McDonald case Essay Example

McDonald case Essay We apply Porters 5 Forces as an analytical framework for assessing McDonalds competitiveness strategies In fast food market. 1. Threat of New Entrants: Low Although It Is not too expensive to start up a fast food restaurant, but fast food Industry Is already a well-established market. Therefore, Infant businesses which want to enter into this market would have to face huge challenges: McDonalds is one of the worlds strongest and most recognizable brands for its worlds best quick service restaurant service experience (Evanescence and Mark), so their products are noninsured to be one of the most famous and familiar with customers. They have gained a huge number of loyal customers who are satisfied with their products. While new entrants have to wait for a long time to build brand recognition and customer base. In 2012, McDonalds remained number one with $35. 6 billion in sales, almost one-quarter of all sales by the top-50 restaurants and almost three times the sales of its closest competitor. Obviously, they own a significant market share which will create difficulty In gaining economy of scale for new entrants to enter the market. New entrants also find that they are faced with price competition from existing chain restaurants. We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer If there Is no consumer switching cost which means consumers will not have to bear any additional cost when they switch to a new products, there are some order to make sure the menu stays affordable and trying to maintain the pricing. 2. The Bargaining Power of Customer: Moderate Since the fast food industry is well saturates the buyer are in a situation where many different suppliers are offering similar products. McDonalds must pay more attention to customers needs to attract new buyers and maintain loyal customers. Therefore, consumers have more power over buying McDonalds products because they can demand what type of products they want to see from them. If the fast food industry does not match the demands of the buyers and the general consumer trends, the buyers can choose not to buy their product and convince others to do the same. Today, consumers are demanding healthier food and beverage choices from fast- food restaurants such as McDonalds. After the documentary film Supervise Me by Morgan Spurious came out in 2004, a film displayed the health risks that were posed y traditional fast food from MAC Donas. A rise in awareness of the high fat content of most of the products offered by McDonalds from the whole market created a large change in consumer preferences and brand preferences, and this made McDonalds face some lawsuits with loyal customers. Consequently, McDonalds started providing nutrition information on the packaging of their products; and tried to provide more offerings that were likely to be perceived by customers as being healthier such as fruits and salads. However, because of low customer switching costs which are nearly ere. McDonalds are highly competitive with their product pricing compared to Burger King, Wendy, among other competitors; and they already offer selections at various price points that cater to all budgets. Thus, fast food industry does not worry about customers loyalty. And customers are a lot of individuals, so they will have no pressure to force company to pass on the decrease in price or accept a higher quality of product service. 3. The Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low According to Confession (2005), there are 3,700 new outlets being built each year in the U. S. Meaning the power of suppliers is not an issue for McDonalds. Restaurants can simply switch to another supplier offering the same product. This means McDonalds can put pressure on suppliers to reduce costs, offer better products, reduce delivery times or provide higher volume. For example, there are many substitute suppliers out there that can replace current suppliers (I. E. , Pepsi could replace Coca Cola) without a sign ificant drop in quality. Furthermore, McDonalds is also considered to be a very important customer of any of these suppliers so in contrast, it will gain influence over the suppliers. 4. Threats of Substitute Products: High Because the consumers switching costs are low that means that there is a low barrier stopping the consumer from purchasing the substitute. Variety of similar products and healthier alternatives are available that people can chose. Another thing is that fast food industry is unhealthy to its customers health. The customer always tends to find another product comparable or better in terms of the quality of fast food products. Fast food restaurants keep a major advantage over other firms selling substitute products through the lower prices and a quick, convenient service. However, since the market consists of many differentiated fast food companies, the customers are used to having the option of choosing the best value products. The food industry normally targets. Furthermore, it offers healthy alternatives to match the consumer needs and wishes. The threat of substitutes is greater now more than ever with the convenience food industry growing. More convenience food stores are offering similar products as the fast-food restaurants. The convenience store / gas station sells many food items such as hot dogs, egg rolls, pizza, and beverage. The preferences between McDonalds and their others competitive are services of delivery that is Mac Delivery that give a good service, faster and make customer easy to buy from any kind of set of menu at McDonalds. 5. The Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors in an Industry: High When exit barriers are low, weak firms are more likely to leave the market, which will increase the profits for the remaining firms. Low exit barriers are a positive for McDonalds; it will help eliminate small firms that cannot take market share in this industry. However, main concern that McDonalds has to take precaution is major corporations. Although McDonalds serves around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 35,000 outlets, it has a number of fast food outlet competitors across the countries. However, Burger King and Wendy are considered as the main and biggest competitors to McDonalds. Sustainable competitive advantage through innovation is a key factor that McDonalds considers as main competitive advantage to compete with rivals. By attributing useful speed of services, types of products, prices of products and level of service, McDonalds has been doing great keeping up with the industry and even leading in fast food industry. McDonalds have led to improvement in its sales and profits by effort of top level management include Jim Skinner, the concepts of the late Charles Bell, and the late James Cantaloupe. James Cantaloupe was a former vice-chairman who had overseen McDonalds successful international expansion in the sasss and sasss. He was instrumental in developing a strategic plan called Plan to Win which was the starting point for the turnaround at the beginning of 2003. Today sales are strong in domestic markets and even higher in the global markets. The plan focuses on existing customers and by changing their image to promote healthier menu items. This was the long term goal set by Cantaloupe, followed by Bell and now Skinner. B) The general environment consists of all conditions in the external environment that forms a background context for managerial decision making. In other words, general environment is the outer layer that is widely dispersed and indirectly affected on level of organizations success. Although a business cannot control what takes place in the general environment, evaluating the general environment can allow businesses the opportunity to predict changes and identify future opportunities. The general environment includes Demographic Trends, Socio-cultural, Economic, Technological, Political and Legal, Global. The external environment will continue to change?and that change may be unpredictable in terms of timing and strength?a firms management is challenged to be aware of, understand the implications of, and identify patterns represented in these changes by taking actions to improve the firms competitive position, improve operational efficiency, and to be effective global competitors. 1. Demographic The number of people living in a region, their ethnicity, age, gender, race, sex and so on would be important factors to consider for any business organization. An with invaluable pointers towards launching new products, pricing, marketing strategies, etc. Most important for fast food industry that depends highly on people: The customer base for fast food franchises and restaurants includes the entire population, every day nearly 68 million customers served by McDonalds. ; in which the population aged between 12 and 30 years of age averages the greatest frequency of patronage in fast food establishments as they are the category with the greatest disposable income. McDonald segmenting their services based on consumer age and consumer beliefs in certain country. Demographic segmentation divides the market into groups based on variables like gender, age, nationality, religion, family life cycle and family size. McDonald offered their services by segmented their customer based on age, religion and family life cycle. For example, McDonalds offers different products like Happy Meal which includes a free toy for kids. 2. Coloratura. Values and beliefs vary from culture to culture, McDonalds have understood its customers based on their characteristics and must study the socio-cultural environment of a country thoroughly to avoid costly mistakes. Consumers around the world become more health conscious; they now substitute healthy food for a quick cheap meal, a healthy diet; it actually hurts McDonalds profits. Under pressure to provide healthier meals, McDonalds announced that it would no longer market some of its less nutritional options to children and said it also planned to include offerings of fruits and vegetables in many of its menu. It plans to make the changes to its menu in 20 of the companys largest markets, but it will take three years or more to put them into place in about half the restaurants in those markets, and which it is estimated would cost about $35 million to suit contemporary tastes and to try to address health concerns raised for years. 3. Economic Economy is important factor which is impacting McDonalds. McDonalds has global presence that would be affected by the changes in inflation and the exchange rates. Hence, these chains may have to adapt to the issues and the effects of the economic environment. Company always need to thing about profitability, growth to expand of company. So, they need to consider countries demand, supply, production, distribution, exchange rate, business cycles, and differential economic growth rates round the world. Besides, the economic situation is slowing down and facing with high unemployment rate, so branches and franchises of McDonalds have a tendency to experience a hardship when consumers have to cut down their spending. On the other hand, McDonalds could have potential opportunities in developing countries, developing countries economies are growing, and buying power of people from developing countries is increasing. 4. Global issues Thanks to globalization, the world has become smaller and closer. It provides for McDonald a good chance to approach new potential market and valuable production actors such as pool of cheaper and skilled labor, diversified sources of raw materials. However, it also brings again some threats such as new competitors such as threats from sushi and burritos. Question 2 Internal Environment Analysis 1 . Tangible resources Finical resources over two years from 2006 to 2008 decrease slightly, the amount of money changes from 2,136,400 to 2,063,400 thousand dollar. In contrast, both the total revenue and gross profit in Exhibit 1 increase gradually from 21 to 23,522,400 thousand dollar (total revenue). In addition, gross profit also goes up from 6,984,300 to 8,639,200 thousand dollar. At that time, the McDonalds the fast food chains performance impressive rivals KEF and Wendy had to have face with the spending downturn and the economic also drops. McDonalds keeps going and achieve a growing up thanks for the strategy of CEO Jim Skinnier Plan to Win. This is an excellent and successful strategy aims to increasing sale at existing location by improving the menu, re decorating the outlets, and extending hours. Some snacks and drinks are added in their menu and McDonalds tries to maintain the price and makes sure to give customers an affordable menu without hurting the firms profit margin. Cost of material still increases but Skinner does well when he keeps providing unchanged price. As the result, in 2008 McDonalds has a strong financial capacity and they can raise equity, revenue and profit. Physical recourse McDonalds does great work in physical recourse. Looking at Exhibit 4, during the period 2004 to 2008, it is clear that the total of number of outlet increases step by step from 30,496 to 31 ,967. The number of outlets Company owned decreases significantly, meanwhile the total of franchise in a lot of areas around the world increases steadily from 22,317 to 25,465. There is more than 75 percent of its outlets re owned franchise and other affiliates. This is a strength point of McDonalds, this firm has more opportunities to highlight its brand as well as help customers recognize the brand easily. Furthermore, continuing to develop franchise is more economical than establishing a new place. In addition, as a part of turnaround strategy, McDonalds spends time to be concentrate on refurbish all the outlets over the world to make their places more beautiful aims to attract customers such as: the interiors feature arm chairs and sofas, modern lighting, large television screen, wireless Internet access. Skinner also creates feature include music aimed at queuing vehicle etc, customers can see meals being prepare from their cars. This is a very modern creative design and customers feel exciting about that. Technological resource As a part of innovation, McDonalds has a good idea to design a touch activated screen which is comfortable and convenient to customers. By watching and following meal being prepared from their cars, customers can know about the component in McDonalds production. It allows customers can order food without queuing. Basing on the website of McDonalds, customers can research about menu, nutrition, urination, store location and price. Moreover, inside the outlets is equip wireless internet access, it is very convenient to customers when they go to inside outlets, they can enjoy their meal and check the menu or access the internet to connect with friends, relatives or entertain. With this channel creation, Skinner has more and more royal and potential customers. 2. Intangible recourses. Organizational resource. McDonalds has built a good structure organization and effectively managing which is head of by CEO and the broad of director in each areas in detail such as: Greece, Asia everything concerns about finance, human, accounting etc. Under CEO, there are divided unit functional department about finance, marketing, HER etc. CEO can manage each department through manager of each department and franchise. Each department has exactly manager so manager can report all things to CEO. McDonalds serves about 52 million customers through 100 countries per day with over 30,000 outlets and 25,000 franchises. Each franchise operates like a subsidiary and be managed by an general manager who manages and guide employee. He/she also has task and responsibility to report to the CEO and Broad of director. This structure brings the effectiveness and the smooth interaction between department and the CEO. Human resource. McDonalds brings thousand of Job for American population and there is a clearly kind of employee: restaurant workers, corporate staff and franchise owners. Most of Skinner local restaurant employee are in 50 and 65, McDonalds also hire in par time position to reduce expenses. However, the firm has to face with the problem when the labor market is tighter; Skinner tends to cut back on training as it struggled hard to find new recruit, a policy that led a dramatic falloff in the skill of its employees. As a result, Skinner has to spend money to train necessary skill for employees to take back smile from customers. Moreover, McDonalds payment salary does not make their employees satisfied so it has some bad impacts to employees morale. There is no distinguishing position and the task. Managers receive salary lightly higher than crew employee, meanwhile they have to do more complicated tasks, take more responsibilities. In addition, employees do not receive bonus when they have to do extra hours as well as done tasks perfectly. These make them disappointed and easy to q drop the Job. As the result, McDonalds has to waste time to recruit and train. Innovation McDonalds has a good step innovation when Skinner put raising profit and maintaining potential customers on company top priority. For example, they make a small changing in the component of their food but they protect unchanged taste. They remove trans- fatty acids in the oil which is used for French fries. For instance, they also introduce some new meal for customers in various kinds of order such as: Miscarried breakfast sandwich, offering a couple of syrup-drenched pancakes and a sandwich filled with eggs, cheese, sausage and bacon in three different of ambition. By this way, Mac can meet customers satisfaction, they would like to come to inside the restaurants to enjoy their meal easier. Furthermore, Mac provides available internet inside and smart screen attract more customers. Choosing meal and then order them online easier instead of queuing are a great innovation of Skinner. Reputation. McDonalds is one of the most famous fast food brands with hamburger and cheeseburger over the world from time to establish to now. Passing over 50 years, Mac has a lot of achievement and has been still famous today. Sine 1940, the number of outlets and franchises increase appreciably. At first, Mac only was a single outlet in nondescript Chicago sunburn then today Mac becomes a largest chain of outlet spread out the globe. To be built and maintained the reputation, McDonalds should improve the quality of food to ensure that their customers will be healthy and happy customers in which Mac can update all products information, the customer feedbacks to response on time. Furthermore, they also highlight their reputation by doing charity to serve and protect social, it is one kind of code of ethics. Organizational Capabilities. An organizational capability of Mac is a great combination of both tangible and intangible recourse to run business effectively. Financial stability, human recourses and management skills will be a good basic help Mac maintain and develop its value and satisfy the customer expectations. Mac also focuses and invests to train skill for managers to build a good model with high quality of leader. When a leader is good, he/she can train their employee better. That is reason to make firm existent and keep competitive of rivalry in competition of fast food industry. In addition, to be more strong and developed, Mac should focus on technology and demography changing. The company should pay attention on the customers taste in specific country to adapt the market quickly. To achieve this goal, Mac should take a research before entering in a new market. Question 3 A combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. A combination of cost leadership and differentiation are the two recommended strategies that McDonald should because of following reasons. Firstly, for cost leadership, due to the fact that McDonald had a wrestling about increasing cost in production process and the company also remained their products price, this would make the company in lower their profit margin in return. With low products price although McDonald had a competitive advantage in attracting customers with their competitors, this would also a challenges for the company in getting profits in return. It is widely known that input costs for production process will increase more and more, therefore; if McDonald do not have a strategy in lowering its production costs, it will be a possibility for the company to run-out of fast food business industry. Secondly, it is believed that making something unique and different with competitors is also a recipe for the companys success in outdoing competition with their strong rivalries such as KEF, Pizza Hurt. Therefore, differentiation strategy should be applied by McDonald. McDonald should make their products healthier for their customers because fast food is widely known that it is not decent for people health. If McDonald can create healthier products for their customers, this will make the company different with their competitors, which is a good way for the company to attract more customers. Besides, McDonald should also improve their menu by creating new products such as cookies that their competitors do not have in their menu in order to increase customers choice and to achieve competitive advantage in customers attraction impaired with their rivalries. Therefore, the more and more customers come to the company, the more profits they will make. In conclusion, in my opinion, McDonald should apply the combination strategy above because when they follow the strategy, the company can create good customers relationship so that they can last long in the fast food industry by making more profit. Furthermore, this will be a trend for the company to compete with their rivalries and to construct a high entry barrier for new industry entrants in competing with the company in the fast food industry.

