Higher Education in America

Higher Education in America Introduction The American higher education has undergone a significant transformation over the past century. This is evident based on the numerous anniversaries that most American colleges and universities have conducted to celebrate the ascent in the education sector at the beginning of the 21st century (Thelin, 2011, p. 363).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Higher Education in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the emergence of contemporary developments experienced the end of the first decade of the 21st century has dampened these achievements. Some of the challenges that universities and colleges are facing relate to financial constraints, decline in donor funding, and state appropriations. For example, students’ financial programs were caught up in congressional debates with regard to renewal of grants and loans program (Thelin, 2011, p. 363). Additionally, the American higher education has also experienced a decline in federal support with regard to universitys of these initiatives include the Race to the Top (RTT), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the Degree Qualification Profile. The objective of these initiatives was to stimulate reforms, which would improve the American higher education. Because of the initiatives, the American higher learning education has undergone significant transformation at various levels such as institutional, programmatic, departmental, and classroom levels. There has also been an increment in the number of partnerships between higher learning institutions in America and other countries. For example, the American government has collaborated with Latin American countries such as Costa Rica in an effort to stimulate economic growth besides nurturing sustainable manufacturing. Despite this, the American higher education system is experiencing an overload because of the numerous initiatives. As a result, higher learning institutions are not able to effectively analyze the most effective initiatives. If higher learning institutions do not keep up with the changes that are occurring, then there is a high probability of the intended goal not to be achieved. The initiatives are not spread even across the university. This is worsened by an increment in diversity within the higher learning institutions. Another factor that has influenced reconfiguration of American higher education relates to an increment in the number of new entrants. The new entrants have been motivated by the fact that most individuals perceive higher education as a change for attaining their intended growth. However, most of these institutions are profit oriented. For example, approximately 1.8 million students in the US were enrolled in 2,800 for-profit making higher learning institutions between 2008 and 2009. This shows that there is a considerable green population in America (Bennett, Lucchesi Vedder, 2010, p. 3). The third factor that has stim ulated reconfiguration of higher learning in America relates to diversity amongst students. Currently, the student profile has increasingly become diverse as students from different cultural backgrounds characterize it. The US higher education is also facing a significant transformation emanating from the change in the country’s demographic profile. Currently, the US is the third largest populous country globally with 4.5% of the world’s total population living in the US (Shrestha Heisler, 2011, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Higher Education in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the 1st decade of the 21st century, the US higher education sector could best be described as ‘growth industry’ evidenced by the fact that the total student enrollment in approximately 3,000 institutions increased to 16 million. By 2010, it was projected that total student enrolment could be more than 20 million (Thelin, 2011, p.369). Studies conducted with reference to the US higher education reveal that the sector is experiencing epistemological transformations, increment in innovative ideas and research discoveries. One of the factors that have contributed to this change relates to change in the composition of the student body profile. Because of the increment in the rate of enrollment, there were significant reconfigurations with regard to the student’s demographic profiles, which ultimately resulted in the reconfiguration of the learning institutions’ administrations and faculties (Thelin, 2011, p. 369). In an effort to ensure that the country’s leaders are well prepared to take care of the responsibilities facing them, the American higher education has since its inception acknowledged the element of social diversity. Over the past few years, the rate of enrollment of students who were in the past underrepresented in American higher education i nstitutions is increasing at a higher rate compared to that of non-Hispanics (Frazier, Howard, Banks Kellogg, 2009, p. 4). Studies conducted reveal that it is inevitable for higher learning institutions in the US to avoid change in the students’ demographics in the future since the inclusion of the element of diversity in the higher learning institutions. According to Frazier, Howard, Banks, and Kellogg (2009, p. 6), there has been a dramatic transformation with regard to undergraduate student profile in America. The student profile has increasingly become ethnically and racially diverse. For example, the student profile is composed of Hispanics, Latinos, Asians, and African-Americans (Thelin, 2011, p. 369). Considering these demographic changes, the American higher education institutions face a challenge of ensuring that they take into account the change in the students’ demographic profile. One of the ways through which they can achieve this is by modifying their cur ricular, developmental, service, and programmatic offering. Additionally, administrations of higher learning institutions have an obligation to ensure that they promote research within their institutions.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analysis of the main issues influencing higher education and their impact Change in profile of students The American higher education is also greatly being impacted by change in the student profile. Over the past few years, there has been a rampant increase in the number of minority group enrollment within the higher learning institutions. For example, universities and colleges located in New Mexico, California, Texas, and Arizona have experienced an increment in the rate of Latino and Hispanic undergraduate student enrollment (Thelin, 2011, p. 369). This means that higher education institutions have undergone cultural, ethnic and racial transformation. These students have become a very vocal and visible constituent of the institutions. One of the factors that have promoted the change in the student profile is growth in the rate of migration across states and increased geographical mobility. The resultant effect is that minority groups have over the recent past ceased to be perceive d as being a regional component but rather a core component of student enrollment. The change in the student profile within the higher education has led to the elimination of some factors that were evident within the higher education system. However, this has occurred because of the increased advocacy by the minority groups (Thelin, 2011, p. 370). This is done in pursuit of equal opportunities within the higher education system. Because of the increased diversity amongst students, higher education stakeholders such as policy makers face the responsibility of ensuring the necessary curricular advancements and improvement to student services. Additionally, the policymakers face an uphill task of ensuring that they offer progression and professional development that is in line with the students’ needs. This illustrates that change in the student profile will significantly affect the American higher education. Increased diversity amongst students has also led to significant chang e of policy with regard to the provision of financial aid to students. One of the ways through which this has occurred is the increased competition between private lenders and the federal government. Competition from private lenders aimed at ensuring that they get a share of the loan market. However, this led to marginalization of students in accessing welfare (Thelin, 2011, p. 270). For example, during the period ranging between 2006 and 2010, the student financial aid program was characterized by numerous controversies. Some of these controversies arose from a change in national priorities. For example, many financial institutions that were required to provide financial assistance to students offered lucrative amounts to the federally subsidized students at the expense of ensuring that they made college affordable