Costco Case Study

Christopher GildeaÐ ¡ostco Case Study Seminar:   Business Policy and Strategy Professor Gregory P. Grogan Abstract ?Costco, a discount warehouse based in Issaquah, Washington, specializes in selling quality products at low prices. The company operates as a membership retailer, focusing its business on small and consumers with incomes averaging $75,000 with over 30 percent having incomes of $100,000 or more annually. The wholesale club segment of retailing in 2008 was estimated to be a $120 billion business in the United States, and it was growing about 20 percent faster than retailing as a whole (Thompson, 2010). The three main competitors were Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale. Costco has a majority of the warehouse club sales across the United States and Canada and is looking to keep its edge. ?The pricing strategy that Costco has implemented, focuses on the price-sensitivity of its consumers. The company has excelled in keeping its prices low by capping the markup on its merchandise. By keeping the markup lower than its competitors, Costco has provided its customers with deep discounts on over 4000 products within its stores. Sam’s Club, which offers the same number of products within its stores, earns half the income that Costco does at each store. Costco sales are even higher per store than BJ’s, which offers 7,300 items compared to 4,000 items at Costco and Sam’s Club. Costco has been very efficient at utilizing its floor space and generating high revenues from it products within its stores. ?Costco is trying to generate huge sales volume and quick inventory turnover by applying a business model that offers limited selections of nationally branded product in wide range of merchandise categories. Costco apply number of operating excellence such as efficient way of managing inventory and just in time inventory, efficient distribution, minimum merchandise handling, and volume purchasing to reduce the price of its product. One of the major benefits of high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover is that they can sell their inventory and receive cash that can be used to pay its vendors and take the advantage of early-payment discounts. ?Even with the low price strategy, Costco employee salaries and benefits are by far higher than its competitors. This compensation has motivated it employees and retain good workers in turn, Costco gets lower turnover and higher productivity. Combined with a smart business strategy that sells a mix of higher-margin products to more affluent customers, Costco actually keeps its labor cost lower that its competitors as a percentage of sales (Ampel, 2004). They are also retaining more employees than any of their peers. ?Costco has strong ethics within its company, developing a motivating workplace for its employees to flourish within the company. They prefer to develop their employees within the company. When doing this, they have turned down outsiders who may be able to bring in new innovations that can propel the company further ahead of its competitors. New recruits and experienced businesspeople have been overlooked. As the world becomes more globalized, the company needs to look at intelligent outsiders who can have a significant impact on the company. The strategy they have in place deters the company from accepting outside viewpoints, which could bring greater profits. ?One of the major strategic drawbacks of Costco is that they only carry a selection of 4,000 types of merchandise. This is less than most of their competitors, and may cause major problems in the future because most customers want choices. Costco has ignored many of its customers’ requests to stock certain goods in order to only sell products that will sell quickly. Though there method has been very successful, the company should increase it products that they sell in its stores. This increase could be between 1000 to 1500 products with the store brand Kirkland involved. ?Costco has some other operational level problems that in some extent hinder the overall companywide effectiveness and goals achievement. For example, they don’t accept all kinds of credit card from the customers (only American Express); though it is done to minimize the cost of overall operation. Their competitors are capitalizing on use all major card cards. Since November 10, 2006, Sam’s Club began accepting payment via MasterCard credit cards. The results with MasterCard were favorable; company officials reported that in the week following the MasterCard acceptance, the average ticker checkout at Sam’s Club was up 35 percent (Thompson, 2010). To allow their customers the use of different payment options will ultimately bring ore sales. Conclusion ?It is never acceptable to simply do business the way it has always been done because the market changes, the industry evolves, and numerous other external factors make it absolutely necessary for a business to evolve to retain or gain market share. This is particularly important in the industry Costco is in. The company needs to focus on it customer n eeds, its future hiring/company growth, and opening up to different payments. With an improved strategy in place, Costco can continue to service its customers, while satisfying the needs of its shareholders. ?Reference:Ampel, F. J. (2004, Embracing costco-ization — unlike most big-box retailers, costco's success is based on its high-quality service and superior product mix. Residential Systems, 5, 28-28. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/200686953? accountid=9997 BJ’s Wholesalers homepage, accessed at http://bjs. com on April 8, 2013 Costco homepage, accessed at http://costco. com on April 8, 2013 Sam’s Club homepage, accessed at http://samsclub. com on April 8, 2013 Thompson, A. A. , Strickland, A. J. , Gamble, J. E. (2010). Crafting and Executing Strategy. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. 17th ed. Costco Case Study What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not? The centerpiece of their business model involved generating high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover by offering club members low prices on a limited selection of name brand and private label products. The Club members pay an annual fee, which was a very important aspect of their business model. These fees provided enough revenue to increase the company’s overall profit.Costco was also able to sell and receive cash for their inventory before it had to pay many of its merchandise vendors; even when vendors’ payments were made just in time for vendors to take advantage of early payment discounts. High sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover allowed the company to finance a large percentage of its merchandise inventory through payment terms provided by vendors rather than by maintaining large working capital to ensure timely payments of suppliers.Yes, the com pany’s business model is appealing because the company’s increased inventory turnover and low operating costs allowed it to maintain a profit, despite their significantly lower gross margins compared to the industry (traditional wholesalers, mass merchandisers, supermarkets and supercenters). What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy? The chief elements are pricing, product selection, maintaining low operating costs and expansion. Pricing/Product Selection-The company philosophy was to provide high end quality product and/or services to club members but maintain low prices.Stores carry approximately 3,600 items, whereas, 85% is name brand and 15% Kirkland brands. These items range from perishables (food/drinks) to nonperishable household items. Costco also offers several services such as: one-hour photo, gasoline, pharmacy, optical, hearing aids, and travel services. Although the services remained constant, approximately 25% of i ts product offering were always changing. Buyers for Costco were making one-time purchases of items based on consumer taste and trends. These items would sell out quickly and were higher prices items such as: big screen TV’s and diamond rings.Costco purchased these â€Å"treasure hunt† items on the gray market from retailers and/or wholesalers who were looking to get rid of excess or slow selling inventory. Club members eagerly looked for these â€Å"treasure hunt† items because it was rare the items would be available again. For many years the company even had a 14% markup cap on name brand products compared to the industry at 20-50% markup prices. There was a 15% markup cap on their private selection of products (Kirkland Signature), which was 20% below to comparable name brands.Costco’s prices were slightly above break-even levels and sales revenues barely covered operating expenses. The company makes up for the modest contribution to operating profits with the membership fees, which attributes to over 70% of operating profits. Revenues from membership fees outweigh net income annually. Low Cost Leader/Company Expansion-Costco’s ability to maintain low operating costs is key to being able to offer club members with consistently low prices. They did not invest in amenities within their warehouses such as: shopping bags, decor, salespeople, billing, and accounts receivable.The building were strategically placed in high traffic areas but avoided prime real estate to avoid excessive land costs. The large metal buildings were designed for economy and efficiency. In addition to keeping overhead low, Costco had shorter hours of operation to reduce labor expenses as well. Costco’s growth strategy is to increase overall company sales by 5% and to open new stores within and outside of the U. S. The company spent 1. 3 billion to open 20 new stores and the average annual sales per warehouse was 103 million, which more than cove rs the company’s initial start-up costs.Do you think Jim Sinegal has been an effective CEO? What grades would you give him in leading the process of crafting and executing Costco’s strategy? What support can you offer for these grades? Refer to Figure 2. 1 in Chapter 2 in developing your answers. Mr. Sinegal has been an effective CEO by being fully committed to the Costco vision and business strategy. In this aspect Mr. Sinegal would receive an A because he was very much â€Å"hands-on† which ensuring that each facility operated according to Costco’s business model/strategy, mission, and philosophy.Sticking with the company’s present strategic course creates opportunities for growth and increased profitability as displayed in the opening of 20 new locations. The company does not engage in extensive marketing or sales campaigns and the CEO would receive a B. Communications are sent by flyers, via Costco website/email, in-store product sampling, occa sional direct mailers to potential new members, and special campaigns for new store openings. This process works well for keeping expenses minimal, however, implementing effective marketing practices would greatly benefit the company.Marketing can help Costco grow their business by focusing on their best customers (Executive members) and attracting more club members, in order to, boost their sales and increase profit margins. Mr. Sinegal refuses increased customer prices to increase company marginal profits or to provide senior management with salaries comparable to other executives within the same industry. He found it unnecessary for executives to make 100 times more than employees and insisted on paying employees higher wages and increased benefits, than the industry standards as well.This greatly reduced employee turnover and increased consumer loyalty with Costco, which would earn him an A. The company has some of the most affluent customers with incomes ranging from $75,000 to over $100,000 annually. There are Gold and Executive memberships of which 38% are Executive members. Executive members generally spend more than other members and they had an 89% membership renewal rate. The membership format facilitated strictly controlling the entrances and exits of warehouses, resulting in limited inventory losses of less than 2/10 of 1% of net sales-well below the industry standard.Although Executive members provide a substantial amount of sales, the company should get in line to service potential club members who do not have annual incomes within the $75,000 to $100,000 (median range $50,000 to $75,000), as well as, continue to market to the Executive club members. This will strengthen the company’s future prospects and increase competition, in order to reach the projected 5% increase in sales. Managers are delegated additional responsibilities and were held accountable for store operations, product selections and promotions.These individuals had to pro ve that they could function within a fast paced retail environment and be able to promptly find resolutions to multiple issues. They also had to stay in tune with their customer needs and/or wants (consumer trends), in order to, maximize sales and quick turnover. For the most part, the company promoted from within, which earns the CEO letter grade C. Approximately, 98% of management is selected from within and that can cause conflicts with the organization. There is no opportunity for innovation and/or change (fresh ideas) from the outside.Employees can feel entitled to certain positions because of their length of tenure with the company, instead of whether or not they can effectively do the job. It can also cause â€Å"hostile work environment† by increasing competition among employees. It can hinder the company from focusing on top senior level technical talent. They targeted local universities for new hires, in order to, engage educated and hard-working individuals whom ha d not chosen a specific career path yet. The company needs to find a balance between promoting from within and outside of the company.For items that were not practical to stock at the warehouses, members are able to obtain a wider variety of value-prices products and services on the company website. Yes, the company is being impacted growing technological advances and the CEO would receive a D. The company is being affected by their inability to provide Apple products and/or services to club members due to online restriction. Costco needs to seek resolution for the online restriction. Apple is a popular high end product that Costco would generate increased revenues for the company and the website can only be accessed within the U.S. and Canada.The company is faring well against their direct and indirect competitors with expansion (within and outside of the U. S. ) and increased sales growth. The company buys majority of its merchandise directly from the manufacturers which allowed t he company to have sufficient inventories to meet demand. The CEO would earn a C because management is not being proactive. They are â€Å"assuming† that if they were to encounter any issues with supply, the business could just switch manufacturers without disruption.If Costco is going to pursue overall company growth, the supply chain should be aligned with its core business strategy and value proposition such as their competition (Wal-Mart). Costco should continue with the company goals to expand international and needs to ensure their website is capable to service their consumer demand in these other countries. It will make the organization more competitive, considering many of Costco’s competitors have global operations setup already. With the market share Costco already has within the industry, Costco has an opportunity to capitalize on their expansion.What core values or business principles has Jim Sinegal stressed at Costco? He stressed five business principles: obey the law, take care of our members, take care of our employees, respect our suppliers, and reward stakeholders. Obey the law-Mr. Sinegal put strong emphasis on abiding by the laws of every community where