Effects Of Homogenous Grouping Education Essay

The term homogenous refers to points or elements or units which are similar in nature and are in a group which basically means that they posses the same type of basic qualities or belongingss. The opposite word for the word homogenous is heterogenous. Therefore, when a group of points is referred to as homogeneous so it means that the individual points that make up the group have a figure of similarities while a group that has points that differ in all kinds of belongingss is referred to as heterogenous. These footings are non limited to points merely but can besides be used to depict a group of persons by sing similarities and differences in some traits or characteristics. When used in a acquisition environment, homogenous groups refer to an organized group of pupils possessing comparable instructional degrees placed together managing stuffs that are deemed fit to their specific degree, this is normally determined through a series of appraisals and the procedure of organizing such g roups is known as ‘homogeneous grouping. ‘ The exercising of homogenous grouping employs a theoretical account that by and large puts pupils into groups with respect to ability or accomplishment as the variables for doing a determination. At a higher degree of pupil larning the pattern is normally practiced in mathematics, in which instance pupils are taken through general, vocational, or college-preparatory classs in mathematics. A similar state of affairs can besides be experienced in schools that offer algebra at the 8th class particularly at the junior high school and center degrees ( Oakes, 1985 ; Slavin, 1990 ) . Tracking or grouping can besides be done to pupils at the simple school degree, even though the grouping at this phase is done by mensurating general ability or accomplishment and non on ability or accomplishment with respect to mathematics. A 2nd instance in point where homogenous grouping is done for pupils is the little groups in schoolrooms where bunchs are tagged on ability or accomplishment in that specif ic schoolroom. This pattern has been customary for reading direction more normally at the simple school degree for a long clip. The same organisation is used by instructors for mathematics direction. The placing of pupils into high, medium, and low groups for mathematics direction is non much practised at the center, junior, or high school degree where there is a inclination for pupils to make less work when placed in little groups ( Slavin, 1990 ) . The outgrowth of such patterns was brought approximately by the prevailing belief that the difference in kids ‘s rational is so great that there is a demand to learn pupils with different ability or accomplishment degrees in a separate category or group ( Oakes, 1986 ) , yet many concerns have come up with respect to the long-run consequence that practising such groupings may do. Grouping of pupils can either take the signifier of ‘ability grouping ‘ or ‘tracking ‘ with a distinguishable difference bing between the two footings, nevertheless a batch of arguments have been raised in line with these footings. The significance of these footings have been observed to change from one school to another, in this instance ability grouping is defined as a state of affairs where pupils are organized into groups in categories in reading direction while tracking is described as the placing pupils into groups between categories, giving academic classs in topics that reveal differences in the anterior acquisition or ability of the pupils. Tracking specifically has generated vesicating argument with critics bear downing that it non merely fails to help any pupil, but that it besides leads hapless and minority pupils into low paths and dooms a immense figure of pupils to a hapless instruction. It does non nevertheless lack guardians who have besides stood house in reasoning that it pupils with high ability pine away in categories with assorted ability. Conversely, some instructors are in favor of ability grouping proposing that most pupils get disappointed when the whole category does non hold on a new thought at the same clip in a heterogenous grouping. The instructors argue that the low-end pupils pull down the high-end pupils, instead than the opposite taking topographic point. The gait of the category goes down and it becomes necessary for a instructor to fix dual lesson programs for every period, one for the high-end pupils and another for the low-end pupils. At some point one instructor acknowledged the fact that ability grouping could be good in certain countries such as mathematics but warned that it should non be practised all twenty-four hours in all academic countries. So as the argument continues, a common land on tracking and ability grouping is difficult to happen, possibly the most general decision between instructors managing this issue is that ability grouping is good in some instances, but non in others, and that it is necessary to be flexible so that trailing of pupils is non done with no clear capableness of traveling from group to group. Though ability grouping is widely employed by schools across the state, it is a really controversial topic. The contention of ability grouping roots from the scarceness of grounds of how pupils in higher acquisition learn best. Do they larn best in homogenous groups? Can pupils ‘ educational demands be best served in groups of assorted abilities? These are the issues that need to be explored profoundly in the recent surveies. There are a figure of definitions that are of import and need to be clarified. These definitions pertain to structural dimensions of ability grouping or tracking pattern. These facets are electivity, selectivity, inclusiveness and range. Electivity is the extent to which pupils choose or are assigned to track places. Students and their parents are urged by pedagogues to do the â€Å" right † pick harmonizing to their capacities. Curiously, Gamoran showed that the more elected a system, the higher were its pupils ‘ accomplishment degrees ( Gamoran, 1990 ) . Selectivity is the extent of homogeneousness within paths. It is the sum of homogeneousness pedagogues intend to make by spliting pupils into groups harmonizing to features for larning. The more selective a system is, the more the organisation of its pupils does non stand for the composing of its whole pupil organic structure and the more between-class differences are accentuated ( Gamoran, 1990 ) . Inclusiveness is the handiness of options for subsequent educational chances ( Gamoran, 1990 ) . In other words, does the direction a pupil receives prepare him or her for farther acquisition of cognition down the route, or does it cut the pupil off from other options. Finally, range is the comprehensiveness and flexibleness of a tracking assignment ; the extent to which pupils are located in the same path across their topics ( Gamoran, 1990 ) .Effectss of ability groupingAbility grouping has a figure of effects on that have an impact on pupil public presentation and they can be categorised as accomplishment, self-concept, anticipations and attitudes, socio-economic care, and chances for acquisition.AccomplishmentIn analyzing the first issue, which is accomplishment, the first inquiry to be answered is what is achievement and how is it measured? Achievement can be defined as the successful attainment of accomplishments. There a assorted ways in which accomplishment can be measured. M ost normally used in the surveies and are considered here are achievement trials and/or classs on study cards. Both measurings allow for a comparing of accomplishments among pupils. Reuman ‘s 1989 survey tried to reply the inquiry of whether or non societal comparings mediate the relation between ability grouping and pupils ‘ accomplishment anticipations in mathematics. While his survey chiefly included information on pupil outlooks of their accomplishment, consequences refering existent accomplishment were besides stated. Mathematicss accomplishment was measured for sixth-graders from a suburban public school territory in South-eastern Michigan utilizing both achievement trial tonss and describe card classs. His findings pertained to within-class and between-class ability grouping. He found that within-class grouping raised high-achievers ‘ mathematics classs. This may be explained by the fact that in a heterogenous schoolroom utilizing within-class grouping, pupi ls of changing abilities were being compared to each other. In within-class grouping the high-achievers were non in competition with all high-achieving pupils. Their classs were being compared with classs of mean and low-achieving pupils and would hence be higher. Conversely, low-achievers ‘ classs would e lower. The antonym was true for between category ability groupings. Reuman found that high high-achievers received lower classs in between-class grouping and the low-achievers received higher classs when compared to within-class grouping. In between-class grouping the high winners are no longer at the top of their category nor are the low winners at the underside. They are now being compared to pupils of similar abilities and their classs reflect that fact. Although Reuman ‘s survey did non concentrate on secondary pupils, it is practical to include this study since it gives a comparing and contrast of within-class and between-class ability grouping and there is a turn ing tendency towards traveling the sixth-grade into the in-between schools. Newfield and McElyea ( 1983 ) looked at sophomore and senior accomplishment differences in remedial and advanced mathematics and English categories as they compared to heterogenous categories. Heterogeneous categories that included low-achievers performed better on the written part of the English trial. Low-achieving seniors and sophomores in the heterogenous categories showed higher mathematics accomplishment. However, homogeneous-grouped categories of high-achieving sophomores and seniors in advanced categories exhibited greater accomplishment in both mathematics and English. No important differences were found beyond these consequences. Sing the effects of ability grouping on within-class accomplishment, Sorenson and Hallinan ‘s survey ( 1985 ) found that grouping additions inequality of accomplishment. Briefly, sing their survey at the difference in reading accomplishment between within-class grouped pupils and heterogenous schoolrooms for 4th through 7th graders from North California, their primary consequence refering accomplishment for within-class grouping was that high-ability groups attained a higher accomplishment than low-ability groups. These consequences were bases chiefly on informations from simple schools and may non straight use to secondary pupils, but this survey has been included in this research paper to add penetration to the topic of homogenous versus heterogenous effects on accomplishment. Testing the effects on the differences between mathematics accomplishments of within-class ability grouping, heterogenous and cooperative-learning grouped schoolrooms, Slavin and Karweit ( 1984 ) conducted two experiments. The first included 4th through 6th graders from integrated, urban, pathless schools in which the instructors were given appropriate preparation. The 2nd experiment included 3rd through 5th grade pupils from rural, largely white, tracked schools with no specific teacher preparation. The topics in these experiments were called untreated, control categories. The ground for carry oning both experiments was to be able to generalise the consequences of their survey to different school state of affairss and locations. In the heterogenous classes the instructors were trained to stress a high ratio of active instruction to seatwork. Mathematicss was taught in context of significance, non in isolation and there were frequent inquiries and feedback. In these categories, instr uctors taught at a rapid gait and strived to increase pupil clip on undertaking. In the within-class ability-grouped categories, instructors were trained to learn with the same constructs as described in the heterogenous categories, but were instructed to distinguish their gait and stuffs for the two groups. In the concerted acquisition categories, pupils worked in heterogenous larning squads of four or five members. They worked on individualised mathematics stuffs at their ain degrees and gait, and the squad members helped one another with any jobs. Slavin and Karweit ( 1984 ) found that the consequences were similar for both experiments. Concerted larning groups and within-class ability groups increased computational accomplishments significantly more than in heterogenous categories that had no grouping. There was a similarity in achievement effects when utilizing the concerted acquisition and within-class grouping interventions. This survey showed that grouping 3rd to sixth grade pupils in some manner is good to achievement when compared with no grouping at all. Again, this survey focused on simple school but did offer concerted acquisition as an option to the traditional usage of either homogenous or heterogenous schoolrooms. There are other research workers who besides conducted surveies on this subject whose findings are summarised as follows. A meta-analysis ( 1990 ) , conducted by Goldring, on the differences in accomplishment of talented pupils between homogenous and heterogenous categories included surveies crossing cla sss three through 12. Goldring found that the higher the grade degree, the more talented pupils benefited from specialized or homogenous categories. Teacher developing for talented plans straight affected pupil accomplishment. Students in particular categories, whose instructors had received particular preparation to learn talented pupils, achieved more than talented pupils in heterogenous categories as compared to pupils in talented categories whose instructors were non specially trained ( Goldring, 1990 ) . Apparently at odds consequences are found in the undermentioned three surveies. Kulik and Kulik ‘s ( 1987 ) meta-analysis included many older surveies dating back to the 1920 ‘s, and they excessively support Goldring ‘s findings that homogenous grouping of talented pupils increased their accomplishment. Looking beyond talented pupils in general, Slavin conducted a synthesis of 29 surveies from the old ages 1927-1986. He found that between-class ability groups, dominant in secondary schools had small or no consequence on accomplishment. He farther said that different signifiers of grouping were every bit uneffective ( Slavin, 1990 ) . Gamoran and Berends ( 1987 ) excessively studied the effects of ability grouping on secondary school and found rather the antonym. They found that ability grouping and tracking did so affect pupil accomplishment and that the differences between accomplishments may hold resulted from fluctuations in pupil academic experiences. Allan ‘s review ( 1991 ) of the incompatibilities between Kulik and Kulik ‘s ( 1987 ) and Slavin ‘s ( 1990 ) findings advises chariness in construing the reappraisals about ability grouping and the gifted. In both surveies, accomplishment was measured by the usage of standardised trial tonss. Tonss of talented pupils are normally high and approach a maximal possible mark. As they come closer to the upper limit, it is hard for these talented pupils, measured in this manner, to demo important academic betterment as they already represent the upper echelon of accomplishment. This effect may assist to account for the differences in consequences of surveies which examine gifted versus regularly-placed pupils. Another job with the usage of standardised trials was that they did non needfully measure what instructors were learning. Allan recommended the usage of teacher-made trials when comparing pupil advancement in homogenous versus heterogenous categories. Slavin include d surveies that used teacher-made trials, but at that place was a job with his choice procedure. He merely included surveies when the teacher-made trials were designed to measure aims taught in all categories. By and large, aims will change among the three ability groups of high, mean, and low and the lone trials that would run into Slavin ‘s standards would be those that tested for minimum aims. Again, this will non successfully show accomplishment additions for norm and high ability categories. Allan stressed that the most harmful facet of the homogenous versus heterogenous contention is the deceits of research workers ‘ findings, particularly Slavin ‘s. some authors may look at Slavin ‘s consequences and misinterpret them to back up their ain beliefs. An every bit detrimental illustration is that some school systems used Slavin ‘s findings to do determinations on gifted or particular instruction plans. In world, Slavin did non include either group in his survey. In scrutiny of accomplishment, non merely should the effects of ability grouping be considered but besides how schools construction their trailing patterns. Different types of tracking systems do hold different effects on pupil accomplishment. What makes a tracking pattern differ from school to school is the extent of accent a system places on selectivity, inclusiveness, range, and electivity. A trailing system which exhibited a high grade of selectivity or high degrees of homogeneousness, t he larger were the differences in accomplishment between each path.Self-conceptIn reexamining the surveies analyzing the effects of tracking on secondary pupils, it was found that self-concept is a really important variable. Self-concept can be defined as the self rating of a pupil ‘s abilities in comparing to his or her other schoolmates. Student self-concept depends on their comfort and adeptness with societal comparing procedures. Self-concept non merely reflects how pupils rate their abilities by societal comparing to other schoolmates, but it besides includes their self-esteem, the manner the feel about themselves. Ability grouping and trailing patterns have a strong consequence on self-concept as the degree or group a pupil is placed affects the variables with which he or she may estimate his or her ain public presentation and ability. For secondary pupils, their self-concept does associate to their group arrangement. In homogenous systems, high-ability pupils rate high degrees of self-concept, while the low-ability pupils exhibited lower degrees of self-concept ( Byrne, 1988 ; Reuman, 1983 ; Spenser & A ; Allen, 1988 ) . A survey following sophomores to their senior twelvemonth found that their self-concept remains changeless for academic paths ( high-ability pupils ) and regular paths ( average-ability pupils ) , but self-concept diminutions for the vocational-tracked pupil ( low-ability ) ( Vanfossen, Jones & A ; Spade, 1987 ) . In heterogenous categories of English and Social surveies, secondary pupils experience higher grades of ego construct and ego regard. Compared to the homogenous categories, instructors, who in this survey were learning to mixed-ability