The eNotes Blog eNotes for Back-to-School (#eNotes4BTS) Win a Lifetime eNotes Pass and $500Grant!

for Back-to-School (#4BTS) Win a Lifetime Pass and $500Grant! We  are  amping up for back-to-school so that were prepared to help our eNoters with summer reading, pop quizzes, and upcoming exams. To kick off the season and help you transition from summer sun to classroom fluorescents, were excited to announce the  #4BTS  contest! What you can win! All the prizes are designed to help you transition to back to school, and everyone is a winner! One grand-prize winner will receive a $500 grant and a  Lifetime Student Subscription. Three runner-up winners will receive a  1-year Student Subscription, a $49.99 value. Everyone that enters will get 50% off an Student Subscription. Sent via coupon code after the contest ends. How to Enter Let us know why youll need for back to school  on Twitter and/or Instagram. You can simply tweet it with text, or use images and videos on Twitter or Instagramthe more creative the better! *You MUST include the hashtag #4BTS to enter. Entries accepted August 5  to August 26, by 11:59 p.m. PST. Text Tweet Entry Example Image  Entry Example Video Entry Example We know back-to-schools got you going crazy like So enter the #4BTS contest to get a leg up on 2015-16 and  turn all of ^this^ into this. Questions about the contest? Comment below or send an email to dispatch@ and well be happy to help!

