Postmodern View of Socioeconomy and Politics in Absurdistan - Literature Essay Samples

America: a land of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity; a country that highly advocates the amalgamation of conglomerating cultures. Ironically, however, in Gary Shteyngarts novel Absurdistan, the Russians transcend Americans in their pursuit for wealth, status, and size. The protagonist, Misha Vainberg, is a 30-year-old Russian heir to a post-Soviet fortune. Having spent 12 years in the United States, he considers himself â€Å"an American impounded in a Russian body (Shteyngart 14).† As he experiences life from one country to another, Misha begins to develop relationships with people of different race, culture, background. These relationships not only test his character, but also provide readers a microcosmic view of the controversies he encounters. The element of post-modernism presented in this novel alludes not to a cultural and intellectual phenomenon, but to a corrupt and devastating trend with unmarked boundaries. By intertwining self-conscious playful critique of pos t-modernism and experimental neo-realist deployment of perspective, imagery, language, structure, and tone, Shteyngart is critical of post-modernism as a socio-economic and political trend. By depicting Absurdistan and other post-Soviet countries as post-modern through the eyes of Misha Vainberg and his relationships with a mà ©lange of people, Shteyngart also opens the eyes of his readers to the world of political exploitations, grave gender issues, class disparities, and influences of American in modern day Russia. The novel opens with a prologue entitled â€Å"Where I’m Calling From.† The first person narrator welcomes his readers into what he refers to as his â€Å"book of love, a book about too much love (Shteyngart, vii).† From the inception of the prologue, the readers travel with this anonymous narrator from varying time and place. Together, they soar from the year 1972 to the twenty-first century, from â€Å"a small village populated entirely by so-c alled Mountain Jews† to â€Å"the land at the corner of 173rd Street and Vyse (Shteyngart vii).† As the narrator soars â€Å"away from the ancient rabbi†¦over flattened Chechnya and pockmarked Sarajevo, over Europe, and over and over and over and finally toward and toward and toward, toward the tip of the slender island (Shteyngart ix),† readers are reminded that this is not only a book about love, but a book about geography. This opening prologue is extremely crucial because Shteyngart introduces important elements of postmodernism that prove to be essential in understanding and interpreting the themes delineated throughout Absurdistan. According to Postmodernist Culture, one of the most striking preoccupations of modernist and postmodernist aesthetics is the question of time. Shteyngart utilizes this postmodern element of reducing time to a single element and flattening time into space to produce the effect of blurred clarity. By blending together the tim e of epic with contemporary time and forcing his readers to â€Å"view history and human life as an endless series of cycles (Connor 124),† Shteyngart is able to freeze time to the 2000s. By allowing his readers to traverse from place to place in this non-transient time, one can critique the reality that is being portrayed. In order to grasp the many realities present in Absurdistan, one must have a clear understanding of the narrator and the relationships he develops. Apart from the prologue, the novel commences with an over-the-edge, honest, account of the narrator. With a first person narration, he introduces himself as â€Å"Misha Borisovich Vainberg, age thirty, a grossly overweight man with small, deeply set blue eyes, a pretty Jewish beak†¦(Shteyngart 1).† Misha is not only unhesitant in relating his stories to his readers, but he also spares no details as he produces vulgar images from sexual encounters with women to an unsuccessful circumcision in a Hasid ic home. From the first person narration, it can be noted that this straightforward perspective of situations and people returns readers to realism. However, because Misha is not an omniscient narrator and is rather subjective in his story-telling, the reality presented is rather skewed. One can already see the mixture of paradoxical postmodernism and neo-realism. Similarly, as Misha recounts his relationship with his father, the element of post-modernism becomes critical in analyzing the corrupt trends in post-Soviet countries. As Misha speaks of his papa, there is a hint of sarcasm in his diction. In the chapter titled â€Å"Dedications,† Misha starts by saying â€Å"First I would like to fall on my knees in front of the INS headquarters in Washington D.C, to thank the organizations for all its successful work on behalf of foreigners everywhere (Shteyngart 14).† This sarcastic remark not only exudes a dash of bitterness he feels towards his papa for murdering an Oklahoma businessman, but it also contributes to the satirical and witty tone throughout the novel. Likewise, as Misha is writing his love letter to the generals in charge of the Immigration and Naturalization Service pleading to let him back in America, he emphasizes on having been educated at Accidental College, a renowned Midwestern institution for the young aristocrats where â€Å"the virtues of democracy are often debated at teatime (Shteyngart 15).† By doing so, Shteyngart mocks the American institution. According to Frederic Jameson, author of Postmodernism or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, the last few years have been marked by an inverted millenarianism in which forewarnings of the future have been replaced by senses of the end of ideology, art, social class. What once was the frantic economic urgency has now become â€Å"an increasingly essential structural function and position to aesthetic innovation and experimentation (Jameson 5).