Costco conducted business, which consists of any state or government laws and/or regulations. He had a strict code of ethics. Take care of our members-Sinegal believes in customer satisfaction period.This was displayed not only in the superior products and services being offered but with the company’s efforts within their local communities as well. Take care of our employees-In addition to providing higher wages and great benefits, Costco provides their employees with opportunities for advancement, volunteer activities, and a safe/healthy work environment. Respect our suppliers-Costco honors all commitments and protected supplier property. They did not engage in situations that would cause conflicts of interests such as not accepting gratuities of any kind from a suppli er.The company also reserved the right to utilize their better ethical judgment when in doubt regarding what course of action to take. Reward our stockholders-Costco is publicly traded and depends on shareholders (investors) to be successful. They are treated as business partners and it is essential the company provides a good return on their investments. What is the competition like in the North American wholesale club industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest and why? Complete a five forces analysis of competition in the North American wholesale industry?The competition is fierce to strong in the North American wholesale market. Costco largest direct rival is Wal-Mart but there are also significant indirect rivals such as Amazon. com and Target. Rivalry can be considered fierce to strong when the battle for market share is so vigorous that the profit margins of most industry members are squeezed to the bare minimum. The industry is growing 15-20 percent faster th an retailing as a whole. Costco had 57% share of warehouse sales across the U. S. with Wal-Mart having approximately 35%.We believe the threat of new market entrants is the strongest of the five forces because Costco is not just in competition with other warehouse clubs but other types of retailers Dollar General, Lowe’s specialty chains, gas stations, Internet retailers such as Amazon. com and Barnes and Noble whom hold substantial market share Strengths †¢3rd largest retailer †¢Has 57% share of warehouse sales across US †¢No one manufacturer supplies a significant percentage of merchandise that Costco stocks †¢Provide high end products and services at low prices †¢Rapid inventory turnover †¢Minimal overhead expensesWeaknesses †¢Profits (low profit margins) dependent on card membership fees otherwise operating costs barely covered †¢Websites only operate in US and Canada but company has expanded internationally/website also unable to c arry certain products such as Apple –technological advances †¢Price caps 14-15 percent on name brand and Kirkland Signature products †¢Promotes more than 98% from within Opportunities †¢To gain new memberships for potential customers with median incomes between $50-$100K annually †¢To open additional stores in other countries besides Japan †¢Increase marketing efforts Threats†¢Entrance of other retailers whom adopted the low cost strategy and have significant market share -increased competition †¢Lack of supply management How well is Costco performing from a financial perspective? What is happening to net sales, total revenues, and net income? What are their profitability and expense ratios? The company has been consistently improving company performance from years’ 2000-2011. Without the sales from the memberships, sales would not be enough to cover the operating expenses for Costco.Net sales, net income, and total revenue have incre ased from the years’ 2000 to 2011. Net profit margin is 16. 8% and company collects almost 17 cents for each dollar of sales. So while the company increased its net income, it has done so with diminishing profit margins. Merchandising costs are high and account for at least 89% of operating expenses. The CAGR performed on total revenue displays an approximately 11% increase in total revenue and 11. 5% increase to stockholders’ equity shows that investors are receiving substantial returns on their investments with Costco.Long term debt has more than doubled over than last 10 years, the calculation for long-term debt and capital clearly show that less than 15%. The company has established their creditworthiness and can borrow money if necessary. The company’s current ratio is 1. 14 which is stable because it is over 1. 0, however, ratios of 2. 0 or more are better. The return on assets and equity have fluctuated over the years. ROA was actually higher in the past compared to the most recent calculation. For example in 2005, ROA was 6. 4% and 7. 3% in 2000.The total assets accumulated over the years have increased but the return on those assets have not. ROE was 14. 9% in 2000 and 14% in 2008. Overall, Costco is doing well but the company could be doing better. Gross profit margin= 87,048 – 77,739/ 87,048 = 0. 1069 (10. 7%) Operating profit margin= 2439 / 87,048 = 0. 02801 (2. 8%) Net profit margin= 1462 / 87,048 = 0. 01679 (16. 8%) Total Return on Assets= 2439 / 26,761 = 0. 091140092 (9. 1%) ROA = 1462 / 26,761 = 0. 052663809 (5. 3%) ROE = 1462 / 12,573 = 0. 116280919 (11. 63%) EPS = 1462 / 443. 1 = 3. 299948093 (3. 30)Long Term Debt to Capital Ratio = 2153 / 14,726 = 0. 146203993 (14. 62%) Current Ratio = 13706 / 12050 = 1. 137427386 (1. 14) CAGR -10 year total revenue (88,915 / 32,164) = 2. 764426066-2. 77 rounded 1 / 10 = 0. 1 2. 77 ^ 0. 1 = 1. 107255833- 1. 1072 1. 1072 – 1 = . 1072 (10. 72%) CAGR- 10 year stockholders†™ equity 12,573 / 4240 = 2. 965330189 – 2. 97 rounded 1 / 10 = 0. 1 2. 97 ^ 0. 1 = 1. 115001996- 1. 1150 1. 1150 – 1 = . 1150 (11. 50%) Based on the data in case Exhibits 1 and 4, is Costco’s financial performance superior to that at Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale?Costco has a larger share of the wholesale club sales in the United States. In fact, they have over half. Sam’s Club is next in line and BJ’s Wholesale is much smaller. Costco is efficient and utilizes its resources in order to remain more successful and have a greater impact than other wholesale clubs. Even though their profit margin may not be as high, they prove to have a stronger customer base and greater sustainability overall. Does the data in case Exhibit 2 indicate that Costco’s expansion outside the U. S. is financially successful? Why or why not?This data does show that Costco’s expansion outside the U. S. is financially successful. Sales and operati ng income continue to rise on a regular basis for the warehouses. This proves stability and consistency. Revenue also continues to rise enabling growth and success. How well is Costco performing from a strategic perspective? Does Costco enjoy a competitive advantage? Does Costco have a winning strategy? Why or why not? From a strategic perspective, Costco is performing well. They have evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and are able to accentuate their strengths.They look for opportunities and focus on making the most out of what they have. They are not afraid to venture into new opportunities and stray away from threats. Market share is consistently on the rise and they are increasing their customer base. Customers are aware of the care they get from Costco and the good reputation is reflected in their success. The continuous growth in memberships displays loyal customers. Costco certainly does enjoy a competitive advantage of consistently providing low prices, customer servi ce, increasing market share, and maintaining a profitable reputation.This is also why they do have a winning strategy. They align their business strategy with their mission and push forward. Are Costco’s prices too low? Why or why not? Costco’s prices are not too low. By evaluating their financial statements and review customer satisfaction, they are on target. They are meeting their goals and making a difference while still pleasing their customers. This is a happy medium that is hard to reach. Because these prices are part of their competitive advantage, it would not be a good idea to change this.What do you think of Costco’s compensation practices? Does it surprise you that Costco employees apparently are rather well-compensated? The compensation package provided by Costco is essential to the way they run their business. It is much better than those of its competitors, creating an advantage. This is another way that Costco aligns their strategy with their mis sion and values. While executives are offered a smaller compensation package, regular employees can take advantage of a larger package. This shows that they are all working together and one is not better than the other.It takes all of them to successfully run the company. Again, this is an advantage because employees can make Costco their career reducing the turnover. While competitors go through many employees in a short amount of time, Costco has the same staff. It did surprise me before reading this case, but based on their strategy and focus, this is the right thing to do and they prove that it really does pay off in the long run. What recommendations would you make to Costco top management regarding how best to sustain the company’s growth and improve its financial performance?While Costco remains successful at this time, it is important that they maintain engagement from customers and employees. It could be beneficial to look into untapped markets within the United Stat es and overseas. As times change, they may need to update processes and goals. One suggestion would be online shopping. The transition to online shopping abilities could enhance their overall success. This could also benefit customers overseas and will increase the market of Costco. They must remain one step ahead of the competition in order to stay on top. By focusing on their strength of customer care overall they will sustain their advantage. Costco Case Study Christopher GildeaÐ ¡ostco Case Study Seminar:   Business Policy and Strategy Professor Gregory P. Grogan Abstract ?Costco, a discount warehouse based in Issaquah, Washington, specializes in selling quality products at low prices. The company operates as a membership retailer, focusing its business on small and consumers with incomes averaging $75,000 with over 30 percent having incomes of $100,000 or more annually. The wholesale club segment of retailing in 2008 was estimated to be a $120 billion business in the United States, and it was growing about 20 percent faster than retailing as a whole (Thompson, 2010). The three main competitors were Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale. Costco has a majority of the warehouse club sales across the United States and Canada and is looking to keep its edge. ?The pricing strategy that Costco has implemented, focuses on the price-sensitivity of its consumers. The company has excelled in keeping its prices low by capping the markup on its merchandise. By keeping the markup lower than its competitors, Costco has provided its customers with deep discounts on over 4000 products within its stores. Sam’s Club, which offers the same number of products within its stores, earns half the income that Costco does at each store. Costco sales are even higher per store than BJ’s, which offers 7,300 items compared to 4,000 items at Costco and Sam’s Club. Costco has been very efficient at utilizing its floor space and generating high revenues from it products within its stores. ?Costco is trying to generate huge sales volume and quick inventory turnover by applying a business model that offers limited selections of nationally branded product in wide range of merchandise categories. Costco apply number of operating excellence such as efficient way of managing inventory and just in time inventory, efficient distribution, minimum merchandise handling, and volume purchasing to reduce the price of its product. One of the major benefits of high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover is that they can sell their inventory and receive cash that can be used to pay its vendors and take the advantage of early-payment discounts. ?Even with the low price strategy, Costco employee salaries and benefits are by far higher than its competitors. This compensation has motivated it employees and retain good workers in turn, Costco gets lower turnover and higher productivity. Combined with a smart business strategy that sells a mix of higher-margin products to more affluent customers, Costco actually keeps its labor cost lower that its competitors as a percentage of sales (Ampel, 2004). They are also retaining more employees than any of their peers. ?Costco has strong ethics within its company, developing a motivating workplace for its employees to flourish within the company. They prefer to develop their employees within the company. When doing this, they have turned down outsiders who may be able to bring in new innovations that can propel the company further ahead of its competitors. New recruits and experienced businesspeople have been overlooked. As the world becomes more globalized, the company needs to look at intelligent outsiders who can have a significant impact on the company. The strategy they have in place deters the company from accepting outside viewpoints, which could bring greater profits. ?One of the major strategic drawbacks of Costco is that they only carry a selection of 4,000 types of merchandise. This is less than most of their competitors, and may cause major problems in the future because most customers want choices. Costco has ignored many of its customers’ requests to stock certain goods in order to only sell products that will sell quickly. Though there method has been very successful, the company should increase it products that they sell in its stores. This increase could be between 1000 to 1500 products with the store brand Kirkland involved. ?Costco has some other operational level problems that in some extent hinder the overall companywide effectiveness and goals achievement. For example, they don’t accept all kinds of credit card from the customers (only American Express); though it is done to minimize the cost of overall operation. Their competitors are capitalizing on use all major card cards. Since November 10, 2006, Sam’s Club began accepting payment via MasterCard credit cards. The results with MasterCard were favorable; company officials reported that in the week following the MasterCard acceptance, the average ticker checkout at Sam’s Club was up 35 percent (Thompson, 2010). To allow their customers the use of different payment options will ultimately bring ore sales. Conclusion ?It is never acceptable to simply do business the way it has always been done because the market changes, the industry evolves, and numerous other external factors make it absolutely necessary for a business to evolve to retain or gain market share. This is particularly important in the industry Costco is in. The company needs to focus on it customer n eeds, its future hiring/company growth, and opening up to different payments. With an improved strategy in place, Costco can continue to service its customers, while satisfying the needs of its shareholders. ?Reference:Ampel, F. J. (2004, Embracing costco-ization — unlike most big-box retailers, costco's success is based on its high-quality service and superior product mix. Residential Systems, 5, 28-28. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/200686953? accountid=9997 BJ’s Wholesalers homepage, accessed at http://bjs. com on April 8, 2013 Costco homepage, accessed at http://costco. com on April 8, 2013 Sam’s Club homepage, accessed at http://samsclub. com on April 8, 2013 Thompson, A. A. , Strickland, A. J. , Gamble, J. E. (2010). Crafting and Executing Strategy. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. 17th ed.

