareholders $ 11 billion while BP, which had held a safety record missed safety signs resulting in11 deaths. It is important for companies to maintain ethics and corporate social responsibility (Ormiston, 2013). Australian statistics from their national bureau of statistics show Women have accessed greater educational opportunities and employment opportunities. However in the property sector has not fully utilized the potentiality of the female gender workforce. Although there are few women employed in the industry, the Ernest and Young report also supports the evident view of gender inequality in that sector. The report further states that women are better financial performers compared to their male counterparts. The presence of male domination in a traditionally male industry points out the organizational setup is still in the developmental stages of achieving gender equality (Heaton, 2015). Intel Chief Executive is seen as visionary through investing in the improvement of its workplace diversity. Gender-related issues are still considered as contemporary issues in the present day organization as most companies have stuck to the traditional male domination. However, Intel’s Chief Executive has set a pioneering step in altering the workplace demographics by investing in the acquisition of female gender workforce. The three-year investment plan is set to change the

Global Strategy and Local Needs in the Luxury Car Market Essay Example for Free

Global Strategy and Local Needs in the Luxury Car Market Essay 1 Introduction Since the 1980’s researchers have been trying to understand what globalization is and how competitive advantage can be gained out of it. This study will look at this movement with a critical eye and reflect whether or not it is sometimes better to give local needs priority in management decisions. The purpose of this study is to analyse whether the â€Å"Global strategy, but local needs† assumption leads to success. The objective is to provide scientific evidence for this strategy, analyse different organizations’ strategies and provide a possible recommendation for the best practice. Globalization is a driver of luxury 1 but it is not the best solution to apply this approach in all strategic decisions. This paper will not only look at this strategic approach in general, but will try to focus in specific on the luxury car market. The luxury segment is a fascinating subject for scientific research, because it still provides possibilities for relatively fundamental research within its niche. 2 Although there is considerable literature about specific brands, there is a lack of systematic and scholarly work that analyses the luxury car phenomenon itself. 3 The importance of this segment has also been emphasized in Sergio Marchionne’s recent speech to the shareholders (appendix 7. 2). The CEO of the Fiat S. p. a and of the Chrysler Group LLC underlined that his strategy for the future of the Group is located in the premium4 car production. 5 The motivation of this paper therefore is to analyse the challenge Maserati will have to address and to arrive to some practicable conclusions. 1 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 12. 2 Cf. Heine 2012, p. 6. 3 Cf. Berger 2001, p. 160. 4. Expression intentionally quoted to illustrate a later explained statement 5 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012b. Definition and terminology 1. 1 2 Methodology The findings of this project are derived from primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information. The tertiary source was mainly the catalogue of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in Frankfurt. Another important part of the data collection contributed the Internet. Most data has been found with the search engine google. com and scholar. google. com and the homepages of the relative brands mentioned in the project. The biggest part of the project’s information was taken out of secondary sources such as textbooks, newspapers and specific literature. Finally, the annual reports of 2011 of selected brands have been consulted. 2 Definition and terminology 2. 1 Strategy â€Å"†¦ Strategy in corporate practice is an integrated concept with the objective of ensuring long-term survival in active interaction with the competition †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 6 In today’s everyday changing business environment all companies are forced to reassess their strategies, their structures and their processes regularly. But the answers to every strategic and organizational challenge is varying among industries. 7 Therefore first a summary of different general strategic alternatives will be presented. Afterwards a detailed analysis of the characteristic strategy in the luxury car market will be developed. 2. 2 Global or Local Strategy In this chapter both terms global and local strategy should be defined. Moreover the strategic challenge of a business to decide between both strategies should be analysed. 6 Cf. Kotler/Berger/Bickhoff 2010, p. 12. 7 Cf. Bartlett/ Ghoshal 1990, p. 17. Definition and terminology 3 Businesses have been international since ancient times and at its beginnings international business had simply the form of exporting and importing. Any business that carries out some of its activities across national boundaries can be defined as an international business. 8 In the 70s and 80s keywords as standardization, rationalization and centralization marked the new tendency towards globalization. 9 Globalization is a term that emerged in the 1980s/90s10 and that has become a buzzword in the 1990s. 11 Originally globalization was only an economic phenomenon that described the integration and merger of national economies, and the development of communication and production of knowledge, transportation and migration. 12 Today the extent to which the organization’s activities are spread across geographical regions has become a major consideration in the implementation of an organizations strategy. 13 A global strategy is the tendency of a company to a consistent strategy and adaptation to local circumstances become redundant. Global organizations gain competitive advantage overcoming national and continental boundaries. Therefore it was a widely held belief that there was the risk that the globalization would overrun all regional and national differences. 14 Though today we have evidence that there is no â€Å"global village† and that regional and national differences cannot be so easily neglected. On the contrary the majority of the apparently global organizations use local differences to gain competitive advantage. 15 Therefore numerous literature and research on the counter-rotating trend to globalization, the so-called localization, can be found. Localization in general means the adaptation to or consideration of local market conditions. Most of the research concluded that the two apparently contrary concepts do not mutually exclude but depend on one another: â€Å"Globalization can mean the reinforcement of 8 Cf. Campbell/Stonehouse/Houston 2002, p. 255. 9 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 36. 10 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 9. 11 Cf. Rohm 2010, p. 4. 12 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 9. 13 Cf. Campbell/Stonehouse/Houston 2002, p. 254. 14 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 10 15 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 58. 4 Definition and terminology or go together with localism as in ‘Think globally, act locally’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  16 . Numerous literatures even deduce a new concept called â€Å"Glocalization. † Glocal strategies are strategies that provide evidence to global and local players, to respond advantageous and purposeful to globalization. They should assist global players to localize their activities where worthwhile and show ways and means to local players to make use of the global area respectively in both cases without abandoning their global or local character. 17 2. 3 Bartlett’s and Ghoshal’s model According to Bartlett and Ghoshal there are three traditional strategic directions a company can follow. Tab. 1: The three strategic directions 18 Multinational Global International Strong local presence Cost reduction through Usage of knowledge and through respect of national centralized but worldwide competences of the HQ needs oriented activities through worldwide diffusion and adaptation 2. 4 The multinational organization The multinational organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal is the archetype of the organization. At the beginning of the 1900th century this was the most diffused organizational model. As shown in figure 1 in the multinational organizational model the HQ is at the centre with many decentralized, interdependent and autonomous branches surrounding it. The specific needs of the local markets are encouraged and therefore they are able to react to local needs. Historically this organizational model was the one of many European companies that expanded into foreign countries. Several of these companies originally where family owned companies. Processes were based on personal relationship and 16 Cf. Pieterse 1995, p. 49 zitiert nach Lohmeier 2008,p. 53. 