La Secuencialidad Del Desarrollo Cognitivo Espontáneo

La Secuencialidad Del Desarrollo Cognitivo Espontneo Free Online Research Papers La Secuencialidad Del Desarrollo Cognitivo Espontneo â€Å"El desarrollo del nià ±o es un proceso temporal por excelencia†, he querido resaltar esta frase de Piaget porque me parece un tema central dentro de su teorà ­a. En el texto que nos ataà ±e el autor en un principio resalta dos puntos clave como son el papel necesario del tiempo en el ciclo vital, y otro que viene a decir algo asà ­ como que si la civilizacià ³n modifica el ritmo biolà ³gico fundamental, y en quà © medida lo hace. Para tratar estos puntos Piaget se centrar en el desarrollo psicolà ³gico, y ms concretamente en el desarrollo propiamente intelectual o cognoscitivo. Destaca a continuacià ³n dos aspectos en el desarrollo intelectual del nià ±o, como son el aspecto psicosocial (todo lo que el nià ±o recibe desde fuera) y un aspecto al que le podemos llamar espontneo (el desarrollo de la inteligencia propiamente dicha; lo que el nià ±o aprende o piensa, no es aprendido y que es descubierto por à ©l mismo). Para ello recurre a dos ejemplos donde vemos como leyes que para nosotros pueden resultar ms que obvias, vemos como en nià ±os que no han alcanzado un determinado estadio evolutivo, no es asà ­; como es el caso de el todo supera a la parte, y el ejemplo de las varillas donde se pone en juego la transitividad. â€Å"†¦ para construir un nuevo instrumento là ³gico son necesarios siempre instrumentos là ³gicos preexistentes, es decir, que la construccià ³n de una nueva nocià ³n supondr siempre sustratos, subestructuras anteriores, y por consiguiente, regresiones indefinidas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  , lo podrà ­amos resumir en la siguiente frase: â€Å"siempre se aprende en base a nuestro conocimiento previo†; sà ³lo con leer la frase que aparece en el texto, nos podemos hacer una idea del corte constructivista que presenta Piaget; desde esta à ³ptica el fallo se encontrarà ­a en el planteamiento del problema, y no tanto en el desarrollo. Piaget nos habla en la teorà ­a de los estadios del desarrollo (4 en particular: sensorio-motor, representacià ³n preoperatorio, operaciones concretas, y proposicionales o formales) de escalones sucesivos, por estadios y por etapas, caracterizados por un orden fijo de sucesià ³n (no habla de fechas concretas para los estadios, sino de un orden d e sucesià ³n que ha de mantenerse constante). Como decà ­a en el anterior prrafo para mi, el problema se presenta en el planteamiento de la teorà ­a. Piaget donde nos habla de estructuras generales de conocimiento que son construidas mediante una maduracià ³n donde incluimos una experiencia fà ­sica y social; sin embargo otros enfoques constructivistas alternativos al piagetiano nos hablan de estructuras especà ­ficas de conocimiento, esto es, alguià ©n puede resultar ser un experto en matemticas y puede ser un negado en Historia; pero esto no quiere decir que no se haya pasado de un perà ­odo a otro, ya que para Piaget debemos superar un determinado estadio para poder hablar de un determinado conocimiento. Desde esta perspectiva no hablamos tanto de sucesià ³n de estadios como de amplitud de conocimiento. Los estudios entre novatos y expertos nos revelan gran aporte de argumentos a todo esto; si aà ºn asà ­ no estamos del todo satisfechos con estos argumentos  ¿cà ³mo explicarà ­amos la clsica partida de ajedrez entre un nià ±o de 8 aà ±os, experto en el juego, contra un joven de 21 aà ±os, novato en el campo, el cual termina por rendirse ante el dominio del pequeà ±o?.Anteriormente hablbamos de una experiencia que se da en el nià ±o debido a una experiencia fà ­sica y social, a esto podemos hacer la siguiente crà ­tica: si para pasar de un estadio a otro necesitamos de esas experiencia,  ¿tenemos todos las mismas experiencias?  ¿cules determinan el paso de un estadio a otro?. Por à ºltimo no todos son crà ­ticas para este genial bià ³logo reconvertido a psicà ³logo, ya que su teorà ­a de equilibracià ³n entre asimilacià ³n de conocimiento y acomodacià ³n del que ya tenemos, sigue vigente hoy en dà ­a. Si antes hablbamos de secuencialidad del desarrollo cognitivo espontneo, ahora nos centraremos en la internalizacià ³n de procesos externos (o bien, una reconstruccià ³n interna de una operacià ³n externa). Como ejemplo el autor hace referencia al hecho de seà ±alar con el dedo en el nià ±o pequeà ±o. En un primer momento el movimiento del nià ±o por alcanzar algà ºn objeto queda representado por los movimientos del pequeà ±o, hasta que aparece la madre del nià ±o en esa situacià ³n, y à ©sta cambia totalmente; el hecho de seà ±alar ahora se convierte en un gesto para los dems, el fracasado intento del nià ±o engendra un reaccià ³n en una persona (su madre) no en el objeto que querà ­a alcanzar. De esta manera el significado primario del fracasado movimiento queda establecido por los dems; sà ³lo cuando el nià ±o sea capaz de relacionar, ms tarde, su fallido movimiento de agarrar con la situacià ³n objetiva como un todo, comienza a interpretar dicho movimiento como acto de seà ±alar. Es aquà ­ donde se da la transformacià ³n de un movimiento orientado a uno dirigido a otra persona, como consecuencia de este cambio, el movimiento queda simplificado y lo à ºnico que re sulta es la forma de seà ±alar que se denomina gesto. Como dice el autor a todo esto: â€Å"Se convierte en un verdadero gesto sà ³lo despuà ©s de manifestar objetivamente todas las funciones de seà ±alar para otros y de ser comprendido por los dems como tal. Su significado y funciones se crean, al principio, por una situacià ³n objetiva y luego por la gente que rodea al nià ±o†. De lo anterior deduce una serie de transformaciones en el proceso de internalizacià ³n: a) una operacià ³n que inicialmente representa una actividad externa se reconstruye y comienza a suceder internamente b) un proceso interpersonal queda transformado en otro intrapersonal (en el desarrollo cultural del nià ±o, toda funcià ³n aparece dos veces, primero a nivel social y ms tarde a nivel individual; aplicndose igualmente esto a las funciones superiores que se originan como relaciones entre seres humanos) c) la transformacià ³n de un proceso interpersonal en un proceso intrapersonal es el resultado de una prolongada serie de sucesos evolutivos (el proceso, aun siendo transformado, continà ºa existiendo y cambia como una forma externa de actividad durante cierto tiempo antes de internalizarse definitivamente). Al final del texto se nos dice algo bastante interesante y es que precisamente a la internalizacià ³n de las actividades socialmente arraigadas e histà ³ricamente desarrolladas, podemos dar el salto cualitativo de la psicologà ­a animal a la humana (la internalizacià ³n de las formas culturales de conducta implica la reconstruccià ³n de la actividad psicolà ³gica en base a las operaciones con signos). A modo de recapitulacià ³n podemos decir de Vugotski que habla de estructuras especà ­ficas de conocimiento, a diferencia de Piaget, y adems aà ±ade el proceso de internalizacià ³n de procesos externos (desde este punto de vista el aspecto que Piaget denominà ³ espontneo, no tiene mucha razà ³n de ser). Para este autor el conocimiento se forma gracias a la experiencia social, y al contexto en sà ­ mismo, que influye no sà ³lo en la adquisicià ³n del conocimiento sino en la aplicacià ³n del mismo. Research Papers on La Secuencialidad Del Desarrollo Cognitivo EspontneoThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UsePETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperThe Hockey GameMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesLifes What Ifs