to a new generation of college-going students of different backgrounds whose families had a modest income (Thelin, 2011, p. 370). Research in Universities During the 197 0s, different faculties in universities experienced increased pressure to conduct research (Smart Paulsen, 2011, p. 241). This represented a significant change from mid-1800s whereby universities’ core focus was on instruction. Over the 20th century, universities rapidly shifted towards research. As a result, they would receive substantial funding from the federal government for research purposes (Smart Paulsen, 2011, p. 241). During this period, the federal government undertook 95% of research funding in universities. However, this has changed during the 21st century. Currently, universities are facing increased competition for sponsored research grants from the federal government. This holds because of the new entrants into the sector. In an effort to achieve grants, the new entrants are promoting themselves as research institutes. This represents a new corporate model for higher institutions. According to Thelin (2011, p. 377), one of the main reasons why university admi nistrations are competing for grants is not to promote research but to create a new source of revenue to ensure that their institutions operate smoothly. As a result, most university faculties are mainly concerned with writing research grant proposals in an effort to increase the volume of their grants (Thelin, 2011, p. 379). Upon receiving the grants, most universities do not commit the funds to their intended function, research, but rather divert the grants to cater for other costs. For example, substantial proportion of the grants are used to reimburse the institution’s research foundations for their effort drafting the grant proposal, catering for indirect cost incurred, and for adhering to federal and institutional regulations (Thelin, 2011, p. 379). In addition, if the universities do not receive the research grants from the federal agencies, they usually draw from other budgetary lines from within the university in order to cover the cost incurred in preparing the gran t proposals. If this trend is not dealt with, there is a high probability that universities will not achieve their objective of developing a strong human capital. This arises from the fact that they will not be able to transform the university into research-based institutions. In awarding grants, the federal agencies evaluate the universities success with regard to peer review and assessing universities, which have showed successful record of accomplishment in the past. This presents a major challenge to new universities that apply for grants because it becomes extremely difficult to access the grants to recover their venture cost (Thelin, 2011, p. 379). Another reason why research in universities is being affected arises from the fact that most federal agencies are changing their priorities. During the 21st century, it has become extremely difficult for universities that had earlier received research grants to renew their contracts in the future. This means that there is a high pro bability of research in universities becoming dampened. From 2000 to 2010, there has been an increment in the degree of risk and expenses associated with research grants. This is because of increased innovativeness with regard to competition for grants. For example, in an effort to access grants, large scale projects such as the science-related ones are stressing on multi-disciplinary cooperation with other faculties such as bioengineering, biochemistry, neurosciences, and biogenetics amongst others. On the other hand, traditional departments such as botany, geology, and chemistry remain uncompetitive. The multidisciplinary cooperation leads to a rise in the universities administrative cost because they have to put in place new physical and administrative structures. The cost incurred is committed to the institutions recurrent administrative expenses (Thelin, 2011, p. 380). Studies conducted reveal that it will be relatively difficult for universities to sustain the cost arising fro m their increased proliferation of their research institutes and centers. The competition for research grants will have adverse impacts on the American higher education (Thelin, 2011, p. 380). Influences of past eras on present-day higher education Since its inception, the American higher education has been on growth. Past eras have had significant influences on higher education to date. This is evidenced by the fact that past eras developed a tradition of commitment towards higher education. As a result, there has been both qualitative and quantitative transformation with regard to the higher education. For example, most universities have improved their program offering. Additionally, the precedents that were set by traditional institutions have significantly transformed the higher education, for example, by ensuring that student enrollment is increased. Past eras also initiated transitions such as ensuring diversity within the learning institutions. The resultant effect is that hi gher education in America is characterized by a diverse student profile. Additionally, past eras have also ensured that universities become centers of excellence. One of the ways through which this has been achieved is by promoting research in universities. Conclusion and recommendation for change In conclusion, based on the detailed expositions made in the paper, it suffices to declare the American higher education as one that has encountered the inevitable change. The paper has sought to unravel the mystery behind the evident changes besides giving a detailed analysis of how the changes have influenced the entire American system since its inception. For example, the growth in the student profile means that universities will have to adjust their programs in order to cater for the students’ needs. Additionally, the decline and increased competition for grants means that universities have to cater for research cost from other avenues. Considering the challenges affecting highe r education, it is paramount for universities to ensure that they remain as institutions of excellence. There are a number of issues, which they should take into consideration. To ensure that initiatives developed result to the attainment of the intended goal, university policymakers should enhance their initiatives so that they can be well understood by all the parties. One of the ways through which this can be achieved is by organizing seminars. It is also important for policymakers to include community role models who are successful in their careers. This will aid in motivating students to excel in their faculties. To sustain such initiatives, it is paramount for universities to fund the role models. Universities should also ensure that they utilize research grants for the purpose they are intended. Additionally for research in universities to be successful, it is critical to include the concept of teamwork. The teams should be derived from different departments and disciplines. Reflective Journal From the coursework undertaken, the most engaging assignment was on the changes occurring within the American higher education specifically with regard to the trend in research. Currently, universities within the American higher education are experiencing a challenge in an effort of becoming centers of excellence. This is due to the financial constraints that institutions of higher learning are facing. The financial constraints arise from a decline in research grants from both the federal government and other agencies. The course has been very enlightening especially with regard to the growth of the American higher education. Additionally, I have also learnt that investing in research is vital for the success of higher education and hence the country’s economy. From the knowledge gained, I will be able to advocate for proper use of research grants in higher learning institutions. This will result to proper utilization of research grants by universities. Ref erence List Bennett, D., Lucchesi, A., Vedder, R. (2010). For-profit higher education: Growth  innovation and regulation. Washington: Center for College Affordability and Productivity. Frazier, C., Howard, R., Banks, B., Kellogg, J. (2009). Shifting students demographics  and their impact on a Midwestern higher education institutions’ transformation: Preparing for change. Minnesota: University of Minnesota. Shrestha, L., Heisler, E. (2011). The changing demographic profile of the United  States. New York: Congressional Research Service. Smart, J., Paulsen, M. (2011). Higher education: Handbook of theory and research.  Dordrecht: Springer Science. Thelin, J. (2011). A history of American higher education. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Business Writing Training Guidelines for Performance Appraisals