What Is a Personal Statement Everything You Need to Know About the College Essay

What Is a Personal Statement Everything You Need to Know About the College Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In addition to standardized test scores and transcripts, a personal statement or essay is a required part of many college applications. The personal statement can be one of the most stressful parts of the application process because it's the most open ended. In this guide, I'll answer the question, "What is a personal statement?" I'll talk through common college essay topics and what makes for an effective personal statement. // Even the terminology can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it, so let's start by defining some terms: Personal statement- an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well. College essay - basically the same as apersonal statement. (I'll be using the terms interchangeably.) Essay prompt - a question or statement that your college essay is meant to respond to. Supplemental essay - an extra school or programspecific essay beyond the basic personal statement. Many colleges ask for only one essay. However, some schools do ask you to respond to multiple prompts or to provide supplemental essays in addition to a primary personal statement. Either way, don't let it stress you out! This guide will cover everything you need to know about the different types of college essays and get you started thinking about how to write a great one: Why colleges ask for an essay What kinds of essay questions you'll see What sets great essays apart Tips for writing your own essay // Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay? There are a couple of reasons that colleges ask applicants to submit an essay, but the basic idea is that it gives them more information about you, especially who you are beyond grades and test scores. #1: Insight Into Your Personality The most important role of the essay is to give admissions committees a sense of your personality and what kind of addition you'd be to their school's community. Are you inquisitive? Ambitious? Caring? These kinds of qualities will have a profound impact on your college experience, but they're hard to determine based on a high school transcript. Basically, the essay contextualizes your application and shows what kind of person you are outside of your grades and test scores. Imagine two students, Jane and Tim: they both have 3.5 GPAs and 1200s on the SAT. Jane lives in Colorado and is the captain of hertrack team, while Tim lives in Vermont and regularly contributes to the school paper, but they both want to be doctors and they both volunteer at the local hospital. As similar as Jane and Tim seemon paper, in reality they're actually quite different, and their unique perspectives come through in their essays. Jane writes about how looking into her family history for a school project made her realize how the discovery of modern medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines had changed the world and drove her to pursue a career as a medical researcher. Tim, on the other hand, recounts a story about how a kind doctor helped him overcome his fear of needles, an interaction that reminded him of the value of empathy and inspired him to become a family practitioner. These two students may seem outwardly similar but their motivations and personalities are very different. Without an essay, your application is essentially a series of numbers: a GPA, SAT scores, the number of hours spent preparing for quiz bowl competitions. The personal statement is your chance to stand out as an individual. // #2: Evidence of Writing Skills A secondary purpose of the essay is to serve as a writing sample and help colleges see that you have the skills needed to succeedin college classes. The personal statement isyour best chance to show off your writing, so take the time to craft a pieceyou're really proud of. That said, don't panic if you aren't a strong writer. Admissions officers aren't expecting you to write like Joan Didion; they just want to see that you can express your ideas clearly. No matter what, your essay should absolutely not include any errors or typos. #3: Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances For some students, the essay is also a chance to explain factors affecting theirhigh school record. Did your grades drop sophomore year because you were dealing with a family emergency? Did you miss out on extracurricularsjunior year because of an extended medical absence? Colleges want to know if you struggled with a serious issue that affected your high school record, so make sure to indicate any relevant circumstances on your application. Keep in mind that in some cases there will be a separate section for you to address these types ofissues, as well as any black marks on your record like expulsions or criminal charges. #4: Your Reasons for Applying to the School Many colleges ask you to writean essay or paragraph about why you're applying to their school specifically. In asking these questions, admissions officers are trying to determine if you're genuinely excited about the school and whether you're likely to attend if accepted. I'll talk more about this type of essay below. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now: // What Kind of Questions Do Colleges Ask? Thankfully, applications don't simply say "Please include an essay about yourself" - they includea question or prompt that you're asked to respond to. These prompts are generally pretty open ended and can be approached in a lot of different ways. Nonetheless, most questions fall into a few main categories. Let's go through each common type of prompt, with examples from the Common Application, the University of California application, and ApplyTexas, as well as a few individualschools. Prompt Type 1: Your Personal History This sortof questionasks you to write about a formative experience, important event or key relationship fromyour life. Admissions officers want to understand what is important to you and how your backgroundhas shaped you as a person. These questions are both common and tricky. The most common pitfall students fall into is trying to tell their entire life stories - it's better to focus in on a very specific point in time and explain why it was meaningful to you. Common App 1 Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Common App 5 Discuss an accomplishment, event, orrealizationthatsparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. University of California 2 Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. University of California 6 Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. // Prompt Type 2:Facing a Problem A lot of prompts deal with how you solve problems or how you cope with failure. College can be difficult, both personally and academically, and admissions committees want to see that you're equipped to face those challenges. The key to these types of questions is to identify a real problem or failure (not a success in disguise) and show how you adapted and grew from addressing the issue. Common App 2 The lessons we take fromobstacles we encountercan be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced achallenge, setback, or failure.How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Common App 4 Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. ApplyTexas B Describe a circumstance, obstacle or conflict in your life, and the skills and resources you used to resolve it. Did it change you? If so, how? // Prompt Type 3:Diversity Most colleges arepretty diverse, with students from a wide range of backgrounds. Essay questions about diversity are designed to help admissions committees understand how you interact with people who are different from you. In addressing these prompts,you want to show that you're capable of engaging with new ideas and relating to people who may have different beliefs than you. Common App 3 Reflect on a time when youquestionedor challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? Whatwas the outcome? ApplyTexas A Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings, and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience. Prompt Type 4:Your Future Goals This type of prompt asks about what you want to do in the future: sometimes simply what you'd like to study, sometimes longer term career goals. Colleges want to understand what you're interested in and how you plan to work towards your goals. You'll mostly see these prompts if you're applying for a specializedprogram (like pre-med or architecture) or applying as a transfer student. Some schools also ask for supplementary essays along these lines. ApplyTexas C Considering your lifetime goals, discuss how your current and future academic and extracurricular activities might help you achieve your goals. University of California (Transfer Applicants) Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university. // Prompt Type 5: Why This School The most common style of supplemental essay is the "Why us?" essay (although a fewschools with their own application use this type of questionas their main prompt). In these essays, you're meant to address the specific reasons you want to go to the school you're applying to. Whatever you do, don't ever recycle these essays for more than one school. Yale University What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? Chapman University There are thousands of universities and colleges. Please share with us why you are choosing to apply to Chapman. Rice University How did you first learn about Rice University and what motivated you to apply? Prompt Type 6:Creative Prompts More selective schools often have supplemental essays with stranger or more unique questions. University of Chicago is notorious for its weird prompts, but it's not the only school that will ask you to think outside the box in addressing its questions. University of Chicago The word floccinaucinihilipilification is the act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant or of having no value. It originated in the mid-18th century from the Latin words "floccus," "naucum," "nihilum," and "pilus"- all words meaningâ€Å"of little use.† Coin your own word using parts from any language you choose, tell us its meaning, and describe the plausible (if only to you) scenarios in which it would be most appropriately used. Tufts University Whether you've built blanket forts or circuit boards, produced community theater or mixed media art installations, tell us: what have you invented, engineered, created, or designed? Or what do you hope to? University of Virginia What’s your favorite word and why? University of Chicago(Phil Roeder/Flickr) // What Makes a Strong Personal Statement? OK, so you're clear on what a college essay is, but you're still not sure how to write a good one. To help you get started, I'm going to explainthe main things admissions officers look for in students' essays:an engaging perspective, genuine moments, and lively writing. I've touched onthese ideas already, buthereI'll go into more depth about how the best essays stand out from the pack. Showing Who You Are A lot of students panic about finding a unique topic, and certainly writing about something unusual like a successful dating app you developed with your friends or your time working as a mall Santacan't hurt you. But what's really important isn't so much what you write about as how you write about it. You need to use your subject to show something deeper about yourself. Look at the prompts above: you'll notice that they almost all ask you what you learned or how the experience affected you. Whatever topic you pick, you must be able to specifically address how or why it matters to you. Say a student, Will, was writing about the mall Santa in response to Common App prompt number 2 (the one about failure): Will was a terrible mall Santa. He was way too skinny to be convincing and the kids would always step on his feet. He could easily write 600 very entertaining words describing this experience, but they wouldn't necessarily add up to an effective college essay. To do that, he'll need to talk about his motivations and his feelings: why he took such a job in the first place and what he did (and didn't) get out of it. Maybe Will took the job because he needed to make some money to go on a school trip and it was the only one he could find. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for screaming children, he kept doing it because he knew if he persevered through the whole holiday season he would have enough money for his trip. Would you rather read "I failed at being a mall Santa" or "Failing as a mall Santa taught me how to persevere no matter what"? Admissions officersdefinitely prefer the latter. Ultimately, the best topics are ones that allow you to explain something surprising about yourself. Honesty Since the main point of the essay is to give schools a sense of who you are, you have to open up enough to let them see your personality.Writing a good college essay means being honest about your feelings and experiences even when they aren't entirely positive. In this context, honesty doesn't mean going on at length about the time you broke into the local pool at night and nearly got arrested, but it does mean acknowledging when something was difficult or upsetting for you. Think about the mall Santa example above. The essay won't work unless the writer genuinely acknowledges that he was a bad Santa and explains why. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Even this little kid is a better Santa than Will was. EloquentWriting As I mentioned above, colleges want to know that you are a strong enough writer to survive in college classes. Can you express your ideas clearly and concisely? Can you employ specific details appropriately and avoidcliches and generalizations? These kinds of skills will serve you well in college (and in life!). Nonetheless, admissions officers recognize that different students have different strengths. They aren’t looking for a poetic magnum opus from someone who wants to be a math major. (Honestly, they aren't expecting a masterwork from anyone, but the basic point stands.) Focus on making sure that your thoughts and personality come through, and don't worry about using fancy vocabulary or complex rhetorical devices. Above all, make sure that you have zero grammar or spelling errors. Typos indicate carelessness, which will hurt your cause with admissions officers. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now: // Top 5 Essay-Writing Tips Now that you have a sense of what colleges are looking for, let's talk about how you can put this new knowledge into practice as you approach your own essay. Below, I've collected my five best tips from years as a college essay counselor. #1: Start Early! No matter how much you want to avoid writing your essay, don’t leaveit until the last minute. One of the most important parts of the essay writing process is editing, and editing takes a lot of time. You want to be able to put your draft in a drawer for a week and come back to it with fresh eyes. You don't want to be stuck with an essay you don't really like because you have to submit your application tomorrow. You need plenty of time to experiment and rewrite, so I would recommend starting your essays at least two months before the application deadline. For most students, that means starting around Halloween, but if you're applying early you'll need to get going closer to Labor Day. Of course, it's even better to get a head start and begin your planning earlier. Many students like to work on their essays over the summer when they have more free time, but you should keep in mind that each year's application isn't usually released until August or September. Essay questions often stay the same from year to year, however. If you are looking to get a jump on writing, you can try to confirm with the school (or the Common App) if the essay questions will be the same as the previous year's. #2: Pick a Topic You’re Genuinely Excited About One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to write what they think the committee wants to hear. The truth is that there's no "right answer" when it comes to college essays - the best topics aren't limited to specific categories like volunteer experiences or winning a tournament. Instead, they're topics that actually matter to the writer. "OK," you're thinking, "but what does she mean by 'a topic that matters to you'? Because to be perfectly honest, right now what really matters to me is that fall TV starts up this week, and I have a feeling I shouldn't write about that." You're not wrong (although some great essays have been written about television). A great topic isn't just something that you're excited about or that you talk to your friends about; it's something that has had a real, describableeffect on your perspective. This doesn't mean that you should overemphasize how somethingabsolutely changed your life, especially if it really didn't. Instead, try to be as specific and honest as you can about how the experience affected you, what it taught you, or what you got out of it. Let'sgo back to the TV idea. Sure, writing an essay abouthow excited you are for the new season of The Vampire Diariesprobably isn't the quickest way to get yourself into college, but you couldwrite a solidessay (in response to the first type of prompt) about how SpongeBob SquarePants was an integral part of your childhood. However,it's not enough to just explain how much you loved SpongeBob - you must also explain why and how watching the show every day after school affected your life. For example, maybe it was a ritual you shared with your brother, which showed you how even seemingly silly pieces of pop culture can bring people together. Dig beneath the surface to show who you are and how you see the world. When you write about something you don't really care about, your writing will come out cliched and uninteresting, and you'll likely struggle to motivate. When you write about something that is genuinely important to you, on the other hand, you can make even the most ordinary experiences - learning to swim, eating a meal, or watching TV - engaging. As strange as it sounds, SpongeBob could make a great essay topic. #3: Focus onSpecifics But how do you write an interesting essay?Focus. Don't try to tell your entire life story, or even the story of an entire weekend; 500-650 words may seem like a lot, but you'll reach that limit quickly if you try to pack every single thing that has happened to you into your essay. If, on the other hand, you just touch on a wide range of topics, you'll end up with an essay that reads more like a resume. Instead, narrow in on one specific event or idea and talk about it in more depth. The narrower your topic, the better. For example, writing about your role as Mercutio in your school's production ofRomeo and Juliet is too general, but writing about opening night, when everything went wrong, could be a great topic. Whatever your topic, use details to help draw the reader in and express your unique perspective, but keep in mind that you don't have to include every detail of what you did or thought - stick to the important and illustrative ones. #4: Use Your Own Voice College essays aren't academicassignments: you don't need to be super formal. Instead, try to be yourself. The best writing sounds like a more eloquent version of the way you talk. Focus on using clear, simple languagethat effectively explains a point or evokes a feeling. To do so, avoid the urge to use fancy-sounding synonyms when you don't really know what they mean. Contractions are fine; slang, generally, is not. Don't hesitate to write in the first person. A final note: you don’t need to be relentlessly positive. It’s OK to acknowledge that sometimes things don’t go how you want - just show how you grew from that. #5: Be Ruthless Many students want to call it a day after writing a first draft, but editing is a key part ofwriting a truly great essay. To be clear, editing doesn't mean just making a few minor wording tweaks and cleaning up typos; it means reading your essay carefully and objectively and thinking about how you could improve it. Ask yourself questions as you read: is the progression of the essay clear? Do you make a lot of vague, sweeping statements that could be replaced with more interesting specifics? Do your sentences flow together nicely? Do youshow something about yourself beyond the surface level? You will have to delete and rewrite (potentially large) parts of your essay, and no matter how attached you feel to something you wrote, you might have to let it go. If you've ever heard the phrase "Kill your darlings," know that it is 100% applicable to college essay writing. At some point, you might even need to rewrite the whole essay.Even though it's annoying, starting over is sometimes the best way to get an essay that you're really proud of. Ludwig/Flickr What's Next? Make sure to check out our other posts on college essays, including our step-by-step guide to how to write your college essay,our analysis of the Common App Prompts, and our collection of example essays. If you're in need of guidance on other parts of the application process, take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you, writing about extracurriculars, and requesting teacher recommendations. Last but not least, if you're planning on taking the SAT one last time, check out our ultimate guide to studying for the SAT and make sure you're as prepared as possible. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Personal experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal experience - Essay Example We knew that the Hessian troops were garrisoned at Trenton, across the river. We started at 6 in the evening and marched nine mile in the gathering darkness up to McConkey’s ferry. Soldiers were already being ferried across the icy river when we reached the place. It was snowing, and there were ice floes in the river. Most of us did not have proper clothes or shoes, and our muskets were sodden. . It was 3 in the morning of the 26th when finally all of us, including the artillery, crossed. General Washington watched us silently as we crossed . â€Å"We’ll take them by surprise. They must have been drinking all night†, said Lt. Munroe as we marched towards Trenton.. Half a mile from Trenton, we surprised a Hessian picket , and captured them. Just then we heard the boom of guns and knew that General Sullivan had arrived with the artillery. Lt. Munroe led us to rush the Hessian artillerists, just as they were about to fire two cannons. The Hessians fled pell-mell, not heeding their commanding officer , who was shot .We captured the entire Hessian force , except a few who escaped. I am proud to have taken part in the Battle of Trenton,. After our victory at Trenton, many recruits joined our army, and finally â€Å"the Rabble† were able to defeat the greatest power on the earth, and gain