Printable ACT Practice Tests PDFs 6 FREE Official Tests

Printable ACT Practice Tests PDFs 6 FREE Official Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No matter how you prep for the ACT- whether you have a tutor, take a class, or study by yourself- you must get access to official, printable ACT tests. These tests are released by ACT, Inc., and contain real questions given to actual students on previous test dates. Although all of these questions have been removed from circulation (meaning you won't ever see them on the real ACT), their quality is second to none when it comes to realistic ACT practice. In this post, I'll tell you where you can find all official, printable ACT practice tests with answer keys. I'll also give you key strategies to help you make big improvements on each practice test. 6 Free, Printable ACT Practice Tests Below are all six currently available PDFs for official ACT tests. Even though some practice tests are old (dating as far back as 2005), the format of the ACT hasn't changed much since then (except for the introduction of a redesigned Writing section in 2015), so you're basically still taking the same test from more than a decade ago. ACT Printable Practice Test 2018-2019 (Form 74FPRE) Test: p11-55. Answer key: p57-60. ACT Printable Practice Test 2015-16 (Form 72CPRE) Test: p11-55. Answer key: p57-62. ACT Printable Practice Test 2014-15 (Form 67C) Test: p11-51 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p56-62. ACT Printable Practice Test 2011-12 (Form 64E) Test: p13-56 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-65. ACT Printable Practice Test 2008-09 (Form 61C) Test: p13-55 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-64. ACT Printable Practice Test 2005-06 (Form 59F) Test: p13-55 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-65. Each test includes a full answer key so you can grade your test. Notice a few years missing? That's because ACT, Inc., often duplicates the same practice test in consecutive years. For example, the 2015-16 test is identical to the 2016-17 and 2017-18 tests. We've included the form ID for each test (in parentheses) so that you can check what's the same and what's different (the ID is located in the bottom-left corner of each page). Once you've downloaded a PDF practice test, I recommend printing it out and working through it on paper using official time limits (more on this in a moment). Note that these tests are not a cure-all for your ACT problems. To use them effectively, you'll need to learn what they do and don't do. You'll also need to make sure you're using ACT practice tests at an optimal frequency (in other words, don't take one too close to your ACT test date!). But how else can you utilize official practice tests in your ACT prep? 6 Strategies to Get the Most Out Of ACT Practice Tests When you set aside four hours for an ACT practice test, it's important to try to get the most out of your time and energy. Using our six critical tips below as you take your ACT tests can help you prepare more effectively for test day. #1: Print Out the Test and Work Through It on Paper You're going to take the actual ACT on paper (as opposed to a computer), so it's best to emulate this format by taking each practice test on paper, too. Do your scratch work directly in your "test book" (in other words, not on separate pieces of scratch paper- remember, you won't get any extra paper on test day, though you are allowed to take notes directly on your test!). If you're taking the Writing (essay) section, be sure to use the lined essay paper (included in each PDF above) to write out your essay by hand. #2: Keep Strict Timing on Every Section Many students struggle with time pressure on the ACT. Going over a section's time limit by just two minutes can make a noticeable difference in your score since you're essentially giving yourself the chance to answer two or three more questions. This is why it's so important to adhere to the official time limits. Not only will this help you get used to the test structure, but it'll also let you learn how to identify your weaknesses. Here are the official time limits on the ACT as well as approximately how long you should aim to spend per question on each section: ACT Section Time per Section Time per Question English 45 minutes 36 seconds Math 60 minutes 60 seconds Reading 35 minutes 52 seconds Science 35 minutes 52 seconds Writing (Optional) 40 minutes 40 minutes Last but not least, the ACT isn't without breaks, so make sure to rest during your test, too! #3: Take the Test in One Sitting, If Possible The ACT is a marathon: it lasts about four hours, and you have to take it on a Saturday morning. Thousands of students have told me how difficult it is to stay focused during the whole exam and how easy it is to make careless mistakes at the end of the test. Just like training for a marathon, you need to ensure you've got enough endurance to be able to succeed on the ACT. And the best way to do this is to take a practice test in one sitting- just as you will on test day. If there's no possible way for you to take an ACT test in one sitting (for example, maybe you're an athlete and have practice every day that completely wears you out), it's OK to split up the test over multiple days- just as long as you're obeying each section's time limit exactly. In the end, it's better to do some practice than none at all! #4: Review Your Answers and Mistakes The main point of taking ACT practice tests isn't just getting to do a lot of questions- it's being able to learn from your mistakes. For every test you take, review all of your mistakes as well as every question you got right. If you don't know why you missed a question, don't gloss over it! Doing this means you won't learn from your mistakes and will keep making them over and over again, thereby lowering your score. Ultimately, learn to prize study quality over quantity. It's better to take three ACT practice tests with detailed review instead of six practice tests with no review. #5: Take At Least 4 Practice Tests Before Test Day Based on my experience with thousands of students, I've found that taking four practice tests makes you extremely comfortable with the ACT in all respects: timing, endurance, and even stress. While you can definitely take more than four tests if you want, you'll need to balance this practice with some focused prep on your weaknesses so that you can make faster progress. #6: No Score Improvement? Supplement Your Practice Tests Some students are great at using practice tests to study by themselves- they'll see a mistake they made, instantly realize why they made it, and then avoid making it in the future. That said, most students need additional help with pinpointing their weaknesses and getting down key test-taking skills and strategies. Some of the best options for prep help include hiring a tutor, buying a comprehensive ACT prep book, and taking an online ACT prep course. Our dedicated guide can help you figure out which ACT prep method works best for you. What's Next? Ready to get a perfect ACT score? Read our famous guide on what it takes, written by an expert 36 scorer. If you're aiming for top scores on all four sections of the ACT, read our in-depth strategy guides on how to get a 36 on ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

The Impact of Internship on Graduate Employability Essay

The Impact of Internship on Graduate Employability - Essay Example In doing this, it is good to observe the some of the trends from those who go through internship and those who do not. The main purpose of the internship program is to give exposure on career field, occupation or industry. Internship can also be referred to any career related experience. It can range from community service to semester long assignment. This paper aims at looking the importance of internship and analyzing the trends gone through it and their place in the labor market. The aim of every graduate is to succeed in the labor market (Bossche & Gijselaers 2012). The preparations that go with this success become extremely crucial. This paper exposes the value of internship and explains why it should be taken as a vital ingredient for the success of undergraduates. Companies are increasingly valuing internship. During the experience, skills and knowledge are imparted (Bukaliya 2012). These skills apply to the future career. Internship should be treated like a professional job. It gives experiences and creates room for connections. Internship refers to an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from academic studies in a workplace setting. Internships are part of formal internship program. However, students can create their own internships. Forms internships include volunteer positions and research; it can also be a job during summer (Bukaliya 2012). Internship may pay or fail to. Sociologists are paying growing attention to the stratification of education at tertiary level. This is with regard to the difference between fields of study and labor market (Bukaliya 2012). The horizontal stratification is increasingly bearing direct impact to graduals in terms of employability of graduate, and how the labor market perceives them. Over the last few decades, there have been increased enrollments in tertiary education (Calvo 2011). This has contributed to increase in

Organic foods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organic foods - Research Paper Example rest in the product and consumption of organic foods presently and it is largely because of better awareness about food produced organically in addition to the customers’ interest in food produced without any incorporation of chemicals or insecticides. The popular trend today does not concentrate on the use of chemical pesticides. c. Future (expert opinion): Organic food industry is bound to grow in the US by staggering proportions in the future given the expanding number of retailers who are willing to sell a large variety of foods. The overwhelmingly giant leaps seen in retail sales of organic foods from â€Å"$3.6 billion in 1997 to $21.1 billion in 2008† (USDA) are evident of obvious future expansion. i. Premium safety: Premium safety and nutrition value are the biggest advantages of organic foods which are known by everyone from well-educated agricultural professionals to common people with no knowledge about agriculture or food trends. This is the kind of advantage which cannot be denied by anyone. Compared with conventionally produced food, organic food penetrates barriers in context of nutrition. ii. Genetic modification: General idea promoted by activists of organic food products is that food produced by these methods is not genetically modified and 100% natural. Such food is totally how it is meant to be in accordance with nature and how it has been consumed since the very beginning when no chemicals or insecticides were known by the world and natural methods were preferred contributing to improved health and less diseases. iii. Natural growth: Because food produced organically does not depend on abundant amounts of artificial fertilizers like the nonorganic food, all fruits and vegetables get to complete their natural life cycle which is significantly important and has many repercussions. When meat is not injected with growth hormones and chemicals or fertilizers are not sprayed on fruits and vegetables, a higher content of nutrients can be