Business Writing Training Guidelines for Performance Appraisals Performance appraisals play an important role in motivating your employees and in encouragingthem to work to the best of their abilities. Appraisals provide an opportunity to shine for many, and anopportunityto reflect for others. Business writing training guidelines assist the difficult task for bothbusiness owners and managers to evaluate employee performance against quantifiable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Business writing training guidelines will also help individuals better document their achievements during their annual performance review. Writing a performance appraisal report is often cumbersome. Many companies use pre-written templates to prepare such appraisals, and this regimented approach is not always effective. Business writing trainingprovidesmanagers the business writing skillsto effectivelyprovide employees more data regarding their performance. Similarly, the directorship in many businesses requires in-depth employee performance analysis before they make any decision regarding payroll and promotion. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '68b80d4a-2e12-4e12-a6e9-b258b38b08c3', {}); Despite its apparent complexities, writing performance appraisals is a fairly easy task. Here’s a look at fourbusiness writing training guidelines to help bothmanagers and individual employees write relevant and accurate performance appraisal reports. Keep the Audience in Mind Appraisal reports are written for the senior management in your organization. Put yourself in your manager’s position and consider: What does your boss want in this appraisal report? What good will this information do forhim or her? How will the report help in assessing the employee’s performance? The first step towards drafting an effective performance appraisal report is to keep your target audience in mind. There’s a famous business clichà © that says, â€Å"what counts is what'scounted†. This should be your focus. Analyze all indices and factors that seem relevant for the employee appraisal. Be Neutral Once you know who your target audience is, the next step is to maintain a certain level of neutrality in the performance appraisal. It is very easy to sway off course when preparing or filling out the appraisal report. As an employee, you need to address all the core areas of interest to your boss on a timely basis. Do this before they introduce any ancillary content to the performance appraisal report. As a manager, you need to share with your employees all the information and performance metrics against which employee productivity will be measured. Keep Track of All Achievements As a manager, you need to create an electronic record for your employees' achievementsthroughout the year. The same rule applies to employees as well. Scan your email for any recommendations or stand-out recognition you have received. Such exercises are are helpful, but consistent tracking is better. The best approach is to create a tracking documentthat lists all your achievements as they occur. These achievements should be in line with the performance indices used in your appraisal report. Whenever you receiveany recognitionemail or acknowledgement for your hard work, add it to your tracking document. This will provide accuracy and reliability to your performance appraisal report and help you assemble accurate facts. Mind Your Language Performance appraisal reports are very specific in nature. They determineincrements to your salary, bonuses, perks or even a better position. Therefore, it is important that you use the right tone, with accurate sentences and specific verbs to describe your performance. Use evocative words that specificallysummarize your achievements. Instead of relying on long and unending sentences, use short and precise words and phrases. Avoid businessclichà ©s that don't really mean anything specific, such as "passionate marketer" or "committed team member." Instead, be specific about your actual accomplishments. To learn more on how to improve business writing for your employees, downloadâ€Å"Four Steps to Improve Your Team’s Business Writing Skills.†

