Interview Tucker Max dishes on the state of publishing

Interview Tucker Max dishes on the state of publishing "How I made Simon Schuster give me my own publishing company:" An Interview with Tucker Max As you probably know if you’re a frequent reader of this blog, there are now many ways to bring a book to market. Whether it’s in print or digital, self-published or through a publisher, with or without an agent, the choices available to a new author is almost mind-boggling. Tucker Max is different. As the author of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, he ignored all the options available to writers and made publishers do what they’d never done before - give an author their own publishing company.In these times of great change, it's possible for authors to forge their own path - as Tucker did by picking and choosing the elements of self-publishing and traditional publishing that make the most sense for his book.Watch our interview with Tucker - or read the transcript below - for some inspiration! How publishing worked 15 years agoHi Tucker, it’s great to have you with us today. Let’s start from the beginning - can you tell us from the early days when you started to write and wanted to get your stories out into books?Tucker: Yeah, I started in writing in a totally different era (2001). I used to send emails to my friends, and they thought they were really funny. They kept telling me, †you need to publish this. This needs to be a book." Question 3: Why is that audience going to care? What are you going to say that's interesting and valuable to them?If you cannot answer those three questions clearly, then don't write a book.Now let's say you can answer those three questions. I would say that for almost all non-fiction, the best bet is to self-publish. That way you get to control the rights to the book, and you can use it to promote whatever it is you're trying to promote. As soon as you go traditional, you have now sold the rights and royalties to that book to someone else. So you can't give copies away. If you're trying to do speaking gigs with the book, you've got to buy the book at price from your publisher.If you want to do excerpts, if you want to use the content other places, you don't own the content anymore, the publisher does. And they don't care about your business at all. They care about selling actual copies of the book. So for most non-fiction authors, their goals are not aligned with a publisher’ s goals. So that's why going self-publishing is the better route, for almost all non-fiction authors.Photo credit:  Mac Danzig.If you're a non-fiction author, do you agree with Tucker's take on publishing? What has been your experience of working with a traditional publisher, if any? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

CTA Swapper Test Post

CTA Swapper Test Post SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips ACT eBook ACT Signup SAT Signup Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Allen Cheng About the Author As co-founder and head of product design at PrepScholar, Allen has guided thousands of students to success in SAT/ACT prep and college admissions. He's committed to providing the highest quality resources to help you succeed. Allen graduated from Harvard University summa cum laude and earned two perfect scores on the SAT (1600 in 2004, and 2400 in 2014) and a perfect score on the ACT. You can also find Allen on his personal website, Shortform, or the Shortform blog. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. No spam ever. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '360031', formId: '2167ba30-e68e-4777-b88d-8bf3c84579af', formInstanceId: '2', submitButtonClass: 'btn-red-light btn', target: '#hubspot-container2', redirectUrl: 'http://ww2.prepscholar.com/blog-subscribe-thank-you', css: '.post-bottom .hs-form.stacked label {display:none;} .post-bottom .hs-form.stacked .field div.input {padding-top: 55px; padding-left: 300px;} .post-bottom .hs-input {width: 220px} .post-bottom .btn-primary, .hs-button.primary {margin-top:0px; padding-left:350px} .post-bottom .hs-form-field {margin-bottom:5px}' }); $(function(){ $(".exclusive-tip-form #hubspot-container2 label").hide(); }); function replace_tag(a, b){ $(a).each(function(index) { var thisTD = this; var newElement = $(""); $.each(this.attributes, function(index) { $(newElement).attr(thisTD.attributes[index].name, thisTD.attributes[index].value); }); $(this).after(newElement).remove(); }); } $(function(){ replace_tag($(".posts-by-topic h3"), "h2"); }) Ask a Question BelowHave any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply! Search the Blog Search jQuery(function(){ var $ = jQuery; var url = 'http://google.com/search?q=site:' + location.protocol + '//' + location.hostname + ' '; var $searchModule = $('.hs-search-module.20df8524-ad69-4fb9-b0a8-2b8d82a4f5c8'); var $input = $searchModule.find('input'); var $button = $searchModule.find('.hs-button.primary'); if (false) { $input.val(decodeURIComponent(location.pathname.split('/').join(' ').split('.').join(' ').split('-').join(' ').split('_').join(''))); } $button.click(function(){ var newUrl = url + $input.val(); var win = window.open(newUrl, '_blank'); if (win) { //Browser has allowed it to be opened win.focus(); } else { //Browser has blocked it location.href = newUrl; } }); $input.keypress(function(e){ if (e.keyCode !== 13) return; e.preventDefault(); $button.click(); }); }); Improve With Our Famous Guides SATPrep ACTPrep For All Students The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section: Score 800 on SAT Math Score 800 on SAT Reading Score 800 on SAT Writing Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section: Score 600 on SAT Math Score 600 on SAT Reading Score 600 on SAT Writing Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? 15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section: 36 on ACT English 36 on ACT Math 36 on ACT Reading 36 on ACT Science Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section: 24 on ACT English 24 on ACT Math 24 on ACT Reading 24 on ACT Science What ACT target score should you be aiming for? ACT Vocabulary You Must Know ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA How to Write an Amazing College Essay What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide Should you retake your SAT or ACT? When should you take the SAT or ACT? Michael improved by 370 POINTS! Find Out How Stay Informed Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Looking for Graduate School Test Prep? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: GRE Online Prep Blog GMAT Online Prep Blog TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Promotions Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Promotions - Article Example Under its deal with the Lionsgate, Groupon will sell the tickets for the LINCOLIN LAWYERS at a price of $ 6 during its two day online promotion. Under this deal, consumers purchasing the tickets will be given a special code which will be valid through Fandango for redeeming tickets. Interesting point in the article The digital promotion is the point that attracts me the most. Previously, we had traditional marketing and promotional activities in which direct marketing and promotional activities were carried out. Thanks to the Internet, from the comfort of home, one can easily be reached and made aware of a particular marketing and promotional activities. It is also advantageous from a company’s point of view as well. Take an example of Groupon; currently it has direct access to more than 60 million consumers globally. In the traditional offline marketing and promotional activities, to reach and remain in constant touch with such huge number of consumers would not be an easy fo r a marketing and promotional company. A link between the article and chapter points Basically, there are two points that are simultaneously mentioned and discussed in the book and the article as well.

