Environmental Analysis of Target Inc.

Running head: ANALYSIS OF TARGET INC. Environmental Analysis of Target Inc. Team B Contemporary Issues in Leadership and Management MM590 October 9, 2006 Abstract Team B conducted an Environmental Analysis and an Industry Analysis of Target Inc. In the Environmental Analysis, competition for customers is always a threat in any business but the success of Target is always looking for new opportunities. The Target Inc. analysis found that competition with the â€Å"big box† stores including the availability of substitute products and threats of new entrants are keys to their success. The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and shifting demographics influence Target’s success. Falling petroleum prices, confidence in the stock market and families migrating from the city to rural areas were the result of the Industry Analysis. .Our recommendations for overcoming the threats and capitalizing on the opportunities were to increase internet shopping, become move competitive in smaller towns, globalization, and allow the Salvation Army to silicate donations during the holidays. Environmental Analysis of Target Inc. Team B conducted an Environmental Analysis and an Industry Analysis of Target Inc. o identify opportunities and threats that may arise in the near future. In this research paper, the team will evaluate the findings and provide recommendations for responding to the issues and opportunities that Target stores face. Environmental Analysis of Competition An analysis of the competition indicates there is availability of substitute produc es and threats of new competition entering every year. The retail industry provides steady competition among business and within departments of the organization. Target offers a wide variety of products and services, which leads to an immense competition pool. The organization rovides services with photo development, pharmaceutical, prepared food with some locations having chain services, optical, and portrait studio centers. These diverse services provided for the expansion of the competition pool to include non-general retailers. Since retail merchandise is Target’s primary source of profitability, the organization must make proper investments to ensure the quality of these services surpass those of the competition. Quality service in the food preparation department will increase the chances that a customer will pass other fast food companies in order to get the same service at Target. Target competes for the customer’s business in retail merchandise with other discount retailers, department stores, wholesalers, and supermarkets. The competition with other discount retailers is Kmart and Wal-Mart. Each company involved in general retail offers similar products to the customers. Customers can bring a shopping list to include socks, shampoo, DVD player, and holiday decorations to each of the general retailers with confidence that each company will satisfy the customer’s needs. The differences in each business, which determines a customer’s preference is the organization’s reputation. This reputation is developed by personal experiences, and/or by external influences like media and other consumers. A consumer’s life situation is another influence on a customer’s decision on business of choice. Some families find finical benefits in purchasing items found at Target in bulk at wholesaler. A consumer’s location in proximity to businesses is another influential factor. Some of these considerations cannot be altered by a business. Although, Target can offer outstanding service to force the customer’s preference to surpass all other factors in choosing a retailer. According to Kijoo and Kim, â€Å"†¦ store managers need to give their best effort to enhance their customers' perceived satisfaction because satisfied customers have a greater chance of purchasing merchandise† (2006). The retail business relies solely on the customer’s choice in where their money is spent. The best method for retaining customers is to provide them with the products or services they desire. Those businesses, which are successful at customer service, will out perform their competition. The final source of competition involves internal aspects of the company. The competition produces threats to an organization’s retention. In each of the organization in which Target competes in sales, Target also competes in filling similar jobs. All retailers have similar job necessities including cashiers, clerks, receivers, managers, and store managers. According to the article in Human Resources Department Management Report, companies should â€Å"aim to identify the most suitable candidates as well as track trends in applicants and employees, including reasons for departure, rehire possibilities, top performers, and job specifics† (2005). The authors maintain that reduction in turnover can positively affect the profitability of the company. Businesses can operate differently but this does not change the skill requirements for being a leader. Target defines superior leadership performance as the individual who can excel in communicating effectively, managing execution, and demonstrating accountability. Since leadership is not defined by retail experience, Target searches for managers with various experiences including education, military, or public service. As Target is expanding their applicant pool, so is their competition. Once Target recruits strong leaders, retention is significant to the company’s success. Therefore, competition affects Target’s sales growth but also internal growth. Remote and Industry Analysis The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and a shifting of demographics that influence Target’s success and ability to operate. A corporation that conducts an analysis of the environment must review all available information. This should include, a comparison of one corporation’s information against others in the same industry, and a look at all influences whether they are market related, legally based or social trends that affect the environment. For this analysis, we will focus on Target Corporation, and their main competition (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 56). Overall, the retail industry has seen continued strength the last year. This is