The Challenges of Cash Flow Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Challenges of Cash Flow - Assignment Example This will enable customers to mail payments and checks processed by the bank as quickly as possible. Companies should use one bank to centralize and easily manage their cash. Tightening credit requirements – It is a marketing strategy to extend credit to customers to increase sales. Businesses often have to extend credit to customers, particularly when starting out or growing. Businesses should also scrutinize individual customers to assess the risks related to selling to customers on credit. Additionally, companies should accept credit cards although it will attract a small percentage of interest (Linzer, 2006). Increasing sales – increased sales would defiantly increase cash inflow. In order to achieve this objective, a company should sell more goods to existing customers and get new customers through advertisement of products and services (Jones, 2008). Pricing discounts – discounts on accounts receivable motivate customers to pay early in order to claim the discount offered. This will definitely improve cash inflow. However, this will reduce the firm’s profit margin. A company may delay payments to the suppliers as a counteraction. This must be done with a lot of precaution so as not to affect the firm’s credit rating. Securing loans – bank overdraft or other short-term loans can also be used to solve short-term cash flow problems (Linzer, 2006). A long-term amortized loan is also another way to solve cash flow during financial difficulties but it should sum up principal and interest until the loan is finally settled. Set cash flow targets- proper cash flow projections will enable your firm to properly estimate and project the required cash flow. The use of cash flow analysis tools like use of cash budget and projected cash flow statement are also effective (Jones, 2008). Make payment by your customers as

The History of the “Jim Crow” System Essay Example for Free

The History of the â€Å"Jim Crow† System Essay For most white Americans, the demise of the Reconstruction in 1877 was not an occasion for mourning. Rather, it was an opportunity to reestablish the inferior status of the Negro in American society. The period from the 1880s to the 1960s was therefore characterized with the emergence of laws that implemented segregation between blacks and whites (Carlisle and Golson 214). These edicts, collectively known as the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, ultimately brought about a way of life that relegated blacks to the status of second-class citizens. â€Å"Jim Crow† originally referred to a minstrel character that was created in 1830 by a white actor named Thomas Dartmouth â€Å"Daddy† Rice. According to legend, Rice was able to come up with the concept of â€Å"Jim Crow† after chancing upon an elderly African-American man who was suffering from rheumatism. Drawing inspiration from the old man’s appearance and movements, he went onstage sporting blackface makeup and danced a ridiculous jig while singing the lyrics to the song Jump Jim Crow (Sotiropoulos 20). But Rice never used â€Å"Jim Crow† as a racial slur – he often portrayed the character in black song and dance as a trickster figure (Sotiropoulos 21). â€Å"Jim Crow,† however, eventually became an ethnic affront when the minstrelsy evolved into an overwhelmingly racist form of popular entertainment. In the decades before and after the Civil War, pro-slavery factions used minstrel shows as a means of expressing their opposition to abolitionist sentiment. As a result, the minstrelsy ended up spawning several caricatures that embodied bigoted misconceptions about blacks. â€Å"Jim Crow,† for example, was made to resemble â€Å"Sambo,† the â€Å"plantation darky† stereotype that was formed in order to give whites the assurance that blacks were contented with being plantation workers. There were likewise instances when â€Å"Jim Crow† was depicted as â€Å"Zip Coon,† an urban buffoon who derided free blacks and therefore implied that blacks were unfit for freedom and urban life (Sotiropoulos 21). It was not until the 1880s that â€Å"Jim Crow† was associated with legal forms of discrimination against blacks. Many white Southerners greatly resented the Reconstruction (1863-1877) because the latter provided small possibilities for racial equality between blacks and whites. The passage of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments emancipated blacks from slavery and turned them into American citizens with enforceable rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1875, meanwhile, guaranteed blacks admission to public facilities (Norgren and Nanda 46). Thus, at the end of the Reconstruction, many Southern whites sought to return blacks as close to slave status as possible. After the 1876 presidential elections, a new set of laws were created with the objective of segregating blacks and discriminating against them in every aspect of political, economic and social life. The â€Å"Jim Crow† system reminded blacks of their inferiority to whites from the cradle to the grave (Norgren and Nanda 46). Several state constitutions passed in the South between 1890 and 1900 mandated literacy tests, property qualifications and poll taxes for electors, disenfranchising many black voters as a result (Earle 98). Certain laws also kept blacks separate from whites in public establishments such as schools, parks, hospitals, mass transportation, theaters and even courts (Norgren and Nanda 47). Nineteenth-century efforts to put an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system proved to be futile. This was mainly because the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the laws that made up the â€Å"Jim Crow† system (Norgren and Nanda 47). The landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) is generally believed to be responsible for the legitimization of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. Homer A. Plessy, a light-skinned black man, was arrested in New Orleans after refusing to ride in a â€Å"blacks only† rail car. After he was convicted in Louisiana, he appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the segregation of blacks and whites was constitutional provided that both races received equal treatment (Earle 98). Although racially discriminatory laws were already commonplace in the Antebellum Era and the Reconstruction, the â€Å"separate but equal† ruling of the Supreme Court in the aforementioned lawsuit legalized exclusion from juries, segregation, disenfranchisement, anti-miscegenation acts and lynching (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157). In the process, blacks were transformed into second-class citizens – they enjoyed the same rights and privileges as whites, but only to a limited extent. For instance, as long as a black man and a white man are riding the same train, the black man has no right to complain even if he was assigned to a dirty cabin while his white fellow passenger was ushered into a clean one. The law, after all, guaranteed blacks equality, but not integration, with whites. The â€Å"equality but not integration† philosophy of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system eventually became a justification for extralegal violence against blacks. In the 1890s, many cotton plantations in the South closed down due to the scarcity in slave labor and fierce competition from Egypt, India, California and the Southwest (Schultz 17). Because cotton was the lifeblood of the Southern economy, the latter inevitably collapsed as a result. Once-wealthy plantation owners suddenly found themselves competing with emancipated blacks even over menial jobs such as sharecropping and construction. As the crisis went on, many whites started to view blacks with resentment and hostility – they accused the blacks of stealing jobs from them (Booker 167). Many whites were appalled that the blacks were passing themselves off as whites by competing with them for jobs and establishing their own institutions like churches and mutual aid societies. Furthermore, the whites felt that the blacks were attempting to elevate themselves at their expense. It should no longer come as a surprise, therefore, if extralegal violence became the primary weapon in which the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was enforced. The threatened and desperate whites viewed brutality as the only means of â€Å"putting blacks in their place† (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Angry white mobs stormed the Southern countryside and subjected every black person they could find to beatings, mutilation and even castration. Lynching, however, became increasingly widespread as the economic crisis went on. During the 1890s, the average number of blacks that were lynched in the South was about two per week. So popular was lynching in the South that it became a public spectacle that drew large crowds, including women and children. There were even cases wherein refreshments were served and souvenirs, including the victim’s body parts, were sold or stolen (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Many Southern whites overwhelmingly approved of the public lynching of blacks – they viewed the latter as a demonstration of the white community’s power and a means of preserving the racial order. Moreover, blacks during the 1890s were depicted as criminal and savage â€Å"Brutes† who preyed on white women. Thus, lynching was also seen as a way of preserving the â€Å"racial purity† of the whites. Rebecca Latimer Felton, a women’s rights advocate and prohibitionist from Georgia, once claimed, â€Å"If it takes lynching to protect women’s dearest possession from drunken, ravening human beasts, then I say lynch a thousand a week if it becomes necessary† (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Because of the institutionalized racism and violence that was associated with the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, blacks had no choice but to live with it for almost 80 years. In the process, they had to accept the erroneous belief that whites were superior to them. It did not matter whether or not they truly believed this premise – defying the whites in any form could cost them their jobs, properties or even their lives. Stetson Kennedy (1959/1990), author of The Jim Crow Guide, claimed that the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was based on the following rationalizations: First, whites were superior to blacks in all important ways. This superiority included, but was not limited to, intelligence, morality and civilized behavior. Second, sexual relations between blacks and whites would produce a mongrel that would destroy America. Simply put, intermarriage between the two races would â€Å"threaten† American racial â€Å"purity† (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Third, sexual relations between blacks and whites would produce a mongrel which would destroy America. Biracial individuals were another â€Å"threat† to American racial â€Å"purity† because they served as living reminders of how blacks â€Å"corrupted† the cultural homogeneity of the whites. Lastly, violence must be used to keep Blacks at the bottom of the racial hierarchy if necessary. Discrimination, imprisonment under false charges and even lynching were acceptable as long as these safeguarded whites from black â€Å"brutes† (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Kennedy (1959/1990) added that blacks had to observe these simple rules when conversing with whites: First, never assert or even intimate that a white person is telling a lie. Second, never impute dishonorable intentions to a white person. Third, never suggest that a white person is from an inferior class. Fourth, never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence. Fifth, never curse a white person (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157-158). Sixth, never laugh derisively at a white person. To do otherwise was to imply that he or she was of inferior character. Lastly, never comment upon the appearance of a white female. Such a gesture implied lust, which would eventually lead to rape (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157-158). In order to show how racism was deeply entrenched in American society at the time of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia provided the following etiquette standards: A black male could not offer his hand (to shake hands) with a White man because it implied being socially equal. A black man was also not allowed to offer his hand or any other part of his body to a white woman, because he risked being accused of rape. Blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together. If blacks and whites did eat together, they must be kept separate from each other by some sort of partition and whites were to be served first (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Under no circumstance was a Black male to offer to light the cigarette of a White female. This was a gesture that implied intimacy. Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing. The whites considered this intimation to be very offensive (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Blacks were introduced to whites, not the other way around. For example: â€Å"Mr. Peters (the white person), this is Charlie (the black person), that I spoke to you about. † Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to blacks (i. e. , Mr. , Mrs. , Miss, Sir or Ma’am). Instead, blacks were called by their first names (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Blacks, on the other hand, had to use courtesy titles when referring to whites. Blacks were never allowed to call whites by their first names. If a black person rode in a car driven by a white person, the former had to seat in the back seat or the back of the truck. White motorists had the right-of-way at all intersections (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). By the beginning of the 20th century, the â€Å"Jim Crow† system had finally succeeded in its quest to implement racial segregation in the South. Intermarriages were strictly forbidden, while schools, trains, streetcars, hotels, barbershops, restaurants and theaters had signs that indicated whether or not they accommodated blacks (Hill and Jones 41). Black workers were excluded from high-paying jobs and unions and were instead confined to low-paying jobs, thus creating a cheap labor pool which could be exploited by white entrepreneurs. Akin to the period of slavery, the â€Å"Jim Crow† system created a status quo in which blacks were accorded a lowly status simply because they were an â€Å"inferior† race (Hill and Jones 42). In the early 20th century, education was probably the â€Å"Jim Crow† system’s most effective means of subjugating the blacks. Although public education was available to black children living in the South, the region had few effective schools. Many of the South’s black schoolchildren had no school buildings and met for class in churches, lodges, homes or barns, served by privies and without electricity – a trend which continued into the 1940s (Rose 251). Black teachers, meanwhile, had to make do with faulty castoffs from white schools (Rose 252). These conditions instilled in black children a lifelong aversion to learning. Indeed, what is the point of going to school when little can be learned there? It would be much better for the children to just stay home and help their parents in the cotton fields. Another possible factor behind their lack of motivation to stay in school is the hegemonic belief that whites are superior to blacks. Growing up, black children in the South were constantly taught by their elders to be subservient to whites (Rose 254). As a result, they would be discouraged in pursuing an education, because even a highly-educated black person would still be a â€Å"slave† in the eyes of the whites. But not all blacks opted to live with the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. Prior to the modern civil rights movement, many blacks have already protested against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system of domination. Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, for instance, openly criticized racial segregation in public facilities in the North during and after the period of slavery. From 1900 to 1906, meanwhile, many blacks in most major cities of the South staged boycotts against racial segregation in streetcars (Hill and Jones 43). Even black women participated in the struggle for racial equality in the South. Black journalist and newspaper editor Ida B. Wells, for example, led major campaigns against lynching. During the last decade of the 19th century, many other black women formed local and national organizations that called for both the end of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system and for black women’s rights (Hill and Jones 43). Black women cannot be blamed for their extreme dedication to putting an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. The latter had very detrimental effects on their political, economic and social status. Foremost among these negative upshots are the â€Å"Jezebel† and the â€Å"Matriarch stereotypes. The Jezebel image depicted black women as sexually promiscuous, lustful and immoral. Historians argue that the Jezebel caricature was formed in order to rationalize the rape and forced breeding of black women – black women deserved to be subjected to sexual atrocities because they were â€Å"immoral† (West 98). The â€Å"Matriarch† image, meanwhile, presented black women as self-sufficient and independent women who have taken over the leadership role of men in the family. Although this stereotype is a possible survival strategy, it is not without a darker side. The â€Å"Matriarch† caricature was a probable scapegoat to the problems hounding blacks, such as poor academic performance of black youths and high incarceration rates. Simply put, her unwillingness to conform to traditional female roles was blamed as the cause of lower moral values and poverty (West 99). Given these negative images that whites associated with black women at the height of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, it should no longer come as a surprise if black women were politically, economically and socially marginalized during this period. Between 1900 and 1920, at least 2 million blacks migrated to the more industrialized North. Black women, however, were limited to domestic and agricultural work – mechanized steam laundries, meat slaughtering, packing houses and crab and peanut factories. By the 1930s, about 60% of employed black women were engaged in domestic work (Parker 47). During the Great Depression, black women in the South were excluded from many stable job opportunities offered by the New Deal. Although black women in the North fared better, employers perceived them as expendable members of the labor force. For one, they received smaller wages than their white counterparts. In addition, they were the first to be laid off when an enterprise closed down (Parker 47). The period from 1909 to 1910 is considered as a watershed in the fight against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. It was during this time that one of the most important progressive black organizations, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), was formed. The primary goal of the NAACP was to discredit the legality of â€Å"Jim Crow† laws and practices. Meanwhile, its official organ, The Crisis, edited by W. E. B. Du Bois, raised oppositional consciousness among blacks by challenging the ideology of white supremacy (Hill and Jones 43). The black protest movement became even more militant during the Great Depression. At the height of the latter, many black workers were either laid off from or denied work in favor of white workers. Those who were able to find work, on the other hand, were paid very low wages and were subjected to abysmal working conditions. Thus, many progressive black groups engaged in grassroots organizing in order to fight racism in the government, corporations and labor unions. Furthermore, the scope of black activism during the Great Depression was no longer confined to the South – even blacks from the North started to organize themselves as well (Jackson 6). At the start of the Great Depression, blacks were excluded from most trade unions in the American Federation of Labor (AFL). But in 1933 and 1934, the United Mine Workers and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union began to accept blacks into their respective folds. By 1935, the predominantly black Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters had already achieved recognition as a legitimate labor union. The Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union signed up thousands of blacks in the most antiunion parts of the South. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which was formed in 1935 as a splinter group of the AFL, mobilized black workers in steel, automobile and meatpacking industries (Jackson 8). The issue of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was temporarily set aside with the advent of World War II. Wartime labor demands gave black workers new employment opportunities, such as better wages, safe working conditions and security of tenure (Horton n. pag. ). With most white males fighting in the war, businesses had no choice but to tap into the country’s pool of black workers. As the country’s number of black workers was not enough for all of the nation’s enterprises, employers offered attractive compensation packages in order to attract as many employees as they could. But whatever optimism blacks had during the war were shattered with the arrival of the white soldiers. In the postwar era, blacks returned to their old status as second-class citizens. They were once again subjected to segregation and low-paying jobs. The prevalence of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system in the South forced at least 1. 5 million blacks to migrate to other parts of the US during the 1940s and the early 1950s (Horton n. pag. ). But the postwar era was likewise the period that was characterized with the demise of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. The Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) that racially segregated facilities were unconstitutional because these violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution (Jackson 530). The Supreme Court’s decision in Brown was an important victory for the anti-â€Å"Jim Crow† movement – the former nullified the â€Å"separate but equal† premise on which the ruling in Plessy was based (Fine 503). The blacks finally had a chance to attain equality with the whites that was based on actual integration with them. But the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown was met with violent reprisals from racist organizations. Many white Southerners staunchly defended the system of racial privilege and even used violence and intimidation in order to forestall change. Various racist and terrorist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and the White Citizens’ Councils, resurfaced in order to spread fear among the populace. White politicians and other leaders, meanwhile, retaliated through very adamant statements of racist resistance. In the end, it was still the people who were at the losing end of this battle – public schools in Prince Edward County in central Virginia were kept closed for five years rather than undergo racial integration (Healey 226). The blacks, however, were already tired of living in fear. A seamstress named Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955 after she refused to give up her seat in the city bus to a white male passenger. Her arrest and detention sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott; a year-long boycott of the city’s bus lines that was led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King later founded the Civil Rights Movement, a protest movement that fought racism through peaceful street demonstrations (Healey 226). Although its members experienced brutal repression and violence at the hands of the police and terrorist groups like the KKK, the Civil Rights Movement finally succeeded in putting an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law which banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or gender. This directive was applicable to all public facilities including parks, municipal swimming pools and businesses, as well as to any program that received federal aid. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was soon followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which banned practices that had been used to prevent blacks from registering to vote, such as literacy tests and whites-only primaries (Healey 227). The existence of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system is one of the most shameful periods in American history. Just because the blacks were regarded as an inferior race, certain laws were created in order to segregate them and discriminate against them in every aspect of political, economic and social life. Worse, the enforcement of these laws through violence was even encouraged. Although the blacks were supposedly equal to the whites, this equality existed as long as they did interact with each other. It would be fair to say, therefore, that the black protest movements against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system added credibility to the American value of egalitarianism. If not for the black activists who fought against racism, the said value would only be applicable to the whites even to this day. The US would have no right to parade itself as the bastion of democracy and human rights. After all, how can it say that it is a champion of democracy and human rights if racism was rampant in its own backyard? Works Cited Booker, Christopher Brian. â€Å"I Will Wear No Chain! † A Social History of African- American Males. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2000. Carlisle, Rodney P. , and J. Geoffrey Golson. Colonial America from the Settlement to the Revolution. Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 2006. Earle, Jonathan Halperin. The Routledge Atlas of African-American History. New York: Routledge, 2000. Fine, Michelle. â€Å"The Power of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision: Theorizing Threats to Sustainability. † American Psychologist September 2004: 59. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 12 April 2009 http://swtuop. museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Harrell, David Edwin, Edwin S. Gaustad, John B. Boles, Sally Foreman Griffith, Randall M. Miller, and Randall Bennett Woods. Unto a Good Land: A History of the American People, Volume 2: From 1865. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005. Healey, Joseph F. Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. 4th ed. London: Pine Forge Press, 2005. Hill, Herbert, and James E. Jones. Race in America: The Struggle for Equality. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1993. Horton, Lois E. A History of the African American People: The History, Traditions Culture of African Americans. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. Jackson, Walter A. Gunnar Myrdal and Americas Conscience: Social Engineering and Racial Liberalism, 1938-1987. Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1994. Jackson, John P. â€Å"The Scientific Attack on Brown v. Board of Education, 1954-1964. † American Psychologist September 2004: 59. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 11 April 2009 http://swtuop. museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Norgren, Jill, and Serena Nanda. American Cultural Pluralism and Law. 3rd ed. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Parker, Patricia Sue. Race, Gender, and Leadership: Re-envisioning Organizational Leadership from the Perspectives of African American Women Executives. New York: Routledge, 2006. Rose, Anne C. â€Å"The Discovery of Southern Childhoods: Psychology and the Transformation of Schooling in the Jim Crow South. † History of Psychology 2007: 10. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 10 April 2009 http://swtuop.museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Schramm-Pate, Susan, and Rhonda Baynes Jeffries. Grappling with Diversity: Readings on Civil Rights Pedagogy and Critical Multiculturalism. London: SUNY Press, 2008. Schultz, Mark. The Rural Face of White Supremacy: Beyond Jim Crow. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2005. Sotiropoulos, Karen. Staging Race: Black Performers in Turn of the Century America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006. West, Caroline Marie. Violence in the Lives of Black Women: Battered, Black and Blue. New York: Haworth Press, 2003.