17 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 64. 18 Cf. Bartlett/ Ghoshal 1990, p. 32. 5 Definition and terminology informal contacts rather than formal structures and systems. Therefore only elementary financial control was necessary. 19 Branch Decentralized federation: Many key assets, responsibilities and decisions are decentralized Branch Branch HQ Branch Personal control: Informal HQ – subsidiary relationship, simple financial control Branch Multinational mentality: Management considers overseas operations as portfolio of interdependant business. Branch Figure 1: Multinational organization 20 2. 4. 1 The international organization This organizational model has similarities to the multinational organization. However as shown in figure 2 the branches are more dependent on the transfer of information and knowledge from the HQ. The objective of this kind of organization is to transfer knowledge and competences in aspects such as technology or marketing to underdeveloped foreign branches. The national branches can adapt products or strategies, while the HQ determines innovation and processes. In comparison to the multinational organization model there is more systematization and control. According to Bartlett and Ghoshal the international organization model had its breakthrough in the post-war period. The international organizational model is the model for the typical American Management culture of empowerment and delegation. 19 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 73. 20 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 74. 6 Definition and terminology Branch Branch Coordinated federation: Many assets, resources, responsibilities and decisions are decentralized but controlled by HQ Branch Branch HQ International mentality: Management considers overseas operations as appendix to a central domestic corporation Branch Administrative control: formal management planningand control systems allow higher HQ-subsidiary linkage. Branch Figure 2: International organization 21 2. 4. 2 The global organization Global companies develop their products and strategies considering only one equal worldwide market. Product development, production and marketing strategies remain centralized. 22 As shown in figure 3 the most important characteristics of the classical global organization have HQs that are a centralized hub that severely controls the branches and a management-mentality that views the world as one economic entity. The main feature is the centralization of assets, resources and competences. The function of branches is reduced to sales and services. In some cases financial competitive advantage is gained outsourcing the production sites abroad. Compared to the multinational and international organizations the branches in global organizations have less power to develop or modify new products and strategies. Managers in global organization, especially those located in HQ, often are more concentrated on the global market and consider the market to be equal worldwide. They have no comprehension of the local needs because there is no exchange of information between HQ and the national branches. 23 21 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p 77. 22 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 31. 23 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 75 f. 7 Definition and terminology Internationalization pioneers like Henry Ford build up their production plant according to this model and the Japanese started their offensive in the 70s and 80s with this model. 24 Normally global organizations first where very successful in their home market and used this success then to expand internationally. 25 Branch Branch Centralized hub: Most of the strategic assets, resources, responsibilities and decisions centralized Branch HQ. Branch Operational control: Tight control of decisions, resources and information through HQ Branch Global mentality: Management considers overseas operations as channels for the supply to a unified global market Branch Figure 3: Global organization 26 2. 4. 3 The transnational strategy Bartlett and Ghoshal claim that the traditional directions do note lead to adequate results anymore. Global and international organizations look out for a centralized answer to a worldwide market opportunity. Multinational companies search local solutions. Therefore Bartlett and Ghoshal developed the assumption for a new approach to solve the challenge of increased competitive and changing environment: The transnational strategy. 27 Companies nowadays can only survive in the competitive environment if they succeed in developing simultaneously worldwide competitiveness, multinational 24 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 75. 25 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 31. 26 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 77. 27 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 33 and p. 90. Definition and terminology 8 flexibility and global learning capabilities. These are the main elements of the transnational model. 28. The transnational model is a symbiosis or rather compromise of the other three traditional strategic directions. It combines both kind of competitive advantages: Because the affiliations are seen as strategic partners they can better respond to local needs and global synergies can be positive side effects. In the transnational model local markets are respected, and the proximity to the market is mainly an instrument to react more flexibly on a global scale. 29 The distinction between multinational and transnational companies is the amount to which the HQs are directly involved in the management of the branches. While a transnational company often has a strategic centre that manages to a high degree all the global operations a multinational company does not coordinate directly its foreign activities but rather considers the branches as interdependent business. The transnational organization acknowledges that there are certain resources and competences such as finance or research and development that are better centralized in the HQ while other resources are more advantageous to be decentralized in the markets to spread the competences on a global level. 30 2. 5 The Luxury Concept and Definition. The concept of luxury is known since ancient times. Lucullus, a roman senator who was famous in the ancient Rome for his marvellous evening events and his love for beauty, delicacies and sensorial pleasures, can be considered inventor of the luxury concept. 31 Chevalier and Mazzalovo provide a definition as follows: A luxury brand is selective and exclusive and provides an additional creative and emotional value for the consumer. It is a brand that is giving the desirable attribute of being scarce, sophisticated and in good taste. It also has a slightly understated and aristocratic attribute. 32 28 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 33. 29 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 84 30 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 84. 31 Cf. Heine 2012, p. 2. 32 Cf. Chevalier/Mazzalovo 2008, p. viii Definition and terminology 9 According to Kapferer and Bastien a luxury brand can be defined by six criteria:33 †¢ An extremely hedonistic experience or product †¢ The price is exceedingly higher compared to the functional value †¢ Tied to a tradition, exclusive expertise and culture ascribed to the brand †¢ Accessible only through controlled and restrained distribution †¢ Obtainable with tailored supplementary services. †¢ Indicating a social representation, making the holder or beneficiary feel special and privileged 2. 6 Luxury versus premium car market The concept of luxury is represented in numerous sectors of activities 34. In this study we will look into more details of the specifics of the automobiles luxury sector. According to Chevalier and Mazzalovo luxury automobiles are â€Å"those cars that consumer perceive as being very special and different from the others. †35 It is necessary to differentiate between the concept of luxury and the concept of premium. The term luxury vehicle suggests a vehicle with a higher quality equipment, better performance, particularly precise construction, comfort, higher design, technologically innovative, and features that transfer an image, brand, status or prestige. Often the image is strongly related to the country of origin of the product. Premium products are upper-range branded products with an increased price without the emotional characteristics like hedonism or myth. „Upper premium brands remain comparative, whereas luxury is superlative. â€Å"36 Suitable examples for this difference can be found in the car industry. While an Audi A6 or A8 are super-premium cars because of the excellent usage value they provide, an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini are luxury cars because of their rarity and the prestige of the name. 37 33 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 47. 34 Sectors of activities of luxury: Ready-to-wear cloth, jewelry and watches, perfumes and cosmetics, fashion accessories, wines and spirits, automobiles, hotels, tourism and private banking. 35 Cf. Chevalier/Mazzalovo 2008, p. x. 36 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 43f. ; Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 53. 