Prevalence Of Musculoskeletal Disorder Health And Social Care Essay

Prevalence Of Musculoskeletal Disorder Health And Social Care Essay Musculoskeletal disorders, also called repetitive motion disorder, are injuries of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, nerves, and spinal discs. It could lead to occupation injury because of repetitive movement, forceful exertion, poor posture, and other factors. Back pain is one of musculoskeletal disorders most commonly experienced radiographers or x-ray technicians. This is attributed to poor posture and wrong movements that radiographers used to do during their long working hours (1) One common wrong movement practiced by radiographers is carrying cassettes on the hip, which puts load on one side of body and imparts torsional strain on the spinal muscles. Other wrong movements include; lifting patient by one radiographer with arms and legs in straight position, and bending from their waist with straight legs to retrieve an object from the floor (1-3). To avoid back pain among the radiographers, there must be safety rules and principles to follow during working hours. Literature Review: Several studies aimed to investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and occupational therapy among radiographers. All showed similar result indicating that the most common pain among radiographers was low back pain (4-9). Back pain among radiographers: An initial study of back pain was done by D. Wright and P. Witt (1993) to indicate any incidence of back pain, obtain demographic data, and discover preferences for performing radiography tasks. Randomly, 226 radiographers were chosen but only 18 male and 92 female radiographers accept to actively participate. Most of them worked in general diagnostic areas and were divided into two group. The first group consisted of participants with back pain from both genders. The male mean age was 40.08, mean height 68.3 inches, average of weight 181 pounds, and average of back pain intensity 2.4 on 10 point scales. The female mean age36.79, mean height 64.5 inches, average of weight 146 pounds and average of back pain intensity 3.5 on 10 point scales. Both males and females with back pain reported 6.85 of work related stress. The second group was without back pain. The male mean age was 43, mean height 69.8 inches, and average of weight 171 pounds. The female mean age37.56, mean height 64.8 inc hes, and average of weight 142 pounds. Their mean age was 43 for males and 37.56 for females. Instrument of the study was through the use of a survey with eight written pages and demographic information related to age, height, weight, area of specialization, work related stress, intensity and anatomical distribution of back pain. It was distributed to the volunteer to collect descriptive frequency data on back pain and their methods to perform 10 tasks. Some of these tasks were: moving over head tube, carrying multiple cassettes and transferring horizontal patient. It was found that there was no significant age, height, weight related links for back pain. It was also found that the methods to perform the tasks was not related to back pain. The study suggested that repeated poor posture, back strain, and faulty body mechanics may lead to back pain. However due to small sample size and self selected survey the study had limitations (4). Risk factors and musculoskeletal complaints in X-ray technologists: Another study was done by E. Bos, et al (2007) to determine prevalence rates of musculoskeletal complaints of neck, shoulder and low back and perceived exposure to risk factors. Non-specialized nurses, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses, operation room nurses, and x-ray technologists (n= 3169), worked in 8 different hospitals, were included in the study. A Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, which is a standardized questionnaire, partly derived from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, was given to the subjects to collect personal information and demographic information such as height, weight, function, having managerial task, working hours, and work in past and lifestyle. Moreover, musculoskeletal complaints, musculoskeletal workload, health, task, and psychosocial working conditions items were included. The final results clearly showed that x-ray technologists and nurses reported low back complaints (5). Musculoskeletal complaints among x-ray technologists: A cross-sectional study was done by A. Lorusso, S. Bruno, and N. Là ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢abbate (2007) included two hundred and fourteen x-ray technologists working in 13 different hospital in Italy. The volunteers were given a self administered questionnaire to collect information on individual characteristics and compliance of musculoskeletal pain. They were asked if they had lifted patients, transferred lead apron wearing, and handled cassettes. A Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used in order to evaluate musculoskeletal complaints in neck, shoulder, low back, hand/wrist, and legs during the past 12 months. The mean age was 48.5 years for men and 42.8 years for women. Fifty six of them were smokers, and 119 had a regular exercise program. The result reported low back pain as the most commonly symptom followed by shoulder and neck pain (6). Musculoskeletal complaints among x-ray technology students: Lorusso, L, et al (2010) aimed in their study to estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among a group of x-ray technology students. The subjects consisted of 60 male students and 49 female students (n=109). Their mean age was 21.1 years and of their body mass index (BMI) was twenty three. The students were given a questionnaire that had been used in a musculoskeletal survey among X-ray technologists. It collected information on individual characteristics such as gender, age, height/weight, smoking status, and leisure time physical activities. Information about physical exposure during training and complaint about the presence of musculoskeletal pain were also collected. The participants were also asked if they had lifted patients, transferred or positioned portable equipment handling, lead apron wearing and cassettes. A Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used to evaluate musculoskeletal complaints in specific body regions such as neck, shoulder, low back, hand and wrist and legs. The result showed that low back pain (LBP) was the most reported symptoms followed by neck and shoulder pain (7). Musculoskeletal disorders among radiographers in Kuwait: Sheikha Al-Kindari, el al (2008) investigated musculoskeletal disorder among radiographers in Kuwait. Data were collected by questionnaire from 147 radiographers who were working in different governmental hospitals. The questionnaire included 6 different parts, including demographic data, education and the current job, physical risk factor related with the regular work, psychological risk factor related with the regular work, general health status, and exist of any musculoskeletal problem in body. Musculoskeletal disorder on neck and lower back regions was the highest percentage because of standing for a long time, moving different equipments, lifting, caring, pushing and pulling loads (8). Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among radiographers: Finally, Kao, et al (2009) checked the relationship between musculoskeletal disorder and work related risk factor in radiography department. The subjects were 107 from radiography department. The majority worked at the department less than 5 years and were divided in different sections such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), X-ray, Ultrasound (US), and other. A questionnaire, which contained questions on work characteristics, work description, posture during long period, and body pain, was completed by the subjects. A modified body map also was used to indicate areas of experienced pain. It was categorized to upper back pain, upper limb pain, lower back pain, and lower limb pain. The participants were asked if their pain was related to their work, and were included to the study if there had answered with partially or fully related. Ninety seven subjects continued in the study while 7 refused and 3 pregnant women were excluded. The result of this study was a high percentage on low back pain and upper limb pain. The association between low back pain and working in CT was also significant because of heavy workload such as heavy lifting, twisting, and bending. The study limitations included small subject size, self reporting for measurement of outcomes limited, and estimations were some of limitations of this study (9). Biomechanical principles According to previous studies (3-4), musculoskeletal complaints among radiographers is caused by wrong movements such as repeated back strain, poor posture, and faulty body mechanics. To avoid the musculoskeletal pain, biomechanical principles must be followed. These principles include: Keeping a load à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“cassettes and tubeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  close to center of gravity (COG) Carrying the cassette vertically against chest rather than carrying it on the hip to avoid the load on one side of the body and imparts torsional strain on the spinal muscles. Lowering the tube to waist height before moving it horizontally to avoid back strain. Using legs muscles rather than paraspinal muscles Pushing mobile unit rather than pulling it. Transferring horizontal patient with assistance from 2 people with apart feet and straight legs. Bending knee, slightly bending back forward to pick up objects form floor. Avoiding twisting the back while loading paraspinal muscles when moving Bucky tray, moving supplies, moving equipment through doorways, working with wheelchair patients, and placing a cassette behind a bed redden patient. Using both hand to move the Bucky tray. Conclusion Musculoskeletal disorders are injuries of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, nerves, and spinal discs. Back pain is the most common musculoskeletal disorder among radiographers due to poor posture and wrong movements such as carrying cassettes on hip, lifting patient by one radiographer, and bending from their waist to retrieve an object from the floor. Several studies were done aimed to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among the x-ray technologists. The results confirmed that 72% and 77% prevalence of low back pain respectively among male and female radiographers, respectively (10-11). Biomechanical principles such as keeping a load close to center of gravity, using legs muscles, avoiding twisting back, and using both hand to move the Bucky tray, are recommended in order to avoid musculoskeletal pain in radiographers.

