Discrimination in College Admissions Essay

There can be many factors that determine whether or not you can get into a college. Do you have the grades, are you involved in your community, have you been convicted. Many questions like those listed above have been commonly asked to applicants who apply for major colleges universities. However, you are never asked your ethnicity during an interview, usually they give you an application to fill out and they have a space that allows you to check which race you are. Some people feel as though they may have been discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity. It may be true for some, but not all cases are alike, in the sense that racial discrimination in college applicants has been going on for quite a while now. In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, a thirty five-year old man named Allan Bakke applied to the University of California Medical School at Davis and was denied admission on the two occasions that he applied for the university. The school claimed to have had denied his admission because they were designating sixteen of one hundred spots, in each new set of applicants, of one hundred â€Å"qualified† minorities as part of their cooperation of the new affirmative action legislation. Bakke did not qualify for any of these sixteen out of on hundred spots because he was white and not black, or a minority. They did this to readdress the long-lasting one-sided minority omissions from the medical sector. Now, Mr. Bakke’s test score and other qualifications he needed to enter the program were beyond acceptable, but he was still rejected. He then took his case to court. Bakke went to California court primarily, then he decided to go to the Supreme Court, saying that he was rejected from the university because of his ethnic group. The question at hand was did the University of California violate the 14th Amendment equal protection clause and/or the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when denying Allan Bakke admission because he was white. Also, the fact that they used affirmative action to do so, would it still be a violation if they were just following the new law laid down by the big guys to help increase the assortment of the minorities already in the university. Also, you have  to take into account that they had very limited resources and wanted to make sure that everyone had a fair chance to apply and get accepted, which is the point of the reservation of the sixteen spots of one hundred for the minorities. To balance the statistics some would probably say. The case concluded with five votes siding with Bakke, and four votes against Bakke. Ultimately he won the case, but that didn’t stop colleges from not admitting people by their race. This case is similar to the sentiment the Asians are feeling with the bar for them to be able to get admitted into a good college or university being set beyond the maximum. Some Asians feel as though they are not getting a break and are getting harsher treatment then most American. So is this the same as Allan Bakke felt? Did he feel as though he was given an unruly standard that he would have to live up to in order to be admitted inside of his dream school? I believe that the Asians and Allan have been tested with the same trial that they have to battle out. Asian-Americans are now feeling that they are losing out because the Board of Regents established a new undergrad admissions policy that gives them expectations at a chance to widen their applicant consortium. However, not everyone is satisfied with the new legislation, especially Asian-Americans. The new policy however, does not state that Asians wouldn’t qualify, it simply gives colleges and universities more tractability in selecting new students. As the media grapples on to the new concept more and more Asians are coming forward with complaints and angry phone calls and letters from the students of these Asian students and the students themselves. This new policy differs from affirmative action, but not everyone sees the difference between the two. One analysis from a person at the college supports the view of the Asian-American student, implying that the number of Asian students would regress under the new policy. Parents of these Asian students also seem to feel the sting of the new policy. Outraged, many say that they were blindsided by the university and see it as an act of discrimination. Compared to Board of Regents v. Bakke, it was simply discrimination in the obvious form. They denied him because he was a man of Caucasian decent and they wanted to save sixteen spots  specifically for minorities. Which in my view was fair at the time because minorities weren’t given as many opportunities as the whites were. I would have seen that as socially acceptable if I were there in that place of time. Even with the high grades Mr. Allan Bakke presented to the college, he was still rejected twice. In this case when we are about thirty-five years after that incident, we have arrived to a time in the United States were almost everyone has ‘equal’ rights, per say, and we all have ‘equal’ opportunity, but to deny someone because of their race in this day and age will most definitely result in a law and to me is seen as discrimination because if we work hard and meet the qualifications for a specific job, college, or university we fancy to attend we should be able to do as so. However, I do understand that some colleges might look at the campus population and notice many members of the same race and decide that they want it to be more diverse, and that’s understandable, but if someone makes the cut, they make it and if the college or university decides not to accept them because they might want the African-American straight A student to join their institution rather than accepting another Asian straight A when they already have so many people from that heritage. Colleges might also look at creating a more diverse campus as a way to prevent those lawsuits, because if the media starts getting reports of there being an overflow of white students at a college or university ran by a white man or woman, they look dubious, and just racist, but if they start accepting more minorities into their school, spreading a little color over the campus, in a sense, then they look more appealing to applicants who want that diversity in their dream school. Plus it shows good when schools are being taken to court for discrimination. If they show the statistics, the numbers, of the racial diversity, then that builds on their case. If they show a pie chart and 75% of the chart is green, and green represents white for example, then that makes the school look bad, ultimately allowing a jury to see a possibility of discrimination, but if it’s near equal for minorities and whites, etc. , then it’s good for the school. Making their case more believable. Debacles like this may never end for years to come because we need diversity  in public places, without it, it would be like the Civil Rights era all over again, and we don’t need any more violent protests like we have today. I agree and disagree with the Regents v. Bakke ruling because I believe he should’ve been accepted, but I also believe that if he was aware of what they were doing after the first time he got rejected he should have went to the courts sooner, but there is always the accusation of speculation and that can hold grounds for a dismissal of the case. However I do agree with the Board’s idea of creating a more diverse campus. By doing so they allowed minorities, who back then had fewer opportunities then the white men and women, to integrate themselves with the majority and find out for themselves that they are all alike. They have two legs and a beating heart and they can tolerate each other’s presence. They should America that public places shouldn’t be segregated, but should hold equal opportunities for minorities and majorities, and by the Board striking the thought of holding those sixteen spots was just the start of a major movement towards desegregation and eventually diversity. Although it’s sad to see that even in these ages we still have to do that, it is understandable when the media scrutinizes people for the smallest things, and does it even worse to larger corporations, businesses, colleges, universities, etc. I still do not believe that the decision of the Board to make that decision was intentionally targeting keeping Asians out of there schools. I still believe that they did that to create more diversity in a place they saw a populated with the majority of one race. If that is the case then I think everyone should come to an understanding that there will be a majority and people will want to see changes in that majority, by adding none other than minorities. Adding those minorities keep things balanced and keeps the media away. Again, it provides the students who want major diversity to see that as the perfect school for them. If a fresh out of high school student decided to go an all-African-American school, applied and got denied, even with the best grades and extracurricular activities. Would that be considered discrimination, even if he was in fact African-American? I doubt that people would try to fight that, but only see that as he didn’t rise up to the standard that the school  had set for the applicants. The case would not stick because he qualified, just wasn’t admitted to the institution. In conclusion, Bakke v. Regents is similar to the slim chances of Asians getting accepted into colleges and universities because of their race. However, in Bakke v. Regents the Board was trying to create equal opportunity for minorities, but in the example of the Board seeking new policy to give the campus more flexibility in who they choose to accept into the college, just seems like discrimination. In both cases there was discrimination, but is there a thing as good discrimination? I think that there is a good grounds for discrimination if there needs to ever be more diversity, but I don’t think us, being the ‘land of the free’, should ever succumb to that. As far as we have come from the Civil Rights movement itself and having to decide whether or not the whole world was racist, pretty much. We shouldn’t have to input new policies like that, making a certain group feel insecure about their educational future. Works Cited † Asian Americans sue University of California System over Holistic Admissions sham – College Confidential. † College Confidential. N. p. , 4 Apr. 2009. Web. 15 May 2013. . Daniel, Golden. † Asian Americans sue University of California System over Holistic Admissions sham – College Confidential. † College Confidential. N. p. , 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 15 May 2013. . â€Å"Regents of the University of California v. Bakke | Casebriefs. † Law Cases & Case Briefs for Students. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 May 2013. . â€Å"Regents of the University of California v. Bakke | The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. † The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law | A Multimedia Archive of the Supreme Court of the United States. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 May 2013. . SCHMIDT, PETER. â€Å"Asian-Americans Give U. of California an Unexpected Fight Over Admissions Policy – Students – The Chronicle of Higher Education. † Home – The Chronicle of Higher Education. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 May 2013. . View as multi-pages

Ap English Essay Lewis Lapham

The assertions made by Lewis Lapham’s Money and Class in America distinguishes the meaning of success and the requirements for respect from Americans to that of other strong societies. In his essay he defends that Americans show respect for those with a high economic status while other nations feel art and intellect are warrant for respect. With this, he agrees with Henry Adams that Americans are greatly materialistic in the sense that they try to find â€Å"success† in wealth because they have been â€Å"deflected by the pursuit of money†.Though the idea that Americans favor and respect a high economic status is true, Lapham’s claim that they do so because they are socially forced to is not accurate because they still have the ability to make a choice. When Lapham states that â€Å"Men remain free to rise or fall in the world, and if they fail it must be because they willed it so†, he agrees with the suggestion that Americans see the rich as an exa mple of being sufficient. This is because he feels that if Americans are not rich it’s because they chose not to be, this is inaccurate.First off, he contradicts the â€Å"absurdity† he finds in the idea that â€Å"†¦in the United states a rich man is perceived as being necessarily both good and wise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He defends the respect toward superficiality. He then goes on to support the idea that Americans still have a choice in choosing the other direction that he claims is being deflected by social standards. America has intellectuals and artists that deserve the respect they would receive in other nations, but instead their respect is given to those who don’t deserve it.What Lapham should have said is that men are free to deny whatever standards are being set for them. Though in other societies it is easier to find the artistic and intellectual respect, there is still choice, which Lapham claims is not true. As shown through his double standards in M oney and Class in America and in his denial of free will that any good hearted American would embrace, it is clear that he sides with the materialistic.