The Effects of Business Planning, Financial Management and Performance Monitoring Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Business Planning, Financial Management and Performance Monitoring Essay Heraclitus (535bc-475bc) was a philosopher who believed in the power of change, claiming that everything would find repose by changing (Harris, 1994). This may not be true to the average sense of the concept of housing as a basic need to mankind. Housing has and will always be a constant, essential need and a basic right for every human being (United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 25, www. un. org). However, this paper may agree with him on the existence of uncertain changes in the political, social and economic states of countries at various times and how these changes affect housing policies. This essay shall examine the impact of these changes on housing businesses with the social housing sector as the area of interest. It will identify these uncertain changes as risks to the business of social housing and ultimately discover if business planning, financial management and performance monitoring are important to the productivity of the social housing sector. (Balchin and Rhoden, 1998) claim that housing is most times the largest and most expensive acquirable item. Next to agriculture, it usually requires the most use of land space. The only need that precedes housing in mankind’s scale of necessities is food. Otherwise, housing needs consume the most land space, thus making this need an expensive and enterprising one with governments and private individuals investing heavily in businesses related to supplying such needs to people. (Ogu and Ogbuozobe, 2001), classified this supply process in their theory that two paradigms are present in social housing provision in Nigeria. They referred to them as the â€Å"provider† and the â€Å"enabling† (supporter) paradigms. But claim also, that most governments in developing countries lack the financial strength to run the â€Å"provider† paradigm scheme. Hence they adopt the â€Å"enabler† strategy which was encouraged by the City Summit (Habitat II) held in 1996. (Reeves, 2005) elaborates these theories as he defines social housing bodies in the United Kingdom as primarily local authorities and housing associations which provide and manage houses even after tenant occupation, regardless of ownership. He states that they could be direct providers (e. g. housing association develops and manages a property), or enablers (e. g. a local authority, indirectly houses tenants by funding another body like a housing association by grants to build houses). This explanation is similar to Ogu and Ogbuozobe’s paradigms mentioned above. He concludes however, that the largest enabler in any country is the government (e. g. housing corporations and local authorities). (Lansley, 1979) had also stated years ago that housing corporations support social housing authorities with exchequer grants as they are primarily non-profit making organisations. This characteristic differentiates them from the primarily profit oriented nature of private enterprises. According to (Nyssens, 2006), Social Enterprises started in the late 1970s as an approach to tackle social needs collectively without the desire for individual profit. It is an alternative to conventional co-operative societies which functions in a manner that it assists low income earners tackle social exclusion (in this case, through provision of affordable housing). Because they are indigenously organised by a group of citizens, participatory and non profit oriented in nature allowing equality in decision making (not based on capital ownership), they have been proactively accepted by the local tenants and the government as housing service providers. (Paton, 2003) agrees that Social Enterprises have had positive impact on the social housing sector, but he also shows that they may be problematic as they consist of numerous stakeholders. He claims that contrary to its equality based nature, there is always a dominant stakeholder with the most influence. He also adds that the problem it faces is performance. But as social enterprises in the housing sector are also regulated by government policies, this paper would disagree with him as performance can be enhanced by methods which shall be analysed in this essay. This essay would refer to Social Enterprises, Housing Associations and local authorities as Social Landlords. According to (Ogu and Ogbuozobe, 2001), the economic recession of the 1980s negatively affected the housing sector as structural adjustment policies created by the International Monetary Fund to tackle economic problems were implemented without consideration of their effect on housing businesses and its stakeholders. This shows how international organisations make policies which affect social landlords in several countries as well. It also points out the possibility of economic uncertainties affecting the housing sector. Reeves, 2005) furthermore, illustrates how differences in economic performance in different regions of a country affects demand and supply of housing. He compares London and the South-East to the Midlands and the North-East, stating that the economic growth in London and the South-East (coupled with sustained shortages in skilled labour) created a rise in average wage levels and a consequent rise in house prices as demand for private ownership of houses rose beyond s upply. And that fluctuating growth levels negatively affected lower income earners making them unable to meet the prevailing housing cost. He blames this outcome on the inability of developers and social landlords to provide adequate housing as they strive keep prices at a level where they can maximize profit. This is another example of how inefficient preparedness against socio-economic issues affects social landlords’ decisions and ultimately, tenants. (Housing Corporation Centre for Research and Market Intelligence, 2008) also funded a research showing how the credit crunch of 2007-2009 had adverse effects on social landlords as the pace of building new houses slowed down with developers waiting for a change in the market condition. Unlike the case described by (Reeves, 2005), housing demand was poor as there was lack of access to mortgages for buyers leading to numerous unsold houses being carried over to the following financial year. The research ultimately showed that social landlords had to employ several financial and risk management procedures to stay in business. Some strategies initiated by the government to tackle social housing problems were analysed by (Garnett and Perry, 2005), who blame the late twentieth century’s decline in the demand for council housing on reduction n investment that led to inefficient building maintenance with most council houses occupied by low income earners. They state that the Chattered Institute of Housing (CIH) made a report which resulted in the Governments reaction of setting up a ten year programme for housing standards. They also highlighted the targets of this programme in the April 2000 housing green paper as; increasing investments in existing council housing stock, government demand for business plans from councils, demand for detailed council funding options (e. g. ublic or private financing), creation of the Decent Homes Standard with 2010 as its target year for all homes to meet its requirements and finally, directives to carry out monitoring and appraisal to evaluate progress. From this review it is clear that the government is the major policy maker in the United Kingdom as the (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006-www. communities. gov. uk) explains to citizens that the â€Å"Decent Homes Standard† was formulated to regulate developers as well as landlords on the building and maintenance of houses to a set standard and the (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister- www. pdm. org, 2004) claims that it will ensure that all houses attain the laid down standards of decency by 2010. This is one of the latest in a series of policies that have evolved over time of which social landlords are mandated to effectively implement in their business planning schemes. Because as (Garnett and Perry, 2005) illustrated, the government has requested for business plans from housing authorities possessing housing stocks and a Housing Revenue Account-HRA. They explain that this plan must be taken after consultation with tenants and other stakeholders and must show detailed financial managerial strategies, stock condition management, demand and availability of resources, financial forecasts, priorities and a detailed, updated record of progress. Although this requirement might offer social landlords a basis to organise, strategise and enhance their businesses, (Garnett and Perry, 2005) also show evidence of feasibility problems as they reported that this business plan requirement was not achieved in Scotland and Wales whose authorities were required to deliver similar plans by April 2005. This probably questions the possibility of meeting the Decent Homes Standard policy by 2010. (Harrison and Lock, 2004) state that a project cannot be managed without risk consideration. From the illustration of (Garnett and Perry, 2005), the achievement of these requirements is a ten year project which the government has given to social landlords. And from the enabler theory explanation of (Reeves, 2005), these social landlords are sometimes given grants to facilitate these projects. Harrison and Lock, 2004) show the importance of identifying risks early in any project. They show how project success can be achieved by early identification, assessment and classification of risks and their mitigation methods. The required business plans are expected to include such risk management processes as stated by (Garnett and Perry, 2005) who also explained that the production of a detailed business plan involves financial planning and management with a view to not just cutting cost, but making the best use of resources. They add that financial management is the responsibility of not just the finance department of the organisation but every section as it generally involves value management. In conclusion, they state that financial management is important to housing organisations because it analyses long term and current outcomes of investing in a stock or service. Another approach was introduced by the (Improvement and Development Agency- IDEA, 2008) (which is one of four partner organisations with the Local Government Association). They call it â€Å"Place Shaping†, a concept developed by Sir Michael Lyons who describes it as creatively using authority to facilitate the overall wellbeing of a community and its citizens. It aims to provide strong governance through local strategic partnership, create a common vision within the local sustainable community strategy and promote local tenant involvement. In summary, they state that after a detailed research on the drivers that influence and affect local neighbourhoods (e. g. opulation growth, jobs, good schooling, antisocial behaviour and crime, and the quality and range of housing on offer), they would address these problems and supply affordable housing for all sections of the community with low income earners in mind and generally encourage the development of sustainable communities. This approach is a summary of the risk management strategies of (Harrison and Lock, 2005), where data is collected, brainstorming sessions are done, risks are identified, asse ssed, classified and their mitigation measures are implemented. Performance monitoring ensures accountability to all stakeholders as it is an open and interactive process involving the monitoring body, the social landlords and the tenants. This was clarified by the set of questions inspectors will use to appraise social landlords. These questions are known by the Audit Commission as Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE). (Audit Commission, 2010-www. audit-commission. gov. uk), state that they were developed to provide inspectors, social landlords, tenants and other stakeholders with a framework through which to review and assess service planning and delivery. It also recognises the relevance of political leadership, collaboration and spatial planning in creating effective methods, and demands that the housing long term plans must involve plans to develop sustainable communities. It however states the need for flexibility among councils as they are all not expected to use the same exact approach. Tools like the Balanced Scorecard may be used for such appraisal schemes. In another report (Audit Commission, 2010-www. audit-commission. gov. k) reveals that the new methods adopted by the government have received immense support and inspectorates have succeeded in concentrating on outcomes and local priorities. It also claims that monitoring and appraisal have also resulted in more efficient functioning of some local public services. As for the achievement of the Decent Homes Standard, the Head of the National Audit Office (Morse, 2010) claims that progress has been made. But he admits that there are risks facing the programmes completion. Addi ng that weakness in information is an undermining factor to the department’s efforts.

journalism Essay -- essays research papers fc

In old days men had the rack. Now they have the press. That is an improvement certainly. But still it is very bad, and wrong, and demoralising. Somebody - was it Burke? - called journalism the fourth estate. That was true at the time, no doubt. But at the present moment it really is the only estate. It has eaten up the other three. The Lords Temporal say nothing, the Lords Spiritual have nothing to say, and the House of Commons has nothing to say and says it. We are dominated by Journalism. The Soul of Man - Oscar Wilde Feudal society was traditionally divided into three "estates" (social classes). The "First Estate" was the Church (clergy - those who prayed). The "Second Estate" was the Nobility (those who fought - knights). It was common for aristocrats to enter the Church and thus shift from the second to the first estate. The "Third Estate" was the Peasantry (everyone else, at least under feudalism: those who produced the food which supported those who prayed and those who fought, the members of the First and Second Estates). These "estates" are defined primarily by what one does (as well as by the social class one is born into). The term 'fourth estate' is used today to refer to the mass media as a powerful watchdog in liberal democracy, revealing abuses of state authority and defending the democratic rights of citizens. The notion that the press is a great instrument of liberty providing a check on the abuse of government power – any power - is a central part of any political culture. "If people don't know about power and let their attention wander completely then those in power will take liberties". Andrew Marr, BBC's political editor Former editor of The Independent The main role of the press is to ensure transparency and accountability in the government’s dealings. The publisher of a newspaper is most often also the owner and is the papers top manager. If a chain or a large corporation owns the paper, the publisher represents the owner’s interests and ensures the business’s profitability. According to the News Writers Handbook, the owner’s opinion about the news of the day is usually echoed by the editorial page editor on the editorial page and on the op- ed page opposite the editorial. It is common for the editorial page editor to report directly to the publisher, and not the paper... ...t. The education editor reviews books and other education material that is to be used by students. "Perhaps the most urgent--and complex--task facing American education today is to figure out how to hold schools accountable for improved academic achievement. In this important new work, Helen Ladd†¦.. this book should be at the top of the reading list for anyone seriously interested in transforming the quality of American schools." Edward B. Fiske, Education Editor, The New York Times All the editors work together to produce a newsworthy newspaper. The sit in the newsroom and deliberate of the ethical principles and legal ramifications of running certain stories. They act as a checking system on one another and so help in upholding the philosophies of categorical imperative, hedonism, veil of ignorance, golden rule, golden mean and utilitatianism for the good of the newspaper and the greater good of the public. BIBLIOGRAPHY Rudin, Richard and Ibbotson, Trevor, Introduction to Journalism. Focal Press, 2002. Keeble, Richard Newspapers’ Handbook( Media Practices) Routledge, 1998. Frost, Chris, Reporting for Journalists. Routledge: Taylor and Francis Books Lt, 2001