Development of Communities

Communities, like tribes, were traditionally considered to be the second stage of human grouping, right after families. They however now mean different things to different people, making the definition of community too broad and incapable of clear description. The notion of community, as per the Oxford English Dictionary, is defined to be â€Å"the people of a country (or district) as a whole; the general body to which all alike belong. † This definition is however largely inadequate, considering the many contexts in which the word is used today.At one level communities stand for clusters of persons, larger than families, who are related by specific common features like the language they speak, the gods they worship, the ethnicity they belong to, the traditions they practice and the place they stay in. Again whilst communities represent human groupings that are more populous than families, many extended families like the tribes that people the islands of the Indian Ocean can e asily qualify to be treated as communities.Communities are further known to have the same social standards, plainly discernible structures and come from specific locations. Communities are powerful entities and have on many occasions achieved remarkable goals in self determination and the pursuit of autonomy, ergo the many struggles for independence in Asia and Africa in recent decades. The sustained struggle of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka in the face of the most horrendous deprivation captures the essential resilience of community feeling and the extent to which it binds community members.Much of this internal strength comes from the sense of solidarity, identification and support that exists within these structures, the instilling of social values, and the development of attitudes and common strengths. The growth of terrorism is clearly linked to the influence of community attitudes and values; the London bombers, for example, owe their religious fanaticism to community feeli ngs, which superseded the influence of factors like education and financial and social well being and led them to take plainly irrational decisions.Whilst the notion of community has attracted attention and debate from the time of Aristotle, the social, economic, and political developments that have occurred on the global platform since the 1980s have put the relevance of community into sharper focus. Globalization, a phenomenon that took off in the 1980s after the collapse of the Soviet Union and entailed the breakdown of physical, economic, and trade barriers between peoples of different regions has truly made the world a much smaller place.Apart from the much greater interconnectedness that has happened in areas of business, trade, economics, education, travel and other areas of human activity, globalization has also led to substantial migrations of peoples from their native lands, Bangladeshis into India, East Europeans into the UK, people from South and Southeast Asia into the US and UK, and an ever increasing stream of Mexicans into the US.Spurred on by the desire for better living standards, people from economically backward and politically unstable countries are moving into neighboring or distant areas, putting up base, and settling down, changing local demographic structures, interacting with the original inhabitants, bringing their culture and tradition with them, influencing and being influenced by their adopted lands.By no means is this phenomenon restricted to the affluent countries, (viz.  global magnets like the USA and the UK), which have traditionally attracted the deprived with their economic affluence and individual freedoms. Bangladeshis, Tibetans and Nepalese, for instance, have crossed their porous borders with neighboring India and spread out all over the country, offering cheap labor at construction sites, restaurants, and to security companies, changing local equations, provoking sympathy as well as hostility and resentment.The Unite d States, which has for long been known to be a multicultural and welcoming haven for the poor and needy of the world is now home to millions of people from the Latin speaking countries of South America, Asia and the Pacific Rim, who have settled down in large numbers and significantly changed what was essentially a society dominated by whites, with peripheral roles played by African Americans. The inflow of these outsiders has led to the establishment of communities, where people with commonalities cluster together, sustaining and supporting each other, and interacting in various ways with the larger society around them.This study examines the issue of survival of such communities in the era of globalization, using readings from two distinguished and well known books, â€Å"Becoming neighbors in a Mexican American Community† (2004) by Gilda L. Ochoa and â€Å"The Politics of Diversity: Immigration, Resistance and Change in Monterey Park, California† (1997) by John Hor ton. Commentary and Analysis Gilda Ochoa, a professor of sociology at the California State University at Los Angeles picks up an intriguing subject, the relationships and interaction between Mexican Americans, for detailed investigation and analysis.Referring to a variety of sources like direct interviews, observations from participating in group discussion sessions, minutes of board meetings of local schools, and other relevant papers, Ochoa presents a vivid and disturbing picture of the relationships that are emerging between established Mexican Americans and the new immigrants from Mexico, who are pouring in, legally and illegally, from across the southern border of the United States in hundreds of thousands every year.Whilst the two communities of Mexican origin do have common historical, cultural, ethnic and religious traditions, their relationships and interaction are characterized by a number of contradictions and insecurities that include sympathy, helpfulness, and cooperati veness, as well as resentment, fear, and mistrust.Apart from emphasizing the role played by women in the construction of communities, Ochoa deals with issues pertaining to the use of Spanish at home and English in the outside world, the formation of identity and the dynamics of group working during the interactions of the two communities in commonly frequented public places in the small and predominantly working class city of La Puente, 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County.John Horton’s book focuses on the small (just 60,000 inhabitants) town of Monterey Park; which in recent years has generated substantial media and researcher interest. At one time Monterey Park was a suburb located some distance east from downtown Los Angeles. Immigration from China, Hong Kong and other Pacific Rim countries that began in the early 1970s and gained momentum thereafter led to the city becoming the first in the United States with a majority of Asian inhabitants.Hor ton’s book is actually one of a duo on the subject, the other being authored by Timothy Fong. The evolution of Monterey Park into an Asian majority city in the United States is important for the social and economic ramifications that arise out of the coming together of people of different races, different ethnic backgrounds and different classes in a nation that is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of cultures, languages, religions and income groups.Horton refuses to see Monterey Park as another Chinatown and views it in terms of a bustling and diverse location that has witnessed the political changes that arose from the interaction of immigrants and earlier residents of Asian, Latino and Anglo American lineage; he uniquely showcases the political battles that started off on the basis of ethnicity and race, which were thereafter gradually abandoned in favor of accord and harmony.The steady evolution of a multicultural, multiracial, and multiethnic society in the United S tates has led to significant demographic shifts and political changes. With the Latina/o population in Los Angeles expected to outstrip the white population by 2 million by 2010, the city is already known as the Chicano capital of the US. Such events have led to the development of complex relationships between the original inhabitants and newcomers and to the emergence of feelings of conflict as well as solidarity between different population segments.Whilst the entry of large numbers of migrants is bound to lead to the development of complex local relationships, the impact of globalization on the modern day economy and the consequent migration of industries and jobs to low wage areas in South America and from other parts of the world have also led to escalation in hostility, resentment and the tendency to lay the blame for difficulties arising out of such events on the influx of immigrants.Ochoa uses a number of research techniques to investigate