Managerial Economics Essay Example for Free

Managerial Economics Essay 1) The elasticity of one variable with respect to another between two given points. It is used when there is no general function to define the relationship of the two variables. Arc elasticity is also defined as the elasticity between two points on a curve. The P arc elasticity of Q is calculated as The percentage is calculated differently from the normal manner of percent change. This percent change uses the average (or midpoint) of the points, in lieu of the original point as the base. 2) Definition of Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns A law of economics stating that, as the number of new employees increases, the marginal product of an additional employee will at some point be less than the marginal product of the previous employee. The law of diminishing marginal returns means that the productivity of a  variable input declines as more is used in short-run production, holding one or more inputs fixed. This law has a direct bearing on market supply, the supply price, and the law of supply. If the productivity of a variable input declines, then more is needed to produce a given quantity of output, which means the cost of production increases, and a higher supply price is needed. The direct relation between price and quantity produced is the essence of the law of supply. An economic theory that states as additional inputs are put into production, the additional return will be in successively smaller increments. This can be due to crowding, adding less appropriate resources or increasing inputs of lower quality. In More Laymen Terms As the saying goes, Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth, in any production there is a point of diminishing returns where just adding more inputs will not give the same income as it once did. Although many industrial firms strive to reach scale, where their size gives them a cost advantage at higher production levels, no matter what industry a firm finds itself there will always be a point where the additional gain from added input is reduced. 3) The prisoners dilemma is a canonical example of a game analyzed in game theory that shows why two individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interest to do so. It was originally framed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher working at RAND in 1950. Albert W. Tucker formalized the game with prison sentence payoffs and gave it the prisoners dilemma name (Poundstone, 1992). A classic example of the prisoners dilemma (PD) is presented as follows: Two men are arrested, but the police do not possess enough information for a conviction. Following the separation of the two men, the police offer both a similar deal—if one testifies against his partner (defects/betrays), and the other remains silent (cooperates/assists), the betrayer goes free and the cooperator receives the full one-year sentence. If both remain silent, both are sentenced to only one month in jail for a minor charge. If  each rats out the other, each receives a three-month sentence. Each prisoner must choose either to betray or remain silent; the decision of each is kept quiet. What should they do? If it is supposed here that each player is only concerned with lessening his time in jail, the game becomes a non-zero sum game where the two players may either assist or betray the other. In the game, the sole worry of the prisoners seems to be increasing his own reward. The interesting symmetry of this problem is that the logical decision leads both to betray the other, even though their individual ‘prize’ would be greater if they cooperated. In the regular version of this game, collaboration is dominated by betraying, and as a result, the only possible outcome of the game is for both prisoners to betray the other. Regardless of what the other prisoner chooses, one will always gain a greater payoff by betraying the other. Because betraying is always more beneficial than cooperating, all objective prisoners would seemingly betray the other. In the extended form game, the game is played over and over, and consequently, both prisoners continuously have an opportunity to penalize the other for the previous decision. If the number of times the game will be played is known, the finite aspect of the game means that by backward induction, the two prisoners will betray each other repeatedly. 4) Third degree discrimination involves charging different prices to different segments of customers. This method of price discrimination is really an imperfect variation of the perfect type represented by first degree price discrimination. In this method different segments of customers are identified and each segment is charged price base on what price is most profitable for the company in each segment. The most common way of segmentation for this type of price discrimination is by geographic location. A very prominent example of this type price discrimination is charges for operations by surgeons. For the same type of operations surgeons and hospitals charge different fees depending on the type of hospital room and other facilities that the patient chooses during hospitalization for  operation. Other common forms of such price discrimination include discounts such as those for students or senior citizens. SECTION B: CASE LET 1 1) Demand theory indicates that the determinants of consumption are income (I), the price of the good in question ( pi ), the prices of other goods ( po ) and other variables such as tastes: i i q ï€ ½Ã¯â‚¬  q ( i o I, p , p , other variables). Consider the case of an illicit commodity such as marijuana. The consumption of marijuana involves risks of fines, in some cases imprisonment and, possibly, other costs associated with the shame of being caught. Consequently, the price of marijuana in its demand function ( p ) m should be interpreted as being made up of the conventional money cost ( p ) mï‚ ¢Ã¯â‚¬  plus the expected â€Å"other costs† per unit: 2) Legalization of marijuana would eliminate the criminal sanctions and penalties associated with its consumption. As this would decrease the â€Å"full† price, consumption would be expected to rise. Marijuana consumption is significantly higher amongst males than females – 60 percent of all males have consumed it, compared to 46 percent of all females. Consumption of marijuana is estimated to increase by about 4 percent if it were legalised; and by about 11 percent following both legalisation and a 50-percentfall in its price. Price is a significant determinant of marijuana consumption. Whilst marijuana consumption is estimated to be price inelastic, estimates of most of the price elasticities are significantly different from zero. Two types of price elasticities of demand for marijuana were estimated, gross and net. The gross price elasticity includes the effects of both legalisation and a price change, while