Monday, December 23, 2019

Visual Communication Homosexuality And Realism - 1633 Words

Visual Communication Homosexuality (and realism in art) Anissha Govind 15CGA01 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Design at INSCAPE EDUCATION GROUP Cape Town Lecturer: Carol Gainer Homosexuality can be defined, according to dictionary.com, as â€Å"sexual desire or behaviour directed toward a person or persons of one s own sex.† 6 (DON’T USE FOOTNOTES!) and is seen as a form of sexuality 15 (DON’T USE FOOTNOTES!). Homosexual males are often referred to as ‘gay’ while homosexual females are referred to as ‘lesbian’ 15 (DON’T USE FOOTNOTES!). Homosexuality is a topic that causes a lot of conflict and discussion, due to opposing views on whether is it ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. This article†¦show more content†¦Numerous religions view homosexuality as a sin and religious institutions, in general, have a less supportive view towards homosexuality than other organisations 2. Religious organisations, along with military organisations, have been shown to display a prejudice towards homosexuals and other â€Å"sexual minorities† 11. (DON’T USE FOOTNOTES) Another opposition to homosexuality is that of those (change the wording) who believe in Darwinism, and that an inclination to non-reproductive sex does not present an explanation in line with evolution. Yet it is still something that continues to occur which would lead to the belief that homosexuality is in actual fact an â€Å"adaptive feature of evolution† 11. Some of the stereotypes that homosexuals face are: that they have made a choice in being gay or lesbian, lesbians are masculine, there is a cure for homosexuality and that gay men are pedophiles 9. Homosexuality is in actual fact just a different form of sexuality 16 and therefore those who are homosexual cannot change their sexuality or be cured of it. While some women do fall in a category of being seen as masculine is not a defining feature of lesbians as they are just women who are sexually attracted to other females 8. Paedophilia is caused by â€Å"immature sexual development† which can be homosexual in its nature but it is not as a result of a person being homosexual 15. When looking at views and the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Homeschool vs. Public School Free Essays

Final Essay Home Schooling: From Home to Harvard We’re all familiar with the popular images of homeschoolers in America: Extreme fundamentalist families shutting out all other points of view. These stereotypes are touted freely by the popular media and conventional schooling experts alike. But they have little to do with the realities of homeschooling for most families today, and are rarely backed by factual data. We will write a custom essay sample on Homeschool vs. Public School or any similar topic only for you Order Now The average home-schooled student scored â€Å"81 points higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) than did the general population in 2000†. Winters) At the National Spelling Bee in 2000, the top three winners were home-schooled. Studies show that, â€Å"home-schooled children also tend to score higher on basic skills testing than do public school children†. (Winters) According to the Wall Street Journal, â€Å"Evidence is mounting that homeschooling, once confined to the political and religious fringe, has achieved results not only on par with public education, but in some ways surpassing it. † (Reider) However, one subject continues to surface whenever the issue of home schooling arises. Public school administrators, teachers, and parents are all concerned about whether home schooling can be considered a good process of education. Therefore, I intend to prove that home-schooled children are properly socialized, fully educated and college admissions increasing acceptance rates of home schooled applicants prove that they’re prepared for the next level of education. Supporters of public schools maintain that public school students learn to work well with others, including those of differing backgrounds, and that they can achieve greater independence by attending public school. Negotiating the communal spaces of schoolyard, classroom, athletic field, and laboratory prepares them for â€Å"real world† experiences, they contend. Critics of home schooling believe that home-schooled children miss out on these important opportunities. Without the chance to interact with those of diverse backgrounds, critics are concerned that home-schooled students will fail to appreciate and understand one of the core values of American life: to tolerate and appreciate the differences between cultures or groups and among individuals. They fear that isolation breeds intolerance, prejudice, and even fanaticism. In response to such criticism, proponents of home schooling answer that home-schooled children have plenty of social opportunities. The National Home Education Research Institute conducted a study and found that â€Å"an average home-schooled child participates in 5. 