the evolution of the Mexican immigr ant community in La Puente in the face of white resentment and hostility, the many obstacles and difficulties that characterized their lives in the city and the strange and complex relationships that developed between the incoming Mexican immigrants and the established Mexican Americans who had arrived earlier, put down their roots, brought up their children, and built their homes in the face of white resistance.Her investigations lead to the development of a piquant tale, warm and heartbreaking, and documents events that often go completely unnoticed by members of the majority and older community, for whom the newcomers often represent nothing more than unwelcome intrusions who clutter residential areas, litter streets, strain existing infrastructure, and take away jobs.Ochoa recounts, through a number of personal interviews, the travails of the Mexican community in the face of a dominant white population that felt strongly enough about immigration to enact laws seeking to deny und ocumented Mexicans â€Å"access to public services, such as excluding children from the public school system, another that denied affirmative action in schools and workplaces, and a third that stemmed from the larger English-only movement and aimed to eliminate bilingual education† (Ochoa, 2004, 3).Ochoa’s work is unique in the sense that most studies on the Mexican community until now have been quantitative in nature, have focused on demographic and work related issues and have not, like her study, taken cognizance of the impact of the environment and local interaction on the evolution of the Mexican community. Working purely within the confines of La Puente, Ochoa addresses issues that affect the evolution of the Mexican American community and the complex attitudes and behaviors that characterize the relations between Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrant newcomers.Her investigation also throws up the impact of the dominant culture on immigrant cultures and the pro bability of new cultures and new communities becoming assimilated in the culture of the majority community. With most assimilative and integrative methods practiced through local schools, Ochoa’s work focuses strongly on the working of schools and school boards, on the attitudes and impressions of local parents and how control of schooling provides the dominant community with strong weapons to suppress the expression of newer communities, take away from them the language of their forefathers and break their links with their ancestors.Apart from the pernicious effect of schooling on the latent aspirations of incoming communities, Ochoa’s investigation of interaction between Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants brings out the areas of conflict as well as solidarity and the extent to which the constant flow of immigrants can affect the assimilation process of older and established inhabitants from the same ethnic and geographical background. Immigrant communities from different cultures have to often face resistance to their traditions, language, and customs in their adopted homes from members of the home community.A phenomenon that has repeatedly expressed itself in the past in various settings, it has led to the immigrant community assimilating itself with the culture of the local community, adopting their way of life, language, customs and traditions. The United States has itself played host to impoverished immigrants from Ireland and other countries of Europe like Poland and Germany, who have over decades learnt English, Anglo traditions and customs, conformed to local expectations and become Americans.Assimilation of foreigners is not restricted to the United States and expresses itself in all societies that play host to immigrants. The United Kingdom for example is redrawing immigration procedures that now require all immigrants to take tests on their knowledge of England, English, and English society. Much of this assimilation is carried out at the level of local schools, where school policies are predominantly weighed in favor of maintaining the local language and local culture to the exclusion of alien languages and cultural influences.Ochoa makes the point that with schools being reproductions of the larger surrounding society, their structure, policies, procedures, and regulations, in La Puente, work towards strengthening the established values, attitudes, ideologies and inherent discriminatory attitudes of the American way of life; their socialization process emphasizes the integration of children of immigrants and other colored people by teaching and inculcating values, norms, attitudes and expectations of the dominant class.The emphasis on English to the exclusion of all other languages, including Spanish, is one of the most important tools for the gradual elimination of Mexican identity and the assimilation of children of different communities into the Anglo way of life that characterizes American society. L a Puente’s investigations also lead to the inescapable conclusion of immigrant communities having to do with poorer school quality and the routing of their children to inferior career paths, conditions that tend to perpetuate existing hierarchical and power structures.Such discomfort, which is supposedly normal in the early years of immigrant arrival in terms of the assimilationist paradigm, (Ochoa, 2004, 21) is expected to gradually lead to a betterment of conditions; the Mexicans are expected to follow in the footsteps of the Irish, Jewish, and Italian communities who came before them and gradually shed their community attributes and adopted the American way of life, i. e. entered into the activities and general life of the dominant community.The assimilationist paradigm further postulates that with immigrant communities expected to become less distinguishable from the dominant community with the passage of generations, such assimilation leads to greater acceptance and less er hostility and a gradual easing of difficult living conditions. Apart from the tactics of assimilation practiced in schools, Ochoa also documents the complex and dichotomous relationships that exist between Mexican Americans and immigrant Mexicans, with the reactions of Mexican Americans moving from feelings of distaste, shame and rejection to cooperation, assistance and solidarity.With the responses of Mexican Americans being shaped by (a) their feelings about California once being part of Mexico and now occupied by Americans, (b) their experiences in La Puente, their adopted homeland, their struggles and the hostility they faced in their efforts to settle down in La Puente (c) their affinity towards their people from Mexico, and (d) their feelings of embarrassment arising out of the backwardness of the new entrants, their reactions are contradictory and, going by the interviews with Mexican immigrants, veer from goodwill and cooperation to rejection and hostility.Much of the neg ative attitudes can presumably be put down to insecurity that could stem from feeling that their acceptance in American society could be adversely affected by the buildup of negative perceptions in the face of continuing influx. Ochoa also documents the struggles the Mexican community has faced and is facing in preserving their language and culture from established institutional and social culture and their need for preservation of their cultural and social identity.Horton’s book focuses on the emergence of diversity in politics in Monterey Park from one and a half decades (mid 1980s to late 1990s) of interaction between immigrants and native residents. Employing techniques like ethnography, the use of exit polls and interviews, Horton is able to represent the process of change, which encompasses the giving way of established networks of loyalty, the increasing importance of women, minorities and newcomers, and the makeover of identities.Horton examines the municipal election s of 1988, 1990 and 1992 to show that voters made their election choices in the first 2 elections mostly on the basis of ethnicity. By 1992 feelings of ethnic solidarity appeared to have diluted significantly and voting patterns did not appear to move along ethnic lines.Horton furthermore also investigates areas other than those concerning politics like civic organizations and social events to assess the results of interaction between the city’s multi-ethnic residents, and seeks to show that whilst ethnicity was an important political force, it was in a state of fluidity and was mined and modified for political advantage.Elaborating on the divisive and essentially racist approach of the Slow-Growth and the Official-English movements, (Horton, 1997, 121) Horton also points out the importance of class stating that integration at Monterey Park was furthered because both native inhabitants and immigrants belonged to the middle class. The