Edward Hopper's paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Edward Hopper's paintings - Essay Example His paintings did not gain any recognition or income, as most of the people during his period were not interested in the realistic style paintings. He struggled to gain identification but was less successful in his attempts of exhibiting his artworks to the people. In 1923, he met Jo Nivison, who was an artist and later his wife, brought a breakthrough into his life. She modeled for nearly all of his paintings, and acted as a strong moral support to him in his career. Soon, he began his second gallery show at New York, a one-person exhibition, where he was far more prosperous and his works became more prominent, making it a commercial success. The reputation of his paintings soared in the coming years and in 1930, his painting, House by the Railroad, was placed among the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art. In his lifetime, he created more than 800 paintings, watercolor prints as well as many drawings and illustrations. Most of his works presented New York City architec ture, with stark interpretations of American life. â€Å"Hopper sought and explored his chosen themes: the tensions between individuals (particularly men and women), the conflict between tradition and progress in both rural and urban settings, and the moods evoked by various times of day.† Even though most of Hopper’s works were done with oil painting, he also mastered the technique of etching, which brought him commercial success. His works embodied an eerie mood of stillness and a sense of estrangement.

Letter of Interest Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter of Interest - Assignment Example the future and I made sure to continue my training in that field by completing short term computer studies in Website Design and training in the use of DHTML. I also possess Certificates of Completion in C+, Visual Basic, and Perl Software, computer languages which are the basis of all the current modern day computer software. I was blessed to have grown up in an era when the game consoles were but a developing segment of entertainment. It is my opinion that only someone like me, who has been using the previous incarnations of the game consoles, who can best understand the problems of the clients and help them solve it without getting too technical with them. The re-training that will come with this possible promotion and transfer is something that I am willing to undergo in the name of career development. I am not afraid of this challenge and I am looking forward to eventually completing the training program and being able to help our clients in what will be a new line of work and field of career development for me. I have attached the documents that I feel are pertinent to my application for your consideration. As you can see, my interest in the position is more than just a passing fancy. That is why I have made myself available to further discuss my application at your convenience. Thank

Product Evaluation †Slenda Fat Burner Essay Example for Free

Product Evaluation – Slenda Fat Burner Essay Slenda Fat Burner is a product name distributed by Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems, a company that aims to provide natural remedies for losing weight and keeping healthy. Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems claims that the components of Slenda products are all-natural ingredients, thus providing for a safe and effective way to shed weight, enhance the performance of the digestive system, speed up metabolism, augment the formation of slim and slender muscles, and keep healthy by feeling energized. The ingredients used in manufacturing Slenda products are said to have come from different parts of the world to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the product and have undergone biological tests to guarantee not only weight loss but also overall wellbeing. These ingredients include Vitamin B6, Garcinia Cabogia, Guarana Extract, Citrus Auranthium, white willow bark, L-carnitine, Chromium picolinate, dandelion leaf, Uva Ursi, green tea, and cayenne powder. (Slenda, 2008a) Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems manufacture and distribute Slenda Fat Burner. Apparently, two people who endorse and practice the use of natural medicine founded the company. One of their primary goals is to provide products that are made from fine natural ingredients and educate consumers about the positive effects and benefits from using their products. The Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems products claim to be an important instrument to â€Å"lose excess weight and fat easily and healthily.† The company claims to be dedicated in conducting continued and thorough research and remain conscious about new innovations that allows the them to develop and enhance nutritional supplements that promotes the health and being of everyone. Slenda products include Slenda Supergreens, Slenda Supergreens with Ashwaganda, Slenda Carbo Block, and Slenda Vital Vitamins. (Slenda, 2008b) I found the product over the internet as I was searching for general wellness merchandises. I browsed through their main website, slendasystems.com, and read the facts, news, frequently asked questions, and other related pages in their website to gain knowledge about their products and their goals and objectives. However, I was not able to find credentials and other relevant information that would prove the legitimacy of the company. Looking through the website about the use of their products, they are advising their consumers to use all their products simultaneously for best results (Slenda, 2008b). If a consumer uses the product for a month, assuming that all Slenda products last for three months $150 for three months totals to $600 a year. However, if the consumer uses Slenda Fat Burner alone, then he would be spending $30 for three months, or $120 per year (Slenda, 2008c). The main website of Slenda does not divulge any information regarding the side effects of Slenda Fat Burner. It only claims that ‘it is a natural, safe and effective way to reduce body size and weight, without any jittery side effects!† (Slenda, 2008d) There are no testimonials and other warnings from books, peer-reviewed articles, etc. that can be found over the internet by using Slenda Fat Burner. However, it still has not been reviewed and approved by the Food and Drug Authority (Acu-Market, 2008). Slenda Fat Burner is even more frightening because there are no comments or testimonials about it. Perhaps nobody tried to use it. I would not recommend this product to a friend who wants to try using it. First, it is not FAD approved, and second, there is no guarantee that it is really effective in losing weight. It also suggests that exercise and proper diet is needed to be able to achieve best results (Slenda, 2008e), which is hilarious, because if you want to lose weight, you really need to exercise to burn fats and maintain proper diet for health and wellness. Just doing this two, exercising and having a proper diet are enough for people to lose weight. Resources Acu-Market. (2008). Fat Burner by Slenda (100 Capsules). Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Medical Technology Products, Inc. Website: http://www.acu-market.com/prodinfo.asp?number=58272 Slenda. (2008a). Introducing Slenda. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/home.htm Slenda. (2008b). About Slenda. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/about.htm Slenda. (2008c). The Slenda Range: Buy Online. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nutritional Weight Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/products.htm Slenda. (2008d). Slenda Health. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/health.htm Slenda. (2008e). Questions Answered. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weight Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/faq.htm