Globalization of the world Essay

Cosmetic surgery is one of surgical and medical techniques to improve physical appearances. It is reserving normal appearance, repairing it or enhancing it exceeds the usual physical looks with regard to some aesthetic essence. A shocking data shows that a lot of teenagers, 18-and-unders, had gone under the knife. According to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPS), more than 219,000 cosmetic procedures were done on patients aged 18 and younger in 2008 (Mann, 2011). Todays society really concerns about this issue since the age of 18 and under are considered still too young to do procedures. Nowadays, it is very common to have a cosmetic surgery done in order to improve and enhance physical appearances or any other so-called imperfections. People choose to go under the knife as an easy way out. Nips and tucks are apparently increasing everywhere. The top 7 countries with most cosmetic surgery are: South Korea, Greece, Italy, Brazil, Colombia, The USA, and Taiwan (Conley, 2012). In South Korea, 41.1 percent of teens are willing to do plastic surgery for beauty. They have a desire to look better; it even can be an obsession. Many kids at the age of 14 would like to have an â€Å"eye jobs†, a surgery to have bigger eyes, as their graduation gift from their parents (Dubroff, 2011). In the United States of America, those teenagers who are unhappy and not satisfied with their physical looks choose to change them permanently through the risky and dangerous cosmetic surgery (Mann, 2001). In 2009, about 8,000 girls age 13 to 19 had their breasts enlarged last year, accordi ng to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. And 2,953 of them were age 18 and younger (Thompson, 2010). After going through so many frightening news about teenagers with their obsessions to look good until they choose cosmetic surgery and the dangers that can come along, the society starts questioning, should cosmetic surgery be banned among teenagers, 18-and-under? This question has resulted in dissimilar views on this issue and certainly causes a series of arguments from both sides of the stand. The purpose of this research is to show that cosmetic surgery should indeed be banned among teenagers due to its danger and teenagers are unaware to evaluate risks. Moreover, at young age, teenagers should focus on school and their future. Having cosmetic surgery done for unnecessary reasons is non-essential. This report will clearly point out why cosmetic surgery should be banned among teenagers by providing several evidences to reinforce this belief. 2.0 BODY OF REPORT 2.1 Cosmetic Surgery is Highly Dangerous Going under the knife is very risky and dangerous, but people don’t seem to be aware nor take into consideration about the danger. Psychologists and surgeons are afraid that many patients do not completely understand and know the potential risks of the operations (Sheng, 2012). Cosmetic surgery and its risks and dangers come in one package, so it is prominent for those who are thinking to go under the knife to acknowledge them. The major risk or danger that are associated with cosmetic surgery is that pain and discomfort (Zemanta, 2013). Even though not every cosmetic surgery procedure leads to lack of physical comfort and ache, but many of them do. Although the patients’ ache and discomfort can be treated with pain medicines that they can get without prescription or an ice pack, it may disturb the patients’ daily activities. Moreover, the pain may be really painful that those teenagers cannot bear and end up won’t not be able to come to school to study. The chance that complication may be the result of cosmetic surgery is another danger (Zemanta, 2013). Most patients do not necessarily consider that complications may arise. When anesthesia is given to a patient, there is a possibility that the anesthesia used to put the patient to sleep for the procedure, could give a reaction to the patient (Palmer, 2006). Even though this happens relatively rare, it’s able to be life-threatening and even deadly. One famous case is the death of Kanye West’s Mother. She actually died from the anesthesia (Adato, 2007). Another certain thing that teenagers should know about what can happen if they are undergoing cosmetic surgery is, at the age of 18 and below, the body has not yet matured to its final shape (Mann, 2011). Procedures like breast enlargement, liposuction, and breast reduction are surgeries that should wait until reaching adulthood. Until 18, breasts might not be fully-grown, and saline-filled breast implants (the type typically used for cosmetic enhancements) aren’t even permitted for under-18s (DiscoveryHealth.com, 2012). Having cosmetic surgery at young age may give them more risks. The scariest risk a patient should take into his/her consideration to have a cosmetic surgery procedure is death. Cosmetic surgery has been proven a killer. One of the famous cases is Stephanie Kuleba’s case. She was a pretty and popular girl who went for a breast augmentation. She died after suffering from the complications (Rivero, 2008). 1 in 1000 cosmetic surgery procedures in the United State of America results in complications, which lead to everlasting injury. Studies show that 7 to 12 percent of cosmetic surgery patients die from the procedure. 20 percent of patients suffer from injection and bleeding (Top 10 Hidden Dangers Of Cosmetic Surgery, n.d.). Hence, teenagers should be aware that cosmetic surgery is not as safe as most people believe it to be. Although the risks and dangers that come together with cosmetic surgery have been known, there are quite a number of people who are confident that cosmetic surgery is becoming safer and safer due to the increasingly strict policies and the improvement in technology (McGilchrist, 2011). They claim that todays regulations and policies for such operation are becoming more strict so it can only be done by professionals thus it is able to minimize the danger. Conversely, this argument is not completely true. The data and survey are shown and it only shows less than 25%, but it is still a big deal. There is always that chance to become a cosmetic surgery death statistic. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is strongly against the idea of teenagers younger than 18 undergo plastic surgery (Rivero, 2008). From every aspect, regardless to nowadays-cosmetic surgery’s safety that is becoming safer so there will be less risks and dangers, cosmetic surgery among teenagers is still a high-risk and dangerous thing. The evidence in this research obviously shows that there are a lot of teenagers have to suffer the bleeding and other complications that can lead them to the death after undergoing cosmetic surgery. A teenager’s live and future are priceless and worth more than $3,500 cosmetic surgery. 2.2 Teenagers Are Unaware of Evaluating Risks Teen or adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development (Merriam-Webster, 2012). It is the stage when a teenager is too mature to be called and treated as a kid yet too young to be called as an adult. Teens are also known to be reckless, moody, impulsive, insecure, rebellious, and argumentative (Pickrell, 2006). They might think they are mature enough to make any decisions for themselves but sadly sometimes teenagers do not think further regarding the consequences of their actions. There is a high peer pressure that boosts them to be unafraid of doing risky things just to fit it and be accepted. Going through having doubts and insecurities about their body image is also a part of growing up that most teenagers experience. The society puts a huge significance on physical attractiveness (Wansbrough, 2013). Peer pressure to look â€Å"normal† and â€Å"good† is the driving force teens are interested in cosmetic surgery (Keyes, 2011). Britanni, a girl who had her breast implants on the age of 18 said â€Å"I didn’t have large breasts when I was younger, and all my friends did†¦I felt very self conscious about it.† (Wallace, 2012). 67% of average 14 years of age girls quizzed said the pressure is from boys and celebrities with perfect bodies (BBC News, 2005). Ms Horton said that the infinite parade of thin yet curvy, surgically-enhanced celebrities has made young girls obsessed with their own normal lumpy, bumpy bodies. More over, boys’ expectations on their girlfriends to look like the perfect celebrity body model are also the pressures (BBC News, 2005). Todays society introduces the miracle-makers as known as cosmetic surgery to teens at a young age as seeing the fact that according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there are more than 223,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients whose age were between thirteen to eighteen years old for example; breast augmentation, liposuction, breast lifts, tummy tucks, and nose reshaping (Olding & Zuckerman, 2004). It is undeniable, teen cosmetic surgery is on the rise. Unfortunately, the idea of having good physical appearance by going under the knife is not coupled by considering and evaluating the risks. Youngsters are not alert to the undeniable lasting health consequences of smoking, drinking alcohol, tanning and other dangerous behaviors, and nor likely to aware of the risks of cosmetic surgery (Keyes, 2011). They only see the magical outcome of cosmetic surgery as seen on celebrities on the cover of glossy magazines with their perfect breast, bottoms, lips, n ose, eyes and everything (BBC News, 2005). They likely do not take into account the danger and risks of cosmetic surgery. They would likely to only believe that cosmetic surgery is the only way out to obtain physical perfection as the society ‘demand’. They are unable to evaluate risks as well as an adult. The scientists discovered that the teen’s brain is more sensitive to the rewarding indicators it gets when something better than expected happens. A nerve-signaling molecule that helps the brain in processing rewards and can be involved in addictions is called dopamine. The more dopamine flowing in the brain, the more likely a teenager to feel a risky behavior is more rewarding if it ends well, than it might seem to a child or adult (Discovery, 2013). However, some parties are against this idea. They claim that teenagers have every right to do whatever they want to do with their bodies. They should be able to make their own decision. To some extend, yes this is true. As humans, teenagers have the freedom to do anything as they please, but when it comes to do cosmetic surgery procedures, there are a lot to take into consideration as it will affect their physical looks permanently. The outcomes of cosmetic surgery are also various (BBC News, 2005). It can be just as what they expected but also can be far from their expectations. Cosmetic surgery is a big deal and teenagers are not reliable enough to make the decision. Teenagers are greatly affected by what they see in the media. They undergo unnecessary cosmetic surgeries to achieve the Barbie standard, but sometimes resulting in regret. In 2003, it was estimated that fifteen percent of teenage cosmetic surgeries in the US was due to misinformed decisions (Olding & Zuckerman, 2004). Hence, it’s clearly shown from the facts, cosmetic surgery should be banned because many teenagers are unaware of evaluating the risks. Thus, a ban on teenagers of 18 and below should be put into place. 2.3 Teenagers Should Focus On Their Future Teen is the stage where the future is based on because in this stage teenagers are on their pursuit of anything they want to be. Most teenagers have goals to be achieved someday in the future. Achieving those goals and making dreams come true are more important and useful instead of enhancing physical appearances, which only skin deep. The significance of education can be explained very easy. Without education, it is difficult for human beings to survive properly. Through education, one’s potential can be utilized to maximum extent. Education teaches men how to make decision, how to work properly, and how to think. Through education alone can make separate identity. It became a necessity just like foods, clothes, and shelter. It is very usual for teenagers to wonder how their career will be. In the future, most people want to own a car, a house, and have family. Each of these things would not be easy to afford on a minimum wage salary. Many drop-outs have earned minimum wage and live just above the poverty line (Bloom & Haskins, 2010). Therefore, through higher education, people will be brought to a bigger career opportunities and a higher payroll. Education is a productive and beneficial aspect in one’s life. The training of a human mind is not complete without education. All these facts clearly shows that there are many other things that are more important to be concerned about instead of enhancing physical appearances. Moreover, plastic surgery, just like drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, it can be addictive especially if a patient starts at a young age (Pruitt, 2009). According to Tom Horvath, addiction is marked by three fundamental symptoms: repeated involvement in an activity; an act brought on by cravings; and one done despite negative consequences (Rettner, 2010). Most patients who have undergone cosmetic surgery and had a good outcome would most likely to go for another procedures hence it becomes continual. This could probably lead to even more demand for a nip here and a tuck there (Pruitt, 2009). One thing that most teenagers tend to forget these days is beauty is only skin-deep. What’s within them, which is their personality are more important than the physical looks. Beauty cannot be quantified or objectively measured; it is the result of the judgments of others. The concept is difficult to define, as it is equated with different, sometimes contradictory, ideas. When people are asked to define beauty, they tend to mention abstract, personal qualities rather than external, quantifiable ones (Freedman, 1986; Hatfield & Sprecher, 1986). Beauty ideals are created and maintained by society’s elite (Saltzberg & Chrisler, 1995). This does not mean that physical looks are not important, but this means that it’s not the most important thing and many other things are more important than that. Thus, it is wiser to concern more about the future than the physical looks. Hence, cosmetic surgery should be banned among teenagers. 3.0 RECOMMENDATION Look at how critical this issue at hand is, what the government should do is to establish age limitation to undergo plastic surgery. This plastic surgery refers to the unnecessary one not the reconstructive plastic surgery. Hence, only those who are ready physically and mentally can undergo cosmetic surgery procedures. Moreover, after going through so many researches, the root of teen’s cosmetic surgery has been discovered. It is low self-esteem due to society pressure on physical looks. Thus, creating a platform where teenagers are encouraged to showcase their skills and talents is important. Such skills and talents eventually will be an asset that they are proud of. Instead of being acknowledged by their peers through their looks, they could actually gain the acknowledgment through their achievement. In a nutshell, these achievements will replace the needs to polish their appearance in particular by having cosmetic surgery. Moreover, teenagers also should be educated how scary and dangerous the dangers of cosmetic surgery that’s why it requires a lot of thinking and taking all consequences into account when making decision to go under the knife. 4.0 CONCLUSION As it can clearly be seen, teen cosmetic surgery is highly dangerous and risky as the patient has a great possibility to suffer from bleeding and complications after doing the procedures. This may cause them to lose their lives. Moreover, teenagers are likely unrealistic decision makers because they do not take into account further bad possibilities that may occur from post cosmetic surgery. Nevertheless, as a teenager, one should focus and be putting their concentration on building up their future and achieving long-term goals instead of enhancing their physical appearances. Thus, it is prominent to ban unnecessary cosmetic surgery among teenagers. Although there is a great improvement in technology and teenagers have their rights to do anything they want to do, there are still many possibilities a patient to die from the procedures. So, it is wiser to give the teenagers some kind of protection by banning teen cosmetic surgery. References BBC News. (2005). 40% of teens want plastic surgery. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4147961.stm Bloom, D. & Haskins, R. 2010. Helping High School Drop-Outs Improve Their Prospect. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2010/04/27-helping-dropouts-haskins Conley, Mikaela. (2012). Nip/Tuck Nations: 7 Countries with Most Cosmetic Surgery. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/niptuck-nations-countries-cosmetic-surgery/story?id=16205231 Discovery. (2013). Teen brain wired to take risks. Retrieved from http://news.discovery.com/human/teenager-brain-risky-behavior.htm DiscoveryHealth.com Writers. (n.d.). Are teens too young to go under the