middle class resources of the newcomers an d the middle class status of the established inhabitants helped in reducing differences between the two groups. This point is extremely valid; it reinforces the force of class as a divisive factor in society and its power to overcome differences in culture, traditions and ethnicity.Based upon a wide range of data that comprised of reviews of newspapers, exit polls, interviews and eyewitness accounts, Horton compares the issues of ethnicity, immigration and race in Monterey Park with larger regional, national, and global contexts. Opposing the view that that cultural diversity will lead to disunity among American people, Horton makes the point that diversity does not inescapably lead to lasting competition and conflict (Horton, 1997, 182) and that moreover the politics of diversity based on alliances between different ethnic groups can bring about unity and harmony.His effort is important for the analysis that interethnic politics lead to the redefinition of ethnic identities. A comm unity is far more than a collection of individual humans with some common bonds or purposes, such groups being more appropriately described as associations. Communities develop mores and are characterized by a sense of self identity that comes about from a common and shared past as well as a collective vision of the future, an identification with the concept of â€Å"us† and â€Å"them†, and finally of collective thought and attitudes, (features of community characteristics that are brought out very clearly both by Ochoa and Horton).Again communities need individuals to be integrated by principles, be active, and participate strongly in the pursuit of its interests. Communities, experts say, are united by an identifying principle, which represents the value, the ideal, and the good that the community revolves around for its sustained survival, and shapes the processes for assessing such principle.With the establishment of the values and principles and the organization of the community requiring its members to participate in such processes, interaction between community members is dependent upon communication, an essential feature of community life that is destroyed through negation of the use of ethnic languages by assimilative processes. Communities require communicating to grow and consolidate. With humans living in communities by virtue of the things they share and possess, ideal communities are restricted in size and distinguished by strong communication between its members.Globalization, migration, and assimilation of traits of other cultures obviously work against the strengthening of communication bonds between community members and affect its furtherance. The subject of globalization and its repercussions have come to the vanguard of socio-political debate and discussion, there being a growing concern that globalization, through its various manifestations, is wiping out communities and cultures and creating an ugly similarity all over the world.Events like the protests against the WTO in Seattle during 1999, the objection to the entry of McDonald’s in various parts of the world and other insurrections, suggest that the concept of a unified world is not just difficult but also unwanted by many peoples. It however needs to be realized that the personal and cultural impact that globalization is having all over the world is as important as its economic impact. The creation of a global society actually needs diversity in its constituents, the diversity in a society adding to its novelty and, hopefully, to its ability to be flexible.The integrating principle of a global society should not just reject sameness but should try to represent the views of all those involved in its creation and maintenance There is an increasing feeling that globalization can lead to the destruction of a myriad ethnic cultures in favor of one common culture, which most people feel will be predominantly Euro-American, considering the soft and hard powers of the western nations and their domination of global media.In both La Puente and Monterey Park, the cultures of ethnic communities have been subjected to a fierce assault by the dominant culture, much of which is played out in schools and by the imposition of the English language. The all pervasive effect of American advertising and television programs is also seen as a strong culturally invasive force, not just with immigrant communities in the US but all over the world; the concern about loss of cultural identity and local uniqueness is substantial and is caused by the perception of the imposition of cultural hegemony through all possible means.With globalization impacting the world at all levels, society, community, and individual, it is not difficult to foresee that the assimilation of individual cultures and unique community traits into the folds of the dominant community can have a negative impact upon community life. It however remains a fact that the homogen ization of the world, as also of different communities in the United States, is happening at a fast clip, a phenomenon that is adversely affecting the independence, growth and sustenance of a myriad communities. A number of reasons are behind this decline in community life.With globalization involving travel and migration of labor forces in large volumes from areas of deprivation and excess labor availability to those deficient in workforce and willing to pay for the same, it is become progressively difficult for communities to retain their distinguishing characteristics in the new areas that some of their members decide to make their homes in. Whilst increases in communication technology and cheaper air travel are making communication cheap and easy between people in different areas, the absence of direct face to face communication that existed in the past is bound to affect the integrity of community life.Limited communication will not allow for the development of relationships to levels that are needed for the continuance of communities. Apart from the deterioration in 121 relationships, community spirits are also hurt by cultures of consumption, market cultures and the cultures of dominant communities, all of which lead community members, especially those who are young to conform to what they feel to be the most popular, acceptable and esteemed culture. Market cultures affect community life adversely, leading to the dominance of commodification and the decline of neighborhoods, communities and common links of history and tradition.The adoption of the cultural mores and ways of life of the dominant community by immigrant communities is, in many cases, as highlighted by Ochoa, due to need for increasing the self esteem and self worth of members of immigrant communities. Such feelings in the minds of new immigrants are moreover reinforced by seeing people of the same community, who had come earlier, having already adopted the culture of sameness, and conseque ntly lead to greater assimilation with dominant communities and submersion of individual community traits.Homogenization of individuals into persons with similar behavioral and cultural norms arises from (a) environmental forces that do not appreciate and do not tolerate any deviation from accepted norms and (b) the erroneous notion that social or national unity requires all individuals to follow the same culture; much like the concept of organizational culture in the private sector. A nation or a society is however significantly different from a private sector corporation and such notions lead to the creation of utmost confusion over concepts of homogeneity and unity.Strong unity, most policymakers and intellectuals assert, comes from the affirmation of diversity in the context of similar objectives. Homogeneity in fact leads to dogma, intolerance, prejudice, and divisiveness and works against the concept of unity and effective progress towards common goals. Diversity has time and again been shown to be associated with the successful working and goal attainment of most groups of people.Communities and larger societies thrive on diversity and the underlying objective for the achievement and establishment of a beneficial structure, concepts and ideas that cannot progress in the absence of tolerance for other ideas and perspectives. The necessity of changing with the times is critical for all communities and larger societies. Globalization is also steadily eliminating the sense of responsibility necessary for the growth, purpose and consolidation of community life, with most community affairs being decided by state or national governmental bodies, and even by large corporate organizations.All this as well as the process of assimilation is leading to the steady deterioration of community life and the construction of associations that are characterized by sameness to the exclusion of oneness in the reinforcing presence of