An Unforgettable Accidental Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

An Unforgettable Accidental Lesson - Essay Example The sun was shining brightly during the first week of May 2012. Lazily, I got up from my bed, not intending to go anywhere after the grueling two days of various activities with my friends. Unhurriedly, I prepared my breakfast and ate quietly in front of the TV. Having no commitments during the day, I stayed in my room the rest of the day reading some interesting books. Late in the afternoon, my eyes felt tired and my body ached for the outside world. I thought of calling my friends but I supposed they might be busy with other appointments or they might be tired from our recent meetings. Therefore, I hopped into my car and started heading to Verrazano Bridge to get some fresh air. While I was nearing the end of the said bridge, a friend called, informing that another of our close friends invited us for a gathering which is to happen in an hour. Excitedly, I started back home. My thoughts were on my friends and the enjoyment we were going to have together. Thoughtlessly, I accelerated my car while I planned in my head what I was going to do. Suddenly, I lost control of the car. I panicked and tried to stop the car but it was already too late. I bumped on the side of the car in front of me as I tried to maneuver my car. The impact on the other car was probably what caused my car to turn over and skid a few meters, upside down. I do not remember much of the accident. I lost consciousness for some time and I really cannot see what was happening outside the car when I tried to get out of the car. I tried to move but I cannot quite stand the pain all over my body. I felt like I have been hit by a huge stone. It was only later that I found out my car turned over and the doctor thought that in my panic, I might have tried to get out of the car.  Ã‚  

The Implication of a New Form of Flexibility on the World Research Paper - 1

The Implication of a New Form of Flexibility on the World - Research Paper Example A few years ago, people were very resistant to change. This is because they may not have traveled a lot and were comfortable living in the neighborhood that they were familiar with. For instance, the family in the story of the Millers, They were afraid of living in another region as they did not know whether they would be able to adjust to the new region. They might move to an area where the condition for farming was not as favorable as the current location. They were afraid that they would not adequately adapt to the new location. Moreover, traditionally, people were very keen in forming strong social ties with people around them. The Miller’s family had already established a strong social network with friends and family living around them. Moving to a new place would require that they make new friends and it would take a long time to establish a strong social network like the one they already had in Ohio. It would also lead to a change in status. Since they would have to sta rt all over again, their standard of living would go down a notch before they are able to adapt to the new environment. The narrator of this story tries to show a variation between the town and the rural dwellers. The living standards at the village are seen to be terrible compared to that of the urban with Maggie saying she would not take her friends to visit her home because it was in a devastating situation. The story tries to show that a person identifies with their home if they are proud of it. Maggie, her mother, and her sister were unhappy living in this The narrator even imagined being a TV star. This goes to show that the more people take care of their environment or home, the more they are proud of it and willing to live there. Calamities force people from their home in search of a better place.

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China Essay

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China - Essay Example From this essay it is clear that the managers should consider what motivation is appropriate for each category of employees in order to achieve required change or performance . The timing of motivation is also necessary to make the desired change at the right time. There is a direct relationship between employee motivation and organization performance. The scope of this document is to examine various factors that motivate employees and provide a comparison of employee motivation in the telecommunication industry between China and UK. In addition, the report will analyze the performance of the telecommunication industries of the two countries and establish any relation between employee motivation and performance. The study will involve only secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed sources but will not include any primary data.This paper declares that  employee motivation is one of the core long-term success elements in many organizations, even though, some employers always try to overlook its importance. â€Å"Work Motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate the work-related behavior and to determine its form, direction, intensity,and duration†.  Employee motivation is an internal disposition of a person to be focused on and approach positive inducements and shun disincentives. The employee motivation factors can be categorized as those based on their needs as described by Maslow theory.

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing Essay - 5

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing - Essay Example Auditing had never been influential and applicable as it is today. Each corporation feels the need to examine its accounts from time to time, and especially when change is about to occur, so that it can determine their correctness and fairness, as well as detect of any irregularity. Auditing is broad and can be conducted for systems, data, and finances which are of great concern in this context. Auditing can be described as an examination and verification of accounting data with an aim of establish the correctness and reliability of the accounting reports and statements (Shirin, 2009). However, numerous controversies exist over establishing a standard against which actual audit performances can be measured. Therefore, organizations may have difficulties in assessing the effectiveness and quality of their audit, even if it serves the purpose. Audit quality has been described by Fearnley et al as the â€Å"market assessed joint probability that a given auditor will both discover a bre ach in the client’s accounting system and report the breach† (2011, p. 2007). Organization’s committees and shareholders need enhanced audit quality for the sake of delivering appropriate organization audit results and opinions. Firm rotation of auditors has been campaigned for and applied in some countries as a way of improving audit quality. The issue of audit quality that auditors’ rotation attempts to address There are several factors that affect the quality of audit. Nowadays, clients want to be confident of the financial reports they get, to make future projections of the business. Internationally, various initiatives have been proposed to establish a standard or enforce some consistencies across borders, in how the auditors ought to accomplish the audit objective, and what financial statements clients should expect (ICAEW, 2010). The number of recently reported financial failures in organizations call for more accountability and undertaking of effec tive measures for countries, firms, and audit practitioners, whom are all affected in case of any unexpected undesirable effect after auditing. There have been cases of firms experiencing frauds and even bankruptcy after a repetitive auditing by specific auditors, while auditors are sometimes prevented from delivering certain quality audit results due to differences in countries’ regulations, economic incentives, their ability, and expertise. Considering the perceived audit failures, there is an urge for audit effectiveness and efficiency to enhance clients’ confidence in the quality of audit reports. This remains the greatest problem in quality control. Rotation of auditors is one of the strategies recommended, but still debatable over its success in promoting audit quality. Rotation of auditors The concept of auditors’ rotation is related to job rotation of employees, but unlike the later, which is intended to enhance motivation, the former has clear based obj ectives to impact on the quality of audits. Due to the established failure and fraud cases when a former auditor has been reemployed for a longer term by a specific client, companies avoid hiring similar auditing firms for a subsequent number of years to conduct their audits. The issue surfaced since the 90s and proposes that audit firms serve as client auditors for a certain period, then replaced by others. AICPA requirement proposes seven years of an auditor firm or auditor service, after which rotation occurs

Contract law in the 20th century Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contract law in the 20th century - Case Study Example The case is connected with the situation when the parties were negotiating on the subject of Walford's buying the photography business belonging to Miles. They have come to a certain agreement as for the purchase, and Walford was going to provide Miles with the bank comfort letter with the purchase price; Miles in return was obliged and has agreed to terminate any other negotiations as for selling his business with any other third parties. Against previous agreement, Miles sold his business to the third party and thus Walford had to bring the case to the court for breaching the previous agreement. Traditionally, such kind of agreement would be called a 'lock-out' agreement, when one of the parties agrees not to perform negotiations for a certain period of time with any other third party; however, it was also concluded that the case lacked two essential components to be a 'lock-out' agreement: the period of time during which negotiations had to be stopped had not been defined, as well as any provision as for determining negotiations by Miles was absent. Despite the fact that Walford was insisting on the applicability of the good fait principle in the case, the Judge of the case, Lord Ackner, was sure that the principle of good faith was not applicable to negotiations, as it was contradicting the essence of negotiations as a notion. It was supposed that the principle of good faith is inconsistent with the notion of negotiations in the contract law, because it contradicts with the opposite opinions and positions the parties take in negotiations. However, the case should be viewed from another viewpoint: whether Lord Ackner was thorough in his research to state that the principles of good faith are

Design and Construction of Motorway Project Essay

Design and Construction of Motorway Project - Essay Example Through utilization of these regulations, project managers could ensure that safety and health applications remain present throughout engineering project implementation period. While engineering projects remain essential for development of the country, the impacts of the implementation process for these projects could be catastrophic. The reduction of imminent risks within the projects remains essential towards safe implementation of the entire project (Bailey, 2002). The aim of this report remains identifying the imminent hazards within the project that could present a danger to people working on the project. This report seeks to establish an informed analysis concerning the health and safety regulation required in engineering projects. Through identification of the imminent risks, the contractors could essentially implement safety operation processes, significantly reducing safety concerns during construction. This report seeks to identify the imminent hazards for contractors durin g construction and workers after project completion. The project engineers could utilize the proposals contained in this report in ensuring safety for individuals involved in the project. Description of works This project involves construction of a motorway seeking to replace the existing M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project shall involve numerous and continuous excavation processes within the lifetime of construction. The excavation process involves the production of massive amounts of dust, which becomes a potential health hazard for individuals living within the vicinity, and the people working on the project. The process of excavating materials within the construction site comes at the centre of the project. Through excavation, the engineers could achieve a significant level of project implementation. Designing the site into the required form shall involve a continuous bulk excavation process. The proposed route for the motorway passes through Greenfield and Brownfield land, which continue to be associated with mining of different minerals. These areas have numerous deposits of coal and steels minerals. During the construction process, the materials excavated from the site should be carefully handled to reduce the prevalent risks produced by the mining processes of these minerals. While different activities might be affected by construction, the imminent hazards following excavation through coal mines remain a surmountable safety concern. Upon removal of the topsoil, an analysis of the contents of the soil should e performed to determine the presence of harmful elements within the soil. Through this analysis, proper disposal methods could be implemented to ensure reduction of the imminent hazards produced by the material. The project could potentially generate a significant amount of waste materials and remnants of the construction materials utilized. Following the completion of the project, disposal of these materials is likely to become fundamen tal in ensuring safe working environment for people maintaining the project. Disposal of the waste materials generated remains a fundamental post-construction safety and health concern. The waste disposal operation seeks to ensure the environment remains safe for the people after completion of the project (Lagrega et al, 2010). The maintenance employees would be working in safe environments when all generated wastes become

