Marketing Analysis for Samsung Essay

INTRODUCTION Samsung was founded by Byung-Chull Lee on March 1, 1938, in Taegu, Korea, with 30,000 won. Initially his business focused primarily on trade export, selling dried Korean fish, vegetables, and fruit to Manchuria and Beijing. In little more than a decade, Samsung-which means â€Å"three stars† in Korean-would have its own flour mills and confectionery machines, its own manufacturing and sales operations, and ultimately evolve to become the modern global corporation that still bears the same name today. For over 70 years, Samsung has been dedicated to making a better world  through diverse businesses that today span advance technology, semiconductors, skyscraper, plant construction, petrochemical, fashion, medicine, finance, hotels and more. The flagship company, Samsung Electronics, leads the global market in hightech electronics manufacturing and digital media. Samsung move to partner with Google for their Android OS and the recent series of Smartphone has tremendously brought their revenue to greater heights. In 2011, the stellar Samsung GALAXY S II sold more than 10 million units worldwide, achieving the No. 1 global market share for smartphones (2011 Samsung Electronics Annual Report). Approx 94.5% of Singapore household has a hand phone in 2008.   Likely the percentage should be higher now. The functions of a hand phone have evolved greatly in this decade. From means of communication via SMS and calls, hand phone or rather Smartphone serves consumers a far range of functions today. A Smartphone offers more advance computing ability and connectivity then conventional mobile phone. Generally the established Smartphone brands in Singapore are Apple, Samsung, Nokia, HTC & Motorola. The rapid growth and success of Samsung are the reasons why our group chose this brand. We hope through in-depth research and analysis can we better understand the success factors behind this rapidly sprang brand, particularly in the Smartphone industry. 2.  SURVEY RESEARCH Survey research approach is done via questionnaire targeting general public. It can be used to gather information about people’s knowledge, attitudes, preferences, or buying behaviour for Smartphones. Basha and Harter (1980) state that â€Å"a population is any set of persons or objects that possesses at least one common characteristic. Through our survey, we sample a population which we hope can be representative of the Singapore consumers. This approach is selected by the group because it is the most widely used method to collected primary data to meet our research objectives. Through the primary data collected, we hope to draw certain information through analysis on consumer behaviour on the purchase of smartphones. Research Objectives The purpose of this survey is to understand our responders behaviour and attitude towards smartphone. We segmented the questionnaire into 4Ps namely product, price, place and promotion. We hope that with this survey finding we can better understand the needs of smartphone users, why they will or will not be using and also the reason why others are not using Samsung smartphone and the likelihood of them using Samsung in future. With the findings, we hope to draw conclusive data and make recommendations. 2.2  Contact Method We personally gave out the survey forms as shown in Appendix 1 to the general public at Ang Mo Kio Hub and Nanyang Polytechnic. We have given out to 41 respondents and used 30 of them for analysis (11 were deemed as void due to insufficient information or non completion) 2.3 Sampling Plan & Survey Questions A segment of the population selected for marketing research to represent the population as a whole. The survey is to be conducted with a sampling size of 30.The questions were limited to 10 to avoid being too lengthy resulting in fatigue respondents. First part of the survey included information pertaining respondents’ background such as gender & age which then we proceed to gathering information like consumer preference. Five point Likert scale was used to measure few variables. 3.  CUSTOMER We will further describe the customer segment for Samsung smartphones using demographic, psychographic and behavioural factors. 3.1  Demographic factors The targeted segment is for both male and female, probably age between 14 and 55, skewed more towards the Gen Y. The country or area should have good network (Eg: 3G, 4G, wireless connection) to ensure optimal usage of Smartphone features. 3.2  Psychographic factors There are basically three segments of users broadly in which Samsung wishes to target; entertainment focused, communication-focused and information-centric users. The entertainment-focused users are generally younger group which see a mobile device as a lifestyle choice, and they’re willing to pay extra for a device that’ll help keep them entertained. Entertainment can also include things like social messaging with friends, facebook and networking. The communication-focused users are extroverts who live to communicate with others. They’re often in people-facing jobs like sales. They’re willing to pay extra for a mobile device that lets them keep up with others in multiple ways. E-mail, SMS, voice, conferencing, video calling — basically, anything communication-related is compelling to them, and they will pay extra for a device that does it well. The information-centric users are more introverted. Rather than focusing on their dialog with others, they tend to do a lot of thinking on their own, and want their mobile device to be a  memory supplement and a means to capture new information. They’re will ing to pay extra for features that help them capture and remember ideas and information. 