37 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 53. 10 Strategic examples One historic management error that underlines the difference between luxury and premium is the Jaguar case. When Ford acquired Jaguar in 1989 they invested a lot in technology and training of the Jaguar employees. Thanks to common platforms with Ford they tried to sell small Jaguars. But this strategy seriously damaged the image of Jaguar and loosing the feeling of exclusivity they lost the luxury status. 38 3 Strategic examples In this chapter the before described theoretic information should be put together into a strategic framework. The strategic examples that will be considered are the most successful competitors of Maserati in terms unit sales: Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and BMW (figure 4). The first step was to obtain an overview of the structure of these companies and to identify their dependencies among each other and with other organizations (appendix 7. 3). The second step was to identify certain characteristics of these organizations and to put them into a framework developed to identify their degree of globalization or localization (appendix 7. 4). Based on this information a picture of their strategic directions has been deduced (appendix 7. 5). Bentley 2,57% Audi 6,56% Maserati 1,81% Jaguar 3,06% Maserati Market 2012 Aston Martin 1,74% Ferrari 1,26% Lexus 0,09% Porsche 48,43% BMW 12,23% Mercedes-Benz 22,25% Figure 4 The Maserati market in Germany in 2012 (market shares) 38 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 51. 39 Management Services Helwig Smitt GmbH, Hofgeismar. 39 Strategic examples 3. 1 11 Daimler AG Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the automobile in 1886. 40 Today the Daimler Group integrates different car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach. Cooperating with various organizations worldwide it has converted from a mainly domestically oriented exporting company to a globally operating one. The company is now well established not only in Europe but also in Brazil and Argentina and has established joint ventures also in China. 41 However for the Daimler Group â€Å"the cultural inertia has been difficult to overcome, and global pretensions and traditional German attachments form a contradictory and unstable mix. †42 Therefore it is difficult to classify the group to Bartlett and Ghoshals model. The Daimler AG is rather a combination between the multinational and the global organization. Mercedes-Benz being historically strongly connected to its German roots has a centralized HQ, but at the same time its business units have been made self-responsible profit centres and procurement of materials is globally coordinated for each group of materials. Furthermore this has been intensified through local settlement of direct production, more consultancies and engineering in the branches, and also some development tasks located outside Germany. 43. Daimler is relocating its production sites into emerging markets, as for example the recently opened site in Hungary. This trend can be underlined by its decreasing production figures in Europe. They are currently reducing their production in Sindelfingen. 44 3. 2 BMW AG The BMW group may be the most German focused of the three companies. It is globalized in its objectives rather than in its activities. 45 Approximately 60% of the production of BMW is still located in Germany (figure 5). However BMW is one of 40 Cf. Daimler AG 2012, p. 4. 41 Cf. Lane 2001, p. 84. 42 Cf. Lane 2001, p. 85 43 Cf. Lane 2011, p. 84f. 44 Cf. Berens 2012, p. 17 45 Cf. Lane 2011, p. 86. 12 Strategic examples the most respected brands in the world. The explanations for BMW’s success are a strong brand character, a stable, family shareholding and a very German business philosophy. 46 It can be deduced that having local roots increases the perceived value of BMW. Producing nearly all its automobiles in Germany customers perceive BMW as an authentic product of German culture. BMW follows the same strategy of keeping the Mini production in England. 47 South Africa, 3,06% China, 5,65% Austria, 5,91% CKD, 2,16% UK, 11,23% US, 15,88% Germany, 56,11% Figure 5: Vehicle production of the BMW Group in the world in 2011 48 Therefore BMW can be classified an international organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal’s model. BMW’s key competences are centralized but many other competences are decentralized. Thus BMW efficaciously implements the strategy of local assembling and local purchasing in countries with high customs duties on imports such as Russia, Thailand or India. However, under the terms of the distinction between luxury and premium products, the cars assembled in Thailand would not longer be defined as luxury products. They do serve to initiate customers into the brand, who then should develop the desire to purchase a ‘real’ BMW ‘made in Germany’. 49 BMW’s Management Meeting Place is a good example for the acquisition of knowledge in the HQ and then transferring it to the branches. First this discussion platform has been started in Germany and then it was transferred to locations abroad. The fact that this strategy works, and that behind BMW probably stands a 46 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 67. 47 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 78. 48 Cf. BMW AG 2012, p. 28. 49 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 78. 13 Strategic examples strong team is underlined by the fact that BMW has been rewarded being â€Å"The World’s Most Attractive Employer† by a study conduced lately. In fact the employee attrition ratio at BMW has decreased continuously in the last 3 years (figure 6). 5,85 percentage of workforce 6,00 4,59 5,00 4,00 2,74 2,66 2,16 3,00 2,00 1,00 0,00 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011. Figure 6: Employee attrition ratio at BMW AG 3. 3 50 Volkswagen AG The Volkswagen Group maybe is the most advanced example of a conglomerate of successful car manufacturers. Among all the subsidiary brands the most significant ones are Volkswagen AG, Audi AG and Porsche AG, but there are also Bentley, Lamborghini, Seat and Skoda (appendix 7. 3). In fact Porsche owns 32,5% of the Volkswagen Group shares. Succeeding in managing a portfolio of so dissimilar organizations under one umbrella certainly makes the Volkswagen Group to a transnational organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal. The cooperation in-between the brands of the Volkswagen Group are very well developed. One successful example of this approach is the common hybrid drive used in the Porsche Panamera, Cayenne and VW Touareg 51 . In addition the Volkswagen group has only little external cooperation mainly in the area of researching. The key competences remain inside the group. Becoming an integrated automotive industry is part of the group’s â€Å"Strategy 2018†. However, every single brand has its specific targets. Volkswagen’s target is to 50 Cf. BMW AG 2012, p. 39. 51 Cf. Porsche AG 2012, p. 67. The Maserati case 14 become the global market leader by 201852. This underlines the global factor. On the other side Porsche’s target is to become â€Å"the leader of exclusive sports cars manufacturers†53. Audi finally has the target to become the â€Å"premium brand that delights customers worldwide† 54 . Therefore the group’s values and capabilities remain inside the group and with a broad portfolio of interdependent and specialized brands completely different target groups can be addressed. The Volkswagen Group leads the global tendencies of the considered companies. But the core strategic functions (e. g. RD and design) remain mainly German. However the Volkswagen Group also recognizes the importance of knowing the local sources and therefore has implemented the C3-Sourcing program. Becoming technical, organizational and social laboratories foreign branches contribute to the integration of the whole group’s worldwide activities. Hence some Audi models that have the same platform as Volkswagen models are now produced in Volkswagen factories in China. This local adaptation is the key of success for Audi’s sales in China, where the top members of the communist party cannot own a car unless it is made in China, but at the same time it forces the brand to give up their luxury strategy and replace it with a premium one. 4 The Maserati case 4. 1 Introduction to Maserati The Italian sports cars producer with the trident on the logo has been founded as Societa Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati on December 1st 1914 in Bologna. Maserati was originally founded as a family business, but in 1937 it was sold to the Orsi family. In 1968 it was sold to Citroen and finally became part of the Fiat Group in 1993. 55 Thanks to his big sister Ferrari, Maserati has been reconstructed and from 2006 stands alone now in the structure of the Fiat S. p. a. (see figure 7). Today Maserati’s headquarter is based in Modena and it has two production sites in the north of Italy. Furthermore Maserati is divided in regions (Europe, Asia Pacific, 52 Cf. Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 233. 53 Cf. Porsche AG 2012, p. 14. 54 Cf. Audi AG 2012, p . 131. 