2 activities per week outside the home†. (Dr. Brian Ray) These children are involved in music, dance, drama, and art classes, visit museums and zoos, and join home-schooling groups or local churches. They form athletic teams and compete in home-school tournaments. They participate in book and foreign language clubs, scout groups, and have pen pals. In fact, home school participants believe that, because â€Å"the average time spent â€Å"in class† can often be compressed to about half a day, home-school students have more time available to them than do students in public school to pursue special interests†. (Golden) These activities may include practicing the piano, learning lines for a play, or studying ballet. Being a home-schooling student opens up many hours in a day do be able to do specific things they would not have been able to do if they had attended public school. Advocates of home schooling maintain that in the process of participating in outside activities, home-schooled children benefit by socializing with people of all ages, not just those of their peer group (Stevens 35). They note that the world does not consist of people who are all the same age and that students are at a disadvantage if they spend their day with their peers. One home-schooling researcher claims that home schooling â€Å"reduces that degree to which children find themselves constantly and obsessively being compared to, and comparing themselves with, other children their age. (Gaither) A home-schooled child’s days, he believes, are more like the â€Å"real world† than that of students in public school. Research conducted on the socialization of home-schooled children lends support to the arguments of home-schooling advocates. Home schooled children are found to be as well adjusted as public school students when measuring â€Å"aggression, reliance on othe rs, perception of support from others, perceptions of limits to be followed, and interpersonal relations among family members. † (Lines) Another study indicated that home-schooled children had less behavioral problems than children attending public school. Supporters of home schooling will often â€Å"turn the tables on their critics, pointing to the negative influences present in public schools†. (Kranzow) In particular, a sizable percentage of home-schooling parents worry about the â€Å"wrong kind† of socialization found in public schools and keep their kids at home primarily for that reason. They believe the prevalence of illicit drugs, alcohol, smoking, and premarital sex undermines the moral principles taught at home. They fear the negative influences of peer pressure and want to protect their children from American pop culture. As a result of the recent growth of homeschooling in the US, colleges and universities have received an increasing number of applications from home-schooled students. Admissions offices have found it necessary to assess whether and how their admissions requirements should be modified to allow fair review of the credentials submitted by homeschooled students. It is estimated that â€Å"50% of homeschooled children attend college, the same percentage as children educated in public schools†. (Klicka) But are these students skilled enough to compete successfully with conventionally-schooled students in the college setting? Klicka concludes that homeschoolers and traditionally educated students demonstrate similar academic preparedness for college and academic achievement. Through my research on the homeschooling process, I have discovered that home schooled children’s test score and their home school â€Å"portfolios† have impressed many colleges, most of them prominent or ivy league. Each year  Harvard University  takes up to 10 applicants who have been homeschooled. â€Å"In general, those kids do just fine,’ says David Illingsworth, senior admissions officer at Harvard University. He adds that the number of applications and inquiries from homeschoolers is ‘definitely increasing. ’†(Klicka) The students’ average scores were typicality in the â€Å"70th to 80th percentile, with 25% of homeschooled students enrolled one or more grades above their age-level peers in public and private schools†. (Klicka) Peer groups have less influence on this population than they generally have in lives of those who are educated more traditionally, while faculty members looked to play a critical role in the transition to college process, above and beyond the role they play in the lives of more traditionally educated students. One might contest that, whether at a public school or in a homeschooled environment, grasping the learning material can be difficult for a child due to teaching style and their coordination with learning. Much of this is due to teaching style and its coordination with learning style. Because it’s extremely difficult to teach in a way that best fits each student, a child may be â€Å"left in the dust† due to the lecturing of the teacher according to the majority of the students learning style. Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows flexibility to define a curriculum that still meets the requirements, yet takes into account the best learning style for the child. Generally, educational success tends to measured in academic achievement. If this standard alone were applied to home schooling, most people would agree that home schooling can be a successful alternative to public school. In terms of academics, sociability and the higher level of education, the home schooling process has indicated through test-scores evidence and increasing acceptance rates by college admissions to be a highly effective method of education. Alyssa Statham Professor Clifford EH 102; MW 930 December 8, 2011 Work Cited Page Kranzow, Jeannine M. â€Å"Taking a different path: The college experience of homeschooled† Diss. Indiana University, 2005. Pro Quest Winters, Rebecca. â€Å"Home Schoolers: From Home to Harvard† Time, 156, 11 September 2000, 55. Cogan, Michael F. â€Å"Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschooled Students† Journal of College Admission. 208. Dec. 2010 p. 18 Gaither, Milton â€Å"Home schooling goes mainstream† Education Next. 9. 1 2009. P. 10 Stevens, Mitchell L. â€Å"Kingdom of Children: Culture and Controversy in the Homeschooling Movement† Princeton University Press. Sep 2001 Jones, Erika M. L. â€Å"Transition from Home Education to Higher Education: Academic and Social Issues† , Volume 25, Number 3, 2010, p. 1-9. Reider, John , Stanford’s senior associate director of admissions, as quoted by Daniel Golden,  The Wall Street Journal, Feb 11, 2000, pg. 1 Daniel Golden,  The Wall Street Journal, Feb 11, 2000, pg. 1 Klicka, Christopher J. â€Å"Homeschooled Students Excel in College† Esq. Senior Counsel for Home School Legal Defense Association Ray, Brian Dr. â€Å"U. S. Homeschool Population Size and Growth† NHERI December 23, 2008 How to cite Homeschool vs. Public School, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Entrepreneurship Research. Management Decision

Question: Discuss about the Entrepreneurship Research for Management Decision. Answer: The external analysis of the Critical Mix Company is performed with the help of three well efficient analytical tools (Boons Ldeke-Freund, 2013). These are Niche Strategy analysis, Strategy analysis, and Porter's Five Forces analysis. With the help of these three tools, the external environment that is the potential and existing opportunities as well as threats before the company can be analyzed. This will help the company to design further business strategies for future growth. Niche Strategy: A niche strategy of marketing can be characterized as a subset of marketing strategy, which is primarily focused on a specific product (Audretsch, 2012). Under this strategy, the specific features of a product are defined in order to address the needs of a focused market along with the range of price, quality of production and the demographics it is planned to impact on. From the overall examination of the Critical Mix Company, it can be said that the company does not have a protective niche. According to Bargiela-Chiappini, Nickerson and Planken (2013), the market research industry is a large industry where a number of similar firms operate. It is quite natural that each company may claim their products or services to be unique in some characteristics and differ from the other products in terms of quality. The products and services provided by the company not at all different, however, it designed to address a specific market segment. Therefore, it is necessary for the company to design a protective niche strategy that will help the company to address the targeted market segment (Boons Ldeke-Freund, 2013). The differentiation strategy adopted by the Critical Mix Company is not a niche strategy. It a monopolistically competitive market, where there is a large number of firms operating in a same market by producing the similar commodity which slightly differentiated, a minor differentiation strategy may not be helpful there. Therefore, it is needed that the company should diversify its products in a broader sense (Carraher Paridon, 2015). That is by using different technologies and, providing results in a short time compared to its competitors etc. The Critical Mix Company is therefore, suggested to focus more on the methods and techniques it uses for its products and services rather than designing a niche strategy. This will help the company to operate profitability. Strategy Analysis: According to Chen, Chiang and Storey (2012), the profitability of a firm is primarily determined by the attractiveness of its operating industry and the secondary determinant of the profitability is the positioning of the firm within the industry. However, an industry may have return that is below the average but a firm optimally located within the industry may accrue higher returns. A firm generally determines its positioning by leveraging its strengths. According to Carraher and Paridon (2015), the strengths can broadly fall under two broad categories that are the cost advantage and differentiation. The application of these strengths give rise to certain scopes either broad or narrow, as a result of this three generic strategies emerge: cost leadership, differentiation and focus. The firms at the unit level apply these strategies; these are called the generic strategies because these do not depend on the industry standards. The strategies are depicted with the help of the diagram below, Figure 1: Porters Generic Strategies (Source: Collis Hussey, 2013) Critical Mix clearly adopts the strategy of cost leadership that is the low cost producer for a given level of quantity in the concerned