Detective story discussion The Gatewood Caper by Dashiell Hammett. :: English Literature

Detective story discussion The Gatewood Caper by Dashiell Hammett. " The Gatewood Caper" --------------------- " The Gatewood Caper" by Dashiell Hammett is not just an exciting detective story; its characters are real and fascinating people who are just as believable now as when they were first created. ------------------------------------------------------------------- " The Gatewood Caper" is a detective story written by the writer Dashiell Hammett. It was written and set during the 1920s in San Francisco, Los Angeles, in an aristocratic setting. Harvey Gatewood is a rich businessman who finds out, his daughter Audrey has been kidnapped. He calls and hires a detective, the detective tells Mr Gatewood to pay the ransom. However Audrey doesn't return after the money has been paid and the detective grows suspicious that something is not quite right. He then goes in search of Audrey and finds her in an apartment with a man. Audrey begins to shoot at the detective through the door, but in the end both her and the man give up. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- " The Gatewood Caper" certainly is an exciting detective story. The writer has us guessing all through the story about who has kidnapped Audrey and wondering whom the villain could be. The detective in this story was only in the detective business for the money but he still used his observations and cunning to track Audrey down. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Good and evil were not easy to spot in this story as the theme was not as expected, the writer kept you guessing from beginning to end, not a typical detective story. I found that the story moved very fast and got to the point quicker than most, which held my interest as I knew it wouldn't be long till the conclusion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Some parts of the story were unconvincing. I would have expected a villain, a heroine, and someone to get their just desserts in any other detective story but I found the ending a bit of a let down when I found out Audrey had kidnapped herself to punish her father. Although I did feel sorry for Audrey as her father was a bully as Hammett writes " He was a big bruiser of a man, something over 200 pounds of hard red flesh and a czar from the top of his bullet to the toes of his shoes." From this description we can understand why Audrey has a problem with her father, especially when he lost his temper what could she do with a man with that physique. Audrey was both victim and villain in this story, which was unexpected. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- However, Hammett puts as much skill into characterisation as he does into plot and suspense.

Early Exposure of Poor Filipino Children in Drudgery

Thesis Statement: The different forms of child labor exploitation or harmful labor have negative emotional, physical or mental impact on child laborers in the Philippines. I. Introduction Childhood is the most innocent stage in human life. It is the phase of life wherein a child is learning new things, fun-loving, free from all tensions and is the sweetheart of all family members. But this is only one side of the story. The other is full of tremendous problems and burdens. In this case, the innocent child is not the sweetheart of the family, instead, he/ she is an earning machine working the entire day n order to satisfy the needs and wants of his/ her family. This is what we call â€Å"Child labor. † There are various causes and effects of child labor that could totally affect or even damage children’s lives. The consequences of child labor to a child can be numerous and crippling on his/ her physical, mental and emotional state. It can seriously hamper the well being of a child who is supposed to get a sound education and nutrition to develop into a healthy adult. [1]†Child labor is horrible. These children get hurt, maimed, even killed. And guess what? Most kids in schools don’t even care. That is why we need to learn about it in school. To make a difference. † It is important to speak about the practice of abusive and exploitative child labor in order for us to be aware of these cases. Although most of the child workers do get the privilege of education, most end up being dropouts and repeaters because they are not able to focus on their studies. By becoming aware of the consequences that the child workers might face from their situations, we shall become vigilant by fighting its cause and therefore contribute towards the goal of eliminating the child labor cases in our country. II. Analysis A. Historical Background Child labor can be traced to the period of industrialization. It is believed that between 1780 and 1840, child exploitation was a foregone practice. It was common to find children working in factories, farms and mills. Some children started working as tourist guides; some worked as waiters or even set up small shops. Worst forms of child exploitation included military use of children and child prostitution. Families led lives which were manipulated by their employers. They would work for more than 72 hours a week for company owned amenities like goods and houses and for a small pay. Many anti-child labor movements were organized and led by working women and middle class consumers. However, even today many cases of child labor in the Philippines are not registered due to different reasons. Although the country has made remarkable strides to stop child labor, it still exists. The fight is still ongoing. According to the International Labor Organization, the number of working children is increasing daily. Sad but true, children are still being exploited in sweatshops. B. Literature Review Children as a Source of Labor 1. Unpaid Household Work The most common unpaid work within the household and also ost common across all types of unpaid work was household work with activities such as cooking, laundry, ironing, cleaning and gardening. The researchers found out that three-fourths of the children under took household work. Parents of the children who work within the household work have their time to relax and parents appreciate this as there rest day. In this case, ch ildren usually learn their task from their parents or older siblings. 2. Children as Income Earning Assets From interviewing some labourers, the researchers found out that many of child workers do not even know about their salary. Because parents or other relatives were the ones connive with the employer, mostly relative rather than the child workers are the recipient of financial remuneration. Even when the child workers receive the financial remuneration, many of them send the money to their parents and they would get little benefit. Although they know keeping some portion of the money with them will help in times of need. III. Child Labor in the Philippines A. Different Faces of Child Labor Child labor is an emotional issue, not only because many business is made large profit by exploiting children for extremely low wage but also ecause children were being deprived of education that would allow them to improve and make their life better. We have policies and programs that help the victims of child labor, however, it still couldn't help the fact that it's still growing until now, there is still argument dealing with child labor. Annually, the numbers of child labor victims is increasing. Working on a dangero us and hazardous job is the only way to help their family when it comes to expenses. Every shift, they face the most difficult trials in life. Everyday they experience loss of life, limb and innocence. Child labor victims are lso exposed to dirty jobs. Blacksmiths, tinsmiths, foundry work, glass factories, cotton and textile mills, coal mines and fields and child prostitution are some of the common jobs that young children are engage in. Being exposed to these dirty activities, children are prone to bacteria viruses so they have a higher possibility of getting sick they also experience many dangers when it comes to their job-child trafficking, especially for girls, often end up imprisoned in rooms, watched by arm guards, starve, beaten and rape by their own recruiters or captors. Children have to bear anything to survive their situation. B. Reasons of its Rapid Growth Child labor has grown to be a topic of widespread debate. It has many favorable and unfavorable points of view. In any case, child labor should be destroyed as it is harmful to the health of the children, it is an obstacle to their education, and it denies them a happy childhood. There are reasons why this dilemma is growing rapidly. One of this is the children work to help pay off a loan incurred by the family. For instance, a parent trade their child for money or because it gives them a wealthy life in change. The children from poor families in developing countries cannot study. Their parents cannot afford their school and study expenditures. Poor families are normally very large, and the bread earner is the male head who single-handedly cannot meet the needs of each member. Poverty hinders the children to do whatever they want. Every child has the right to the most basic of necessities in life like a healthy environment, formal education, and most importantly, a loving family to come home to. Parents are forced to send the little children into hazardous jobs for the reason of survival, even though they know it is wrong. Illiterate and ignorant parents do not understand the need for roper physical and emotional development of their child. They don’t pay enough attention to their responsibilities and that is why they don’t care about the education for their child. Adult unemployment and urbanization also causes child labor. Adults often find it difficult to find jobs because factory owners find it more beneficial to employ children at cheap rate s. One of these examples is the garment factories. The industrial revolution has also a negative effect by giving rise to circumstances which encourages child labor. Sometimes multinationals prefer to employ child workers in developing countries because they could work long nd can pay in a small wage. C. Children’s Rights (Regarding Child Labor) The children’s right is categorized into three by a Canadian organization. The first group is the provision. It means that children should have the right to live and should receive their fundamental needs in life. It also convey that children must have an adequate home, right amount of food to eat, should be engaged in a good lifestyle, health care, education to learn and to play. Next is the protection. The child should enjoy his/her protection. The child should be given the opportunities and a right facility. They should be Free from harm and abuse. Last is the participation. It signifies that the children should have the chance to join different programs and services that are accommodating to them. They also have the right to participate to other activities and facilities in their community. D. Number of Child Laborers The percentage of young people in Philippines between the age of five and seventeen is about 33 percent of its total population which comes to about 22. 4 million. This is a large number considering that Philippines is a young nation. Between the ages of 5 to 7 years, one in every six children has to work to arn a living and help support his or her family. This astounding fact tells us that around sixteen percent of young children in Philippines are working. Child Labor is prevalent in mining, production, farming, and deep sea fishing industries and many children are also working as domestic workers. Based on the 2000 survey of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and National Stat istics Office (NSO) and studies by the Bacolod-based research group Center for Investigative Research and Multimedia Services (CIRMS), around four million or 16. 2 percent of the 24. 9 million Filipino children (aged five to 17 years) work. This reflects a significant increase from the 1995 ILO and NSO surveys wherein 3. 