The Competitor orientation, Tech orientation and Customer Orientation Essay

The Competitor orientation, Tech orientation and Customer Orientation effect on performance through salesmanship and technical selling skills - Essay Example As such, the marketing departments of most companies look into ensuring that the competitor orientation has well stipulated methods by which sales of the employing company shall out-do those of the competitors. The tech orientation seeks to determine the various technological means by which the company can be able to further its sales to the consumers of its products without losing its market base. The customer orientation on itself seeks to define various ways which the company can apply to enable it meet its customers’ tastes and preferences as well as the products’ perceived expectations. Why is research limited regarding the effect of competitor, customer and tech orientations on the company’s performance through salesmanship and technical skills? While no direct answer may be found, this study was conducted with the sole purpose of bringing out this variability. The findings in this study show that the customer orientation selling skills requires the immediate actions by the salespeople. While competitor orientation seem to have more effect on the sales performance, this study reveals that mostly it has been neglected by most marketing managers. Tech orientation seems to what is taking ground at the moment with most companies resorting to the internet to market their products and so a revelation of companies expanding their IT staff reported. The main aim of this study was to understand the effects of competitor orientation, tech orientation and customer orientation on the performance of the company through salesmanship and technical skills. The term "customer service" encompasses an assortment of techniques used by firms to make certain the contentment of a client; from sociable and thoughtful staff to punctual reply when confronted with produce defects. Successful small company owners often cite this feature as one of the most

Fifth Hour #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fifth Hour #3 - Essay Example What was critical at the point of grief is offering comfort, consolations and explanations. Sometimes the bereaved obsessively ruminate some events which led to the death or loss and ended up blaming themselves or other people for it. This may end up bringing major depressions to the bereaved especially those who were close to the deceased like husband or wife in the first few months. Hallucinatory experiences may also come up. Incase of complicated grief like unresolved, post- traumatic stress disorder (PSTD); some distinct treatment may be required to relief the person. What I thought was important subject of the event is the therapy offered to the bereaved. For instance, sometimes the bereaved had symptoms like intrusive thoughts and images of the deceased which led to painful yearning for the presence of the dead, denying the death, desperate loneliness, bitterness, and anger. In such cases, the bereaved told the story of the death from time to time and listened to tapes of the r ecitations. This aided the people to accept the death. The bereaved were also let to learn to confront thoughts and situations they have been avoiding. It was also important to evoke happy memories and uphold imaginary conversations with the bereaved under the guidance of a

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman, produced and published in 1949, still has a lasting effect today in the year 2001. The play which has won several awards and the Pulitzer prize, centers itself around a salesman and his family as they fight and sometimes struggle to make it big in this world. The play has been performed all over the world since its introduction in 1949, and it is still being performed and read in different languages and societies. The purpose of this paper is to show how Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman makes his American audience question their own lives and the society that they live in and why Miller would want the audience to question such ideas. Death of a Salesman is centered on Willy Loman who is a 63 years old salesman and has a wife named Linda and two sons, Biff and Happy. Arthur Miller creates the Loman family so that everyone in a way could relate to someone in the family in one-way or another. Many people in the late 1940s and the 1950s had lived through a very miserable depression, and it was during this time that the American Society and economy was changing as it was becoming more and more advanced technologically. Times were changing and the good old days such as the traveling salesman and other pastime occupations were being withered away. The American Society was changing in a way that people were becoming more and more materialistic and people would try to get to the top by any means. Arthur Miller tries to get the American Audience to question whether or not their new views on business and life as a whole are the right thing to do. Willy Loman was a father that instilled values into his two sons that you should win at any cost by the means of cheating, lying, and stealing. Willy made fun of the rather weak, his sons friend Bernard, who was a nerd at school, but latter became a lawyer trying out a case in front of the Supreme Court in Washington D.C., while his sons were still living in the past and amounted to nothing but useless, lying, womanizers, that couldnt hold a job. Willy Loman was a salesman that had worked for the same company for years and was fired by his bosss son because Willy had become too old at the age of 63. Willy had been loyal for so long, but was shown the door too easily. This is what Charley had to say about Willy at his funeral: Willy was a salesman; and for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to the life. He dont put a bolt to a nut, he dont tell you the law, or give you medicine. Hes a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine; and when they start not smiling back- boy, thats an earthquake.(Arthur Miller, The Death of a Salesman 138) Arthur Miller is provoking the American Audience to realize the struggles of Willy Loman the Salesman, but at the same time makes the audience reveal their own struggles and their neighbors struggles, as Willy Loman was no longer getting the smiles back. Willy Loman committed suicide because no one was smiling back any more. The once proud Willy Loman had quickly materialized to near nothing and his sons had done the same. The idea of success at all costs and human suffering presented in the play by Miller really make the audience self evaluate and contemplate themselves and the society that they live in, because these were some of the new views and ideas held by society in the late 1940s.