diversity. Lack of diversity, tolerance, a nd communication, leads to the stifling of communities. In actual fact, the concept of a truly global society allows communities to grow and flourish; it takes strength and sustenance from their various inputs and features, even as it strives for the achievement of common and not selective good.Such a society will work optimally only after the striking of a proper balance between the needs of globalization and the dominant and minority communities in areas of political, social and economic activity. Whilst globalization does not appear to be a reversible phenomenon, actions need to be taken to ensure that it is not allowed to destroy the notion of community. Both the studies, by Ochoa and Horton, reveal that whilst immigrant communities come under enormous pressure in early years, such strains disappear with the progress of assimilation.Although most community members show mixed approaches to the process of assimilation, resenting the taking away of the characteristic features of th eir life and at the same time wishing to be held in esteem by members of the dominant host community, the preservation of communities depends greatly upon the tolerance and openness of establishment members and the extent to which they are ready to respect the uniqueness of newcomers in their midst.Assimilation can actually instead of leading to unity result in a false sense of sameness, and such societies, which press for the establishment of sameness rather than diversity, can lead to the suppression of growth and sustenance of communities. Conclusion The continuance of communities in a fast globalizing world, as is evidenced from the foregoing discussion, depends to a large extent upon the tolerance and open-mindedness of dominant communities.Whilst most communities are formed over the ages and are by nature extremely resilient, excessive fragmentation, migration and exposure to more politically and economically powerful cultures that are furthermore negatively disposed towards a lien communities can put such communities under immense strain and lead to irreversible changes.Horton makes the point that modern day society, whilst containing elements of dogma and intolerance, are by nature receptive to the concept of multi ethnic structures; they are open to being shaped by and responding to external influences, and to the creation of freer and more vibrant social structures. The concept of a globalized world allows communities to retain their distinguishing and reinforcing features, even while it strives for the betterment of the common good.The successful progression of such social structures work towards the advantage and benefit of the many communities that sustain its diversity and multifaceted nature and it becomes the responsibility of all individuals to ensure that diversity is not sacrificed at the altar of sameness. Communities are critical to the successful progression of human society; they facilitate the establishment and sustenance of bonds betwee n humans at elemental levels, lead to joint and cooperative action for the betterment of society and to the continuation of different identities and cultures that have grown over centuries.Such features of diverse and multiethnic societies need to be valued and not extinguished by narrow and insecure parochialism and the desire to create a globally similar society. Unthinking efforts to assimilate separate cultures and extinguish their unique characteristics in favor of the establishment of uniformity can lead to nothing but the detriment of globalization efforts and society needs to be ever vigilant against such regressive tendencies.Recognizing the impact of globalization on communities and making of concerted efforts to preserve them is an imperative for the establishment of a truly globalized society and should be a priority of leading world societies. Globalization need not lead to the decline of community. Shifting of short sighted perspectives will help in the preservation, s ustenance and growth of unique communities and to the diversity and strength of a truly globalized society. References Ochoa, G.L, (2004), Becoming Neighbors in a Mexican American Community: Power, Conflict, and Solidarity, University of Texas Press Horton, J, (1997), The Politics of Diversity: Immigration, Resistance, and Change in Monterey Park, California, Temple University Press

Literary Essay on A Story of an Hour - 753 Words

â€Å"The Story of An Hour† focuses on sixty minutes in the life of a young nineteenth-century woman, Mrs. Mallard. Upon learning of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard experiences an epiphany about her future without a husband. Her life, due to heart problems, suddenly ends after she unexpectedly finds out her husband is actually alive. Mrs. Mallard’s actions cause the reader to cogitate a hidden meaning weaved into Kate‘s short story. Chopin had an idea that women felt confined in their marriages, and the idea is brought out through the protagonist’s initial reaction, excessive joy, and new perspective of the world following the upsetting news. The first example of the theme arises when the protagonist â€Å"wept at once, with sudden, wild†¦show more content†¦Mallard’s unexpected bout of joy also supports the theme; if she was not feeling confined, her feelings of grief would not have been replaced by excessive joy. Time moves alon g, and she continues to whisper â€Å"free! Body and soul free!† (Chopin 2). It is further understood that the character was released from a constricted marriage because the words willingly slip roll off her tongue. The last example occurs during and after Mrs. Mallard watches the â€Å"tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life† (Chopin 1). This shows that the character’s image of the world is already changed since she was informed of her husband’s death. In the twelfth paragraph, Chopin uses her character’s new perspective of the world to exemplify the confinement women felt. The character understood she had â€Å"no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself† (Chopin 2). Mrs. Mallard’s thoughts revolve around her limitations during marriage. She soon realizes that she would have â€Å"no powerful will bending hers† (Chopin 2). Mrs. Mallard was likely controlled her entire marriage; and now she is released from her husband’s dominance. Before opening the door for her sister, she was thinking about â€Å"all sorts of days that would be her own† (Chopin 2). The character looked forward t o her new life ahead of her because of the new freedom she has gained; she thought about the future that involved her freedom from marriage. Mrs. Mallard eventually says a prayer to herselfShow MoreRelated Literary Analysis: the Story of an Hour Essays645 Words   |  3 PagesWhen first reading Kate Chopins Story of an Hour, one may not typically be surprised at its ending, write it off as one of those creepy back from the dead horror stories and forget about it. There is more to this story than simply horror. The author is making a very strong, however subtle, statement towards humanity and womens rights. Through subtle symbolism, Kate Chopin shows how marriage is more like a confining role of servitude rather than a loving partnership. Mr. Mallard is assumedRead MoreLiterary Analysis- the Story of an Hour Essay1832 Words   |  8 PagesRide of Her Life In â€Å"The Story of an Hour† (1894), Kate Chopin presents a woman in the last hour of her life and the emotional and psychological changes that occur upon hearing of her husbands’ death. Chopin sends the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, on a roller coaster of emotional up’s and down’s, and self-actualizing psychological hairpin turns, which is all set in motion by the news of her husband’s death. This extreme â€Å"joy ride† comes to an abrupt and ultimately final halt for Mrs. Mallard whenRead MoreEssay on Literary Analysis on Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour 657 Words   |  3 PagesChopin’s â€Å"The Story of An Hour† focuses on a woman named Louise Mallard and her reaction to finding out about her husband’s death. The descriptions that the author uses in the story have significance in the plot because they foreshadow the ending. This story mainly follows a woman with heart trouble. Her husband’s name appears at the top of a list of people killed in a railroad accident. The story than explains her reaction upon finding out about his death. At the end of the story, her husband (whoRead MoreSymbolism in The Story of an Hour758 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in the â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin For this lesson I read The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin. Although there are many literary devices used in The Story of an Hour, I have decided to write my essay on the use of symbolism. The literary device symbolism is a technique used to represent ideas and events by using significant or important things that stand out in the story. A few things that stood out most in the story would be the comfortable chair, and Mrs. Mallards heartRead MoreLiterature Comparison735 Words   |  3 Pagesforms of literature. They are novel, drama, poetry, biography, non-fictional prose, essay, epic and short story. All these types of literature have some elements. To complete a piece of literature, a writer, dramatist or a novelist must use certain elements like plot, character, theme, etc. to capture the interest of their readers. When reading literature, there are themes which are interpreted within the literary piece. Themes reflect innocence, experience, life, death, reality, fate, madnessRead Moreexemplification essay653 Words   |  3 PagesOct. 