† Accidental Col lege is a symbol of absolute parody; it demonstrates the obliteration of a system. At Accidental College, students are taught that their dreams and beliefs would one day sway to their will. At Accidental College, Introduction to Striptease classes, Advanced Memoir seminars, and Overcoming Shyness and Facilitating Self-Expression lectures are taught in order to raise up leaders in the world. Through the utilization of sarcasm and pastiche, Shteyngart manifests to readers that not only is the socioeconomic reality postmodern even in the twenty-first century in the way that individuals have nothing to aspire to, it is also destined to fail because individual development and progress is nonexistent. More importantly, the analysis of Misha and his relationship with his papa continues to support Misha’s lack of individualism and independence. Aside from sending his son to attend Accidental College in America, Papa also insisted his son to be circumcised in New York. Any rational be ing would know that circumcision should be done at an early age, not when the child is already eighteen. Therefore, it can be inferred that the only plausible motive for Misha to become circumcised at his age is not for religious values and beliefs, but for social networking. The physical attribute of a circumcision is insignificant; rather, it is through this commonality of this Jewish tradition that brings the Jewish people together. Based on an article that examines the Jewish Social Network, author Rela Mintz Geffen writes that â€Å"proponents of networking meets the need of Jews wherever they are and enable them to climb on to the Jewish bandwagon as free riders.† In addition, it is understood that the concentration of Jews enables the â€Å"initiation, support, and maintenance of institutional life including schools, shuls, kosher food markets and the like† (Geffen 3). The very presence of these cultural markers acts to unobtrusively promote identity maintenance of non-affiliated and marginally affiliated Jews who are constantly reminded of their Jewish identity. This subtle yet pervasive effect is evident in cities like New York, where everyone in New York feels Jewish. For this reason, Misha’s father understands that in order for his son to be as successful wherever he goes, he must become circumcised. This act of circumcision is the gateway for social connections and opportunities amongst the Jewish community in places all over the world. These social networks, originally formed by his Papa and developed through the act of circumcision, prove to be critical as Misha is stranded in a tiny post-Soviet country of Absurdistan. In an act of desperation, Misha buys Belgian citizenship and a bogus passport in Absurdistan, a new country being forged out of a staged war between the Sevo and Svani peoples in a small territory between Iran and Russia. In order to survive, Misha must form relationships with the people he encounters. Through Shteyngart’s graphic satire, the American dream is depicted as experienced by famished, newborn democracies. In an article titled â€Å"Institutional Competition and Post-Soviet Transformation,† writer Aleksandr Libman comments that â€Å"economic openness and free relocation of capital and manpower have made post-Soviet countries active participants in global institutional competitions. The inefficient balance in Russia and many other countries, nonetheless, remains stable† (Libman 13). The reason for the erroneous and inefficient import of institutions comes from the predominance of peculiar relationships between authorities and the influence of informal institutions. It is ironic that the founding fathers of Absurdistan are actually gangsters who are secretly collaborating with an American corporation called Golly Burton. In fact, it is nearly impossible for Misha to discern between those who are morally just and those who are corrupt in Absurdistan. The trut h that Absurdistan has absolutely nothing is unfolded before Misha’s eyes; the bigger picture of Absurdistan is this: â€Å"There are supposed to be fifty billion barrels of oil reserves in the Absurdi sector of the Caspian. In truth, there isn’t one percent of that left. The Absurdis have been lying to the investors from the start† (Shteyngart 306). It is then Misha discovers that he’d â€Å"been had. Utterly. Completely. They’d use me. Taken advantage of me. Sized me up. Known right away that they had their man† (Shteyngart 309). It has been disclosed to Misha that a scheme was devised so that the United States government would pour in billions of dollars into Absurdistan. An orchestrated war is set at the top of the Hyatt hotel, where Ukrainian gunman were hired to bomb sections of Gorbigrad in front of an international crew of TV journalists. As this fabricated war continues, Misha realizes that things were much worse than they appeared. As thousands of dead or starving refugees lay in the streets, Misha lives and dines at a luxurious hotel. From the fabricated war to the harsh reality of the injured and the dead, these images are cleverly and beautifully paradoxical; they offer a provoking critique of the socio-economical and political reality of oil wars and war profiteering. Taking a closer look into reality, the company Golly Burton is a representation and a mockery of the United States corporation Halliburton. Halliburton Energy Services is a United States based oilfield service that operates internationally with over 70 other countries. In an expose titled â€Å"The Truth about Halliburton,† author Peter Elkind discusses the serious matter of oil wars and war profiteering. Halliburton had signed a $2.5 billion no-bid â€Å"Restore Iraqi Oil† contract that would have paid for the reconstruction of the entire country. Had the contract been fulfilled exhaustively, Iraq would have been able to expor t an abundant amount