Rowntree and Townsends Theories on Poverty

Rowntree and Townsends Theories on Poverty Introduction Sociologists disagree over what poverty actually is. In this essay I aim to discuss and criticise Seebohm Rowntrees theory from 1899 -1950 then I will discuss and criticise, Peter Townsend’s theory. The next section will be to discuss and criticise, Mack and Lansleys theory, and the ideas of Herbert Spencer (social Darwinism) There will then be a discussion of regressive and progressive taxation and an explanation of Marslands theory. Finally I will explain and criticise, John Wetergaard and Henrietta Resler’s arguement that there is a myth surrounding the welfare state. This myth is that the welfare state is progressive and redistributes from the rich to the poor. Poverty and Seebohm Rowntree In the time of Queen Elizabeth the first it was people’s duty to help alleviate poverty. They did this by feeding the poor and visiting the sick and trying to ensure that people were not destitute. After the Reformation things changed and laws were passed to regulate the amount that was spent on the poor. In 1601 the Elizabethan Poor Law was passed and made provision for â€Å"the setting of the poor on work†[1] The Poor Law also said that the poor were responsible for caring for each other. Overseers were appointed in every area to decide how much poor relief would be needed. In the amended Poor Law of 1834 overseers knew the circumstances of the poor in their are and those who were considered lazy would not get much help. These amendments to the Poor Law gave those in power a greater degree of control over the lives of the poor. In the 1860s, Joseph Rowntree, Seebohm Rowtree’s father conducted two studies into poverty.[2] This led Seebohm Rowntree to later conduct his own study which was published in 1901. He made an early distinction between primary and secondary poverty – a distinction which sociologists still use today. Primary poverty meant that a family did not have enough money coming in to cover the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing. Secondary poverty was where families earned enough but spent their money on things other than the basic necessities. So some spending was regarded as alright while other spending was seen as wasting money, on drink for example. He believed that wages should be increased because then people would be well fed and healthy and would be an efficient workforce. He raised the wages of workers at his own company and said that businesses who refused to do this should be closed down as they were doing the country no favours. His second study which he car ried out in the 1930s was published as â€Å"Progress and Poverty in 1941.† He argued in this study that the main cause of poverty was unemployment, the conclusions of his report influenced the founding of the welfare state. Although Seebohm Rowntree did a lot to further the cause of the poor and to point out the causes of poverty. His remarks about primary and secondary poverty, while still influential today, were typical of those in power. That is to say they carried the message that the poor were irresponsible and needed to be told how to spend the money that they had earned. Peter Townsend – Poverty as a Social Problem Townsend (1979) has defined poverty in the following way: Individuals, families and groups in the population can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diets, participate in the activities and have the living conditions which are customary, or at least widely encouraged and approved, in the societies to which they belong. Townsend(1979:31). Townsend’s work makes it quite clear that poverty is not just a lack of money but encompasses things other than strictly material needs. Those who are poor often live in poorer areas with badly performing schools and poor housing. This often results in ill health. Townsend said that there were two types of poverty, relative poverty and absolute poverty. Research undertaken for the Rowntree Foundation (Howarth et al,1999) found that in local authority housing more than two thirds of the heads of those households were not in paid work and since 1991 there has been an increase of 40% in the number of local authority areas with above average mortality rates. Absolute poverty is not really seen in the west. In underdeveloped countries people are often denied thenecessities e.g. food and shelter which maintain existence. Giddens (2001:311) argues that the idea of absolute poverty is grounded in ‘subsistence’. Anyone without sufficient food, shelter and clothing could be said to be living in absolute poverty. One of the ways in which absolute poverty is measured is by the poverty line which is based on the price of goods in a given society that humans need for survival. Those who cannot afford these goods live in poverty. Not everyone agrees with this and the idea of absolute poverty is highly contested because the use of a single criterion fails to take into account the differences between societies. Needs are not the same in all societies, or even in the same society, nutritional needs are different for people working in different jobs, a labourer for example may need more calories than a bank clerk. Drewnowski and Scott (1966)[3] argue that absolute poverty should also include a lack of cultural needs. This is often argued over because a fixed standard on such needs is bound to fail. These people are more interested in relative poverty. Relative poverty looks at peoples incomes and compares them to a national average. Relative poverty means that people are living in poverty when their life is compared to those of the average family this is because lack of income also means poorer housing. People who live in relative poverty usually live in deprived areas also. Since 1979 increased unemployment and a rise in benefit payments and earnings that are index linked to prices rather than wages, has resulted in a huge rise in the number of people living in relative poverty.[4] In a report inThe British Medical Journal (2000) the writer looked at absolute and relative child poverty in developed countries where some peoples incomes were more than fifty percent lower than the average. It also said that in the league table of relative child poverty one of the four bottom places was held by the UK. An article in the Daily Telegraph (27/08/02) says that the idea of relative poverty is a problem. The article suggests that instead of using household income as the regulator it might be better if statisticians calculated the prices of basic goods and services. Under the present system the rich were becoming richer and the poor were paying for it in increased taxes and a lack of services. Another approach to measuring relative poverty is through people’s perceptions of the necessities of life which is what Mack and Lansley did. Mack and Lansley The work of Mack and Lansley (1985, 1992) listed those things that were considered to be necessary to modern day life if a person was not living in poverty. They did two studies on relative poverty in the UK. Mack and Lansley carried out an opinion poll to find out what people thought were the necessities of modern day life. There were twenty six things that most people considered important these things included new clothes, heating, a bath and indoor toilet. Relative poverty was thus measured by the presence or absence of the things that had been listed. Mack and Lansley’s research found that the number of people living in poverty in the 1980s went up quite a bit, this poverty was defined by the lack of three or more of the basic necessities mentioned earlier. Between 1983 and 1990 when the two studies were undertaken the number of people who were living in poverty went up from 7.5 million to 11 million and the number of those living in severe poverty or who were lacking more than 7 of the items that were considered essential, went up from 2.6 to 3.5 million (Mack and Lansley, 1992). Poverty is also defined by how far people can afford to participate in social activities such as school trips. In recent years this has been called social exclusion. Social exclusion does not look at poverty just in terms of a lack of material things. It looks at the wider picture and this includes wheter people are able to participate in society. There are no clear ways of measuring poverty. Absolute and relative poverty are both complex and ways of measuring what it is to be poor, and not everyone agrees on them. Policy makers say what poverty is and then make laws for it but few of them experience what it is to be poor. A report published by the Rowntree foundation says that what the poor have to say needs to be taken into consideration in research on poverty. Taking into account the opinions of those who actually lived in poverty would provide useful information for existing organisations that might help shape policy making in the long term.[5] In all this there is a feeling that the poor are somehow to blame for the circumstances in which they find themselves. A point which Herbert Spencer writing in the nineteenth century would have agreed with. As far as Spencer was concerned people lived in poverty as a result of dissolute living. He had no sympathy at all for the poor and regarded many of them as criminals and drunks. He believed it was unnatural to help people who lived in poverty as a result of their own behaviour and irresponsibility. If people were too lazy to work then they should not be allowed to eat. He believed that the cause of poverty could be found by an examination of the moral character of an individual. The Poor Laws were wrong because they encouraged the poor to be lazy and to rely on somebody else’s hard work to provide them with the necessities of life. This allowed moral decline to spread through the population. The result would be that both society and the economy would suffer. Late nineteenth and early twentieth century thought was heavily influence by Darwins work â€Å" The Origins of the Species† and Spencer was no exception. He believed in Darwin’s idea of the survival of the fittest. Society could only evolve properly and morally if the honest and hard working members of society were allowed to keep the fruits of their labour. The week and lazy members of society should be condemned to live in poverty because that was what they deserved. Falling into poverty was a necessary evil in society because without poverty work would not exist. Although this may seem repugnant to a lot of people Spencer’s ideas are still rife in modern society. Peter Golding (1978) has said that media reporting of poverty in the nineteen seventies portrayed the poor as welfare scroungers living off the backs of others. The press portrayed people as having a comfortable existence living off social security at the expense of tax payers. The New Right The Conservative Government headed by Margaret Thatcher were voted into power in 1979. Political debates of the time were concerned with a free market economy versus the welfare state. The tory government brought in measures to roll back the welfare state and control spending. This was done through the introduction of marketing and business strategies into policy making. At the same time there was an intense process of privatization because it was thought that public ownership of companies, and the public sector worked against market forces. Introducing marketing principles into social care allowed the Governments to in theory improve services. It also enabled them to retain a greater degree of control. Giddens (2001) says that: †¦the momentum of Thatcherism in economic matters was maintained by the privatising of public companies†¦..(this)..is held to reintroduce healthy economic competition in place of unwieldy and ineffective public bureaucracies, reduce public expenditure and end political interference in managerial decisions (Giddens, 2001:434). The introduction of market forces into social care was considered the best method of Government spending because free markets were considered to be self organising (Olssen 2000).They thought this would increase productivity and improve care and be cost efficient. Government discourses, both Conservative and New Labour have revolved around the notion that the introduction of market mechanisms would result in a more equitable system benefiting all. However, Alcock (1994) says that the Conservative policies resulted in greater unemployment, a rise in the number of homeless people, and a general growth in social inequality. Marsland (1996) disagrees and says that in Britain poverty has been exaggerated. David Marsland Marsland says that the Rowntree foundation deliberately confuse poverty with inequality and that they exaggerate the amount of poverty in Britain. He says that who say poverty is increasing act out of their own self interest because the evidence is not examined impartially. He does not believe in relative poverty but says that in order to truly be poverty it has to be absolute and this is disappearing from Britain because of the increase in living standards that has come about through capitalism. He is also critical o universal welfare provision i.e. those benefits such as education which are available to everyone regardless of their income as he believes they create a dependency culture. Marsland (1989) believes that relying on the government to take care of the people results in an abdication of personal responsibility and welfare hand outs are just another reason for remaining unemployed. Jordan (1989) says that Marsland is wrong in what he says about universal welfare provision creating a dependency culture and that if such a culture exists it is targeted with means tested benefits that only the very poor get. Rather than poverty being the result of an over generous welfare system, Jordan says that it comes from one that is too mean. Westergaard and Resler (1976) argue that the welfare state does not make the distribution of wealth more equal. Poverty is not being eradicated. Any money or benefits that the working class receive will eventually be paid back in tax by themselves. They believe that the welfare state is simply another tool of capitalism and poverty exists because of that system which prevents poor people from obtaining the resources to stop being poor. In Westergaard’s view the policies of the eighties and nineties and the hold that market forces had over Britain meant that even the aim of redistributing wealth through the welfare state had been abandoned. Kincaid says that it is not just a matter of rich and poor it is the fact that some people are very rich while some are very poor. Poverty therefore is a result of the capitalist system. However, such theories do not really explain why some people become poor nor do they differentiate between poor working class and other members of that clas s. So we have plenty of theories but no real solutions. Conclusion This essay has looked at different theories of poverty. Seebohm Rowntree in the nineteenth century who wanted to improve the lives of the poor and believed that increased wages would change things. Herbert Spencer on the other hand believed the opposite. He thought it was wrong to help the poor and believed that if people were hard working and honest then they should keep all of the money they had earned. Some people were born to be richer than others, it was the survival of the fittest. Peter Townsend distinguished between absolute and relative poverty but relative poverty is not easy to define and is still being contested. Even Macky and Llansley’s work on relative poverty does not solve the problem. New Right approaches have contributed to the problems of poverty but Marxist criticisms do not provide answers as to who the poor really are or how they became that way. Clearly this is not an easy question. Howver, if we look back at the definitions of absolute poverty then we can say that this type of poverty does not really exist in Britain today. Bibliography Giddens, A. 2001. (4th ed). Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press. Haralambos, M and Heald, R. 1985 Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London, Bell and Hyman. Howarth,C. et al 1999 Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion. York, Joseph Rowntree Foundation. http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1210/poverty.html Mack, J. and Lansley, S. 1985. Poor Britain. London, George Allen and Unwin. Mack, J. and Lansley, S. 1992. Breadline Britain 1990s The Findings of the Television Series. London, London Weekend Television. Nickell, S. RES conference paper April 2003 Poverty and Worklessness in Britain http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0579.pdf O’Neale Roache, J. 2000. â€Å"One in Six Children Live in Relative Poverty.† BMJ 2000;320:1626 ( 17 June ). The Daily Telegraph 27th August 2002 Townsend, P. 1979. Poverty in the United Kingdom. Harmondsworth, Penguin. Giddens, A. 2001. (4th ed). Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press. Haralambos, M and Heald, R. 1985 Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London, Bell and Hyman. Howarth,C. et al 1999 Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion. York, Joseph Rowntree Foundation. http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1210/poverty.html Mack, J. and Lansley,S. 1985. Poor Britain. London, George Allen and Unwin. Mack, J. and Lansley,S. 1992. Breadline Britain 1990s The Findings of the Television Series. London, London Weekend Television. Nickell, S. RES conference paper April 2003 Poverty and Worklessness in Britain http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0579.pdf Olssen, M. 2000 â€Å"Ethical liberalism, education and the New Right† Journal of Educational Policy Vol 15No. 5 2000 pps 481-508 O’Neale Roache, J. 2000. â€Å"One in Six Children Live in Relative Poverty.† BMJ 2000;320:1626 ( 17 June ). The Daily Telegraph 27th August 2002 Townsend, P. 1979. Poverty in the United Kingdom. Harmondsworth, Penguin. Sociological Review 1 [1] http://www.victorianweb.org/history/poorlaw/elizpl.html [2] http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RErowntreeS.htm [3] Cited in Holborn and Langley 2002 [4] http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0579.pdf Nickell, S. RES conference paper April 2003 [5] From input to influence: Participatory approaches to research and inquiry into poverty by Fran Bennett with Moraene Roberts, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Legal and ethical issues of discrimination