Common Core and the effects on America

Language Learners Since being introduced in 2010, forty-four States have now adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative. This initiative provides standards in English, Language Arts and Math. Every child in a public school will be expected to meet each standard for their grade level In these areas. These standards are designed to guarantee that every child In America will be on par with each other. They use the example In their 3 minute video about a child In Seattle who has an A In his English class but would be receiving a C in a public school in Chicago(understandingCommon Core). These standards are also designed to insure that American youth are graduating high school with the ability to compete with other nation's graduates worldwide. So not only do American school children need to compete with their national peers but they are also competing on a global level (Common Core). Professor E. D Hirsch In an excerpt from his book â€Å"On Cultural Literacy† discusses h ow cultural literacy is the only way for Impoverished children to rise above their lot In life.Part of his assumptions are that every American child needs a basic foundation, such as the subjects proposed by Common Core, to be provided by the American Education system. Hirsch argues this foundation will ensure every child is culturally literate,†only by accumulation of shared symbols, and the shared information that the symbols represent, can we learn to communicate effectively with one another in our national community† (36). This statement Is based off of the assumption that all Americans speak the same language (Bezel 661). This Is simply no longer true.Between 2010-2011 there were 4. 7 million English Language Learners (ELL) in the American School system (Fast Facts). Unlike No Child left behind act, Common Core acknowledges that they cannot define and meet every need that ELLS have in order to learn the language being used by Common Core on the same level as their p eers (English Standards 6). Without going in-depth into the standards, the most accessible Information on the website Is specific on how to accommodate special needs children, but for ELLS all the standards say Is â€Å"It Is possible for every child to meet the standards†(6).This paper will address the potential effects of Common Core on ELLS, by using the proposed effects of both Common Core supporters and Common Core posers. There is a lack of public information as to how these state standards are going to affect English Language Learners (ELL), there needs to be more focus on how state standards and federal tests are going to accommodate the growing number ELLS. In 2001 the Bush administration Implemented the No Child Left Behind act. (UNCLE). Under Title Ill in UNCLE it was clearly stated how ELLS were to receive special attention.It allowed for extended time on test and occasionally for the test to be administered in the learners own language. These methods were not eff ective cause ELLS were still testing twenty to thirty percent lower than their English proficient peers. UNCLE required schools to break their students Into subgroups one testing in comparison with their English proficient peers. For ELLS the test was not only used to gauge their progress in that particular subject but also their progress in English proficiency.Not surprisingly the ELLS were doing significantly worse on their English and language arts test than on Math and Science. A glaring fault of UNCLE was that once a child began to test on the same level as their English proficient peers hey were removed from the ELL subgroup and expected to keep succeeding without the extra accommodations. These ideas were implemented without there ever being proof they would work. Abide and Tilted finish their 2004 Winter report for CREST with the statement, â€Å"For a goal to be within reach of all schools, at least one school should have already attained it.To date we have yet to see a sc hool with a sizeable ELL population that meets the 2014 UNCLE requirements†. (5) In preparation for the continued rapid growth of the ELL population, which according to a TESTS brief is errantly approximated at 6 million, Common Core broke down English proficiency expectations into four categories (4). An independent study conducted by Stanford defined the four categories are reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language (3,5-7). Reading requirements are designed to make sure students can read and comprehend complex text across all subjects.Writing standards ensure students are prepared to research, analyze and argue. The need for speaking and listening is to ensure that every student has the ability to understand and articulate orally their ideas and arguments and the arguments of others. Finally the language requirement refers to grammar; in the paper the authors students need to understand that English is â€Å"as much a craft as a set of rules†(7). This pap er argues that according to the standards, language will tie the four brackets together (7).The opposition to Common Core is that Common Core will force teachers to teach to the test. Ritual standardized testing increases pressure on students to find the right answer instead of encouraging learning and independent thought (Hawkins). According to New York City teacher Katie Alphas in a letter to Carmen Farina, ELLS articulacy in grades third through eighth are â€Å"encumbered with standardized testing. † Here is a quote from a resignation letter by former Colorado Springs English teacher Pauline Hawkins â€Å"l am supposed to help them think for themselves,†¦ Instead, the emphasis is on Common Core Standards and high stakes testing that is creating a teach to the test mentality for our teachers, and stress and anxiety for our students. † This anxiety is increased when a student is not only being tested on their comprehension of the material but also their comprehe nsion of the English language. The majority of teachers who oppose Common Core want less regular testing and a more diversified way of evaluation. Common Core is moving fast. For most teachers they are being required to rewrite curriculum to match standardized testing, which is binge implemented in some states as early as April 2014.In particular for ELLS in grades third through eighth, who have been in the country for a year or less they are allowed one exemption from a test. After that they are required to test to the level of their English proficient peers. There is an extra time allotment for ELLS UT as Katie Lymphoma states in a blob post titled Battling the High-stakes Testing Beast: from NAPE to NYSE, â€Å"the state has generously offered to give you extended time (time and a half) on the tests; instead of 90 minutes per day for six days (3 days for testing day. That's a total of 13. 5 hours! Hours upon hours of testing for a fifth grader who is working twice as hard to com prehend the test does not seem like the right answer. Lymphoma in the same post discusses how she as their teacher does not have access to the test results only the scores of her students. To summarize searchers are required to conform curriculum to the tests. The same test where they are not allowed to see which material their students failed on. The ELLS are exempt from only one test in the entirety of their schooling. During the testing ELLS could spend up to twelve plus hours a week testing.According to the association of Teaching English to Speaker of Other Languages (TESTS) and an independent Stanford Study, Common Core will present significant challenges to ELLS but will also provide an education that will offer them the same opportunities as their native English speaking peers. When Common Core was first developed English Language Proficiency Development (ELOPED) Standards were left up to the individual states. Starting in 2012 Common Core recognized that a standard for ELOP ED would need to be developed. In 2012 the Council of Chief State Officers produced a basic framework for states to use when adapting their ELL standards.They also hired the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium to prepare the assessment test prototypes. According to TESTS on testing â€Å"[the tests will] be administered by computer, both consortia are exploring technology-based accommodations, such as pop up glossaries and captions for audio. To ensure the widest accessibility to the test items† (7). By using measures such as extra glossaries and captions it should take some of the pressure off the students.Common Core firmly states that only by regular standardized tests can teachers and the rest of the education community truly understand what students are learning. The Framework for English Language Proficiency Development Standards corresponding to the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generatio n Science Standards is vividly clear in that they do not force schools to adopt a curriculum. Instead they simply provide what information students are expected to master at every grade. There is no proposed curriculum or any specific standards to guide teachers.The Framework along with Common Core has yet to address what will happen if a child can not meet the standards. UNCLE clearly defined that if a child failed, then the school would be required to use [article title] funding to provide the student the ability to travel to a school where they could get better education. Diana Rancidity in her article with the Washington Post poses the same question what will happen to students who fail. How much funding will go to provide tutoring? What will the repercussions be for teachers whose students are not meeting the standard? Will schools who consistently fail the standards be closed?These are Just some of the many unanswered questions raised by Common Core for ELLS. The Framework ans wered some questions, like which type of questions students are supposed to be able to answer by each grade, what type of thinking process they should have mastered and what kind of tests they should be able to pass. No one on either side of the issue is making light of the extra struggle the ELLS re going to have on top of the rigorous workload of an English proficient student. Those who are pro Common Core firmly state that by going through the Common workforce or further education.Whether that statement is true or not has yet to be seen. Only time and testing will prove whether Common Core is truly beneficial to ELLS. The facts state that there are approximately six million ELLS in the American public school system today. Until we have a working ELL program that has proven results it is counter productive to expect those students to perform well on the Common Core tests. The government is in the awkward middle ground of some of the information being released without enough inform ation to determine whether or not the program's success is even plausible.