of oil from the northern oil fields. The truth, however, unfolded as oil fields were detected to be barely usable and access to international markets was severely limited. In fact, Halliburton failed to even dig and tunnel through the land since the underground terrain consisted of jumble of boulders, voids, and gravel, impossible for the kind of drilling Halliburton had planned. Therefore, it is apparent that there is a need for reciprocation; the relationships formed resemble a mutual form of giving and taken. Where the ruling class of Absurdistan is in love with the corrupt American company known as the Golly Burton, Golly Burton in turn is in love with Absurdistan for the money it plans on making when the infrastructure of Absurdistan is rebuilt. By creating an allusion of Absurdistan and intertwining it with a neo-realistic delineation of America, Shteyngart is able to juxtapose the harsh political reality represented in both worlds. By juxtaposing the two companies, Absurdistan’s Golly Burton and America’s Halliburton, and interweaving postmodernism parody with neo-realism, Shteyngart emphatically critiques the reality of deceit and corruption. Likewise, through postmodern elements of characters that appear to be contradictory and deceitful, language that is unreliable, and knowledge as an illusion, everything delineated in Shteyngart’s Absurdistan strives to be a United States replica in style, culture, and prosperity. Another main issue Shteyngart discusses in Absurdistan concerns the matter of women and gender disparities. Most, if not all, of the women depicted in the novel are conniving and promiscuous. Rouenna, Misha’s girlfriend, ends up cheating on him with a professor; Lyuba Vainberg, Misha’s father’s widow, ends up sleeping with Misha because they were both â€Å"lonely and lost (Shteyngart 83);† Nana Nanabragovna, Misha’s ‘mistress,’ is daughter to Mr. Nanabragovna, the man who deceives Misha into working for SCROD. Scattered throughout the novel are prostituting women, young and old, from the East and from the West. Although these women differ in where they are from, their social and economic status, and their race and nationality, Shteyngart chooses to represent them in one fashion. These women are generally described physically in explicit terms; their sexual occurrences are frequently depicted with obscene and crude images. By specifically utilizing phrases like â€Å"open crevice of her two-fisted ass† and â€Å"the warmth of her oral cavity,† Shteyngart is ultimately degrading the women as sexual objects. According to Linda Nicholson’s The Play of Reason, poor and working-class women, women of color, and lesbians have finally been exposed and are no longer confined to the domestic sphere, as false extrapolations from the experience of the white, middle-class, heterosexual women. By going to an extreme in his description of women and tying them to prostitutes and manipulators, however, Shteyngart critiques the social reality of Absurdistan. In an article titled ‘Post-modernism as the Decadence of the Social Democratic State,’ critic Gare notes that the postmodernism elements echoed throughout Absurdistan have â€Å"questioned all naturalism, foundations, universals, authority, the idea of autonomous subjects of ethics and politics† (Gare 2). Therefore, by utilizing the postmodern element that involves the demise of the ethical and a life without principles, the issue of gender expands into a bigger problem dealing with the injustice of the social system. In Absurdistan, women do not have social ladders to climb; in Absurdistan, a country that modernizes to be like America, all women are delineated as equal. Because everyone appears to be a crook, there is a certain level of predictability and monotony as well. The politics of gender and the Soviet paradox can be well understood in the article, â€Å"Neither Colonized, or Modern?† There appears to be a â€Å"Soviet paradox† that is evident in the combined and clashing operations of socialist paternalism that maintains and legitimizes women’s presence in the public realm (through work, political representation, and education) with an economy and nationalities policy that effectively stalls the process of social transformation. In fact, post-Soviet gender beliefs and ideologies do not represent national traditions but serve in â€Å"signaling a break from Soviet past and creating new imaginaries of the nation that enhance social solidarity in post-Soviet societies (Kandiyoti 603).† From prostitutes at the Hyatt and male ordering bribes to passport prostitution and online pornography, the issue of gender dissipates as the issue of class in relation to ethnicity and religion accumulates. Class violence caused by civil war is not due to a class difference but rather a religious and historical struggle for material dominance. By emphasizing postmodernism elements of parody and the absence of any single truth, Shteyngart demonstrates that the socioeconomic and political reality is still postmodern in the 21st century. The closing chapter to Absurdistan ultimately leaves readers with many unanswered questions. The question that looms over most readers asks whether or not Misha survives. Because the novel is framed around the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, one can see that Shteyngart is critiquing the war that is happening right now. This novel is themed around multiculturalism: different cultures being their own yet coming together. In Absurdistan, two groups of people have become enemies simply because of the footrest of the cross. They speak different languages and have different cultures, but they are integrated together, they live together, they are dependent on each other. By preserving their differences, though, there is no att empt to maintain or establish class differences. Therefore, with the September 11 framework, Shteyngart focuses on connecting people from different places of the world. This is a novel about civilians and local residence; this is a novel about people on the planes and people across the waters. More importantly, this is a novel about hope. As Misha closes his epilogue with â€Å"have faith in me. On these cruel, fragrant streets, we shall finish the difficult lives we were given (Shteyngart 333),† readers can cling onto hope in spite of the surrounding chaos because the arbitrariness and unpredictability of chaos is what will ultimately set everyone free. By intertwining the postmodernism ideology that there is no system with the reality of bedlam, there resides a sick and twisted hope in the inability to predict. â€Å"Post-modernity is the moral person’s bane and chance at the same time, where in a world with no god, one must stand up straight and confront Chaos (Oje ili 3).