Legal and ethical issues of discrimination In an effort to curtail discrimination, implementing new strategies and proposing these new hiring practices are vital. It is not a good ethical policy for employees to be able to screen and pick and choose who gets to be interviewed, as in this case. Company hiring practices if done with good judgment and a strong moral and ethically correct agenda, can benefit the organization as a whole. Furthermore, discrimination in the workplace is disruptive and harmful to the effects on business operations and its culture, whether in the present or the past. By getting rid of old outdated policy and allowing for more diverse interaction with employees, we can create a multi-cultural environment. Also reciprocating this is the fact that managed correctly, the atmosphere will cause increases in retention rates and reduce turnover. Because our time was put into defining specific goals of the organization, that needed to be met to receive consideration for employment. Therefore, this organization needs a more efficient way to determine the necessary steps in the hiring procedure. The current process of hiring prospective employees is based on a biased view that too much diversity is a bad thing. New employee assessments are needed to help predict whether potential hires are motivated by the factors associated with a particular job. It is true that companies have to be cautious and should be concerned about negligent hiring but outright discrimination is an undesirable practice. Making sound hiring decisions and performing detailed background checks on qualified potential employees can decrease employment risks later caused by premature termination. (Berris, 2009) This company is small but can benefit from forming a streamline, non-negligent hiring process, by setting up a structured, non-discriminatory process for existing and new hires. Negligent hiring means the company can be put into legal trouble if it could have foreseen a potential issue but acts negligently by not d oing a thorough check of the new employee, before hiring. This company had a tendency to overlook steps to reduce the likelihood of a hiring mistake. This company looks past a lot of qualified employees due to its biased hiring practices and may hire problem employees unknowingly. This potential failure is heightened because management chooses to hire off of appearance and fails to accurately assess a potential employees way of thinking and handling situations or their particular skill needed for the job. Quality, knowledge and skill sets need to be the reason for hiring/not hiring someone, not their appearance and this is how you decide who to hire. (Aly Shields, 2010) When individuals are discriminated against because of defining characteristics such as their race, gender or age, this is some of the most blatant forms of discrimination. Personally, I believe the most qualified person should receive the job, regardless of race, ethnicity. If discrimination does not exist, it certainly has a solid historical foundation for its existence. As evidenced in this scenario, a potential employee is shut out of the hiring process, based solely on his ethnicity. When employers violate workplace discrimination laws, legally they can be sued by the person or persons and receive bad publicity and other consequences. Discrimination occurs when an employee suffers from unfair treatment due to their race, religion, national origin. Proving discrimination is difficult as is can occur in a number of work-related areas, during your initial hiring phase, during training or even after you get the job and have to participate in job evaluations. According to Smith, unfai r treatment does not necessarily equal unlawful discrimination, treating a person differently from others violates Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws only when the treatment is based on the presence of a protected section under discrimination, rather than on the job performance. As far as ethnicity goes, Americans come in every colour shape and size and a successful business is one that understands its customers and knows how to meet their needs. (2010) The more diverse an organization is, the more likely it becomes a center piece of the community. Affirmative action helps to cut down on discrimination, past and present, but it is not a complete solution. The objective of its policies include the elimination of hiring and advancement discrimination; ensuring multicultural employment and to achieve a diverse and much more representative workforce. The results guide a prospective manager about how best to motivate, manage and develop potential employees in a new role. It has helped but the effort to increase the number of minorities in upper management and leadership roles in educational institutions is still a struggle and needs to continue. Needless to say there is a long history of racism and discrimination against blacks and minorities, which went unnoticed. Where was the need to strive for equality then as it is now? The evidence of all types of discrimination against minorities led to a decisive need for action, ethics and morals were the same then as they are now. Ethics are the societal application of what is right and wr ong while morals are an individuals belief of what is right and wrong. Is one to say that the U.S lacked morals and good ethical practices and this is why the need for affirmative action gave rise? Morals are instilled in every man woman and child, it is a sense of what is right and wrong and good ethical behavior builds off of good morals. There is no doubt that affirmative action has helped with the vast gap between blacks and whites in areas such as education, employment. Those that do not share positive views on affirmative action will state that it is discrimination to harbor or give away special considerations and benefits on the foundation that people have certain characteristics. Affirmative action programs that benefit minorities have been under attack in the halls of Congress and scrutinized for reverse racism against the whites. This is a valid argument but how can one ignore the imbalance of societal benefits that are obviously lacked by minorities. (Devata Kappelman 20 10) Ethically this is thesible but morally this argument should have never existed. For years the morality of America went unquestioned in the treatment of minorities, years beyond slavery and what individual or group has a right or an ethic ground to stand against affirmative action. Legally government has tried to mandate it and courts have tried to uphold its presence but to no avail. Again I ask where the outrage was when affirmative action was white. The opposition to affirmative action argues that the foundation that the U.S is built upon requires that government treats all of its citizens as individual persons without regard to their ethical status, and again I ask where this creed was during slavery and years after. This is truly a divisive issue and one cannot employ the constitution when needed and dismiss it when not.

Failure in a Success Oriented Society in Death of a Salesman Essays

Failure in a Success Oriented Society in Death of a Salesman    In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the playwright focuses on the theme of failure in a success oriented society. Willy Lowman, a failed salesman, is the central character. Willy’s downfall is caused by his belief in the propaganda of a society that only has room for winners. The significance of this theme, still very relevant today, is heightened by Miller's skilful use of a range of key techniques, including setting, characterization and symbolism. The drama focuses on the life of a middle aged salesman, Willy Lowman, who, at the outset of the play is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He lives with his adoring but over protective wife, Linda, who acts as a buffer between her husband and their two adult sons, Biff and Happy, whose relationship with their father is permanently under tension. The play plots the tragic collapse of a man who cannot face up to his moral responsibilities in a society whose false values attach a dangerous importance to success as measured in such transient terms as income and material possessions. Living according to these values means that failure is likewise defined in economic terms. The play's setting contributes to our understanding of the significance of this theme. Willy Lowman's home is presented as 'small and fragile-seeming', dwarfed by a wall of apartment blocks whose presence contributes to the trapped, claustrophobic atmosphere. He makes reference to a time before the build up of this area when there were 'two beautiful elm trees', now cut down by the builder and a garden in which scented wisteria and lilacs bloomed in profusion.Willy complains of the airless quality within his apartment, despite... ...ary society. For today's audience, Willy Lowman remains a poignant figure of failure, partly as a result of society's false value system but partly because of Willy's own inability to confront life with integrity.    Works Cited and Consulted Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Corrigan, Robert W., ed. Arthur Miller.   Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969. Florio, Thomas A., ed. â€Å"Miller’s Tales.† The New Yorker.   70 (1994): 35-36. Hayashi, Tetsumaro.   Arthur Miller Criticism.   Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1969. Martin, Robert A., ed. Arthur Miller.   Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982. Miller, Arthur.   The Archbishop’s Ceiling/The American Clock. New York: Grove Press, 1989. ---.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965.

College Essay examples -- Teaching Education

College Every person who begins a college career has a multitude of reasons for doing so. Some people do it because they are expected to get a college degree. Others do it hoping for a better life than they could have without a college degree. I am not entering college for either of these reasons. I am a high school dropout who believes I can do better than I did. Therefore, my reasons for beginning college are some what different than the average person starting college for the first time. I have something to prove to myself. I want to prove that I can earn a college degree. I am beginning college after a long hiatus from the academic world. You see I dropped out of high school in 1973 after completing my sophomore year. I was young and in love with the man to whom I am still married. School was never a problem for me, however; I was eager to begin my adult life and high school was not part of my plan. I wanted children right away. Subsequently I gave birth to my first child, Tosha, in 1974 and education became the furthest thing from my mind. After all, I had a baby to care for and love. Twenty-two months later I had a son, Jason. I was a stay at home mom with two children. I didn’t begin work until both of them were school-aged. I held various jobs until 1985 when I became employed at Andover Togs in Pisgah. I still had not completed my high school education at this point. My children had always me to get my GED. I had excuse after excuse for no...