3.3  Behavioural factors Past users of Samsung (Be it handphone or other appliances) will likely purchase Samsung again due to familiarity and if they have had pleasant experience with the phone, the likelihood of repurchase is high. 4.  MARKETING MIX 4.1  Product a.  3 Levels of Product A product is normally defined as the physical items that consumers purchase. But actually the nature of a product can be further explored in 3 levels. They are The Core Product, The Actual Product and The Augmented Product which are further explained in Appendix 3. Smartphone industry is growing rapidly with many new brands coming in for a slice of market share each fighting towards fulfilling consumer growing wants. Understanding the 3 levels of product can better enable Samsung to position itself. Based on Kotler’s Three Level of Product Framework, the Samsung smartphone core product is giving consumers tool of communication. Through product  differentiation of smartphones, consumers are given a variety of choice for the actual product as illustrated in Appendix 3. Samsung’s strategy will ensure it is already at the finishing line when consumer tastes change hence it produces a wide product range for every taste and demand. b.  Consumer Product Samsung smartphone is categorised as a Shopping Product. Consumers will compare on the price, style, function, quality and suitability of the smartphone due to the multiple brands and model available in the market. Having achieved unmatched global competitiveness in hardware, Samsung has been focusing on enhancing its software capabilities in user interface, user experience, and design and brand awareness. To remain competitive, Samsung must continuously develop quality and innovative smartphones to stay in the lead. c.  Brand Development Strategy The most difficult step in developing a marketing plan is normally the process of developing a brand strategy. It’s often the biggest challenge face by most businesses but it is an important step in creating the company identity. In the smartphone market, Samsung branding still falls behind Apple. However Samsung in recent years has been very aggressive and rapidly gaining market share. We will move on to discuss Samsung brand development strategy. ‘While many companies that sponsor events are focused on boosting their brand awareness, Samsung Electronics looks at things a little differently. The Korean giant – a major sponsor of the recent Youth Olympic Games (YOG) – says that â€Å"brand preference† is a better indicator of whether its investment has paid dividends.’ (The Straits Time, 13 Sept 2010) Samsung sponsorships in Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and the upcoming London 2012 Olympics will certainly provide strong profile and brand power. Through sponsorship in the Olympics, Samsung seeks to, through user experience boost up their brand. d.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Product) From our survey findings, 94% of the respondents are smartphone users with with 2 respondents one non-smartphone user and one unsure. We have checked with the unsure respondent and respondent was using a smartphone bought to her by her daughter. The strong percentage of smartphone users 94% as per survey results showed a strong And 60% of the respondents responded they are likely to purchase Samsung for their next phone. 4.2  Price a.  General Pricing Approach Price will always be the key concern of consumers’ before making any purchasing decision (Smith and Carsky, 1996). The level of price is found to positively affect behavioral intentions mainly because price establishes image of the brand in the eyes of the consumers (Aaker, 1991). The price set for any product including smartphone is crucial as it directly impacts on consumer purchase. The company’s range of low- to high-end smartphones caters to almost every budget. Based on client perceived value and market offerings, Samsung adopts  a value based pricing strategy. ‘If there is a consumer for it, we will offer the product, says Younghee Lee, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Samsung’s mobile business.’ (The Business Time, 17 March 2011) b.  Price Compared to Competitors Samsung stays on a competitive price and with its vast product line; every price range is met with a product. We have used the recent launch of Samsung S3 Smartphone with its competitors as illustrated in Appendix 4. Samsung S3 smartphone is considered the high end product series in the smartphone market and we have chosen close competitors mainly Apple iPhone 4S and HTC One. From the comparison, though Samsung S3 is the latest product launch amongst the three phones, it still stays at a less than $100 price difference with competitors. The price Samsung offers is very close to its competitors giving it an edge over them. c.  