Philosophy of Justice in Plato's Republic Essay

Philosophy of Justice in Plato's Republic - Essay Example This phenomenon is reflected in the dialogue between Socrates and Thrasymachus, as the dialogue has been incorporated in a book I of Plato’s Republic. The view of Socrates on justice is in opposition to that of Thrasymachus, as revealed through the arguments developed by each of them. The evaluation of these arguments leads to the assumption that Socrates’ thoughts on justice are based on fairness and equality, a fact that ensures justice, in all its aspects. On the other hand, the view of Thrasymachus on justice follows a different direction, being able to result in social conflicts. It is probably for this reason that, in the end, Thrasymachus recognize the value of Socrates’ view on justice and accept his failure in understanding the actual role of individuals within the society, including their role in the promotion of justice. In accordance with Thrasymachus, ‘justice is nothing else but the interest of the most powerful’ (338c Plato’s Re public I). Thrasymachus defends the above definition by developing a series of arguments, as described below. At the first level, Thrasymachus states that the types of polities globally are many. There are countries based on monarchy, others are based on aristocracy and others are based on democracy (338d). ... Thus, justice, as based on the laws introduced by the most powerful, serves the interests of the latter; the above phenomenon, as Thrasymachus notes is common in all countries, no matter their polity. In regard to the above argument of Thrasymachus, Socrates notes that governors are also likely to introduce laws, which are in opposition with their interests; citizens are obliged to respect these laws, as also the laws serving the interests of governors (339e). In other words, citizens have to deal with two different types of laws: those that serve the interests of governors and those serving the interests of citizens. From this point of view, the view of Thrasymachus that justice is only the interest of the most powerful is proved to be invalid. In regard to the above, Thrasymachus supports that governors cannot introduce laws that are opposed to their interests. Rather they are expected to always promote their interests, making no mistakes in choosing laws that promote those interes ts (340d), exactly like those who are experts in a particular science or art. Those experts do not make mistakes since in this case, they would lose their power, has resulted from their role as experts (340d). In this context, as Thrasymachus notes, a true governor is not expected to make mistakes; therefore he promotes only his interests (341a). Socrates abjures the above argument referring to the example of a doctor, as used previously by Thrasymachus. Socrates notes that a doctor is a therapist; therefore, he has to take care of the health problems of ill people (341c).  