Analysis Of Operating Environment Of Honda In China

Analysis Of Operating Environment Of Honda In China Honda entered the Chinese market in 1982 by cooperated with China’s Jialing Machinery Factory to produce motorcycles. Currently, Honda has 16 companies in China spreading over nationwide. â€Å"Respect intellectual property; bring joy to people’s life† is Honda’s IPR credo in China. Honda’s presidents all have technical backgrounds. They are important needed advanced technology for the company’s further development. December 2007, Honda’s China portfolio came out includes over 500 registered trademarks, 3,800 granted inventions, model patents and more than 1,100 granted design patents. In an addition, Honda upgraded the former intellectual property office into a division and hence the IPR division was officially established. Resulted, the scope of work was expanded. The division’s main task is to provide support on IPR issues. Although they do not have to report directly to headquarters, they communicate regularly with the head quarters and sometimes the headquarters will give them directions. Meanwhile they will also give their opinions what should be done in China to gain support from the headquarters and improve their efficiency.   The secret of successful Honda in China is they are very creative and innovation, they never imitate others but still create high quality product. Mr. Honda with a mechanical background was aware that machines could operate as long as there is fuel. He created the Honda slogan with the basic principles, â€Å"Respect for the Individual† and â€Å"The Three Joys†- â€Å"the joy of buying, the joy of selling and the joy of creating.† The Three Joys mean to a certain extent which related to the IPR work. The joy of buying refers to customer satisfaction and willing to pay for their products and services. They stand strong that the most important thing is to bring the joy of buying to the consumer. On the other hands, the joy of selling and creating refers to bringing joy to Honda’s dealers and manufacturers by selling and producing Honda’s products which is also an important aspect of Honda business. Honda’s operating strategy is â€Å"where there is a demand, there is production.† The most basic of Honda’s IP strategy is â€Å"providing necessary support on IPR related issues to meet the need of development in the local market.† Honda’s IP work is to create intellectual properties efficiently and secure IPRs in order to provide maximum protection for the customers’ interest and the development of business. In recent years, Honda is facing growing pressure of other fakers and wrong timing. For example, Honda might take 2 or 3 years for counterfeit products to promote in the market after Honda’s original’s launch. However, as soon as Honda launches a new product, some Chinese companies will start counterfeiting. Some counterfeits or fakes appear even before Honda st arts productions which have same trademarks, design and patents. Honda needs to take some time from the application for IPR and it is the situation that Honda is facing in recent years. Therefore, Honda focuses on their work in China, taking full advantage of IPR to deal with the new challenges. They come out with a unique understanding that IPR is a kind of right and they want to take the full advantage of IPR for the development of their business, patent products and fully taking their rights. Resulted, Honda is carrying out a series of IPR activities such as infringements track down, intellectual property education and assisting government’s consumer rights protection campaigns. Spare parts for the maintenance of Honda vehicles are only sold in authorized Honda dealers but yet many companies are producing under the Honda name.

Measuring the Sensitivity of a Bond's Price to Changes in the Market Essay

Measuring the Sensitivity of a Bond's Price to Changes in the Market Interest Rates - Essay Example On the other hand, bonds issued by companies are used for long term financing of the firm since they mature after a long period of time, usually more than ten years. Coupons are mostly paid out twice in a year but some could be payable once in a year. On maturity of a given bond, the bondholders are entitled to the principal amount initially invested at the present value at maturity. A bond may be issued at a discount or at a premium. If it is issued at a discount, the amount realized from such an issue is less than the face value of the bond. This occurs mostly when the interest rates of the bonds are low; therefore the government or the firms have to induce investors to invest in such a bond by lowering the prices of the bonds. On the other hand, if the amounts of funds realized from a bond issue are more than the face value of the bond, the bond is said to have been issued at a premium. This mostly occurs when the rates of return of the bond in question are relatively high and the bond is expected to yield some high returns in terms of the coupons. Investors will take into account the high amount of returns expected in the future and many will be interested in buying the bonds. These investors will be willing to pay a higher price for the bond, higher than the bonds face value. A bond’s price will change with changes in the market interest rate. There are different reasons for the changes in price. One of the most significant reasons is the fact that increase in market price denotes a higher rate of return on a given bond. Investors will inject their funds in an investment that has potential of yielding maximum returns for them. Given that they are rational individuals, the investors will rank a bond with a high rate of return at a higher position in their priorities of investment. This will drive the price of the bond up since the demand for it has gone up. This leads to the bond being issued at high price. The sensitivity of a bond’s price to interest rate movements is dependent on the bonds characteristics (Madura 2001). This is clearly the case since there are many kinds of bonds and each of them exhibit different unique characteristics according to its nature. Some of these unique characteristics are the different maturity periods. Some bonds mature after only ten years while others might mature at thirty years. The frequencies at which bonds pay out coupons also differ accordingly. The convex relationship between bond price and yield illustrates that the changes in prices for a given change in interest rates is not constant and nor is it identical, for all but very small amounts, for both upward and downward change in yields (Cima 2000). The two common methods of assessing the sensitivity of a bond to a change in the required rate of return on bonds are: Bond price elasticity Duration The above methods are computed as follows: 1. Bond price elasticity The sensitivity of bond prices to changes in the required rate of return is commonly measured by the bond price elasticity (Madura 2001). The computation is given as follows; Pc = percentage change in p / percentage change in k where; Pc is the bond price elasticity P is the bond price K is the required rate of return This method is significant especially when measuring the sensitivity of a bonds price on the market inter

International Migration Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Migration - Term Paper Example It is through migration that many international criminals are able to hide their activities. International migration also lead to pressure on social facilities in different countries and this often leads to conflicts between citizens. The entry of illegal immigrants in many countries leads to increase in petty offenders and criminals, when such illegal immigrants are unable to survive or find jobs abroad. The illegal migrants usually hide from the authorities in the host countries and they face cruel treatment but they also are unable to seek justice from the legal systems. Consequently, many criminal activities are committed against them by the citizens of such countries. The security of the host country is threatened when more people that had not been planned for by the security agents in all situations. The security facilities become overstretched and therefore unable to ensure adequate security to all members. Any country may risk capital flight when migrants move resources to th eir countries of origin. Consequently, economic resources are taken out of a country illegally to benefit other countries. Part 2 International migration produces benefits to their home countries and to the host countries depending on many situations. To their countries of origin, the migrants remit finances to their home countries. This often results into large sums of money being sent from well developed counties to developing countries. Such resources help in developing countries from which migrants came. International migration is more hurting to men due to pressure on men to provide in many families. The negative effects of international migration are loss of human resources, and the brain drain when countries lose their highly qualified people to other... The researcher of this term paper discusses international migration, that is the movement of people from one country to another due to many reasons. International migration has consisted of people moving from their country of birth for many reasons and this movement involves millions of people each year. The migrants range from less educated to highly educated professionals who move from their own countries that may have scarce resources. The low skilled workers also move to seek better wages abroad because the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. When people move from one country to another, they enter new countries whose laws they may not understand. Internal migration may also involve individuals whose characters are not known. It is through migration that many international criminals are able to hide their activities. International migration has remained one of the main issues that impact the lives of all people around the globe. International migration, that was discussed in the paper involves many issues that must be considered by those moving to foreign lands. The reseracher then concluds that this international movement of people has both positive and negative consequences to the individuals, their families, and the national economies as well. Legal migration can help boost the lives of individuals when all legal procedures are followed. Iover a million many countries deal with. Many countries have created legal provisions to curb the surge of illegal migrants to their borders.