groups for the first clip, perceived elevated degrees of self-concept and self-esteem from their norm and lower pupils ( Poppish et Al, 1990 ) . Low tracked pupils in 11th and 12th class academic categories often compared their abilities to the pupils in high paths and the low-track pupils did see themselves as less capable ( Byrne, 1991 ; Reuman, 1983 ; Vanfossen et Al, 1987 ) . However, in general course of study categories, the low-tracked pupils used societal comparing processes less and placed less accent on academic accomplishments. In these categories, it was found that cognition was non every bit of import as popularity with equals ( Byrne, 1991 ) . Social comparing procedures are an of import go-between of the relationship between ability grouping and self-concept. In a survey of ninth-grade mathematics categories, within-class grouping for high and mean groups positively affects the self-evaluation for those pupils because of the manner they compare themselves to the ability of the other pupils in their category. The low-ability group demonstrated lower degrees of self-concept as they saw that their mathematics abil ities did non be the other groups in the schoolroom. The high-ability pupils compared themselves to pupils who were less mathematically capable and rated their ain abilities high ( Reuman, 1983 ) . In contrast, the self-concept for between-class sorted pupils related to the ability group in which the pupils were placed, i.e. high-ability pupils had high grades of self-concept, mean ability had mean grades of self-concept and low-ability pupils saw themselves as holding hapless mathematics abilities ( Reuman, 1983 ) . Reuman ‘s survey ( 1983 ) besides found that gender plays a function in pupils ‘ self-concept. Unlike male childs, misss are loath to compare themselves academically to others. For these pupils, who do non utilize societal comparing, their group degree strongly relates to their self-concept of their mathematics abilities. The effects of grouping on talented pupils ‘ self-concept showed no important differences between heterogenous and homogenous categories. On of the fabulous advocates for talented clauses is that specialised categories will profit talented pupils ‘ self-concept. However, talented pupils in homogenous, specialised categories do non exhibit higher grades of self-concept than talented pupils in heterogenous, mixed-ability categories ( Goldring, 1991 ) . When looking at the impact homogenous grouping versus heterogenous grouping has on pupils ‘ self-concept, it is of import to see the findings as they pertain to high, mean and low winners in heterogenous, between-class grouping and within-class grouping. It would be lead oning to generalise the consequences of heterogenous versus homogenous grouping for all pupils without looking at these finer dislocations.Anticipations and AttitudesAnticipations, as defined in this research paper, are the hopes and ideas pupils every bit good as instructors bring with them into a schoolroom or to a lesson on how they will win, and what they expect to larn. It is argued that tracking and ability grouping contribute to the inequality of instruction by changing pupil anticipations for successful public presentation and their attitudes towards school ( Oakes, 1985 ) . In her 1985 survey of 25 high schools and 25 junior high school, Oakes found that high-track pupils have higher outlooks for succe ssful public presentation, while low path pupils tend to experience more anomic from their school ‘s educational demands and farther educational chances. In the procedure of analyzing the organic structure of current research on ability grouping for its effects, it was found that much of the literature did non take into consideration anticipations or attitudes as variables. A survey of 9th and 10th class English and Social surveies classes showed that pupils of norm and high abilities had more positive anticipations for their heterogenous categories and their acquisition activities as compared to their homogenous opposite numbers. As the anticipations of the heterogenous pupils increased so did their motive to larn. In this survey, the heterogenous categories were tried for the first clip in this school, which had antecedently grouped homogeneously utilizing between-class groups ( Poppish et Al, 1990 ) . Teacher anticipations play a portion in the impact of ability grouping. In high school history categories, a survey found that instructors have lower anticipations for their low-ability pupils ( Muskin, 1990 ) . This type of instructor anticipation manifests itself in the manner instructors prepare for low-ability pupils. Granted they must take into consideration the lower abilities of these pupils, but these categories resulted blare higher rates of no n-instructional clip. Low-ability history categories were besides marked with a low or non-frequency of critical thought accomplishments, which are skills instructors seem to reserve for their high-ability pupils. One writer ( Muskin, 1990 ) suggests that critical thought accomplishments are taught at a higher frequence to the higher ability pupils because instructors expect high-ability pupils to be more prepared to manage that sort of cognition. Achievement anticipations were measured for 6th graders in mathematics in a 1983 survey. The achievement anticipations are a combination of self-concept of mathematics ability, outlook for high success in mathematics, and the perceptual experience of mathematics as an easy topic. Similar to self-concept, Reuman found that within-class grouping accentuated the sixth-grade high-achievers ‘ positive perceptual experiences and the low-achievers ‘ negative anticipations. This was because higher ability pupils tended to do downward comparings and the low-ability pupils made upward comparings ( Reuman, 1989 ) . This survey ‘s consequences for between-class grouping found that homogenous grouping both raised and lowered the accomplishment anticipations for both high and low-ability pupils. The classs received by the pupils in this survey corresponded to their anticipations. The high-achievers in within-class grouping received higher classs than their between-class opposite numbers. Merely as their accomplishment anticipations were low, the classs of the low-achievers received in the within-class grouping were lower than the low-ability pupils ‘ classs in the between-class grouping. This survey did non except the mean scholars. It found that there was no difference for the achievement anticipations of the average-ability pupils for their within or between-class grouping ( Reuman, 1989 ) . The pattern of ability grouping can impact pupils ‘ attitudes every bit good as their outlooks. In a 1983 survey on high and low achieving sophomores and seniors, it was found that the high winners ‘ attitude were more positive in the homogenous mathematics and English categories, while for the low-achievers, the heterogenous, the heterogenous categories had more positive impact on their attitudes. In comparing tantamount high-achieving sophomores and seniors from heterogenous categories with the homogenous, advanced categories, the survey learned that the high-achieving, homogenous pupils scored higher in positive attitudes toward capable, ego and school. For low-achieving sophomores, positive attitudes toward capable and ego were stronger for the mixed-ability pupils. The homogenous, remedial category exhibited increased marks of apprehension toward their topic. As for the seniors, there was no important difference between their attitudes for capable, ego and school for either assorted or homogenous categories. However, in the topic mathematics, the mixed-ability low-achieving seniors scored somewhat higher in their attitudes toward the topic ( Newfield & A ; McElyea, 1983 ) . From these surveies, it can be deduced that the higher the class, the less the pattern of ability grouping dramas in the consequence on anticipations and attitudes ( Newfield & A ; McElyea, 1983 ; Reuman, 1989 ) . Nevertheless, for in-between school and early high school, anticipations and attitudes are of import facets of ability groupings ‘ impact on pupil public presentation ( Gamoran, 1990, Reuman, 1989 ) . Their function with achievement reinforces the importance of sing anticipations and attitudes when analysing the impact of ability grouping.Socioeconomic position careSome research worker have found ( Jones, Vanfossen & A ; Spade, 1987 ; Goodland & A ; Oakes, 1988 ; Oakes, 1986 ; Vanfossen et Al, 1987 ) that pupils ‘ cultural backgrounds and/or economic position extremely influences their path arrangement. These research workers believed that while ability was an of import forecaster of arrangement, it entirely did non find which ability degree a pupil was placed d uring his or her high school instruction. Oakes ( 1986 ) traced the history of dividing pupils into groups destined for farther academic surveies and others for vocational enterprises, back to the bend of the century. In the early 1900 ‘s there was an inflow of immigrants and emancipated dorsums seeking instruction in the public schools. The leaders in instruction decided that the best instruction for these new pupils would be one which trained them for work, one that would assist them to do a life. Consequently, many research workers ( Jones et al, 1987 ; Goodland & A ; Oakes ; 1988 Oakes, 1986 ; Vanfossen et Al, 1987 ) today have found that non much has changed. Students of higher socioeconomic backgrounds are typical of the academically of high-tracked ability groups whereas minorities and the hapless are disproportionately placed in general or vocational paths. Tracking assignments are by and large based on standardised trial tonss and instructor or counselor judgement. Standardized-test prejudice ad instructor or counselor bias may account for the disproportional arrangement of hapless and minority pupils in low-tracked categories ( Oakes, 1985 ) . Jones et Al ( 1987 ) included in their research the arrangement of pupils into academic paths based on their socioeconomic backgrounds. They used statistics from 1908 informations base entitled the â€Å" High School and Beyond Study. † The sample of topics used in their survey included those seniors of 1982 who had remained in the same path they had been placed as sophomores in 1980. They found that the higher the sum of inclusiveness, the smaller the consequence that pupils ‘ socioeconomic backgrounds had on their location in an academic path. Additionally, the lesser the sum of inclusiveness, the smaller were the societal category differences among pupils in the vocational and ge neral paths. Oakes ( 1986 ) looked at the effects of puting pupils into academic versus vocational paths. She was concerned about her findings on the big per centum of minorities in the vocational plans and found that these plans taught low-level accomplishments for low-level occupations that are in danger of early obsolescence. In contrast, her research showed that a big per centum of white pupils in the academic paths were larning the problem-solving accomplishments needed in readying for the workplace of the hereafter instead than larning accomplishments for water under the bridge occupations of the yesteryear. The ground for utilizing the term â€Å" position care † is because every bit long as minorities and the hapless typify pupils in vocational or low-level ability groups, schools will go on to restrict these pupils ‘ entree to take down accomplishment degrees than their higher-tracked equals ( Oakes, 1986 ) . The findings overpoweringly confirm that the socioeconomic positio n and cultural backgrounds of the pupils influence their path arrangements.Opportunities for larningIn this subdivision, chances for acquisition is equated with equal entree to quality instruction. Opportunities for larning include the sums of direction clip and prep given, the curricular content taught, the stuffs used, the activities engaged in, and teacher presentation. These factors are compared in the ability groups of high, medium and low to make up one's mind if each group is having comparable chances for acquisition and if non, what are the differences. Of the research that discussed chances for larning considered in this paper all agreed that inequalities existed when any sort of ability grouping was used. All of the writers focussed on between-class ability grouping except for Sorenson and Hallinan ( 1986 ) who discussed within-class ability grouping. Trimble and Sinclair ( 1987 ) studied the differences in the curricular content and instructional methods of United States history categories across the three ability groups in six Massachusetts high schools. Muskin ‘s research ( 1990 ) besides used the United States history categories from six high schools to analyze the differences in chances for larning in awards, regular and basic categories. Both Goodland and Oakes ( 1988 ) , Lake ( 1988 ) , and Oakes ( 1986 ) presented a sum-up of findings from old research. All of these writers agree on the undermentioned findings. A higher per centum of clip was devoted to instruction, clip on undertaking and prep in the higher-tracked categories than in the lower paths. High-tracked, college-bound direction emphasized analysis and critical-thinking accomplishments, while non-college edge direction concentrated on rote memory and low-level cognition accomplishments ( Goodland & A ; Oakes, 1988 ; Lake, 1988 ; Muskin, 1990 ; Oakes, 1986 ; Trimble & A ; Sinclair, 1987 ) . In many instances, instructors in low-ability categories spent more clip commanding behavior jobs which resulted in reduced acquisition clip, than did instructors of high-ability categories ( Goodland & A ; Oakes, 1988 ; Lake, 1988 ; Muskin, 1990 ; Oakes, 1986 ; Trimble & A ; Sinclair, 1987 ) . Trimble and Sinclair ( 1987 ) besides talked about the affectional ends of the United States history categories. Affectional ends as they apply to United States history describe instructors ‘ attempts to develop a sense of broadened feelings for the humanistic disciplines and cultivate a desire to go good citizens. The affectional sphere does non concentrate on the memorisation of facts and figures ; instead it develops an grasp for what pupils are larning and how it applies to their day-to-day lives. This can be generalized to all school topics. There was a disparity in the clip devoted to affectional ends between the high-ability categories and the low and mean categories. The high-ability classes spent more clip prosecuting affectional ends while the low and mean categories spent more clip on the memorisation of facts ( Trimble & A ; Sinclair, 1987 ) . Findingss refering instructor outlooks seemed to impact on the chances for larning. Some instructors enjoyed learning the higher ability classes more than the lower ability 1s and accordingly this was reflected in their lucidity of presentation, undertaking orientation, enthusiasm, effectual usage of stuffs and the assortment of activities planned for their categories. Teachers of higher ability categories demonstrated a higher degree of all the features merely mentioned than instructors of lower grouped categories ( Lake, 1988 ; Oakes, 1986 ; Trimble & A ; Sinclair, 1987 ) . While the above consequences referred to between-class grouping, Sorenson and Hallinan ‘s ( 1986 ) research survey concentrated on within-class grouping in upper simple and in-between school classs. They found that because a instructor ‘s instructional clip was divided between three ability groups, there was less chance for larning because there was less direct instructional clip devoted to each group. While these sorted pupils in heterogenous schoolrooms may hold received less direct instructor direction, the direction they did acquire may hold provided for more acquisition. Students were taught in smaller groups and direction was adapted to their abilities. Small, homogenous groups instead than one big heterogenous group facilitated acquisition. Both Gamoran ( 1990 ) and Oakes ( 1985 ) researched the effects of tracking on pupil and educational results. These research workers found that there were content differences between high and low-tracked categories. In school, p upils can merely larn to what they are exposed. Oakes ( 1985 ) writes â€Å" Yet it is clear from the research on tracking that the pattern constitutes a authorities action that restricts pupils ‘ immediate entree to certain types of instruction and to both educational and occupational chances in the hereafter † ( p. 189 ) . Whether or non the same content was available in each path degree, the differences in sum of clip devoted and the instructional manner used, straight affected what pupils learned ( Gamoran, 1990 ; Oakes, 1985 ) . It is clear from the surveies cited in this subdivision that inequalities sing chances for larning do be when tracking or ability grouping is used.DecisionThe surveies and articles which have been reviewed seldom agreed on the benefits or harmful effects of ability grouping. The balance of the available grounds does propose that grouping affects achievement, self-concept, anticipations and attitudes, and chances for larning. While these four issues are affected by grouping, ability grouping is affected by socioeconomic position. One must retrieve when comparing the effects of heterogenous and homogenous categories ‘ accomplishment, three types of schoolroom constructions are being evaluated: heterogenous or whole-class direction, within-class ability grouping, and betw een-class ability grouping. Generally findings are different for each construction. When looking specifically at within-class grouping, it is found that high-ability groups attain a higher accomplishment than low-ability groups ( Reuman, 1989 ) . In comparing to heterogenous grouping, within-class grouping and concerted acquisition groups are more good to achievement ( Slavin & A ; Karweit, 1984 ) . In consideration of between-class ability grouping, widely used in secondary schools ( Slavin, 1990 ) , low winners received higher classs and high winners received lower classs ( Reuman, 1989 ) . When comparing between-class grouping to heterogenous categories we found that high winners in advanced-tracked categories showed greater accomplishment than high winners in heterogenous categories ( Newfield & A ; McElyea, 1983 ) . Summarily, ability grouping is non needfully harmful, but the pattern of ability grouping unsupported by an overall educational intent can take to ill-defined effects on pupil educational results and public presentation in mathematics. It is a recommendation that any school seeking to re-evaluate their grouping system should take into consideration the pupil organic structure composing, the intent of ability group arrangement and the coveted educational results. Before following any ability-group method, one needs to see their school ‘s committedness to teacher preparation, ability to back up staff and the benefits of the employment of concerted acquisition as an instructional method.