† Absurdistan is a novel of playful critique of post-modernism and experimental neo-realism. It offers offensive features of postmodernism -from obscurity and sexually explicit material to unconcealed languages of social and political boldness. Through the mixture of post modern elements like fragmentations and disorientations, disjointed time as represented by chapter division, failure of values and absence of absolutes, artful play, and knowledge as an illusion, with formal elements of tone, diction, and imagery, Shteyngart is able to strongly, yet subtly, critique the socioeconomic and political reality in modern day Russia. As we closely analyze the relationships the protagonist develops and take into consideration of post-modernism as a corrupted trend, we can finally see the world as it is: tainted with political exploitations, marred with gender and class disparities, and influenced by the culture and the mindset of American lifestyle. Works Cited Carter, John. P ostmodernity and Welfare: When Worlds Collide. Social Policy Administration 32 (1998): 101-25. Connor, Steven. Postmodernist Culture : An Introduction to Theories of the Contemporary. New York: John Wiley Sons, Incorporated, 1996. 124. Elkind, Pete. The Truth About Halliburton. Fortune 151 (2005): 8-23. Gare, Arran. Post-modernism as the Decadence of the Social Democratic State. Democracy Nature: The International Journal of Inclusive Democracy 7 (2001): 77-99. Geffen, Rela. Exploring Jewish Social Networks. Contemporary Jewry 23 (2002): 64-82. Jameson, Fredric. Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. New York: Duke UP, 1991. 5-19. Kandiyoti, Deniz. The politics of gender and the Soviet paradox: neither colonized, nor modern. 22 Nov. 2008 . Libman, Aleksandr. Institutional Competition and Post-Soviet Transformation (The Influence of Informal Institutions). 2007. 29 Nov. 2008 . Nicholson, Linda. The Play of Reason : From the Modern to the Postmodern. New York: Co rnell UP, 1999. 112. Ojeili, Chamsy. Post-modernism, the Return to Ethics and the Crisis of Socialist Values. Democracy and Nature: The International Journal of Inclusive Democracy 8 (2002): 397-421. Shteyngart, Gary. Absurdistan. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007.

Teach for America - Profile on the Teach for America Program

What is Teach for America: Part of Americorps, Teach for America is a national program for new and recent college graduates where they commit to teach for two years in a low-income school teaching disadvantaged students. The mission of the organization according to their website is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nations most promising future leaders in the effort. Since its inception in 1990, 17,000 individuals have participated in this rewarding program. Benefits of Participation: First and foremost, participating in Teach for America is a service organization where new teachers can truly make a difference right from the start. Over the course of the two years of involvement, teachers recive five weeks of intensive pre-service training and then ongoing professional development for the course of the program. Participants receive the pay and benefits of a typical teacher for the region where they are working. The program also provides teachers with loan forbearance along with $4,725 at the end of each year of service. They also provide transitional grants and loans ranging from $1000 to $6000. A Little Bit of History: Wendy Kopp presented the idea for Teach for America as an undergraduate at Princeton University. At the age of 21, she raised $2.5 million dollars and began recruiting teachers. The first year of service was in 1990 with 500 teachers. Today over 2.5 million students have been affected by this program. How to Get Involved: According to their website, Teach for America seeks a diverse group of promising future leaders who have the leadership skills to change the prospects of students.... Those recruited do not have to have any prior teaching experience. The competition is stiff. In 2007, only 2,900 were accepted out of 18,000 applicants. Applicants must apply online, participate in a 30 minute phone interview, and if invited attend a full-day face-to-face interview. The application is long and requires a lot of thought. It is suggested that applicants spend some time preparing for the application process before submitting. Issues and Concerns: While Teach for America is in many ways an excellent program, there are some concerns of which teachers should be aware. While according to studies including a recent one by the Urban Institute, teachers who work with Teach for America are in fact more effective than their traditional counterparts. On the other hand in terms of the experience for teachers, some new TFA teachers feel unprepared to be thrown into such a challenging teaching environment. It is important for any potential participant to fully investigate the Teach for America program and if possible speak with those who have actually participated in it.