Animal Cruelty :: essays research papers fc

Animal Cruelty The topic of animal cruelty is one of great importance to the wold today. Why we humans have the right reserved to treat animals as lesser individuals is beyond me. Animals are fulfilling their part in the ecosystems and communities of the earth, and to the best extent that they are able. For example, a spider is being the best possible spider that it can be, spinning webs and working diligently at what it knows best, not bothering any creatures of the earth besides the ones which it needs to capture for food. We, as humans, decided that we are a much advanced life form and can basically treat anything else in this world in ways which we cannot imagine being treated. As a result the threads holding our earth together tightly in the balance are being slowly unraveled to lead into ultimate self-destruction. In 1988, 16, 989 animals died in laboratories in the United Kingdom. This was due to such tests as acute and chronic toxicity experiments, where the animals are forced to consume substances such as perfume, make-up and other beauty products and are often literally poisoned, their systems literally overloaded by the substance in question. Another testing method is the Lethal Dose 50 percent test or LD50. In this procedure at least half of the animals must die in order for the government to figure out how much a human can ingest without dying. In one such test some animals were fed 4. lb. of lipstick and one ended up dying of intestinal obstruction. In another, 7 pints of melted eye shadow was fed to rats. In yet another, mice were wrapped in tin foil and grilled in ultraviolet light to test a sun block cream for a total of 96 hours. The results of the test were that the longer the mice stayed in the rays, the more sunburnt they got. But that is not all. A wax product used in many cosmetics was dosed into animals by a stomach tube. The amount that they used is equivalent to feeding 1 Â « lb of the stuff to humans. The animals involved soon began salivating, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and had extreme diarrhoea. As the test progressed some more, the animals became emaciated and unkempt, had congestion in the lungs and kidneys and solid wax in the stomach. The infamous Draize eye test cannot be forgotten either. Chemicals are instilled into the eyes of rabbits in stocks, often for up to seven days. And because their eyes are physiologically different from ours, they cannot produce

An Interview With a Relative

Welcome to the blue collar city of Buffalo, New York. I find myself in my great Uncle Wills old brick home in the center of South Buffalo. The house has the familiar smell of old people, in the foyer are a pair of work boots the leather old and worn, the soles nearly depleted. A layer of dust has formed on the boots that have remained untouched for decades. As I move closer to the kitchen I can hear the recognizable sound of stainless steel clinking on ceramic, the rhythmic noise can only be one thing; Uncle Will’s stirring his ever present cup of joe. I know this interview is going to take a bit so I head to the fridge to find a cold beverage. Inside the fridge, prune juice I thought â€Å"ugh†, tap water will do. My Uncle begins by interviewing me. Uncle Will is curious to know how I’m doing in school and if I like living in Kansas. We talk about family, cars and pets(he has a very fat cat). I don’t want this interview to be formal and stiff so I casually guide the conversation to his earlier years. I want to ask him about WWII but this is not what I want to focus on. I do ask about his service in the United States Army just to get an idea of how his time in the army prepared him for entering the job market. In his tour of duty he saw himself promoted three times, eventually to the rank of Captain and led a company of sixty men. This is all I want to know of his brief military service. I ask about his homecoming and the first thing he mentions is the excellent growth the economy in Buffalo has made, â€Å"it was as if the depression never happened† he says with a half smile and a look of satisfaction. The best thing is not only was the city of Buffalo prospering the entire nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific was too. I sit quiet and attentive just letting him talk. It’s like a history lecture only it’s just me front and center, completely interested in the subject. I want to know more about Buffalo and the jobs available to him so I implore. â€Å"You could just see the smiles on everyone’s faces, people walking with a bounce in their step† he tells me. The reason for the smiling faces was that Buffalo was home to Bethlehem Steel the second largest steel producer in the nation. Bethlehem Steel employed tens of thousands of the city’s people they offered good wages and a unionized work force, these things kept the grins ear to ear. The steel was mainly sent to Detroit to fuel the auto industries record sales. The primary means to transport the steel was the railroad and this is where Uncle Will found his calling. He was hired for the job almost immediately. His time leading troops in combat made him the top choice for the conductor position. Old Will describes his new job as â€Å"Love at First sight†. Will adored the sound of the methodic turning of the locomotives wheels, the hustle and bustle of the train yard and the fact that he had the privilege to literally drive the economy in a 200 ton, 7000 horsepower machine. â€Å"The most efficient means of transportation, steel on steel,† he says proudly. He now commanded trains with at least sixty box cars just like the company of soldiers he led just a short while ago. Uncle Will informs me that though the job often kept him away a lot with trips to Chicago and other mid-western cities he was proud to be transporting the materials to help the U. S prosper. He coveted every moment he spent with his locomotive the diesel powered Dual-Service Erie-Built Train Master, â€Å"I called her Audrey after Audrey Hepburn, they showed her movies to us in the service† Uncle Will laughs as he finishes his statement. Audrey was navigating her way through the extensive network of railways across the country and with that even I feel a bit of admiration of the industry. His devotion to the train industry is fascinating. I ask him to tell me more about his duties as a conductor. The conductor has the duty of accelerating, breaking, changing tracks and supervising the crew, pretty important,† he adds with a chuckle. His days on the helm of the locomotive began to blur together days became months and months turned to years but he says â€Å" every time I pushed the accelerator I still had that goose bump sensation I felt the first time I pushed her to full speed. † Buffalo was still enjoying economic growth through the sixti es still thriving on America’s appetite for steel. In the late sixties as my Uncle explained he noticed a change, less noise at the rail yard the sound of wheels turning was less prevalent the methodic rhythm slowing down just like buffalo’s economy. Everyone could sense the change and the smiles began to fade. I want to know the reason for this change in demand. Uncle Will proclaimed with anger in his voice â€Å"Foreign steel was being imported from places like China and Korea. It was much cheaper and industry wants to save money. † The lack of demand for Buffalo’s number one export closed the doors of Bethlehem and Republic Steel. Thousand lost their jobs. â€Å"You could call this moment in time the death of our city â€Å"he adds. This was and is the beginning of the continual decline of the Queen City. Uncle Will was right unemployment rates were 6% and today is 9. 6% according to the New York State Department of Labor (www. labor. state. ny. us). This downturn affected all subsequent history. Unemployment caused crime rates to rise, drug use was rampant on the east side of town and it was spreading at a rapid rate. Today buffalo is littered with abandoned homes even ornate Roman Catholic churches have seen their doors and windows boarded up. â€Å"The city as I knew it was gone† with these words I hear a solemn sigh. I wanted this interview to be about how the railroad industry affected his life however by the way it started I should have known the interview was just a means for Uncle Will to tell me about the city he watched grow to greatness and the sadness it brings him to watch its decline. I peer out the window there is a light blanket of snow covering the concrete and the small bush he has in his front yard. It looks pretty and peaceful but looks can be deceiving. Uncle Will mention’s that even in his neighborhood crime was creeping in â€Å"the house just two doors down was burglarized just a week ago† he proclaims with a deep sadness in his eyes. I look closer at Uncle William’s face tired and worn like the work boots in the front hall, his soul wearing away. This man has done so much in his life he volunteered when his country needed him and guided trains on the veins of Buffalo, pumping its blood of steel around the fledging nation. Without sadness there cannot be joy and without depression there cannot be growth. Unfortunately this weary old man is still sitting in his old red recliner coffee cup in hand staring out the window at the city streets once home to the laughter of playing children now quiet and desolate. He says â€Å"I’d leave this place but there are too many memories in this old house, too many memories in this old city. †

Definition of Marketing Research

The first thing that an organization must concentrate upon when going into operations is to analyze the current situation of the environment that it is a part of. The organization must know of the current happenings in the environment and the kind of competitors that it is directly affected by and indirectly affected by as well. All these factors must be analyzed clearly and thoroughly so that the organization can decide its strategies and run them effectively. In order to do so, the organization must use marketing research as its tool because it is known to be extremely useful and it never provides false results. Through research, the organization can know what the competitors are planning to do and what their line of action is. Marketing research can be defined as â€Å"Market research is broader in scope and examines all aspects of a business environment. It asks questions about competitors, market structure, government regulations, economic trends, technological advances, and numerous other factors that make up the business environment.† (Wikipedia, 2006) Techniques used for Marketing Research Any organization can use marketing research as one of its strongest tools for being competent in a market. It is known to be the research and development area that has allowed the organization to grow and become stronger in the competitive environment. The organization must concentrate on this aspect to grow in any environment. There are several techniques that can be used for marketing research and will be explained below. The broader categorization of marketing research is out into four topics as: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Qualitative Research 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Quantitative Research 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Observational Research 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Experimental Research (Wikipedia, 2006) The techniques within these topics are surveys, focus groups, observations, personal interviews and field trials. Surveys can be defined as have a list of questions pertaining to the topic of the research and then having the target market, selected for the research, to fill out and answer these questions. The survey allows the organization to have an easy statistical overview of the data representing the market so that the organization can understand what features of the product must be concentrated upon to optimize. There are various different kinds of surveys such as telephone surveys, mail surveys and even in person surveys which means that an individual is asked these questions so that the organization can understand the individual’s requirements and satisfaction from the product or service that the organization is willing to offer. Focus groups are conducted with a group of participants chosen from the target market of the research to understand what emotions and important points can be derived from the discussion of these participants with one another. The organization can also use personal interviews where the same problems could be discussed face to face rather than having a group of people. In this way, only the idea and the perception of that individual can be understood. The observational techniques depend upon the non verbal communication of the target market. There could be people from the organization who could be sitting at certain areas where the competitor’s products are sold and then could observe as to how the people look into the products and what their requirements are or specifications of the product. There could be the possibility that a customer may need a certain color that was demanded by many other customers and many other features. The organization must also look into the field trials which is really the experimental portion of the research. The organization would first collect all the data from the internet and other sources and then analyze the data in order to understand how the product is to be changed in order that the customers needs from the research results can be reached. Once the product is created, it must first be tested in an environment to see whether the product has any flaws in them or not. The organization can then make required changes in the product and then eventually launch their product in the market. This is the entire process of research that is usually followed by many organizations. However, there is a greater participation of internet in this process because of the availability of data at all times. Internet and Its Usefulness in Marketing Research Internet is known to be a very strong tool for research because internet holds all the information that can be available for an individual. The internet can provide laws and regulations imposed by governments on different sectors of a country or the research results of various other companies and individuals who also tried to understand the market. All this information can be sued by an individual or company as secondary data as well as a support for their primary research. A company known as Engro Chemicals Pakistan Limited has grown to be a multinational and is continuing to grow globally. The main aim of this company was to allow the farmers to have higher yield with better products to embed in the soil. Looking at the environmental aspect of agriculture and using the laws and regulations of the government imposed upon agriculture, Engro came up with new technologies along with products to help the farmers grow. The company went through a number of websites and internet sources to understand the requirements of farmers all over the world and got hold of secondary data to understand the gaps within the agricultural sector globally. The company sort out the products that it can produce and then customized them for its market. This provided the company with a competitive edge over all other locally based companies that are still struggling to gain the market. Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All Business. (2006). Market Research Techniques. Retrieved on November 19, 2006 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Asia Market Research. (2002). Research Techniques. Retrieved on November 19, 2006 from: http://www.asiamarketresearch.com/news/cat_research_techniques.htm 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Engro Chemicals Pakistan Limited. Retrieved on November 19, 2006 from: www.engro.com 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Infospan, Inc. Qualitative and Quantitative Techniques. Retrieved on November 19, 2006 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wikipedia. (2006). Marketing Research. Retrieved on November 19, 2006 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_research      