Bad Women in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay -- Young Goodman Br

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Few, if any, women in Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† are truly good. Even the seemingly best ones are involved in devil-worship – at least, and maybe much more. This essay intends to explore this subject of bad women in the tale.    Randall Stewart in â€Å"Hawthorne’s Female Characters† states that there are three types of female characters in Hawthorne’s writings: (1) â€Å"the wholesome New England girl, bright, sensible and self-reliant;† (2) â€Å"the frail, sylph-like creature, easily swayed by a stronger personality;† and (3) â€Å"the woman with an exotic richness in her nature† (98), and that â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† has in Faith â€Å"cheerfulness, prettiness, and a simple-minded domesticity† (99). So this categorizes her under type (1). Goody Cloyse may be a type (2). In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† the references to abortion and euthanasia refer to types (1) and (2) in my judgment.    In Salem village that fateful night when the young Puritan husband was departing home for the night, he exchanged â€Å"a parting kiss with his young wife.† From this we can conclude that he had a basic respect for her feelings(?) The wind was playing with â€Å"the pink ribbons of her cap.† Literary critic Wagenknecht surveys some of the critical interpretation relative to these ribbons:    Mathews finds the pastel of infancy in pink, but since pink is a color intermediate between red and white, William V. Davis prefers to take it as suggesting â€Å"neither total depravity nor innocence† but â€Å"the tainted innocence, the spiritual imperfection of mankind,† a view shared, up to a point, by Robinson. . . . (62).      So the critics would have us believe that the author is making a statement here: that seemingly good Faith is not all that good, based on... ...     BIBLIOGRAPHY Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Complete Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1959. 247-56.    Lang, H.J.. â€Å"How Ambiguous is Hawthorne?† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Leavis, Q.D. â€Å"Hawthorne as Poet.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence â€Å"Six Tales.† In Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Stewart, Randall. â€Å"Hawthorne’s Female Characters.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.      

Mountain Man Beer CompanyBrand, Essay

MMBC is considering introducing a Mountain Man Light beer to attract younger drinkers to the brand. MMBC ultimately would like to reposition the brand to drive sales of Mountain Man Light to young people without eroding the core brand equity. The reason MMBC should consider doing this is because over the previous six years light beer sales in the U. S have been growing at a compound annual rate of 4% while traditional beer sales have been declining annually at the same rate. MMBC has been experiencing declining sales for the first time in the company’s history and needs to do something about it. For the introduction of this new light beer to succeed: †¢Mountain Man Light beer would have to not interfere with Mountain Man Lager sales and avoid the cannibalization of the original product. †¢ MMBC would have to strategically reposition themselves in a way where their brand keeps and maintains their strong image to it’s already older, blue collar, loyal customers while at the same time appealing to the younger drinkers. †¢MMBC needs to have the necessary funds to launch Mountain Man Light. †¢MMBC would need to make sure to get retailers to give them additional facings. MMBC’s goals should be to stop declining sales and solve whatever problem that’s causing lost sales, and maintaining a strong brand image while looking for marketing opportunities as well as promoting the growth of the company. To make the right decision MMBC needs to remember what has led them to be a successful brewing company. MMBC’s reputation of quality beer along with a unique flavorful taste has led the company to have a respectable market share for an old school, regional brewery and strong brand loyalty from its customers. Over the years MMBC has relied on its history and status as an independent, family owned brewery to create a certain authenticity and position the beer with its core drinkers (blue collar, middle-to-lower income men over age 45). MMBC has been recognized as one of the best beers in the nation many times leading to a strong brand awareness among working-class males in the East Central region. MMBC differentiated themselves strategically by using grass-roots marketing to spread its beer quality message by word of mouth, MMBC knows that they are not as big as Anheuser Busch and they don’t try to be. With a strong loyal customer MMBC’s brand loyalty rate is higher than the rates of competitive products. All of these factors and strategies have led MMBC to create a strong brand. In spite of its strong brand, MMBC’s decline is due to many factors. The first reason for this decline is that there has been a turn down in the beer sales in the whole US. The cause for this turn down is consumer’s acquired preference towards wines and spirits based drinks. Also, light beer sales in the US have been growing at a prospering rate of 4%, thus decreasing conventional premium beer sales by the equivalent percentage. Light beer sales accounted for 50. 4% of volume sales in 2005, compared with 29. 8% in 2001. This has definitely declined MMBC’s sale since they don’t offer a â€Å"light† beer category. Finally younger drinkers ages 21 to 27, which are not MMBC’s target market, account for more than 27% of total beer consumption and is still growing. In addition, this age group spent twice as much per capita on alcoholic beverages than consumers over 35 years of age.