30, 2013 Prof. Farve Exemplification Essay Types of Irony Is it strange how love can be a source of happiness, but also cause a lot of pain? Yet people tend to search for love, and once these people find love it comes with both pleasure and ache. Irony plays a role in love because love is what people perceive as joy but also causes hurt, yet people still search for love. In Kate Chopin’s Story of an Hour, there are different forms of literary, situational, and dramatic irony used. TheRead MoreEssay about Comp and Lit Comparison of Blue+Yellow/Story of an Hour1296 Words   |  6 PagesComp amp; lit II Essay 1 In the short story â€Å"the Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and the short story â€Å"blue + yellow† by Chris Killen compare in many ways. These two stories use the same literary device strongly such as imagery. Imagery is a literary device in which the author uses words and phrases to paint a picture in the readers head throughout the story. These two short stories are written with very descriptive language to help paint a picture of the occurrences in the story and describe a sceneRead More Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 Pagesout of the American literary canon.† (http://shirleyjackson.org/Reviews.html) Jackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraft or not, but it ended up helping her write her stories http://www.literarytraveler.com/li terary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws peopleRead MoreReflection Paper : A Trip906 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst draft, I had two stories, the first being about a change of fate (Wheel of Fortune) and the second being about a past excursion (A Trip). However, after being workshopped, I realized that I had to focus on one of the stories. As such, I took into consideration what my peers thought that day and decided to expand upon my second story, originally titled â€Å"A Trip†. One of the major issues I faced when writing my stories was having a clear focus. Additionally, since each story was relatively shortRead MoreTechnology and Family Issues in The Veldt by Ray Bradbury Essay1493 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"When I punished him for a month ago by locking the nursery for even a few hours—the tantrum he threw!† (Bradbury). This line of the story explains the wanting of the family’s children back against technology. It also shows that the technology is winning because of the desire to keep playing in the nursery. â€Å"The Veldt† is a short story written by Ray Bradbury who was born on August 22, 1920 and passed away on June 5, 2012. He was very interested in the science fiction genre and Edgar Allan Poe (Kattelman)

Words of Wisdom Quotes That Enrich Everyday Life

Wisdom is the distilled knowledge that is created through experience and insight. It is not something only the educated have. Mankinds ancestors left behind a treasure trove of wisdom in the form of scriptures, folklore, and proverbs. Their wise words guide people through the meandering path of life through the legends, folk tales, and  sayings  that get passed from one generation to another. These words of wisdom can help guide your life. Read them once, and you will find them  interesting. Read them again, and you will perceive their depth. Sir Winston Churchill The price of greatness is responsibility. Khalil Gibran Yesterday is but todays memory, and tomorrow is todays dream. A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle. Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars. I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers. ​Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof. Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Lifes longing for itself. They came through you but not from you and though they are with you yet they belong not to you. Theodore Roosevelt Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Dalai Lama When you lose, dont lose the lesson. Berthold Auerbach Years teach us more than books. A. Maude Royden Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal. Mark Twain Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Epictetus Decide who you must be, then do what you must do. Buddha What you are is what you have been, and what you will be is what you do now. Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them. Thich Nhat Hanh To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. William James The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. Albert Einstein Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. Elizabeth Cady Stanton Self-development is a higher duty than self-sacrifice. Confucius Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness. What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star. Henry David Thoreau Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it. Kurt Vonnegut What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured. Ralph Waldo Emerson Do not be too timid and squeamish about your reactions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. Ruth Stafford Peale Find a need and fill it. Sun Tzu Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak. Jimi Hendrix Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. Chinese Proverb The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie.

Summary Of The Great Gatsby Essay - 1937 Words

Noah Myers The Great Gatsby Reading Logs Chapter 1: In the Great Gatsby Chapter 1, The table has been set figuratively and literally. Figuratively because we meet Nick Carraway our narrator for the first time. Plus the rest of the great gatsby main characters, Daisy, Tom and jordan. Nick starts out having dinner with tom, daisy and jordan. The setting is in east egg, but the dinner takes place in west egg at the buchanans house. I think this passage from the great gatsby in the opening of the book, really sums up a lot about the book and how nick perceives and tells the whole story to us in the book In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I ve been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like you are criticizing any one, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven t had the great advantages that you ve had. Page 1-2 B. The two questions I have about the text based on this chapter is. What is the mystery behind gatsby? Who is Jay Gatsby really? C. How I feel About the characters and events. I really don’t understand tom and I don’t agree with him having a mistress even though he’s already married and has a kid. I think its wrong and I agree with how nick was reacting on how he was thinkung he should call the police. If I had to say a theme for this chapter It might be money can’t buy happiness. Because with all the money that tom has you would think that daisy and tom would be a happyShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby Summary1036 Words   |  5 PagesSummer Project 2012- â€Å"The Great Gatsby†: FULL SUMMARY OF â€Å"THE GREAT GATSBY†: During the 1920’s era, within the various movements of prohibition, women’s rights, and the Jazz Age, F Scott Fitzgerald bore a timeless novel by the name of â€Å"The Great Gatsby.