55 Cf. Wikipedia 2012a. 15 The Maserati case. America and Middle East) with national branches in each separate country (e. g. France, Germany, United Kingdom). Maserati is currently becoming more and more significant for the rest of the Fiat Group. The first strategic milestone of the so-called â€Å"2010-2014 plan† was the integration of the Chrysler Group in June 2011. Figure 8 shows the increase of 30% of the workforce through this merger, mainly in North America. * including 58,5% Chrysler Group LLC Maserati (100%) Fiat Group Automobiles* (100%) AUTOMOBILES Fiat S. p. a. Ferrari (90%) Fiat Powertrain (100%) Magneti Marelli (100%). COMPONENTS PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Teksid (84,8%) Comau (100%) Figure 7: Structure of the Fiat S. p. a. Workforce 80 62,583 63,214 60 40 2011 2010 60,336 44,668 24,616 23,596 20 56 39,498 5,579 0 5,838 Italy Europe (excl. Italy) NAFTA Mercosur 4,894 other regions Figure 8: Increase of the workforce in the Fiat Group through the integration of Chrysler in 2011 56 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2011, p. 11. 57 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012c, p. 30. 57 The Maserati case 16 The second milestone was the plan presented in February 2011 in which â‚ ¬ 500 million were invested for the relaunch a production site58. In this new pIant two new models will be produced: The new Maserati Quattroporte by the end of 2012 and the Maserati Ghibli in the second half of the year 2013. 59 Thereby Maserati plans to increase its sales: While in 2011 Maserati sold 6,159 vehicles worldwide, in 2013 20,000 units are planed and by 2015 a growth up until to 50,000 vehicles per year is projected. 60 The Maserati S. p. a. can be classified as a global organization. They concentrate their decision and strategy making in the HQ in Italy and product development, production and marketing strategies remain centralized. The function of the branches is reduced to the implementation and realization of sales, services and marketing activities. The reason is linked to the strong connection with the domestic country and the patriarchal organizational culture that has developed over the years. One cultural example for this approach is that usually in the branches employees refer to the HQ as â€Å"the factory†. And while until today Maserati’s production sites are located just in the domestic market, by the use of a common platform and production site with the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the United States for the new SUV model, Maserati will enter also in the global environment. 4. 2 Maserati’s strength 4. 2. 1 The cooperation with the Fiat Group Being part of the Fiat Group is strength and weakness at the same time for Maserati. Through the cooperation with the other brands of the group, Maserati can benefit from economies of scale and scope. E. g. particular engines for Maserati are developed and produced in the production site of Ferrari. Another example is the collaboration with Jeep that will allow the new Maserati Levante to share the expertise of Jeep in building SUVs. 61 Moreover the fact that the production of this new Model will be relocated to the United States will finally transform Maserati from a purely domestic manufacturer to a global player. 58 Officine Automobilitische Grugliasco. 59 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012c, p. 34. 60 Cf. Wehner 2012. 61 Cf. Baedecker 2012. The Maserati case 17 4. 2. 2 The luxury image Maserati as a brand itself and the Maserati products are stereotypes of luxury. Maserati is like none of its competitors a unique iconic and superlative brand that stands for an extravagant Italian lifestyle and sportiness. It profits from its long-time racing experience and expertise in building extremely performing engines. Additionally some parts are tailor made and its products are positioned in an upmarket pricing class that does not correlate with the functional value they provide. Moreover until today the units sold are rather restricted and therefore it is still a rarity to see a Maserati on the road. Thus possessing a Maserati is to a high degree socially representative and makes the owner feel special and privileged. Maserati is a myth and continuous to benefit from this legend. 4. 2. 3 Driving performance Another very strong characteristic of Maserati is its driving performance. Driving a Maserati is an overwhelming driving experience from the very first moment you switch on the engine. The expertise in building extremely performing engines is definitely a strength that should not be underestimated. „Hearing a Maseratis V-8 engine scream on the way to its 7200-rpm redline is an experience gear heads will cherish. â€Å"62 4. 2. 4 The people that work for Maserati The people that work for Maserati are fundamental assets. A mixture of experienced and long-established employees on the one side and on the other side young, motivated and talented staff are the most important ingredient for the team that is able to face the current challenges. Maserati’s employees identify with the brand to a high level and therefore live for the brand. E. g. in the HQs in Modena are hanging poster with the slogan â€Å"I am Maserati†. 62 Cf. Floraday 2011. The Maserati case 4. 3 18 Maserati’s weaknesses 4. 3. 1 The image of the Fiat Group As mentioned above, being connected to mass-market brands like Fiat and Chrylser could affect Maserati’s luxury status. This is primarily related to the image of Fiat’s quality standards. The fact that some components are commonly introduced in both, Maserati and Fiat, could severely damage Maserati’s reputation. 4. 3. 2 Progress and technology Except for its engines, Maserati is not using the most advanced technology in his cars until now. Competition from other car manufacturers is very strong in this context (e. g. Porsche or BMW). Therefore this is a threat especially in those markets where technology and innovation are very important factors in the consumer buying behaviour process (e. g. Russia or Germany). Moreover while other manufacturers have already developed new propulsive forces e. g. the new Daimler electric fleet63, Maserati continued only the evolution of traditional fuel and diesel engines. As the petrol price rises also this threat is increasing. And depending on the trend of the environmental regulations in Europe and in the rest of the world, this lack of development could become an increasing challenge for the next future of Maserati. 4. 3. 3 Dealer network Another threat is the necessity to improve and expand the dealer network. There is a clear need to increase the distribution capillarity by appointing additional dealers. Moreover, there is also a need to transform the existing dealers bringing them to focus their activities and organizations on the brand. Dedicated sales, after-sales and marketing forces will be key to this transformation. E. g. most of the Maserati dealers sell also Ferraris and should adapt their staff with personnel dedicated exclusively towards Maserati. 63 Cf. Daimler AG 2012, p. 41. The Maserati case 4. 4 19 Maserati’s opportunities 4. 4. 1 Industrial opportunities With its current models range (Quattroporte, Gran Cabrio and Gran Turismo) Maserati is represented in the core segments.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy E :: essays research papers

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "Mending Wall" An Analysis of Two Robert Frost Works. James Allen once said, 'You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.'; After reading the two Robert Frost poems, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and Mending Wall, one can not help to wonder what kinds of thoughts inspired these two poems. It becomes clear that the underlying theme in both of these poems is simply freedom of thought. These free thoughts give a person the capability to live how he chooses. In the first poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Frost vividly describes a freedom that many of us take for granted. He tells how he has decided to take the time to stop what he is doing and admire the snow as it falls in the woods and on a frozen lake. The man who owns these woods lives in the town and is ignorant of the beauty that they contain. He has not taken the time to notice how beautiful they are as the snow comes down. The owner of the woods, we'll call him Bob, lives in the town and is busy living his life in the town. Bob will not notice because he takes for granted the fact that he is able to go look at the woods much like the author. 'Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.'; The persona is saying that he knows who owns the woods, but he won't see him looking at the woods because he lives in the town. The author knows that Bob will not visit because he only owns the woods, he lives in the town and does not appreciate the beauty they possess or he would be there visiting them himself. The author is appreciating life and the freedom that he has while observing his own winter or the last stanza of his life as he watches the woods as they fill will snow. It is clear that the author (the persona of the poem) has chosen a life different from that of Bob. Bob has chosen the city life of materialistic things while the author has decided to take in the beauty of the world.

Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Imagination and research are the two important tools for a successful writing assignment. Research can be academic as well as practical. If the author/authoress is willing to live through the life of the subject matter of the book, and possesses the writing skill, chances are that it becomes a great book. The ‘suffering’ of women in any segment of the society is always something special—discrimination on the basis of gender (sex) as they call it! The modern materialistic civilization, the industrial and internet revolutions have thrown up innovative subjects for a writer. Some comforts and luxuries apart, the total effect of this civilization on the inner world of an individual is devastating. The standard of living has improved at the cost of standard of life. In the present book, Barbara lives through several self-created miserable and tricky situations, just to know what does it to mean to live under such trials and tribulations! It was not necessary for her to put her personal comforts at stake. She is highly qualified and the adage, ‘curry for the night is worry for the morning, and tomorrow’s bread is not assured from today’s labor,’ is not applicable to her. Like a true seeker, she decided to get at the truth of the issue, by experiencing it. So, this is the book written by an ex-waitress in Florida, cleaning woman and a nursing home assistant in Maine, the one possessing the   Wal-Mart experience, the humiliation of the urine test and what not! Barbara’s jobs hunt†¦.Getting Ready: So, her experiments with the truth of job-hunting and eventually getting it begin. What happened after a series of rejections, which had nothing to do with her merit for the post applied for as such is a revelation! She writes, â€Å"My next stop is Winn-Dixie, the supermarket, which turns out to have a particularly onerous application process, featuring a twenty minute â€Å"interview† by computer since, apparently, no human on the premises is deemed capable of representing the corporate point     of view. †¦.the interview is multiple choices. Do I have anything, such as child care problems, that might make it hard for me to get to work on time? Do I think safety on the job is the responsibility of management? Then popping up cunningly out of the blue: How many dollars’ worth of stolen goods have I purchased in the last year? Would I turn in a fellow employee if I caught him stealing? Finally, â€Å"Are you an honest person?†(p.13, 14) Ehrenreich has absolute command over the scenes and situations she creates for her and her writing style takes you to the spot of confrontation. The description is so realistic.   You feel, as if you are part of the drama. The story is interesting from the beginning to the end, without intermission. One feels sorry about the working conditions and the environment, and the humiliation that one suffers at the foul-mouthed, arrogant bosses. When one thinks that a worker has to spend his entire service life in such uncertain, difficult conditions—it is mind-boggling! And the fact remains that millions are undergoing such onerous ordeal. Suffering has become the badge affixed on them! The book contains 6 crisp chapters, Introduction: Getting Ready, Serving in Florida, Scrubbing in Maine, Selling in Minnesota, Evaluation and A Reader’s Guide: In the final evaluation, she experiences the academician in her come to give opinion and judgment. She brings the issues like class conflict and power dynamics. She has come out with some startling revelations. According to her no job is truly â€Å"unskilled† Some of the jobs she did had tremendous physical demands, and could damage to health if performed continuously. Her heroic performances had no corresponding rewards, which mean exploitation of labor is the common practice. She writes, â€Å" then trick lies in figuring out how to budget your energy so there’ll be some left over for the next day†(p. 195).She also comes to the conclusion that multiple jobs is the actual necessity as one can no survive   with the returns of one job. She has no hesitation in saying that the labor class of the lower rungs, whether men or women, are constantly suspected for one reason or the other. The employment tests and questionnaires contained strange enquiries. Her behavior was monitored in Wal-Mart under repressive surveillance by the designated staff both men and women and they were looking for theft, drug abuse, sloth and the like in her. She describes the different hurdles she had to cross to make both the ends meet, and issues related to luxury were out of question. She found out by experience how, necessity is the mother of invention. There are two options to meet the situation. Either cut down your expenditure, or spend more and also increase your income. When increment was not possible due to so many constraints, some came out with innovative ideas. She saw some co-workers sleeping in cars, to avoid huge rents, and some report for duty, ignoring their suffering due to back pain, arthritis, etc. She studies both the stands: The labor force which believes that the Management is the permanent enemy and the Unions should be at permanent war with it! And the Management that thinks innovatively to subvert the well-meaning labor laws passed for the welfare of the workers. She cites an example, when minimum wages were increased, management increased her workload, though it cut her working hours—the net result was that her paycheck showed the same figure. She made sincere efforts to live on the wages she got—without using her skills as PhD, lecturer or as an author. She makes the observation of an economist and socialist when she says, â€Å"Something is wrong, very wrong, when a single person in good health, a person who in addition possesses a working car, can barely support herself by the sweat of her brow. You don't need a degree in economics to see that wages are too low and rents too high.† (p. 199). She marvels at the strange working of American democracy. She clearly sees the dictatorship in the workplaces as for workers. Working poor have no other alternative but to submit to the systematic disempowerment on one pretext or other by the Management. â€Å"Someday †¦ they are bound to tire of getting so little in return and to demand to be paid what they're worth. There'll be a lot of anger when that day comes, and strikes and disruption† (p. 221). Conclusion: As for the evaluation part of her book, her observations demand attention. As earlier said, what she has written is the experienced research. Her findings are lessons for the economist, the sociologist, the politician, the management and for the union leaders. Solutions to various problems can be worked out. What is required is an attitude of sacrifice and compassion for the sake of the welfare of the needy. That is achievable by the genuine change in the thought process of concerned individuals. When the thought process changes, the action process will also change, hopefully for the better! .             Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical. Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical.

Ap Gov

AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS SYLLABUS: C (American Government: Continuity and Change. ) INTRODUCTION: Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum is designed to give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students will study both general concepts used to interpret U. S. politics and examine specific examples. The AP Government course requires students to learn facts and concepts and understand typical political processes.The course will require students to master historical and analytic skills, including; chronological and spatial thinking, historical research and interpretation. Students will evaluate viewpoints presented through major print and electronic media, understand statistical data and analyze trends related to significant political events. Emphasis is placed on applying problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, interpreting graphs and tables, organizing information, evaluating information, and communicating orally and in writing.The course aims to help the student to participate effectively and democratically in the American political society COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course explores the political theory and everyday practice that direct the daily operation of our government and shape our public policies. The express purpose of this course is to prepare students to take the AP Exam for U. S Government and Politics. The course is for all intents and purposes taught on a college level and it requires a substantial amount of reading and preparation for every class.The objectives of this course go beyond a basic analysis of how our government â€Å"works. † Students will develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the American political system, as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens. In addition to described content, the course will also work to refine important skills. They include analyzing data and writing and presenting written and oral arguments. In or der to help students master the ability to write a good political science essay the course will concentrate on the instruction of several essential skills: †¢ Effective writing style The ability to make arguments †¢ The ability to evaluate critically and to compare scholarly works †¢ The ability to synthesize political science data †¢ The ability analyze, interpret, and respond to stimulus-based data including charts, graphs, cartoons, and quotes The course will cover a large amount of content. The study of American Government is both historical and contemporary. Therefore, it is essential that students remain aware of what is happening in the world.It is suggested that regular reading of newspapers and news magazines as well as the regular viewing of news broadcasts be maintained throughout the course. COURSE STANDARDS: 1. Students explain the fundamental principles and moral values of American democracy as expressed in the U. S. Constitution and other essential documents of American democracy. 2. Students evaluate the scope and limits of civil rights and obligations as democratic citizens, the relationships among them, and how they are secured. 3. Students evaluate the fundamental values and principles of civil society (i. . , the autonomous sphere of voluntary personal, social, and economic relations that are not part of government), their interdependence, and the meaning and importance of those values and principles for a free society. 4. Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government as established by the U. S. Constitution. 5. Students summarize landmark U. S. Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution and its amendments. 6. Students evaluate issues regarding national, state and local elective offices. 7.Students analyze and compare the powers and procedures of the national, state, and local governments. 8. Students evaluate the influence of the media on American political life. 9. St udents analyze the origins, characteristics, and development of different political systems across time, with emphasis on the quest for political democracy, its advances, and its obstacles. 10. Students formulate questions about and defend their analyses of tensions within our constitutional democracy and the importance of maintaining a balance between the following concepts: ajority rule and individual rights; liberty and equality; state and national authority in a federal system; civil disobedience and the rule of law; freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial; the relationship of religion and government. TEXTBOOK: O'Connor, Karen, Sabato, Larry J. American Government: Continuity and Change 8th edition. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2006. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: Matthews, Chris. Hardball. How Politics is Played Told by one who Knows the Game. Free Press; 1st Touchstone Ed edition (November 2, 1999) Woll, Peter. American Government: Readings and Cases.Longman; 14t h edition 2004. The Enduring Debate-Classic and Contemporary reader. C-Span in the classroom. Cnn. com/SPECIALREPORTS http://www. nytimes. com/learning/index. html – on-line current events quiz Primary Source Documents as selected by the instructor from the 100 Milestone Documents collection at the NARA website http://www. ourdocuments. gov/ Articles from: NY Times, Congressional Quarterly, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor and other sources Collegeboard. com/ap website and various test preparation books. Quia. com- flashcard activities for key terms in each chapterYahoo. com/briefcase- PowerPoint presentations for each chapter Teacherweb. com – provides all assignments as documents for student downloads. Also provides essential links for informational research, etc. Access for this syllabus. Summer Reading: †¢ Select one book from list of current political viewpoints and issues with lit log. †¢ Collect 8 articles from Op/Ed section of various ne wspapers. †¢ Watch and write four reviews of political shows: Hardball, Meet the Press, Washington Journal, etc. †¢ Oral book report for chosen book. Unit I: Foundations of United States Government (8 Weeks)Objectives: What is the purpose of government? What was the founders’ view of the purpose of government and the role of the citizen in the American Republic? How does the Constitution underpin the U. S. government? What was the impact of the enlightenment thinkers on the development of the U. S. Constitution? In which ways did the framers deal with the following: pluralism, popular sovereignty, republican ideals and elite theory. Students will explore American political culture and characteristics of American democracy. Reading: Text: O'Connor-Foundations of Government Chapters 1-6Chapter 1-The Political Landscape †¢ Origins of American Government: What it is and why we need it †¢ Roots of American Government; Where did the ideas come from? †¢ Amer ican political culture and the characteristics of American democracy †¢ Changing characteristics of the American people †¢ Ideology of the American public †¢ Current attitudes toward American government Chapter 2-The Constitution †¢ The origins of a new nation †¢ The first attempt at Government: the articles of Confederation †¢ The miracle at Philadelphia: Writing the Constitution †¢ The U. S. Constitution The drive for ratification †¢ Methods of Amending the Constitution Chapter 3-Federalism †¢ The roots of the federal system: Governmental power under the constitution †¢ Federalism and the Marshall Court †¢ Dual Federalism: The Taney court, slavery, and the Civil War †¢ Cooperative Federalism: the New Deal and the growth of national government †¢ New Federalism: returning power to the states. Chapter 4-State and Local Government †¢ The evolution of State and local governments †¢ State government †¢ Loca l government †¢ Grassroots power and politics †¢ Relations with Indian nations State and local finances Chapter 5-Civil Liberties †¢ The First Constitutional Amendments: the Bill of Rights †¢ First Amendment guarantees: Freedom of religion †¢ First Amendment guaranteed: freedom of speech, press, and assembly †¢ The Second Amendment: the right to keep and bear arms †¢ The right of criminal defendants †¢ The right to privacy Chapter 6-Civil Rights †¢ Slavery, abolition, and winning the right to vote, 1800-1890 †¢ The push for equality, 1890-1954 †¢ The Civil Rights Movement †¢ Other groups mobilize for rights †¢ Continuing controversies in civil rights.Assignments and Activities: Readings on Locke and Hobbes-internet sources The ACLU: Freedom Files-video segment AP United States Government and Politics; Origins of Constitutional Principles and Rights. Chapter 1 Canon, Coleman & Mayer. Constructing the Government: The Fou nding of the Constitution Federalist Papers 10 & 51 Lanahan Reader; Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America Learning About Rights and Responsibilities- Washington Post Shay's Rebellion Can the People Be Trusted to Govern Themselves? PowerPoint: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Montisqueu PowerPoint: teacher-all chapters.Put on-line Constitutional Power Grab Constitutional Numbers Document-Based Activities-Due Process-Using the Internet to Study Civil Rights and Liberties/Miranda Rights. Canon: The Enduring Debate, Debating the Issues: Racial profiling and fighting Terrorism Standard Deviant Government: video Origins of government, types of government, monarchy, oligarchy, aristocracy, direct democracy, indirect democracy, Components of American Democracy, popular consent, popular sovereignty, majority rule, individualism, Socratic Seminar