La Shampoo

La Shampoo is a high quality and more expensive product that has the same marketing strategy over years. From 1989, the line start to slowly decline its sales. The ad agency tried to develop new look campaign, but this solution did nothing for La Shampoo sales and customers didn’t even noticed the change. Caroline, the brand manager wanted a new marketing plan to improve the sales and increase the market share, not to just keep the product remain on retailer’s shelves.She made a marketing meeting with Eric, her product sales manager, and Beth, the representative of the advertisement agency that held La Shampoo account, to discuss their recommendation. 1. Compete on Price : Eric’s solution is to reduce prices permanently as long as long term plan to save major accounts that in danger. Eric argued that the brand will died if we didn’t act very quickly and he saw his solution as a rescuer. Reduce prices is very helpful solution in supporting sales reps and in crease sales volume at least for short time ,but it is not good in building the brand and increasing the brand market share for many reasons .First of all, competing in the price could be very dangerous if other brands lower their prices too specially if they are offering benefits La Shampoo can’t provide, like â€Å"beautiful hair from natural sources†. Secondly , price- driven consumers are not loyal ,so they will go with another brand that is cheaper. 2. Strong Brand Campaign : Beth’s solution is to create new advertisement campaign. This solution seemed better to improve sales ,but there is still no specific changes Beth suggested to repositioning La Shampoo on the customers’ minds.This solution is good if the marketing researches found out the causes of the sales’ decline. Then the new advertisement’s campaign should focus in repairing La Shampoo image and correcting the mistakes that happened in the previous years. So to obtain this so lution marketing researches should be done deeply to better understanding customers . Facts About the Brand: * Brand that has been used mostly between its competitors in the category for two decades must have strong brand equity. * La Shampoo has boor brand management ,because they went from the problem to the solution without auses diagnosis. * Restaging the brand will require a lot of resources. * The alternative proposed by Marni Shin are likely to be too late , the competitor already filled the shelves with such a product . My Recommendations: After doing all researches and surveys needed on the target segment which I think is better to be women between ages of 15 to 50, I suggest two marketing strategies. The first one is for the existing customer base who still buy the product and doesn’t like changes.The other one is for attracting new customer by introducing some values La Shampoo can produce to them. These two plans should consider the following: * * In doing the res earches , should make sure about asking the right question to know the attitude for loyal and former users. * Today’s customers are very sensitive about the values they will get for each dollar they pay. So the advertising campaign must focus on the benefits consumer will have by using the brand such as healthy hair and easy style getting. La Shampoo slogan â€Å"For the Look and Feel of France † is meaningless for the current environment, the people now don’t want to look French. * Some new trails and usages must be found for the brand to communicate them in the new ad campaign. * Keep some product lines without any change for whom already use the product and to keep the base customers. * The new advertisements should support La Shampoo in tapping new customers and protect the current users.

ERP Technology

ERP Technology Businesses today confront new markets, new competition, and increasing customer expectations. Thus, companies constantly have to update their business practices and procedures to be even more responsive to their customers and competition. Within the last few decades, information technology emerged as an essential tool to give businesses a competitive advantage. More specifically, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are a major information technology being used, in hopes of obtaining this competitive advantage. The efficiency of an enterprise relies upon how quickly information flows across the complete supply chain i.e. from the manufacturer to the supplier to the consumer and so forth. The main purpose of an ERP system is to expedite the supply chain and to make it more efficient.In reviewing the effects of Hansen's Products implementation of its new ERP system (Microsoft Business Solutions Axapta), it is also good to note why it was necessary for the company to implement it in the first place.Hansens Line 1In attempting to manage its production planning and scheduling needs, Hansen had been using a nine-year-old financial system in conjunction with multiple disparate spreadsheets. The company had outgrown that accounting solution. Their raw materials were processed outside of the main system, which made their planning difficult. Their previous solution possessed several constraints in handling their export documentation and multi-currency requirements. Once Hansen realized the decision had to be made to adopt a new and integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, it evaluated seven potential applications before short-listing three and examining their functionality in more depth.In this case, the implementation of the new ERP system allowed the company to integrate at all levels and utilize important ERP applications such as supply-chain management, human resource management and customer relationship management. These applications represent lar ge, complex, computerized and integrated systems, which will strongly influence Hansens's products...