Product Mix Pricing Strategies The product mix is the collection of products and services that a company chooses to offer its market and pricing strategies based on what objectives the company had set for them. Samsung’s product strategy is to create Android devices across varying price points and flood the market through as many carriers across the world as possible. The original Galaxy S was sold through about 240 different global vendors. Product-line pricing involve setting price for different products within a product range at different price point is the strategy Samsung applied for smartphone. For example, Samsung had a lot of smartphones products with different design and feature at different prices as shown in Appendix 5. The greater the feature and benefit obtain, the higher the consumer have to pay. d.  Price Adjustment Strategies A set of strategies used by companies to adjusted their basic prices to account for various customer differences and changing situations. The  commonly use strategies are Discount and Allowance Pricing, Segmented Pricing, Psychological Pricing and Promotional Pricing. In the smartphone industry, discount and allowance pricing adjustment strategy is commonly used. This strategy allows companies to adjust their basic price to reward customers for certain responses, such as early payment of bills, volume purchases, and off-season buying. This strategy can come in many forms. Seasonal discount is a price reduction to buyers who buy merchandise or services out of season. For example, when Samsung Galaxy S3 is launch, the price of Samsung Galaxy S2 was reduced. In this scenario, older model of smartphone is the same as off season products. Seller will offer discount to encourage the buyer to purchase off older models. Allowances are another type of reduction from the list price. For example, trade-in allowances are price reductions given for turning in an old item when buying a new one. Trade-in allowances are most common in vendors selling smartphone. e.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Price) Through our survey findings, most respondents rated price as ‘most important’ factor to consider when buying a smartphone. An interesting thing to note is 40% of the respondents mentioned they will pay up to $300 for a smartphone and 30% mentioned they are willing to pay more than $1500 for a smartphone. It is therefore important to draw specific data to understand the needs and wants for those segmented clients. 4.3  Place a.  Number of channel levels Place is also known as channel, distribution or intermediary. It is the mechanism through which goods are moved from the manufacturer to the consumer. We have analysed Samsung smartphone distribution as shown in Appendix 6. Samsung practises indirect channels using selective distribution. The channel contains one to two intermediary levels. Through the major telcos and authorised dealers, Samsung distribution in Singapore is very intense, and this is exactly what Samsung wants. One can purchase a Samsung Smartphone at every neighbourhood in Singapore. All authorised distributors were given product training & support whenever needed. All telco (SingTel, M1, Starhub) also have dedicated staff to provide training & desk support to consumers should they require assistance on how to use the smartphones. b.  Channel intensity From the Appendix 6, the distribution channels are intense diverting to over 300 outlets making it easily accessible for consumers. The wide and broad channels are one factor for Samsung success. c.  Number of outlets, location The outlets for Singapore are estimated to be over 300, with at least one outlet in every neighbourhood and the availability to buy online with free delivery. d.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Place) From our survey results, 99% of the respondents bought their phone through the various channels with 49% through telco and dealers. Consumers prefer buying phones with contracted lines and this might suggest Samsung can consider giving a better incentive to telcos and dealers to further boost up their sales. 4.4  Promotion a.  Marketing Communications Objectives Marketing communications objectives is paramount to marketing success. If there is no objective, than there will be no way to measure the marketing success. After all, an objective is the goal intended to attained, which should be attainable and can be measured. Understanding the Product Life Cycle (as illustrated in Appendix 7) of each product can enable the company to respond with the marcom objectives. Though Samsung started its Smartphone in 2008, in our opinion the stage for Samsung smartphone is at its maturity stage in the Singapore context. During launch of a new smartphone, the objectives will be more informative like: Telling market about the new product Explaining how a product works Suggest new uses for a product Marketing effort by Samsung is normally conducted for launch of new products. As for their existing products, it is conducted together with their vendors like IT fairs and Electronic fairs. The marketing communication objectives for these efforts will be different from a new launch. The objectives these efforts are: Encourage brand switching Persuading customers to purchase now Build brand preference Keep product in consumers’ mind Maintain top of mind awareness Promotion Mix Attractive prices of good products are not enough for a business to generate maximum sales and profits. The benefits of products have to be communicated to customers. In marketing, this is commonly known as â€Å"promotion†. The total marketing communications programme is called â€Å"promotion mix†. Elements of promotion mix include Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, Personal Selling and Direct Marketing. The elements of promotion mix used