the net version excludes the legalisation effect. The price elasticity of demand for marijuana differs significantly with the type of consumer. For more frequent users (daily, weekly and monthly), gross and net price elasticities are estimated to be  -.6 and -.4, respectively. Occasional smokers having a gross price elasticity of about -.3 and net elasticity of about -.1. Regarding those who are no longer users, they have gross and net price elasticities close to zero. For a given type of consumer, males and females share the same elasticity value. CASE LET 2: 1) In my opinion Yes, the Indian companies are running a major risk by not paying attention to cost cutting. To illustrate Comparing major Indian companies in key industries with their global competitors shows that Indian companies are running a major risk. They suffer from a profound bias for growth. The problem is most look more like Essar than Reliance. While they love the sweet of growth, they are unwilling to face the sour of productivity improvement. Nowhere is this more amply borne out than in the consumer goods industry where the Indian giant Hindustan Lever has consolidated to grow at over 50 per cent while its labour productivity declined by around 6 per cent per annum in the same period. Its strongest competitor, Nirma, also grew at over 25 per cent per annum in revenues but maintained its labour productivity relatively stable. Unfortunately, however, its return on capital employed (ROCE) suffered by over 17 per cent. In contrast, Coca Cola, worldwide, grew at around 7 per cent, improved its labour productivity by 20 per cent and its return on capital employed by 6.7 per cent. The story is very similar in the information technology sector where Infosys, NIIT and HCL achieve rates of growth of over 50 per cent which compares favorably with the worlds best companies that grew at around 30 per cent between 1994-95. NIIT, for example, strongly believes that growth is an impetus in itself. Its focus on growth has helped it double revenues every two years. Sustaining profitability in the face of such expansion is an extremely challenging task What makes this even worse is the Indian companies barely manage to cover their cost of capital, while their competitors worldwide such as Glaxo and Pfizer earn an average ROCE of 65 per cent. In the Indian textile industry, Arvind Mills was once the shining star. Like Reliance, it had learnt to cook sweet and sour. Between 1994 and 1996, it grew at an average of 30 per cent per annum to become the worlds  largest denim producer. At the same time, it also operated a tight ship, improving labour productivity by 20 per cent. Despite the excellent performance in the past, there are warning signals for Arvinds future. The excess over the WACC is only 1.5 per cent, implying it barely manages to satisfy its investor’s expectations of return and does not really have a surplus to re-invest in the business. Apparently, investors also think so, for Arvinds stock price has been falling since Q4 1994 despite such excellent results and, at the end of the first quarter of 1998, is less than Rs 70 compared to Rs 170 at the end of 1994. Unfortunately, Arvinds deteriorating financial returns over the last few years is also typical of the Indian textile industry. The top three Indian companies actually showed a decline in their return ratios in contrast to the international majors. 2 ) Fast moving consumer goods will become a Rs 400,000-crore industry by 2020. A Booz Company study finds out the trends that will shape its future Consider this. The anti-ageing skincare category grew five times between 2007 and 2008. It’s today the fastest-growing segment in the skincare market. Olay, Procter Gamble’s premium anti-ageing skincare brand, captured 20 per cent of the market within a year of its launch in 2007 and today dominates it with 37 per cent share. Who could have thought of ready acceptance for anti-ageing creams and lotions some ten years ago? For that matter, who could have thought Indian consumers would take oral hygiene so seriously? Mouth-rinsing seems to be picking up as a habit — mouthwash penetration is growing at 35 per cent a year. More so, who could have thought rural consumers would fall for shampoos? Rural penetration of shampoos increased to 46 per cent last year, way up from 16 per cent in 2001. Consumption patterns have evolved rapidly in the last five to ten years. The consumer is trading up to experience the new or what he hasn’t. He’s looking for products with better functionality, quality, value, and so on. What he ‘needs’ is fast getting replaced with what he ‘wants’ Categories are evolving at a brisk pace in the market for the middle and lower-income segments. With their rising economic status, these consumers are shifting from need- to want-based products. For instance, consumers have  moved from toothpowders to toothpastes and are now also demanding mouthwash within the same category. The trend towards mass-customization of products will intensify with FMCG players profiling the buyer by age, region, personal attributes, ethnic background and professional choices. Micro-segmentation will amplify the need for highly customized market research so as to capture the specific needs of the consumer segment targeted, before the actual product design phase gets underway. 3) Industies impressive growth in value added as observed in the previous sub section is not accompanied by a commensurate rise in the level of relative productivity in terms of the cross–country analysis. The fragmented nature of Indian pharmaceutical sector characterized by the operation of a very large number of players, estimated to be about 10,000 units of which just 300 units are medium and large sized7, may be a reason for low level of productivity. The other important factor for low productivity can be due to the nature of technological activities in the sector, which tends to rely more on process than product development. Further, it may be that Indian companies are focusing at the low end of value†chains in the pharmaceuticals like producing generics than opting for branded products or supply bulk drugs to global players than market formulations of their own. 4) The Indian textile industry has been one of the foremost contributors to the countrys employment, exports, and GDP. The industry has been rated as one of the key drivers of the Indian economy and a bold target of exports of $50 billion (currently it’s $22 billion) had been targeted by the year 2012 by the government after the dismantling of the quota regime in 2005. However we are still far away from that target. Though now it can be blamed on the worldwide recession, I think we need to do some soul searching as to was it anyways possible. Globally, the Indian industry is recognized for its competitive advantages, especially in the cotton segment. The government has set huge targets for the industry and expects to attract investments of about Rs 1.5 lakh crore during the eleventh Plan period. This would meet the export and domestic targets, while taking various initiatives like setting up textile parks, training centers, and ‘made in India label promotion’ to global markets. The Indian textile industry is facing tough competition in the US, as exporters from smaller countries like Bangladesh are cornering the lucrative market at a faster pace, a FICCI study said. In addition to China, countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh have managed to perform better than India in the US market in 2009, the study said. Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam managed to increase their share in the US textiles and apparel import in 2009 year on year at a faster rate than India. The Indian textile industry will no doubt survive and move along by the strengths of its traditional position and domestic market. However, the growth envisaged and it being re-classified as sunshine industry over the last three years from a sunset industry may turn out to be a myth Section C: 1) A vision of the impact of free trade can also be gleaned from Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Samuelson (1970) who confidently asserted that: Free trade promotes a mutually profitable division of labour, greatly enhances the potential real national product of all nations, and makes possible higher standards of living all over the globe. It promotes a regional division of labor this means that some regions of the world (or countries) will specialize in certain things. They will specialize in areas where they have a comparative advantage. It enhances national production this means that countries will be able to produce more things if there is trade. That is because they focus on producing things they are good at and do not waste resources on things that they are not good at. It allows higher standards of living because there is more production. If there is more production, there are more things available to be consumed. Another belief in the importance of free trade can be ascribed to its  perceived indirect effect on peace, security and the prevention of war. One of the first articulations of this is by Baron de Montesquieu, who writing in 1748, stated: Peace is the natural effect of trade. Two nations who traffic with each other become reciprocally dependent; for if one has an interest in buying, the other has an interest in selling, and thus their union is founded on their mutual necessities. This theory of mutual interdependence has been explored in some detail by authors such as Keohane and Nye67 and is echoed in attempts to build and protect the mandates of global institutions seeking such co-operation. However few attempts are made to track the results of policy activities on whole population of States, and as a result the overtly negative impact on some groups, usually minorities and indigenous 2) The Decision Trees, used to help with decision making in business ( and many other areas), are a form of diagrammatic analysis. They are used as a tool for helping managers to choose between several courses of action. They provide an effective and clear structure for presenting options and within decision trees the probabilities and financial outcomes of these options can be measured. They also help to form a balanced picture of the risks and potential financial rewards associated with each possible course of action. In many business decision making situations chance (or probability) plays an important role, and the use of decision trees helps build probability into the decision making process. Pictorial representation of a decision situation, normally found in discussions of decision-making under uncertainty or risk. It shows decision alternatives, states of nature, probabilities attached to the state of nature, and conditional benefits and losses. The tree approach is most useful in a sequential decision situation. For example, assume XYZ Corporation wishes to introduce one of two products to the market this year. The probabilities and present values (PV) of projected cash inflows follow: A decision tree analyzing the two products follows: Based on the expected net present value, the company should choose product A over product B.

Essay on Spirituality in the Works of Linda Brent, Toni Morrison, and Sapphire :: compare and contrast essay examples

Inclusive Spirituality in the Works of Linda Brent, Toni Morrison, and Sapphire - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Song of Solomon, and Push      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What would it be like to be torn from your home and sent so far away you could never return? And what would it be like to have your history stripped from you, your name discarded, and your own religion replaced with one that had few, if any, ties to your previous life? When slaves were brought to America they were taken from all they had known and forced to live in a land of dark irony that, while promising life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, provided them with only misery. In a situation such as the one in which the slaves found themselves, many people would rely on their religion to help them survive. But would slaves be able to find spiritual comfort within the parameters of a religion that had been passed on to them from the slaveholders? In each of the three texts "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," Song of Solomon, and Push, African-Americans struggle to find a spirituality that is responsive to their needs and that encompasses their experiences i n a way that the religion of the dominant culture does not.    Of the three texts to be examined, Linda Brent's Autobiography, "Incidents," most explicitly shows the inability of the dominant culture's religion to fulfill the needs of the minority. From the tone of her story, one realizes that Brent felt "true Christianity," if it could be found, might comfort the slaves and fulfill their needs. But Brent also felt that slavery created a paradox which made "true Christianity" impossible.    Many times in her text Brent points out the irony that, as slaveholders, the masters treat their slaves as property; yet, as Christians, they should treat them as humans. For example, Brent's mother's mistress promises that Brent and her siblings will "never suffer for any thing" (343). Brent assumes that this means they will be given their freedom when the mistress dies; however, they are not freed but passed along as property. Brent says that her mistress taught her the biblical principles that she should treat others as she would wish to be treated, and that she should adhere to the biblical commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself," but then she pointedly adds, "But I was her slave, and I suppose she did not recognize me as her neighbor"(344).