† The predominant character, Nick, who duals as narrator, is indecisive but thoughtful. He lives in West Egg on Long Island Sound, amidst the aristocratic air and luxurious titles. Gatsby, Nick’s neighbor, whose affairs apart from his partsRead MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby 1277 Words   |  6 Pages Nick Lopez Ms. McCauley CP English III 4 April 2017 Death to the American Dream In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, all of the characters attempt to achieve a state of happiness in their lives. The main characters are split up into two groups: the rich upper class and the poorer lower class, which struggles to achieve a better, happier life. Although the major characters only seem to look to make their lives even better, the ideal and reality of the American Dream is almost completelyRead MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby 1327 Words   |  6 Pageseverything during this time. From parties to everyday life dà ©cor was a very influential aspect during this time. Jesse James In the novel The Great Gatsby, readers are treated with many examples of artistic, decorative, and architectural design by Fitzgeralds excellent descriptions of the colorful environments and locations in the novel. Nick stated, Gatsby s house - The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard—it was a factual imitation of some Hà ´tel de Ville in Normandy, with a towerRead MoreShort Summary of the Great Gatsby11203 Words   |  45 Pagesexceedingly ambivalent about the notion of the American dream: for him, it was at once vulgar and dazzlingly promising. It need scarcely be noted that such fascinated ambivalence is itself typically American. Like the central character of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald had an intensely romantic imagination; he once called it a heightened sensitivity to the promises of life. The events of Fitzgeralds own life can be seen as a struggle to realize those promises. He attended both St. Paul AcademyRead MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby By F. Salinger904 Words   |  4 PagesJ.D. Salinger Jerome David Salinger, one of the most influential authors to arise after World War II, was born on January 1, 1919 in New York City. Little is known about his early life except for his education. He attended schools on the upper west side of Manhattan, which would later be the setting of his most famous novel, The Catcher in the Rye. After flunking out of several prep schools, including McBurney’s, his parents sent him to Valley Forge Military Academy. At Valley Forge he maintainedRead MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby By Richard Rodriguez869 Words   |  4 Pagesmaterialism is the classic novel, The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though it has many concepts within it, the one ambiguous term that comes to mind when talking about The Great Gatsby is materialism. The Great Gatsby is centered upon the ideal of materialism. It is surrounded by the flashiness of being wealthy and having all that money can buy. All the characters such as Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan hold material things very highly. Mr. Gatsby and Mr. Buchanan show this significantlyRead MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1061 Words   |  5 Pagesthat, most people were doubled over gasping to catch their breath. Next, they did hand to hand combat. Last they did some strength training and then they were done for the day. That night he realized something, as he lay awake that he had gained a great friend and overcame his fear. Read MoreSummary Of The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1732 Words   |  7 Pagessay that would take it all back? No, that would only cause more problems. It was time to talk, but†¦that was terrifying. How do you start a conversation about the fact that you both wanted to relive the past so badly that you sent yourself there? Jay Gatsby would be jealous. Was this just†¦making matters worse? They weren’t totally unprepared, after all: this was the past, not the future. No flying hovercrafts or houses on Mars or†¦marriage to Willow. It was just a thought, really. No rings were purchasedRead MoreSummary Of Sir Taran s The Great Gatsby 956 Words   |  4 PagesWell past the middle of the night, on a clear autumn evening, Bili clapped his hands together. â€Å"Everyone! Calm down and take your seats. It’s about to begin and you’ll never see such a spectacle again in your lives, so sit.† None of the children seemed to heed his instruction, and with a slight scowl, Bili sat next to Asla on a blanket in front of the lake. â€Å"What a gaggle of wild ones.† Taran chuckled. â€Å"Are you accusing our grandchildren of being wild?† â€Å"The grandchildren? No, they’re perfect. It’sRead MoreSummary : The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald847 Words   |  4 Pages Anna Duke, Jordan Shawn What Happened: Duke and Anna planned to runaway together and give love a second chance. Before meeting up, Duke (Ian Buchannan) unsuccessfully tried to call off the hit on Jordan (Vinessa Antoine) for being a police informant (she was able to get the upper-hand and kill the shooter; 5/8). On Julian s orders, Carlos (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) cornered and shot him in the abdomen (5/7). Duke made it to the docks and died in Anna s arms. Carlos bragged that he would likely

Coming of Age Rituals Free Essays

Itercresco Make-up. High heels. Driving. We will write a custom essay sample on Coming of Age Rituals or any similar topic only for you Order Now Shaving. Dating. These are most of the undertakings that accompany maturing and becoming a young adult in the western society. For some in the western culture, the coming of age ritual is the allowance of these freedoms. In other cases and cultures, the coming of age ritual is often based on deeply rooted traditions and a heightened sense of grandeur. Whatever they may be, coming of age rituals are integral to our society, to our inner growth, and to our development as people. In this generation, â€Å"young people however, do not suddenly feel adult upon reaching the landmark legal ages. Instead, they view these ages as representing starting points for adulthood rather than as things that immediately render them adult,† (Waters 171). The coming of age rituals avail in establishing a heightened sense of responsibility to young adults, which in turn benefits our society; these rituals cause a person to feel seasoned and as if they are truly coming into their own. At this point in their lives, young adults are akin to baby sea turtles that have almost made it to the ocean; they are crawling to the ritual that will â€Å"make† them an adult. Itercresco not only enables adolescents to discover their roots in the context of cultural traits, religious spirituality, and relevant philanthropy, which will assist them in becoming productive members of society. With attention to common perceptions of â€Å"adulthood†, Itercresco interlaces practices such as volunteerism and going to an art museum to encourage the youth to be emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially independent. â€Å"Itercresco†Ã¢â‚¬â€ the name is a combination of the Latin translations of the words â€Å"growing† and â€Å"journey†. The ritual, which occurs at the age of sixteen, involves seven months living in the country and town from which either the teenager’s mother’s or father’s family originates; the young adults have the option to choose the region they wish to further explore. If there is still family living in the town or city, the teenager may spend one out of the seven months with the relatives if they allow them to. If the young adult no longer has family in that vicinity, they will live on their own and off of the land as much as possible for the duration of the seven months. The adolescents are sent away with seven thousand dollars and half of these funds must be used for philanthropic purposes. The rest of the money must endure the seven months, but they are allowed to find work. In fact, acquisition of employment is highly encouraged, as it will further fuel attention to a responsible persona. The funds for the philanthropic aspect cannot simply be donated; it must be actively used to benefit the town or city. In this day and age, preparation of the nation’s youth for the fast-paced society they are subjected to is integral. Itercresco seeks to ready adolescents for the â€Å"real world† by exposing them to society in a mature light and fashion. This generation requires a well-rounded persona in order to be successful. Being cultured is imperative in our community; knowledge of classic literature, film, art, and music seems to be the necessity in the modern time. For example, trips to the Louvre in Paris and Gershwin Theatre in New York City can drastically provide new outlooks on life as well as knowledge not previously present. Self-discovery and understanding on a religious level is also an integral aspect to being a productive member of society; apprehension of one’s inner self and a sense of self-awareness serve as foundations for being self sufficient and independent. Spending time immersed in learning about the spiritual aspects of different religions and examining one’s own views on spirituality and religion can provide immeasurable wisdom and erudition. A simple trip to a mosque or synagogue can shed light on a myriad of beliefs and ideals that may shape one’s future outlook on life. Giving back to the community and having a sense of responsibility for one’s environment is also an important aspect of being a contributing party to one’s community. Anything from assisting with building homes for citizens displaced by natural disasters to singing for the elderly can spawn a sense of obligation to one’s