Comparative Study of Wuthering Heights, Translations, and I’M No Scared

The texts that I have studied and prepared for my comparative course are: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Translations by Brian Friel, and I’m not scared directed by Gabriel Salvatores. When I address the cultural context of a text I refer to the worlds of the texts, the circumstances which face the plots and the characters of the texts. Some elements of the cultural context of each and every text are the world’s attitudes, social rituals, and structures. Coming to grips with the general norm of the society with in each texts and how the characters behave enables me to enjoy each text all the more.Understanding the world in which each text is set in and thus being able to compare the aspects of their society and what is involved in their material and spiritual lives ostentatiously influences the resolution of the narratives which gave a better impact and added to my enjoyment. I greatly enjoyed seeing the connections between the texts and how their worlds were intert wined in their similarities and differences. Particularly these connections were more vivid to me in the areas of Role of Women in Society, Setting, and Class Structure, within the Cultural context of each text.All three texts revolve around a patriarchal system where the men were the primary authority figure and were central to society. They hold the central roles of political leadership, moral authority, and control of property. The entailment of female subordination is most apparent in Wuthering Heights where only through marriage is a woman able to gain recognition, position, and a place in society. Being compelled by this, Catherine Earnshaw betrays Heathcliff and really herself as well due to her love for him.Unable to cope with marrying a slave and an outcast in her patriarchal world she accepts Edgar Linton’s proposal for marriage. Edgar’s family were the most elite family in the novel thus giving Catherine a better future than what circumstance she might be in if she marries Heathcliff. Catherine: â€Å"It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now. † In the same way, Maire doesn’t marry Manus in Translations due to his lack of position, property and his inability to provide for a family. Maire sees that the man that she marries will dictate her position in society and so decides that marriage with Manus was not the foremost option.Maire: â€Å"You talk to me about getting married – with neither a roof over your head nor a sod of ground under your foot. † In both circumstances, a society where men hold prestige constrains women to be only able to aspire to be a wife. Marriage, in their patriarchal world, seems to be the only possible way to be able to make a living. The subservient role of women is further illustrated by Wuthering Heights’ patrilineal system which inhibits the property and title of a family to be inherited by the female lineage.Heathcliff effectively utilises this system for his benefit. Knowing that the wealth of a family can only be inherited by the male lineage, he arranges the marriage of young Cathy and his son Linton. Since Edgar died with no son to carry on his family name, his family’s inheritance would therefore be handed to whoever young Cathy marries. The male is dominant and is clearly seen as the head of the family. Similarly to I’m not scared, we see a macho world where power and strength are valued and power rest with the males.Pino tells his son to do his press-ups and they arm-wrestle. Anna, Michele’s mother, is physically assaulted by Felice, one of the gang. In his household, Pino is very much in charge and his wife is obedient to him. Even though in each text, women were inferior to men we also see in some cases where the text subverts the traditional or stereotypical idea of women and their place in society. In translations Bridget shows control when she directs Doalty to hide the animals when the army threatens to kill them .Maire is described as: â€Å"†¦a strong minded, strong bodied woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She works as hard as any man in the community at the hay harvesting and plans to go to America in order to provide for her household in which she the head. Maire: â€Å"The best harvest in living memory,†¦ (Showing Jimmy her hands. ) Look at these blisters. † Maire: â€Å"There are ten below me to be raised and no man in the house†¦. † During the Victorian era in Wuthering Heights, women were expected to be obedient, disciplined and faithful. Catherine does not conform to these expectations.There is also a subtle reversal of roles in young Cathy’s marriages where, contrary to traditional norms, she appears to be the dominant partner. She tended to Linton who was a spoilt, sickly weakling. Later Hareton also needs help and encouragement to develop after years of degradation at the hands of Heathcliff. Comparing the cultural context of the narratives heightened my en joyment and helped me have a better experience and insight into the role of women and how they lived their lives subservient under men in a patriarchal society.One of the aspects of cultural context I enjoyed covering on my comparative course is how the class structure in each narrative is divided up. Social class is not solely dependent on the amount of money one has. Rather, the source of income, birth, and family connections plays a major role in determining one’s position in society. England in the nineteenth century was an extremely class-conscious society and social class is an important element in Wuthering Heights. We see the distinction between the two families in Emily Bronte’s novel and their rank on the social ladder.At the top of the locality’s social class, one finds the rich and refined Linton family who live in the sumptuous surroundings of Thruscross Grange. The Lintons were superior to the Earnshaw family and live in Wuthering heights. Within t hese ranks we also see how the cultured from the rustics and those higher up the social scale from those lower down are separated. Speech patterns and accents distinguish the servants such as Zillah, Joseph and Nelly Dean from their masters. An example of this would be Joseph’s Yorkshire dialect and young Heathcliff’s outsider accent which he spoke when he was brought from Liverpool.Equally noticeable in Brian Friel’s Translations is the subtle class diversity between the more educated who were able to speak English as well as Irish and the less educated who only speak Irish. Also noticeable is the feeling of social superiority felt by the English to the Gaelic community of Baile Beag as reflected in Captain Lancey’s condescending attitude. This parallels with Hindley’s deprivation of Heathcliff to a servant. Hindley is a well-educated man who has an outstanding stand in society while Heathcliff was seen as an illiterate vagabond brought in from Li verpool by Mr Earnshaw.Turning to I’m not scared we see how the village of Acqua Traverse is in keeping with the film’s premise that Southern Italy was a deprived place where the people, out of desperation, could understandably turn to crime. The buildings are shabby and clustered around a dusty courtyard. It is reminiscent of Baile Beag with its hedge school in a dusty barn and Hugh’s description of the place with its Hugh: â€Å"Mud cabins and a diet of potatoes. † The people’s aspirations in I’m not scared are simple. Anna dreams of visiting the seaside and eating in a restaurant. The people in Southern Italy were poor and run-down.The difference between the social standing of Southern Italy and Northern Italy lead to the country experiencing spate of kidnappings hence the kidnapping of Filippo. Filippo is from a family among the ranks of the higher hierarchy of Italy at that time. This caused him to be held against his will to be held fo r ransom by the people of Acqua Traverse in hopes that their lives might change for the better and for them to be able to climb higher in their social ladder. Similar to the situation in Translations, Maire desires to go to America in order to acquire a better subsistence.In each text, class structure plays an important role and affects the behaviour of the characters in how they respond to society and the norm and in what choices they make in connection with their rank the class system. Studying the significance of class structure in the cultural context of each narrative benefitted me in my understanding of each text which made my study all the more pleasurable. The setting in the cultural context of a text is definitely important when looking at character development, conflict, and the overall plot.It's the setting for all that is to come; it can convey so much about whom the people are and the way they live. The setting of a narrative can be a character of its own. In all three narratives, the setting is conveyed in a remote, rural location far from any centre of population. I’m not scared shows scenes depicting children romping through the endless fields of golden corn under a blue sky or cycling along dirt-track roads baked solid by the sweltering sun. The entire plot of I’m not scared unfolds over a few days of scorching sunshine near harvest time.This parallels with Translations where Baile Beag is experiencing an unusual heat wave, and similarly just after the hay harvest. We see Owen tell Yolland that it is†¦ Owen: â€Å"The first hot summer in fifty years and you think it’s Eden. † This reminds us in Wuthering Heights where Catherine stays at the Lintons for a few weeks after being bitten by a dog. Cathy receives a taste of luxury and she is drawn to it and is deceived to think that she desires to marry Edgar due to the luxury which she relishes.In the end, both Yolland and Cathy have to face the consequences of the pursuit of their vain desires. Wuthering Heights, however, is in opposition to Translations and I’m not scared. Bronte has placed her novel in a variety of ambience. Ranging from the opening scenes of snowfalls and lashing gales, to blooming springs, radiant summers, and drowsy autumns. In Salvatore’s film, as we see the camera pan across the rolling hill and valleys and sweep over the fields of waving grain, one is struck by the beauty and the emptiness of the landscape.The only sounds are of animals, birds, and insects. Our eyes take in the vivid colours of the red and orange poppies. Then we trace the horizon dividing the golden corn and the purple petals of other flowers from the blue sky to create a wonderfully rich effect. This countryside reminds us of Bronte’s descriptions of the moors. Young Cathy: â€Å"†¦with the bees humming dreamily about among the bloom, and the larks singing high up overhead, and the blue sky and bright sun shining steadily and cloudlessly. †Whether in I’m not scared, Wuthering heights, or Translations, one should not be fooled by mere appearances. The cawing of a crow and the hissing of insects create an ominous effect suggesting all is not well. For underneath the beauty of the landscape lies a terrible secret. In the country side near the tiny village of Acqua Traverse, a young boy named Filippo is being kept hostage in a hole in the ground. In the same way the potatoes in Baile Beag gives a deceiving sweet smell. As Maire says: Maire: â€Å"Sweet smell! Sweet smell!Every year at this time somebody comes back with stories of the sweet smell. Sweet God, did the potatoes ever fail in Baile Beag?†¦ † The sweet smell became the blight of the potatoes in the Great Famine of Ireland. Likewise in Wuthering Heights, Mr Lockwood perceived Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange to be quite a lovely place to be from seeing the beauty of its landscape. Only until later in the novel do es he come to realize that the landscape had a different story to tell with its storms and prevailing winds which reflect the turmoil the families of the landscape endures.Gathering together all that I have learned from my study of the cultural context of Wuthering Heights, Translations, and I’m Not Scared in reference to Role of Women in Society, Class Structure, and Setting, I was able to compare and differentiate the cultural context of these texts for my comparative course. In doing so it further enhanced my understanding and enjoyment of the narratives and made my experience more real and gave a greater impact.