Motorola in China

Executive Summary In a prominent level of integration worldwide economy today, people are more concerned about the phenomenon of intermediary corporations and multinational companies renounce the traditional research and development form in the host country where they have set up research and development centers. In this report I will discuss about Motorola’s reasons to enter China and commit itself as a local company. Moreover, I will talk about the localization strategies in china and its market position. Apart from that I will illustrate the PEST and SWOT analysis of Motorola’s localization strategy in China.Furthermore, I will discuss the characteristics of Motorola as the big emerging market in China. Table of content Contents Executive Summary2 Table of content3 Abbreviations4 Introduction5 Main body6 Reasons for Motorola to enter China6 Strategies adopted by Motorola to enter China. 8 Operation strategy of Motorola9 Framework analysis of Motorola operations in Ch ina10 India and China Global Trends12 Conclusion13 References13 Abbreviations PEST – Political, Economical, Socio-cultural, Technological SWOT- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats SEZ – Special Economic ZoneCAMP – China Accelerated Management Program R&D – Research and Development IDEN – Integrated Digital Enhanced Network SARS – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome MNC – Multi National Companies ITO – International Trade Organization BPO – Business Process Outsourcing BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India, China GDP – Gross Domestic Product USD – United States Dollar SMIC – Semiconductor Manufacturing Internal Corp Introduction In 1987 Motorola established a delegate office in Beijing. It was dealing with exportation of telecommunications gear and semiconductor to China.Due to the increase of competitions from other companies, Motorola decided to move some of its industrialized activities to Ch ina. In 1992, Motorola China Ltd was established and opened an industry in Tianjin. Motorola was the leading worldwide market in manufacturing advanced electronic system, communications components and semiconductors. The company mainly dealt with cellular, personal communication, defense and space electronics’ and computers and other many more electronics products. According to Wen-Cheng et al. 2010) due to its expansion on business in six continents, Motorola employed more than 142,000 people and maintain production amenities globally. Motorola had a elementary objective of priotizing customers’ satisfaction through quality, speed, technology and team work. Motorola succeeded to fulfill its objective in China because it understood the market and the culture of the people. It also maintained uncompromising reliability and focusing on an idea of a world in which everyone can attain full potential. However, in 2000’s Motorola started to experience a huge competiti on from the Chinese mobile handset companies.Motorola’s market started to fall due to the increasing competition in the market. This led Motorola to raise its sales and market shares by introducing new strategy in 2002 in order to maintain its market. The strategy did not help as the matter of fact Motorola went on losing its market in China (Gaur and Cateora 2006). Main body Reasons for Motorola to enter China The growth of Motorola in China went proportional with China’s economic development and China’s involvement in the world economy. Establishment of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 1979 which stimulated investors mainly those which engaged in light manufacturing industries.The foreign companies that decided to confine at SEZ were privileged to special taxes treatment and particular services like infrastructure (Mack, L 2012). Chinese market size, China was the very momentous market for the company. Motorola thought that it was important to establish its manu facturing base and center for its company research in China (Hedley, M 2012). Despite China’s complicated social and political environment, Motorola was able to achieve tremendous success. It made it possible to make a way into Chinese market and became the leading company in the Chinese mobile market.It is said that Motorola paved its success due to the strategies it implemented and put into consideration of the people’s culture and the market. However, wealth of Motorola rendered the significance of the company to join to the Chinese market. In 2003 Motorola mounted up investment of $3. 4 billion which enabled the company to be the first in the list of foreign investors in China. It was also one of the biggest exporters from China- exporting goods worth more than $3. 5 billion (Gaur and Cateora 2006). Moreover, setting up a corporate image was another reason for Motorola to enter China and commit itself.Implementation of personnel, business culture, materials, and ma rketing localization can establish company’s public image. This is seen when Motorola decided to move its delegate office to China and expanded its business into various segments. In addition to that, in structuring its brand among the Chinese, Motorola mounted different signs and advertisements in busy market places and televisions in order to make people aware of what they are dealing with. It also opened big stores in the market areas such as Shanghai and Beijing offering the latest mobile andsets models. Also, Motorola came up with an innovative notion named Motorola Towns which specifically dealt with giving an exclusive retailing experience to consumers. In these towns consumers could walk in and see for themselves mobile handsets and make a try outs of other technological gadgets for free. This system helped customers to get the knowledge about the most modern technological trends and attach them expressively with the company. However, this system helped Motorola to ge t feedback from the customers about its products (Wen-Cheng et al. , 2010).Low cost of raw materials for production, Motorola provided technological support to its suppliers in order to get high quality raw materials for the production of their commodities. In doing so, it actively developed the suppliers from local areas to provide service to the company. Motorola made up a strong and reliable association with these suppliers so that they could produce raw materials which will enable Motorola to produce high standard commodities. Motorola got a full use of these suppliers as they came to establish their manufacturing base in China (Gaur and Cateora 2006).Low cost of labor, Motorola Company made sure that it produces high quality of commodities with low costs. In doing so, it produced professionals from their own universities in order to comprehend the business and organization structure and rules and regulation. Chinese population, in the year 1987 the population of China was appro ximately to 1. 1 billion. Due to that fact, Motorola computed that it would get a huge opportunity for the market of its commodities as well as adequate manpower to manufacture the products for affordable and low cost (PubMed 1987). Strategies adopted by Motorola to enter China.Motorola just like any other international company had its own strategies to enter Chinese market and make sure that it monopolizes it. And this is why at the start it set its industrialized facilities in China. For its success, Motorola adopted the five strategies which led to its remarkable achievements to conquer the Chinese market. The strategies are as follows:- a) Investment /Technology transfer. Technology transfer helped Motorola to constantly enhance the intensity of research and development in order to supply the country with the sophisticated communications solutions.Motorola spent $120 million in Tianjin area for production of pagers, cellular phones and simple integrated circuits. Due to the expa nsion of its technology, Motorola established the second plant for the production of automotives electronics, advanced microprocessors, walkie-talkie systems and fabricated silicon wafers (Gaur and Cateora 2006). b) Management localization. Motorola came into sense that in order to minimize cost and increase its market’s share, it should employ more Chinese staff. The Chinese staff required managerial talents so that they could be competent in management.To solve that problem, in 1993 Motorola established Motorola University to train the young staff about the international managerial situations. The University came to be the company’s training base as it dealt with communication technology and business management. At the end of the day, Motorola accomplished enormous success which led to its commitment to the people. It made sure that from seniors to the general staff were from local. As a result 90% of the staff was Chinese (Wen-Cheng et al. , 2010). c) Local sourcing .Cost maximization was one big thing Motorola was trying to avoid; as a result it sourced from local firms. Training was important to the staff to develop their standard by broadening technological and managerial maintenance. Training enabled the local companies to raise their productivity and value of the commodities and even supported them to penetrate into the world markets (Gaur and Cateora 2006). d) Joint ventures/ co-operative projects. To expand its market in China, Motorola entered in 9 joint ventures with Chinese companies in order to increase its production capacity.Joint venture helped Motorola to increase admittance into the Chinese market without launching more plants. In addition to that, Motorola was able to do some savings through joint ventures (Gaur and Cateora 2006). e) Brand localization strategy. Localization of the Motorola brand made it possible to hit the targeted groups. It localized the brand culturally so as to infiltrate the customers. The products with t he cultural brand usually tend to integrate to achieve customers’ emotions of rejection from the elimination of foreign commodities (Wen-Cheng et al. 2010). Operation strategy of Motorola Motorola managed to defeat the Chinese market when it created and implemented the R&D strategy as their secret weapon in the Chinese market. The strategy was centered on technological advancement and innovations. Motorola carried out researches in the locale of communication software and semiconductors. The research conducted facilitated Motorola Company to create FLEX paging technology helped Motorola to come up with the highest quality of commodities which were durable and valuable.Motorola also established labs for production procedure, analysis and software equipment on the increase of new technologies that would make China a high technology manufacturing hub. Furthermore, Motorola entered into research partnership with local universities whereby it could contribute equipments and give o pportunities to college students to work as intern in the company. By doing this would enable Motorola to achieve the local country’s scientific and technological contribution and to respond to the host market demands and innovate near the production places (Wen-Cheng et al. , 2010).To make their operations in the Chinese market better, Motorola instituted the Motorola University in 1993 in order to train the Chinese employees to become competent in the global managerial positions. The University had a training program called China Management Program (CAMP). The program was for the Chinese staff whereby they were trained on the job for 14 months which involved action learning, coaching and rotation of training of staff by using Motorola’s global facilities. The CAMP syllabus helped the Chinese to be trained about the market economy, value creation, business process design and benchmark.Moreover, Motorola had to interview the staff in order to get the best ones for the job. It was important for the employees to know English as they were going to face the global market of which English language is the unifying language (Gaur and Cateora 2006). Framework analysis of Motorola operations in China Furthermore, assessment of external and internal environment of any organization is essential for its strategic planning. PEST analysis provides information that is useful to equalize the company’s resources and potentials to the competitive environment in which it operates.PEST stands for political, economical, socio-cultural and technological factors. Motorola used the PEST analysis to illustrate how it managed to operate its business activities in the Chinese market. Political factor, China had a difficulty and unstable social and political environment but Motorola managed to penetrate the Chinese market and paved its way to being the leading company in the Chinese mobile handset market. Economical factor, Motorola had its reasons to enter China and dominate the Chinese market. One of the major reasons is the huge population of China which is approximately to be 1. 1 billion.This factor stimulated Motorola as they were acquainted with the market of their commodities and availability of cheap labor. Moreover, social-cultural factor administered Motorola to perform incredibly in the Chinese market as they understood the local market and the Chinese culture due to its strategies it adopted. It localized the brand of its commodities culturally so as to gain access to the customers. Finally, technological factor Motorola advanced in research and development center in China called Motorola China Research and Development Institute in Beijing where technological advancement and innovation was focused.The institute was concerned with researches in the areas of communication software and semiconductors. The presence of manufacturing procedure, analytical, and software and equipment labs for expanding innovative technology made China a h igh-technology production hub (Gaur and Cateora 2006). Apart from PEST analysis, Motorola made sure that it has managed to use the SWOT analysis to show its weaknesses, strengths, opportunity and threats from the internal and external environment. Strength, Motorola was the leading provider of wireless handset communication and broadband system.In addition to that it was the solitary supplier of iDEN network infrastructure. Because of all that it became known to be the strong and famous in the market. Weaknesses, Motorola could not satisfy its customers as it produced low quality of goods, insufficient employees, diseases like SARS, fierce competition and lost of its prestigious customers (Gaur and Cateora 2006). Opportunities, strong brand, promotion strategies and risk taking through product modernization made Motorola to be well positioned in the market.The hybrid products which were produced by Motorola enabled them to get a huge market and expand to other countries like Japan, Taiwan, France, Italy, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Threats, lack of government protection against the outside competitors, competition from Japan as it produced durable products and sold cheap and sharing market with the foreign competitors. SWOT ANALYSIS DIAGRAMPEST ANALYSIS DIAGRAM WEAKNESSES (W) STREGHTS (S) FIRM FIRM Technological Socio-Cultural Economical Political OPPORTUNITIES (O) THREATS (T) India and China Global TrendsChina and India being part of BRIC were able to become heir to globalization. Since the year 1980, China’s economy has been growing fast globally. Its GDP was USD 305 billion which led to be seen as the leading economy in the world. In 1980-2000, India made a step forward to the growth of 6% GDP. Due to their population size, India and China were both positioned in the emerging markets whereby China with 1. 3 billion population and India with 1. 1 billion (Needle, 2010). Talking about outsourcing worldwide with BPO and ITO, India and China maintained their dominance in the multi-sourcing trend.India manage to secure a good position in MNCs as its labour force was well skilled, sociable government policies for foreign investment, steady political condition and English language expertise. All this proved that India sustained its dominance to both ITO and BPO markets. China as well boosted its forces on the global sourcing. It was seen that, India led China in the dollar value of Chinese software industry as it was twice the India’s. The Chinese government supported the local software industry and this took a huge part in enhancing the growth of Chinese industry (Oshri et al. 2009). Conclusion Apart from all the success, Motorola faced down falls in the early 2003 which led the company to be sold to the Shanghaibased Semiconductor Manufacturing Internal Corp (SMIC). The said reasons for the fall of Motorola were SARS outbreak which caused the plant to be closed for the fear of the spread of the disease. Moreover, the increa se of competition in the mobile market caused Motorola. As Motorola was losing its shares in the Chinese market, the competitors were raising.Furthermore, the excessive inventory of beyond 30 million handsets caused the price battles and discounts in the market and caused Motorola to fall by 10% in 2003 (Gaur and Cateora 2006). References Pearson (2004) Motorola in China. Available at: http://www. pearsoned-asia. com/comp/chow/instructors/preview/BS-Ch33. pdf (Accessed: 18 March 2012) Needle, D (2010) An Introduction to Business and its Environment. Myilibrary [Online]. Available at: http://0-lib. myilibrary. com. brum. beds. ac. uk/SearchResults. aspx (Accessed: 10 March 2012) Ghauri, P and Cateora, P (2006) ‘International Marketing’, Motorola in China.International Business Environment [Online]. Available at: https://breo. beds. ac. uk (Accessed: 22 March 2012) PubMed (1987) ‘The population on the mainland of China totals 1. 07244 billion. Available at:http://ww w. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/12315472 (Accessed:22 April 2012). Emerald Strategic Direction (2002) ‘The reasons behind Motorola’s success in China’, what makes Chinese joint ventures a success,’ 19 (2) [Online]. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? issn=0258-0543&volume=19&issue=2&articleid=869312&show=html (Accessed 12 April 2012).Wen-Cheng, C. , Ying-Chang, C. Kuo, C. and Ying-Chien, C. (2010) ‘A Case Study on the Motorola China’s Localization Strategy’, [Online]. The Journal of International Management Studies, 5 (1) [Online]. Available at: http://www. jimsjournal. org/7%20Wang%20,Wen-Cheng. pdf (Accessed: 10 April 2012). Hamilton, L. and Webster, P. (2009) The International Business Environment. Oxford: oxford university press. Mack, L (2012) Chinese Culture. Available at  : http://chineseculture. about. com/od/businesseconomy/a/Chinas-Special-Economic-Zones-Sez. htm ( Accessed: 30 April 2012)