Video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video games - Essay Example This work aims to argue that by allowing more room for more moral independent decision-making and by effectively incorporating the element of social reward, it is possible to utilize video games to enable children to make moral decisions in various contexts and also to make them aware about the implications of both moral and immoral decisions. The first point this work will address is the fact that video games are considerably different from other art forms in the fact that it is highly interactive. The second main point to be elaborated is the role of social reward, social conformity, and social learning in making decisions in the real society. The last point will elaborate on how to incorporate these elements in video games in order to make children aware about morality and its implications through video games. This topic is highly relevant in the present situation where social thinkers, police forces and parents are busy, blindly accusing video games for the fall in morality among children. This research will describe how video games are close to real life and different from other forms of art. In addition, the work will show how this interactive nature of video games can be utilized to develop moral thinking instead of destroying the same. Moreover, the study can make the reader aware about the various elements which influence the decision-making in real life. This is a difficult research to accomplish because it needs to compile information from various subject areas, ranging from gaming industry, decision-making, development of morality, social reward, social conformity, and social learning. From a reading of various scholarly articles on the subject, it becomes evident that scholars have already started accepting video games as different from other forms of art, and a few have in fact claimed that video games can be utilized to teach

Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Essay Example for Free

Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Essay The law of Habeas Corpus was created to permit the guilty to present their case in court and to be tried fairly. In todays war on terror, the amount of such enemy combatants who were detained indefinitely without any trial has raised. The courts are split up on following the law by the letter or to practically change it according to the situations needs. I feel its necessary to follow these laws in the same context in which they were written, and the pragmatic approach leaves room for reckless changes. To deny an enemy combatant his or her day in court cannot be justified as taking the pragmatic approach in dealing with war criminals. This paper is an attempt to present the state of law today towards war criminals and the implications of denying the basic right of Habeas Corpus to suspected terrorists. Ever since the onset of civilization, arguments have routinely erupted between various members, families, factions, and groups within civilizations and between civilizations. In ancient times, arguments would be resolved by crude means, means not limited to the powerful person using brute force to show he was in the right. The stronger person would always have, say for example, the first right to food, to agricultural produce, cattle and to wealth etc. The weak wouldn’t dare pick an argument over the stronger person in fear for their life. But as civilizations grew and advanced over time, a code of ethics and laws began to form. Societies began to incorporate and adapt these laws in their daily functioning. Drawing inspiration from religion, past civilization practices and their mistakes, it was only natural that basic human rights were thought about and codified. The rights were guaranteed to all human beings, irrespective of who was physically stronger. The American Revolution has beyond doubt shaped the basic structure of human rights for the entire world to follow. Among many undeniable rights to citizens, the writ of Habeas Corpus was identified and established very early on in the Revolution. In Europe, the writ of Habeas Corpus was first traced to be used around the 12th and 13th centuries during the medieval period. Habeas Corpus translates from Latin to mean â€Å"you may have the body† or you may examine the body. It is essentially a writ that requires any person detained by law enforcers to be tried in a court of law and have his detention validated (Bbc. com, 2005). The writ doesn’t decide whether the accused is guilty or not, it merely stipulates that the accused be tried and detained if only found guilty of the crime being accused for. The US inherited this law from the English and codified it in the constitution in Article 1, section 9. The UN later incorporated it in their international human rights in 1952. The point of contention with the habeas corpus right is to whom it applies. The law stipulates that this right be never be suspended or denied except in cases of rebellion, invasion or when perceived as a threat to public safety. Surprisingly, this writ has been previously suspended twice in the past for seemingly similar reasons. President Lincoln suspended the writ in 1861 to prosecute the war prisoners captured during the American Civil war. His argument was that the confederates were a threat to the union and hence issued the order (Dueholm, 2008). This law was later restored after the war ended in 1866. President Bush in 2006 issued a similar suspension of the habeas corpus writ to detain enemy combatants captured in the global war against terror. It deemed these accused terrorists as a threat to national security and denied them the right to be presented and tried in court. This paper will focus on the consequences faced by the accused and the validity of enforcing such a suspension. Just suspending the writ wouldn’t seem very harmful when looked at by itself. But consider for a moment who the government arrests. American policy makers routinely count any military age males as enemy combatants. Drone strikes assume anyone in the vicinity of a drone strike of military age to be a enemy combatant first and then when sufficient intelligence is available to the contrary, they are posthumously declared civilians (Balko, 2012). In a likewise fashion, arrests were also made based on the very broad physical description of an age group, or depending on where they are and who they interact with, were picked up after being accused of terrorism. Next, consider the location of their detention. Accused terrorists were detained at prison, run by US military personnel backed by US administration; set up in a foreign land i. . Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The single reason for maintaining such an institution away from US soil was to escape the jurisdiction of laws that govern detainees which would apply if held on US soil. Laws of detention stipulate not only the kind of treatment but also the punishment meted out to convicted terrorists. The captors were free to torture their captives in any way they saw fit to gather any amount of relevant information, regardless of whether the person accused is an actual terrorist holding any real information to share. Terms such as enhanced interrogation techniques had to be invented to pass them as legal and humane methods in congress. Add to this polarized scenario, the suspension of the one single law that could serve as the difference between life and death of an innocent civilian the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. The suspension took away with it the only chance an innocent civilian had to prove his innocence. In short, simply standing at the wrong place at the wrong time can get you to serve a lifetime of torture with not even a hint of a fair trial. Naturally, concern about the handling of such detainees grew and petitions filed by family and friends of detainees finally began to reach the courts. The Supreme Court finally in a landmark case of Boumediene v. Bush ruled against the suspension of habeas corpus for the detainees with a 5-4 majority. It declared that the suspension of the writ was indeed unconstitutional. Justice Kennedy who ruled with the majority supported his stand with examples from the history of the writ back in the 12th century and its recent applicability in territories outside the border of US but still falling in its control, such as Chanel Islands. His summary also compared the legality of this writ in Scotland, which is a sovereign nation and yet still under English laws. Once US jurisdiction was proved, Justice Scoter, Ginsburg and Bryer pointed out that it would have to be one that was based on the constitution or no jurisdiction at all. Justice Scalia argued that the habeas corpus law was in fact protected by the Detainee Treatment Act, and refuted the entire judicial intervention. He was supported by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Alito and Thomas. The Justices did a fine job of evaluating the suspension of the writ. From establishing jurisdiction and what kind of jurisdiction, to an alternate mechanism to protect the habeas corpus in spirit, all avenues were thoroughly investigated. The courts also recognized the extremely difficult nature of assessing an individual in a warzone to be a combatant or a civilian in a foreign location. And yet, the writ cannot be suspended out of fear of failure in acquiring adequate proof against the detainee. Personally, I feel strongly that the writ of habeas corpus is a right so basic that it cannot be suspended in any scenario. The very least an accuser can do is to offer a fair trial to the accused. I feel that the President was wrong to remove the last ray of hope of an innocent civilian that might have been unfairly detained. The case also established the judicial soundness of our nation even at times of war, and the entire exercise in judiciary coming in between the functioning of Congress was an example to the world. Denying such a basic right makes us no different than the terrorists who accuse and punish others that broadly fit their own enemy description. Living as a part of a civilized nation for over 200 years, we owe it to ourselves to act in a dignified manner, even with our captives.

Gangs and Violence in The Prison System Essay -- Criminal Justice

Gangs and Violence in the Prison System Introduction Gang violence is nationwide and is one of the most prominent problems in the prison system today. Gangs are known to attempt to control the prisons/jails, instill fear within the prison system and throughout the society, and bring negative attention to the system. â€Å"Gang affiliated inmates comprise about 18 percent of the 18000 inmate population.†(Seabrook) A growing numbers of inmates and a large amount of them serving longer sentences for violent crimes suggest a notable increase in gangs and violence in the prison system in the upcoming future. History â€Å"Prisons began to bulge with gang members when states enacted tougher laws for gang-related crime in the mid to late 1980s.†(Martinez) On one hand the laws enacted helped get gang members off the street, but in another way it backfired by not stopping the gangs’ activity. â€Å"In many ways their number and power grew even more in prison.†(Martinez) The problem of gangs and violence has been addressed many times throughout the years by the United States Correctional Board but the board has yet to take the problem seriously. Background Most gang members in prisons are introduced to the â€Å"gang life† at an early age and enter prison a member, but some become a member once behind bars mainly for the protection the gangs are known to provide. Gangs are known to purposely intimidate other inmates, thus reinforcing the reason why â€Å"one out of every ten male inmates† becomes a member once behind bars. (Knox) Most of the people who enter prison a member were sentenced for drug offenses. Prison gangs are well known for the handling of illegal substances, alcohol, or tobacco inside the correctional facilities, this is only a ... ... of Gangs and Security Threat Groups." National Gang Crime Research Center. 2005. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. . Martinez, Pila. "Novel Attempt to Curb Prison Gang Violence." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 1999. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. . "Prison Gangs -- Gangs and Security Threat Group Awareness." Florida Department of Corrections. Florida Department of Corrections. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. . Seabrook, Norman. "Prison Violence on the Rise." USA Today. Buisness Library, Sept. 2005. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. . Yanez, Dominick. â€Å"Security Threat Group’s in the Correctional System Overview.† Sam Houston State University, Huntsville. 13 April. 2012. Lecture.