Challenges of the U.S. Healthcare System Essay

Understanding the U.S. Healthcare system can be very challenging due to the system is constantly changing from new technology; manage care, health care reforms, aging populations and other economic factors that have a significant impact in the service provided. This paper will focus on the stakeholders involved in health care today. Who are these stakeholders? What are their roles in the healthcare industries? Understanding the public, payers, providers, and the suppliers may explain why the healthcare system continues to be challenge. Today U.S. Health Care System is facing many challenges. According to Sultz & Young (2011), this because the growing concern that the Health Care is a large and difficult to manage and that consume over 17% of the U.S. Gross domestic product and exceeds $ 1.5 trillion in cost (p.1). Who are these major stakeholders that sometimes share and often cause conflicting concerns, interest and influence the major component on the health care system? They are the public, payers, providers, and the suppliers. The public is the major consumers of the service provided by the health system. The insured and the uninsured are both major contributors. The public is truly not aware of the real cost of healthcare services because of the third party payers or the government’s Medicare/ Medicaid program. The insured is only concern is the amount of deductible and co-pay due. The uninsured relies on the government aid and with the lack of understanding prefer ER visit instead of primary doctor vis it. The public also assumes that healthcare is just like other inherits right (such as protection from the police, fire department or public education) and should be accessible to all U.S. citizens. Currently, the number of uninsured is rising, and that’s why Affordable Care Act was implemented by President Obama. The question is â€Å"How many uninsured will actually gain coverages, and whether the reform law will keep healthcare spending growth down are the two many uncertainties in the year ahead?† (Meyer & Evans, 2014, p.15). The consumers also have an organization that lobbies legislation and protection for the public. Such organizations are the American Association of Retired Person, labor organization and a disease specific group (ACS-American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association). Traditionally, patient’s behavior is very  dependent upon the provider (physician), and the possibility of excessive services such as diagnostic testing can be done. Currently, internet has empowers people to seek health information. Internet plays a larger role in their diagnosis and treatment. A survey done by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (2013), 1 in 3 American adults have gone online to figure out a medical condition, and 35 % of U.S. adults say t hat, at one time, or another, they have gone online specifically to try to figure out what medical condition they or someone else might have (p.1). Internet use is becoming more popular due to easy access to the internet with smartphones. There are reliable and not reliable website that patients’ needs to be aware when searching the interment. According to Sultz & Young (2011), internet users are becoming more educated and participatory in clinical decision-making (p.59). These just challenge the doctors on how to deal with a more knowledgeable and involved patients. I see more and more patient dictating their treatment options versus before just doing what the doctor says. The payers in the U.S. health system are very influential group of stakeholders because they are the one paying for the high percentage of the cost. The payers are the public sector which includes the federal government, state and local government. The private sectors are the private insurers and business. According to the article Understanding the U.S. Healthcare System (2010), 47% of the expenditures comes from the public sources and 53% from private sources (p.4). They are also the one the currently taking an active role in determining what those costs should be. The government is considered a dominant stakeholder since the implementation of Medicare and Medicaid. The government is the taxing authority that generates the funds to support the healthcare system. The governmentâ₠¬â„¢s role is not just a payor but also as regulators and providers through public hospitals, state and local health department and other government facilities. Many regulators were formed over the years to control over various areas in the healthcare system. Most common regulators are the HHS- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CMS- the Center of Medicare and Medicaid, and the FDA- the Food and Drug Administration. These organizations are created to make sure everyone is compliant with the current law of U.S. The current healthcare situation has created a significant dilemma in our country. Problems such as the rising uninsured,  the advancement of technology and the rising cost and healthcare system emphasis on cure and fail prevention are just few of the example of why the president implemented the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Affordable Care Act will help millions of Americans who currently lack insurance, working-aged men and women and their children, access to Medicaid. It will help small business and individuals with modest means purchase reasonably priced plans. Shaw et al. (2014) mentioned by 2019, the law will bring health coverage and the health benefits of insurance-to an estimated 25 million more Americans (p. 75). It has already restrained discriminatory insurance practices, made coverage more affordable, and realized new provisions to curb costs (including tests of new health- care delivery models) (Shaw et al., 2014). The ACA has positive and negative points, but our troubled healthcare system needs to emerge in these issues and challenges in order to improve our healthcare system. The providers in the U.S. Healthcare System include all individuals and organization that provide healthcare services to the consumers. Individuals include; physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, dentist and any allied health providers. Organization include; hospitals, nursing homes, community-based ambulatory services and other similar entities. Although health professional is the one that provides actual care, hospitals in particular offer the environment in which care can be provided and are compensated by the payers for the service provided. As an employee in the healthcare, I have seen a physician that provides extra service or chargeable item in order to increase revenue. This assumption is hard to prove because of documentation provided by a physician and conflicting opinions. Physicians and organization that emphasis on cure can fail to lead prevention. Healthcare professional can steer and influence public opinion especially when it comes to health. According to Sultz & Yo ung (2011), Professional Association has considerable influence over legislation proposals, regulation, quality issues, and other political matters (p.16). A good example is the lobbying effectiveness of the American Medical Association plays an important role. It also includes the American Hospital Association, and The American Nurses Associations are just a few of the powerful organization that has a role in the health policy decisions. Another important issue is the long term care in the aging population is also creating challenges in our healthcare system. The increase of senior  citizen (baby boomers) will create higher cost deficit and it’s important to create a seamless process of care to avoid duplication of services. Currently, healthcare providers are experiencing budget constraints and strict regulation. Providers are asked to have EMR (electronic medical record) system implemented. According to CMS.gov, as required by law, President Obama issued a sequestration order on March 1, 2013. Under these mandatory reductions, Medicare EHR incentive payments made to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals will be reduced by 2%. This 2% reduction has been applied to any Medicare EHR incentive payment for a reporting period that ended on or after April 1, 2013 (â€Å"EHR incentive programs,† 2014). Continuous quality improvement (CQI) should be included in gathering data quality in the organization, since it focuses on processes rather than the individual; reorganized both external and internal customers, and promotes the need for objective data to analyze and improve processes (Green & Bowie, 2011, p. 258). A more patient-centered care and prevention could cause impact on how the providers handle business. The suppliers in the healthcare system include medical equipment companies and drug companies. These suppliers have grown immensely due to the search of greater efficiency in the delivery of health care services. These companies are for profit and strive for competition in the market just like the insurance companies. New drugs, technology and new creative surgical procedures have made it possible to treat diseases that have a bad prognosis. New technologies have created a life enhancing and life-extending medical accomplishment (Sultz & Young, 2011, p.44). Strategies have c hange in the delivery of care due to the advancement of technology and brought new problems. New medical and technological advancement came with new financial and ethical dilemmas. Financial aspect is whatever it’s beneficial or not the use of new technology has contributed to the higher healthcare cost. The ethical dilemmas are greater ability to prolong the life can likely cause poor quality of life and the right to die. The AMA (American Medical Association) and the federal government have developed programs to examine these issues and provide information to the public and to the providers. In the Technology Assessment Act of 1972, â€Å"it is essential that, to the fullest extent possible, the consequences of the technological applications be anticipated, understood, in the determination of public policy on existing  and emerging national problems† (Shultz & Young, 2011,p.45). The Agency of Health Care Policy and Quality has a challenging mission to adhere and sort out the complicated health care system and determine what is reasonable to whom, when and a t what cost. In conclusion, the U.S. Health Care system is changing economically and socially. Healthcare organizations are challenge in providing high quality, affordable care, and healthcare services are an increasingly difficult challenge. The reported outcomes are critical components of evaluating whether clinicians are improving the health of the patient, safety, reducing cost and encouraging preventive care. Containing the cost will affect the quality of care; that will raise the question to quality and access. In addition, there are strong pressures on providers to examine and document the outcomes and effectiveness of their health care actions. All stakeholders must change in order to resolve the complex issues such as treatment options, domain of laws, politics, journalism, administration, public and providers. There are still a lot of issues that need improvements, but I believe that our government and society will find a middle ground to solve these issues.