6 million child workers were documented. The age group of 10-14 years accounted for 48 percent of the working children while the age group of 15-17 years accounted for 46 percent. There were more child male workers than child female workers. The gender ratio showed 173 male child workers for every 100 child female workers. Based on geographic distribution, about 70 percent child laborers were found in rural areas and only 30 percent in urban areas. Urban-based child workers were a little older than their rural counterparts: the average age of urban- ased child workers is 15 while the rural average age is 14. E. Working Hours The average number of working hours of children in productive activities was 28 per week. One-third of the children involve in productive activities for more than 35 hours per week. The intensity of work in productive activities was higher for boys(33 hours) than girls(26 hours). Th e survey also revealed that the highest proportion of children involve in these activities worked about 3-5 hours per day. IV. Impact of Child Labor in Children’s Lives A. Short-term Impact Most of the child workers studied were from poor families and ommunities, and this was reflected in their overall community health norm. Nevertheless, no significant differences in height and weight were obvious between working and non-working children from the same communities. Certain work situations were shown to affect the child workers’ health in specific ways. The hazards the children were exposed to were found to be place, work, and gender related. The NSO survey showed that about 30, 000 children had reported having suffered from work-related injuries/illnesses. Majority of these lived in the rural areas, especially in Region VII, ARMM, and Region X. Their most common njuries reported were cuts/wounds/punctures. Some illnesses/injuries reported were such that 3 in every 100 had to stop working and 50% had to temporarily stop working. Schistosomiasis, fatigue, backache, wounds, and over-exposure to the sun were related to agricultural work. Sleeplessness was reported in night fishing and garments manufacturing. Thypoid, gastro-enteritis, beriberi, respiratory ailments (TB, bronchitis and pneumonia), headaches, fever, coughs, dysentery, ruptured eardrums, and damaged auditory nerves were reported in deep sea diving. Fatal accidents such as drowning were reported in sea-related work. In manufacturing, skin and respiratory illnesses; impairment of the nervous system due to chemicals; headaches; backaches; leg cramps; allergies; and eyestrain were reported. Sun over-exposure was reported in stonecraft work. Accidents in manufacturing were due to cuts, punctures, and bone mashing. In services, exposure to environmental hazards and road accidents in street trades, colds, cough, STDs for prostituted children, harassment and threats to the body and life were reported. The NSO reported that while boys suffered more from the effects of hazardous work, illnesses such as body aches/pains were more common among emales, and more females also contracted skin rashes/diseases. Other studies showed that since there were more girls found in prostitution, they were also more prone to STDs. B. Long-term Impact Child labor has huge array of effect on children. Some are see to affect them for a long period of time. When children don’t go to school and learn, the possibility of excelling in life is lessened because they might not know anything. They only have little knowledge. Hazardous jobs can also affect their health. Several conditions are very life threatening and can affect their life until hey grow up. They might acquire some diseases that is incurable and lasts for a long time. They might also get themselves in accidents that would totally injure them physically, mentally and emotionally. They might get used to it, making their mindset more mature, not thinking about their freedom as a child and making them brainwashed zombies. V. The Economic History of Child Labor A. Early Industrialization and the Employment of Children Children in the Philippines, especially those who belong to low- income families are bound to an early participation in economic activities. At very oung ages, they are trained to help in household chores and, for many whose parent’s income cannot cover the needs of their families, contribute to be a family worker. Hence by the time they reach adolescence, most of them are well versed with the realities of the Philippine labor market. Young as they are, working adolescents are highly subjected to abuse and exploitation as they engage themselves in a variety of work, under varying conditions. Those working on the streets or scavenging as well as those trapped in the prostitution industry are exposed to violence and to threats to their moral development and health. Those engaged in domestic service are often isolated and may suffer physical and sexual abuse. Working adolescents in home based industries often work in poor, even unsafe conditions. Working adolescents can be found in practically all sectors of the economy. They cut across major occupational groups and cover a wide range of economic activities. In general, however, working male adolescents are concentrated in non-domestic occupations like wood working, fishing, hauling, scavenging and newspaper selling. On the other hand, working female adolescents are commonly into domestic work, sidewalk vending and in industries requiring anual dexterity, such as embroidery work in sewing. In rural areas, adolescents work for large plantations like vegetable and rice farms. Those in urban areas may be found in the retail trade and in services and small-scale manufacturing enterprises. Of those in the industry sector, majority are engaged in the manufacturing sub sector, while those in the servic es sector are mostly found in the personal services and trade sub sectors. B. The Child Labor Market 1. Supply of Child Workers As we know, human are one of the most abundant things in our planet. We can see humans of different races almost everywhere. Children have higher ratio than adults, especially in the Philippines. So, there is no problem in finding children to train for work. Child workers are scattered everywhere. There are so many cases of child labor, either legal or illegal. In the Philippines, child workers are seen everywhere, even in the dangerous streets of Metro Manila. It seems that they have invaded this region. They are like ants because of their huge number. Some are vendors of certain things like toys, foods, service and other commodities. Our country seems to have an unlimited supply of child workers. Where all these children coming from? Well, judging from biological aspects of the human race, they came from their parents after a night of love. There are only few ways of reducing these big numbers because it is a natural process and it is bad to fight nature. The only way to reduce it is through discipline. Now, we are having an unlimited supply of child workers. 2. Demand of Child Workers Why is there so many child workers on the road? Many people hire children because of the advantages they get. One of the reason is the child’s energy. Children seem to be energetic even though they are tired after a long day’s work. We, costumers pity the children and because of that we buy from them. Syndicates like to hire children because of their charming look as well as their helpless look. So, if people would buy from them, they will just advertise and promote child workers. These had been a big demand for child workers because of these reasons. Children have a high demand in the market today because of their amazing qualities and capabilities. VI. Government Agencies and Laws A. Government Agencies 1. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) The Dole has numerous programs whose goal is to reduce the incidence of child labor. Example of which are as follows: . Coordination of DOLE ad the International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO- IPEC). b. Studies such as the Gender Statistics on Labor and Employment (GSLE) generates data on working children c. The Philippine Program Against Child Labor d. Projects such as strengthening national capacities to support the Philippine program against chil d labor e. Partnership of DOLE with UNICEF 2. Department Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) DSWD as mandated by the national government has waged war against child labor. Programs such as the following were implemented: a. Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) b. Regional Sub-committee for the welfare of children (RSCNC) which one sees and monitors the personality of local councils for the protection of children. c. DSWD- provided educational assistance, skills, training and livelihood assistance. 3. Philippine National police (PNP) The PNP is the enforcers of laws appertaining child labor. PNP started their crack down on â€Å"muro-ami† an illegal method of fishing that more often than not, exploits minors. B. Non- Government Agencies 1. Compassion Compassion is a child development center that sponsors children and provide them with food, shelter, education and health care as well as Christian trainings. It is a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and encourage them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. 2. Bantay Bata 163 This is a social welfare program of the ABS-CBN Foundation. It aims to protect disadvantaged and at risk children through a nationwide network of social service. Among these services, the national emergency hotline†163† which allows people to call and report incidence of child abuse exploitation and neglect. C. Laws 1. RA 9231 A. special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation nd discrimination. Act No. 1-08-employer/ youth aged 15 to less than 18 years old. 2. RA 9208 An act to institute police to eliminate by picking in person especially women and children, establishing the necessary institutional mechanism for the protection and support for trafficked persons, providing penalties for its violation. VII. Summary This research st udy is all about he current situation of child labor here in the Philippines. Our research discusses the factors affecting child labor as well as the child. It also touches certain topics that would help the authorities to come up with a trategic plan to decrease or might eliminate the presence of child labor in our country. This research exposed what might have been the origin of child labor in the Philippines. The economic status of our country with regards to the issue of child labor is also included. It tackles the effect of early exposure to drudgery in children, parents and in the country. This research also contains the result of our recent interview/ survey to the public. The questionnaire includes a variety of questions about their background, jobs, family, and the like. The results also provide proof that our country is in a ituation where in the issue, child labor, is almost conquering us. This research is bound together with the statistics of child workers. This states t he different way’s a child could work. Laws, government and non-government agencies governing over child labor is also included within this research. The opinions of the researchers are also stated in this research. The stand of the researchers in the issue is also indicated. The outcome of the different actions of the agencies involved is stated and proven by the researchers. The whole research is mainly about the current situation and effects of child labor to the Philippines and he actual effects of it to the children. VIII. Conclusion On the whole, the decade had brought forth a rich and comprehensive body of literature on child labor. These studies cover the more or less in-depth picture of child workers’ personal characteristics. Our study recounts the historical experience of child labor in the Philippines and shows that children’s labor had been utilized and exploited in the Philippines. Child labor is a human right issue of immense sensitivity. To sum u p, Philippines consider it highly inappropriate when a child below 18 years of age is put to work. People should be prohibited from hiring children. Advocacy to eliminate child labor is not just the simple reduction of child labor in the work place. It is important to realize that there is not one simple answer to this vastly complicated issue. Hazardous work has been deemed as one of the worst forms of child labor and is therefore in need of immediate abolition. [2]†Every child deserves a reason to laugh. Child laborers live and work in such poor conditions that their lips would probably crack if they smile. † The elimination of child labor must pay attention to the conditions that have created the poverty which has spawned child labor. The link between the forces hat have created poverty and the factors leading to child labor go beyond community and national boundaries, and must be understood,, articulated and engaged. Let us all do what we can now, to eliminate child labor by advocating and ensuring that communities will survive, so that children today and in the future can start to take back their childhood. IX. R ecommendations After completing this research we’ve finally come to this part. Based on the outcome of our research, we recommend that the parents of the child laborers should strive harder in order to sustain their family needs because this is one of the ajor reasons why children work in spite their young age. The government should also pay attention and make more laws that penalize and criminalize parents and employers who are involved in this issue because nowadays we only have about 7 laws regarding this issue, which shows that it still needs improvement. The laws also have some flows which night lead to injustice. The children should also be careful in working because there are lots of things that could happen to them. They should also fight for their rights because sometimes, there are severely violated by their parents/ employers. Bibliography Books Del Rosario, Rosario and Melinda Bonga. (2000) Child Labor in the Philippines: A Review of Selected Studies and Policy Papers Manila, Philippines Adolescents in the Labor Force Institute for Labor Studies- Dep of Labor and Employment Manila, Philippines Websites http://international. uiowa. edu/centars/human-rights/documents/hazardous_child_labor. pdf http://EzineArticles. com/? expert=ThesaSambas www. [email  protected] gov. ph www. dole. gov. ph Dedication We highly dedicate this research works to all child workers and government agencies that are concerned in child labor cases in our country. It is known to s that there is a rapid growth of child workers who are supposed to be in the environment of a classroom rather than roaming the streets and risking every chance, time and time again, to earn money. It is with this thought in mind that we became more determined to continue our research study in order for the government to begin putting an end to child labor in the Philippines . Our thanks to all, who generously contributed their insights. Without their help, this research paper would never have been possible. -The Researchers Acknowledgement We, the aesthetic metamorphosis group, would like to express our deepest ppreciation to our very own, Miss Maria Purificacion R. Razon, who introduced us the real essence of being a student by making it possible for us to do our very first research paper. The entire team owes a debt of gratitude to a number of individuals who ably assisted in the development of this research. We would like to recognize Mr. Edwin Estioco, our consultant and reviser, for his helpful insights, advise, inspiration and selfless voluntary service to the successful completion of this project. We also extend our enormous appreciation to Mr. Exxon Susmirano, DSWD Social worker, Mrs. Minie Averilia, DOLE Worker and KGWD Ray Fajardo of Brgy. Kamuning, for providing us their truthful answers to our survey questions. We also are grateful to our families. Their support and guidance has enabled us to function effectively throughout the entire project period. And last, but never least, we honor our Almighty God who served as our team leader and thoughtful guide and for the unwavering support which make it possible for us to develop this research paper. -The Researchers EARLY EXPOSURE OF POOR FILIPINO CHILDREN IN DRUDGERY A Research Paper Presented to The Class of Miss Maria Purificacion R. Razon Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science-Technology High School In Partial Fulfilment Of the Requirements for the Subject English IV By Amelia Fermia Carlos Leniel Origenes Rolyn Claire Maun IV-Gold Jenella Christine Palomar Sharmina Monic Allarde Kevin Baybay IV-Aluminum Emmanuel Caperal IV-Vanadium December 13, 2010 Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Analysis A. Historical background B. Literature review 1. Children as a source of labor a. Unpaid household work b. Children as income earning assets III. Child labor in the Philippines A. Different faces of child labor B. Reasons of its rapid growth C. Children’s rights (regarding child labor) D. Number of child laborers E. Working hours IV. Impact of child labor in children’s lives A. Short-term impact B. Long-term impact V. The Economic history of child labor A. Early industrialization and the employment of children B. The Child labor market 1. Supply of child workers 2. Demand of child workers VI. Government agencies and laws A. Government agencies 1. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 2. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 3. Philippine National Police (PNP) B. Non-government agencies 1. Compassion 2. Bantay Bata 163 C. Laws 1. RA 9231 2. RA 9208 VII. Summary VIII. Conclusion IX. Recommendations [pic] A. Child Laborers We, the researchers, conducted an interview to 12 child laborers based on their personal experiences in engaging work activities. The age of the one we interviewed are ranging to 10-16 years old. Almost half of the interviewee is a vendor, second is the ending, and last are the junk trader, eye optomatrist and a dubber which are the least. As the result of the survey, almost all the child laborers said that they need to work to help their family’s survival. For the remaining, they work because they need oney for their school allowances. After the interview, it appears that child laborer had been working from the past 1-3 years. Almost all of them work when there is a free time or if it is weekend. According to the said interview they worked for 3-7 hours a day. It appears that in a 3 out of 12 child laborers, they had experience abused by their own family members. It clarify th at all of them are living with their parents. Also, almost all of them are giving their earnings to their parents or guardians and the others for themselves or for their offering. It states that all of the child laborers are still tudying. It had been pointed that almost all the child laborers doesn’t have any other job beside their present. Their allowances are ranging from Php 500, which is the highest, and Php 40, which is the least. Child laborers also answer that they want to continue their studies for them to have a better life. After the interview, we concluded that child laborers are working not only from themselves but also to help their family expenses. Moreover, it is obvious that if a child has less hours in school and greater hour for free time they are more attainable to be engaged in work. B. Parents We, the researchers, conducted an interview to 4 parents, which their child is engaged to work activities. We asked the parents why their children are working and the result is because their child wanted to help them for their expenses. According to the parents, their child works approximately 8 hours, which is the highest, and 3 hours, which is least. All of the parents answered that it is advantage for the child to work because they lessen the expenses at home. We concluded that parent agreed to their child to work because they help their family. It also helps their child to be matured like Maria Paz D. Gutierrez, a parent of a child laborer, said,† Natuto siya sa buhay at magpahalaga sa pera. † C. Government officials We, the researchers, conducted an interview to some government official; who are Exxon Susmerano, a social worker from DSWD (Department of Social Worker and Development) and Armando Ray Fajardo, a kagawad from barangay Kamuning. According to Armando Ray Fajardo,† Here in on our barangay we set feeding programs to those that don’t have money to buy food. Another is setting seminars to both the children and the parent so that they would gain more knowledges about the issue of child labor. Government officials also not help the child labor victims but also they teach the parent s and children to be aware in child labor. It also said that in some hidden places they had found some cases of child labor. Children are commonly seen as a child prostitute in some KTV bar in Kamuning. It is also said that DOLE has the list of the specific cases regarding to child labor. The interview pointed that child labor victims will have a bad negative for them, they will be matured-minded and they will not enjoy their childhood and they will begin to love their job. They also state that the one who caught employing children will be unished by law based on their crimes they committed. Interviewee also said that there are laws that are concerned to child labor. RI 9262, RA 7610, RA 7658, RA 9231, RA 9208 and RA 9775 are one of the few laws regarding to child labor. We concluded that Government officials help participates to decrease the child labor in our country. Also, they make laws that help children, but for us it is by act to know and not to words if a person wants to help the victims. ———————– [1] Weston Englstad, Hoover Elementary School of Iowa City, iowa [2] Zoe Grueskin, Hoower Elementary School of Iowa City, Iowa

A Critical Reflection on Learning Society and Learner Identities Essay

The paper draws on the historical experiences of learning society and learner identities from the normative and sociological paradigms which have extensively determined how the experiences of learning have been shaped and how learning society should be constituted. In light of this, patterns of participation in learning process are engaged through a concise interplay between the course of life and their determinants. Focusing on examination as a key factor in the official discourse of learning society, the whole concept of learning society and learner identity can comprehensively be argued within the parameters of sociological construction through theories of human capital, functionalism, symbolic, post modern among others. Through a critical evaluation and reflection, the history of learning society as well as learner identities reveal that the underlying motivation of learning society leans on the uncalled for abstraction of economic behaviors which range from social relations to the individual learner’s participation in the lifetime process of learning. Introduction The underlying principle of learning society and leaner identity is founded within the fundamental of the predominant interplay between social capital and cultural aspects with education. Exploring the inherent meaning of education and learning in the lives of individuals typifies a particular focus on the perpetual element of learning in the social milieu of a rapidly changing society. Researchers contend that the social revolution towards a contemporary society is typical of globalization therefore, life long learning portend a relationship with learning society within the theoretical paradigm that will help in analyzing and evaluating the inherent meaning of education (Coffield, 2001). The process focus on leaving learners with options of developing their own learner identities as inspired by the learning process as well as the pedagogic approaches to education. The experiences and the hitherto identities propel a situation that determine whether the learner goes back to school and learn at least something knew; because, the whole question of the learning society is to enhance the individual’s bargaining power to better their social and economic positions in life through a clear understanding of themselves. Learning Society: A Reflection on the Influence of formal Education on Learner Identity In a multiple deprived modern global community, learning society and learner identities facilitates a broader evaluation of maximum social utility of learning guided by the pedagogical approaches used in the social construction. As a result, learning identities become created and basing on the model of community development, participants in the community development are learners who exhibit such characteristics through a learning process. They are thus encouraged to learn irrespective of age or status; all in a bid to gain accreditation of developing their own knowledge and skills. This extensively develops their leaning identities and gives them a leeway to access other learning. According to Alheit (1992), education as a national social institution can be argued to form part of the global structure. This means that information technology and largely the digital age forms the modern global infrastructure of education and thus, the learning society is inspired and directed by technology to impact on the experiences of a learner within the realms of education. Maguire (2006) further asserts that as the goal of education continues to change over the years due to the element of social integration and formation of economic advantage, many individuals who had dropped out of school or similarly stopped at some level prefer to go back and begin learning. Significantly, it is obvious that from a symbolic and conflict theoretical understanding, the concept of adult education comes into play guided by the principle of skill formation in the context of a strengthened global economic competition. Arguably, increased convergence system of education has become a trend which remarkably points the difference between the traditional attitudes of education versus the modern attitudes. The meaning of education is clearly construed in three levels which are elaborate. Firstly, learning society and learners identity is historically and sociologically explained within the efforts to understand how people use education and the resultant knowledge and skills to construct their courses in life. Secondly, the educational and learning experiences mean different phenomenon to different learners especially within the content of producing as well as forming their identities. Finally, learning society and learner identity become the epicenter of understanding significant experiences that people have with regard to different stages in their lives. This also borders the line whether those experiences originate at work, in school, during leisure time pursuits or during adult study (Antikainen et al, 1996). Accordingly, questions such as the substance, social context and formal education form the important milestones in the learning experience. From the traditional outlook, educators and many members of the society have believed that education is productive. This means that the effects of education are reflected in the experiences a learner goes through in the process of learning as well as after learning. In view of this, the experiences one endures in relation to education break down the universal function of education and somewhat give it a different understanding. Hodgson (2000) postulates that the individualized learning experiences have led scholars to hypothesize several emancipatory meaning of education. Essentially, it is plausible to argue that with the existence of life long and cultural patterns of education in the society, a learning society continues to emerge thus inspiring many individuals to go back to school and learn something new based on the social or economic significance attached to the concept that is learned. For instance, as an immigrant to the United States, there is dire need to learn English for both social communicative purposes as well as official business transactions. In light of this, although the immigrant may be an adult, he goes to learn at a mature age due to the cultural shift and social position in the society. The trends in the educational circles necessitate the learning society. In essence, the flow of information, knowledge as well as students from across regional and national borders is a contemporary trend that can serve as a typical example of westernization as well as global diffusion of local educational products (Husen, 2004). Young (2009) further outlines that globalization is key to learning society and leaner identities. To illustrate, it is evident that regardless of the age, status and racial backgrounds, individual members of the society tend to embrace a contemporary computer based approach of education to continue learning. Such cases are characteristic of E-learning, distant leaning as well as the emergence of virtual institutions; a factor that inspires the attitude for lifelong learning and shapes the identities of learners to reflect a more contemporary one as opposed to the historical approach towards learning. Every situation in the present society calls for problem solving, critical and creative thinking and apt communication skills and this deep feature of the globalised society steers individuals to be always on the search for education, skills and knowledge.