The Negative Effects of Wealth in Society

The Negative Effects of Wealth in Society Wealth brings far more significant problems than depriving people of beauty. This is because once the rich in society set eyes on a given item or property, they will do anything within their means to ensure that they get it irrespective of the adverse effects that their actions may have on the lives of the poor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Negative Effects of Wealth in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay seeks to analyze the other adverse effects that wealth can bring to society apart from the aspect of the destruction of beauty. To this end, examples from modern day living shall be drawn and coupled with proper explanations to illustrate the weaknesses of wealth-driven society adequately. Wealth leads to the creation of frustrated individuals in society. For instance, a wealthy man driving on a highway through the countryside will see a large farm with animals grazing peacefully, and instead of appreciating the calmness of the region, he would probably see how he could turn the farm into an out-of-town shopping mall. The owners of the land may not be willing to part with their property, but this rich man could easily come with ridiculously vast amounts of money and ensure that he has convinced them to leave. Eventually, high story buildings will go up and concrete structures replacing the trees. In this instance, the rich man would have interfered with the beauty of the land. However, and even more disturbing is that he would not care where the farmer and his family relocate to because it is almost apparent he (the rich man) is not going to offer them an alternative settlement. Consequently, the farmer may find himself in an urban region where the costs of living are very high, and in time at all, the money he had received from the sale of the land will have gone into rent and food. With time the farmer and his family will have to go back to the rich man to look for men ial jobs at his shopping complex and in a way signing to lifetime slavery. From this example, it is easy to see that wealth also ends up creating a few happy persons at the expense of many frustrated individuals. The acquisition of wealth results in the breaking of family and societal linkages. An individual will generally tend to relate very well with members of his extended family as well as his neighbors as long as they don’t have a lot of money. However, once this individual lands an extreme amount of wealth, he will turn on the people that he used to share good times with and convert them into his laborers.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In a way, he will strive to ensure that even the people who helped him get where he is don’t get the opportunities that would make them arrive at his level. A good example is a way politicians in third world countri es behave. Before the election, they will meet with the people, share meals and even relate positively with them. They would spend a lot of time pledging to improve the lives of poor citizens as soon as they get elected. However, once they get to the office, they move into posh houses and buy huge cars with dark windows to ensure that the people who elected him/her do not get to know of his whereabouts. If a person, even his/her uncle wants to meet him to seek some slight help, the now-elected Member of Parliament or counselor will demand that they make appointments with his secretary and most of the time he/she will not make an effort to see whether the matter was attended. The desire for wealth also brings with it very many societal vices. One good example is corruption and bribery within public service. Individuals who work for the government are generally always complaining that they are not well paid. Since they are in the office for most of the day, they do not have time to do something else on the side, and this leads them to come up with ways of getting the extra dollar while still at work. So instead of following a given protocol while serving individuals who come seeking assistance from their offices, they will do things slowly and sometimes withholding certain relevant documents only to release them once the client has promised to give a few extra dollars to get the work done on time. The same applies to police officers who can catch an individual in the midst of committing a crime and instead of arresting him/her, they let the person go after receiving a huge amount of money as a bribe. This desire for wealth is the primary factor that drove western countries to invade the nations in Africa during colonial times. The colonialists discovered that Africa had a lot of natural resources and since they (colonialists) had the tools for accessing things like minerals, they invaded the countries, turned the natives into their slaves and shipped all the min ed products to their mother nations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Negative Effects of Wealth in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In conclusion, it is easy to see that the adverse effects of wealth in society are much more than just the destruction of beauty. As has been shown above through various examples, wealth can lead to the development of many unwanted characteristics in individuals which sometimes leads them to lose all sense of humanity such that they see other individuals as lesser humans. I, therefore, agree with the fact that apart from the destruction of beauty, wealth also generates many adverse effects in society.