Why I Became A Nurse

Nursing was not always something that I wanted to do in the beginning. I wanted to be a Photographer. Looking back at that period in my life there were many areas of my life that I needed to assess. I already had a daughter and was currently going to school for Photography. So the question became do I keep my passion, and will it always pay the bills? Alternatively, do I change career paths and pursue a new career that I know will pay the bills and will always provide for my family?My JourneyI knew that I would be a good nurse. I was loving, kind, thoughtful, a good communicator, liked helping people, I was caring, and I also liked math and science. The Journal of Nursing Education states, â€Å"researchers found the concepts of caring and nurturance were identified as high motivators for choosing nursing† (Williams, Wertenberger, Hames, Gushuliak, 1997). At that time, I was working back office at a Urology office and was going to school. I decided one day that to be able to p rovide for my daughter if something were to happen between my husband and I that I could always support us. Therefore, my journey began. A Journey Amongst FriendsI was fortunate enough to go to nursing school with my best friend Harley. We had gone to school since Elementary school. I knew that if we did it together that I would make it to graduation. I was right we did make it to graduation. We had some difficulties and it was a very stressful time in our lives, but we made it.ConclusionNow, at this point in my life, I have been a nurse for eight and a half years, and I am very fortunate that I chose this career. I have not only been able to help provided for my husband and our three kids, but I also enjoy taking care of people and not just the paycheck. I have been able to help many pregnant woman through their painful childbirth. I have been able  to assist to comfort them when their babies do not make it, and so much more. I can say that after eight and a half years that I cho se the right profession, and I am pretty darn good at it.