Improving Reading Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities

Improving Reading Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities Introduction Students who read well typically do well in school (Shaywitz Shaywitz, 2008). Nearly 10% of students in the American education system find it hard to improve performance (Printz, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Improving Reading Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A child who does not read well has a higher possibility of being labeled with a learning disability, dropping out of school, or later having less success in work (Herberg, McLaughlin, Derby, Weber, 2012). Regrettably, teachers continue to differ as to how to enhance children’s reading knowledge so all the children will be literate when leaving school (Kaufman, McLaughlin, Derby, Waco, 2011). Consistent with the research literature, there are many successful and valuable teaching methodologies to enhance reading performance and word acquisition. Such methodologies consist of ski ll-centered programs like Direct Instruction (DI) (Erbey et al., 2011). Direct instruction involves explicit using lectures that contrast sharply with tutorials, and inquiry. Instead of using models, educators use demonstrations of the subject materials. Precision coaching that allows children to increase knowledge vigorously and monitor day-by-day performance (Ruwe et al., 2011) is part of these coaching and evaluation methodologies. In precision coaching, the educators aim is not abstract and general. Rather, it is focused and trained on getting particular results. Teacher-and children-coordinated drill (a live session where students and teachers engage at a personal level to solve pertinent issues) and practice techniques like feedback cards (the cards provide valuable guided feedback), detailed notes, constant reading (McLaughlin et al., 2009), and Direct Instruction flashcards (Falk et al., 2003; Ruwe et al., 2011) have been certified for their efficiency. The utilization of cl ass-based peer coaching (Erbey et al., 2011) has enhanced classroom social and educational behaviors across an extensive range of behaviors and children categories.Advertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Development in word knowledge and fluency is associated with a drill and practice process known as reading racetracks (Erbey et al., 2011; Green et al., 2010). Reading racetracks (which are tools that help students increase reading fluency by capturing their attention) use mistake elimination, timing, group or tutor comment, and plotting of children performance (McLaughlin et al., 2009). A racetrack is made of 24 units or squares arranged in circle like a racetrack. Two pictures of Ford Mustangs appear at the upper and lower side of the track. The coach places in the drawings a list of word sets (Ruwe et al., 2011). The children are usually instructed by the teacher with flashca rds first, then are allowed to practice individually utilizing the track. After that, the instructor times the child for 60 or 120 seconds to see how quick he or she can verbally read the words around the racetrack. Care is taken not to insert two words beside one another, which are phonetically alike. The child and instructor count the number of right or mistakes and plot this result on standard or conventional graph paper. After the initial three racetracks, an assessment racetrack is made to provide further practice and maintenance of treatment outcomes over time (Printz et al., 2006). The following methodologies are included in this proposed study, but contain an original extension of many of these data-centered methods. This study employs the â€Å"outline, guide, examine, and re-examine† found in Direct Instruction methods. The precision training strategies (Printz et al., 2006) of timed reading practices, fluency developing, survey sheets, and child self-reading of per formance are employed. The utilization of drill and practice processes similar to McLaughlin et al. (2009) is also adopted. Finally, a token strengthening program (Printz et al., 2006; Green et al., 2010) will be appraised and adopted. This study will use a â€Å"reading track† system (Printz et al., 2006; Ruwe et al., 2011) and precision coaching (that allow students to monitor each day’s performance) methods to improve the fluency and correctness that children read words in isolation. The racetracks that will be adopted conform to the direct instruction practice of not incorporating words, which are visually and phonetically similar in the same session (Hyde et al., 2009).Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Improving Reading Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The purpose of the present research is to assess the efficiency of utilizing Reading Racetrack s to improve the reading of words found on the K-2 list key phrases adopted in the school district. A token strengthening program is as well engaged as further motivation for the research. During a one-minute timing of verbal reading, right and wrong phrases will be measured. Literature Review Introduction The study of the art and science of reading focuses on understanding the relationship between mind growth, social relationship, and learning by borrowing concepts and concluded studies from the fields of education and neuroscience (Printz et al., 2006). The results of the present study may aid in enhancing training practices for all children and assisting teachers in the development of more successful methods to teaching students with learning disabilities. Some of the general design elements built into certain hardware and software provide simple but strong techniques to back-up students’ requirements, both at home and in class. This literature review provides a synopsis o f learning technology practice and methodology with tangible examples of how parents, instructors, and children can utilize technology to improve reading performance of students with learning disabilities. Learning Technology Technology is often integrated into learning interventions and policy with a purpose of facilitating education for children with learning disabilities. As specific elements (Direct Instruction flashcards, Precision Coaching, feedback cards etc) are provided within conventional products, children with learning disabilities are gradually able to interact with educational technologies and instructors are gradually able to modify content for changing children’s preferences or requirements. Moreover, novel technology applications and learning software exclusively for children with learning disabilities emerge on a daily basis from curriculum developers, parents, instructors, and even learners themselves.Advertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These features are contributing to a global need for changes in policy and teaching methods that can influence when and how technology is utilized to improve reading performance of students with learning disabilities (Ruwe et al., 2011). The 2004 approval of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) summarizes the needs and resources for students with learning disabilities in the United States. The IDEA requires Personalized Learning Intervention (PLI) groups, which consist of parents, to re-examine and recommend Educational Technologies (ETs) and establish needed features for an individual child. This consists of specific technologies needed for children with learning disabilities to produce learning materials, interact with syllabus content, or relate to their peers and instructors (Erbey et al., 2011). Differentiation and Technology Differentiated teaching requires instructors to present content that is customized correctly for the range of children in each category, to instruct utilizing flexible methods that provide varying means for learners to interact with the content and with one another, and to offer learners a choice of techniques to document their learning (Romjue et al., 2011). Within both instructor coaching and career development, special instructors are gradually trained to acquire necessary knowledge in their teaching methods. Given that, some special students may opt to learn normally, and the push for affirmative action in this area, General Education Instructors require Special Education knowledge to offer the bulk of daily instruction for learners with disabilities in normal classrooms, with resources and back up from special education professionals (Hyde et al., 2009). In addition, institutions are gradually offered technology-based syllabi that offer excellent ways of interaction and comprehending for learners with disabilities. Many of these syllabi integrate flexible lesson plan methods based on brain studies and/or genera l lesson plan practices. For instance, Richard Mayer (2008) suggests evidenced-centered media design practices that demonstrate how learning is improved when educational practices foresee the cognitive procedural load needed at every level of education. He provides detailed media design suggestions that support critical production of main features and strategies, reduce irrelevant production, and promote generative production to improve learning skills. Mayer’s results show that the correct mixtures of resources – like animation with recitation or pictures with the appropriate phrases beside them – can enhance learning than when notes are presented using an informal rather than a formal method, indicating that our social interaction with the content influences how we learn. Technology Use at Home and In Class Four to six percent of learners in United States institutions have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, totaling 2.7 million learners in 2007 (McLaug hlin et al., 2009). Over 50% of those children spend most of their day in general learning classrooms. Technology inputs that support learners with learning disabilities are becoming more accessible, but class consumption remains behind because general education instructors have not been trained to use such technology effectively. Approximately 35% of learners with disabilities access supportive technology to enhance learning as illustrated by Metzloff et al. (2009). Specific knowledge of supportive technology may be needed to satisfy the requirements of children with certain learning disabilities, but technology reviews even in such instances are often missing. Special technology reviews are occasional checks by perennial instructors and developers of supportive technology to ensure that such technology captures the needs of the intended users. A study of 400 instructors who teach children with learning disabilities found that below 33% of their children had ever had a supportive t echnology review (Ruwe et al., 2011). Research carried out by the Harvard Family Research Program proposes eight methods in which instructors and administrators can encourage parents’ participation in homework to assist students to improve and reinforce learning skills. Four of the proposed ways need considerable parental capability and/or parent-centered coaching and instructor support. These consist of parents’ direct participation in assignments and completion of homework. In addition, it consists of parents’ development of helpful strategies that match classroom roles to their children’s understanding, skills, and capabilities. Studies offer suggestions that propose an affirmative impact from parent-to-parent support teams and instructor-parent partnerships in improving and supporting individualized assignment systems for all children (Lolich et al., 2012). Technology Appropriateness Technologies that aid children with disabilities tackle physical and time challenges can have a quantifiable impact on the children’s interaction with learning. Children who strive to understand image, print, and audio resources are less capable of experiencing deep interaction while absorbing new content since the decoding procedure uses an uneven share of active memory (Wall Siller, 2002). Education instructors, researchers, and professionals agree that special children ought to know how their specific impairment affects their education. Howard Gardner’s (2000) research on several intellects supports learner self-recognition of preferences, strengths, and weaknesses in various fields of learning: rational, spatial, intrapersonal, and naturalistic (Gardner, 2000). Future brain studies may recommend individualized reviews that could quantify varying degrees of learning through utilization of diverse technology-centered approaches at diverse levels in a child’s development. Method Participants Participants of this study are chil dren aged 14 years who have been diagnosed with any specific disabilities that may impair learning. The diagnosis is a procedure carried as per Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Students-III and children with disabilities score lower than the outcomes of that intelligence scale in one or all of the scales. Outcomes of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Students-III (Printz et al., 2006) are Oral 90, Performance 104, and Full Scale 102. The schoolteacher will administer the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Students test two weeks before data gathering begins. The study will take place in the coaching classroom of an elementary school in a rural area. The Special Education Instructor, the teaching assistant, and the first author will be present in the coaching room. The authors will select the participant based on the average level of reading performance and readiness to contribute to the study. Such data will be provided as part of the graduation requisites of the first author from a p ublic university. Materials Resources required for this research are two reading racetracks, conventional plotting paper, a stop watch, data compilation checklist, blue and black pens, list of words, and instructor-made flashcards. A representative sample for a reading racetrack is as shown below. Figure 1: A model Reading Racetrack (Lolich et al., 2012, p. 247) Variables and measurement processes The dependent variables are the number of words the child reads accurately or in inaccuracy. The first author records the number of accurate and inaccurate words read for a one-minute period. Prior to each period, the child is allowed 120 seconds (3 minutes) to practice the racetrack in isolation. The child is timed once in a day based on the number of words they read. This study will take one week. The participants will be awarded points based on a token education program for a specific number of accurate responses. The number of rights required to earn points increases overtime as the i ntervention itself becomes more rewarding. Study Design and Requirements To evaluate the efficiency of the racetracks paired with Direct Instruction, precision coaching and a personal token program, the researcher will utilize the following. Data Collection Survey Pursuant to the measurement processes and variables discussed above, the researcher will embark on original data collection. As proposed above, this study consists of presenting a list of key words and requesting participants to read the words orally for one minute. The researcher makes a check on a conventional graph paper for each inaccurate reading and the total number of readings. An accurate ‘answer’ is defined as reading the word accurately (consisting of self-corrections). A wrong ‘answer’ is defined as reading a word wrongly, skipping a word, or pronouncing another word. The researcher will collect the data for two days. Reading racetracks As noted before, reading racetracks are tools that enable students (especially those with disabilities) to eliminate mistakes in reading through practice. In this research, the researcher selects six words from a universal record of key words for each racetrack, being careful not to incorporate two phonetically similar words. The researcher confirms that the child has previous reading experience with 60% of the words from practice, as mentioned above. The researcher utilizes a growing number of words in the course of the program. The program takes a week as mentioned above. At the start of each day’s session, the child is given 120 seconds to practice the reading system individually. If the participant asks help to decode a word, the researcher offers help. After 120 seconds of practice, the student is timed for 60 seconds. An accurate answer is defined as reading the word in each unit accurately or self-correcting whereas an inaccurate answer is defined as skipping a word, reading a word inaccurately, or pronouncing a word from a different unit as noted above. At the end of the one-minute session, the participant will aid the researcher to compute the number of accurate and inaccurate answers, in addition to recording the information. After calculation, a number of points are awarded to the participant (e.g. one point for every 5 accurate reading answers and then progressively increased during the program to one point for every 10 accurate answers). Immediately following data collection, the researcher uses the Direct Instruction System, which models, instructs, examines, and re-examines for a support effect, such as timing, sign language teaching, or a pen. When the participant completes a racetrack with 100% correctness, a different racetrack is implemented on the next day. Data is gathered roughly three times in a week for a total of six weeks. Reliability of Data The data collected has to capture the parameters and requirements of this research. To fulfil this requirement, the researcher carries o ut an Inter Observer Consistency (the inherent coordination between participant and the researcher(s)) once during data collection. In this paper, there is likely that a number of people may be involved in collecting data. Each time a participant pronounces a word, the researchers record an accurate or inaccurate mark individually throughout the one-minute durations. This may result in different recordings. Hence, the researcher has to make effort to ensure data reliability. To achieve inter researcher conformity, the researcher in this paper divides the number of conformities per researcher by the total number of conformities and non-conformities and multiplies that number by 100. ‘Conformity’ is defined as researchers having a similar response captured for each word pronounced verbally. ‘Non-conformity’ is the instance where researchers have dissimilar responses for a word pronounced verbally. Process of Assessing a Disabled Participant Constructing or de veloping an assessment tool is a process. The process chronologically involves the following steps according to Mayer (2008). Identifying the area of difficulty for the learner. For instance; a childs habitual omission of letters while reading Determination of the frequency of the problem and its gravity with regard to its effect on reading. Sampling of relevant tests commencing with the easiest level until one derives the items, which are at the learner’s level. Carefully paying attention to motor or sensory difficulties and letting the learner to react in the way they function best. Preparations Before the introduction of the learner to experience, proper preparedness of the professionals conducting the testing to administer and score the same and a friendly environment should be ensured first. Most learners are test phobic. To alleviate this problem, they should be explained all the steps to be involved in the testing, the testing items, and procedures clearly. This help s clarify any misconceptions to them and other participants. It would be equally important to involve the parents, as this would in turn help them understand the test and its importance. Hence, win them as part of the assessment support team. Their knowledge about the learner should also be embraced, as it would render the test more meaningful to the learner and their family. Besides establishing a rapport with the learner, it would also help minimize their test stress or phobia, before the test a lot. Ensuring the test is at their level would also help in this a lot. Once everything is in place, the assessment should be done and the results got something that should usher in the following step. Conclusion To facilitate planning for the assessment, the team members should work collaboratively and in a participative manner too to ensure a wholesome assessment. Additionally, the assessments should be carried out in learner’s school or at home unless the learner proves to have b oth educational and other problems calling for specialized attention. Prior to the commencement of the learner, the teacher, and other team members should have a planning schedule for the determination of what is to be assessed and how the information is to be gathered as well as assessment objectives. Assessment objectives entail areas to which forces should be prioritized. Besides this, it should also give clarifications for referral questions, review regarding learners’ information (particularly from parents and other teachers, locate rules and responsibilities of member for diverse information collection across multiple setting. References Erbey, R., McLaughlin, F., Derby, M., Everson, M. (2011). The effects of using flashcards with reading racetrack to teach letter sounds, sight words, and math facts to elementary students with learning disabilities. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 3(3), 213-226. Falk, M., Band, M., McLaughlin, F. (2003). The effects of reading racetracks and flashcards on sight word vocabulary of three third grade students with a specific learning disability: A further replication and analysis. International Journal of Special Education, 18(2), 51-57. Gardner, H. (2000). The Disciplined Mind: Beyond Facts and Standardized Tests, the K-12 Education That Every Child Deserves. New York: Penguin Putnam. Green, C., McLaughlin, F., Derby, K., Lee, K. (2010). Using reading racetracks and flashcards to teach sight words to students with disabilities: Effects for acquisition and response maintenance. Journal of Educational Research, 13(2), 84-98. Herberg, J., McLaughlin, F., Derby, K., Weber, P. (2012). The effects of repeated readings and flashcard error drill the reading accuracy and fluency with rural middle school student with learning disabilities. Academic Research International, 2(3), 388-393. Hyde, C., McLaughlin, F., Everson, M. (2009). The effects of reading racetracks on the sight word fluency and acquisition for two elementary students with disabilities: A further replication and analysis. The Open Social Science Journal, 2(1), 50-53. Kaufman, L., McLaughlin, F., Derby, K., Waco, T. (2011). Employing reading racetracks and DI flashcards with and without cover, copy, and compare and reward to teach of sight words to three students with learning disabilities in reading. Educational Research Quarterly, 34(2), 27-50. Lolich, E., McLaughlin, F., Weber, K. (2012). The effects of using reading racetracks combined with direct instruction precision teaching and a token economy to improve the reading performance for a 12-year-old student with learning disabilities. Educational Sciences, 3(2), 245-249. Mayer, R. (2008). Applying the science of learning: Evidence-based principles for the design of multimedia instruction. American Psychologist, 63(8), 760-769. McLaughlin, F., Williams, F., Williams, L., Peck, M., Derby, K., Bjordahl, M., Weber, K. (2009). Behavioural training for teac hers in special education: The Gonzaga University program. Behavioural Interventions, 14, 83-134. Metzloff, N., Kuhl, P., Movellan, J., Sejnowski, J. (2009). Foundations for a new science of learning. Science, 325, 284-288. Printz, K., McLaughlin, F., Band, M. (2006). The effects of reading racetracks and flashcards on sight word vocabulary: A case report and replication. International Journal of Special Education, 21(1), 103-108. Romjue, H., McLaughlin, F., Derby, K. (2011). The effects of reading racetracks and flashcards for teaching sight words. Academic Research International, 1(2), 134-146. Ruwe, K., McLaughlin, F., Derby, K., Johnson, K. (2011). The multiple effects of direct instruction flashcards on sight word acquisition, passage reading, and errors for three middle school students with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 23, 241-255. Shaywitz, S., Shaywitz, A. (2008). Paying attention to reading: The neurobiology of reading and dyslexia. Developmental Psychopathology, 20(4), 1329-1349. Wall, R., Siller, M. (2002). Quick facts on the use of multimedia presentations and technology. American Foundation for the Blind, 19(1), 201-216.