by Samsung smartphone are: 1) Advertising Deliver marketer’s message using any paid form of mass media outlets, it involve non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. The 3 purpose of advertising are Informative, Persuasive and Reminder. Samsung has been using all three purposes for their advertising campaign in different occasion. Let’s look into Samsung individual advertising purpose and objectives. Sales Promotion Sales promotions normally refer to encouraging customers to respond or undertake some activity using some form of incentives through special short-term techniques. Some of the sales promotions technique used by Samsung smart phone is: a)  Joint promotion with Major Telco Samsung smartphone often had joint promotion with major telco to boost up the sales of the smartphone. For example the  promotion that was in the Starhub official site that offers  Samsung Galaxy S3 at different price depending on the plan  sign up or the Samsung Galaxy S2 at a low price with 2 years plan. (As shown in Appendix 8) b)  Joint Promotion with Major Electronic Mega Store Samsung always conduct joint promotion with major electronic mega store during ad-hoc promotion fair. Premiums like additional SD card, screen protector, casing or 0% interest instalment plan is often used during such fair. This promotion is used to enhance the sales by offering some perks and also to clear stock for the older model smartphone. (As shown in  Appendix 9) Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Promotion) Through our survey findings, respondents rated ‘current mobile plan expired’ as the most important factor which influence their purchase of smartphone. This might be an important indicator for Samsung to have intense tie up promotions with the telcos to offer consumers attractive rates for those plans that have expired. A significant percentage of respondents also mentioned the launch of new  smartphone is influential in making the purchase. These are likely the consumers who are willing to pay a premium price for the latest launch of smartphone. Samsung can utilise this and through advertising for example; television commercial, newspaper advertisements, internet announce the new launch in a tasteful manner to attract this segment of consumers. 5.  CONCLUSION Constantinides (2006) emphasizes that marketing mix is a framework of the dominant marketing management paradigm to identify market development, environmental changes and trends. Several studies confirm that the 4Ps is indeed the trusted conceptual platform of practitioners dealing with operational marketing issues (Romano and Ratnatunga, 1995; Coviello et al., 2000). The wide acceptance of the 4Ps among field marketers is the result of their profound exposure to this concept during college years, since identifying the 4Ps as the controllable parameters is likely to influence the consumer buying process and decisions (Brassington and Pettitt, 2003; Soekartawi, 2005a). We conducted the survey to evaluate different segments of customers’ attitude toward 4Ps. It is expected that with this survey findings with the primary data we have collected can we better understand and provide recommendation for Samsung  to develop greater understanding of how to serve existing and potential customer based on 4Ps concept for a basis to meet profitability of their business. Through our survey, we realised a very important trend; almost 94% of the respondents carry a smart phone. Assuming the latest data from Singstat stating 95% of Singapore household having a handphone, and with that equate to 94% of them having a Smartphone, the total volume of smartphone market is estimated to be minimum 3-4Million in Singapore alone. Current users of Samsung are generally satisfied with the features and functions of the phone. However as Samsung faces close competition with its competitors, Samsung needs to continuously come out with new innovation and technology to stay in the lead. As Samsung is in its maturity stage of the product life cycle, Samsung needs to differentiate itself from competitors. However the tricky part is to position products across different, yet overlapping, market segments. It is important to note, however, that since some consumers may belong to both segments, positioning claims for a product should never conflict. To avoid confusing consumers, it may be necessary to make a broad appeal to both segments and then change the positioning slightly within each segment. As Samsung smartphone do has many variations, approximate 24, the positioning within each range should be unique and clear to consumers. Overall we feel that Samsung has done well to come this far and stay in the lead. The advantages Samsung has over competitors are the wide distribution channels and the vast product variations. Samsung must continue to ensure its distributors and telcos are given attractive incentives which in turn can bring in non Samsung users. Samsung should also focus on building brand loyalty, which will ensure retain of past and current Samsung consumers. Their primary goal should be to maintain their current market share and extend the product life cycle. REFERENCES Samsung Electronics 2011 Annual Report accessed on 25 June 2012 http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/download/2011_annual _rpt.pdf Singapore in figures 2011 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/sif2012.pdf accessed on 25 June 2012 Constantinides