A Personal Quest to Become a Dentist in the United States

A Personal Quest to Become a Dentist in the United States Since I started primary school, I have always had a deep passion for biology and art. I started making sculptures out of clay when I was in the secondary school, I accompanied my cousin to a dental office once at that time and I can vividly remember paying full attention to the dentists hands: all that instruments and materials and the way he used them, art and science in one place. My cousin was all smiles when he looked at the mirror and there it was, my future job, Dentistry. Giving smiles to people with your hands and knowledge is a great feeling. When I started dental school I found that I was raised to become a dentist. Im so meticulous and very good in practical works,I always try to do the perfect job. Being a dentist in the USA was always my dream as the level of education and clinical expertise is of highest rank in the world. When I was in the second semester of my dental school, my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Although I was going through a very difficult time, I did not even think about giving up on dentistry for a moment. My mom passed away in the third year of my dental school. I still managed to surpass all that troubles and continued my studies, despite getting average marks, I did not fail any of the subjects even at the semester that I lost my mom. I learned to handle my job and control unexpected events even in the hardest part of my life. I am that kind of person who will persist until succeed. I moved to Iran after graduation and I got accepted to an advanced standing program for foreign trained dentists in the Islamic Azad University of Tehran. I finished that program successfully in one year and I started working in Tehran. I enjoyed working 8 hours a day in an impoverished region in south of tehran ( capital of iran ) more than anything else in the world. I also have a great passion for translating academic texts from english to Persian. As there is lack of good books and know ledge of english in Iran, It will help advancing dentistry there. I translated Therapeutic Guidelines oral and dental which is a reference from australian dental council to farsi for Tehran university press.I moved to USA in September 2013 and I started working as a volunteer dental assistant in a dental office. I also did research in the Oklahoma University dental school. Soon after I started there I realized that I made a good choice: The world of dentistry in United States is highly advanced and of best quality. I have an inquisitive mind and enjoy learning new materials in my field and I believe here is the right place for me. Aside from my academic career, I have also enjoyed playing sports, dancing and watercolor painting. I was in my citys swimming team when I was in high school. I also like learning different languages and I have started French recently. Although I know the road to become a registered dentist in USA is a demanding and highly competitive one, I am the person with great passion and determination and I will follow my dreams with all my heart and energy. Dentistry is my passion, hobby and dream job and I know Im going to be a great dentist in USA and I can overcome all the obstacles throughout this course and beyond.

Introduction of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Introduction of management - Essay Example Sun says that organizational culture should be regarded the right channel of solving problems (137). Organizational culture is a structure constituting shared values and beliefs concerning what are significant and suitable in an organization. It comprises of feelings and interaction both within the organization and outside the organization. Organizational culture is supposed to be unique and is practiced on a daily basis; this contributes to the organizations function and strategy. â€Å"It’s important for organizations of different size and level to create the kind of environment or culture where the positive managerial patterns of listening, coaching, guiding, involving, and problem-solving are actively encouraged and reinforced† (The Importance,† cultureconsultancy.com). 2. Classifications of Culture Culture can be classified as counter culture, sub culture, or strong and weak culture. Counterculture comprises of shared beliefs and values that contradict the va lues of the organization. In many cases, it occurs around a dictatorial manager. This type of culture is dangerous to the development of the organization (Shahzad et al 977). ... In any organization, members are differentiated according to the roles they play. Interpersonal relations in an organization are managed and it is here that the inputs by the members are measured beside the output. Therefore, the outcome of an organization is what provides a constant test to the organizational performance. Furthermore, the interaction between the customers and the shareholders too provides a continuous examination. Bridging the gap between the organization and the customers, or between the shareholders and the customers, or between the shareholders and the members will contribute to the organizational effectiveness and development (Aydin and Ceylan 34). People normally learn most of the behaviors and practices from the people they grow up with, even though every individual has a unique behavior and personal preferences. With time, the behavior and belief of people in the same organization tends to be similar and exhibits common properties. This helps the organization develop its own culture. Now that people in the organization carry duties together, the developed culture helps to create understanding and promote effectiveness. According to Aydin and Ceylan â€Å"the beliefs and ideas of the organization have created the culture, which cannot be seen but their physical manifestation are felt in the work place† (36). For efficiency purposes, the developed culture shapes the work relationships and procedures in the organization. Organizational culture helps to solve both the internal and external issues by enhancing adaptation through a shared pattern. Once there is admission of new members into the organization, they can easily be ‘swallowed’ by the organizational thinking and through the shared pattern of

Dynamics of ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dynamics of ethics - Essay Example There are two sides to this issue: while one believes that the client should be a party to all available data, the other group is in favor of professional secrecy, which is mandatory to the cause of the treatment. What follows is an inquiry into issues which are imperative to the cause of telling the truth to patients; both sides are represented therein, and the most plausible option is debated over. Subsequently, a few relevant areas are discussed hereunder, which are deemed important for the judicious evaluation of the issue. It is purported that by telling the truth, one would be able to present a scenario that is non-malicious. Lies and withholding of truth have basically been taken as sinful over the years spanning human civilization. So it would go without saying, that if somebody is telling the truth to the patients, then an act of virtue is being upheld. â€Å"The purpose of truth telling is not simply to enable patients to make informed choices about health care and other aspects of their lives but also to inform them about their situation. Truth telling fosters trust in the medical profession and rests on the respect owed to patients as persons† (Glass, et al, 1997). Conversely, it is also believed that the actual care would be actualized when the patient finds his cure. Subsequently, if the health care provider feels that there is something that the patient would be well off without knowing, then they should not disclose that information. â€Å"The best time to discuss life-altering and life-threatening disease is when patients can remember the conversation, understand its significance, and participate in health care decisions† (Chodosh, 2000). The ethical grounds may seem to be coming under strife here, but even still, the stance for the cure of the patient is overriding to other facts in the health care profession. For that, ends may well be justifying means. All this has shaped up because it is

Negative effects of living an unhealthy lifestyle Essay

Negative effects of living an unhealthy lifestyle - Essay Example A nutritious diet supplies the body with adequate nutrients needed for growth and prevention of diseases. A diet that lacks adequate quantities of nutrients such as potassium, calcium and fiber is considered unhealthy and poses significant risks to the wellbeing of a person. Unhealthy diets that lack adequate nutrients and are high in sugar, salt and fat may lead to the development of chronic conditions. In many cases, diets that lack vegetables and fruits may exposà © one to heart diseases, kidney failure and stroke. In addition, diseases such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension have been found to be caused by poor dietary habits. Second, weight gain is another challenge associated with unhealthy diets. This is usually caused by consuming processed foods that contain large quantities of sugar and fat. Continued consumption of such foods leads to excessive weight gain, and eventually, obesity. Lack of physical activity further makes the problems of weight gain and obesity worse. Ob ese people are prone to health problems such as heart attacks and diabetes. Furthermore, an obese person might find it difficult to undertake daily routines and activities, and this may impact his productivity and general way of life. As a result, such people find it difficult to fit into the larger society, and thus may leave one feeling isolated and neglected. Third, unhealthy diets may lead to mental health problems. Naturally, the brain requires certain minerals and nutrients to function properly.

Government Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Government Class - Essay Example Republican and Democratic candidates for President, as evidenced by their campaign rhetoric, appear as if they agree on an issue. Both have espoused funding renewable energy sources such solar, wind, and bio-fuels but their motivations are as different as the ideological chasm that exists in the parties themselves. Democrats have made global warming a centerpiece of their campaigns and renewable energy is but a part of that while Republicans make only glancing mention of man’s influence on climate changes. Alternative forms of energy, according to Republicans are beneficial because it will reduce the amount of oil imported from the countries that support terrorism. In support of their global warming platform, Democrats also want to reduce pollution emitted from factories and increase the efficiency of automobiles. In addition, Democrats oppose the concept of liquid coal as a replacement for coal saying that it would produce greenhouse gasses at an unacceptable rate. Republican s generally support liquid coal. Moore’s article points out that environmentalist groups have dismissed the Republican stance on renewable energy as ingenuous and motivated by political ambitions rather than concern for the environment. The Republicans make a good point. Encouraging the use of renewable forms of energy by investing federal funds, if advanced on a massive scale, may decrease the amount of foreign oil that must now be imported. Because much of it is found in the Middle East region of the world, this has historically been a volatile area and largely unfriendly to the U.S., not depending on this region for the country’s ‘life blood’ is a great idea. The Democrats mention this aspect of their renewable energy argument in passing and maybe they should bring it up more often to score more political points in the

The contemporary issues in India Research Paper - 1

The contemporary issues in India - Research Paper Example The country is suffering from the problem of corruption and this is restricting the human development efforts in the country. Human trafficking is also an issue that is tarnishing the reputation of the country and many people are being trafficked from India into other countries. The increasing population of India is also a major problem the country is facing. All these issues will be discussed in great detail in the essay. Corruption, human trafficking, and increasing population are the three issues that will be discussed in the essay. Corruption is one of the most major issues India is facing today. Many institutions of the country like politics, bureaucracy, and law enforcement institutions all are suffering from the deadly disease of corruption (Express India, p.1). India became an independent state in 1947, before then it was a British colony. In more than half of a century the institutions of the country have not developed enough and this is why the problem of corruption exists in the country. The lack of infrastructure in the country may also be responsible for corruption because people working for the civil services know that they will not be caught while taking bribes. This lack of fear of conviction is one of the major reasons of growth of corruption in India. India is facing corruption problems at the grass root level. It is not just the institutional level of corruption that is haunting India. Lower level civil employees have developed a habit of taking bribes from the ordinary citizens. It is common for very small restaurant owners to pay bribes even to stay open for longer hours (Burke, p.1). This level of prevalence of corruption is extremely dangerous because eradicating it becomes impossible. Top level corruption can be controlled by changing the management of the country through effective leadership but lower level of corruption means that the