Analysis for Chevron Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Analysis for Chevron Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example The company also looks at various stakeholders’ benefits. The company has adopted quite a few CSR strategies to get involved in the market. Table of Contents Abstract 2 1.0 About Chevron 4 2.0 The Corporate Social Responsibility Activities of Chevron 5 2.1 Business Ethics 6 2.2 Government 8 2.3 Human Rights 8 3.0 Evaluation of the Motivations for CSR Activities Drawing Upon the Company's Market Environment 9 4.0 Evaluation of the Motivations for CSR Activities Drawing Upon the Company's Non Market Environment 11 5.0 The Stakeholder Theory in Relation to Chevron 14 6.0 Conclusion 17 7.0 Recommendations 18 References 19 1.0 About Chevron Chevron is regarded to be one of the largest American multinational oil producing companies. It is considered as one of the top energy companies with various subsidiaries all over the world. The company is engaged in a string of activities such as exploration, transportation, production of crude oil along with natural gas as well. They are engag ed in generating power and in the production of geothermal energy. The company is focussed on providing safe and healthy environment to the people. Their main objective is to uphold the organisational reliability and effectiveness in the minds of the people. It also produces mining, pipelines, chemicals and is involved in power construction businesses as well. In the US, the company owns 9,600 gas stations that function under the brand name of Chevron along with Texaco. It also own or has stakes in around 12,400 gas stations outside the market of the US with brand name of ‘Caltex’. Chevron signed a $4.3 billion deal with  Atlas Energy  in 2011 (Chevron, 2008) 2.0 The Corporate Social Responsibility Activities of Chevron Corporate responsibility at Chevron is the use of ‘The Chevron Way’ across social, environmental along with governance issues and concerns. The corporate responsibility of the company is implemented through existing systems, procedures a nd policies of management in order to operate ethically and responsibly. The major aim of the company is to constantly develop the performance and activities in the organisation. The business is performed in an efficient, ethical and responsible way. Through the corporate social responsibility activities Chevron looks to perform their business responsibly by delivering not only energy but also creating sustainable partnership. Chevron has prepared an Action Plan in which climate change has played a significant part in their projects related to emissions reduction, research improvements and also efficiency improvements. Chevron also sustains their CSR activities by touching the requirements of the human lives by initiatives such as ‘Corporate Champion of The Global Fund’ in order to fight against diseases such as Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria. They were working towards controlling as well as eradicating these harmful diseases in six different countries that has high lev el incidence rate (Chevron, 2008). Chevron’s Operational Excellence Management System (OEMS) defines the expectations with regard to the organised management of safety, reliability, environment, health and efficiency in order to attain outstanding performance in operational excellence (Chevron, 2010). Chevron uses various motives for their role towards corporate social responsibility. The motives are ethical motives, economic motives and strategic motives. CSR and

Im not sure about the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Im not sure about the topic - Essay Example Thirdly there is the guest account, which cannot implement any changes to the computer settings. â€Å"Network and Sharing Center† is the feature that allows a computer user to check his/her network status, change network settings and set preferences for sharing files and hardware such printers and scanners over a network. Here is where users can uniquely identify computers or other shared hardware that are within their local area network (LAN). Examples of this include use of names such as Michael-PC or HP 1320 LaserJet on Manager-PC and so on. This feature allows users to declare different levels of accessibility over their files and documents or even hardware. This way an organization can implement information abstraction within its corporate LAN. Finally, the â€Å"Folder Options† feature provides users with options on how to manipulate folders. Examples include what the user would like the default folder icon size to be and whether to display or hide certain types of files such as system files and encrypted files. This feature also allows one to select whether to open each folder on the same window or a different window upon clicking the folder icon. Further, â€Å"Folder Options† allows users to select how the search function for files will operate for example using file names only or file names with contents and so on. There are numerous other customizations on folders that could be put in place through the use of this

The Visit to Kenya Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Visit to Kenya - Essay Example The country had a remarkable and beautiful climate. The wide distribution of green plants all over the place shocked me. The trees and birds were beautiful against clear bright blue skies, this contrasted sharply with Saudi Arabia, and I realized that Africa is so much blessed with a remarkable natural environment. They do not require artificially controlled environments in their homes. The temperatures are exceptionally cool at all times of the day, and I appreciate my cousin for insisting that I visit him in this wonderful part of the globe. I had always been fascinated by the majestic lions since I learned about them in Pre-School and I now had an opportunity to spot one in the wild. After traveling for several hours in the Tsavo plains, our tour guide suddenly told our driver to slow down, and he pointed towards a large tree. The sight was beautiful; I saw the largest lion I have ever seen resting under the tree. We saw very many other beautiful animals in the wild. The clouds opened on our way from the recreational area. It was such a superb thing with a mixture of so many pleasant smells around me. I was taken back to reality when our vehicle skidded and came to a sudden stop, and our driver declared that we were mud stuck. We alighted from the vehicle and Mabrouk solemnly declared that only a tow truck could remove the tour van from the muddy pothole. After several minutes, a number of Africans came clad in bright red clothing and after talking with the driver, for a minute, they succeeded in removing the van from the pothole.

Karla Homolka English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Karla Homolka English - Research Paper Example With both of them participating in the murders, the role of Karla Homolka in the crimes was figured out vaguely, as there were differences of opinion regarding her contribution to those murders. This paper will chronicle her life starting from her early years, her marriage to Paul Benardo, rape and murder of the girls, finishing with the investigation, conviction and her eventual release. Early life Karla Homolka was born to Dorothy and Karel Homolka in 1970 as the eldest of three daughters in the Canadian town of Port Credit, Ontario. She went to Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School and even while going to the school, Karla worked as a part-time employee at a local pet shop. She graduated in the year 1988, and got employment as a veterinary assistant in Thorold Veterinary Clinic in Ontario. She did a similar job at the Mardinale Animal Clinic as well. â€Å"Karla developed a passion for animals and after high school she went to work at a veterinary clinic† (Montaldo). Thus, when one focuses on Karla’s early life, it appears that she lived a normal life, without exhibiting any negative or even psychotic tendencies. However, it all started to change when he married Paul Bernado. Marriage to Paul Bernado Karla as part of her job attended a pet convention in Toronto in the spring of 1987. During that visit, Karla, just 17 at that time, met 23-year-old Paul Bernardo in a â€Å"suburban hotel restaurant outside of Toronto and she fell for Paul, immediately.† (biography.com). They had sex on their first meeting and as their relationship started to develop, they â€Å"discovered that they shared the same sado-masochistic desires,† (Montaldo). Because of this ‘extremity’ in their relationship, Paul assumed the role of a ‘master’, with Karla willingly assuming the role of a ‘slave’, who has no problems in fulfilling her husband’s extreme fantasies. One of these extreme ‘fantasies’ o nly leads to their first murder - the murder of Karla’s own younger sister, Tammy Homolka. Rape and the murders Three years into their relationship, Paul starts to become obsessed with Tammy and to abuse her, he gets Karla’s help. One of Paul's constant complaints with Karla was that she was not a ‘virgin’ when they met and so she becomes ‘devoted’ to pleasing Paul in every way possible. (Montaldo). Using this weakness of Karla, Paul openly expressed his feelings for Tammy, and also convinces Karla to aid him in raping her. â€Å"It was, therefore, from his point of view, her responsibility to make it possible for Paul to take the virginity of†¦Tammy without her knowledge or consent.† (Bardsley). Karla wrongly accepts this flawed logic, and decides to make or force Tammy into being a sort of ‘surrogate virgin’ for her. In their first attempt in July 1990, Karla serves Tammy, a spaghetti dinner mixed with heavy doses of Valium, which was stolen from her workplace. â€Å"Bernardo rapes Tammy for about a minute before she starts to wake up† and so they temporarily abandon their plan then, waiting for another opportunity. ("Key events in the Bernardo/Homolka case"). Then, six months before their marriage, at a Christmas party at Karla parent’s house, Karla first mixes sedative Halcyon in the alcoholic drinks of Tammy. After the party was over and family members retired, the husband and wife duo took Tammy to the basement, with Karla holding a cloth soaked with Halothane over Tammy's mouth. (Becker, 2005). There, Paul with Karla

Cyber activism and hacktivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cyber activism and hacktivism - Essay Example Activism involves a range of activities from online search for information, creating and feeding data to new or already existing websites, conducting communication via internet publications or emailing of letters, forming online forums to discuss various issues or coordinating certain activities. Hacktivism activities involve virtual blockades, email bombing, hacking web sites or breaking into computers systems, planting computer worms and viruses. The activities of activism are keen on developing the internet as a useful tool for social progress and policymaking. However, hackvists activities stem from anger and seek to destroy what is created by activism. The internet offers a vast body of information that would take one a lot of time and energy to search manually. Business corporations, organizations, governments and teaching institutions avail information on the internet that is easily accessible by the target audience or any other person interested in the data. The offered information extends beyond geographical demarcation. One can access the information necessary to facilitate his mission. Researchers use this collection of information to argue or prove their theses. While an activist will use this information to improve himself or the society, a hacktivist will seek to destroy this collection of information (Denning, 1999). Various humanity groups such as non-governmental organizations, civil boards and self-help groups publish information in the internet for the public to see. Some businesses such as luxury brand companies employ this technique to promote their products to the vast body of potential customers using the internet. Depending on the organization involved, some will post or publish information on public web sites or may develop their own site where they publish information on regular basis (Denning, 1999). Private websites provoke the anger or interest of hackers who hack to phish information

Development of the learning process of students for progress through after school program Essay Example for Free