Critical Analysis of Traditional and Agile Project Management Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of Traditional and Agile Project Management Essay INTRODUCTION Project is an effort taken to build something unique within a specific period. (PMBOK, 2004: 20). This means that a project has a starting and an ending which has to be completed within the specified time. For a project to be completed within time limit and with little or no flaws, a plan has to be put in place so as to get a desired result. Project planning is the determination of the progress of a project to be carried out in a serial manner. (Successful Project Management, 2011: 57). Project planning is very essential in managing a project and will be discussed in detail specifically in traditional and agile project management which is the two major project management approaches. Critical analysis of these two approaches in respect to project planning will be given. That is treating the necessary processes in planning a project. Tools, techniques, and project lifecycle models used in project management will be explored. See more: how to write an analysis OVERVIEW Traditional project management TPM is a set of technique and tools that can be applied to an activity that seeks an end product, outcomes or service. This is a well taught out planning process which has a very strict control method that makes distinguishable stages in a project life cycle (hass, 2007). Requirement such as scope, cost and time are determined upfront, followed plans are also well laid out and once laid out, it cannot be modified. Due to this, life cycles are easily recognizable. Task are completed one after another once completed, it cannot be revisited. In TPM, a lot of importance is attached  to documentation of business needs thereby stakeholders needs are already known (Leybourne, 2009). TPM is based on the fact that situations surrounding project and activities are predictable and manageable (Hass 2007, Yusuf et al 1999). TPM views each project level as a separate process whose outcome or completion has an effect on how and when subsequent levels begin (caddle and Yeates 2008; Thonsett 2012). According to Larman (2004), a well thought out rule on project team members’ responsibilities are determined at the planning phase. This makes team members accountable for the project which ensures control (Saladis and Kezner, 2009). Examples of traditional models are: 1. PRINCE2 2. Waterfall 3. Event chain 4. CA-PPM. Agile project management APM is all about incremental iteration, adaptability, agility and collaboration (Scuh, 2005; Larman, 2004). It takes individual and iteration contribution over process and tools. It lays emphasis on short cycles of structure which happen at different levels and also emphasis on feedback (Hass, 2007). All plans are revisited to get certainty of delivery. APM sees the project as product increment. Due to its lack of structure, it requires a considerable amount of discipline and coordination. APM allows project scope to change rapidly and frequently which is done by constant communication with project stakeholders. APM teams consist of skilled members fully dedicated to the project and are co-located (Hass, 2007; Wysocki). The whole idea of what APM is all about is based on the agile manifesto. It was put forward by Martin Fowler and Jim Highsmith (wysocki,). Its content are given below: â€Å"We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items  on the left more.† Types of agile project management approaches are as follows: 1. Agile Unified Process (AUP) 2. Scrum 3. Lean Software Development 4. Extreme Programming (XP) 5. Dynamic Systems Development Method 6. Feature Driven Development Scope Planning Scope planning is a process that describes and documents the boundaries of a project and project expectation. TPM is a rigid approach that gives no room to change once the scope plan has been created. Plans are made to prevent change in project scope. It focuses on developing all parts of the scope first. Documentation is very detailed trying to encompass the whole requirement. The project scope statement consists of the objective and boundaries of the project and also product specification. Work breakdown structure is then created. In TPM, steps are taken that the team sticks to the scope of the project. Scope planning in APM is a high-level activity because little is known of the solution. Change is a key part of APM, making the scope very flexible. The scope is constantly redefined due to the series of iterations. Ideas could be added at stage of the project. Documentations is present but not as detailed as in TPM. APM focuses on developing the most important part of the scope first and then proceed to the next. Human Resource Planning In TPM, team is usually large in number and consists of various levels of skilled members. The teams are very organized. The teams don’t make decisions on their own without the approval of senior managers. APM team members are proficient and are highly skilled, they are collocated in order to handle changes in project scope and also performance, communication and more so, interrelation. APM consists of small team, members are mostly between five and nine, and they also are highly productive. Agile teams are self-organizing and disciplined (Hewson, 2006). Agile teams are basically  independent. Risk Planning TPM assumes that there will be risk in the project. This is put into consideration at the planning of the project and measures are put in place to handle it. Projects in APM are volatile and very unstable because the solutions are not known. Every iteration cycle comes with its own risks. These risks are expected and are handled sequentially when it arises during project (Owen et al, 2006). Proponents of agile approach argue that dealing with real risk is better than preparing for unknown risk (Schuh, 2005). Quality Quality in agile is often determined by the regular feedback and acknowledgement of the customer’s view of the quality of the product. Time planning: In traditional approach, time estimation is dependent on the amount of tasks to be executed. Time estimation is done right after the WBS is created. Effort is made in other to complete the project within the required time (Hass, 2007). In agile approach, time estimation is based on features. The numbers of features to be developed determine the amount of time that will be used. Scheduling and workflow are also closely aligned. Management style: In TPM, the project manager is responsible solely for the planning and allocation of responsibilities (Kerzner, 2003). Traditional project managers focus more on the schedule, scope and budget (Fernandez and Fernandez, 2009). In APM, the project manager works in collaboration with the team (Hass, 2007). Agile managers focus more on the business value and deliverables (Fernandez and Fernandez, 2009). Cost management: Agile projects should be based on either a cost-reimbursable system, or the client accepts scope is a variable based on achieving the maximum improvement possible for a pre-set budget. This is a totally different philosophy to traditional project governance. Tools, Technique, models, and Project Lifecycle Models There are numerous tool and technique that can be utilized in the course of planning a project which include: Gantt chart is a graphical representation for scheduling the execution of various project activities. It can be used to make an approximation of time required to complete the  project. Brainstorming involves the assembling of idea by a group of people in order to solve problem and to arrive at a conclusion. It is essential in development of new ideas. Work breakdown structure (WBS) is the breaking down of project into smaller more manageable pieces in a hierarchical order. Each level in WBS is a smaller piece of the level above. Fishbone diagram is also known as cause-and-effect diagram. It is used to check the cause of a specific event. They also help during the collating and analyzing factors phase of project planning. Critical Path Method involves dealing with activities that has to be completed in order for other activities to be completed. It helps in the sequencing and correlating of interdependent processes. PERT Chart is a representation that shows the task to be performed serially in a graphical form. It helps to focus more on the most critical part of the project in order to reduce constriction. Project Charter is a document that formally authorizes a project statement. It contains project justification, business needs and so on. . (PMBOK, 2004) Scope Statement ensures that only the required work is done. That is work is not done out of scope of the project. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) WBS is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be done by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. WBS is a tool which focuses on how a project work should be done. It breaks down the work to be done into smaller sections that can be managed by the project team, each section give details of the project work as such giving team understanding of what do(Biafore, 2011). WBS can be depicted as an outline or a diagram (Biafore, 2011). The number of levels present in a WBS should be reasonable as this is determined by how voluminous and complex the project is. WBS helps in d identification of task, brings to light what d project entails and a lot of other tools depend on WBS. It also allows stakeholders have an understanding of the scope of the project (Biafore, 2011). PERT Chart (Project Evaluation and Review Technique) It is visual illustration of a project plan task. It document important or critical phases of a project. It helps to identify critical processes and  the time that the process will end. It can also help in the documentation of a project. It helps in the organizing and scheduling of interrelated tasks in a complex project (Chinneck, 2009). It does this by using a network description to show parallel relationships between tasks (Chinneck, 2009). It helps in the completion of each task in other of precedence. It is a very important tool for tracking project activities and milestones. PERT enables the project team to handle task in order of importance. It also deal with uncertainty in process completion dates and determines activities start and end dates. Finally, PERT chart can be adjusted at anytime in the duration of the project. Linear Project Management Lifecycle Model This is a simple TPM approach which does not allow for returning to a project which has previously been completed. (Effective : 329). This means that once a phase in a project is completed, there will be no room to do any kind of adjustment. Incremental Project Management Lifecycle Model It is a traditional TPM in which unlike linear. It releases a solution to each phase of the project and it also emphasis on customer value than the linear approach. (Fernandez, Fernandez). Iterative Project Management Lifecycle Model In the iterative PMLC, change is required as it is the important part of the model. It is a learn by doing strategy. (Fernandez, Fernandez). All iteration consists of feedback loop, and it involves more clients and customers than incremental. Adaptive Project Management Lifecycle Model This is a PMLC that almost nothing is known about the solution and almost all of it are designed for software development project. It deals with a high level of uncertainty because little is known of the end product. Extreme Project Management Lifecycle Model In this model, there is no broad knowledge and solution about the project. The level of uncertainty is high and also that of clients too. CONCLUSION After looking at the two approaches, it is seen that both approaches are good  and can work perfectly well depending on the project at hand. TPM due to its detailed planning is the preferred choice for structured project. It is used in large projects that have well understood features and requirements and which involves large teams. Also, TPM is suitable for project that requires little change. APM is the preferred choice for unstructured projects. These kinds of projects have a high level of uncertainty and unpredictability about them. APM unlike TPM involves smaller projects.

The Final Act of The Crucible :: The Crucible Arthur Miller Essays

The Final Act of The Crucible The final act in the play, act four, fits into the plot three months later, after the court case and all the hangings of the condemned have taken place. It is a scene full of tragedy, defeat, misjudgement and misery. The audience should be left finding themselves asking questions, as 'The Crucible' is a reminder of how evil can be committed by everyday people. This final act shows all the journeys the characters have travelled, in some cases from beginning to end. The way in which some of the characters act reflects the society they live in where in some cases the characters will be of principles and in others they will not. This is evident in the play with two of the main characters, hale and parries who both prefer life to personal integrity. Hale sees this moral error and speaks to Elizabeth of it , 'Life women, life is god's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it' parris does not see this error and mistakes principle for self protection of his life his authority and of those whom he suspects of despising him. Looking at the complete opposite, showing the different priorities within this society and community are the people that lose their lives as they realise the importance of their own principles and integrity. This is evident with the proctors when the play reaches its climax in act four with two of the main characters, john and Elizabeth proctor. John is deciding whether to confess to an accusation he didn't commit, or to deny it and die. John realises the importance of his own integrity and becomes a different man who would rather not lie but tell the truth and be executed. This shows strength and how he is a man of great principle. 'is it fraud.am I not that man.my honesty is broke,Elizabeth ;I am no good man.nothings spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before' with some strong advice from his wife he chooses honestly and goes to his death with a few others who also refused to confess. The audience will see that this shows commitment and dedication when a man would die rather than confess to a false accusation. In modern day life most societies would not behave like this because people would not be put in this life/death situation. In general I belive most people would rather tell the truth rather than lie and get a bad name for themselves. Elizabeth ends the play with a scene of tragedy. The stage directions have a ray of light fall upon her.