What Is Sociological Imagination How Can You Use It

What Is Sociological Imagination How Can You Use It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you ever wondered why your family cooks turkey on Thanksgiving? If you ask, you might get all kinds of reasons: because it’s tradition, because it tastes good, because it’s what the pilgrims ate back in the early days of America. All of those factors- taste, personal history, and world history- lead to one small action of you eating turkey on a holiday. That’s the premise of sociological imagination. Like imagination in the more typical sense, the sociological imagination asks us to use our brains to think differently about things and consider why we do the things we do. In this article, we’ll introduce the concept of sociological imagination, its history, how it changed the sociological field, and how you can use it every day to change your way of thinking about the world. What Is Sociological Imagination? The sociological imagination is a method of thinking about the world. As you may have guessed, it’s part of the field of sociology, which studies human society. When you put â€Å"sociological†- studying society- and â€Å"imagination†- the concept of forming new ideas, often creatively- together, you get a pretty good definition of the concept: a method of thinking about both individuals and society by considering a variety of sociological contexts. The societal imagination encourages people to think about their lives not just on an individual level, but also considering societal, biological, and historical context. Societal context tells us about our culture- when we consider it, we think about how our desires, actions, and thoughts are shaped by our community and how that community is changing. Biological context tells us about how â€Å"human nature† impacts our desires and needs. And lastly, historical context considers our place in time; how have events of the past led up to where we are currently? Basically, the concept of sociological imagination suggests that who you are as an individual is also the you shaped by your immediate surroundings, your family, your friends, your country, and the world as a whole. You may make individual choices about what to eat for lunch, but what you choose- a tuna sandwich, lobster ravioli, or shrimp tacos- is also determined by societal factors like where you live and what you’ve grown up eating. To use the sociological imagination is to shift your perspective away from yourself and look at things more broadly, bringing in context to individual actions. If you’re thinking about lunch, you’re probably more likely to choose something that’s familiar to you. In another culture or even another part of your city, a person who is very similar to you might choose a different food because of what’s familiar to them. If we zoom out a little further, we might realize that people in landlocked states might be unlikely to choose a seafood-based lunch at all because fresh fish is more expensive than it is on the coast. Zoom out more, and you might realize that fish isn’t even on the menu for some cultures because of societal taboos or restrictions. And those are just spatial boundaries. You can also consider your family’s relationship with eating fish, or how your cultural and ethnic heritage impacted where you are, what food you have access to, and your personal tastes. All of this lets you see yourself and your culture in a new light, as a product of society and history. In this sense, using a sociological imagination lets you look at yourself and your culture as a third-party observer. The goal is not to be dispassionate and distant, but rather to see yourself not as â€Å"natural† or â€Å"normal,† as a part of larger systems, the same way that all people are. Why the Sociological Imagination Is Useful Part of the appeal of using a sociological imagination is that it helps people avoid apathy. In this context, apathy refers to a sense of indifference or disinterest in examining the morality of their leaders. According to C. Wright Mills, creator of the idea of sociological imagination, if we accept that our beliefs, traditions, and actions are all normal and natural, we are less likely to interrogate when our leaders and community members do things that are immoral. Considering sociological context allows individuals to question and change society rather than just live in it. When we understand historical and social contexts, we’re better equipped to look at our actions and the actions of our community as a result of systems- which can be changed- rather than as inherent to humanity. In more technical terms, Mills was challenging the dominant structural functionalist approach to sociology. Structural functionalism suggests that society is composed of different structures that shape the interactions and relationships between people, and those relationships can be understood and analyzed to help us learn more about a society. What differed for Mills and his concept of the sociological imagination was that he believed that society was not only a series of systems, but that the role of the individual should also be considered. In fact, Mills believed that social structures arise because of conflict between groups, typically the elite and the others, such as the government and the citizens or the rich and the poor. Institute for Policy Studies / Flickr Where Does the Term Come From? As previously mentioned, C. Wright Mills is the origin of the term â€Å"sociological imagination.† In his 1959 book The Sociological Imagination, the Columbia University professor of sociology suggested that sociologists rethink the way they were engaging with the field. During his time, many sociologists engaged in a sort of top-down view of the world, focusing on systems rather than on individuals. Mills believed both were important, and that society should be understood as a relationship between different systems that originated in conflict. Though his book has since been named one of the most important sociological texts of the 20th century, Mills was not popular among his contemporaries. Mills was particularly concerned with class in social spheres, particularly the elite and the military, and how conflict between the elite and the non-elite impacted the actions of individuals and vice-versa. Mills was also opposed to the tendency of sociologists to observe rather than act. He believed that sociology was a great tool for changing the world, and believed that using the sociological imagination encouraged people of all kinds, including sociologists, to expose and respond to social injustice. Mills referred to the tendency of sociologists to think in abstraction â€Å"grand theory.† This tendency led to sociologists of the time being more concerned with organization and taxonomy over understanding- because Mills was so concerned with the experience of the individual as well as the experience of the whole, this contributed to his feeling that the sociological field was too far removed from the actual humans that comprise society. Because so much of Mills’ ideas of the sociological imagination were intended to bring sociologists closer to the people and their concerns, he developed a series of tenets to encourage them to think differently. Mills’ Sociological Imagination Tips Mills' book was all about how the sociological imagination could help society, but it wasn't only a theoretical approach.The Sociological Imagination contained tips for sociologists as well as the general public to help them better contextualize the world! Avoid Existing Sets of Procedures So much of sociology was based on existing systems that Mills felt the field focused on method over humanity. To combat this, he suggested that sociologists should function as individuals and propose new theories and methodologies that could challenge and enhance established norms. Be Clear and Concise Mills believed that some of the academic language used in the field of sociology encouraged the sense of distance that so troubled him. Instead, he advocated that sociologists be clear and concise when possible, and that they do not couch their theories in language intended to distance themselves from society and from criticism. Observe the Macro and Micro Prior to Mills’ work, structural functionalism was the primary philosophy of the field. Mills disagreed with the top-down approach to sociology, and encouraged sociologists to engage with the macro, as they had been doing, in addition to the micro. He believed that history is comprised of both the big and small, and that study of each is required for a robust field. Observe Social Structure as Well as Milieu Building off of his last point, Mills also suggested that social structure and individual actions, which he called â€Å"milieu,† were interconnected and equally worthy of study. He explained that individual moments, as well as long spans of time, were equally necessary to understanding society. Avoid Arbitrary Specialization Mills advocated for a more interdisciplinary approach to sociology. Part of the sociological imagination is thinking outside of the boundaries of yourself; to do so, Mills suggested that sociologists look beyond their specialized fields toward a more comprehensive understanding. Always Consider Humanity and History Because so much of sociology in the time of Mills’ writing was concerned with systems, he advocated for more consideration of both humanity and history. That meant looking at human experience on an individual and societal level, as well as within a specific and broad historical context. Understand Humanity as Historical and Social Actors Mills wanted sociologists to consider humans as products of society, but also society as products of humanity. According to Mills, people may act on an individual basis, but their individual desires and thoughts are shaped by the society in which they live. Therefore, sociologists should consider human action as a product of not just individual desires, but also historical and social actors. Consider Individuals inConnection with Social Issues- Public is Personal, Personal is Public One of Mills’ biggest points was that an individual problem is often also a societal problem. He suggested that sociologists should look beyond the common discourse and find alternate explanations and considerations. 