E (2006). The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing. J. Mark Manag, 22: 407-438. Porter, M., â€Å"Competitive Strategy – Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors,† (New York: The Free Press,1980). Smith, M.F., and Carsky, M.L. (1996). Grocery Shopping Behaviour:A Comparison of Involved and Uninvolved Consumers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 39 (2), 73-80. Aaker, D.A. (1991), Managing Brand Equity. Capitalizing on the Value of Brand Name, Free Press, New York, NY. Busha, Charles H., and Stephen P. Harter. Research Methods in Librarianship: Techniques and Interpretation. Orlando, FL: Academic Press, Inc., 1980. Romano C, Ratnatunga J (1996). The Role of Marketing, Eur J. Mark, 29: 9-30. Brassington F, Pettitt S (2003). Principles of Marketing, Third Edition, Prentice Hall/Financial Times. New Jersey. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-27/samsung-overtakes-nokia-as-world-sbiggest-phone-vendor.html http://www.samsung.com/sg/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/valuesphilosophy.html

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia †His Life and Death

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia – His Life and Death Although the confrontational style of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Gregory Nino Scalia  was widely regarded as being one of his less appealing qualities, it underscored his clear sense of right and wrong. Motivated by a strong moral compass, Scalia opposed judicial activism in all forms, favoring instead judicial restraint and a constructivist approach to the interpretation of the Constitution. Scalia stated on numerous occasions that the power of the Supreme Court is only as effective as the laws created by Congress. Scalias Early Life and Formative Years Scalia was born March 11, 1936, in Trenton, New Jersey. He was the only son of Eugene and Catherine Scalia. As a second generation American, he grew up with a strong Italian home  life and was raised Roman Catholic.   The family moved to Queens when Scalia was a child. He graduated first in his class from St. Francis Xavier, a military prep school in Manhattan. He also graduated first in his class from Georgetown University with a degree in history. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he also graduated at the top of his class. His Early Career Scalias first job out of Harvard was working in commercial law for the international firm of Jones Day. He remained there from 1961 until 1967. The lure of academia drew him to become a law professor at the University of Virginia from 1967 to 1971. He was appointed general counsel  of the Office of Telecommunications under the Nixon administration in 1971, then he spent two years as chairman of the U.S. Administration Conference. Scalia joined the Ford administration in 1974, where he worked as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel. Academia Scalia left government service upon the election of Jimmy Carter. He returned to academia in 1977 and occupied a number of academic positions until 1982, including resident scholar for the conservative American Enterprise Institute and law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, the University of Chicago School of Law, and Stanford University. He also briefly served as chairman of the American Bar Associations section on administrative law and the Conference of Section Chairs. Scalias philosophy of judicial restraint began to gather momentum when Ronald Reagan appointed him to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1982.   Supreme Court Nomination When Chief Justice Warren Burger retired in 1986, President Reagan appointed Justice William Rehnquist to the top spot. Rehnquists appointment drew all the attention from Congress and the media, and even the Court. Many were pleased, but Democrats strongly opposed his appointment. Scalia was tapped by Reagan to fill the vacancy and he slipped through the confirmation process virtually unnoticed, floating by with a 98-0 vote. Senators Barry Goldwater and Jack Garn didnt cast votes. The vote was surprising because Scalia was far more conservative than any other Justice on the High Court at the time. Originalism Scalia was one of the most well-known Justices and was famous for his combative personality and his judicial philosophy of originalism – the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted in terms of what it meant to its original authors. He told CBS in 2008 that his interpretive philosophy is about determining what the words of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights meant to those who ratified them. Scalia maintained  that he was not a strict constructionist, however. I do not think the Constitution or any text should be interpreted either strictly or sloppily; it should be interpreted reasonably. Controversies Scalias sons, Eugene and John, worked for the firms that represented George W. Bush in the landmark case, Bush v. Gore, which determined the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. Scalia drew fire from liberals for refusing to recuse himself from the case. He was also asked but declined to recuse himself from the case of Hamden v. Rumsfeld  in 2006 because he had offered an opinion on an issue related to the case while it was still pending. Scalia had remarked that Guantanamo detainees dont have the right to be tried in federal courts.   