Social Learning Theory And Social Theory - 1133 Words

There are many theories in the field of criminology that seek to explain the reasons behind why people commit crimes. Social process theory is one such theory and asserts that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others (Schmalleger, 2012). There are four types of social process theories including: social learning theory, social control theory, labeling theory, and dramaturgical perspective. This paper will explore two of the theories including social learning theory and social control theory. The paper will discuss social process theory and the history of its development, the theory’s importance to criminology, examples of the theory, and any positives or negatives associated with the theory. Theory and the History of its Development Social Learning Theory Social Learning Theory is the process that occurs through observing the consequences of others and by determining if such behavior is worth replicating (Wallace, n.d.) Basically this theory suggests that humans learn by watching others. Social Learning Theory was developed in the 1930’s by Theorists, Edwin Sutherland, Robert Burgess, Ronald L. Akers, and Daniel Glaser. These theorists developed the learning theory by recognizing patterns of criminal behaviors and the types of values that went along with criminals, the way they lived and communicated which they called differential association (Schmalleger, 2012.) Another theorist that has helped in the development of theory is Albert Bandura. BanduraShow MoreRelatedThe Theory Of The Social Learning Theory2061 Words   |  9 PagesThe act of learning is an innate characteristic belonging to people across the globe. Learning can take place in many different forms (reading, writing, speaking, listening, excellency in a particular skill, etc.) and settings, generalizing from one content area to another. 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Bandura’s theory has paved the way to many studies and has open our minds to the possibility that we affect each other in a way we would not imagine. I believe that this theory can shape a lot of people s lives. I agree with Albert Bandura’s social learning theory by modeling and in this paper, I will present an argu mentRead MoreSocial Learning Theory and The Effect of TV Violence on Children2115 Words   |  9 PagesSocial Learning Theory and The Effect of TV Violence on Children In the United States children watch an average of three to fours hours of television daily (Cantor Wilson, 1984, p. 28). Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of todays television programming is violent. Studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may become insensitive to violence. Consequently, they tend to gradually

Wmc Vs Sap

Question: Prepare a report identifying the causes of failure and recommendations to adopt a new ERP system. Answer: WMC claims against SAP WMC has sued SAP and they have given plenty of reasons to believe that SAP is fraudulent software. On the other end, SAP didnt utter a single word and hence, there are possibilities that the claims of WMC against SAP are true. Few of the claims that WMC has made against SAP are as follows: - The ERP software was not tested before it was implemented at WMC and hence, the software didnt work as committed by the company. This software was used by small waste management companies and now, it isnt modified to meet the requirements of one of the largest companies. The software was used in small sized European firms. The operation in US waste management companies is different and complex than the European waste management companies. WMC claims that the demo which SAP presented to them was fake as the mentioned functionalities were absent in the software when it was implemented in the real environment. The company states that the professionals in European companies may not be great with technology but that is not the case with the US professionals and German professionals. There was a eighteen month contract between SAP and WMC. SAP promised to customize everything on SAP R/3 platform but the software was actually developed by some oracle based companies. A simple revenue management operation was not able to run when the software was first implemented at WMC. The professionals at SAP tried to make it work with plenty of codes but things didnt work. After considering the situation, SAP promised to rework on the situation and make things possible by 2010. WMC will have to wait till then and hence, they will have to make further millions of investment Risks of ERP implementation There are various risks associated with ERP implementation in the organization. These risks werent understood by WMC and hence, they had to suffer. Few of the risks that have created an impact on the ERP implementation at WMC are as follows: - ERP cannot be considered to be software that can be used without any modification. This is one of the biggest mistakes that WMC did. The purchase of ERP decision should be outsourced to a consultancy rather than that of making the decision themselves WMC should have hired people with experience to work full time on SAP rather than that training the existing resources. The top management should have given a lot of importance to this project. They should have stated to the employees that this project is of utmost importance. An appropriate business plan would have helped the organization to understand the benefits that they would have received from the implementation of software. The management should communicate with the employees on daily basis regarding what things should have been taken care and what the things that they should have taken care. What SAP should have done? SAP should have been careful in certain areas as that would have helped SAP to deliver what WMC was expected. SAP should understand the requirements of the customer before they start with anything. Few of the things SAP should have done so that WMC wouldnt have sued the SAP company are as follows: - SAP should understand that their work doesnt end at implementation. They should have allowed one professional from SAP to be at WMC so that queries can be answered and sorted immediately. SAP should look for ways by which they can justify that all the features mentioned in the demo is real What should SAP do now? The mistake is done but now, SAP will have to look for ways by which they can safeguard their reputation in the market. If SAP is able to prove that they have all the features that have been mentioned during the demo then the company can just relax but that is not the case now. SAP doesnt have anything to say and hence, there are possibilities that WMC is true. Few of the things that SAP can do so that they can safeguard the reputation that they hold in the market are as follows: - SAP should repay the money that WMC has invested in SAP implementation. WMC has made a huge investment and hence, they wont let go SAP. It is better that SAP makes the payment rather than trying to prove when they dont have anything to prove. To retain their reputation in the market, SAP should customize the ERP to meet their business requirements. For SAP is able to provide something that WMC requires then the organization will be happy. Going forward, now of the companies will doubt the capability of SAP. If SAP doesnt do anything then the future potential clients will doubt the capability of SAP and its software.