Entrepreneurship The WritePass Journal

Entrepreneurship Introduction Entrepreneurship ). Economic factors also directly affect entrepreneurship. Success of a entrepreneur or enterprise in any country greatly depends on the economic conditions that characterize it. These comprise of GDP and GDP growth rates, price stability (inflation), foreign exchange and interest rates, among others (Murray-Webster, 2010). Likewise, business strategies are formulated from economic conditions that prevail in an economy. For instance, if the interest rates on loans have a direct effect on an organization’s cost of capital (Williamson et al., 2013). Therefore, it affects the entrepreneur’s decisions on accessing credit facilities and expanding. Foreign exchange rates have a direct impact on companies in the import or export businesses or multinationals operating in economies that are not their home countries. In the external business environment, social factors include aspects like culture, the size and growth rate of the population, religion and demographic aspects like age and gender distributions (Morschett et al., 2005). Social factors have an impact on demand patterns of products and services. Because companies cannot adjust the social compositions and trend in the market, the strategy that can be used is the adjustment of goods, services or management styles to match the tastes and preferences dictated by the social patterns (Lussier, 2011). For instance, if an economy’s population is highly diversified, companies should ensure that they hire an inclusive workforce (Hongjun Yajia, 2012). Technological factors can also facilitate or challenge entrepreneurship. These include research and development capabilities, automation of operations, communication and distribution technologies (Cadle et al., 2010). The technological aspect of the external business environment has an impact on several areas of operation in the organization and therefore is among the key areas of reference in the formulation of success strategies. Murray-Webster (2010) argues that they determine market entry barriers, innovation capabilities and also labour costs. It has been argued by some researchers that legal factors or the external business analysis are closely related to political factors because laws and regulations are formulated by political leadership (Murray-Webster, 2010). Legal factors include laws that regulate employment, health and safety, discrimination and consumer protection. The level of maturation or of an economy’s legal systems also affects the operation of companies (Grant, 2013). For instance, legal systems that are not mature may have loopholes that allow vices like corruption and bribery, which lead to an imbalanced competitive environment for entrepreneurs, which may adversely affect their success. Opportunities for Entrepreneurs Even with the current status competition in the UK business environment, there are still opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs in the business to expand and strengthen their brand positions (CABI, 2009). One characteristic of entrepreneurship is that it is applicable across all industries not only in the UK, but all over the globe. However, entrepreneurs must note that to succeed in this competitive industry, they need to market themselves through implementing innovative ideas that are relevant and competitive enough in whichever industry they are targeting. In addition to this, they must also market themselves through many available avenues so as to attract a wide range of customers (Shone Parry, 2010). The increased globalization that is taking root in the global market also provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach a wider global audience with their ideas. Increased competition levels across industries have cause companies to intensify their promotional activities th rough events to increase public awareness. With a focus on the events’ industry, many entrepreneurial opportunities are presented. For instance, there is an increase in levels of diversity in the UK (CABI, 2009). For this reason, there are different religious, ceremonial, and cultural art events being held by member of different cultural backgrounds across the UK. These events seek services of event managers to run successfully. By either specializing in offering services for a certain cultural group of offering services across the board, event managers have a big opportunity for growth (Bratton Gold, 2012). There is also an increase in the number of weddings, anniversary and birthday celebrations. Event companies that provide excellent services and effectively market themselves through the traditional and modern mediums have an opportunity of capturing a large market share in the UK. One of the successful companies in the UK is Theeventscompoany (Theeventscompany, 2013), which is based in the midlands and provides ev ent services in the United Kingdom and European countries. Success of this company has been attained by providing a wide range of corporate event management services that include corporate entertainment events, company fun days, conference management, themed events and gala dinners and other promotional events. Another successful company in the UK events industry is the Absolute Perfection Wedding Consultancy, which has focused on provision of wedding event management (Absolute Perfecttion, 2013). Even with the relatively high number of event companies across the UK that increase the bargaining power of buyers, the increasing market demand provides an opportunity for new companies to enter the UK market. However, successful entry and development of a competitive edge against the current market players requires heavy investment in equipment, marketing and hiring of qualified staff members in the organization. Creativity and Innovation in Entrepreneurship The current business environment is characterized by several dynamics that have made organizations change their approaches to business issues. To thrive in the present day corporate environment, entrepreneurs are increasingly recognizing the need of incorporating creativity in their day-to-day activities (Cooke et al., 2012). Creativity is the process through which new ideas or alternatives for solving different issues are generated. Implementation of these ideas is referred to as innovation. According to Andriopoulos and Lowe (2000), business entities are categorized as being creative if they get their main income by generating novel ideas that are appropriate in tackling the needs of their target clients. There are several entrepreneurs whose businesses or companies have prospered by embracing creativity and creating a work environment that nurtures innovation. These companies include Google, Facebook, apple and Microsoft. Among ways in which companies are transforming towards bein g more creative is the elimination of hierarchical barriers that slow down the communication process and response to change. Eardley and Uden (2011) posit that hierarchical management structures are based on the notion that the management is supposed to create control, certainty and predictability. Even though bureaucracy has its advantages, the current business environment requires organizations to be flexible and ready to face unpredictable situations. This can only be achieved by encouraging creativity. As opposed to earlier times when competition between companies that offer the same service or product to clients was mostly based on price, creativity has also become an important aspect of competition. Creativity has been incorporated in advertising and other promotional techniques, product design, pricing strategies and distribution which are the key components of marketing (Slater et al., 2010). Even though creativity and innovation is essential for survival in the current busi ness environment, there are several setbacks that are associated with it. For instance, creativity involves taking risks with no certainty of a positive outcome. This is one of the reasons that make certain organizations to stick to hierarchical structures (Andriopoulos Dawson, 2009). Theories in Entrepreneurship and their applicability in Event Management Event management is the utilization of a wide range of management skills in creation, organization and development of different types of events. Events can be categorized into four major classifications. These are leisure events, personal events, cultural events and organizational events (Bratton Gold, 2012). In order to ensure that events are successful, event managers have to consider several aspects before, during and after events. Just like other industries in the wider business environment, success in the event management business also depends on the entrepreneurial skills of the owners. With the gradually increasing interest of researchers in the subject of entrepreneurship, several theoretical models that can be used to obtain a deeper understanding have been suggested. One of these theories is the path dependence theory (Zumbansen Calliess, 2011). The path dependence theory states that decisions that are to be made about the choice of a product or service depend on previous experiences with it. This remains the case even when newer and improved versions of services or products are availed in the market. Path dependence results from the fact that it is easier and cost effective to continue with the use of certain products and services (an already-set path) that to create another path that is entirely new and unknown (Magnusson Ottosson, 2009). With reference to this, entrepreneurs in the event management business need to ensure that they provide customers with satisfactory services that will make them return in case subsequent event needs. By carrying out post-ev ent analysis, this theory is also applicable in selection of suppliers for the event company. Even though this theory holds true to a certain level, it is also true that when companies that offer better event management services enter the market, customers can shift from their original event management service suppliers. It is also argued by scholar that the historical determinisms in the path-dependence theory are prone to disruptions from that occur as a result of the dynamism in the present-day economic environment and industrial evolution (Dobusch Kapeller, 2013). There also the cultural dimensions’ theory that can be used in relation to entrepreneurship. According to Hofstede (2001), the institutional and cultural background of the entrepreneur determines various attributes including the ability to take risks and avid uncertainty. For instance, Hofstede’s model (1980, 2005) some cultures nurture individuals to have high uncertainty avoidance index as compared to others. This influences the willingness to take risks among managers, entrepreneurs and employees. For instance, his studies find the Chinese as being largely influenced by the Confucianism culture, which has the philosophy that what is bound to happen is inevitable; this culture is what the Chinese use to handle uncertainties. The Chinese are, therefore, not used to many rules and regulations, managers are more willing to engage in risks. In other studies Hofstede (2005) established a higher uncertainty avoidance index among the German people as compare to the British. According to Perks and Ricarda (2005), the factors of uncertainty avoidance and risk taking which are influenced by culture, affect entrepreneurship and, especially serial entrepreneurship which determines the ability to acquire new ventures and come up with new innovative business ideas. Another theory that is relevant to entrepreneurs in the event management business is the narrative theory, which is about how effectively organizations market themselves to their target markets (Goodson, 2012). For companies to successfully appeal to their target audience, they have to say something unique about themselves in their promotions, mission statements and vision statements. For event companies, this can be achieved by mentioning their points of strength or areas of specialization (Makkonen et al., 2012). Critics of the universal theory argue that its applicability is limited to communication styles that fit classic narrative patterns (Herman et al., 2012). Conclusion The current state of dynamism that characterises the present-day business environment has increased the need of entrepreneurship. As earlier defined in the paper, an entrepreneur is an individual who has the courage and will to venture into uncertain business ventures, regardless of the risks that are presented. Based on this, there are different challenges and opportunities that entrepreneurs are faced with. This paper has discussed these challenges and opportunities, and also provided recommendations on how entrepreneurs can avoid the challenges that they are exposed to. Macroeconomic factors that affect entrepreneurship have also been discussed in this paper. This report has also provided an overview of the events management industry that has discussed and the applicability of entrepreneurial theories on the industry. Opportunities include expansion to the global markets and different avenues in which event management services are needed. Theories that can be applicable to the eve nts industry have also been discussed in this paper. In addition to explaining their relevance to the event management industry, criticisms of these theories have also been presented. Whilst several points have been presented in this paper, future research could be beneficial to practice by establishing the gaps that exist between entrepreneurship theory and practice. References Absolute Perfecttion, 2013. 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Slater, S.F., Hult, G.T.M. Olson, E.M., 2010. Factors influencing the relative importance of marketing strategy creativity and marketing strategy implementation effectiveness. Industrial Marketing Management, 39(4), p.551–559. Theeventscompany, 2013. Abot Us. [Online] Available at:   theeventscompany.co.uk/   [Accessed 9 December 2013]. Timmons, A. Spinelli, S., 2007. New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century. New York: McGrawHill. Williamson, D., Cooke, ‎P. Jenkins, ‎W., 2013. Strategic Management and Business Analysis. New Jersey: Routledge. Zhang, M.Y. Dodgson, M., 2007. High-Tech Entrepreneurship in Asia: Innovation, Industry And Instututional Dynamics in Mobile. Glos: Edward Elgar Publishing. Zumbansen, P. Calliess, G‎.-P., 2011. Law, Economics and Evolutionary Theory. Glos: Edward Elgar Publishing.