Personal Life vs. Public Life After graduating from Georgetown University, Scalia spent a year in Europe as a student at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He met Maureen McCarthy, a Radcliffe English student, at Cambridge. In 1960, they married in 1960 and had nine children. Scalia was fiercely protective of his familys privacy throughout his term on the High Court, but he began granting interviews in 2007 after years of refusing to do so. His sudden willingness to engage the media was due primarily to the fact that his children had all become full-grown adults. His Death   Scalia died on February 13, 2016, at a ranch resort in western Texas. He failed to appear for breakfast one morning and an employee of the ranch went to his room to check on him. Scalia was found in bed, deceased. He was known to have heart trouble, to suffer from diabetes, and he was overweight. His death was declared due to natural causes. But even this event was not without controversy when rumors began swirling that he had been murdered, particularly because an autopsy was never performed. This was at his familys behest, however  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ it had nothing to do with political intrigue.   His death incited an uproar as to which  president would have the right to appoint a replacement for him. President Obama was nearing the end of his second term in office. He nominated Judge Merrick Garland, but Senate Republicans blocked Garlands appointment. It ultimately fell to President Trump to replace Scalia. He nominated Neil Gorsuch very soon after taking office and his appointment was confirmed by the Senate on April 7, 2017, although Democrats attempted a filibuster to block it.

Hidden curriculum essay part 2

Hidden curriculum essay part 2 Hidden curriculum essay part 2 Hidden curriculum essay part 2Hidden curriculum essay part  1Moreover, race becomes a socially constructed category because it is not just a biologically constructed attribute, such as a skin color, or a scientific one. Race is associated with biological components such as hair texture and color, facial structure, skin color, etc. Actually, it becomes clear that a social category of race is created by â€Å"reference to the physical features† (Banton, 1998, p. 196). People are born with different biological attributes, different personal characteristics and talent. The process of socialization affects people as the members of society, â€Å"into which they have been born† (Banton, 1998, p. 196). The category of race stands for the category of society members, who are treated unreality because of certain differences in biological construction.In fact, any social category can be viewed as a social construct, because it has been developed from certain form or material ta ken from the environment. Racial distinctions between individuals have always been focused on certain physical characteristics. Besides, racial distinctions are similar to ethnic distinctions, which are based on some common culture and cultural values. According to researchers, â€Å"the members of a racial category may feel themselves to be the members of a group and to share elements of common culture†(Banton, 1998, p. 198). Many researchers state that racial classification depends on the so-called objective assessments that are often made by observers. As a result, racial distinctions lead to the exclusion of people from civil rights.In the United States, racial category is well-defined because many Americans recognize that racial distinctions affect human interaction, dividing people into different racial groups. Race is used as socially constructed category as it lies in the basis of other categories which affect human interaction. However, many people still treat this c ategory as a biological category because of the perceptions of people, which involve a set of physical differences. As a result, any person in human society can be perceived as a member of certain racial category. In other words, it becomes clear that inheritable physical differences of individuals inspire and support social behaviors of individuals, and deal with race as a socially constructed category. The study of race relations helps to better understand the nature of the construction of races, assuming the role of biological and cultural aspects of race. According to Webster, racial classification stands for racial categories that generate certain groups of people â€Å"on the basis of certain selected anatomical features† (Ferber, 1995, p. 168).Thus, it is necessary to conclude that race is not a biological category that involves simple skin color, hair colors and facial construction, but it is a socially constructed category. Race depends on specific social relations t hat contribute to the overall development of human society. Race as a socially constructed category gives a meaning to social construction and leads to racialization of population. Racial agents are constructed as a result of a complex process that is aimed at defining the boundaries between racial groups. Race as a socially constructed category generates and promotes racialized identities. In general, race cannot be viewed as merely a natural category, because it is constructed by individuals and can be reconstructed, depending on certain changes in social perceptions and attitudes. Race is an unstable category because any socially constructed category can be organized differently and perceived differently.