Asylum Seekers †a Contemporary Social Issues in Australian Society Essay

The Oxford English Dictionary defines asylum as the shelter afforded by a country to someone who has had to leave their country of origin due to danger from political or other reasons (Oxford English Dictionary 2012). Structuralism, according to Babbie (2006), is a theory supporting the establishment of communities of different cultures. This paper will discuss the concept of asylum seekers in Australia as part of multiculturalism within the global population flow and critically examine the roles and values of the Australian people towards â€Å"uninvited immigrants† and the policies in relation to the recent influx of asylum seekers. Specifically, this paper will first give an overview of Australians and asylum seekers, then discuss the history of asylum seekers coming to Australia and review the effectiveness of current policies in addressing the issues surrounding admission of asylum seekers. The paper will also examine the arguments and issues surrounding the policies for, and attitudes towards asylum seekers, as viewed through the lens of structural functionalism. Finally the paper will conclude with an overview of Australia’s current multicultural strategy for asylum seekers and what the future holds as globalisation increases. As the complex issues surrounding asylum seekers in Australia are increasingly challenged, constant changes due to globalisation and population flow affect Australia’s political, economical and social stance towards those seeking asylum (Jupp, 2007). The broader field of population flows and multiculturalism is the topic within which the issue of asylum seekers looking for entry into a multicultural Australia is contextualised. The Settlement Council of Australia (SOCA) is the main organisation nationally representing the settlement service division and has a close working relationship with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. SOCA states that a refugee is a victim of oppression who fits the description of a refugee as set out in the 1951 agreement concerning the Status of Refugees, of which Australia is a participant, whereas an asylum seeker has already sought protection from the government under international law and is awaiting a decision on their status. (SOCA, 2012). The current view of multiculturalism, and the approach to asylum seekers amongst Australians today, is still mixed (McMaster, 2001). It is difficult for some to accept what they perceive as outsiders queue jumping in to the system to obtain status. Multiculturalism is a vital element of the settlement procedure, assisting in establishing the best environment for settlement to occur (SOCA, 2012). To understand the desperation faced by asylum seekers is hard, and we can only draw from media coverage or second-hand knowledge, if not personally experienced (Suter, 2001). Most will have fled from their homeland due to tyranny, warfare, or horrendous abuses of their human rights. As argued by Suter (2001), Australia has reacted with obstinacy over recent years with the growing arrival of asylum seekers from countries, such as Afghanistan in 2001, where the refugees were refused entry to Australia forced to relocate to Indonesia as the boat had initially foundered in Indonesian waters. International condemnation did nothing to soften the government’s stance and interestingly, most Australians, according to surveys at the time, supported the government’s hard line. The fear of invasion still seems pervasive amongst many (Suter 2001). The humanitarian element of protection is superseded by a fact that another person is attempting to get into the country and must be assessed. As SOCA states, the reinstatement of processing migrants off-shore will have a large impact psychologically on people who are vulnerable with a bleak and uncertain outlook surrounding their status in Australia. For those arriving by boat separation from their families is traumatic and the restoration of devastated families is a main element in settling successfully. Asylum seekers will need continued support from the community during difficult times of change while establishing a safer and more protected life (SOCA, 2012). It is significant that multiculturalism is a policy that recognises, and endorses, cultural diversity, not non-racism (Van Krieken, Habibis, Smith, Hutchins, Haralambos, & Holborn 2006). Australia has received immigrants for many years, as Jupp (2007) discusses, emigrants from Europe arrived in 1788, opening the way for 160,000 convicts. The Immigration Restriction Act, introduced in 1901 named the ‘White Australia Policy’, was to prevent the admission of non- Europeans into Australia. As the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship state, Australia assesses claims made by asylum seekers under the Migrations Act 1988 and Migration Regulations 1994. There is also an independent review process for people who arrive by sea know as â€Å"irregular maritime arrivals† and asylum is granted on individual circumstances after thorough background checks, which in some cases take years. Whilst waiting for their status to be recognised, asylum seekers are required to remain in detention centres (Commonwealth, 2012). The statistics published by the Department of Immigration show that when the Refugees Convention was set up in 1951 around 1. 5 million immigrants existed worldwide. Towards the close of 2010 that figure had risen to 43. 7 million, comprising many refugees, some 15 million with over 838,000 seekers of asylum and 27million relocated from their country of origin (Commonwealth, 2012). Whilst it is difficult to account for exactly why people are displaced, a large number may be foreign students and people looking for changes in lifestyle, due to globalisation and easier forms of transport (Xu, 2007). There are still many people from war torn countries escaping from oppressive and deadly regimes looking for an improved lifestyle for their relatives and loved ones. (Lusher & Haslam, 2007). Australia is a socially diverse country, which has grown to accept and embrace differing cultures. Race and racism were a fundamental part of the national Australian community, as in the case of the Aboriginal Australians, to be rid of those considered racially disagreeable, those who were not â€Å"white†. As Lusher and Haslam (2007) discuss, historically up to the First World War, the admission of Europeans to Australia was virtually unobstructed, so there was no motive to assess immigrants entering due to persecution in their country of origin. The Second World War saw the admission of many Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany with Australia assisting in an international aid scheme. Following on from the ever-increasing influx of refugees, Australia was one of the first to sign the United Nations document on the Status of Refugees in 1951 (Jupp, 2007). From then on, Australia accepted some refugees, and rejected others. Australia’s policy on refugees has consistently formed part of its immigration policy. The first major modern controversy, which sets the scene for today’s issues, was in 1977 when a boat carrying