Education of African American Male Students Essay

The Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme court which outlawed racial segregation within public education facilities. Segregation of public education existed until the Supreme Court considered arguments by the schools requesting relief concerning the task of desegregation. In Brown II, the Supreme Court delegated the task of carrying out the desegregation to district courts with orders that desegregation occur â€Å"with all deliberate speed† (The United States Supreme Court, 1954). This phrase â€Å"with all deliberate speed† was easier said than done. Segregation practices continued in America well after 1954. During these early years groups like The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and The Nation of Islam emerged as the new lead organizations for the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders like Megar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. emerged all were assassinated before reaching the age of forty. These assassinations sparked the emergence of younger and more radical groups. Groups like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Black Panther Party had goals for education. The Black Panther Party created a comprehensive plan for improving their community. The plan was called the Ten Point Plan (Ten Point Plan, 1966). The Ten Point Plan stated: We believe in an educational system that will give to our people knowledge of self. If a man does not have knowledge of himself and his position in society and the world, then he has little chance to relate to anything else. (Ten Point Plan, 1966, p.1). The 1960’s were an era of great change in African American culture. This was also a time for new leadership in the African American community. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Megar Evers had chosen to use a nonviolent approach. Malcolm X was more radical and was willing to use violence to get equal treatment. After all three leaders were assassinated; leaders such as Stokely Carmichael had a new concept of  what America should become. In 1968 Stokely Carmichael created the term institutional racism, which he defined as the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture or ethnic origin. One of the new topics in education reform focused on how to educate African American males. Students in urban areas have been exposed to deteriorating conditions, which include overcrowded classrooms, limited funding for education, and unstable learning environments. In recent years the education of African American males has encountered several problems. Although 72% of African-American students in America graduate from high school, over 45% of African-American males drop out of high school (Green & Carl, 2000). Another problem is that one in four African American males are expelled from school each year. Additionally a disproportionate number of African-American males are in special education and remedial reading classes (Lee, Winfield & Wilson, 1991). According to Livingston and Nahimana (2006), Success with African-American males requires understanding the social context in which they exist. This journey of cultural understanding begins by recognizing preconceived assumptions about urban African-American male children, African-American children, particularly urban youth, are very keen on picking up the adult’s perception of them. Thus, understanding the behavior and dynamics of urban African-American families will greatly aid in understanding and educating the African-American male child. (p.210) Statement of the problem In recent years, there has been a trend of academic underachievement among African American males. Economic opportunities, lack of education, lack of father figures and the lack of understanding from the American society has damaged the self-esteem and the educational opportunities of young African American males. This research discussed the role that education has contributed to the underachievement of African American males in education. The purpose of this study was to review and analyze the data regarding the education of African American male students. Specifically, the study looked  at the factor impacting the education of African American male students. This results of this study aims to encourage and educate professionals by providing information and additional strategies in promoting the educational success of African American male students. The following research questions guided this study: 1. What factors have influenced the education of African American males? 2. How have historical perspectives regarding poverty in the African American community changed? 3. How have attempts to desegregate public schools in America operated? 4. What strategies can educators use to improve opportunities for African American male students? Limitations of Study This study was based on existing literature and research regarding factor impacting African American male students. The scope of data collection included journals, books, and articles dealing with African American male student. The literature consisted of a number of studies involving the African American family structure. Studies in the field of education often do not include a control group. Other sources describe recommendations or proposals that may correlate with successful implementation of various strategies, but do not have quantifiable data to support those models. The limitations that these factors bring include the amount of study and research that exists within the literature Research was confined to the past decade; with the exception of the historical aspects presented Definition of Terms Accountability: a policy of holding schools and teachers accountable for the academic progress students by linking such progress with funding for salaries, and maintenance Culture: refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Different definitions of â€Å"culture† reflect various theoretical bases for understanding, or criteria for evaluating, human activity. Institutional racism: the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture or ethnic  origin. Poverty: the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence. Public education: education mandated for or offered by the government to the children of the general public, whether national, regional, or local, provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by taxes. The term is generally applied to basic education, K -12 education and primary and secondary education. Racism: a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others. Racial segregation: is characterized by separation of different races in daily life when both races are doing equal tasks, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home. Urbanization: means increased spatial scale and/or density of settlement and/or business and other activities in the area over time. The process could occur either as natural expansion of the existing population (usually not a major factor since urban reproduction tends to be lower than rural), the transformation of peripheral population from rural to urban, incoming migration , or a combination of these. Design of the Study This study was descriptive in nature. All data were based upon research of available literature on the challenges of poverty and its role in the education of African American male students. Guiding questions were answered based upon a review of existing literature and research which addressed the factor impacting African American male students Literature on educational learning strategies were identified, studied and discussed. The information is presented in four chapters: Chapter One will consist of the introduction of the research paper. Chapter Two is the review of literature, outlining as pertinent to the research question. Chapter Three presents the analysis of the findings, and theme regarding the historical perspectives and impacting factors associated with the education of African American males. Chapter Four consists of a discussion including summary, conclusions, and recommendations. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduction Before educators analyze the negative statistics for African American males, the fact that there have been successes must be realized. According to Livingston and Nahimana (2006), Success with young African-American males requires understating the social context in which they exist. This journey of cultural understanding begins by recognizing preconceived assumptions about urban African-American male children. African-American children, particularly urban youth, are very keen on picking up the adults’ perception of them, thus understanding the behavior and the dynamics of urban African-American families will greatly aid in the understanding and educating the African-American male child. Although the literature is quick to point out that many urban African-Americans are reared in single family home, one should not assume that there are not positive males in the child’s extended family. Uncles, grandfathers and even older male siblings can play an important role in aiding our work with students. ( p.210) There are several questions that could be asked about the education of African American males. According to Education Today (2007, p.22), â€Å"there is a new question that will be asked. Will we lose the next two or three generations, or possibly every generation of African-American boys hereafter to negative media, gangs, drugs, poor education, unemployment, father absence, crime, violence and death?