The Explore Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Explore Project - Essay Example Explore Worldwide Ltd. is an adventure tour company which was established in 1981. Explore is not just a market leader but it is the most popular adventure tourism company in the UK. Explore offers various torus packages such as short breaks, family adventures, cycle tours, tailor-made tours etc. Explore has organized 40,000 tours until now and offer 400 tours across 120 countries. As mentioned above the tourism industry is growing at a rapid rate and hence there is tremendous competition. Explore’s competitors are not just local and national but also international tourism companies. This is because of the niche that Explore has established over the years by organizing tours to international tourists and has been able to build a loyal customer base. This is evident from the fact that there has been an increase in the number of trips booked by same tourist groups. The various competitors of Explore in UK are Diamond Travel, Thomas Cook, Exodus, First Choice, The Adventure Company, etc. There are various international tourism companies that compete with Explore but they all can not be analyzed in general as the competition in international market is destination oriented. In the recent years adventure tourism has grown at a fast rate and is one of the primary categories in the tourism market. This has been supported by various researches. A study by National Geographic and TIA suggested that 20% of the total leisure market is occupied by active or adventure travel (Heyniger, 2006). It was revealed in 2001 (The Mintel Report) that 25% of total European tour packages were accounted by adventure torus. The study also found out that there were a total 443,000 adventure holidays per year. It is estimated by Travel Industry Association of America that the adventure tourism is growing at a rate of 10%. Various studies have thrown light on the fact that there is an increase in the number of women who are taking up adventure tourism

Discussion Board 3-1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Board 3-1 - Assignment Example To simplify his reasons for Systems Theory, Bowen introduced the use of genogram in analyzing and understanding family processes and issues. Genogram is a schematic diagram or structure for mapping family relationships, patterns, and processes across at least three consecutive generations. Nichols (2013) elaborates that the structure details marriage relationships, dates of births, dates of death, geographical locations and general relationships of family members in different times within the covered generations. Just like other techniques of treating psychological and family disorders, genograms have their advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of a genogram is that its structure provides family therapist with detailed information about a family in treatment. A genogram uses clear symbols, shapes and lines to show various relationships, identify individuals, and disclose events. As demonstrated by Nichols (2013), the diagram also shows dates when certain events happened across the covered generations of a given family. With such information, a family therapist is able to trace and glean elaborate understanding of dynamics that lead a family to its contemporary condition. To this extent, therapists can device reliable if not very accurate treatment techniques and processes. Another advantage of genogram is that it enables members of embattled family trace and understands the source(s) of their problem(s). The fact that genograms cover events that transpired across at least three generations of a family enables family members to gain proper self-knowledge, understand consequences of their actions and hypothesize ways to restructure their lives and behaviors (Nichols, 2013). The greatest disadvantage of genogram over talking with family members about their immediate concerns relates to likelihood to consume a lot of time. The act of tracing historical events of a family down across at least three generation is time consuming (Nichols, 2013).