Vietnamese refugees arrived off the coast of Darwin. The media then used labels, such as â€Å"queue jumpers† and â€Å"Boat people†, names that hold to this day (Jupp, 2007). Historical incidents such as this give a background to the treatment of asylum seekers today and what some might see as Australia’s contemptuous and cold-hearted management towards them. The numbers of refugees and asylum seekers is growing annually, as statistics from the Refugee Council of Australia show: five people arrived by boat during 1975 to 1976 compared to 4,730 on 89 boats during 2010 to 2011 (Refugee Council, 2012). Yon (2000) asserts that many Australians of â€Å"old† – or white – descent still do not identify with the multiculturalism’s view of the â€Å"new† Australia. These fundamental ideas not only marginalise ethnic cultures, but also are destructive as they produce a situation whereby â€Å"old† Australians position themselves as being on the outside of a multicultural Australia. To assert that the legitimacy of the current Australian policy on asylum seekers is being questioned is understandable when viewed from a structural functionalism perspective. People with different cultural beliefs and values come together, particularly in the strained circumstances of asylum seeking; one party running for fear of their lives and Australian Immigration viewing this flight as another invasion (McMaster, 2001). Many, according to Tepperman and Blain (2006), believe that Australia’s multicultural policy should be restructured to accommodate the rapid advances in globalisation bringing together more ethnic cultures and be in line with assimilation of ethnic cultures whilst working towards a common goal. Current policies in Australia to assist asylum seekers are not effective in this age of globalisation, and should be focused on as a matter of urgency (Lusher & Haslam 2007). On July 21, 2012 in The Australian, Cameron Stewart discusses that the government’s current policy on refugees and asylum seekers which has, until recently, been the one of the basic key stones of Australia’s commitment to human rights and is now in danger of collapse. The ineffectiveness of the current policy is highlighted by the inability of the government to prevent people smugglers bringing more boats to Australian shores, hence more and more people are arriving. But, the government continued to maintain a policy, initiated in 1996 by the Howard government, which set a cap on the intake allowed each year and which is currently much lower than the influx of new refugees to these shores (Stewart, 2012). The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (Article 13) declares people should be able to leave their place of origin with a right to decent health care, food, housing and a right to the safekeeping in areas of welfare such as unemployment, illness of death of a family member (Article 25). The UDHR also states (Article 2) that no one should be discriminated against based on of his or her viewpoint politically, or his or her status internationally (UDHR 2012, cited Xu, Q 2007). The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) advised Australia in April 2010 to seek out better options than the detention of asylum seekers who arrive by boat. The UNHRC is still in discussion with the Australian government on the best way to reduce the deferment of the mounting claims for asylum and compulsory detention, whilst concentrating on the wellbeing and health of asylum seekers in Australia (UNHRC, 2012). The theory of structural functionalism, argues that each of us is born, into set communal structures that have fixed behavioural expectations, which people generally do not contravene (Van Krieken et al, 2006). Social issues are approached scientifically assessing changes in urban growth, population flow to explain the structures underpinning society. As Bessant and Watts (2007) assert, structural functionalists focus on statistics of given situations, which are then used to describe the progress of and structure of social development and may help to create the basis of a policy on multiculturalism. Babbie (2010) posits that it is pertinent to understand how a person who once fitted in to a different society with different roles and functions may have difficulties initially, or if ever, adapting to the structure and function which makes up Australian contemporary society. It is therefore useful using the structural perspective, to assess the asylum seekers who may appear disruptive when placed for months in detention centres, as people who are displaced from their â€Å"norm† and are reacting against that displacement. Structural functionalism would be looking to understand why problems are occurring and what could be done to effectively integrate the asylum seekers into the Australian larger society, taking into account the adjustments that would be needed for those people to assimilate (Babbie 2010). According to Xu (2007), using the welfare benefit system is crucial for helping the acculturation and settlement of all immigrants. Yet as Xu (2007) notes, resentment amongst many Australian citizens is building towards asylum seekers as they often take low-paid jobs, out of necessity, which contributes to employment issues and a sense of insecurity for many indigenous and natural born workers. As a result, over the last 20 years Australia has moved its policy on immigration to focus more on assimilating asylum seekers and refugees with discussions about multiculturalism, and how that affects the native Australians, and less on the welfare of the immigrants arriving, sometimes under dire circumstances (Xu, 2007). In conclusion the analysis in this paper of the social issue of asylum seekers admitted into Australia suggest that many factors may disrupt feelings amongst native Australians, and unless handled sensitively the deep rooted fear of invasion, which still endures for many, will not go away (Jupp, 2007). Multiculturalism does not have the legitimacy it was trying to assume and marginalisation of asylum seekers still exists. As Bessant and Watts (2007) show when viewed through the paradigm of the structural functionalism theory, the current Australian policies on the treatment of asylum seekers create maladaptation and malignancies. An irrefutable fact exists, asserts Jupp (2007), which is globalisation. More people daily are coming to and from Australia and continually communicating with other countries and cultures. The frenetic pace of globalisation and the ensuing and inevitable cultural change in the form of assimilation is inevitable (Xu, 2007). The emphasis, according to Xu (2007) should be on a tactical approach that creates a long-term solution to prioritise the management and protection of asylum seekers across Australia, and adapting current policies on immigration to ensure that migrants skirting around current arrangements make no gain. The focus therefore should be on Australian observance of its international responsibilities concentrating on an improved policy for immigration, encouraging a reasonable and managed humanitarian programme which minimises fear and anxiety across all sectors yet creates an adhesive force for change.