† African American male students are faced with several challenges in education such as unemployment, housing, violence, incarceration, drugs, and education. According to Livingston and Nahimana (2006), â€Å"Educating young African American males has become an increasing concern for educators and human service professionals over the past 20 years. Disproportionate rates of school failure, dropout, and incarceration all speak to the need to develop interventions, which can account for the structural and ecological factors that impact African-American families and African-American children† (209). Even the United States Senate has noticed the new disturbing trend among African  American males. According to United States Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) â€Å"in 1999, 65 percent of African-American male high school dropouts in their 20s were jobless. He added that by 2004, the share had increased to 72 percent, as compared to 29 percent of whites and 19 percent of Latinos.† Schumer also noted â€Å"the incarceration rate of young African-American males is at historic highs, more than half of African-American males do not finish high school, and an African-American man in his 20s without a high school diploma is more likely to be in jail than to be working† (Wright, 2007, p.4). Family Structure/Foundation In America, the traditional family structure consists of a mother and a father. According to May, â€Å"In the 1950’s the normative American family consisted of a breadwinner father, homemaker mother, and several children, all living in homes in the suburbs on the outskirts of a larger city. It was a narrow view of a model family, yet it pervaded the media and was widely accepted as the ideal and most normal† ( p.20). Today, the dynamic of the American family structure is much different. Bishop (1991, p 23 ) stated that â€Å"In the 1990s there are still traditional families with parents and children, but the definition of a family has broadened considerably. Children are raised by many varieties of caring adults: single parents, grandparents, kin-networks, homosexual couples, and others. Even traditional appearing families are often blended families of children from different biological parents.† African American families have similar dynamics. Billingsley (1968, p. 36) â€Å"identified three categories of African American families: primary families (e.g., two-parent), extended families (e.g., other relatives, in-laws), and augmented families (e.g., nonrelated individuals).† The structure of the African American family has not remained static over the years. According to Tucker and Mitchell-Kernan (1995) African American women are now twice as likely to maintain families solely then they were in 1940. Another trend involves women heading the household. According to Darity and Myers (1995, p. 1), â€Å"The rise in female-headed families among African Americans has been swift. Twenty-eight percent of African American families were headed by women in 1970, and 46% were female headed. This data make it clear that patterns of African American family formation have undergone substantial change over the past 50  years in a number of important aspects. The absence of fathers from the homes has been associated with delinqu ency. According to Auletta, â€Å"living in single-mother household has been suggested as a contributing factor in the development of adolescent problem behaviors† (p.23). There are other concerns with the African American family that involve marriage. According to Tucker and Mitchell-Kernan (1995), â€Å"the proportion of African American women and men who marry has declined by 20% over the past 50 years, compared to the general population that has remained steady. The combined impact of delayed marriage, more non-marriage, high divorce rates, and a high rate of births out of wedlock are observed as having a profound effect on family formation in the African American community. Four out of every 10 African American families have a woman maintaining the family without the support of another adult. These trends are directly related to the well being of African American families and communities. Unemployment In the African American community there are several challenges for young African American males. The lack of jobs has a lot to do with poverty and continues to plague the African American community. According to McAdoo (p. 15), High rates of unemployment have had a profound impact upon the African-American community. Discrimination, inequalities in hiring and recessions, plant closings, the removal of high paying, industrial and manufacturing jobs to rural America and Third World countries have removed a number of African-American males from the urban employment sector. Historically, the rate of unemployment among African-American men has been twice that of White America. On the east coast the unemployment rates are even more disproportionate. Currently in major urban cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York, 35-55% of African-American males between the ages of 18 and 35 are unemployed (National Urban League, 2005). According to Dubowitz (1999), â€Å"Currently 24.4% of African-Americans live in poverty as compared to only 8.2% of Whites and 22.5% of Hispanics.†(p.55)† There have been other studies that reveal males are more likely to remove themselves from their family when they are unable to provide financial support (Livingston & McAdoo, 1993). For African-American Families, and African-American male children in particular, high rates of male unemployment can create a context of fatherlessness, economic  instability, poverty, hopelessness characterized of manifested in children by low expectations, increased rates of high school drop out, and high rates of delinquency, which eventually assist in maintaining the context of persistent poverty (McAdoo, 1993). Unemployment can create multiple mental and psychological problems for African American male students Drugs in the African American Community There is an increased concerned about drugs in the African American community. In the African American community, children endure the most pain when fathers or brothers are missing because they are in jail. According to Newman (2005), â€Å"One reason why many fathers can’t be with their families is because of this country’s misguided war on drugs. Of the 2 million people behind bars in America, more than 450,000 are there for drug offenses. While drug abuse doesn’t discriminate, our drug policies do.† (pg12), Another statistic indicate that African Americans are more likely to go to jail for drug offences. According to Newman (2005,), â€Å"Despite roughly equal drug use between African-Americans and Whites, African-Americans are 13 times more likely to go to jail for drugs than Whites. In New York, 93% of the people in jail under the Rockefeller drug laws are African-American and Latino. Offering people treatment and help instead of incarceration for th eir drug addictions would not only save this country much-needed resources, it would help keep thousands of fathers with their families.†(pg12) There is another puzzling situation in the low-income African American community related to drugs. There are higher risk factors that create an environment more conducive to drug abuse and incarceration. According to Schensul (2005, p.39), â€Å"The drug use of low-income African American emerging adults is more troublesome because those protective factors associated with the role changes that mark emerging adulthood in middle class white youths and many youths of color are not necessarily available to poor young people.† These statistics reflect a correlation between income, drugs, and possible incarceration. Schensul (2005) noted that urban low-income youths experience many of the same developmental transitions as their middle-class counterparts. Some of the factors that promote drug use include increased residential instability, expanded and diversified social networks, exposure to high risk settings, and negative  social influences that support and promote the use of drugs and alcohol. However, urban students are subject to inadequate primary and secondary school education, family stressors stemming from the vagaries of impoverishment and government social policies, limited local professional role models, and few job opportunities that guarantee salaries and benefits above the poverty level. Material goods can also play a key role in the lifestyle of young African American males. According to McCord, J. (1990,), Sometimes there are families struggle that are related to school life (fashionable clothing and social life) but may not be able to do so for emerging adults whose financial needs are increasing. Selling marijuana is an option for intermittent income supplementation, and many youths have friends or relatives who are in a position to supply them with small amounts from time to time. Once involved in drug selling networks, youths can move to selling additional drugs if they believe it is reasonable to accept the associated risks. This means that students are willing to take unnecessary risk.(pg 35). Crime and Violence in the African American Community In the African American community there is a mistrust of law enforcement. According to McCord, (1990), Unlike suburban White youths, however, African American and Latino youths are targets for street violence, arrest, and police harassment and abuse. Once imprisoned, or on parole as adults, their institutional record may preclude voting and render them ineligible for employment opportunities. Imprisonment may introduce them to gang members or prospective customers. (p. 44) Studies also revealed that certain minority youth are at greater risk for violent behaviors. According to Fitzpatrick and LaGory (2000,), â€Å"Specifically, African-American adolescents are more likely than White, Hispanic, or Asian youth to instigate physical fighting and weapon-related violence and to suffer both fatal and nonfatal injuries from physical assaults. Not only are minority youth at greater risk for victimization by aggressive peers, they are more likely to perpetrate violence.