Development of the learning process of students for progress through after school program Essay The question of development of students in their childhood is extremely vital that has to be tackled carefully, if not various problems will arise not only at the individual level but also at the national level. To improve the condition, the sanction of fund by the government alone is not sufficient to solve the problems but question remains at the top for its use in right direction at the right time in right amount with consideration of grant, method of constructing the children in the limitation of time and space of adults, the capacity of the children for their success, the implementation of art in their education life with the question of implementation of their education in the development of the community with the help of after school program. If the problem is solved tactfully and effectively, the manifold benefit can be had for the development of the students. The proper implementation of the after school program will bring out the goodness in the students to the society in proper manner. The creativity, which is present in every student by birth, will come out to the society to give strength not only to the students themselves but also to the nation. The article ‘Children At Risk: Constructions of Childhood in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Federal After-School Program’ by Sharon Verner Chappell is not only an informative one but also a fine creation of work of literature. This article may be termed as a vital literature, though it an article, in the contemporary situation due its wide range of data and analysis of the situation of the students of any country. The effectiveness of the article is without the any boundary of the community, language and the nations. The sanction of $4. 5 billion by U. S. government for after school programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Chappell, S. V. 2006) is an independent variable if we consider the fact about the budget allocation. The amount is decided at the time of budget and at the time of budget preparation other needs are not taken into accounts. Though the actual amount spent will become dependent variable when the number of school and students are taken into consideration. Another example of dependant variable can be seen as the number of good performing students that is directly proportional to increased skill in study and inversely proportional to decreased number of adverse behavior like teen pregnancy. Sanctioning money is very much essential for any project to be completed, considering this assumption the US government has sanctioned the money amount. This may be considered as an important hypothesis. A hypothesis that â€Å"children are active and academically successful (i. e. productive) when they attend a state regulated educational program, whereas those children who do not attend such programs are passive, unproductive, unsuccessful, and by extension, perhaps, not good people† is cited in the article by Chappell (2006). This Operational Research Question is universally acclaimed and it is studied here in the context appropriately. â€Å"The students and the parents both are needed high attention of care and support when they are from high poverty family†. This thought is also implemented in the article. When students are in low-performing school their self-performance is also decreased. In addition to this hypothesis another one like â€Å"when art is introduced in the curriculum, the performance of the students are better many fold from previous†. Another citation by Chappell (2006) from Vadeboncoeur (2005,123), is as ‘notions of time and space can be used to map institutional and narrative landscapes of students. ‘ This is also an important operational research. The definition of term by the article writer is provided in between the sentence by proper explanation in next step in the advancement of the description. After stating some policy, additional information is provided to describe the policy, which act as invisible definition of the term in the article. Some time the definition is given in bracket as in â€Å"reduce the number of children in self-care (latchkey children who take care of themselves)†. The meaning of implemented sentence â€Å"reduce the number of children in self-care† in given in the bracket in later part. Population and sampling procedure is informative and given in between sentence without any tabular form. This keeps the flow of the article readable and enjoyable. One example of this in article is â€Å" Since 2003, 6,800 rural and urban public schools have been served around the country†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Another sampling in the article is given at proper time and places with proper citation method to avoid the ambiguity due to copyright with gives the article a good ornamental decorating. Data source are very huge and the data are collected from the scholarly and valuable articles all related to the subject matter of the article. The tireless, extensive and enthusiastic efforts are given to collect the data from various books, magazines and the websites. The proper care has been taken to collect the data after exhaustive study of the collected materials to produce the article. The data are collected with proper estimation and measurement and the authenticity cannot be suspected as the whole matter is taken from the scholarly articles, authentic magazines and popular books. The psychological and mental estimation of the children are provided with the article with various hypothesis and theory. The data are not provided in any tabular form but are scattered throughout the articles in the manner of information with full lucrative and informative sentence. In the beginning of the article â€Å"amount of $4. 5 million† is mentioned as the sanctioned amount for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). Another data is â€Å"6800 rural and public school† but in no any data table. Presentation and interpretation of findings are in very intelligent and economical manner. The various divisions have been done with different sub-heading the article to provide the information in proper and chorological manner. The required data and information can be easily had due to the excellent presentation of the article. Findings have proper interpretation and placed at appropriate place. In this article main theme is the construction of childhood with the help of the ‘after school programs’ to be implemented with the help of various funds allocations by concerned institutions. The methods are described to obtained good results by good students. The need for improvement of economically improvised school along with the economically downtrodden family is emphasized. The need of arts is very much essential for the student to become a good student. Though the article is exhaustive in information and description in the problems mentioned in the titles, the need for further Research cannot be denied. There is a need to study the personal behavior of the students at the time of after school program. Many students may not be interested in such program. So they cannot be forced to do the implemented programs but s/he should be given proper attention to find out the actual need and interest of the students. There is need to conduct the research in the area of students behavior and their interests in the study at the very early age. Strength of the study remains in the area of research. The extensive and exhaustive research is done in proper subject matter. The method of citation is proper and the information put at proper places with the good structure of the paragraph with the flow of the information in one proper direction is always advancing. Weakness of the study is in the method of representation of the data in tabular forms without any comparison method. The compared data would have given better understanding of the situation of the students. The poverty level of the parents of the students and the economically degraded school with opposite situation could have been compared in tabular form for better understanding. The various opinions of the parents and the students could have given better improvement in the study.

Salem witch trials Essay Example for Free

Salem witch trials Essay Fear of Devil-worshipping and witchcraft swept through Salem, Massachusetts, like a plague. During the years of 1692 and 1693, more than 200 people—men, women, and even children—were accused of witchcraft (Blumberg). Words of friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers put many peoples lives in danger. Nineteen people were hanged, one person pressed to death, and four known deaths occurred in prison. The accusations, the trials, the executions, and the events leading up to and after the deaths, kept Salem, Massachusetts on its toes in this mass paranoia. It was 1689, according to Blumberg, when Reverend Samuel Parris became the first ordained minister of Salem Village. The attempt to search for a new minister had failed, since the town of Salem had split to form small outskirts known as Salem Farms and the original Salem Village, and several Reverends and ministers before Parris were opposed against, or strongly disliked by the people. Parris answered to the call of ministry and moved to Salem Village with his wife, daughter Elizabeth Betty Parris, age 9, niece Abigail Williams, age 11, and his Barbados slave, Tituba and her husband John (Gribben). Gribben wrote about Parriss daughter and niece spending time alone with the Barbados slave, Tituba, while unattended by any other adults. Parris trusted the slave for he had known her since he had bought her, and she was lazy and petulant. Parris did not see Tituba as a threat and left the girls in her watch many times. As time passed, more girls would come and spend time with the Barbado s slave. Tituba would tell the girls stories about Barbados, and of the witch doctors that lived there. The girls were interested and asked many questions concerning the topic of magic and witches. Tituba, who hardly believed in sorcery herself, had given in and showed the girls how to break an egg, so just the egg white would be suspended in a bowl of water to show who their future husbands would be. These lessons continued in secrecy with Tituba. Several girls were torn between the risk of the situation and the discussion of witchcraft. Abigail Williams saw this as a mere game, and was very mischievous. Elizabeth on the other hand was rather nervous about the situation and guilt began to eat away at her. The guilt had a strong effect on the younger girl. She became rather distracted, and confused. She babbled nonsense, woke up screaming at night, and became weak, refusing or even forgetting to eat. But her guilt did not give her the courage to report to Reverend Parris what was taking place, and so the meetings continued. It  was until a girl, who had to know what trade her sweetheart would be, saw a coffin suspended in the egg white of the bowl, that all hell broke loose. It was then that Elizabeth broke and began to fall into strange episodes or fits of convulsive seizures, blasphemous screaming, and trance-like states (Gribben, Salem). Tituba began to fear foul play and witchcraft had befallen the young girls. She baked a witchs cake that contained the urine of Abigail and Elizabeth and fed it to a dog, hoping the tormentor would be revealed. The dog became distracted and ran o ff, leaving Tituba with a feeling of hopelessness and paranoia. It wasnt until days later that Tituba had been blamed for the witchcraft. Elizabeth was in the middle of a violent fit. Tituba sent Abigail to fetch Reverend Parris while she tried to calm the crazed girl. The Reverend came in and tried to calm the girl as well. He sent for a doctor, but the doctor could not place the cause of fits in Elizabeth or Abigail, who showed the same symptoms days later. The doctor told Parris that the Evil Hand was among them, and left. When Elizabeth began to come to after one of her many spells, Parris asked the girl who it was that hurt her, but she didnt answer. He looked about the room and settled on Tituba. When he asked if Tituba had caused this, Elizabeth repeated the name before going silent. Tituba confessed and Parris had Tituba arrested (Gribben). This wasnt the end of their paranoia; in fact it was only the beginning. Several other Salem girls began having similar fits, and among them was Ann Putnam. Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne were accused of witchcraft, after the Barbados slave Tituba. Sarah Good was just a homeless beggar, and Sarah Osborne was an elderly impoverished woman (Blumberg). The three girls were taken to trial; however, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne tried to claim their innocence. They were found guilty and taken to jail. Tituba, on the other hand, confessed to practicing and showing the girls witchcraft. Tituba claimed to have seen the Devil and signing his book, and also told of other witches in Salem Village who were seeking to destroy the Puritans. As more and more girls began to suffer from this witchcraft, more and more people were being blamed for the black magic (Blumberg). Most of the people were accused were well known, and some were even liked. The most damning accusation was against Martha Corey, an important member of the Puritan congregation. This accusation sent the Puritan community of Salem Village into a frenzy, fearing that Satans evil  had reached the heart of the community (Salem). The accusations didnt stop though; men, women, and children were still accused and the paranoia was at its highest. Dorothy Dorcas Good was the first and only child at the age of four to be accused of witchcraft. Her timid answers were seen as a confession and she was arrested with her mother, Sarah Good. Dorothy stayed in jail for eight months before she witnessed her mother being taken and hanged (Linder). Accusations began to pile up, and many people were arrested, but no executions had been made until early June. Bridget Bishop was the first person hanged for witchcraft on June 10th, 1692 (Blumberg). After her death, many more witches were put to death by the gallows, on a place soon to be known as Gallows Hill. Five people were hanged in the month of July, five in August, and eight in September. A total of nineteen people had been killed by the gallows (Blumberg). Martha and Giles Corey were both accused of practicing witchcraft and arrested. Giles Corey refused a trial and by the law of their church, had large stones placed on him until he agreed to one. He never did, and was eventually pressed to death with large stones on September 19, 1692, three days before Marthas hanging (Salem). The trials to condemn the accused varied. There were five ways for the people to claim their innocence, but many people were found guilty despite their attempts. The first trial was reciting the Lords Prayer (Witchcraft). If one could not recite the prayer, it was said that Satan was at work and blocked ones tongue from speaking the Word (Gribben). A former pastor, George Burroughs, was accused of witchcraft and tried. He failed his trial in court, and as he was taken out to the gallows, he stopped before the crowd and recited the Lords Prayer word for word. The crowd was taken by shock, but Cotton Mather told them the man had his time in court and he failed. G eorge Burroughs was put to death at the gallows (Linder). The second trial was the search for physical evidence such as warts, birthmarks, moles, and blemishes. These marks were said to be places on which demons suckled on witches to gain their power. The testimony of the accusers against the witches, spectral evidence, and the confession of the witches themselves, were the last three trials against the accused to convict them of witchcraft or send them home (Witchcraft). However, many were convicted and most were found guilty. Some people saw that the confessions were a way to escape the gallows, but would spend time in prison  instead for practicing witchcraft (Linder). Many were still found guilty and put to death by hanging. According to Linder, as many as nineteen accused witches were hanged on Gallows Hill and one man was pressed to death in 1692. The dead are listed as followed, along with their date of death. Bridget Bishop, the first person hanged, died on June 10th, 1692 . Five women died on July 19th, 1692. The women were Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, and Sarah Wildes. Four men and one woman were hanged on August 19th, 1692. They were George Burroughs, Martha Carrier, John Willard, George Jacobs, Sr., and John Proctor. Giles Corey was the only death that occurred by being pressed to death on September 19th, 1692. On September 22nd, 1692, Martha Corey, Mary Eastey, Ann Pudeator, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Wilmott Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Wardwell were hanged. The last four known deaths did not have a known date, but the following people died in prison: Sarah Osborne, Roger Toothaker, Lyndia Dustin, and Ann Foster. Two dogs were also killed, for many believed that Satan could take form of the hounds (Witchcraft). The hysteria, convictions, and condemnations began to seize and die down in the winter months (Salem). Governor Phipps called an end to the witch trials, and relieved all those remaining in prison, after hi s wife had been accused of witchcraft (Blumberg). Over 250 years after the Salem witch trials, the state of Massachusetts found the trials to have been unlawful and the names were cleared of charges. The state gave money to the heirs of the deceased, and apologized for the trials that had taken place (Blumberg).