partially the result of falling petroleum prices, which has led to increased trips to the store, and increase in spending. Adding to the optimism is an increase in confidence in the stock market. Forecasts are for retail sales to continue to increase as they ramp up for the November-December holiday season. In response, the retail industry and Target alike has continued expansion in the e-commerce arena- highly ptimistic that forecasts achieve their estimate of 5% over last year (O’Donnell, 2006, p. 1). Other demographic factors include the continuing trend of families migrating from the city to rural areas, the movement of retirees to western states such as Arizona and Nevada, in addition to the continuation of retirees flooding into Florida. To capitalize on these opportunities, seve ral initiatives have been seen in the industry (PRB, 2006, p. 1). Target has continued a steady yet comprehensive expansion project estimating the addition of 60-65 new stores this next year, with an overall growth rate of 8%. This expansion includes the Super Target stores, which are designed to compete with the Super Wal-Mart, providing grocery as well as retail consumer service (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 3). Targets advertising costs have increased by $24 Million, double the increase from the previous year. These expenditures are primarily in the newspaper and media circular areas, but Target also increased expenditures on focused advertising campaigns targeting college students as they return to class in the fall (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 29). This type of advertising has proven fruitful. This is an example of how Target is carving their niche in the market by focusing  on a part of the marketplace that has specific needs (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 524). Another contributing factor to the overall increase in budget was the result of a, â€Å"†¦decline in viewer ship of the national networks and the increase in media fragmentation† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 11), which has caused a fundamental shift in advertising, utilize more web based services (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 11). To capitalize on the continued growth of on-line marketing and distribution, Target renewed its agreements with Amazon reiterating their commitment to, â€Å"†¦remain focused on our core strengths of merchandising and design, and while continuing to benefit from Amazon's innovation and expertise† (Target E-Commerce, 2006, p. 1). The article goes on to explain how Targets goal is to provide the ultimate on-line shopping experience to the customer. This methodology helps ensure Target remains a viable competitor in the on-line retail industry. Distinguishing itself from the competition, Target continues to maintain a vibrant image through its promise to ensure its, â€Å"†¦distinctive merchandise provides style, timeliness and quality at â€Å"best in class† prices† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 5). As part of this brand recognition initiative, Target continues to build relationships to enhance the shopping experience with industries such as Starbucks and Pizza Hut (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 5). This is an important part of its effort to distinguish itself from the rest of the retail environment. A study done by Moorehouse in 1984, shows that states that strictly regulate store-opening hours have fewer large stores. In these cases, the consumer pays more for the products in the larger stores, because operating costs are so much higher. This could affect many of the Target stores because it will cost the company more money to operate to give their customers more shopping flexibility, or they have to increase the prices. Target has tremendous growth and profits are high. From the studies, it appears that Target has kept their prices at the same cost, no matter what. Some of these states include many smaller towns that would not survive without the â€Å"big box† stores and welcome companies like Target. Many times even if the cost is higher, the profits are high because of the demand (Tanguay, 519). Globalization is a concept of the international marketplace that influences increased trade, economic interdependence and decreased market barriers primarily due to increased connectivity (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 538). Target has been no exception with recent expansion of services in India described â€Å"to perform business functions more productively† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. ). This global expansion is a direct result of the environment, which fosters global interconnectivity, and more cost- effective operations sourced by major industry, lower labor costs, technology, and an ever-expanding international market. Recommendations Target Corporation has increased advertising dollars to ensure the corporation is targeting custom er’s needs. The increase has done well for the company due to increase in profits over time. The internet-shopping arena is a huge business in the United States. Target’s plan to renew a contract with Amazon was a good decision. This enables customer’s greater flexibility. Many consumers do not like to drive to find the product they need and this helps Target increase profits. One recommendation for the company would to promote more internet shopping in their advertisements. This will especially help with the stores located in certain states where there are stricter regulations on store hours. This helps the consumer in those areas and gives them more flexibility. This will also help the retail chain gain more profits than the competition in those areas. In the smaller towns where companies like Target are considered the â€Å"big box† stores, the company can become more competitive with the local businesses. Many â€Å"mom and pop† stores in smaller communities consider Target a threat because they can offer lower prices on many products. Target should evaluate the markets in these smaller towns to see what the consumers are looking for and at what cost. Globalization has a huge impact on the retail industry. A survey of American organizations shows that in 1996 $100 billion were spent by large organizations on outsourcing