†(p. 21) African Americans are at higher risk to have more fatal injuries than Whites. This results in higher homicide rates. Many prominent African Americans have shown concern about young African American students. The most notable of the critics, Bill  Cosby, has been vocal regarding the number of African-American men who are incarcerated and the growing number of poor African-American children who are being raised by irresponsible parents. Cosby publicly chastised many in the African-American community for not doing enough to deal with critical problems and issues, such as illiteracy, poverty, crime and violence, which remain challenges in the African American community. Cosby told a packed crowd gathered at a 50th anniversary celebration commemorating the Brown v. Board of Education decision â€Å"the ladies and gentleman of the lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.† These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids — $500 sneakers for what? And yet they won’t spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics† (Watson, 2004, p. 10), Even though Cosby’s statements were harsh, they created a debate, which stirred conversation in the African American community. Incarceration According to Kunjufu (2001, p. 15 ), â€Å"over the past twenty years there has been a decline in violent crime in the United States. But in the African American community there has been an opposite trend. There are several factors that cause these trends, including poverty, family structure, high unemployment rates, crime, drugs and education.† Kunjufu also reported that African-American males in juvenile detention centers and prison have increased in recent years. Each year, thousands of young boys are placed in detention centers and adult facilities. Although African American males comprise only about 6% of the population of the, they represent over 50% of the penal population (Kunjufu, 2001). There are several other statistics that prove alarming to the African American community and the rest of the citizens in the United States. According, to Kunjufu â€Å"Currently one in three Africans American males between the ages of 20-29 is either in jail or on probation. The overwhelming majority of these men have been arrested and detained due to drug convictions.† (p. 26), Another statistic is that there are major inequities when it comes to sentencing of African American males. According to Livingston and Nahimana, â€Å"inequities in sentencing have lead to longer jail and prison terms for these young men at the most malleable period in their development. The return into the drug trade and the life of crime becomes a viable choice for many of these young men, accounting for the high rates of recidivism for  young African American males† (p.11). This is alarming because of high unemployment and limited education as well as the fact that prior conviction can lead to long term prison. The incarceration of African American males has had a dynamic effect on the community. According to Arias (2007), â€Å"The overwhelmingly high rate of incarceration among African-American men in America is striking a blow not only to the health and well-being of those men but also to their families and communities.† (p.20) This study reported that 12% of young African American males between the ages of 20-39 have been taken out of the household. This places a tremendous strain on African American women to take care of the household. Another staggering statistic is that only 62 percent of African American males graduate from high school. According to National Urban League Panel (2005, p.1), On average, only 62 percent of African-American males graduate from high school with their original class. African-American males make up only 6 percent of the United States population, but 40 percent of the prison population. Forty percent of those African-American inmates are between the ages of 17 and 26. (National Urban League Panel,). The age group between 17 and 26 is the age group that will likely attend college. If these current trends continue, there will be a tremendous increase in the number of African American males incarcerated. According to Pluviose (2006,)â€Å"by 2020, if current trends hold, that figure will rise to more than 65 percent for African-American men between the ages of 20 and 29.† (p. 22), These figures illustrate a tremendous need for employment and educational programs. The prison rate of African American males has had substantial economic impact on the African-American community. According to Holmes and Hughes (2003, p. 44), â€Å"incarceration rates in the United States, prison and jail inmates at midyear in 2002, reported that 12.9% of African-American males between the ages of 25 and 29 were incarcerated.† Segregated Schools What would Horace Mann think about the state of education today? Horace Mann was the father of the American school system. According to Hubbard (2005), Horace Mann believed that the common schools should be available to everyone. He wanted them to be available to people that were rich, poor, and of different backgrounds. As mentioned earlier Brown vs. the Board of Education was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court which outlawed racial segregation within public education facilities. In Brown II, the Supreme Court delegated the task of carrying out the desegregation to district courts with orders that desegregation occur â€Å"with all deliberate speed† (The United States, 1954). The current challenge that urban education face is called the No Child Left Behind Act. According to The United States Department of Education (2007) â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), commonly known as NCLB, is a United States federal law that was passed in the House of Representatives on May 23, 2001. This law was signed on January 8, 2002, and reauthorized a number of federal programs aiming to improve the performance of United States primary and secondary schools by increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts and schools, as well as providing parents more flexibility in choosing which schools their children would attend. Additionally, NCLB promotes an increased focus on reading and re-authorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (NCLB, 2007). One of the many challenges with No Child Left Behind is that the goals are commendable, but the expectations are unreasonable because of the deterioration of the urban schools school district. The next challenge in urban education the education of African American males. According to Misani (2007,) â€Å"nationally between one-half and two-thirds of African male students drop out of school.† In addition, the research disclosed a 65 percent dropout rate in Chicago, with only 35 percent of African-American male students graduating from high school. In New York, the dropout rate is 74 percent, with merely 26 percent of African-American male students graduating.† p. 34) This is a tragic situation in urban schools when nearly seventy five percent of the African American male students are not graduating. According to Smith (2005, p. 27), â€Å"the drop out rates for African American males in metropolitan areas is well over 50 percent. Another trend is that some African American males believe that it is easier to drop out than to complete high school Bowye (2007, p.3) stated, â€Å"It is  most disturbing that dropping out of high school is more common than graduating from high school for children of color.† Focusing on another disconcerting trend within the community for African-American young men, Dr. Hodge pointed out: â€Å"Going to jail is becoming the common experience for children of color† (Misani, 2007, p.35). If African American children continue to think this way, many are headed for prison and the crime rate will steadily increase in these areas. There is also a problem when it comes to the placement of African American males in education. There are disproportionate numbers of African American males placed in special education and suspended from school. According to Rodney and Crafter (1999, p.185), â€Å"Nationally African American males score lower than any other groups on standardized test and are three times more likely than their Caucasian American counterparts to be misplaced in special education or classes for slow learners.† When situations like this continue to occur students feel neglected and are more likely to drop out of school. Many African American students think that the American educational system is unfair. According to Misani (2007, p. 34), â€Å"African-American boys are disproportionately and inappropriately assigned to special education classes, expelled and suspended from school, and underrepresented in college preparatory classes.† Consequently the study concluded: â€Å"Many of those who graduate are not prepared for college or further educational training.† (Misani, 2007 p.34) African American males represent 8.6 % of the nation’s public students in 2000-2001, but in some districts, they make up as much as 41 percent of the special education population (Smith, 2005).