Robotization of Human Workforce

The Robotization of a Human Workforce Job satisfaction has been defined as â€Å"a pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences. † It lists two different formulas for calculating job satisfaction: the Value Percept Theory, and the Job Characteristics Theory. This paper discusses the former and how it relates to Foxconn and its CEO, Terry Guo, whom writers Balfour and Culpan describe as a â€Å"ruthless taskmaster. † The Value Percept Theory is essentially the workers’ WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) paradigm, describing how certain job elements affect employee satisfaction, and the ramifications of that satisfaction. It focuses on eight specific categories of employee values: how the salary compares to other employees in the same line of work; the frequency with which qualified people are promoted; supervisors’ conduct and recognition of employee efforts; the enjoyability and qualifications of co-workers; The â€Å"psychological pay† derived from the work itself, described by the text on page 106 as including â€Å"utilization of ability, freedom and independence, intellectual stimulation, creative expression, (and) sense of achievement†; to what extent the work has a positive impact on society; the level of prestige associated with the job; and the safety and comfort afforded on the job. Most people base their job satisfaction on five of those eight criteria. The magazine article discusses Chairman Gou’s business philosophy and response to twelve employee suicides during the first few months of last year. According to the authors, Gou realized there was a problem after the ninth employee jumped to his death from one of the company’s ubiquitous, crowded dormitories. Gou responded by stringing netting around the exterior of the dormitories at second-floor level and set up a 24-hour employee hotline. He also gave employees a 30% pay raise and promised another salary bump during 2011 – principally due to pressure by one of his biggest customers, Apple. These measures were almost certain to reduce the number of employees who sought their own demise by jumping from their dormitory windows – provided they did not land on one of the steel support braces – but it failed to address the real problem of why so many people became despondent enough to end their own lives. The reasons seem clear, using the Value Percept Theory. Among the top five job â€Å"satisfaction facets,† the rate of pay is lowest on the list. Far more important to most workers, according to figure 4-2 in the text, are the work itself and the conduct of supervisors. With respect to those two facets, interviews with employees were telling. One employee stated that supervisors and managers â€Å"aren’t nice to people,† and a spokesman for China Labour Bulletin, which seeks to uphold the rights of Chinese workers (clb. org), characterizes Foxconn as â€Å"repressive. † Another employee explained the high levels of stress she suffers while performing repetitive tasks that require intense concentration. Though Gou places little value on a college education, he would do well to read our textbook.