The Problem Of Hip Hop Music - 952 Words

Cultural Expression Music has inspired and touched the lives of many aspiring hip-hop artists which makes it one of the most influential characters in America culture. Hip-hop has become one of the most vital, and profitable, forces in popular culture. Rap music is an international art form and is regularly heard in advertising including radio and television. Hip hop beats have influenced popular music genres from rock to jazz to reggae. The fashions, styles, and attitude of hip-hop have been adopted by America’s commercial culture industries and by youths from all cultural backgrounds. I predicted that hip hop music is here to stay because that s only way they can convey their story without being arrested. Is here to stay because, the same inadequate education, inequality among poor people, Injustice and police brutality that hip hop music is talking about is still exist in American today. The right to an adequate education is a freedom every American child should have; how ever, that is not the case. Standardized testing reveals that students living in an economically stable neighborhood are more mentally developed than students living in poverty stricken communities. The problem with the educational system is not schools need to close and children need to be relocated to another one, it is inequality within the educational system continues to widen due to the expansion of the economic gap. One cannot fix issues of the broken system by closing public schools andShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Hip Hop Music1721 Words   |  7 Pagesbe considered artistic expression, while the prosecutors will claim that the song is either a criminal threat or has too many similarities to the actual crime that it should be considered a confession. 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Art in popular culture revolves around action movies, television sitcoms, and provocative song lyrics, which have themes centered on explicit sexuality. Art in popular culture is embodied in music, dance, photography, and other artwork that embraces the ills of the world and acknowledges thatRead MoreThe Negative Portrayal of Women in Hip Hop and Rap Music Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesbeat-boxer in rap music today, has been quoted saying, â€Å"Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.† Although this is the original intention of hip-hop music, public opinion currently holds the opposite view. Since the 1970’s musical artists have changed the face of hip-hop and rap and worldwide, people – mostly teens—have been striving to emulate certain artists and their lyrics, which has created negative stereotypes for hip-hop music and also forRead MoreYouth Cultures ( Educ 817- 001 )908 Words   |  4 PagesAndorful In order to prove that the Hip-Hop culture’s beliefs and goals have changed, I am mostly going to rely heavily on the culture’s music. Hip-Hop music has been the voice of the Hip-Hop culture since the beginning. It has been an outlet for those in the Hip-Hop culture to vent. To understand the changes in beliefs for the culture of Hip-Hop I must first distinguish what the original beliefs were. Then I must look at Hip-Hop music now to compare and contrast. This must be done usingRead MoreThe Music Of The Hip Hop1673 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"I said the hip hop, Hippie to the hippie, the hip, hip hop, and you don’t stop, a rock it to the bang, bang boogie, say you jump the boogie, to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.† â€Å"Rapper’s Delight† is a song recorded in 1979 by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang. It was the original 12-inch single was 15 minutes of incontestable urban-playboy bragging. â€Å"Rapper’s Deli ght† was not the first single but, it is generally considered to be the song that made hip hop in the United States popularRead MoreCompaing Hip Hop and Rock Music Essay555 Words   |  3 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People all over the world listen to various types of music. The most popular kinds of music in America are hip hop and rock. As they seem to be totally different types of music they have a lot of similarities . Hip Hop and Rock music have more differences than similarities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hip Hop and Rock music are today’s people choice of music. People will find that teens and adults from the age of 20 to 34 listen to these two types of music. Not too often will you see or hear a teen listening toRead MoreDifferences And Similarities Between Hip-Hop And R B786 Words   |  4 PagesAs we know Hip-Hop and RB contain many similarities they also share many differences. There are beauty and greatness in all music Hip-Hop, and RB when I listen to two these genres I tend to notice the differences and the same that they have. The two has the same and difference lyric, tone and melodies The birth of RB was created by African American in the early 1960’s from Soul music, Jazz, Gospel, Pop music and Blues as time went on RB was born. In its earlier days, RB Music was all about racialRead MoreHip Hop And Rap Music904 Words   |  4 PagesHip-Hop/rap music receives the harshest criticism in the music industry. This is because listeners of hip-hop music don’t fully understand the message that the artist is trying to portray. Behind all the vulgar verses is actually a message that the artist wants to listener to know about. Most people don’t listen to hip-hop music because of how they see the artist illustrating their self. Many artists create music based off of his or her background and life growing up. Hip-hop music has a negative

Muslim Identities in France and Britain Free Essay Example, 3250 words

Though the approach of Britain and France is different towards the Muslims who are also their probable citizens, the two countries, however, do agree on how their own Muslim citizens should conduct and behave themselves. For instance, Tony Blair stated that Britain s citizens, including Muslims, should conform to Britain s common values. Further, they should obey the rule of law, perform their duties towards the state and other citizens while even so, holding their rights. The citizens should also maintain freedom from violence and discrimination (Moosavi, Leon, p.6). France, reflecting on its Muslim citizens feels that The idea of regularly practicing one s religion can indicate an incomplete adaptation to modern life, or to French life. Too much prayer, the wrong clothing, too many trips back to the old country, all suggest that the person is a bit too transnational to be properly national. Despite public assurances to the contrary it is possible, and perhaps likely, that a gro wing adherence to Islamic norms of ritual practices will continue to conflict with (some) French ideas about the appropriate everyday behavior of French citizens (Bowen, John R., 2002, p. 7). France, requiring a more major shift of lifestyle of its Muslims citizens from the Islamic one to the French way of living, it has been maintained that even religious symbols are not to be incorporated in dress or attire. We will write a custom essay sample on Muslim Identities in France and Britain or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The Stasi Commission suggested in its report delivered in 2003, that wearing conspicuous religious symbols should be banned in public schools .