A Burlesque Biography By Mark Twain English Literature Essay

A Burlesque Biography By Mark Twain English Literature Essay by Mark Twain (1835-1910) Two or three persons having at different times intimated that if I would write an autobiography they would read it when they got leisure, I yield at last to this frenzied public demand and herewith tender my history. Ours is a noble house, and stretches a long way back into antiquity. The earliest ancestor the Twains have any record of was a friend of the family by the name of Higgins. This was in the eleventh century, when our people were living in Aberdeen, county of Cork, England. Why it is that our long line has ever since borne the maternal name (except when one of them now and then took a playful refuge in an alias to avert foolishness), instead of Higgins, is a mystery which none of us has ever felt much desire to stir. It is a kind of vague, pretty romance, and we leave it alone. All the old families do that way. Arthour Twain was a man of considerable note–a solicitor on the highway in William Rufus’s time. At about the age of thirty he went to one of those fine old English places of resort called Newgate, to see about something, and never returned again. While there he died suddenly. Augustus Twain seems to have made something of a stir about the year 1160. He was as full of fun as he could be, and used to take his old saber and sharpen it up, and get in a convenient place on a dark night, and stick it through people as they went by, to see them jump. He was a born humorist. But he got to going too far with it; and the first time he was found stripping one of these parties, the authorities removed one end of him, and put it up on a nice high place on Temple Bar, where it could contemplate the people and have a good time. He never liked any situation so much or stuck to it so long. Then for the next two hundred years the family tree shows a succession of soldiers–noble, high-spirited fellows, who always went into battle singing, right behind the army, and always went out a-whooping, right ahead of it. Thi s is a scathing rebuke to old dead Froissart’s poor witticism that our family tree never had but one limb to it, and that that one stuck out at right angles, and bore fruit winter and summer. Early in the fifteenth century we have Beau Twain, called â€Å"the Scholar.† He wrote a beautiful, beautiful hand. And he could imitate anybody’s hand so closely that it was enough to make a person laugh his head off to see it. He had infinite sport with his talent. But by and by he took a contract to break stone for a road, and the roughness of the work spoiled his hand. Still, he enjoyed life all the time he was in the stone business, which, with inconsiderable intervals, was some forty-two years. In fact, he died in harness. During all those long years he gave such satisfaction that he never was through with one contract a week till the government gave him another. He was a perfect pet. And he was always a favorite with his fellow-artists, and was a conspicuous member o f their benevolent secret society, called the Chain Gang. He always wore his hair short, had a preference for striped clothes, and died lamented by the government. He was a sore loss to his country. For he was so regular.

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Nationals infrastructure accident - Essay Example This paper aims at highlighting the various actions that are necessary for the U.S. government to consider in order to mitigate occurrence of similar events in future. For those who watched the media news about the New Orleans landfall made by the Hurricane Katrina in the year 2005, highly remember how water flooded over the numerous levees, which were built to prevent an occurrence of such accidents as well as protecting the city. Several factors contributed to the failure of New Orleans levees ranging from poor engineering designs to the storm’s sheer ferocity (Reilly, 2009). All these factors were into consideration during the reconstruction of the levee after the wake of the Hurricane Katrina. The other low-lying cities in America learned a lot from the failure of New Orleans levees and considered such factors when making evaluation on their preparedness prevent occurrence of such storms. New Orleans is an American city that is located in a unique site, because it is completely below the sea level. Residents of this city cope with the surroundings of large water bodies such as Lake Pontchartrain, Mississippi River, and Mexico Gulf with array of levees designed to prevent flooding water from entering the city (United States, 2006). When conditions caused the breakage of the constructed levees during the Hurricane Katrina in the year 2005, the effect was highly harming and flooding water pooled out covering the entire city. With the initial 24 hours after the storm started, 28 levees had already failed. The total number of failed or broken levees increased to over 55 within the first week. The U.S. USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers), the core constructor of the levees issued out a public explanation on why the levees failed after several days. According USACE’s account, the design of the levees was only to protect the city from Category Three storms, and the Hurricane