Rationalist Approaches Essay

International relations (IR) are ‘the diplomatic strategic relations of states, and the characteristic focus of IR is on issues of war and peace, conflict and cooperation’ (Brown and Ainley, 2009). Many different theories exist within IR to define and analyse certain situations. Rationalism is classified as the major in IR analysis theory (Baylis, et al, 2011). The study of IR according to a comprehensive and scientific methodology became a key demand after the First World War, resulting from a desire to clarify international politics. Following the First World War, international relations were initially taught in different fields, such as international law and diplomatic history and international organisations. The importance of studying international relations as an independent rapporteur emerged after the Second World War, precipitated by unprecedented US involvement in global affairs (both during the war and in the subsequent Cold War) and the decline of the European empires in the post-war political situation (Hook and Spanier, 2007). International relations seeks to interpret the phenomena of international reality and reliably and realistically conceptualise and analyse international events for the purpose of building theory and prediction and the study of IR itself. IR aims to reach analytical exact facts of the international situation by recognising the power that controls the formation of various approaches of States with each other and by determining how they dynamically interact, and their consequent impact on the conditions of the international community (Burchill, 2011). International relations are changing constantly under the influence of international politics and pressure, which affect the content and characteristics of IR. The problem of correlation between domestic and foreign policy of the most complex and controversial problems precipitates debate in many theoretical trends in the science of international relations, such as neo- realism (Baldwin, 1993). The theory of international relations is a homogeneous group and methodology of assumptions that seeks to clarify relations, which we call internationalisation. This essay will demonstrate critically some of international relations theories and the interpretations of some key concepts, for example power, state and world order, by using historic and contemporary examples in terms of: firstly, realism and neo-realism; secondly, liberalism and neo-liberalism; thirdly, decision-making theory; and finally, to evaluate the extent to which the rationalist approaches are appropriate in the study of international relations and to illustrate the weaknesses and the strengths of rationalist approach in the study of IR, to bring out the essence of various social entities through epistemological approaches grounded in rationality and interpretation based on the event goal finding forms of social organisation. The events of September 11th, 2001 (hereafter referred to as ‘9/11’) and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001 and 2003 respectively have alerted researchers in international relations to the role of ideological factors in the behaviour of states, something that contributed to the enrichment of the debate and opposed some fundamental assumptions of Western sociology, especially those relating to humanitarian actions based on rationality and social councils, and the associated view that the world is moving towards a common destiny of liberal democracy and market economy, overriding the self-specificities of peoples and cultural differences (Baylis, et al, 2011). Many researchers have tried possible analyses of reality and built theories from to enable a preview of variable events in international reality, and others used these models for intellectual and contemplative purposes in an attempt to extrapolate theoretical exchange, leading to a different understanding of reality and perception and overcoming the impact of the analysis of external behaviour with proposed forms and formats of relations and international transactions; this is the so-called war of paradigms. In addition, the most important reasons for the differences between these paradigms are due to the complexity of the field of international relations and the complex nature of these relations on the one hand, and the difference in perspectives and ideological motives from which each approach on the other. There is no doubt that the selection of work by the term â€Å"paradigm† is the most effective and beneficial, as the hallmark of this field is relative to these paradigms that do not live up to many researchers’ level of theory, but there are poles of paradigms to serve the interests and certain objectives which sometimes may not be available in scientifically objective conditions, and which facilitate the ideological framing of the general orientation of groups or individuals. Firstly, the theory of realism called for overcoming differences among nations through the international rule of law. The most prominent representatives of this trend, such as Morgenthau, considered that the international system is by nature chaotic and driven by a single law (Schuett, 2011). Realism has interests and is supported by historians. However, the theory suffers from uncertainty because it lacks universally supported definitions for example â€Å"power†, and it assumes that state officials act for national interests in accordance with the interests of power; if this is true, this indicates that the state is in a constant struggle (Brown & Ainley, 2000). Morgenthau was mostly concerned with his concept of power. The policy is determined in relation to the power, and aims to own and keep them and their development. The power is always the ultimate goal of the policy. For Morgenthau, sovereignty is authority over the thought or actions of other human beings; he accordingly rated different countries depending on their political objectives (Cozette, 2008). This category consists of four sections: rated countries seeking to adopt the status quo with any exposure to the existing arrangement; rated countries seeking to develop their strength, practicing a policy of imperialism; and states seeking fame. Three forms of power parallel these categories: to retain power, power development, and highlighting power. The classification uses Morgenthau’s concept of power in a relative sense, a classification that lacks rigour in terms of the definition of terms and reference problems posed by the application of this classification (Turner & Mazur, 2009). However, he also warned that common errors can occur when assessing power, resulting in the following recommendations: first, one should not deal with the power as an absolute concept, and should use a relative analysis; second, power should not be regarded as something acquired; and third, one should not restrict focus to one of the power components, rather all should be carried by the dimensions of this concept. Kenneth Waltz diverged from the realist school and added the experience of new realism in his development of the theory of international relations in his book Theory of International Politics (1979). His new concept of foreign policy is based on the understanding of the system and systemic dynamics, and not of peoples or countries, Waltz pioneered realistic visualisation alongside his focus on the study of manifestations of international economics, with the development of the theory of stability to maintain the status quo, when superpowers impose their concepts that are antithetical to some parties such as the initiative to establish neoliberal international financial institutions to support imaginable ideological outlooks (Waltz, 1959). According to Waltz, the main actors that unite on the basis of securing their survival are states. Neo-realism is an alternative vision. Waltz tried in his book to refine the theory of realism by searching for â€Å"essence.† The theory concerns the international system, and maintains this level of analysis as the only way to understand the actions of the actors who make up the elements of this system, which impose specific restrictions on acts. In this sense, Waltz does not have any hostile vision of international relations. The only issue of importance is the system; albeit other factors such as religion, psychology and internal politics and the economy are considered to some extent in a secondary capacity, he believes that the essence of international relations is located above the other factors. Moreover, the appreciation that the chaotic situation of international relations obliges states to pursue policies that are realistic renders the theory of Waltz a revolutionary one that abrogates a number of factors to permit a general theory of international relations. Waltz stresses on properties that are analysed at the level of the base units and conducts classification systems for example (Islamic, democratic) to enable the interpretation of international relations. Waltz claimed that the foreign policies of states are not the most important elements in the interpretation of international relations; opponents say that the g lobal system is the sum of the states and mutual decisions and actions (Waltz, 1959). The most famous example of the new realistic analysis was conducted by Mearsheimer (1990) on the future of Europe. The baseline of the scenario for analysis was the assumption that the end of the Cold War was absolute, and that the complete withdrawal of Soviet influence from Europe was imminent. It is noteworthy that in 1990 the dismantling of the Soviet Union could be a potentially destabilizing danger that could exacerbate the crisis situation and prospects of major wars for two main reasons: first, because the multi-polar system was less stable due to the increased diodes and the growing relations between states in the international system and the lack possible symmetry authorities, and miscalculations tensions and power; and second, because there was a change in conventional military force. Mearsheimer identified four scenarios based on nuclear deterrence: nuclear disarmament of Europe, which was not expected because of the fundamental role of nuclear deterrence in consolidating international relations; to maintain the status quo, which would raise a number of countries such as Germany or Eastern Europe, and could also precipitate an escalation reaction to their possession of nuclear weapons, and resorting to internal action against threats to other countries owning nuclear weapons; nuclear proliferation in the hands of bad management, which could cause an increase in the potential for conflicts in Europe; fourth, nuclear proliferation in the hands of a good management policy associated with the balance of power led some key countries (Mearsheimer, 2007). The latter was the solution proposed by Mearsheimer. This entailed the provision of nuclear weapons to Germany, based on a balance of power engendered by the United States and Britain transferring powers to Europe. His argument was based on the proviso that nuclear weapons are a stabilising factor and that Germany was seeking to consolidate its security. The criticism of Mearsheimer that can be addressed by specialists in the affairs of the institutions is that the policy of maintaining the status quo through organisations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was entirely possible. The counterpoint to the realist theory is the liberal approach, which is thought to be the dominant paradigm capable of producing dimensional explanation essential to international relations, with the evolution of scientific and technological progress and economic shifts, which laid the foundations of the liberal intellectual paradigm, which emerged with the seminal