The Economic And Political Environment During Early Post War

The source, spoken on the 5th June 1947, is an extract from an address given by the then Secretary of State, George Marshall, outlining his and America’s plan to provide substantial economic aid to the European states, to help facilitate the rebuilding process in the continent. To understand both the need and importance of Marshall’s address in 1947, the economic and political environment in early post war Europe the must be put into context. The Second World War left the majority of European states in serious economic trouble; ‘economies were suffering with open and repressed inflation, disruptive food and raw material shortages’, and the destruction of industry from bombing left production stagnant, consequently leading to the collapse of trade and widespread commodity hoarding in Europe. The political state of the continent was therefore volatile, as Europe cooperation struggled deeply with an identity crisis and the Soviet Union increased its sphere of influence across the East. If ‘hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos’ were to amass, the economic and political advantages of being allied with the continent would quickly deteriorate and soon after Europe would become a serious threat to America. Therefore, Marshall und erstood ‘that European economic recovery was essential to the long-term interests of the United States’ and once becoming Secretary of State on 21st January 1947, he knew substantial plan of American aid must be put in place. While Marshall gives hisShow MoreRelatedModernization Theory Of The Post War Years1324 Words   |  6 PagesSecond World War. The United States found themselves in a unique position where they had shown their military and technological prowess, were the only victor whose infrastructure had not been damaged by the war and saw themselves as the technological leader of the world and a model to be emulated. Along with growing fears about Cold War tensions and the threat of communism, the domestic post-war environment contributed to the emergence of the predominant American sociological and economic theory ofRead MoreThe Historical Representation Of The Canadian Wilderness993 Words   |  4 Pagesreflect and represent the economic and political environment of two time periods - Post World War I and the Great Depression, and post-World War II. The two examples of his paintings are, The Old Mill Elora, (35.6 x 40.7 cm), 1930, watercolour on paper, in private collection, painted post-World War I during the great depression; and the other Prelude, 1945, oil on Masonite, (76.2 x 91.5 cm), in The Faculty Club, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, painted post-World War II (Paul Duval, 1980, pRead MoreScholars Being Justified in Using the Term Golden Age to Describe the Economic History of Western Europe During 1950-19731456 Words   |  6 PagesDescribe the Economic History of Western Europe During 1950-1973 ‘Nothing in the history of Western Europe resembles its experience between 1945 and 1968.’ Milward, European rescue, pg. 21 In the quarter of a century that followed the Second World War, the achievements of the European economy were so impressive that the period was often referred to as the ‘Golden Age’. Since 1913 Europe had experienced two world wars plus the great depression and trade wars of theRead MoreDomestic Political State Of The Nation, Technological Advances, And Doctrinal Changes1511 Words   |  7 PagesThe Evolution of the Cost of War Analyzed through the Domestic Political State of the Nation, Technological Advances, and Doctrinal Changes Politics can be defined as the practice of influencing people through the exercise of power. The main way to control a person or a group of people is to control their finances. This is why the economy of the United States is so important. Without control of its finances, the nation is unable to exercise control internally or over other nations. There have beenRead MoreAmerican History and World War II Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesover avoiding war and the policy of American isolationism was gone. It was the beginning of a great war that brought death, devastation and finally the victory and power to United States. At the time of Roosevelt’s appointment in 1933, historically crucial events were taking place in Japan, Italy and Germany which had to shape the future and the fate of United States. This paper studies and analyses the major factors which contributed to American success both at home and abroad during WWII in additionRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1462 W ords   |  6 PagesWhen the term â€Å"Cold War† was popularised to refer to post-war tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, interpreting the course and origins of the conflict became a source of heated controversy among historians. In particular, who was responsible for the breakdown of Soviet-U.S. relations after the Second World War? During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were allied against the Axis powers. However, in the years that followed the end of World War II, the allianceRead More1. Introduction Japan has very significant characteristics in terms of their economic power1700 Words   |  7 Pagesterms of their economic power either in the Asia- Pacific region or around the world. After World War II the Japanese economy was deeply affected by shortages, inflation, and currency devaluation means that Japanese economy was bankrupt position. Therefore, Japan passed under the control of US in the post- Second World War period. From this point, economic transformation or recovery or development has started in Japan with the impacts of US and Japanese governments. Besides this economic aid, US alsoRead MoreThe Effects Of Climate Change On Africa s Security Environment Essay1578 Words   |  7 Pagescorrelations between climate