contracts. This helps companies like Target build more alliances over seas and reduce costs in technology and labor. This helps the retail chain spend more money on advertising and marketing ventures in the Unites States. Target should continue. On the other hand, the company should look into how many jobs that they are providing here in the US. Consumers like to see major companies consider the welfare of the job economy in the states (Greco, 50). One recommendation is for Target to consider working better with charities. The Target Corporation decided to eliminate any charities soliciting for money inside or outside of their stores. This was a huge headliner when the company stated nationwide that they were not going to allow the Salvation Army (bell ringers) outside of their stores during the holidays. Target’s defense was if they let the Salvation Army in, they would have to let all charities at their store. This created uproar with many consumers. Many customers will no longer shop at Target stores because of this. One of Target’s biggest competitors, Wal-Mart has an advantage because of this. Many of the Target locations are relatively close to the Wal-Mart stores and ecause of the cost proximity Target is losing business. The best decision for Target is to let the Salvation Army back for the holidays. This will increase their profits during that season and may potentially bring back old customers. This does not mean that they have to let all charities at their stores. Allowing this major nonprofit organization will help with the competition tremendously. In summary, Team B found in the analysi s that Target Inc. provides steady competition with the â€Å"big box† stores including the availability of substitute products and threats of new entrants. The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and shifting demographics that influence Target’s success. Our recommendations for overcoming the threats and capitalizing on the opportunities were to increase internet shopping, become move competitive in smaller towns, globalization, and allow the Salvation Army to silicate donations during the holidays. References Bateman, T. and Snell, S. (2004). Management: The new competitive landscape. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Greco, JoAnn. (1997). Journal of Business Strategy. Outsourcing: The New Partnership†. 18(4), 48-55. Retrieved from the Thomas Gale database on October 4, 2006. Human Resources Department Management Report. (2005). How ‘Closed-Loop Analytics' at Albertsons Reduces Turnover & Saves Millions of Dollars. 5(3), 2-4. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database October 6, 2006. Kijoo, K. , and Kim, E. (2006). Suggestions to enhance the cyber store customer’s satisfaction. Journal of American Ac ademy of Business. 9(1), 233 – 240. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database October 6, 2006. O'Donnell, J. (2006). USA TODAY: Holiday Season Sales Forecast. Retrieved October 5, 2006 from USA Today web site: http://www. usatoday. com/money/industries/retail/2006-09-18-retail-usat_x. htm Tanguay, George. (1995). Economic Inquiry. Shopping Hours and Price Levels in the Retail Industry: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis. 33(3), 516-525. Retrieved from Thomas Gale database on October 5, 2006. Target Annual Report. (2005). Retrieved October 4, 2006 from Target web site: http://investors. target. com/phoenix. zhtml? c=65828=irol-reportsAnnual

Jing-Mei Woo: The Joy Luck Club Essay

In this chapter we are introduced to the Joy Luck Club which originated all the way back in China when Jing-Mei Woo’s mother Suyuan was in the city of Kweilin. At the Joy Luck Club a group of old Chinese women sit around and eat and after that they sit down in a table to play a friendly game of Mah-Jong. At the Joy Luck Club there are 4 major members, Lindo Jong, Ying-ying St. Clair, An-Mei Hsu, and Suyuan Woo. In the beginning of the chapter we learn that Suyuan has died and Canning Woo, Jing-Mei’s father and Suyuan’s husband has asked Jing-Mei to take her mothers place at the Mah-Jong meeting. In this chapter we learn of how Suyuan had lived in China and during the war as the Japanese were slowly invading China, she had to take her family and leave for the city of Kweilin while her husband, Suyuan’s first husband that is, goes off to Chunking to fight the Japanese. In this chapter we learn about the other Mah Jong players, Lindo Jong, mother of the young girl Waverly, Ying-ying, a woman married to a white man and An-Mei Hsu. In the end of the chapter they old ladies tell Jing-Mei how they have contacted her long lost sisters and they want to send her to China to meet them. The story is quite interesting so far, its interesting to see how the women in this story resemble the way my own Chinese grandmother acts. Its quite funny too actually be able to know what Mah Jong is although I have been so white washed. I was born here in America so all I’ve ever known is American culture and although I look 100% like a Chinese kid would, when I went to visit China for the first time I felt so different from them. An-Mei Hsu: Scar We learn how An-Mei’s father is long gone and that her grandmother who has been a predominant figure in her life is slowly dying. While An-Mei is describing her dying Grandmother (Popo), she talks about her real mother who had dishonored the family by going off to marry a man with many wives thereby getting herself disowned by her own family. As the grandmother is dying, An-Mei’s mother comes back and as a last resort, tries to save grandmother by cutting off a piece of her own flesh and sticks it into a soup that she tries to feed to her mother (the grandmother). I thought it was interesting to see an example of an old Chinese remedy for something. I kind of wonder if that was even a real remedy, rather harsh and repelling if you ask me. Lindo Jong The Red Candle In this story Lindo, the mother of Waverly Jong, the National Chess Champion talks about her own struggles. In China Lindo was forced to marry a man named Tyan-yu whom she didn’t love at all. When she was finally married to him, she would avoid him and the groom’s mother realized this and hired a marriage counselor type of person to help fix things. The marriage counselor lit a candle and said if it