based on Woll reading Assessments: Chapter essays with short essaysPowerPoint-Philosophers impacting development of the Constitution Government Treasu re Hunt-online activity Citizenship Test Fish Bowl Activity-peer evaluation Federalist # 10 Writing Assignment Timed unit essay. Collegeboard rubric Cornell notes Unit II: Institutions of Government (7 weeks) Objectives: Students will understand the three major branches of government and how they are organized. They will also learn how they function as separate branches, controlled by a system of checks and balances. Students will understand the interdependency of these branches to stabilize the powers within each branch.Students will also be able to recognize the evolving government and how the U. S. Constitution has been interpreted to allow these changes. Reading: Text : O'Connor-The Constitution, Chapter 7-10 Chapter 7- Constitution †¢ The Constitution and the legislative branch of government †¢ How Congress is organized †¢ The members of congress †¢ How members make decisions †¢ The law-making function of congress †¢ Congress and the president â₠¬ ¢ Congress and the judiciary Chapter 8- The Presidency †¢ The roots of and rules governing the office of the President of the United States †¢ The constitutional powers of the president The development and expansion of presidential power †¢ The presidential establishment †¢ The president as policy maker †¢ Presidential leadership and the importance of public opinion Chapter 9-The Executive Branch and the Federal Bureaucracy †¢ The executive branch and the development of the federal bureaucracy †¢ The modern bureaucracy †¢ How the bureaucracy works †¢ Making agencies accountable Chapter 10-The Judiciary †¢ The Constitution and the creation of the federal judiciary †¢ The American legal system †¢ The federal court system †¢ How federal court judges are selected †¢ The Supreme Court today Judicial philosophy and decision making †¢ Judicial policy making and implementation Additional Readings & Resources: Advan ced Placement: U. S. Government & Politics, 2: Why Great Men Are Not Chosen President. Lanahan Readings. Pork: A Time-honored Tradition Lives On Canon. Enduring Debate. Checking and Balancing â€Å"All the President's Men† PBS- Presidents series (segments from modern day presidents. ) PBS-Supreme Court Assignments and Activities: Cornell Notes-study guides for each chapter Creating a Bill/defending and promoting position State of the Union essay analysis. -video of speech -span or whitehouse. gov Essay- student selected case. Supreme Court Case Analyses Standard Deviant Video; all three branches C-span in the classroom: three branches of government Writing/debating a bill Supreme Court Justice report. Cornell notes/per chapters Survey: politicalcompass. org with evaluation Assessments: Unit II Essay Exam-Collegeboard rubric-timed response Essay. In response to the State of the Union Research: landmark Supreme Court case Multiple Choice Exam w/short essays Chapter tests with s hort essays. Cornell notes Unit III: The Electoral Process (8 weeks) Objectives:Students will analyze political parties with regard to the mechanisms that allow citizens to organize and communicate their interests and concerns. Students will focus is on the historical evolution of the US party system, the functions and structure of political parties, and the effects they have on the political process. Explore the historical evolution of the U. S. party system. Compare the functions and structures of political parties, and their effects on the political process. Reading: Text: O'Connor-Political Behavior, Chapter 11-16 Chapter 11- Public Opinion and Political Socialization What is public opinion †¢ Efforts to influence and measure public opinion †¢ How political socialization and other factors influencer opinion formation †¢ Why we form political opinions †¢ How public opinion is measured †¢ How polling and public opinion affect politicians, politics, and pol icy Chapter 12- Political Parties †¢ What is a political party? †¢ The evolution of American party democracy †¢ The function s of the American parties †¢ The basic structure of American political parties †¢ The party in government †¢ The modern transformation of party organization †¢ The party in the electorate Third-partyism Chapter 13 – Voting and Elections †¢ The purpose of elections †¢ Kinds of elections †¢ Presidential elections †¢ Congressional elections †¢ Voting behavior †¢ Reforming the electoral process Chapter 14 – The Campaign Process †¢ The structure of a campaign †¢ The media and campaigns †¢ Campaign finance †¢ Bringing it together: the 2004 presidential campaign and election Chapter 15 – The Media †¢ The evolution of journalism in the United States †¢ The U. S. Media today †¢ How the media cover politicians and government †¢ The media's influe nce on the public †¢ The public's perception of the media Government regulation of the electronic media Chapter 16 – Interest Groups †¢ What are interest groups? †¢ The roots and development of American interest groups †¢ What do interest groups do? †¢ What makes an interest group successful? Additional Readings and Resources: Hardball American Polity:Kurtzman-Spin Cycle-† â€Å"Outfoxed†-DVD Assignments and activities: Chapter reading Cornell Notes Hardball Dialectic Journal Nominations, Primaries, and Elections Simulation Socratic Seminar based on Hardball Survey: Political opinion Research any interest group/political powerUnit Essay-timed writing-collegeboard rubric. Chapter tests with short essays. Cornell notes Assessments Chapter tests with short essays Unit essay: timed writing using Collegeboard rubric Propaganda PowerPoint project Chapter reading Cornell Notes Political Party website analysis/oral report The Living Room Candidat e website campaign commercial analysis Political Party guest panel Socratic Seminar, Woll reading Unit IV: AP Review (4 weeks) Final dates to be determined In-class exercise: AP released exam multiple choice with immediate discussion and feedback regarding â€Å"why this answer? This will establish a diagnostic baseline for ongoing AP exam review. Students will Research/Write out Answers to 35 Previous U. S. Government Free Response Questions. Teacher Follow Up with Rubric/Answer; Discussion; Teacher Created Review Exercises. Current Event/AP Outline Matrix Practice Test-65 Question released M/C and Free Response essay Selected Topics: See Units of Study TEACHING STRATEGIES This is a large lecture course and, as such, the teaching strategies used focus on giving students opportunities to analyze and respond in class, to write mini-essays of 50 words or so reacting to provocative statements, and o do short role-play simulations. Instructions are given throughout the course on the fo llowing: †¢ Essay organization diagram for free-response questions †¢ Essay tasks for AP Exam free-response questions †¢ List of directive terms used in free-response questions †¢ Reminders for answering timed essay questions †¢ Essay frame †¢ Generic free-response scoring guidelines STUDENT EVALUATION Quizzes are given on the reading assignments. Occasional outside-of-class assignments may also count as daily grades. Test formats are objective (multiple choice), free-response questions (Essay Exams).Most objective tests consist of 60 to 65 multiple-choice questions and a 25-minute essay question, and are timed to approximate the time allowed on the AP Exam. Homework is accepted before students begin to take the unit exam. The homework consists of unit terms and/or outlines; questions about readings, notations, and/or assigned primary and secondary sources; charts that pertain to the unit and applicable historical maps, diagrams or political cartoons. W ell-completed terms and course themes demonstrate a student’s effort and most students find this to be indispensable in maintaining a high grade point average.The unit exams are a requirement of the AP Government and Politics course. A final semester comprehensive exam for all material covered will be given at the end of the term. The AP Government and Politics exam is comprehensive, covering material from the entire semester. Students who are enrolled in the course are expected to take the AP United States Government Exam. Class time and after school reviews are held prior to the AP Exam. In addition, many students participate in informal study group review sessions.