Martial Art School for Kids

Introduction Martial arts are extensive system involving several codified practices and traditions of fighting. It is usually practiced for several reasons, some of which include for self defense, physical health, fitness, and in some cases competition (Micah, 2007, 7-15).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Martial Art School for Kids specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A part from that, some people take it as a mental and spiritual development. But in the modern society, this term martial arts has been greatly associated with fighting art, more so from the eastern part of Asia. There is need to research on why more people are joining martial arts class in order to learn nowadays. The question is: why there are so many people interested in learning martial art, yet there is no martial school for kids. Parents have a certain degree of authority on what their children may do or not do. Therefore, when it comes t o martial arts, parents tend to look at the safety of their children, because of what it involves. Martial arts experts will tell you that, parents actually put their children in a more dangerous situation when they do not encourage them to do martial art. On the other hand, older people do martial art owing to for health reasons and therapeutic rather than self defense (Micah, 2007, pp.16- 36). As a result of this, this is a topic that requires extensive research, because of the significance of the practice not only to adults, but also to young children, because just like adults, kids also need to exercise and have martial art skills. Objective of the Research This objective of this research is to try and explain why trends in this industry shows that people are no longer seeking martial arts classes primarily for defense skills, because in most present societies people are rather driven by other reasons, which include fitness, recreation and others. In addition, why have more pare nts decided to enroll their children in order to keep them active and fit, while the elderly seek services to increase their balance and coordination. My proposal on this account is that; because of the fighting-like practices involved in this art, many people take martial art as a very risky and dangerous thing to do.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They do not see the other benefits apart from gaining self defense skills. Although slowly, people have started to realize the other advantages of this practice, very few individuals are ready to travel this road, more when it comes to their kids, because of the fear of instilling in their kids, practices that may endanger their lives. Primary Data Collection Method In order to do a get the relevant and correct information/data in the research, there must be a proper strategy of obtaining the required information, more from parties that are concerned, namely parents and kids. Since the problem and the objective of the research have been stated, the following are the steps to be taken in the research process (Russel, 2006, pp.23- 68). First is to know, which research method to use in researching. There are several research methods to be used that can be analysis research methods, qualitative research method, quantitative research method, sampling research method or systematic research method. All these methods have the following thing in common; they are concerned with collection of data/information and they provide methods of analyzing the sources of data. In addition, these methods clearly define how to get information from the sources, methods of analyzing and interpreting the data collected, and finally how to present the acquired results, in order for readers of any research work to understand the exact outcome of the research work (Ian, 2008, pp.12- 35). In this research study, there is need to k now the information at hand. This will enable one to know what kind of information to research. The market research will take place in an already established martial art schools and the following are the primary data collection methods to be used. To start with, observation is the main source of information in the field of research. This will be done by means of mechanical, electronics, and human methods, which either involve direct or indirect contact.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Martial Art School for Kids specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This method involves looking and listening very carefully in order to discover particular information after analyzing their behavior. This type of data collection method will give the opportunity to record the target group behavior directly. It follows that the information collected through this method is accurate as compared to the rest. Some of its disadvantage s are that, it is expensive and time consuming as compared to other primary methods of data collection. Also, the information collected could be distorted with biasness and the thinking of the investigator. Such is the case, because likelihoods of all the respondents giving exact information about this topic is rare, due to the fact that, different individuals hold different perceptions about his topic (Weller, 1988, pp. 9 – 23). The other primary data collection method that will be used in this research work is personal interview. In this case, a questionnaire will be used as data collection tool. There are two ways to use the questionnaire. First, it will be sent to the respondents who will fill in the information required by answering the questions asked in it. When they are done, they will be collected by the researcher or they can send them back. The other that questionnaires will be used is by the researcher organizing and meeting with the respondents, after which the r espondents will be asked the questions as the researcher fills them, as a way of getting feedback. This is more appropriate when the targeted group is illiterate (cannot read or write) (Russel, 2006, pp. 15-46). As compared to face to face interviews, this kind of method will be cost effective, it will be familiar to most people, and it will reduce any middle man biasness that comes from personal opinions influenced by the respondent (Weller, 1988, pp. 12- 33). However, this method will be time consuming and quite expensive, because of the movement that will be involved. It can be also intimidating to some people who may find it uncomfortable to sharing some information that the questionnaire requires, considering that this is a topic that is viewed differently by the entire society (Sirch, 200,pp.12-36).Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A third method that will be used is telephone interview. This is one of the most noteworthy primary data collection methods. As Weller (1988, pp. 16- 24) argues, this method is simple to use (selecting telephone numbers, call timing, call outcomes and call reports), and it is well known as dominant and most cost effective because. This is because, this methods has proved to be to give high chances of reaching the respondents from all over the world; it saves time used in travelling and all the involved costs. In addition, through this method, more information can be collected in a very short period and there are high chances of random selection of units among the population with telephone connections (Ian, 2008, pp. 22-36). However, it has the following shortcomings. Firstly, it is impossible to employ visual aids from some population and the high probability of discontinuing conversations may result to incomplete interviews; hence, the quality of information obtained may not be acc urate. Secondary data collection methods Secondary data collection methods are easier and less expensive, since they make use of second hand data (Weller, 1988, pp. 23-52). In this case, the prime targets are the kids and adults in the city who want to learn martial art, in order to build their self confidence. The methods that will be necessary for this research will be based in on competitor ‘current strategy that will follow the various avenues that one can use to get the information about the competitors’ current strategies. These methods include annual reports, information they give to the press and any other form of interviews that will be done by analysts among others. Usually, secondary data is collected from already available data from magazines, journals, and portals. Another secondary source of data will be the demographics data analyzed from U.S census. The data collection instrument will be designed in a way to simplify data compilation and it should be for mulated in such a way that it is easy to use. These include using interview guides; observation checklist, focus group discussion guides, questionnaire, and the survey forms, more when there will be need to collect information from fields (Ian, 2008, pp. 22- 59). The questionnaire for the martial art for kind marketing research is as follows. Target population This is a specific group of people that is identified as the intended recipient of a product, advertisement, campaign, or research. They are sometimes known as target audience. The target audience can be composed of people of certain age group, gender, teenagers, females, singles, and marital status. There should be caution since it is possible to make a mistake in trying to reach everybody and ending up appealing to none (Weller, 1988, pp.16- 43). This martial art school for children research’s target population is both kids and adult. They can be either enrolled for the martial art or not yet. This research undertakin g primarily targets chooses those people who are enrolled in martial art school, because they have a lot of information following their experience in the school. This research will primarily focus on what they have learnt gained and the difference they have experienced since they joined the school. On the other hand, those who have not joined have their own reasons; hence, it is also important to get some information from them, because they may have not been seduced enough by the benefits of doing this art or they do not have knowledge on the same. Below is the questionnaire for the research; The sample size should be big enough to collect enough information. Due to the fact that people have very different views on martial art, the sample size should be big enough in order to get more accurate information. Small samples are not advised when doing such a research that involves a major objective like the one stated above. It may lead to inaccurate result and therefore wrong conclusion s (Ian, 2008, pp. 9-36). The Questionnaire for the Respondent This questionnaire is prepared to facilitate the collection of relevant data from martial art school for kids. This is primarily aimed at showing why the individuals are no longer seeking martial art classes primarily for self defense skills, but they are mostly driven by other reasons such as recreation and fitness needs. It is also to investigate why parents enroll their children in order to keep them active, while the elderly seek such services to increase their balance and coordination. The information gathered will only be used for this study and shall not be used to victimize any one, because the entire respondent will remain anonymous and their names shall not be revealed to anyone without consent. Areas of ethical concern In any research, there is always a situation that requires a person or organization to make a choice between alternatives that must be evaluated as right or wrong (ethical or unethical) (Sirch, 2 001, pp. 6-35). The research aims both the kids and the adults, but the ethical concern involves the kids. As per numerous research studies that have been published, most of the children do not know the significance of martial art to their well being, because instead of most kids dong it, because they have passion for it, most of them do it, because of peer influence and even some do not have any idea why they do it. Areas of unethical concern in this market research are directly aimed at children without getting consent from the parents. In handling this situation, the researchers will first consult the parents before they go ahead to meet the children for interview or to get them to fill the questionnaire. The reason for this is to know the right time and most importantly give the parents an opportunity to regulate the kind of questions to ask their children. In addition to, the organization can embark on a respondent education to make their young audience aware of what the resear ch is all about. After collection of data, the next thing is to data analysis, which then results to formulation of reports. A report carries a feasible study carried during data collection and data analysis. Breaking the report into various parts is very important owing to clarification and easy understanding. A standard analysis should focus on giving an articulated and well argued response to the objective of the research. It should also be subjective but at the same time the impersonality suited to should be clear. The objective presented in the report should be relevant to the objective of the research. Finally, a good report should separate the good or excellent ideal from the average ones (Russel, 2006, pp. 11-36). Some of the opportunities I see to integrate marketing research technology in my plan is the use of electronics. There are improved methods of analyzing and contracting and integrating the information and index the results in various ways, according to the command directed. Recommendations Ther are several cases that should be considered when doing a research and the steps to follow after the research is complete. Determining the right target group is the most important. The wrong choice of the target population will distort all the information and will lead to undesirable results (Weller, 1988, pp.19-43). After determining the target audience, the next step is to decide on which is the best way of communication, more so when it coesm to adhering to the set goal. The target audience determines the communication method. If for instance one chooces a target audience comprising of teenegers, the comminication method to be used should suite their level. It should not be provoking or that can make them to lie or exaggerrate their response (Sirch, 2001, 26-32). If possible, use a language that is indirect to them but according to the way they will answer the questions and after analyzing them, the researchers can still get the right information. De signing the massege appeal is also very essential. Quaestionnaire questuions or any