was still lit the next day without going out then the marriage will last forever and even if the groom dies, Lindo may never remarry again. Upset, Lindo tries to blow out the candle and succeeds but the next day the servant lies about the candle not going out. Lindo now becomes desperate and tries to devise lies to help her get out of there and finally succeeds and the husband eventually marries one of the pregnant servants and Lindo is sent to America. The odd part of this story was how I was able to empathize with the other  characters in their discussions of their hardships when they were younger while I couldn’t with Lindo. Maybe I’m biased because of how Lindo is so harsh and headstrong towards the other characters in this story. She in my mind seems to be a great description of the family members in my own life, for they are all harsh and headstrong towards each other. Ying-ying St. Clair: The Moon Lady In Chapter 4 we learn about Ying-ying. As a child Ying-ying came from a wealthy family. Unlike she is now Ying-ying was once a very problem child, because she was so spoiled by her family she never thought twice about doing things and because of that she ended up getting lost at what was called â€Å"The Moon Festival†. At the Moon festival she watches a play about the Moon Lady whom she takes as the real person but then realizes her own stupidity and leaves the festival and if finally found by her family. An important part of this chapter is how Ying-ying ends it with the words â€Å"I wished to be found†. Those words to me tell me how she wants to be closer to her daughter and if granted one wish from the Moon Lady that would be it. Ying-ying doesn’t like how her daughter is ashamed of her and has abandoned all of their Chinese traditions In the prelude to The Twenty Six Malignant Gates I found it amusing to see how the little girl like all young children are headstrong and seem to think they are impervious to the dangers of real life and she ignores her mothers advice until it is too late when she falls off the bike like her mother said would happen Waverly Jong- Rules of the Game In this chapter we learn about Waverly’s life and how her mother has taught her â€Å"the art of invisible strength† which has allowed Waverly to do well in life especially in the world of Chess where she became National Chess Champion at a very young age. Waverly however hates her mother for even though she adopted her mother’s quality of â€Å"invisible strength† she dislikes everything about her mother from their culture to the way her mother acts. Waverly unlike her mother doesn’t like to brag about herself and is very upset at her mother who is always comparing her child to everyone else’s and using Waverly’s fame to her own advantage. Lena St. Clair- The Voice from the Wall This is the second story told from eyes of the daughters. Lena in this chapter describes the life of her mother when she was younger. Lena describes Ying-ying as a paranoid and somewhat psychotic person who married her father Clifford St. Clair, and Englishman who spoke very little Chinese and was found unable to understand what her mother was saying half the time they were together. Towards the end of the story Lena describes what is seems like her mother Ying-ying had a miscarriage and Ying-ying who was already mentally unstable blames the death of the unborn child on herself and becomes even more unstable. In this chapter we learn about Lena’s childhood neighbor who was always getting into fights and because in her own Chinese culture when the children would argue with their elders, the argument would ensue a beating from the parents so she always imagined her neighbor to look very beat up since they seemed to argue all the time but to her astonishment when the neighbor sne aked into her house one day, the young girl was unharmed and that same night could be heard laughing with her mother whom she had an argument with a few hours earlier. Jing-Mei Woo â€Å"2 Kinds† I thought it was funny to see how Jing-Mei’s mother wanted her daughter to be like â€Å"Shirley Temple† but then again it makes sense, Shirley Temple was America’s Sweetheart in the early 90’s so it would be fitting since everyone wants the best for their children. It was also interesting to see June’s interest in piano after watching a Chinese girl play the piano on the television but she quickly lost interest in the piano ever since she found out her teacher was deaf and therefore she stopped practicing. Lena St. Clair â€Å"Rice Husband† In this chapter we look into Lena’s life and find out that she is married to a white man named Harold. At first they had a true love and enjoyed their life together and decided to share all their costs but lately the marriage has begun to fall apart and the only thing still concrete in their marriage is their sharing of the costs of things they use and that have become the root of most of their problems. Waverly Jong â€Å"Four Directions† Waverly who is trying to look for a way to tell her mother that she is getting married to her fiancà © Rich, takes her mother out for lunch but ends getting scrutinized by her mother like always. With a certain un-eagerness Waverly invites Rich to meet her mother at her mothers house for dinner and although the dinner was a complete disaster for Rich, Waverly in the end found out that her mother did approve of Rich and that event brings all three of them closer together than before. In the beginning of the chapter we learn that Waverly is a smart young child but her mother has an iron grip on her life and Waverly’s first marriage falls apart completely because of her mother and how she began to see things the way her mother did about her husband. Rose Hsu Jordan â€Å"Without Wood† Rose for once doesn’t believe what her mother says, which was about her husband Ted cheating on her which he really did do. The husband after filing for divorce tries to bully her but Rose stays strong and is able to keep the house and keep her ex-husband in check. Jing-Mei Woo â€Å"Best Quality† In this chapter we learn how Suyuan hurts Jing-Mei, enough that Jing-Mei begins to doubt her mothers love for her but when New Years Eve comes along, Suyuan proves Jing-Mei wrong and then Jing-Mei realizes how much her mother really loves her at dinner. Because of her mothers love