Biography of Margaret of Valois, France’s Slandered Queen

Biography of Margaret of Valois, France’s Slandered Queen Born Princess Marguerite of France, Margaret of Valois (May 14, 1553 – March 27, 1615) was a princess of the French Valois dynasty and a queen of Navarre and France. An educated woman of letters and patron of the arts, she nonetheless lived in a time of political upheaval and had her legacy tainted by rumors and false tales that portrayed her as a cruel hedonist. Fast Facts: Margaret of Valois Full Name:  Margaret (French: Marguerite) of ValoisOccupation: Queen of Navarre and Queen of FranceBorn: May 14, 1553 at Chà ¢teau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye,  FranceDied: March 27, 1615 in Paris FranceKnown For: Born a princess of France; married Henry of Navarre, who eventually became the first Bourbon king of France. Although she was notable for her cultural and intellectual patronage, rumors about her romantic entanglements led to a false legacy depicting her as a selfish and hedonistic woman.Spouse: King Henry IV of France (m. 1572 - 1599) French Princess Margaret of Valois was the third daughter and seventh child of King Henry II of France and his Italian queen, Catherine de’ Medici. She was born at the royal Chà ¢teau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where she spent her childhood alongside her sisters, the princesses Elisabeth and Claude. Her closest familial relationship was with her brother Henry (later King Henry III), who was only two years her senior. Their friendship as children, however, did not last into adulthood, for several reasons. The princess was well educated, studying literature, classics, history, and several ancient and contemporary languages. At the time, European politics existed in a constant, fragile state of shifting power and alliances, and Margaret’s mother, a savvy political figure in her own right, made sure that Margaret learned as much as possible about the complexities (and dangers) of domestic and international politics. Margaret saw her brother Francis ascend the throne at a young age, then die soon after, leaving her next brother to become Charles IX and her mother Catherine to be the most powerful person behind the throne. As a teenager, Margaret fell in love with Henry of Guise, a duke from a prominent family. However, their plans to marry went against the plans of the royal family, and when they were found out (in all likelihood, by Margaret’s brother Henry), the duke of Guise was banished and Margaret severely punished. Although the romance was quickly ended, it would be brought up again in the future with slanderous pamphlets that suggested Margaret and the duke had been lovers, insinuating a long-standing pattern of licentious behavior on her part. Political Unrest in France Catherine de’ Medici’s preference was for a marriage between Margaret and Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot prince. His house, the Bourbons, was another branch of the French royal family, and the hope was that the marriage of Margaret and Henry would rebuild family ties as well as brokering a peace between French Catholics and Huguenots. In April 1572, the 19-year-olds became engaged, and they seemed to like one another at first. Henry’s influential mother, Jeanne d’Albret, died in June, making Henry the new king of Navarre. The mixed-faith marriage, held at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, was intensely controversial, and it was soon followed by violence and tragedy. Six days after the wedding, while a large number of prominent Huguenots were still in Paris, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre occurred. History would blame Margaret’s mother, Catherine de’ Medici, for organizing the targeted murders of prominent Protestants; for her part, Margaret wrote in her memoirs about how she personally hid a handful of Protestants in her personal apartments. By 1573, Charles IX’s mental state had deteriorated to the point where a successor was necessary. By birthright, his brother Henry was the heir presumptive, but a group called the Malcontents feared that the intensely anti-Protestant Henry would escalate religious violence even further. They planned to put his younger brother, the more moderate Francis of Alenà §on, on the throne instead. Henry of Navarre was among the conspirators, and although Margaret, at first, disapproved of the plot, she eventually joined in as a bridge between moderate Catholics and the Huguenots. The plot failed, and although her husband was not executed, the relationship between King Henry III and his sister Margaret was forever embittered. Queen and Diplomat Margaret’s marriage, at this point, was fast deteriorating. They were unable to conceive an heir, and Henry of Navarre took several mistresses, most notably Charlotte de Sauve, who sabotaged Margaret’s attempt to reform the alliance between Francis of Alenà §on and Henry. Henry and Francis both escaped imprisonment in 1575 and 1576, but Margaret was imprisoned as a suspected conspirator. Francis, backed by the Huguenots, refused to negotiate until his sister was set free, and so she was. She, along with her mother, helped negotiate a crucial treaty: the Edict of Beaulieu, which gave Protestants more civil rights and permitted the practice of their faith except in certain places. In 1577, Margaret went on a diplomatic mission to Flanders in hopes of securing a deal with the Flemings: help from Francis to overthrow Spanish rule in exchange for putting Francis on their new throne. Margaret worked to create a network of contacts and allies, but ultimately, Francis could not defeat the mighty Spanish army. Francis soon fell under Henry III’s suspicion again and was re-arrested; he escaped again, in 1578, with Margaret’s help. The same series of arrests captured Margaret’s apparent lover, Bussy d’Amboise. Eventually, Margaret rejoined her husband, and they settled their court at Nà ©rac. Under Margaret’s guidance, the court became exceptionally learned and cultured, but it also was the site of many romantic misadventures among the royals and courtiers. Margaret fell in love with her brother Francis’s grand equerry, Jacques de Harley, while Henry took a teenaged mistress, Francoise de Montmorency-Fosseux, who became pregnant and gave birth to Henry’s stillborn daughter. In 1582, Margaret returned to the French court for unknown reasons. Her relationships with both her husband and her brother King Henry III were in shambles, and it was around this time that the first rumors about her supposed immorality began to circulate, presumably courtesy of her brother’s loyalists. Tired of being pulled between the two courts, Margaret abandoned her husband in 1585. Rebel Queen and Her Return Margaret rallied the Catholic League and turned against her family and husband’s policies. She briefly was able to seize the city of Agen, but the citizens eventually turned on her, forcing her to flee with her brother’s troops in hot pursuit. She was imprisoned in 1586 and forced to watch her favorite lieutenant executed, but in 1587, her gaoler, the Marquis de Canillac, switched allegiances to the Catholic League (most likely by bribery) and set her free. Although she was free, Margaret chose not to leave the castle of Usson; instead, she dedicated the next 18 years to re-creating a court of artists and intellectuals. While there, she wrote her own Memoirs, an unprecedented act for a royal woman of the time. After her brother’s 1589 assassination, her husband ascended to the throne as Henry IV. In 1593, Henry IV asked Margaret for an annulment, and ultimately, it was granted, especially with the knowledge that Margaret could not have children. After this, Margaret and Henry had a friendly relationship, and she befriended his second wife, Marie de’ Medici. Margaret returned to Paris in 1605 and established herself as a generous patron and benefactress. Her banquets and salons frequently hosted the great minds of the time, and her household became central to cultural, intellectual, and philosophical life. At one point, she even wrote in an intellectual discourse, criticizing a misogynistic text and defending women. Death and Legacy In 1615, Margaret fell seriously ill, and died in Paris on March 27, 1615, the last survivor of the Valois dynasty. She had named Henry and Marie’s son, the future Louis XIII, as her heir, cementing the link between the old Valois dynasty and the new Bourbons. She was buried in the funerary chapel of the Valois in the Basilica of St. Denis, but her casket disappeared; it either was lost during the chapel’s renovations or was destroyed in the French Revolution. The myth of a cursed, beautiful, lustful â€Å"Queen Margot† has persisted, largely in part because of misogynistic and anti-Medici histories. Influential writers, most notably Alexandre Dumas, exploited the rumors against her (which likely originated with her brother’s and husband’s courtiers) to criticize the age of royalty and the supposed depravity of women. It was not until the 1990s that historians began to investigate the truth of her history instead of centuries of compounded rumors. Sources Haldane, Charlotte. Queen of Hearts: Marguerite of Valois, 1553–1615. London: Constable, 1968.Goldstone, Nancy. The Rival Queens. Little Brown and Company, 2015.Sealy, Robert. The Myth of the Reine Margot: Toward the Elimination of a Legend. Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers, 1995.