pioneers of international law such as Jean Bodin (1552-1608) in his book The Law of War and Peace (1625). Pioneers of liberalism glorified personal freedom and inflated the status of the individual within the state and society and the rule of law against the caprice and tyranny they associated with states, a trend which continued into the era of Classical Liberalism during the 19th century, epitomised with regard to states by Richard Cobden’s argument that Free Trade engendered peace in international relations, and with regard to the individual by John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty (1869) (Grey, 1995). Modern neo-liberalism has outgrown the narrow framework of national sovereignty, focussing instead on the building blocks for international cooperation such as organisations and regional institutions supporting this ethos (Baldwin, 1993). One more recent development is that of the notable neoliberal Karl Doetsch, who moved from inside-loop integration to the role of communication and information between individuals and groups. However, other theories calling for a different vision about international reality cannot be overlooked, such as the theory of dependency developed by some thinkers concerned with Third World countries, in parallel with which political theories and academic attempts to explain changes in the international situation after the end of the Cold War emerged, which predicted the type and nature of upcoming global conflicts such as the notion of the end of history (Francis Fukuyama) and the clash of civilisations (Samuel Huntington), which reduced future conflicts to the spheres of religion and culture (El Anis, et al, 2010). In fact, no single claim has the rigour to encompass and comprehend all dimensions of the complex characteristics of world politics, and a wide range of ideas compete away from the traditional theoretical paradigms, and this competition between theories exposes the strengths and weaknesses of each, and identifies the necessary modifications to be made. In the process of decision-making in a rational manner, one of the logical operations follows a path that starts by defining the problem until a solution is reached, and revolves around the idea of ​​the role of individuals’ ability to increase their own personal benefit; this self-interest of individuals is held to collectively produce the public interest. (Cuban) Rationality is restricted to a basis dependent on personal impressions as well as control methods that are followed in making and implementing decisions. Before turning to the theory of rational choice, studying each of the conditions of the emergence of the concept and definition of the theory of decision-making is necessary. Decision-making theory scrutinises the comprehensiveness of the various elements that must be taken into account when analysing a specific policy, whether in general or in a particular moment; the theory works between these variables, but hypotheses do not necessarily require the decision maker to work on this basis, and it is perhaps more appropriate that the latter consider the decision theory of partial theories rather than the theory of a school if they are focusing on the political system as a whole or specifically on certain private units. Decision-making as an attempt to develop a systemic study of international politics began in the 1950s, led by Richard Snyder and Graham Allison, inspired by the international circumstances then prevailing. At the time, other theories appeared circumstantial and contingent to Cold War policies in the context of the international standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States of America and their allies. The Cold War was at one of its peaks during the 1950s, and led to the emergence of numerous critical scenarios worldwide, which erupted into proxy wars between the USA and USSR in numerous instances for instance the Korean War during the 1950s, and the Vietnam War during the 1960s, fuelled by the competition for military, economic or ideological influence between these two states. This led theorists of international relations in that period to find theories that kept pace with the tense reality of life, and thus came the theory of decision-making in order to determine who makes the decision taken and what frameworks affect relationships between states, and how crises can be managed. Richard Snyder focused his search of international relations on attitudes and reactions and interactions between states, and this theory converged with the theory of realism in some dimensions due to its common identification of the state as the main determinant in international relations (Krasner & Stephen, 1976). Finally, rational analysis has an important place in the analysis of strategic traditionalists who deal with the actors’ behaviours according to the data and plans calculated (military school) that deal with states as the actors seeking to achieve the greatest benefit at minimal cost ( ). This perspective of rationality was enhanced by Hans Morgenthau’s study of rationality aspects relating to the behaviour of states. Morgenthau stressed that countries collide externally and internal variables do not contribute to the external behaviour. The theory is linked in some forms to the stream of the political right, but the 1980s saw the emergence of a school of Marxism espousing the theory of rational free choice, which constitutes an example that there is no necessary link between theory and the political situation. It is clear that the theory of rational choice in the social sciences in general, which first appeared and grew up in sociology, but later separated into different fields of knowledge in the social sciences, had room for application in all the social sciences, particularly political science, and in particular relations in international decision-making foreign policy, and in the profit and loss theories, specifically game theory (Myerson, 1991). This means that the options for each of the parties to the game options and priorities, and in front of opportunities to choose alternatives available to them. However, every alternative is open to each party to affect the value achieved by the other players. If these choices are available for any player, they are available to all other players. This theory helps researchers, especially as they deal with the international strategic situation, in clarifying the alternative options before the decision-makers and helps them understand the problem and the ability to solve systematic analysis more deeply. Rationality in decision-making theory is based on determining rational behaviour, intended behaviour of decision-makers and which player can win. It does not address what route people actually take, and individuals may behave contradictorily and irrationally at times. The advocates of this theory used rational behaviour on the basis that it is most able to make the fittest theory of inte rpretation, and rational behaviour means that each player in international politics has a set of values ​​and goals and decides its policy accordingly, without errors. This is analogous to the analysis of sports, but this game theory is a method of analysis that provides evidence to choose the best route to work; states are required to look for the best ways to work and the attitudes and the results of this appear in the actions of others. The goal is to identify potential irrational acts that can and do lead to decisions and the most convenient work in order to achieve goals. Rational decision links the objectives and means thinking about the results, and rational analysis analyses the relationship between means and goals. Rationality provides full information in advance, so actors are able to stop their analysis when the results they expect are produced. However, the results of rational decision-making are not necessarily useful. It could be argued that one of the signs of an irrational decision is not using the information available. But we experimentally note that the decision is a rational decision in terms of the integration of the goals and objectives, including any tuning account of costs and benefits for explicit values ​​given, and states should take into account the various means at their disposal and also analyse and evaluate the results. In conclusion, neo-realism along with neoliberalism can be categorised as rationalist approaches in IR. While neo-realism is a concept of foreign policy based on understanding the system not the individual states, neo-realists cannot explain change in the system or in some circumstances predict potential dangers (Keohane, 1986). Neoliberalism refers mainly to economic liberalisation, and the facilitation of trade throughout the globe, with the onus on the development of the private sector. To this fundamentally economic programme, a vague concept of political freedom is appended much less forcefully than in Classical Liberalism (Doyle & Michael, 1986). However, the reforms of neoliberalism focus on increasing competition and achieving high economic growth and ignoring the influences that could affect such activities. Although they differ in many aspects, they both look to determine phenomena requiring explanation, for instance, the new realistic analysis conducted by Mearsheimer about the future of Europe, and both approaches identify the key actors. It is clear that they are demonstrating how the findings would be under given conditions if the actors function rationally. References Baylis, J. et al. (2011), The globalization of world politics an introduction to international relations, 5th edition, Oxford University press, New York. Baldwin, David A., (ed.) (1993) Neorealism and Neoliberalism: The Contemporary Debate. (New York: Columbia University Press) Brown, C. Ainley, K. (2009), Understanding International Relations [online], PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, New York, Available from: http://www.coursesmart.co.uk/understanding-international-relations-4th/chris-brown-kirsten-ainley/dp/9780230213104 [Accessed: 22.12.2012]. Burchill, Scott (2001) â€Å"Introduction,† in Theories of International Relations, Hampshire, Palgrave Cozette, M. (2008) ‘What Lies Ahead: Classical Realism on the Future of International Relations’ International Studies Review, Vol.10, No.4, pp.667-679 Doyle, Michael W., (1986) ‘Liberalism and World Politics’, American Political Science Review, Vol. 80, No. 4, pp. 1151-1169 El Anis, I. et al. (2010), An Introduction to international relations theory perspectives and themes , 3rd edition, Pearson Education Limited , England. Grey, J. (1995). Liberalism. 2nd ed. Buckingham: Open University Press Hook, S. W. & Spanier, J. W. (2007). American foreign policy since World War II. 17th ed. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. Keohane, R. (1986), Neorealism and its critics, New York: Columbia University Press. Krasner, Stephen D., (1976) ‘State Power and the Structure of International Trade’, World Politics, 28(3): 317-47. Mearsheimer, John J., ‘Structural Realism’, in Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith, International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007) pp. 71-88 Myerson, R. (1991), Game Theory Analysis of conflict, President and fellows of Hravard College, United States of America. Schuett, R. (2010) ‘Classical realism, Freud and human nature in international relations’ History Of The Human Sciences, Vol.23, No.2, pp.21-46 Turner, S., and Mazur, G. (2009) ‘Morgenthau as a Weberian Methodologist’ European Journal Of International Relations, Vol.15, No.3, pp.477-504 Waltz, K. (1959) Man, the State and War, New York: Columbia University Press. Waltz, Kenneth, (2000) ‘Structural Realism after the Cold War,’ International Security, Vol. 25, No. 1