Perceptual Biases (Business Administration)

1. Despite the difficulties of making predictions, many people confidently make assertions about what will happen in the future because of various types of biases, constraints, perceptions, and expectations. Each person has their own experiences, influences, tastes, personalities, attitudes, and much more, creating unique perspectives that influence perception, objectivity, and rationality. As such, perceptions are controlled by three factors: the perceiver, the object being perceived, and the context in which people perceive.People align these factors to their own standards and consequentially, they always think they are â€Å"right. † This results in an above-average affect, where people almost always believe they are above average. This affect causes people to confidently make assertions despite the level of objective difficulty. 2. There are various perceptual and decision-making errors that cloud the judgments of many intelligent and powerful people. For example, when Ric k Wagoner predicted that bankruptcy would result in the â€Å"†¦liquidation of the company† (195), he may have used general impressions of bankruptcy to contaminate factual information.As such, he was a victim of the Halo Effect. His negative perceptions of bankruptcy clouded any positive indicators of its factual effectiveness. When investment analyst Marc Farber incorrectly predicted a slowdown in the Chinese market, he was perhaps affected by a hindsight bias. Having experienced so many market slowdowns in the past, such as the various recessions in the United States in addition to international examples like Japan, he likely thought he was a better analyst than he actually was.The hindsight bias prevented him from learning from the past; he was likely less skeptical about his own predictive skills than he should have been. When Vice President Joe Biden incorrectly predicted, â€Å"More people are going to be put to work this summer† (195), he was possibly a vi ctim of an overconfidence bias. This confidence may have prevented him from understanding the facts on employment, jumping to an optimistic conclusion prematurely. In addition, he may have been under substantial pressure to inspire the American public in light of the ongoing recession.When Robert Prechter incorrectly predicted, â€Å"†¦stock prices will go a lot lower† (195), he may have looked at initial market conditions without considering the macro perspective of market durability. As such, he was a victim of an anchoring bias, where he used only an initial assessment for his prediction without considering long-term data. Other types of biases include selective perception, contrast effects, stereotyping, and risk aversion, amongst others. 3.It is difficult to make accurate predictions because the only way we view the world is through our perceptions; what is to one person may not be to another. The key in many situations is to objectively understand how and why peopl e have certain perceptions. This understanding will allow for more accurate assessments, leading to better choices in life. It is also difficult to make predictions because of the complexity of communication. This complexity can sometimes cause people to overthink, such as when two people are dating, always second guessing their actions and their thoughts.It is often unadvisable to â€Å"overthink† situations where there may not be a clear explanation. Further, overthinking in one direction can harbor unwarranted negativity or inaccurate optimism. Lastly, there are many factors that people have no control over, such as plane crashes, sudden sickness, and forces of nature. These factors can cause even the most well thought out predictions to be inaccurate. As a result, people must always be prudent about what they assert. There must be evidence coupled with intrapersonal skills that can assure its objectivity.

Personal Essays - Medical Ethics, Euthanasia, Right To Die

Personal Essays - Medical Ethics, Euthanasia, Right To Die Personal Today there are thousands of terminally ill patients in long term care facilities across America. In care facilities there are a countless number of elderly people and terminally ill patients that have repeatedly expressed a desire to die. Should these people be allowed to die, or should they be forced to keep on living? This question has plagued ethicists and physicians for decades. Euthanasia is the act of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a painless way for reasons of mercy. Another term used for euthanasia is assisted suicide. Euthanasia, or physician assisted suicide, is one of the most controversial issues we face today. Like many other touchy topics, euthanasia cannot simply be looked upon as either ?right? or ?wrong.? Supporters of euthanasia feel that ending a person?s life can be justifiable if the person is in severe pain and sincerely wants to die. Opponents, on the other hand, contend that killing and suicide are always wrong an d can never be justified even if it was for reasons of mercy. Under current U.S. law, there are two types of euthanasia labeled as either "active" or "passive", and as either "voluntary" or "involuntary.? Passive euthanasia is much more openly accepted and practiced. ?The traditional distinction between active and passive euthanasia requires critical analysis. The conventional doctrine is that there is such an important moral difference between the two that, although the latter is sometimes permissible, the former is always forbidden? (Rachels). Passive euthanasia can be defined as withholding heroic measurements, such as life-support systems, to a patient who is not yet certifiably brain dead, but maintaining basically no quality of life. On the other hand, active euthanasia could be defined as literally pulling the plug on someone?s life when they are terminally ill and suffering, such as lethal injection. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal only in four places that openly, authorize active assistance in dying for patients in the Nether lands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Oregon. Assisted suicide is legal in the United States, but only in the state of Oregon. The only difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia depends on who performs the act that causes death. With euthanasia, a doctor would administer the lethal injection, taking the final step to end the patient?s life. On the other hand, with assisted suicide, the patient would cause their own death, perhaps meaning that he or she would flick a switch to begin a fatal injection after the doctor had hooked them up to an IV medical supply. In America history, there are many controversial court decisions for the right to die. In the history of the right to die controversy in the United States, Karen Ann Quinlan was an important person. In 1975, a 21-year old woman named Karen Ann Quinlan suffered a respiratory arrest that resulted in severe and irreversible brain damage and left her in a coma. Doctors told her parents that the recovery of Karen?s life was impossible and Quinlan?s parents requested to remove their daughter life support, however, they were refused by the hospital. After a year in deliberations in a New Jersey Supreme Court, they decided the parents of Karen Ann Quinlan won the right to remove their daughter from the ventilator because she was in a persistent, vegetative state. The New Jersey Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled that this act was necessary to respect Karen Ann Quinlan's right to privacy. However, some medical ethicists warned that this ruling could lead to decisions to end a person's life. Quinlan's case continues to raise important questions in moral theology, bioethics , euthanasia, legal guardianship, and civil rights. Her case has affected the practice of medicine and law around the world. In 1990, the Supreme Court case, Cruzan v. Missouri, recognized the principle that a person has a constitutionally protected right to refuse unwanted medical treatment. The topic of the case started in 1983 when Nancy Beth Cruzan went into a coma from a car accident. Before the accident had occurred, she had said several times that if she were faced with life as a "vegetable," she wouldn?t want to continue living. Her parents went to court in 1987 to force the hospital to remove