2 Ins The sociological imagination can be complex to wrap your mind around, particularly if you’re not already a sociologist. When you take this idea and apply it to a specific example, however, it becomes a lot easier to understand how and why it works to broaden your horizons. As such, we've developed two in-depth sociological imagination examples to help you understand this concept. Buying a Pair of Shoes Let’s start with a pretty basic example- buying a pair of shoes. When you think about buying a new pair of shoes, your explanation may be fairly simple, such as that you need a new pair of shoes for a particular purpose, like running or a school dance, or that you simply like the way they look. Both of those things may be true, but using your sociological imagination takes you out of the immediacy of those to answers and encourages you to think deeper. So let’s go with the first explanation that you need a new pair of running shoes. Our first step toward using the sociological imagination is asking yourself ‘why?’ Well, so you can go running, of course! But why do you want to go running, as opposed to any other form of exercise? Why get into exercise at all? Why new running shoes rather than used ones? Once you start asking these questions, you can start to see how it’s not just an individual choice on your part- the decision to buy running shoes is a product of the society you live in, your economic situation, your local community, and so on. Maybe you want to go running because you want to get into shape, and your favorite Instagram profile is big into running. Maybe you recently watched a news report about heart health and realized that you need a new exercise regimen to get into shape. And maybe you’ve chosen new shoes over used ones because you have the financial means to purchase a name-brand pair. If you were a different person in a different context- say if you lived in a poorer area, or an area with more crime, or another country where other forms of exercise are more practical or popular- you might have made different choices. If you lived in a poorer area, designer shoes may not even be available to you. If there was a lot of crime in your area, running might be an unsafe method of exercise. And if you lived in another country, maybe you’d take up biking or tai chi or bossaball. When you consider these ideas, you can see that while you’re certainly an individual making individual decisions, those decisions are, in part, shaped by the context you live in. That’s using your sociological imagination- you’re seeing how the personal decision of buying a pair of running shoes is also public, in that what is available to you, what societal pressures you experience, and what you feel are all shaped by your surroundings. Who People Choose to Marry Marriage for love is the norm in American culture, so we assume that the same is true and always has been true. Why else would anybody marry? When we use our sociological imaginations, we can figure it out. You might get married to your partner because you love them, but why else might you get married? Well, it can make your taxes simpler, or make you more qualified to get a home loan. If your partner is from another country, it might help them stay within the US. So even in the United States, where marriage is typically thought of as a commitment of love, there are multiple other reasons you might get married. Throughout history, marriage was a means to make alliances or acquire property, usually with a woman as a bargaining chip. Love wasn’t even part of the equation- in fact, in ancient Rome one politician was ousted from the Senate for having the gall to kiss his wife in public. It wasn’t until the 17th and 18th centuries that love became a reason to marry, thanks to the Enlightenment idea that lives should be dedicated to pursuing happiness. But at that point, women were still seen more like property than people- it wasn’t until the women’s rights movements of the 1900s that American women advocated for their own equality in marriage. In other cultures, polygamy might be acceptable, or people might have arranged marriages, where a person’s family chooses their spouse for them. That sounds strange to us, but only because in our culture the norm is marrying for love, with other reasons, such as financial or immigration concerns, being secondary. So even for an individual, there might be multiple factors at play in the decision to be made. You may never articulate these desires because getting married for love is our cultural norm (and it wouldn’t sound very good in a wedding speech), but these kinds of considerations do have subconscious effects on our decision-making. Sociological Imagination in the Sociology Community As you might have gathered from the numerous challenges Mills’ concept of the sociological imagination posed to established practices, he wasn’t a super popular figure in sociology during his time. Many sociologists were resistant to Mills’ suggested changes to the field. In fact, Mills is sometimes heralded to be ahead of his time, as the values he espoused about human connection and societal issues were prominent thoughts in the 1960s, just after his death. One of his former students wrote about how Mills stood in contrast to other sociologists of the era, saying: â€Å"Mills’s very appearance was a subject of controversy. In that era of cautious professors in gray flannel suits he came roaring into Morningside Heights on his BMW motorcycle, wearing plaid shirts, old jeans and work boots, carrying his books in a duffel bag strapped across his broad back. His lectures matched the flamboyance of his personal image, as he managed to make entertaining the heavyweight social theories of Mannheim, Ortega and Weber. He shocked us out of our Silent Generation torpor by pounding his desk and proclaiming that every man should build his own house (as he himself did a few years later) and that, by God, with the proper study, we should each be able to build our own car! â€Å"Nowadays men often feel that their private lives are a series of traps,† Mills wrote in the opening sentence of The Sociological Imagination, and I can hear him saying it as he paced in front of the class, speaking not loudly now but with a compelling sense of intrigue, as if he were letting you in on a powerful secret.† Though Mills’ philosophy is hugely important to today’s sociology field, his skewering of power and the myopic nature of his era’s academics didn’t make him many friends. However, as time has gone on, the field has come to regard him differently. His challenge to the field helped reshape it into something that is concerned with the macro as well as the micro. Conversations- even negative ones- about Mills’ proposals helped circulate his ideas, leading to The Sociological Imagination eventually being voted as the second most important sociological text of the 20th century. How to Apply Sociological Imagination to Your Own Life The great thing about sociological imagination is that you don’t need to be a trained sociologist to do it. You don’t need a huge vocabulary or a deep understanding of sociological texts- just the willingness to step outside of your own viewpoint and consider the world in context. This helps you escape your own perspective and think about the world differently. That can mean you’re able to make decisions less tinged with cultural bias- maybe you don’t need those expensive running shoes after all. To train your sociological imagination, get into the habit of asking questions about behavior that seems â€Å"normal† to you. Why do you think it’s normal? Where did you learn it? Are there places it may not be seen as normal? Consider a relatively common tradition like Christmas, for example. Even if you don’t come from a particularly religious family, you may still celebrate the holiday because it’s common in our society. Why is that? Well, it could be that it’s a tradition. But where did that tradition come from? Probably from your ancestors, who may have been more devout than your current family. You can trace this kind of thinking backward and consider your personal history, your family history, and the surrounding cultural context (not all cultures celebrate Christmas, of course!) to understand how something that feels â€Å"normal† got to that state. But cultural context isn’t the only important part of the sociological imagination- Mills also suggested that sociologists should consider the personal and the public, as well. When you come upon something that seems like a personal issue, think about it in a societal context. Why might that person behave the way that they do? Are there societal causes that might contribute to their situation? A common example of this is the idea of unemployment. If you are unemployed, you may feel simultaneous feelings of frustration, unease, and even self-loathing. Many people blame themselves for their lack of a job, but there are societal factors at play, too. For example, there may simply be no jobs available nearby, particularly if you’re trained in a specific field or need to hit a certain income level to care for your family. You may have been laid off due to poor profits, or even because you live in a place where it’s legal to terminate employment based on sexuality or gender identity. You may be unable to findwork because you’re spending so much time caring for your family that you simply don’t have time to apply for many jobs. So while unemployment may seem like a personal issue, there are actually lots of societal issues that can contribute to it. Mills’ philosophy asks us to consider both in conversation with one another- it’s not that individuals have no free will, but rather that each person is a product of their society as well as an individual. What’s Next? Psychology, like sociology, can give us insight into human behavior. If you're thinking of studying psychology in the future, this list of psychology master's programs can give you a great look at which colleges have the best programs! Sociology can even help you understand works of literature, likeThe Great Gatsby! Learn more about F. Scott Fitzgerald's take on the American Dream from our guide. A good understanding of history is one of the core pieces to a good sociological imagination. To improve your historical knowledge, consider these high school history classes you should take!