How to Become a Rehabilitation Counselor

How to Become a Rehabilitation Counselor When you hear the word â€Å"rehab,† it might conjure up images of celebrities disappearing for a few weeks while publicists release statements about â€Å"exhaustion.† But while rehabilitation centers certainly do the very important work of helping patients with additions and related health issues, they also exist for helping patients get back on their feet after surgeries, injuries, or other illnesses. Rehabilitation counselors are crucial in helping these patients, as well as people with disabilities, recover and overcome barriers. The Day-to-DayRehabilitation counselors are allied health professionals work with clients and families to help those clients to achieve personal, social, psychological, and professional goals. One of their main roles is helping people get back on track (or on track in the first place) after being diagnosed with a disability or illness, or as they recover from surgery or injuries. Counselors can work with clients of all ages and backgrounds , but may specialize in areas like patients with disabilities, patients coming back from military service or stress-related trauma, patients being treated for addictions, or patients dealing with work-related injuries. By creating treatment plans and coordinating services and accommodations, counselors help their clients make progress in their lives.Rehabilitation counselors typically work a standard 40-hour week, though these hours might include evenings or weekends to accommodate client needs. Rehab counselors can work in a variety of places, like community centers, youth centers, senior centers, hospitals, or private clinics.For more on what it’s like to be a rehabilitation counselor, check out these videos:Understanding Rehabilitation CounselingWhat is Rehabilitation Counseling?So You Want to Be a Rehabilitation CounselorThe RequirementsRehabilitation counselors typically have a master’s degree from an accredited program, though their undergraduate degrees can be i n a variety of fields like social work, psychology, or counseling. Clinical training is usually included in the master’s program, in addition to an internship and a practicum. Certification is usually optional, but you should check your state’s requirements (or potential future employers’ requirements) ahead of time.The PayPer the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rehabilitation counselors earn a median salary of $34,380 per year, or $16.53 per hour.The OutlookDemand for rehabilitation counselors is expected to rise by at least 9% by 2024, reflecting a need for all kinds of outpatient follow-up care for people affected by injuries, trauma, stress, or illnesses.

Challenges of education in a multicultural environment

Challenges of education in a multicultural environment The problems often encountered by teachers and students in these case can be: Problems of communication breakdowns between staff and students because of poor foreign language ability and pronunciation of the English language used within the school. Cultural differences between students or between the student and the teacher (what is common and normal in one culture it is not acceptable in another). The lack of knowledge of different cultures, which leads to misunderstandings concerning students’ manners. Lecturer needs to be open to other cultures and to try to familiarize the students with the differences between the patterns of behavior of the representatives of various nationalities, sub-cultures, etc. The role of the teacher is vital because the teacher is the person who builds the atmosphere during the class. Teacher must be prepared to effectively facilitate learning for every individual student, no matter how culturally similar or different they are. As an educator, it is important to have a dual responsibility to engage in a critical and continual process to examine how the socializations and biases inform my teaching and thus affect the educational experiences of the students. Teachers have a responsibility to themselves to examine the lenses through which they understand the people and happenings around them. Only when they have a sense for how their own perceptions are developed in relation to their life experiences they will begin to understand the world and effectively navigate their relationships with the people around them. To be an effective and successful teacher means that we must be in a constant process of self-examination and transformation in order to fit the needs and also be on the same track with the trends. Also far of a great importance are the transformation of schools and schooling. Student-centered pedagogy is an important task that teachers should take into account. Students’ experiences and opinions must be brought to the center of the classroom, making learning active, interactive, relevant, and engaging. Traditional teaching approaches and pedagogical models should remain to the past. All aspects of teaching and learning in schools must be focused and dedicated to the students. The accent should be placed on critical thinking, learning skills, and deep social awareness. Pedagogy must provide all students with the opportunity to reach a certain level of maturity. All curricula must be analyzed and even transformed and everything to be presented from diverse perspectives, corners and views. All in all we can conclude that teaching may be very difficult and at the same time enjoyable and attractive. The problems, the challenges and all the difficulties it brings may have a great contribute and inflict in the personal and professional growth of the teachers that deal with this environment. Among the positive things and the advantages that may result from it are the self-preparation, capability, skills, proficiency and the experience that adds values to the curriculum of the teacher and prepares him to reach an international level in every means of his or her persona. The relation between culture and language is very strong and it is hard to exist divided from one another. So, this makes important culture in teaching English in order to make students have a clearer picture and better understanding toward many things.

Representatives of American Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Representatives of American Culture - Essay Example The choice of design and color for the flag tells a story in itself. The blue and red colored flag with prominent stripes and stars represent the union of fifty states spanning the North American landscape. Beyond this basic symbolism, the flag has been associated with the nation’s progress in science and technology. For example, when Neil Armstrong and his colleagues in NASA successfully landed on the moon, it was the planting of the American Flag which served as the token purpose of the mission. At that time, the world was divided in two as a result of the Cold War. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) The flag also represented the country in its military endeavors. Irrespective of political conditions and arenas of conflict, the flag has always been at the forefront of American military operations going back to the Declaration of Independence (Goode, 2002, p.13). At the same time, it has been used by American citizens to express their dissent. For example, the mass demonstrations that followed American participation in the Vietnam War saw instances of flag burning. The same kind of protestation against American government’s policies is being repeated at present with respect to the issue of invasion of Iraq. In this case, it is an expression of dissent. It will not be an exaggeration to state that the American people are obsessed with the flag. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) Disney world is a relatively recent entrant into the collective consciousness of American people. While it was started by Walt Disney to be an amusement park for children, gradually it had metamorphosed into a recreational center for the entire family. A lot can be discerned by studying what it offers to visitors. The most famous of its mascots, the Mickey Mouse, is a household name in America. The numerous animated cartoons produced by Walt Disney Incorporation, including a few iconic series, are a rite of passage