for her, Jing-Mei never takes off the pendant Suyuan has given her before she died. An-Mei Hsu â€Å"Magpies† In this chapter An-Mei is taken away to live with her mother. In this chapter both An-Mei and her daughter Rose wonder if their culture has made them weak in the eyes of society. An-Mei was upset at Rose earlier because of Rose’s unwillingness to do anything about her husband request for a divorce. In this chapter we see how Chinese women couldn’t do much with their lives, if they were unhappy all they could do was cry about it so when faced with these types of problems in America, the both of them wouldn’t know what to do although being in America they could do whatever they want. Ying-ying St. Clair â€Å"Waiting Between the Trees† Ying-ying in this chapter reflects on her childhood and from her mistakes she wants her daughter Lena to learn from. Ying-ying wants her daughter to lead a happy life, that her marriage is going to fall apart and she wants her daughter to be strong when this happens. Lindo Jong â€Å"Double Face† In this chapter we see the two cultures, the American culture represented by Waverly and the traditional Chinese culture represented by her mother Lindo Jong. Waverly who was uncertain of herself, thinks she’ll be easily seen as a foreigner but Lindo says she won’t be noticed. Later in the chapter both mother and daughter become closer after Lindo decides to ask Waverly why the year before when Lindo went to visit China, that they knew she was a foreigner despite all of her Chinese styles and traditions still in tact with her. Jing Mei-Woo â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† The last chapter of the book ends with the final daughter and mother couple coming together for Jing is able to finally discover who she really is, for as American she is, she’s also just as much Chinese.

Gender Roles in American Households Essay

The social phenomenon of changing gender roles in American households is explored in this paper. Are men and women sharing more equally in assuming household responsibilities? Do women still bear the majority of the responsibility? How do race, age, and cultural influence play a role in the division of labor in the household? I have done research on the change in gender roles among people of different ages, genders, and race. Data was collected to see if there is a difference in change between races, if there is a significant change in roles between generations, and if men and women view the change the same or differently. To gain the data I used surveying and interviewing as my research methodologies. These methods were used as they were the most practical ways to obtain enough information needed to form conclusions. Caucasian, Asian, and African Americans of both genders and diverse ages were surveyed and interviewed. I feel my research will show that with each generation, as more women entered the work force, the households of all races have undergone significant change in which women and men are sharing both work and domestic duties more equitably. That being said, the distribution of domestic chores does contribute to household stratification of gender roles. Both currently and historically race plays a role in that stratification. Gender role research is socially relevant because each individual in a household is impacted by it. Gender roles in the household can be a factor in whether a marriage is happy and successful. They also influence decision making in the family and parent and child relationships. Researchers could use my data to delve deeper into the impact of gender roles in different types of households. Since everyone grows up in some type of household setting, the research could have far reaching implications for most of the population. The first research method I choose to collect data is the survey. Using a survey to collect data allowed me to reach a large number of people. Family and friends helped in distributing and collecting the surveys. My parents work at a hospital, my Aunt is a teacher, and my friend attends a large university. That allowed me to reach the age groups, genders, and races I needed in order to collect enough data. Included in my survey were both questions about today and about the past. In addition, using a survey allowed me to ask questions that were not opened ended and could easily be converted to statistical data. In the end, I had responses from a minimum of fifteen respondents in each of eighteen categories. The categories are Caucasian females ages 19-30, Caucasian males ages 19-30, Caucasian females ages 31-49, Caucasian males ages 31-49, Caucasian females ages 50 and above, Caucasian males age 50 and above, and the same for both African Americans and Asian Americans. Because of the large number of groups I needed to collect data on, I felt 15 individuals per category would be a large enough number to get a representative sample. I looked at the responses and felt I had a good sample. Had that not been the case, I would have handed out more surveys. Included in the survey were questions on the household the person grew up in and questions about their household today. For example, respondents were asked if they were raised in a two parent home. This is a question I checked the responses to when I determined if I had collected enough surveys. It was necessary to have enough positive answers to this question since gender roles is the issue I am looking at. Also on the survey were questions asking your race and age, who you were raised by, if your mother worked outside the home, percentage of division of household chores, and whether the perceived change in gender roles is positive. I did not have any problems with the survey itself. The only difficulty was finding fifteen respondents for a few of the categories. The second research methodology I used was the interview. In interviewing I was hoping to be able to ask follow up questions and steer the interview in a direction that would supply me with the information I needed. The survey did not lend itself to follow up questions. In addition, participant observation and experimentation methodologies were not at all suited to investigate the question of changing household gender roles. I interviewed one person from each of the three races I was researching. In addition, each