Social Formations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Social Formations - Essay Example Therefore by making their life hostile there, they would hesitate to migrate into their country hence preventing the alleged across the border terrorism they caused.This article mainly focuses on the Latin as people who cannot easily be incorporated into the society because they are slow to learn the new cultural practices in the new country they have moved into (Aguirre 440-1). Although this article is dated many years back in history, many security research scholars have based their arguments on it hence supporting its relevance. Some of them include huntington who published his article in the recent 2004 but supported the fact that if the USA has to tackle the problem with national insecurity, then it should regulate the entry of latin immigrants into their country. Huntington made these conclisions at acrucial time when America was in great war against the Al Qaeda terror group while investigating for the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden (Nuà ±ez 107-27). However some people pose a great opposition against this article claiming that it negatively affect the society and is not the best way to handle terrorism as claimed by the implementing country. Chavez, for example, criticizes the latino threat Narrative in the sense that he says it makes so many unreasonable assumptions about the latins which could pose a great danger to the society at large. According to him the Latins should be allowed into any society including the US and think of their positive effect n the economy and some other positive role they will have to play within their country. Americans should not discriminate the Latins on grounds that they take a long time to get into their system and adopt their culture. It should be understood that the Latins wiil still retain their identity while helping America grow in many aspects upto where it has reached in the present world. With time, the Latins even