Howard Becker and the term moral entrepreneur

Howard Becker and the term moral entrepreneur Howard Becker is hailed as the founder of modern labeling theory. He also developed the term moral entrepreneur to describe persons in power who campaign to have certain deviant behavior outlawed (Becker, 1963). He claims that many laws are established for such purposes, and that behavior that is defined as criminal is dynamic and changes throughout time. Therefore, the actual criminal behavior is irrelevant to the theory. What really matters is which outlaws are arrested and processed by the criminal justice system (Becker, 1963). As a result of the belief that personal and societal factors do not contribute to motivations for criminal behavior there has been little study of the criminal him/herself and the aforesaid factors. As one might expect, this aspect of Labeling Theory is still being debated. There is one exception to this belief, however most labeling theorists claim that the system is biased toward the lower class, which constitutes the overwhelming majority of arrests and convictions within the American criminal justice system (Wellford, 1975).   This Labeling Theory, found in  Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance  (1963), is perhaps his most important and influential contribution to sociology. Influenced by Cooleys  looking-glass self, Meads theories on the internalization of the self, and Lemerts  social constructionism, Becker explains that deviance is based on the reactions and responses of others to an individuals acts. The label of deviant is applied to an individual when others observe their behavior and react to it by labeling that person as deviant. No particular act is inherently deviant until a group with socially powerful statuses or positions label it as such (Becker, 1963). This theoretical approach to deviance has influenced criminology, gender, sexuality and identity research.   This work became the manifesto of the labeling theory movement among sociologists. In his opening, Becker writes: social groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is  not  a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an offender. The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label.[8] While society uses the stigmatic label to justify its condemnation, the deviant actor uses it to justify his actions. He wrote: To put a complex argument in a few words: instead of the deviant motives leading to the deviant behavior, it is the other way around, the deviant behavior in time produces the deviant motivation.[9] INFLUENCES Beckers theory evolved during a period of social and political power struggle that was amplified within the world of the college campus (Pfohl 1994). Liberal political movements were embraced by many of the college students and faculty in America (Pfohl 1994). Howard Becker harnessed this liberal influence and adjusted Lemerts labeling theory and its symbolic interaction theoretical background. The labeling theory outlined in Outsiders is recognized as the prevailing social reaction approach by Lemert as well as most other sociologists (www.sonoma.edu ). Beckers approach has its roots in the symbolic interaction foundation of Cooley and Mead, and the labeling influences of Tannenbaum and Lemert.  Ã‚   Charles Cooleys  Human Nature and the Social Order  (1902) examines the personal perception of oneself through studies of children and their imaginary friends. Cooley develops the theoretical concept of the looking glass self, a type of imaginary sociability (Cooley 1902). People imagine the view of themselves through the eyes of others in their social circles and form judgements of themselves based on these imaginary observations (Cooley 1902). The main idea of the looking glass self is that people define themselves according to societys perception of them (www.d.umn.edu  ). Cooleys ideas, coupled with the works of Mead, are very important to labeling theory and its approach to a persons acceptance of labels as attached by society. George Meads theory is less concerned with the micro-level focus on the deviant and more concerned with the macro-level process of separating the conventional and the condemned (Pfohl 1994). In  Mind, Self, and Society  (1934), Mead describes the perception of self as formed within the context of social process (Wright 1984). The self is the product of the minds perception of social symbols and interactions (www.d.umn.edu  ). The self exists in objective reality and is then internalized into the conscious (Wright 1984). The idea of shifting the focus away from the individual deviant and looking at how social structure affects the separation of those persons considered unconventional has a great influence on how Becker approaches labeling theory. Social Pathology  (1951) outlines Edwin Lemerts approach to what many consider the original version of labeling theory. Lemert, unhappy with theories that take the concept of deviance for granted, focuses on the social construction of deviance (Lemert 1951). Lemert (1951) describes deviance as the product societys reaction to an act and the affixing of a deviant label on the actor.  Social Pathology  details the concepts of primary and secondary deviance. According to Lemert (1951), primary deviance is the initial incidence of an act causing an authority figure to label the actor deviant. This initial labeling of a deviant act will remain primary as long as the actor can rationalize or deal with the process as a function of a socially acceptable role (Lemert 1951). If the labeled deviant reacts to this process by accepting the deviant label, and further entrenches his/herself in deviant behavior, this is referred to as secondary deviance (Lemert 1951). Lemert considers the caus es of primary deviance as fluid, and only important to researchers concerned with specific social problems at a certain time. In the years following  Social Pathology, Lemert argues for the decriminalization of victimless crimes, advocates pre-trial diversion programs, and has backed away labeling determinism (Wright 1984). BECKERS LABELLING THEORY Howard Beckers approach to the labeling of deviance, as described in  Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance  (1963), views deviance as the creation of social groups and not the quality of some act or behavior. Becker (1963) criticizes other theories of deviance for accepting the existence of deviance and by doing so, accept the values of the majority within the social group. According to Becker (1963), studying the act of the individual is unimportant because deviance is simply rule breaking behavior that is labeled deviant by persons in positions of power. The rule breaking behavior is constant, the labeling of the behavior varies (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) describes rules as the reflection of certain social norms held by the majority of a society, whether formal or informal. Enforced rules, the focus of Beckers (1963) approach, are applied differentially and usually facilitate certain favorable consequences for those who apply the label. In short, members of the rul e-making society may label rule breaking behavior deviant depending on the degree of reaction over time (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) views those people that are likely to engage in rule breaking behavior as essentially different than members of the rule-making or rule-abiding society. Those persons who are prone to rule-breaking behavior see themselves as morally at odds with those members of the rule-abiding society (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) uses the term outsider to describe a labeled rule-breaker or deviant that accepts the label attached to them and view themselves as different from mainstream society. Deviants may consider themselves more outside than others similarly labeled (Becker 1963). Deviant outsiders might view those rule making or abiding members of society as being the outsiders of their social group (Becker 1963). The final step in the creation of a career delinquent involves the movement of a rule breaker into a deviant subculture (Becker 1963). The affiliation of the labeled deviant with an organized provides the person with moral support and a self-justifying rationale (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) describes how those involved in an organized crime may learn new forms of deviance through differential association. Becker (1963) also focuses on those in positions of power and authority that make and enforce the rules. Rules are created by a moral entrepreneur, a person that takes the initiative to crusade for a rule that would right a society evil (Becker 1963). The moral entrepreneurs motive may be to elevate the social status of those members of society below him/her (Becker 1963). The success of the crusade may lead to the entrepreneur to become a professional rule creator (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) states that the success of each moral crusade brings along with it a new group of outsiders, and a new responsibility of an enforcement agency. According to Becker (1963), the enforcement of societys rules is an enterprising act. The enforcement of a rule occurs when those that want a rule enforced, usually to some sort of gain to their personal interests, bring the rule infraction to the attention of the public (Becker 1963). The rule infraction, brought to the attention of those in positions of authority, is dealt with punitively by the entrepreneur (Becker 1963). The enforcement of the rule may involve the mediation of conflicts between many different interest groups by those in positions of power (Becker 1963). The enforcers themselves may have a moral crusade to stop crime, but most engage in the process strictly as a part of their occupation (Becker 1963). Rule enforcers use the process of formal enforcement to satisfy two major interests, the justification of their occupation and the winning of respect from the people he/she patrols (Becker 1963). The enforcer is armed with a great deal of discretion and may use his/h er power to label an innocent person in order to gain respect (Becker 1963). The misuse of labeling powers by enforcers may create a deviant out of a person who otherwise would not be prone to rule breaking behavior (Becker 1963). Beckers work pays particular attention to the way society reacts to people with criminal labels. He proposes that this label becomes a persons master status, meaning that this is a constant label, affecting and over-riding how others will view them. The status people use to identify and classify a person will always be that of a criminal. Any other statuses a person occupies are no longer heeded. A person could be a parent,  employee, spouse, etc., but the first and major status that will come to mind to other people and themselves is that of the criminal (Becker, 1963).   