was from a different age category. All of the interviews were conducted separately as I would not have wanted to inconvenience the people who were nice enough to participate. All were interviewed once in an informal manner since I believe that discussing your childhood and present home life is best accomplished in a comfortable setting. I interviewed Dr. Espejo, a 49 year old of Asian decent by telephone as she was unavailable in person. Helen Bonokallie, a 24 year old of African decent was my second interview. I spoke with Helen at her workplace as she works third shift and that was most convenient for her. My last interview was with Sylvia Johnson, a 66 year old Caucasian. I interviewed her in her living room. I have known Sylvia my entire life and have a close personal bond with her. Aside from choosing my subjects for interviewing and directing the questions to get the answers I needed I did not shape the outcome of the interview. The survey results revealed several trends related to gender roles in American families. The following charts and statistical analysis help to clarify the collected data from the surveys. The three tables that follow represent each of the three races I surveyed. Each chart shows the three age groups surveyed and their responses to two questions. The first, as a child what percentage of household work was done by each of your parents? The second, in your home today, what percentage of household work is done by the male and what percentage is done by the female? Looking at the charts a few trends are seen. First, regardless of race, the percentage of work done by the male is greater in the adult household as compared to the father in the childhood home. That indicates that with each generation gender roles in the home have changed. Ratio of CaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult In %householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-504%40%0%38%0%0% 60-400%40%4%31%0%40% 70-3012%20%15%23%0%40% 75-250%0%11%8%0%13% 80-2014%0%0%0%20%7% 85-1512%0%11%0%3%0% 90-1058%0%30%0%30%0% 95-50%0%11%0%27%0% 100-00%0%18%0%20%0%. Ratio of AsianAsianAsianAsianAsianAsian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%26%0%0%0%0% 60-400%39%0%16%0%0% 70-307%30%0%36%0%28% 75-2510%0%0%12%0%0% 80-2023%5%17%24%3%22% 85-157%0%10%12%13%0% 90-1050%0%30%0%23%36% 95-50%0%30%0%25%0% 100-03%0%13%0%36%14% Ratio of African AfricanAfricanAfricanAfricanAfrican work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%0%0%0%0%6%. 60-400%63%0%18%0%18% 70-3031%31%7%28%0%38% 75-2531%0%8%12%5%7% 80-2015%6%8%36%25%12% 85-150%0%23%0%0%0% 90-1023%0%46%6%30%19% 95-50%0%8%0%25%0% 100-00%0%0%0%15%0% In addition, under no circumstance did the males of any race or age perform more household work than the females. The data also shows that there is no difference in gender roles today among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans in the 19-30 age group. In the Asian American group of individuals fifty and older, 72% of women still do 80-100% of the household work today. In contrast, in the same age group, only 7% of Caucasian women and 31% of African American women perform 80-100% of household work. According to the 2004 United States Census, 69% of Asians were born in another country (Lee and Pituc 2007). This is significant in that many older Asian-Americans adhere to traditional cultural values. Traditional Asian gender roles prescribe for women to place the role of wife and mother above all others: men are expected to be the breadwinner and spokesperson. Asian cultural values consequently encourage distinct spheres for men and women and a gendered household division of labor in which the burden of household duties such as housekeeping tasks and childcare rest heavily on women (Lee and Pituc 2007: 1). The following graph was compiled based on the survey question; did your mother work outside the home? The y-axis is percentage of working mothers and the x-axis is the age of those surveyed. The graph shows that over time more mothers have become workers outside the home. It also indicates that for all age categories >70% of African American women were in the workforce. Kane stated â€Å"White women have a history of lower levels of labor force participation and higher levels of economic dependence on men than do African-American women† (2000 p. 421). This graph when looked at in conjunction with the 3 charts above shows a correlation between women working outside the home and men giving more help around the house. The last survey question was do you think the change in gender roles in the household is positive or negative. The results were 99% positive and 1% negative. The information obtained from my interviews mirrored the information I got from the surveys. Talking to Sylvia, the 66 year old Caucasian, the idea that generation and women in the workplace play a part in changing gender roles was reinforced. Sylvia related what her home was like as a child, indicating that household work was entirely done by her non-working mom. Her home on the other hand is different in that her husband does help out to some extent. She also said her children’s homes are even more equitable when it comes to dividing household chores. Dr. Espejo’s parents worked together and shared responsibilities in the home. It is the same in her home today, where she and her husband, both physicians, share household duties. Dr. Espejo stated that she feels sharing of household responsibilities strengthens the relationship between a husband and wife and between parents and children. This may be explained by a 2003 study conducted by Y. Espiritu. Trask (2006) states: Based on an analyses of various studies of Asian-American families, Espiritu found that more educated couples tended to share and practice greater egalitarian relationships within households. While women still performed more of the housework, their husbands did participate in all aspects of family work. This increased participation by men may be explained due to an equal monetary contribution from men and women which led to wives successfully forcing their husbands to participate in domestic chores. (P. 4) In my interview with Helen, she pointed out that sharing responsibility around the house helps to equalize the stress between both male and female. In the African- American