Decision Making paper research Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Decision Making research - Term Paper Example Furthermore, the researcher investigates how skill is developed and what are the types of skills every individual has. 1.1 Statement of the problem The researcher wishes to resolve the issue whether a skill is learned or not. Based on the testimonies of many individuals, a skill is not learned because it is something that is being acquired during birth. On the contrary, many believe that, like other talents (e.g singing, dancing, playing musical instrument), skill needs to be enhanced to become an ability, and in the long run would form part as a habit. 1.2 Scope of the Problem In this paper, the researcher limits the investigation to the cliff of the data gathered, analyzed and used. However, since the researcher seeks to resolve the issue aforementioned, there would be series of comparison and analysis to test the validity of the hypothesis. 1.3 Hypothesis A skill is learned through time. The ability of an individual to use his knowledge on, for example, painting, and circus exhibi tion, writing and speaking becomes a skill once mastered, or least, familiarized, and eventually becomes a habit. Types of Skill The combination of ability and knowledge that enables a man to do a task and take it to higher level is called skill; while ability refers to skills and qualities that allow a man to perform a work or task (â€Å"Abilities and Skills†). There are types of skills namely: Cognitive, Perceptual and Motor skills. A. Cognitive Skill This type of skill involves the thought processes. It is often referred as intellectual skills. According to Vanlehn, an individual is said to have acquired cognitive skill if he solve problems in intellectual tasks relying on his knowledge rather than entirely depending on his physical prowess (n.p.). In addition, commonly performed task like dealing with algebraic equations, word problems, electronic troubleshooting, computer programming, working on medical diagnosis and even simple college physics and chemistry solving cou ld enhance the skill. Basically, Cognitive skill acquisition could be traced on the path of history by which problem solving has been the study of many researchers. Moreover, Vanlehn states that in the midst of 1960, researchers studied how an individual would use his knowledge and respond to a problem-solving task; the subjects were tasked to move a pyramidal stack of disks from one peg to another by moving one disk at a time according to certain restrictions. In the course of their research, they have found out that when it comes to strategies and ways in dealing the task, an individual would tend to turn from one intermediate state to another until he gets the solution. In the example above, the subject was able to solve the puzzle by moving disks until it appeared correct. Hence, the subject has learned that in order to solve small and great problems, it takes proper analysis of the problem, comprehensive gathering of information needed as an alternative, judgment and critical t hinking. It has become a skill. B. Perceptual Skill Unlike other skills, perceptual skill carries with its name the word perception--means the ability to interpret and know certain information (Walkley 18). It is the conscious recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli that serve as a basis for understanding, learning, and knowing or for motivating a particular action or reaction (â€Å"

Operant Conditioning Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Operant Conditioning Paper - Essay Example Operant Conditioning is widely used not only in psychology but also in other different settings. A person behaves in a particular way due to the response (stimuli) he experiences in his environment. When these responses are reinforced, then the person or animal is conditioned to respond. Operant Conditioning does not use the trial and error method in determining a person’s reaction to a certain response. It is directly experienced by the individual through a certain experience in his environment. Reinforcements mean â€Å"to strengthen or make strong† but they can be both positive as well as negative. A reinforcer is called positive when the reinforcement is presented or takes place. On the other hand, a negative reinforcement is when the reinforcement is withdrawn. In order to suppress a person’s behavior, negative reinforcement is utilized, but that doesn’t mean that negative reinforcement is punishment. Negative reinforcers are often used to correct a person’s behavior by removing the positive reinforcer and replacing it with the negative one. This helps the individual to condition or respond in a different way by reducing the consequence or threat of punishment, thereby changing his behavior for the better. Operant Behavior is moulded according to the consequences an individual receives in the environment. The freedom of a person is affected in the process. (Skinner, 1971) If the individual has experienced positive reinforcing consequences usually feel a sense of freedom, but this is not the case in negative consequences. According to B.F Skinner, â€Å"The experimental analysis of operant behavior has led to a technology often called behavior modification†.  (B.F Skinner, 1971) Between the positive reinforcement and Negative reinforcement, the one that is most used in the correction of behavior is the Negative reinforcement. In such an environment, the trouble causing consequences are removed and replaced with other consequences,