and conflict used civil war datasets as the measure of the outcome variable. The use of an aggregated country level civil war data may be missing the most important features of the accuracy, degree, and severity of the impact of climate change on Africaâ₠¬â„¢s security environment. The use of civil war and political violence datasets to capture the impact of climate change may produce misleading outcomes. Unlike civil conflict and political violence, climate-related conflicts may beRead MoreCold War Politics: Shaped By The Global Economic Crises of the USA and USSR 1563 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most remarkable events in the early history at the end of the twentieth century was the period post Second World War also known as Cold War. The Cold War began in 1945, leaving the door open for the search of the world dominance between the two most powerful countries at that time: The United States of America (USA) and the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). This struggle for power had to be developed under the fluctuating economic conditions of the age. Even though, the worldRead MoreThe Idea Behind The United Nations1163 Words   |  5 PagesThe Idea Behind The United Nations Is To Be Democratic In Solving World Politi cal, Economic and Social Issues, But Is It Successful In This Effect? Stephen Goodspeed describes the organizational framework of the United Nations as â€Å"an association of states that through a multipartite treaty, the Charter, have elected to follow a certain course of action in given circumstances in order to accomplish specific aims and purposes.† It has the legal capacity whereby, it is able to act as a subject

Teen’s Alcohol Abuse Free Essays

The study aims to identify the factors influencing alcohol abuse among teenagers whose age range from 13 to 19 years. Stratified random sampling will be applied, with samples coming from across the state to ensure the heterogeneity of the sample in terms of the variables being studied. Stratified random sampling is done by dividing the population into strata, in this case by the towns the respondents currently reside, then by employing simple random sampling from each stratum (or town) (Johnston, B. We will write a custom essay sample on Teen’s Alcohol Abuse or any similar topic only for you Order Now , and Christensen, L., 2000). The target number of sample will be set at 10% of the 13-19 year old population in each town (rural or urban). A possible barrier to achieving this set number of sample however is the difficulty in achieving this huge target due to the limited time and financial resources. A solution seen to overcome this barrier is through the use of the internet and sending of electronic mails to reach the respondents. The use of this type of method of data gathering may possibly cause risks in the validity of the answers given by the respondents. Confusion on the part of the respondents may take place, and the researcher may not be available at all times to attend to clarifications. In order for this threat to be avoided, the survey questions have been constructed to be simple and concise. This sample is said to be representative of the population because of the randomization that has been done to assure that the sample is composed of individuals who are not in any way homogenized in one or more traits or characteristics being studied. The survey tool used is a 13-item questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questions. Possible answers which are mutually exclusive have been constructed. Should the answer not be found in the list of answers, then the sample may choose to state his response. The survey tool and variables measured The variables are demographic in nature such as age, and several socio-cultural variables such as the individuals the respondent is currently living with, annual family income, the drinking history of the parents, attitude of the parents towards alcohol, and the respondent’s experience in witnessing violence and the frequency of witnessing this violence. Behavioral and attitudinal characteristics of the respondents will also be measured, such current alcohol intake, frequency of alcohol intake, and history of alcohol abuse, and availability of or accessibility to alcohol. The variable â€Å"age† is defined as the age of the respondent in years at the time of the study. This variable is answered by the second survey question, which is a closed-ended one. Since the level of measurement is ratio, the response to this item will be coded as it is. â€Å"Companion in Residence† is defined as the individual/s (if any) with whom the respondent has live with for the most part of his life. This has been defined in such a manner due to the assumption that should an individual’s beliefs or behavior be affected by another individual, this effect is said to be incurred by the person he has lived with longest in his life. Possible responses to this question include parents, relatives or guardians, friends or peers, or none. It is a closed-ended type of survey question. The variable â€Å"annual family income† is defined as the average income in US$ incurred by the family in one year. It will be measured in the fourth survey question which is a closed-ended one. The lowest class of the range has been set at less than $5000, whereas the highest has been set at $65,001 and above. Since the level of measurement is ratio, the response to this item will be coded as it is. The variable â€Å"alcohol drinking† is defined as the respondent’s current behavior towards alcohol, i.e. if he at present drinks or does not drink alcohol. This variable will be measured in the fifth survey question, where the respondent answers â€Å"yes† to indicate that he currently drinks alcohol, or a â€Å"no† to indicate that he does not currently drink alcohol. The question is a closed ended one. How to cite Teen’s Alcohol Abuse, Papers