household she grew up in her father did the cooking and laundry while her mother cleaned and helped the children with homework. A recent study has a possible explanation for the sharing of household work in Helen’s childhood home. The study concluded, â€Å"When referencing the family and work, black men may be less traditional because they are more sensitive to oppression in general, may share resistance with black women to racial inequality, and often gain acceptance of women in the workforce during early years while being raised by a single working mother† (Carter 2006: 209). In addition, Blee and Tickamyer state, â€Å"African American men do not equate masculinity with success, wealth, ambition, and power, but rather with self-determinism and accountability† (1995 p. 21). All three interview subjects expressed that change in gender roles where there is a more equal distribution of household responsibilities is very positive. The research I have done shows that over time gender roles have changed among the three races I studied. Every group I looked at had fathers who helped out less around the house than the males in their homes today. One important reason for this could be the fact that over time more women have entered the workforce outside the home. It simply has become a necessity for men to help out more around the house. In addition to more women in the work force, culture and race play a role in gender and the household stratification of gender roles. Culture remains important to many Asians Americans, especially the older generation. In those cultures Asian men are seen as the breadwinner and women as household caretakers. That dictates women being almost entirely responsible for the household. In contrast, African American men do not define their masculinity by success, but instead by accountability. That leads to many African American men being more equitable in sharing household chores. Since everyone in a household is affected by gender roles, this subject is very important socially. It is a subject worth investigating further as the findings could impact many people. References Blee, Kathleen and Ann Tickamyer. 1995. â€Å"Racial Differences in Men’s Attitudes about Women’s Gender Roles. † In Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 57, pps 21-30. Carter, J. Scott and Mamadi Corra. 2009. â€Å"The Interaction of Race and Gender: Changing Gender Role Attitudes, 1974-2006. † In Social Science Quarterly. Vol. 90, pps 196-211 Kane, Emily. 2000. â€Å"Racial and Ethnic Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes. † In Annual Review of Sociology. Vol. 26, pps 419-436 Lee, Sandra and Stephanie Pituc. 2007. â€Å"Asian Women and Work-Family Issues. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-6 Trask, Bahira. 2006. â€Å"Traditional Gender Roles. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-5.

The Four Planes of Development

â€Å"Development is a series of re-births. There comes a time when one psychic personality ends and another begins†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"Our work as adults does not consist teaching, but in helping the infant mind in its work of development† (Dr Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, Chap 3) What did Dr Montessori mean by the four planes of development? Describe each plane of development. Explain how we use this knowledge about the child in the Montessori classroom, with the main focus at the age group of 0-6 years. THE FOUR PLANES OF DEVELOPMENTThe life of the child that will become tomorrow’s adult is basically divided into four planes or stages. Each plane consists of a period of six years. Within these stages the development of the child is quite intense at the beginning, then it consolidates and finally trickles into the next. The first & third planes of development are periods of intense creation, whereas the second & fourth planes of development are the ca lm periods of consolidation. First plane of development (0-6years) â€Å"Development is a series of re-births.There comes a time when one psychic personality ends and another begins. The first of these periods goes from birth to six years of age and the child’s mentality basically remains the same. It includes two sub-phases, from birth to three years and three to six years. In the first of these, the child has a type of mind that adults cannot exert upon to influence. In the second sub-phase (3-6years), they are still mentally the same but the child becomes susceptible to adult influence and their personality undergoes great changes. † (The Absorbent Mind, chapter 3, Pg 17).The first plane of development (0 – 6 years) is a period of intense creation. This period is of very great fundamental importance for the formation of the child or the foundation of the personality of the child. This is the period of transformation. This plane of development is further divid ed in to two sub phases, (0 – 3) and (3 – 6) years. The first sub plane is known as ‘The unconscious absorbent mind’. The infant during this period is also identified as a ‘spiritual embryo’ as the infant has within himself the potentialities which determine his future development.The child can learn subconsciously, and effortlessly, through observations and explorations. The child is a sensorial explorer at this stage, that is, the child basically learns through his senses. During the absorbent mind stage, the sensitive periods are at their strongest and help the child’s learning process as well as the child’s initial adaptation. During this first plane of development various physical abilities develop in the young child. Physically the body develops from head to toe. Between the age of zero to three years, these abilities develop separately and independently of each other.Hand and leg movements are not guided by the mind. At th is stage, the child needs to create himself. It is a period of rapid development for the child and the child develops physically, mentally, socially as well as emotionally. As his physical body becomes more defined, he learns both consciously and unconsciously as his mind easily absorbs his environment. He becomes more sensitive to things adult take for granted and learning for him is easy and fast. At this stage, he also learns to care for himself, dress himself, feed himself etc.