The Internal Morality of Chinese Legalism Essay Example for Free

The Internal Morality of Chinese Legalism Essay Abstract It is widely held that there are no indigenous roots in China for the rule of law; it is an import from the West. The Chinese legal tradition, rather, is rule by law, as elaborated in ancient Legalist texts such as the Han Feizi. According to the conventional reading of these texts, law is amoral and an instrument in the hands of a central ruler who uses law to consolidate and maintain power. The ruler is the source of all law and stands above the law, so that law, in the final analysis, is whatever pleases the ruler. This essay argues, to the contrary, that the instrumentalism of the Han Feizi is more sophisticated and more principled than the conventional reading acknowledges. It suggests that, by examining the text of the Han Feizi through the lens provided by American legal theorist Lon Fuller, we can detect an explicit articulation of what Fuller called the internal morality of law. The principles of this morality are elaborated and their importance explained. In this way, the Han Feizi is retrieved as a significant reference point for thinking about legal reform in China today. I am indebted to Liang Zhiping and David B. Wong for comments on an earlier draft, and to William P. Alford, as ever, for his guidance in thinking about law and legal institutions in China. Introduction The rule of law is now commonly regarded as an obligatory step to establishing China’s rightful place in the global community. Yet it is widely believed that there are no indigenous roots for the rule of law ideal; it is an import from the West. The Chinese legal tradition, rather, is rule by law, as elaborated most fully in ancient Legalist texts such as the Han Feizi. The distinction between rule by law and rule of law has many dimensions. Of central importance is the relationship of law and morality. Although no canonical formula exists for the rule of law, a moral ideal lies at the core, however it is specified. In rule by law, in contrast, at least according to the conventional understanding, law is amoral and an instrument of power. A typical statement is offered by Burton Watson, the respected translator of Han Fei’s work in English: Legalism, Watson says, â€Å"professed to have no use for morality whatsoever† (and similarly for religion and ceremony). It focused on a single problem: strengthening and preserving the state.1 In this regard, Watson follows Arthur Waley, who said that members of the â€Å"school of law† (fajia) â€Å"held that law should replace morality.† Instead of the term â€Å"school of law,† which he regarded as too narrow, Waley referred to members of the fajia as â€Å"the Amoralitsts .†2 It is because of this alleged amoralism that Randall Peerenboom can write a 670page book on â€Å"China’s long march toward [the] rule of law† and barely mention Han Fei. Peerenboom expresses the conventional view: for Han Fei, law is one instrument in the ruler’s toolbox for sustaining strong centralized control. Since the ruler is the source of all law, and stands above the law, there are no limits or effective checks on the ruler’s arbitrary power. â€Å"In the final analysis, law was what pleased the ruler.†3 This view of Legalism is reinforced by a particular reading of Chinese legal history during the period of the Three Dynasties, China’s bronze age. Liang Zhiping, the eminent legal scholar, claims that the predilection for rule by law, in Han Fei and other Legalists, has its roots in the way law emerged initially in China, namely, as an instrument by which a single clan exercised control over rival clans. â€Å"[W]ithin a system tha t was inherently unstable †¦ [l]aw was seen as the will of the rulers and an instrument of suppression; its primary manifestation was in punishment.† Hence, the choice of rule by law was the product of an extended and unique cultural development. â€Å"[T]he legalists merely developed to its extreme the ancient legal model, ‘[y]ou who obey my orders shall be rewarded before my ancestors; and you who disobey my orders shall be put to death before the spirits of the land.’†4 These two conceptions of law and legal institutions—rule by law and the rule of law—are familiar in the West, although rule by law now has few, if any, advocates. But one needs to go back only to John Austin, the influential 19th century English legal theorist, for systematic elaboration of rule by law. Western theorists, indeed, might be tempted to look at Chinese Legalists through the lens of Austin, since his work enables us to see a systematic body of thought in the Han Feizi. However, this lens, I shall argue, brings some elements of the Han Feizi into sharp focus only at the cost of distorting others. Western theorists need a corrective lens, which is provided by Lon Fuller. In assessing Austin’s account, Fuller’s approach is most helpful because it offers an internal critique, showing that denial of a compelling connection between law and morality is inaccurate to the theory itself. Fuller’s account does not rest on a semantic analysis of â€Å"law† but on a pragmatic appreciation of legal order as a form of governance. Out of this appreciation, the practical connection—the interaction and mutual dependence of law and morality in the everyday work of lawmakers and other collaborative participants in the creation of legal order—emerges even in rule by law properly understood. Thus, Fuller shows how the moral core of the rule of law is present in the generic use of law in society. The moral core of the rule of law—the thin theory, as it is often called— encompasses two key ideas: (1) While law is an instrument of political power, law also constrains power. Hence, law and power are, to some degree, opposed. (2) While law channels political power, law also enables power to be rightly exercised. Hence, law is a source of legitimation for the exercise of power. How is political power constrained and yet also rightly exercised? The rule of law ideal is that these conditions are met if it is truly the law that governs legal subjects, not the wishes of specific individuals or groups. The ideal is a government of laws, not persons, so the moral core (in a word) is impersonal governance. My thesis is that Han Fei’s text, the Han Feizi, displays this moral core and thus connects law and morality. I shall argue, indeed, that the Han Feizi advocates a purer form of the rule of law than is offered by many Western theorists. Chinese Legalism did not be gin with the Han Feizi, but it is generally regarded as the most sophisticated exposition of the theory. I believe it is more nuanced than generations of commentators have acknowledged. It is important to emphasize that my interest is with the rule of law as a legislative, rather than judicial, ideal. This focus is appropriate for the Han Feizi, since it contains no explicit judicial theory (although it has definite implications, as we shall see, for the work of judges). That means that the vision of law in the Han Feizi is incomplete. On the other hand, most Western theorists neglect the legislative ideal, and many mistakenly believe that judicial independence (or the separation of powers) is sufficient for establishing the rule of law. I shall suggest that, at least for the legislative ideal, worthy indigenous Chinese sources for the rule of law exist. Contrary to Watson and Peerenboom, I argue that the Han Feizi intends to link law and morality. But I should say from the beginning that this essay is not an attempt to recapture Han Fei’s conscious motives or point of view. It is an attempt to retrieve a text for contemporary understanding and use. Admittedly, this effort runs the risk of literary misprision—willful, not to say creative, misreading. But recovering the rich history of Chinese legal thought seems to me worth that risk. It is often said, with good reason, that successive Chinese emperors followed the Legalist template set out by the Han Feizi. If it turns out that the Han Feizi carries a different message from the one it is usually taken to convey, the imperial history may have to be re-examined to determine when it followed the template and when it did not.5 [I] Rule by law: Han Fei and John Austin The conventional reading of the Han Feizi pictures law as an instrument in the hands of the ruler. This could mean different things. Instrumentalism is sometimes construed to mean that rulers use law only if and when it suits their purposes; it is employed (or not) at the ruler’s discretion to achieve the ruler’s own desires or ends. In this construction, law does not have any special pride of place, and certainly nothing beyond a fortuitous connection to moral value. On any particular occasion, if a ruler fails to realize his or her will by the use of law, an alternative instrument of governance could be deployed. Let’s call this ad hoc or strategic instrumentalism. This is not rule by law, as I understand it. Rule by law meets at least one and possibly two conditions missing from ad hoc instrumentalism. Most importantly, the commitment to rules—fixed standards of general applicability—is not ad hoc; they are the ruler’s chosen mechanism of governance. Thus, the commitment to rules is deliberate and firm, and the instrumentalism is consistent and principled. This commitment, we shall see, introduces a variety of self-imposed constraints on lawmaking and secures the connection between law and morality. Second, the rules promulgated are not necessarily intended to serve the lawmaker’s personal desires or ends. They may serve common ends, or they may permit (or enable) subjects to pursue ends of their own. In that event, we move from a minimal to a morally robust instrumentalism. If the rules facilitate the pursuit of ends other than those of the lawgiver, principled instrumentalism transitions into the rule of law. Although the Han Feizi is conventionally read as committed (at worst) to ad hoc instrumentalism or (at best) to a consistent but minimal instrumentalism, I shall argue in section III that many of the essays that make up the Han Feizi advocate a robust principled instrumentalism. For this reason, it will be helpful to examine first a systematic statement of the minimally instrumentalist view. John Austin is more clearly committed to minimal instrumentalism, because his aims were more academic—to elaborate a systematic theory—whereas Han Fei wished to provide practical advice to rulers. A consideration of Austin enables us to grasp what coherence the minimally instrumentalist view has. Like Han Fei, Austin aimed to be a realist about law, to examine actual facts in the world. That led him to trace the existence of law to the exercise of power. Accordingly, the proper understanding of law is genetic. In the strict sense, law is a command—a wish expressed by a determinate person or body possessing supreme power in an organized and independent society, backed by the credible threat of a sanction (i.e., pain) in the event of noncompliance. Why does the credible threat of a sanction make a law binding? Austin was a voluntarist about law as he was in theology. The duty to obey a command rests not on its conformity to an independent moral standard but simply on its emanating from a preponderant power. To have a duty to act is to be compelled to act. â€Å"[I]t is only by the chance of incurring evil, that I am bound or obliged.†7 Thus, whether divine or human, law makes its appearance within a relationship of domination—a superior (in power) issuing orders to an inferior (in power), where the former has the capacity to compel the latter to act by means of a threatened evil, i.e., pain. The duty is legal if it is issued by a political sovereign, moral if issued by God. Hobbes observed that the conditions for a social contract obtain if persons are of roughly equal ability, for then they acquire an equality of hope in having their respective claims satisfied. But in circumstances where a clear supremacy of power lies in one individual or body, no question as to the proper distribution of duties and rights arises. The distribution of duties and rights naturally parallels the distribution of power.8 That, obviously, is Austin’s view as well. The foundation of law is force or the threat of its use. To have a duty, therefore, in Austin’s quaint phrase, is to be obnoxious to the superior’s threat. Obnoxiousness is determined by one of two empirical facts: either the extent to which the inferior party is motivated by fear of the sanction, or the likelihood that the superior party will carry out its threat. While the pursuit of pleasure is as much an ultimate spring of human action as the avoidance of pain, the latter is more to be relied on than the former. The certainty and severity of threatened pain, in the event of noncompliance to the superior’s commands, are defining features of legal (as of moral) order. Since the definition of law stipulates nothing about the content of the superior’s wish, law may have any content whatever and still be binding. The separation of law and morality is secured: might makes right. Thus, law is imperative, preemptory, morally arbitrary, coercive, and an instrument of domination. It also, as we shall see more fully in a moment, aims above all at stability and order. By definition, Austin’s sovereign is not subject to a superior power and hence does not have any legal duties. (By the same token, the sovereign does not have any legal rights, either.) Austin formulates this point most sharply by observing that â€Å"every government is legally despotic.†9 This is a provocative way of saying that its power is legally unlimited; it stands above the law and can make, or unmake, any law whatever. It is not misleading to say the sovereign is self-legitimating, as long as we keep in mind that legitimation comes not from satisfying a standard of legitimacy but from the successful exercise of supreme power. Yet one of the virtues of Austin’s writing is that it is richer than the genetic definition of law would lead one to expect. (Failure in the legal literature to appreciate the richer analysis is the same kind of failure one finds regarding the Han Feizi.) Exploring some of this richness will help us develop a critique that illuminates the Han Feizi. Austin actually formulates three distinct definitions of law—in addition to the genetic there are formal and purposive definitions—each of which meshes imperfectly with the others. The formal definition appears when Austin stipulates that a command is a law only if it has the attribute of generality, that is, it must refer to a class of acts to be done or avoided, not a single action. Particular or occasional commands are not laws in the strict sense.11 This stipulation is sensible, since modern law typically consists of a body of standing rules, not extemporaneous orders. It shows that Austin thought of legal order as a system, or at least a set, of rules. But in relation to the genetic definition, it is completely unmotivated; nothing in the meaning of command requires it. At the same time, the implications are profound. The addition of generality represents a significant departure from personal command and toward impersonal governance. It commits the lawmaker to acting in certain ways in as yet unknown cases. And, by grouping actions into classes, it produces a degree of uniformity of treatment across persons. So, with generality, the picture of a compliant inferior following the wishes of a superior recedes to a significant degree. These implications—uniformity across persons and prior commitment in unknown cases—indicate that certain formal features of laws may have moral import, and I shall say more about them in a moment. With law understood as a self-conscious instrument of domination expressing the wishes of a (human) sovereign, it is only to be expected that Austin would stress the potential divorce between the content of promulgated laws and the requirements of morality. â€Å"The existence of law is one thing; its merit or demerit is another.†12 But if law itself, simply as a body of general rules, has moral import regardless of its content, we have taken an important step toward a robust instrumentalist account of law. The richness of Austin’s analysis is even more evident in his purposive definition. In its most general and comprehensive sense, he says, a law is â€Å"a rule laid down for the guidance of an intelligent being by an intelligent being having power over him.†13 Asymmetry in power is central for Austin, as we have seen, but intelligent guidance introduces a different dimension. Austin followed Locke in thinking of law as a human contrivance, establishing relations between rational beings. But the idea of intelligent guidance has implications Austin was hesitant to pursue. He recognized, for example, that the concept of command precludes ex post facto rules, since an utterance cannot constitute a command if the action required cannot be performed. Yet to acknowledge this conceptual point would be tantamount to placing a limit on sovereign power; an ex post facto pronouncement would not be a law, even though it possessed all the other features of the genetic definition. 14 Further, such acknowledgement would be the first step on a slippery slope. It would allow one to say that other pronouncements of the sovereign are also not laws, for instance, ones that are not clear in meaning. How could an obscure or incoherent utterance provide intelligent guidance to human conduct? Or an utterance that was not made public? Or that kept changing? These implications are precisely the ones pursued by Fuller in developing what he called the internal morality of law. Before turning to Fuller, however, we should pause to ask why Austin recoiled from the implications of his purposive definition and instead adhered to the idea of law as an instrument in the hands of a supreme person or body exercising power over others. My hypothesis is that rule by law in its minimalist variant was important to Austin for two related reasons: the fear of disorder and the uncertainty of morality. Both of these were reflected in Austin’s ambivalence about the expansion of democracy in England in the early 19th century. He saw little possibility, at least in the foreseeable future, of achieving the educational and mental improvement of the general population that he regarded as a prerequisite of democratic government. As a result, according to John Stuart Mill’s account, Austin developed an â€Å"indifference, bordering on contempt, for the progress of popular [i.e., democratic] institutions.†15 In addition, Austin believed that common moral opinion was so fractured, so full of partiality and prejudice, that ordinary people cannot be trusted to act decently. What makes government by a powerful ruler necessary and expedient is the â€Å"uncertainty, scantiness, and imperfection† of the mora l beliefs people espouse. â€Å"Hence the necessity for a common governing (or common guiding) head to whom the community may in concert defer.†16 The resonance of these passages with much of the Han Feizi, or at least the conventional reading of it, should be apparent. Lack of confidence in the capacity of human beings to govern themselves makes it necessary to have a sovereign whose will provides common directives that are easily discernible and effective. If people are allowed to follow their natural propensities, they will engage in all manner of disorderly behavior. Social order requires stable external direction by means of the threat of force. Thus, the solution to the problem of social order—Hobbes’s problem—is managerial direction (to use Fuller’s term). Without top-down control, matters are likely to get badly out of hand. The exercise of control in Austin’s case, of course, is thought of as benign. The goods of order and unity are taken for granted. The power of the superior is canvassed, not in terms of personal wishes or even class interests, but its efficacy in producing the â€Å"steadiness, constancy, or uniformity† that every society needs. Thus, Austin—like Han Fei, as I shall argue—makes sense of law in practice as an instrument in the hands of a single individual or mandarin elite with the competence and requisite disinterestedness to attend to the public need. To that extent, Austin’s theory is a pure expression of rule by law.

Censored Literature Essay Example for Free

Censored Literature Essay There are many reason why states or international countries ban and censor literature. The question that arise when literature are integrated into the curriculum is â€Å"is the literature appropriate?† The reason for censored or banned literature is culture, language, religion, and age. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is literature that has been challenged and censored by many schools because of what the literature represents and inappropriate for children of a certain age. Although many schools banned and censored the literature, the literature can provide a positive in-class discussion and encourage group projects. Censoring The Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a fictional book about British schoolboys being evacuated on a plane to escape war. The plane is shot down into a deserted island. Challenges are faced, rules are broke, and new laws are established on the island. The main character, Ralph, becomes the leader of the schoolboys. Ralph tries to establish order on the island, but the schoolboys vote against Ralph. Instead of establishing order and a civil group on the island, the schoolboys become savages, violent, and mischievous. As Ralph tries to escape the mischievous boys who are after him, Ralph stumbles upon the beach, where a British naval ship arrived on the beach. The literature is seen as a controversial book. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding was challenged at the Owen, NC High School in 1981. According to the American Library Association (2010), the book was considered demoralizing inasmuch as it implies that man is little more than an animal (The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding). The literature brings up the discussion of what constitutes a government vs. savages. Although to some, the literature may seem barbaric with inappropriate language, the literature provides knowledge and uses of symbolism. I agree the literature may be unsuitable ages; the book recommended for high school students can be a great tool for English studies and in-class discussion. The use of symbolism helps students to learn the depths and meaning of literature. Symbolism adds ideas and different meanings in literary works. Use of Literature in the Curriculum. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding can be used in the high school reading curriculum for English studies. Students will discuss the literature after reading two chapters. Student will identify the symbolism used in the chapters. Students will then discuss the issue of laws vs. savages. Upon discussion, students will then write down what constitute a government and laws. Student will then discuss his or her ideas in front of the class. Conclusion Literature banned and censored in many parts of the United States and other countries contain content material that may be unsuitable for certain age groups. However, censoring books may not allow students to experience certain situations that he or she may not experience, but can experience emotions. Some literatures may even contain valuable information on history or the way government works. Other literatures can provide discussion that can provide different perspectives or views of the story. It is important to incorporate literature in everyday teaching to enhance critical thinking skills. Reference American Library Association. (2010). Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe publishing course top 100 novels of the 20th century. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics/reasons