industry (Morgan, 2012). The firms are faced with two potential alternatives in the case of cost leadership strategies. Either firms can sell the products at the average market price in order to gain certain profits or these can sell the products below the average market price to gain market share. By adapting the strategy of cost leadership, the Critical Mix has enabled itself to continue its production profitably while there is a price war going on the market. However, even if there is not a price war, in the long run the prices of the products will fall. Then also, the firms, which are able to produce at a cheaper cost, will be able to accrue profits (Pache Santos, 2013). Porters Five Forces Analysis: Porters' Five Forces Analysis is another analytical tool to examine the external environment of the company. It mainly concentrates on the forces of the suppliers, buyers, barriers to entry or exit, substitutes, and rivalry. Figure 2: Porters Five Forces Analysis (Source: Collis Hussey, 2013) According to Audretsch (2012), the supplier power is concentrated in the cluster of the suppliers and the number of suppliers in the economy. If there are a large number of suppliers in the economy, it is quite natural that they will have the power to influence the market. However, the Critical Mix Company has decided to produce at a lower cost and therefore, it is evident that the customers will rely upon them for the cheaper and good quality products. Hence, it is important for the company to maintain a better relationship with the suppliers. According to Garca-Morales, Jimnez-Barrionuevo and Gutirrez-Gutirrez (2012), if there are barriers to entry in the market that can potentially transform an economy to a monopoly. On the other hand, if there is a barrier to exit that will also affect the business behavior. In the case of Critical Mix, there is no barriers to entry in the market and a significant number of potential competitors are there in the market. Therefore, it can be said that the company is faced with a potential competition from the rival firms. The buyers power of bargaining is included in the buyers power, if the number of buyers is significantly high in the market, the bargaining power of the buyers will increase. Moreover, an identity about the brand of the company will also be created (Turner, 2013). As the company does not have a niche strategy, it is more likely that the customers will be able to possess more bargaining power. However, if the company produces at a cheaper cost, it will be able to meet the demand by providing the products and services at a lowest possible market price. Substitutes of the concerned products and services also affect the business operation of the company. However, Critical Mix is faced with a significant competition from its rival firms, therefore it is essential for the company to design strategic framework, to survive this competitive environment. According to Turner (2013), as the firm is faced with significant rivalry, it should differentiate its products in an efficient manner this will help the company to design products that contain the uniqueness in its core features. Service of the company compared to the other companies is a factor that also influences the performance and profitability of the company. The Critical Mix provides a quick and efficient service; therefore, it is in a better situation (Wixom Watson, 2012). Reference List Audretsch, D. (2012). Entrepreneurship research. Management Decision, 50(5), 755-764. Bargiela-Chiappini, F., Nickerson, C., Planken, B. (2013). What is Business Discourse? (pp. 3-44). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Boons, F., Ldeke-Freund, F. (2013). Business models for sustainable innovation: state-of-the-art and steps towards a research agenda. Journal of Cleaner Production, 45, 9-19. Brunsson, N., Rasche, A., Seidl, D. (2012). The dynamics of standardization: Three perspectives on standards in organization studies. Organization Studies, 33(5-6), 613-632. Carraher, S. M., Paridon, T. J. (2015). Entrepreneurship journal rankings across the discipline. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 19(2), 89-98. Chen, H., Chiang, R. H., Storey, V. C. (2012). Business Intelligence and Analytics: From Big Data to Big Impact. MIS quarterly, 36(4), 1165-1188. Collis, J., Hussey, R. (2013). Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Palgrave macmillan. Garca-Morales, V. J., Jimnez-Barrionuevo, M. M., Gutirrez-Gutirrez, L. (2012). Transformational leadership influence on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation. Journal of Business Research, 65(7), 1040-1050. Morgan, N. A. (2012). Marketing and business performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(1), 102-119. Pache, A. C., Santos, F. (2013). Inside the hybrid organization: Selective coupling as a response to competing institutional logics. Academy of Management Journal, 56(4), 972-1001. Turner, B. A. (2013). The use of grounded theory for the qualitative analysis of organizational behaviour. Journal of management studies, 20(3), 333-348. Wixom, B., Watson, H. (2012). The BI-based organization. Organizational Applications of Business Intelligence Management: Emerging Trends, IGI Global, Hershey, 193-208.