Beckers  Outsiders  (1963) uses two cases to illustrate his approach to labeling theory. Becker (1963) analyzes the history of marijuana laws in the United States and how individuals progress into the recreational use of the drug. Becker (1963) chooses to analyze marijuana because the progression of use can be observed. The first time user of marijuana finds the experience as somewhat unpleasant, but as the user imitates peers he/she learns to perceive the effects of marijuana as enjoyable (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) identifies three stages of marijuana use: the beginner, the occasional user, and the regular user. The three self-explanatory categories of marijuana users can be manipulated through the use of social controls (Becker 1963). Control of the marijuana supply has both positive and negative effects (Becker 1963). A diminished supply of marijuana may lead to a decreased use of the drug among some people, but it may also drive a user to associate with an organized group of deviants to obtain marijuana (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) believes that while control of marijuana supply is an important social control, it does not deter use. The best way to deter a user is to control his/her individual moral view of marijuana use. A marihuana user is labelled to be deviant as it contravenes the rules and norms of the society. Becker researched on marihuana users and used it in supporting his  labelling theory  . Becker notes that this deviant behaviour is based on the given kind of behaviour as an end product of a sequence of social experiences during which the person acquires a comprehension of the meaning of the behaviour, the perceptions and judgements of objects and situations, all of which makes the activity possible and desirable. An individual will only be able to use marihuana for pleasure if he goes through a process of learning to conceive of it as an object where he is able to recognise the effects and connect them with drug use; to inhale in a way that produce real upshot; and learning to enjoy the sensation he comprehends. Once the ability to achieve enjoyment is acquired, he will continue to use it. (continuing usage of the marihuana is the secondary deviant) Considerations of morality and ap propriateness, occasioned by the rejoinder of society, may hamper and impede use, but use persists to be a possibility in terms of the notion of the drug. The act will only be impossible when the ability to achieve the enjoyment is vanished, through a revolutionize of users conception of the drug occasioned by certain kind of experience with it. Becker (1963) uses a participant observation study of the lives of Chicago dance musicians to illustrate the social life of a deviant subculture. Although dance musicians as a group are law-abiding, their unconventional lifestyles lead them to feel as outsiders (Becker 1963). Becker (1963) describes how being a dance musician involves a change in attitudes and opinions in order to conform to the subculture. The culture of the dance musician is rich in its own language and gestures (Becker 1963). Many of the dance musicians live a conventional family life during the day and change into their role as musician at night (Becker 1963). Another aspect of labelling theory in which Becker outlines as problematic, is the concept of morality. He questions a situation where the researchers sympathies should lie. He contemplates on whether one should side with the underdog or simply judge criminal behaviour as inherently wrong? He stresses the sociological difficulty of this decision. He claims that the researcher, whether taking either side, will be accused of taking a one-sided and distorted view, but how is it possible to see the situation from both sides simultaneously (Becker, 1963)? Despite many contributions, the evaluation of labelling theorists is normally considered with an excessive amount of criticism. Becker concludes  Outsiders  (1963) by emphasizing the need for empirical research of his approach to labeling theory. Social scientists produced a vast amount of literature in response to Beckers request. Much of the research involving labeling theory directly reflects Beckers approach, while others use Becker (1963) as a foundation for theory development. APPLICATION Gideon Fishman tests Beckers labeling theory by studying a sample of midwestern juvenile delinquents (Friday and Stewart 1977). Fishmans research design measures negative self-perception and whether this self-perception affects future delinquency (Friday and Stewart 1977). The results of Fishmans study show that secondary deviance is not universal and individuals react to deviant labels in different ways (Friday and Stewart 1977). A popular application of Beckers labeling theory (1963) is in the area of mental health. Thomas Scheff embraces Beckers approach to labeling and describes how people are labeled mentally ill in order to explain certain rule-breaking behavior that society cant categorize (Holstein 1993;  www.sscf.ucsb.edu  ). Scheff is not concerned with occasional acts of deviance, rather it is the residual or episodic deviance that often falls under the label of mental illness (Wright 1984; Pfohl 1994). People labeled as mentally ill adopt the behaviors of the stereotypical mental patient as portrayed through the mass media (Wright 1984). Scheff argues that those who express the stereotypical behavior of the mentally ill are rewarded by enterprising psychology professionals (Wright 1984; Pfohl 1994). According to Scheff, everybody expresses the popular symptoms of mental illness at some point in their life and labels are attached to those without power (Wright 1984). Scheff provides empirical ev idence in the form of several studies of the process of mental hospital commitment (Holstein 1993; Pfohl 1994; Wright 1983;  www.sscf.ucsb.edu  ). Many social scientists challenge Scheffs arguments on theoretical and empirical grounds. James A. Holstein (1993) attacks Scheffs approach for focusing on the deviant and not the moral entrepreneurs that attach the labels. Florence Ridlon (1988) criticizes Scheffs work for being deterministic and argues for a less causal model to explain mental afflictions such as alcoholism. Walter Gove (1980), an adamant critic of Scheff, believes that Scheff should not dismiss the influence of psychopathological variables on mental illness. Gove (1980) also criticizes Scheffs empirical methodology and operations. Edwin Schur modifies Beckers labeling theory in  Labeling Deviant Behavior  (1971) by shifting some of the focus to the individual deviant. Schur (1971) also theorizes that as persons labeled deviant gain power and organize, they progress in social definition from an uprising, social movement, and civil war to the formation of a mainstream political party. Schur argues in  Labeling Women Deviant  (1983) that women in America are automatically labeled deviant by the male-dominated society. Women accept the deviant label as their master status and limit their life chances (Schur 1983). CRITICISMS Beckers theory of labeling, while maintaining a great deal of popularity today, does encounter several criticisms (Pfohl 1994;  www.mpcc.cc.ne.us  ; Ridlon 1988). Many sociologists view labeling theory as untestable and, by definition, not a true theory (Ridlon 1988). Becker (1963) acknowledges that his labeling theory is a theoretical approach, not a true theory, and that sociologists should attempt to establish empirical tests for his approach. Another major criticism of labeling theory is its failure to explain primary deviance (www.mpcc.cc.ne.us  ). Both Lemert (1951) and Becker (1963) believe that primary deviance is influenced by many different and changing variables and the research of primary deviance causes is futile. Pfohl (1994) details the criticism of many sociologists that labeling theory is causal or deterministic. Becker (1963) qualifies his approach to social reaction theory by stating that some groups of rule-breakers may be able to choose alternative courses of action. Beckers immensely popular views were also subjected to a barrage of criticism, most of it blaming him for neglecting the influence of other biological, genetic effects and personal responsibility. In a later 1973 edition of his work, he answered his critics. He wrote that while sociologists, while dedicated to studying society, are often careful not to look too closely. Instead, he wrote: I prefer to think of what we study as  collective action.  People act, as Mead and Blumer have made clearest,  together. They do what they do with an eye on what others have done, are doing now, and may do in the future. One tries to fit his own line of action into the actions of others, just as each of them likewise adjusts his own developing actions to what he sees and expects others to do.[10] Francis Cullen reported in 1984 that Becker was probably too generous with his critics. After 20 years, his views, far from being supplanted, have been corrected and absorbed into an expanded structuring perspective.[11] From a logical standpoint there are flaws within the main points of labeling theory. Initially the theory states that no acts are inherently criminal (Wellford, 1975). Meaning that acts are only criminal when society has deemed them as such. The implications of this being that criminal law is dynamic and ever-changing, differing from society to society. But if this is true then why are certain acts illegal within the majority of the civilized world? Murder, rape, arson, armed robbery. All these are considered crimes in any society or country one could care to name.   Also the theory claims that for a criminal to be successfully labeled an audience must be present to provide a reaction to the crimes committed. Does this mean that if a murder is committed where the killer has successfully avoided anyones suspicion that the act is then not criminal and the killer will not think of him/herself as such? Its probable that the murderers socialization and/or value system could initialize self-labeling, but the theory clearly states the labeling must come from a 3rd party (Hagan, 1973).   For the sake of argument, if self labeling is possible and a person has obtained a self-initialized criminal master status/label, how do they react to it? Do they become criminals or try to rationalize as stated by Foster, Dinitz, and Reckless (Foster Dinitz Reckless, 1972)?   Beckers  labelling theory  has also drawn to a considerable criticism. One of such is that his  labelling theory  failed to answer the etiological question about  primary deviance, for example: What causes deviance?  Jack Gibbs  pointed out that the theory failed to provide ample answers to three etiological questions: Why does the prevalence of a particular act vary from one population to the next? Why do some persons commit the act while others do not? Why is the act in question considered deviant and criminal in some societies but not in others? This clearly shows that  labelling theory  is mere humanistic-antideterministic or voluntaristic hypothesis only . Then again, recent activists of the theory beginning to shift the  labelling theory  into a more scientific, deterministic one, and this approach is apparent in empirical studies of the  secondary deviance. Instead of describing the process of interaction between labellers and the labelled that leads to   secondary deviance, these revisionists defined, operationalised or measure labelling as a causal variable of secondary deviation.   CONCLUSION Social scientists disagree on the future of labeling theory. Pfohl (1994) recognizes labeling theory as very influential in todays studies of deviance. Some social scientists view labeling theory as declining in importance due to lack of empirical support and a conservative political climate (www.mpcc.cc.ne.us  ). Becker (1963) believes the future of labeling theory lies in the widespread empirical study of deviance and kinds of deviance. Beckers analysis gives us a dynamic account of how a person can be funneled into a deviant career by labeling processes. This is also a compellingly humanistic theory of deviance. We can identify and sympathize with the deviant who has been the victim of labeling processes, even to the extent of realizing that it could happen to any of us. In this and many other respects, Beckers micro-relativistic approach to deviance theory contrasts markedly with normative theories that emphasize in a detached, objective way the fundamental differences between deviants and nondeviants. If Becker makes us understand the  human  implications of reactions to deviance, then he has accomplished one of his major theoretical goals. In attempting to evaluate the contribution of the labelling theorists to the study of the sociology of deviance, it can be said that it depends on how the theory is viewed. If the theory is considered as a theory, with all the achievements and obligations that go with the title, then its flaws are many. Yet if, as Backer suggests, we attempt to consider the theory as it were intended, that is, as a mere way of looking at deviance, then the contribution can be said to be weighty, as it opened up a whole new study of the individual after he has committed an act of deviance. At this point it must be mentioned that labelling theorists do not merely consider the after-effects of the deviant act, as it is sometimes suggested. Becker, for example, considers the individual and how he begins to smoke marijuana. As Schur sums up, labelling theory is not a revolutionary new approach to the analysis of social problems but rather a recording or emphasis of such analysis, a reordering that may hel p us to view deviance and control in a realistic, comprehensive, and sociologically meaningful light. As such, one can conclude that labelling theory continues in its usefulness, as long as deviant behaviour continues to exist.