List of Indian States and Union Territories

List of Indian States and Union Territories The Republic of India is a country that occupies most of the Indian subcontinent in southern Asia and is the second most populous country in the world. It has a long history but today is considered a developing nation as well as the worlds largest democracy. India is a federal republic that consists of 28 states and seven union territories. These Indian states have their own elected governments for local administration. Delhi A city and union territory in northern India, Delhi is one of the countrys most important areas, in part because it is home to New Delhi, Indias capital. All three branches of Indias government, including Parliament and the judiciary, are based here. Delhi has a population of over 16 million people. The main religions are Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism, and the primary languages are Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu. Delhis historic temples include the Hindu Swaminarayan Akshardham complex, the Sikh Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and the Islamic Jama Masjid. The Lotus Temple, a Bahà ­ House of Worship, is perhaps the most impressive building in the city; it is composed of 27 marble petals enclosing a central hall that seats 1,300. The temple is one of the most visited builds in the world. Uttar Pradesh With a population of over 200 million people, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India. The area is so large that it is divided into 75 administrative districts. The official language of the state is Hindi, though a small portion of the population speaks Urdu. The states economy is based on agriculture, with a focus on the production of wheat and sugarcane. Uttar Pradesh is one of the top tourist destinations in India; its most famous sites include the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. The former was built in the early 1600s as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The latter was a walled city used by the Mughal emperors in the 1500s and early 1600s. Maharashtra Maharashtra is the second most populous state after Uttar Pradesh. It is home to Mumbai, the most populous city in India, which was settled in the early 1500s. The citys architectural wonders include the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a railway station built in the Victorian Gothic style in 1888. Maharashtras economy is organized around manufacturing, technology, trade, services, and tourism. The state is also the center of Bollywood film production, which generates billions of dollars each year. Since the 1970s, India has produced more movies per year than even the United States; the films are popular across South Asia and in other parts of the world, including Russia. Bihar Located in northeast India, Bihar was historically a center of power. Out of Magadha, an ancient kingdom in Bihar, arose the religions of Jainism and Buddhism, which are still widely practiced in India today. Bihars economy is primarily service-based, with smaller portions devoted to agriculture and industry. The primary languages are Hindi, Maithili, and Urdu. A unique style of art known as Mithila painting originated in Bihar; works in this style are traditionally painted with simple materials such as fingers and twigs. The artworks feature bright colors and intricate geometric patterns. West Bengal The fourth most populous state in India, West Bengal is home to ethnic Bengalis who make up most of the states population. Bengali culture is known for its rich literary heritage; one Bengali writer, Rabindranath Tagore, was the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize. Notable Bengali art includes the states ancient terra cotta temples and the paintings of Abanindranath Tagore (Rabindranaths nephew). Hinduism is the main religion in West Bengal, and the state is known for its elaborate festivals, including Durga Puja, an annual celebration that lasts five days. Other important celebrations in West Bengal include Pahela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year), Holi (the festival of lights), Ratha Yatra (a Hindu celebration in honor of Jagannath), and Eid al-Fitr (a Muslim celebration that takes place at the end of Ramadan). Vesak, or Buddha Day, is a holiday that marks the birth of Gautama Buddha. Other States Indias other states and union territories include Tamil Nadu, a state known for its historic temples, and Gujarat, the home of the indigenous Gujarati people. State Population Capital Area Andhra Pradesh 76,210,007 Hyderabad 106,195 square miles Tamil Nadu 62,405,679 Chennai 50,216 square miles Madhya Pradesh 60,348,023 Bhopal 119,014 square miles Rajasthan 56,507,188 Jaipur 132,139 square miles Karnataka 52,850,562 Bangalore 74,051 square miles Gujarat 50,671,017 Gandhinagar 75,685 square miles Orissa 36,804,660 Bhubaneswar 60,119 square miles Kerala 31,841,374 Thiruvananthapuram 15,005 square miles Jharkhand 26,945,829 Ranchi 30,778 square miles Assam 26,655,528 Dispur 30,285 square miles Punjab 24,358,999 Chandigarh 19,445 square miles Haryana 21,144,564 Chandigarh 17,070 square miles Chhattisgarh 20,833,803 Raipur 52,197 square miles Jammu and Kashmir 10,143,700 Jammu and Srinagar 85,806 square miles Uttarakhand 8,489,349 Dehradun 20,650 square miles Himachal Pradesh 6,077,900 Shimla 21,495 square miles Tripura 3,199,203 Agartala 4,049 square miles Meghalaya 2,318,822 Shillong 8,660 square miles Manipur 2,166,788 Imphal 8,620 square miles Nagaland 1,990,036 Kohima 6,401 square miles Goa 1,347,668 Panaji 1,430 square miles Arunachal Pradesh 1,097,968 Itanagar 32,333 square miles Mizoram 888,573 Aizawl 8,139 square miles Sikkim 540,851 Gangtok 2,740 square miles

Tips for Writing Broadcast News Copy

Tips for Writing Broadcast News Copy The idea behind news writing is pretty simple: keep it short and to the point. Everyone writing for a newspaper or website knows this. But that idea gets taken to a new level with it comes to writing copy for radio or television broadcasts. There are lots of tips for broadcast news writing that make the job a little easier. Keep It Simple Newspaper reporters who want to show off their writing style occasionally insert a fancy word into a story. That just doesnt work in broadcast news writing. Broadcast copy must be as simple as possible. Remember, viewers arent reading what youre writing, theyre hearing it. People watching TV or listening to the radio generally dont have time to check a dictionary. So keep your sentences simple and use basic, easily understood words. If you find youve put a longer word in a sentence, replace it with a shorter one. Example: Print: The physician conducted an extensive autopsy on the decedent.Broadcast: The doctor did an autopsy on the body. Keep It Short Generally, sentences in broadcast copy should be even shorter than those found in print articles. Why? Shorter sentences are more easily understood than long ones. Also, remember that broadcast copy must be read out loud. If you write a sentence thats too long, the news anchor will be gasping for breath just to finish it. Individual sentences in broadcast copy should be short enough to be easily read in one breath. Example: Print: President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats sought to ease Republican complaints about a massive economic stimulus plan Friday, meeting with GOP leaders in the White House and promising to consider some of their recommendations.Broadcast: President Barack Obama met with Republican leaders in Congress today. The Republicans arent happy with Obamas big economic stimulus plan. Obama says hell consider their ideas. Keep It Conversational Many sentences found in newspaper stories simply sound stilted and unwieldy when theyre read out loud. Use a conversational style in your broadcast writing. Doing so will make it sound more like real speech, as opposed to a script someone is reading. Example: Print: Pope Benedict XVI joined U.S. President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II on Friday by launching his own YouTube channel, the latest Vatican effort to reach out to the digital generation.Broadcast: President Obama has a Youtube channel. So does Queen Elizabeth. Now Pope Benedict has one, too. The pope wants to use the new channel to reach out to young people. Use One Main Idea per Sentence Sentences in newspaper stories sometimes contain several ideas, usually in clauses that are broken up by commas. But in broadcast writing, you really shouldnt put more than one main idea in each sentence. Why not? You guessed it - put more than one main idea per sentence and that sentence will be too long. Example: Print: Gov. David Paterson appointed Democratic U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday to fill New Yorks vacant Senate seat, finally settling on a woman from a largely rural, eastern district of the state to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton.Broadcast: Gov. David Paterson has appointed Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill New Yorks vacant Senate seat. Gillibrand is from a rural part of the state. She will replace Hillary Rodham Clinton. Use the Active Voice Sentences written in the active voice just naturally tend to be shorter and more to-the-point than those written in the passive voice. Example: Passive: The robbers were arrested by police.Active: Police arrested the robbers. Use a Lead-In Sentence Most broadcast news stories start with a lead-in sentence that is fairly general. Broadcast news writers do this to alert viewers that a new story is being presented, and to prepare them for the information that is to follow. Example: Theres more bad news today from Iraq. Note that this sentence doesnt say very much. But again, it lets the viewer know that the next story is going to be about Iraq. The lead-in sentence almost serves as a kind of headline for the story. Heres an example of a broadcast news item. Note the use of a lead-in line, short, simple sentences, and a conversational style. Theres more bad news from Iraq. Four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush outside Baghdad today. The Pentagon says the soldiers were hunting insurgents when their Humvee came under sniper fire. The Pentagon hasnt yet released the soldiers names. Put Attribution at the Start of the Sentence Print news stories usually put the attribution, the source of the information, at the end of the sentence. In broadcast news writing, we put them at the beginning. Example: Print: Two men were arrested, police said.Broadcast: Police say two men were arrested. Leave out Unnecessary Details Print stories tend to include a lot of details that we just dont have time for in the broadcast. Example: Print: After robbing the bank, the man drove approximately 9.7 miles before being apprehended, police said.Broadcast: Police say the man robbed the bank, then drove nearly 10 miles before he was caught. Sources Associated Press, The. Rep. Gillibrand gets Clintons Senate seat. NBC News, January 23, 2009. Associated Press, The. Vatican launches Pope YouTube channel. CTV News, January 23, 2009. jengibson. Simplifying Print Writing. Course Hero, 2019. What makes good broadcast writing? StudyLib, 2019.