other questions to be used in the research should run in systematic way. That is, from the simplest to the hardest or from the most open question to a personal quasetion (Sirch, 2001, pp. 11-22). The researcher should also watch out his/her tone to use in every question. People are different; therfore, one should be as simple as possible and make the intentions clear. If the respondent does not want to give a respond, it is better to listen to his opinoin and do as he or her want. The last step after a reseach is to use the infromation gathered from the research after analuzing the whole situation and coming up with conclusions- and allocate the resources (Weller, 1988, pp. 12- 32). In this martial art schools reaserch shows that there is more likely to have less martial art schools for both kids and adults in the furture owing to more and more people getting interested in enrolling. Hence, before al locating resources ( buliding or establishment of more martial art schools) one should use the information from this resarch inorder to determine the riht way to allocate the resources. Reference List Ian. (2008). Questionnaire Design. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Micah, D. (2007). Martial: The Art and Language. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. Russel, H. (2006). Research methods. Altamira: Rowman. Sirch, R. (2001). Nursing research. Chicago: Jones Bartlett Publishers. Weller, S. (1988). Systematic data collection. Chennai: Sage publishers. This research paper on Martial Art School for Kids was written and submitted by user Liam Richardson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

life and death essays

life and death essays Society should pay more attention to animals and their rights. In my opinion, pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle is more humane. Animal cruelty should be publicized so people can be aware of the torture their dinner has gone through. Cows, Chicken, and pigs are the three main animals that we consume. Virgil Butler is a former employee of the Tyson chicken slaughter plant in Grannis, AR. In 2003 Virgil stated I have seen the chickens blinded by the ammonia fumes that build up in the houses. ...Ive seen chickens starve...because their feet were stuck in the muck... Cull the runts [means] pulling their heads off (Butler 1). Its obvious already that no living creature should be treated with such disrespect. Turkey and chicken are genetically altered to grow twice as fast and twice as large as an average turkey or chicken as of 20 years ago. All living creatures should be able to live their live the way most human beings do. Obviously they cant make money or get married, but they should be treated the same, in the fact that animals should not have to live their whole life in a cage, or have to be given hormones so farmers can make more money. There is no reason for man to take the life of a cow or pig for his own nourishment. With knowledge of the food pyramid everyone should be taking in approximately two to three servings a day. One serving is around two ounces; 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of peanut butter, plus 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked dry beans is equal to two ounces. Already you are done with one serving, and no one has to die for it. I wouldnt be able to live off of peanut butter and beans any longer then the next guy, and those arent the only options. Plants also can provide you with protein, and the ones containing the most are : lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, miso, and peas. When becoming a vegetarian you need to also be aware of a vi...

Accounting Applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting Applications - Essay Example Value addition allows firms to effectively market their products and services, while putting emphasis on the power of brand rather than the commodity. Through value additions, firms can charge higher prices and enjoy competitive advantage. This is because products and services with higher added value are less price-elastic and difficult to be copied by the rival companies. Addition of value can either enhance the product’s value or price. For example, offering one month of free support on new software would be a value-added attribute (Pramanik 2005).The primary purpose of job functions in MYOB is to group certain transactions into a reportable entry. This is achieved by assigning a job for each profit centers, which for the case of the printing business can be assumed to be the two divisions including Hamilton and Auckland. Henceforth, every transaction that belongs to each division (profit center) is assigned to a job that is associated with it. Job reports, which represent t he profit centers, are used to report the activity of each job. A job function is set up to follow income and expenses associated with service jobs. This function is especially helpful when performing multiple jobs for a particular customer. A suitable job number is allocated to each amount every time the user executes a transaction. This feature allows the user to relate different jobs with different amounts in a single transaction. By creating a jobs budget analysis, a profit and loss statement for each job and actual results can be prepared and compared with the budgeted values, for each profit center. Ideally, job function is useful for companies that perform more than one job for the same customer, for example the printing business could be performing different jobs in the two divisions, but for the same customer. This is made possible by MYOB because it allows such jobs to be created underneath the name of the customer. Furthermore, a printing business can use job function for each service performed or goods transacted in order to track the services and products that are most profitable and those that eventually generate losses. This information can be used to prepare comprehensive reports, which enables the company to analyze all the transactions they have made with the business during a certain period (MYOB 2006). The business of printing can assume each of its two divisions as distinct profits centers, for which it can track income and expanses separately. The jobs function can be used to group transactions belonging to each division (profit centers). The performance of each division can then get tracked and relevant reports generated accordingly. Additionally, to breakdown a job into distinct parts, a firm can use sub-jobs (MYOB 2006). Category function The category function allows firms to track profitability of properties, offices and other segments associated with the business in question. For every time users input a transaction, they are require d to assign the category that suits its description. For the case of a printing business with two divisions, we can take each division as an individual category and then track the profitability of the products they produce: say, product A, product B, and product C for Hamilton and product A, product B, and product C for Auckland division. Thereafter, a profit and loss statement can be prepared for each division. Examples of transaction that can be assigned categories include: general journal entries, receive money, historical sales and purchases, inventory adjustments, inventory transfers, purchases,