A Review Of Wendys

A Review Of Wendys Executive Summary Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomason November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, and moved headquarters to Dublin, Ohio on January 29, 2006. Wendys was Americas national food, and the worlds third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,700 locations. On April 24, 2008, the company announced a merger with Triarc, the parent company of Arbys. Following the merger, Triarc became known as Wendys/Arbys Group. Wendys/Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a publicly traded company. Arbys Restaurant Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. This report will be focusing on Wendys Burgers of the Wendys/Arbys Group. The main aim of this report is to investigate and analyze the marketing activities of Wendys Burgers. What is the Wendys orientation? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of Wendys? What are the competitive advantages of Wendys? What is the impact of Wendys marketing mix? This report will try to address the above questions and more. INTRODUCTION Wendys/Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a publicly traded company. Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants are franchised, the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates employs more than 46,000 people in its global operations. In fiscal year 2006, the firm had $9.45 billion (USD) in total sales.While Wendys sets standards for exterior store appearance, food quality and menu, individual owners have control over hours of operations, interior decor, pricing and staff uniforms and wages. Wendys ended 2007 with just under 6000 Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurants in operation. Of these, 1,274 (21%) were company owned and operated while the remaining 4,662 restaurants were franchised. In addition to Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Wendys is invested in the Cafe Express and Pasta Pomodoro restaurant chains, owning 70% and 29% of those chains, respectively. Until 2006 Wendys International Inc. also owned the Tim Hortons and Baja Fresh franchises. The chain is known for its square ground beef hamburgers and the Frosty, a form of soft serve ice cream mixed with frozen starches contracted from potato products. The idea for Wendys old fashioned hamburgers was actually inspired by Dave Thomass trips to Kewpee Hamburgers in his home town of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Kewpee sold square hamburgers and thick malt shakes, much like the well-known restaurant that Thomas eventually founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. Thomas named the restaurant after his fourth childMelinda Lou Wendy Thomas. WENDYS ORIENTATION Nature of demand Over the century, market for fast food has increased drastically, time being one of the major constraints. A recession in the early 1980s, combined with high beef prices and Wendys explosive as well as threatening growth incited the burger wars. Wendys moved into the number three spot behind McDonalds and Burger King, fuelled by its introduction of a chain wide salad bar, chicken breast sandwiches, and baked potatoes. Extent of demand As of December 2006, Wendys was Americas national food, and the worlds third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,700 locations. Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants are franchised, the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates employs more than 46,000 people in its global operations. In fiscal year 2006, the firm had $9.45 billion (USD) in total sales. Orientation Wendys tries to sense the customer needs and demands. This proves that the company is marketing oriented. Let us now analyze the Wendys orientation towards the marketplace. Companies have their respective beliefs concerning their marketing efforts which are usually varied from company to company. The challenging concepts beneath which companies perform their marketing activities are Production Concept Customers are attracted to those products which are available and cheaper. Organizations following this concept targets on accomplishing the large production competence, minimal costs and bulk distribution. Product Concept The way that Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers does business and markets its product to consumers is due to the change in our society to where the consumer wants the biggest, fastest, and best product they can get for their money. Wendys introduce healthier options amid rising obesity levels and a general interest in healthier foods, some fast food companies have been going in the opposite direction, introducing ever more calorific and fat-laden burgers in a bid to win customers. Selling Concept The concept of ready-cooked food for sale is the primitive selling concept of Wendys burgers. Wendys uses ‘fresh, never frozen beef/fresh ground beef in their hamburger, has moved in line with the Quick Service Restaurant or QSR industry and has been working to offer healthy food choices. Wendys has added sandwiches and salads to its menu, and offers side dish substitutes for French fries. Marketing concept Marketing is the science of actualizing the buying potentials of a market for a specific product. It reflects a selling concept because it centers on promoting a product rather than meeting a defined area of consumer need. The marketing concept sidesteps the basic conflict between buyer and seller. Buyers want lower prices. Sellers want higher prices. The marketing concept does not provide a solution to the classic bargaining problem. Holistic Marketing Concept This involves development, design and implementation of marketing programs, processes, and activities that recognizes organizations breadth and inter dependencies. Precisely, this concept is an approach to marketing that tries to identify and resolve the opportunity and difficulties of marketing activities. There are four main elements in Holistic marketing namely (Kotler and Keller 2006: 16) * Integrated marketing involving communications, products services, channels * Social responsibility marketing involving Ethics, Environment, Legal and Community * Relationship marketing involving Customers, Channel and Partners * Internal marketing involving Marketing department, senior management and other departments. Wendys strictly follows the above concepts as it includes most of the marketing activities. Wendys Business Strategies Wendys new strategy puts its food on center stage and changes its media-buying habits to zero in more narrowly on different market segments. TV spots and print ads will focus on specific audiences instead of delivering the same message to all demographic groups, tailoring the messages to the audiences. In addition, the nearly 6,700-unit chain will advertise on the Internet to attract younger consumers and use a character named Smart Square to appeal to them in TV spots. Globally, all the Wendys employees work together to achieve in Driving Growth, Funding Growth and become Best Place to Work. Conclusion Colgate is a Marketing orientation company. This can be clearly shown below S.W.O.T Analysis â€Å"SWOT analysis is a structured approach for evaluating the strategic position of a business by indentifying its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats† (Jobber 2007: 63). To get a clear idea of Wendys/Arbys groups outlook, it is useful to analyze the restaurants Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). Additionally, a SWOT analysis summarizes the outcome of marketing audit of the company (Jobber 2007: 61). Positive factors Internal factors Negative or potential to be negative Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats External factors Strengths Positive, tangible and intangible attributes internal to an organization and within the organizations control. * A strength in Wendys manufacturing is that their food is known for its freshness and quality. * This quality of food it said to be one of the main reasons why Wendys has outpaced the annual sales gain of McDonalds from 1998 to 2002 (â€Å"Industry Surveys,† 2003, p. 3). * The expert management system of Wendys burgers adds to its much strength in time managing and store managing skills. * The pleasant atmosphere of all the Wendys stores adds value to its strong customer oriented approach. * Hamburgers are made with fresh, never frozen beef which is a huge hit with the customers. * Being a Global brand, Wendys is capable of worldwide expansion with huge market share and consumer base to capture. * Strong supply chain is one of the key strengths of Wendys burgers with the suppliers meeting the fast food chains constant demand for the in time supply of raw materials in turn meeting the customers requirements. * Another major strength of Wendys is its mid night push plan, it is operating its stores after the mid night also, which attracts the teenage and young people a lot. * One of the major strength of the Wendys is its nutritional valued menu for the people who are maintaining balanced dite. * Wendys is the first restaurant which is offering a special menu for children ansd even for the kids. Weaknesses Internal factors within an organizations control that detract from the organizations ability to attain the desired goal. * A manufacturing weakness could be that it will be difficult for Wendys to make dramatic improvements in the area of store management in the future. * Breakfast menu Wendys experimented with serving breakfast for a short time, but the endeavor was unsuccessful due to several issues. * Constant management changes have lead to a reduction in customer as well as employee satisfaction hindering its growth and expansion. * The franchisee stores are given freedom to have their own store atmosphere and layout and also employee uniforms. * High dependence on a major country is the main weakness of the Wendys. Though it is globalized, it was operating mostly in USA and Canada.In the year 2007,more than 70% of its revenue is from the USA,this phenomenon leads to loss in profit rates at internatioinal market. * The Wendys spreading of its stores is relatively very less, when compared to its close, rivals McDonalds and Burger King.The McDonalds opening 200 stores per year, The Burger King is opening at a rate of 150 per year, but Wendys is opening only 50 stores per year,so the expansion of business will be less. Opportunities External attractive factors that represent the reason for an organization to exist and develop. Brand recognition is the significant factor affecting their competitive position. * Wendys international brand image gives it a scope for expansion into International markets. * Recession has little or no effect on the fast food industry which provides a great opportunity for growth and expansion. * Wendys was the first to introduce ‘fish sandwich making its mark and grabbing a huge market share. * Raising of restaurant business in USA ia a great opportunity for Wendys. According to the Forbs magazine survey, in the year 2007 more than 25% of USA government revenue from fast food sector. The reasons for increment in convenient food consumption is, increasing single parent families, dual working house holds, no time for active cooking at home, hike in living standards of people etc.Wendys can utilize this as a great opportunity to increase its business * Increasing population of teenagers and young people is a great opportunity for Wendys, as it was targeting them. According to the census in 2008, more than 40% of american people are teenagers,which was a great opportunity for Wendys. * Increasing opportunities in developing countries like China and India. In 2007 Wendy,s make one percent of its revenue from India and two percent from China,still to be increased. There is a great opportunity for Wendys to develop its business in developing countries as there is less operating cost when compared to the developed countries. Threats External factors beyond the organizations control which could place the organization mission or operation at risk. * Accusation Wendys was accused recently as a consumer found a human finger in one of its item (Chili). Such kind of accusations would surely affect the brand image and high chances of drop in the market share. Much time and money is consumed to regain the lost share of the fast food market. * Competitors Wendys faces stiff competition in the overall fast food industry, as McDonalds holds a dominating 18% share of the market with Wendys and Burger King holding shares of approximately 2% each. In recent years Wendys has been lagging behind McDonalds and Burger King in same store sales growth, an indicator of how established franchises are faring. In addition to traditional hamburger-based fast food restaurants, Wendys must compete with chains such as Subway, Yum! Brands (YUM) and Jack In The Box (JBX). * Controversy Wendys found itself the focus of a boycott by gay rights groups when the company pulled advertising from the sitcom Ellen in 1997, which it deemed controversial. * Illnesses caused by food is the major threat for any fast food company. Though more care was taken, there was chance of food borne illnesses like e coli, gastric trouble etc. This was a major threat for Wendys. * Food storage and transportation is also a major threat for Wendys. As it is more difficult to store raw materials as there are highly vulnerable. * Targeting a particular section of people is a major threat for Wendys, as it is targeting the teenagers only. This will leads to loose the satisfaction of people of other sections. * International Business expansion Limiting the business to the USA is the major threat to Wendys at international level. Limiting the business may leads to limiting the globalization and decreasing the brand name, profits and sales. Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Make the most of these Watch competition closely Threats Restore strengths Strategic turn around required Conclusion Wendys/Arbys group has to maintain all their strengths and grab all the opportunities. On the other hand, Wendys/Arbys group should sooner overcome all its weaknesses and work harder on the threats. Competitive Advantage â€Å"Competitive advantage is the achievement of superior performance through differentiation to provide superior customer value or by managing to achieve lowest delivered cost† (Jobber 2007: 27). Competitive Factors Product Strength — Lack of differentiation- Consumers have accessibility to similar menu that is used by other hamburger chains of the same segment. Hence fulfilling consumers needs. — Unique patty shape- Wendys burgers have a unique square shaped patty instead of a regular round patty, which other hamburger chains use. Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction — Convenience- The ease of accessibility of its stores by deploying them in prime locations adds to consumers convenience. — Speed of service- Implementing drive through and home delivery system in all its stores to attain speedy customer service. Market Share — Third largest company in QSR or Quick Service Restaurants — Introduction of new products like fish sandwich, square shaped fresh ground beef patty, salads in its breakfast menu, etc have been introduced by Wendys. — Fifth in terms of highest total revenue generated next to McDonalds Corporation, Doctors Associates, Yum! Brands and Jack in the Box. Customer Concentration — Location variables Setting up Wendys restaurants where the potential consumer(working class, teenagers, etc) concentration is high. — Strengthen penetration To attain a firm grip in the market where it is already existing. Cost Control — Centralized distribution center — Reduce labor costs Costs associated with labor is a major factor in the success of any business. Wendys labor costs include upper management, but the bulk of Wendys employees are the workers at individual restaurants. Wendys achieved to cut labor cost by downsizing the number of managers from 3.6 to 3.3 by June of 2007. Wendys expects that this will not only decrease labor costs but also enhance efficiency at individual restaurants as they have found that a high number of managers can result in division of responsibility and confusion. In 2007 Wendys total operating costs were approximately $2.29 billion while total revenue was about $2.45 billion, leaving a slim operating income of approximately $156 million. If Wendys labor cost reduction initiative can successfully decrease labor costs without negatively impacting revenues, Wendys could see a substantial increase margins and operating profits. http://cdn.wikinvest.com/i/px.gif — Economies of scale Investments — International fast food market is the best place to invest in as far as Wendys investment options are considered. — Research on untapped foreign markets in order to gain knowledge for future investments. Marketing Mix Analysis †¢ The tools available to a business to gain the reaction it is seeking from its target market in relation to its marketing objectives †¢ 7Ps Price, Product, Promotion, Place, People, Process, Physical Environment †¢ Traditional 4Ps extended to encompass growth of service industry Marketing strategy is generally obtained by the 3 key elements namely the target markets, competitors targets and the competitive advantage (Anderson 2008). Once the marketing strategy is finalized, the company starts looking into the facts of the marketing mix. â€Å"Marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). Marketing mix is essential for the company to develop the demand for its products. This can be collectively done by the four vital categories which are well-known as 4-Ps of marketing mix. The 4-Ps are namely Product, Price, Place and Promotion (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 83). 1.1.1 Product Customer solution â€Å"Product is a good or service offered or performed by an organization or individual, which is capable of satisfying customer needs† (Jobber 2007: 28). Brand name and Quality The brand image is obtained by utilizing the fundamentals of marketing mix (Jobber 2007: 332). Wendys/Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a publicly traded company. Wendys Restaurant Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. is the franchisor of the Arbys and Wendys restaurant systems and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WEN. A change in the companys ownership set the course for menu expansion and a strengthened brand. On September 29, 2008, Triarc Companies Inc. merged with Wendys International, Inc. to form Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States. Wendys restructured its cleanliness standards, menu and other operational details to ensure that stores met the goals and standards of the parent company so that its franchises were competitive in the market. Wendys mission is to deliver superior quality products and services for their customers and communities through leadership, innovation and partnerships. Their vision is to be the quality leader in everything they do. Wendys has a strategic vision focused on these core values: Quality: Freshly-made products and superior service are their passion; consistent excellence in customer service is their goal. All actions are guided by absolute honesty, fairness and respect for every individual. People(consumers) are the key to success, they value all members of the diverse family for their individual contributions and their team achievements. Satisfying internal and external customers needs is the focus of everything they do. Continuous improvement is how they think and innovative change provides competitive opportunities. Features and Variety The Wendys menu features a variety of products that are stated below which are unique from its competitors. * Signature roast beef, including Roast burger. * Market Fresh deli sandwiches. * Market Fresh salads. * Toasted subs. * Jamocha and specialty shakes. * Curly Fries and Side kickers. * Wendys featuresFrench friesas a primary side item, but also offers a number of options for side items/dips, includingsalads(side and Caesar side),chili,yogurtwithgranola,mandarin oranges, andbaked potatoes. In several markets, the customer may request any of these side items to be substituted for fries in its value meals. * In June 2006, Wendys removed their classic Biggie and also the Great Biggie sizes in favor of a more traditional sizing system like; Small, Medium, and Large. * Frostydessert It is asoft serve ice creamdessert sold in chocolate or vanilla flavours. Also sold as a floatand a mix-in dessert called the Twisted Frosty. * In Japan, Wendys offers ared bean pasteand cheese sandwich called as an An Burger * Big Classic- It is a sandwich that directly competes with the Burger Kings Whopper. * Mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato,pickle, ketchup and onion served on aKaiser-style roll. A second version with bacon is available, called the Big Bacon Classic. * Baconator- with mayonnaise, 6 strips of bacon, two 1/4 pound (113.4 gram) patties, ketchup and two pieces of American cheese. * In Dec 2006, Wendys phased out and stopped offering their fried Home style chicken strips in most of its U.S.locations. There is now a chicken club combo in the place of the strips, which features a Home style chicken patty, Spicy chicken patty or a Grilled Chicken patty with Swiss cheese and also bacon. The Home style chicken strips are still available in parts of Canada. * In the Philippines they serve fried chicken, which forms a staple at most fast food restaurants in that country. 1.1.1 Price Customer cost â€Å"Price is the amount of money customers must pay to obtain(buy) the product.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 83). The price of any product partially highlights its quality. Pricing Strategy The Pricing strategy primarily consists of * Getting to know the market. * Elasticity. * Keeping in pace with the competitors. * Because Price and Convenience are near universal throughout firms in the industry, Wendys must focus on becoming the â€Å"highly favored† fast-food choice. Doing so will give customers more inclination to visit store locations. Place Convenience â€Å"Place includes company activities that make the product available to target consumers.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). The vital role of marketing is the process of how the product is being sent from seller to buyer. The means by which the products and services reach the consumer from the producer and where they can be accessed by the consumer. The more places to buy the product and the easier it is made to buy it, the better for the business (and the consumer). Availability Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants are franchised, the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates employs more than 46,000 people in its global operations. While Wendys sets standards for exterior store appearance, food quality and menu, individual owners have control over hours of operations, interior decor, pricing and staff uniforms and wages. Wendys operates in 19 countries around the world while its headquarters is based in Dublin, Ohio. It operated in more countries, but closed down in some of them due to certain circumstances. Inventory Wendys never uses frozen beef, its always fresh. 1.1.1 Promotion Communication â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). Different ways of promoting the product are Advertising Advertising is a major phase of overall product or service development and management. Advertising is specifically part of the outbound marketing activities, or activities geared to communicate to the market, e.g., advertising, promotions, public relations, etc. Wendys recently began a cross-promotion withNintendo. When you buy specific Wendys items you receive a code on that can be entered on the web siteFrostyFloat.comand be entered to win aWii. Wendys marketing arm engages inproduct placementin films (such asThe Day After Tomorrow,Mr. Deeds,Garfield: The Movie, andClick) and television and is sometimes seen on ABCs hitreality showExtreme Makeover: Home Editionserving food to the more than 100 construction workers. A recent Wendys commercial features the tune from theViolent Femmessong Blister in the Sun.ScrubsstarZach Braffcan currently be heard invoiceoverin Wendys newest commercials. With the launch of the new ad campaign, Wendys has also unveiled a new slogan, Thats right. Few of the advertising slogans of Wendys are given below US Canada * 1970 Present:Quality Is Our Recipe * 1978:Juicy hamburgers and lots of napkins * 1979: Hot-N-Juicy * 1980:Wendys Has the Taste * 1981:Aint No Reason to Go Anyplace Else * 1982:Youre Wendys Kind of People * 1983:Parts is parts * 1984:Wheres the beef?[3] * 1986:Choose Fresh, choose Wendys[15] * 1987:Give a little nibble * Circa 1990:The best burgers and a whole lot more(also was printed inside the hamburger wrappers during the 1990s) * 1997 Present:Eat great, even late * 2002:Its hamburger bliss. * 2004:Its better here[16] * 2004:Always Great, Even Late. * 2005 2007:Do what tastes right.(primary slogan) * 2005 Present:It takes flair to be square. * 2007:Thats right. * 2007:Uh Huh. * 2007:Hot Juicy Burgers International * 1983:Its the best time forWendys(Philippines) * 2000 (approx) Present:We dont cut corners(New Zealand) * 2000 (approx) Present:Wendys cuadra contigo(Wendys fits with you). The wordcuadra(fit) is a reference to the wordcuadrothat meanssquare(Venezuela) * 2001 (approx) Present:El Sabor de lo Recien Hecho(The Flavor of the Brand New Made) (Honduras) * 2007 (approx) Present:Wendys es Sensacional(Wendys is Sensational) (El Salvador) Personal selling Personal selling involves incentive programs, sales presentations and trade shows (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 383). Personal selling is oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale. The personal selling may focus initially on developing a relationship with the potential buyer, but will always ultimately end with an attempt to close the sale Personal selling is one of the oldest forms of promotion. It involves the use of asales forceto support apush strategy(encouraging intermediaries to buy the product) or apull strategy(where the role of the sales force may be limited to supporting retailers and providing after-sales service). Sales Promotion Sales promotion is any initiative undertaken by an organization to promote an increase in sales, usage or trial of a product or service. Sales promotions can be directed at either thecustomer, sales staff, ordistributionchannel members (such asretailers).