Water Desalination

Water Desalination Desalination (also spelled desalinization) is the process of creating fresh water by removing saline (salt) from bodies of salt water. There are varying degrees of salinity in water, which affects the difficulty and expense of treatment, and the level of saline is typically measured in parts per million (ppm). The U.S. Geological Survey provides an outline of what constitutes saline water: 1,000 ppm – 3,000 ppm is low salinity, 3,000 ppm – 10,000 ppm is moderate salinity, and 10,000 ppm – 35,000 ppm is high salinity. Water that contains saline levels less than 1,000 ppm is generally considered fresh water and is safe to drink and use for household and agricultural purposes. For a reference point, typical ocean water contains about 35,000 ppm, the Great Salt Lake contains variations of 50,000 – 270,000 ppm, and the Caspian Sea contains an average of about 12,000 ppm. The more concentrated saline is in a body of water, the more energy and effort it takes to desalinize it. Desalination Processes Osmosis Reverse Osmosis There are several setbacks of reverse osmosis. The membranes are currently prone to gather too much bacteria and â€Å"clog up,† although they have improved since they were first used. The membranes deteriorate when chlorine is used to treat the bacteria. Other setbacks are the arguable water quality that reverse osmosis produces, along with the considerable pre-treatment that the salt water requires. Forward Osmosis Pressure gradient desalinating water The main setback to forward osmosis is that it has great potential, but is still fairly new to large-scale desalination and therefore needs funding and research to explore the possibilities that could improve it and reduce energy costs. Electrodialysis Thermal Desalination Multistage Flash Distillation Multiple-Effect Distillation Negatives of Desalination Fossil fuels Geography of Desalination Middle East Saudi Arabia is currently the world’s number one producer of desalinated water. They use multi-flash distillation in several large plants, providing water for many large cities, including the largest city, Riyadh, situated hundreds of miles from the coast. In the United States, the largest desalination plant is located in Tampa Bay, Florida, though it has a very small output compared to most facilities in the Middle East. Other states that are developing plans for large desalination plants include California and Texas. The United States need for desalination plants is not as severe as many other countries, but as the population continues to explode in dry, coastal areas, the need increases. Future Options of Desalination Desalination is a process primarily done in developed countries with enough money and resources. If technology continues to produce new methods and better solutions to the issues that exist today, there would be a whole new water resource for more and more countries that are facing drought, competition for water, and overpopulation. Though there are concerns in the scientific world about replacing our current overuse of water with complete reliance on seawater, it would undoubtedly be at least an option for many people struggling to survive or maintain their standard of living.

Discuss the merits and criticisms of the business case for equality Essay

Discuss the merits and criticisms of the business case for equality. To what extent could the state and trade unions contribute - Essay Example Equal opportunity is a fundamental need for the business, and it boosts the competitive advantage. Discussion Human resource department should recognize the importance of human capital in the work set up. Human effort is an asset to the organization and should be valued like other assets. Merit should be the key to rewarding employees. Discrimination should be avoided at all levels regardless of the race or gender. Women at the workplace should be offered equal opportunities as their male counterparts (Aristotle & Chase 1998, p.2). This essay will discuss the merits and criticisms of the business case equality. It will also draw the attention of the extent to which the state and the trade unions can contribute towards strengthening potential business case for equality in organizations. The primary concept of business strategy and in particular the equality case rests on the value for employers. Roles of Trade unions in strengthening potential areas of business equality Trade unions a dvocate for the collective bargaining case in the realization of business case for equality. The trade unions take all the grievances of the ethnic minorities and women and put proper action to address them (Gilmore 2013). All these are geared towards both the short term and the long term benefits. There is fight for equal treatment at all levels of management in the organizations. Union members are also able to come up with protective measures to the problems facing them. The voices of women are echoed through trade unions where they are treated with equality. Trade unions also advocate for equality in setting of minimum wage laws. All employees are supposed to be remunerated proportionally to the work done. There should be no cases of discrimination in wage set up. The human resource management should take the lead in advocating for the fairness in wages (Williams 2009). Women and minority groups voice their wage complaints to the trade unions which sometimes set the minimum indus try price. All the employers should view the equality concept as an interest to the business. There should be mobilization of power to do away with discrimination especially to pregnant women. The argument derives from social justice and the good will of the employees. Legislation should be effectively practiced in matters of human resource manager. Proper management of maternity leaves days will be a boost to the maintenance of potential talents in the organization. Many pregnant women who face the challenge of discrimination at work place reduce their productivity. In the long run, this has an effect to the organization in terms of profitability levels (Gilmore 2013). The concept of the business case for inequality is better understood when one considers the factors that hinder its effectiveness. The first factor is social class of the employees at work. Social class refers to the status of someone brought by the material possessed as compared to the other. People who have physica l materials tend to have their own class far from those who do not have. This greatly affects the level of work performance and result to poor results. The contemporary society is a good source of the social classes which are reflected at work places. Work is also another source of the classes among employees, and it affects their interaction. The greatest disadvantage of the social classes is the problem of unemployment among different people. Divisions are also caused by other