Introduction to Social Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to Social Anthropology - Essay Example Anthropology investigates humankind as it arises in all recognised corners of the world (Llobera 2003). Its task is basically to explain or portray. However, without surpassing boundaries of its range, it can and should shift from the specific to the general. Why is Anthropology Important? Anthropology has a number of branches and each branch presents a particular component of the study of our roots and evolution as a life form (Wallman 1992). For example, linguistic anthropology studies language. It is a widely known fact that there are many languages all over the world. To understand further the connections between these various languages and the variations that exist in terminology and word use is one of the tasks that anthropologists perform (Moore & Sanders 2006). Anthropology is also vital from the perspective of inquiry into traditions and rituals and the human nature within various tribal groups and groups of people. Several traditions that are prohibited in some societies mi ght be viewed as acceptable in others (Moore & Sanders 2006). It is this reconciliation of the disparity between people’s inherent perspective of their own culture and the cultures of others is the basis for the relevance of anthropology. ... Despite of the unclear nature of the importance of anthropology to development, arguments were presented all over the 1990s speaking up for the moral relevance of anthropology (Moran 1996, 328): [I]t is morally necessary for anthropology to become centrally engaged in today’s critical issues- poverty, powerlessness, environmental degradation, and national, class, caste, gender, ethnic, religious, and racial oppressions—and that anthropology has important contributions yet to make about the kinds of formations that will characterise human social life in the twenty-first century. As stated by Bennett (1996), in his discussion of the emergence of applied anthropology, â€Å"anything that deprives people of their needs or desires should be changed or reformed† (as cited in Gow 2002, 299). He further explains his argument by mentioning the work of the ‘great articulator of applied ideology in the 1950-60s’, Laura Thompson (Gow 2002, 299): In essence it [a pplied anthropology] symbolises both the desire and desirability of human beings to fulfil themselves individually and collectively to the maximum of their physical-emotional-intellectual powers, and to do both as single personalities and in relation to other personalities. It is exactly this focus on the political and moral that has kept on troubling anthropologists in the mid-1990s. D’Andrade (1995) worried that anthropology is shifting from a field rooted in an objective perspective of the world to one founded on a moral perspective of the world, the main objective of such is â€Å"to identify what is good and what is bad and to allocate reward and punishment† (as cited in Moore & Sanders 2006, 513). Scheper-Hughes, reacting to

Student's Post 4 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post 4 - Research Paper Example ts of a vision statement for example correspond to Flint’s definition of a vision statement and therefore offer a basis for reliable analysis (2013). Your analysis of the business to derive its suitable mission and vision statements also identifies your competence and level of rationale. I also concur with your recommendation of a motivational leadership approach because of the organization’s competitive environment that requires empowerment and influence towards competitive advantage. You also demonstrated analytic skills in reviewing the organization’s culture (Dubrin, 2013). I like your approach to communicating the organization’s background information on a table because it simplifies the information. I however believe that analyses of the organization’s approach should have been specific to identify with the scope of the organization’s activities. Your analysis is however general. I also think that your post on the organization’s leadership, human resource management, and culture are more descriptive than analytical. Could you for example consider this approach more analytical? You begin by identifying elements of human resource management such as recruitment, selection, training and rewarding, and then comparing these elements with the organization’s approach to human resource management (Saiyadain,

Conceal and Carry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conceal and Carry - Essay Example Statistics related to crime, hand gun related crime, and attempts to circumvent the law will be balanced to determine if the law has had an effect positive or negative on the state following passage. In the final view, it will be clear that the changes in legislation that make it easier for a person to receive a license to carry a concealed firearm are beneficial in: â€Å"In Minnesota, a person may not carry a pistol in a public place unless they are in possession of a permit to carry. Exceptions to the permit requirement include law enforcement officers and other defined instances (Minnesota Statutes, section 624.714). In 2003, the movement to change the permit application process from may issue (discretionary) to shall issue succeeded with the passage of Laws of Minnesota 2003, Chapter 28, Article 2. The shall issue application process limits the local law enforcement discretion provision and requires the granting of permits to all applicants who meet minimum requirements. Efforts to change Minnesota from a may issue to a shall issue state took place over several years.† (Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 2009) It is important to recognize that there are two main issues in this case. The first is the constitutional debate over the validity of requiring permits for carrying concealed weapons. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear firearms, so it is questionable under what authority government can take away that right by requiring concealed weapons permits. The legal basis for the argument is as Justice Harlan writes in Terry vs. Ohio, namely that â€Å"concealed weapons create an immediate and severe danger to the public.† (Cornell, 2010) This is debatable under the traditional response that â€Å"guns don’t kill people, people kill people†. For example, are non-concealed weapons, openly worn or brandished, less dangerous than concealed weapons? Concealed weapons