commonality and environment. Itercresco and its various parts successfully establish activities in lieu of producing and spawning successful and contributing members of society that can maintain stable employment and admirable relationships, for example. The coming of age ritual ensures that a sense of independence and stability will be met at the end of the journey because it requires tasks that build and cultivate accountability. At first glance, the young adults find the discovery of the cultural traits is most jocular in Itercresco. The new understanding of the clothing, music, and fine arts of their region of origin proves to be a refreshing aspect of the coming of age ritual. At least one concert must be attended as well as one dance performance, art show or exhibit, or heatrical performance. The young adult may or may not choose to adapt to clothing styles, but while attending shows or performances, he or she must wear garb similar or identical to the citizens of the province. In further examination of the cultural aspects of the region, the purpose of Itercresco seeks to educate and entertain young adults with their own roots and origins. Itercresco solicits a sense of feeling connected to one’s heritage while ensuring the teenager is having a convivial experience. The exploration of the culture will help the adolescent to become more well-rounded and refined, which will in turn better prepare them to participate and converse effectively in society. Self identification and spiritual discovery are the most important standpoints of Itercresco; they give the young adult an opportunity to find out who they are as a person, what they seek for their lives, and what they will rely on as their rock and stronghold. Itercresco encourages young adults to learn about the regional religion in order to expand knowledge of their own roots and even perhaps to positively influence the spiritual journey. By no means is the young adult to have the regional religion forced upon them; the young adult is encouraged to take all religious leanings with a grain of salt and discover for him or herself what they need spiritually. To better understand the region’s roots, young adults learn and understand the common creation story the majority of the citizens believe. They can choose to unearth and learn about the creation story by asking family, neighbors, citizens, or by researching through books and other writings. The young adults are also expected to explore the ethereal quests of their ancestors to better understand where they come from. They are also encouraged to journal their progress through their metaphysical ventures throughout the seven month duration. The purpose of this portion of Itercresco is to establish independence. Thinking and feeling for oneself, as well as having control and knowledge over one’s emotions and religious or spiritual beliefs, is a significant step towards adulthood and establishing one’s aptitude. This autonomy is crucial to being an adult in our post-modern society. In a hypothetical sense, if a family tragedy of some sort occurred, a faculty over one’s emotions and actions is expected. Hence, why personal understanding is promoted during Itercresco. The philanthropy aspect of Itercresco is the most personal of the discovery aspects. It takes the young adults heart and projects in into something that will benefit the community from which they inherit their culture. The young adults will choose something that is not only close to their hearts, but something that can truly benefit the community. The mission is to give back to the region that took part in establishing their existence. During the philanthropy, if funds or resources fall short, they are responsible for recovering what they need to complete the philanthropy; they can take donations or use any earnings from jobs they have done. The philanthropy can span from anything—from donating school supplies to building a garden to sustainably grow food. The possibilities are endless. The young adults choose a task that will touch their own lives as well as the lives of others in the community. The adolescent is not only performing the philanthropy to finish with the particular area of Itercresco. Every commonality has needs and Itercresco’s foundation bases and prides itself on connection to heritage; who better than to aid in fulfilling the needs of a populace than an individual whom derives their roots from said territory? After the philanthropy is completed, a book of photos and journals is compiled to aid future generations in their philanthropy. The community outreach is integral to Itercresco, as it will determine the compassion and service they are willing to give back to the community; this is critical as this is what stands to be the backbone of society. Fulfilling the different areas of Itercresco combine to be beneficial to one’s maturity as well as their inherent growth as a person. Discovering and spending time immersed in one’s roots helps a person better understand one’s heritage; knowing oneself guides who a person toward individualized identity. Young adults are meant to glean experience, knowledge, and a new sense of independence from Itercresco. Julia Alvarez soundly states in her work, Once Upon a Quinceanera, that her own ritual gave her â€Å"a new community to belong to, a narrative I could follow into adulthood† (37). This quote proves accurate for Itercresco as the ritual gives a new sense of established belonging to a community the young adult already had ties to. Itercresco is in pursuit of reintegrating the teenager into their society with a cultivated and sophisticated outlook on society, their lives, and their environments. The highlighted sense of responsibility, independence, and feeling of belonging of Itercresco provides immeasurable benefits and internal growth for the teenager moving into adulthood. Works Cited Barrios, Barclay. â€Å"Once Upon a Quinceanera. † Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 228-48. Print. Waters, Mary C. Coming of Age in America: The Transition to Adulthood in the Twenty-first Century. Berkeley: University of California, 2011. Print. How to cite Coming of Age Rituals, Papers

Revenue Management Level of Profitability

Question: Discuss about the case study Revenue Management for Level of Profitability. Answer: Introduction Revenue management is defined as the application of the regimented analytics which helps to predict the behaviour of the customer in the level of micro-market (Tourism Accommodation Australia | Australia, 2016). In this report, the revenue management of an organization named Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour has been studied and analyzed in detail in order to determine the financial condition of the organization in the overall hospitality industry. In order to optimize the revenue, pricing is considered as one of the two strategic levers that can be used to optimize the revenue of an organization. Thus, in this report, a revenue management strategy for the financial year 2016 July/ 2017 June has been analyzed in order to run the business of the organization effectively and efficiently. For detailed study, market segment analysis, competitor set analysis, demand forecasting and channel analysis have been performed in order to better understand the market and the financial condition of the particular firm. Analysis of the market segmentation The market segmentation of the Novotel Sydney, darling Harbour can be analyzed by taking into consideration several factors that include public, promotions, negotiated rates, groups, wholesales and others. Public: BAR Official Website: The best available rates are marketed through the websites BAR Direct: The Best available rates are marketed through phone, fax and the emails (Casado, 2012). BAR Indirect Commissionable: The Best Available Rates are primarily marketed through different commissionable online travel agents BAR Indirect Net Best Available Rate can also be marketed through the net rate online travel agencies Groups: The market of the Novotel, Sydney can be segmented based on the groups that are mentioned below: Groups Leisure Business Wedding/Special Occasion Events Crew Conference (Testa Sipe, 2012). Whole sale: The target market of the Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour can be divided based on different forms of the wholesale: Wholesale Tour and Travel Operators Tour and Travel Wholesalers (Dunbar, 2013) Consulted Rates: The consulted rate or else the negotiated rates of the Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour can segment the market into different categories that includes the Corporate Dynamic Rates, corporate flat rates, rates for government and other crews (Dunbar, 2013). Negotiated Rates Corporate Rates Flat Corporate Rates Government Crew Other facets of segmentation: The other criteria for segmentation of the market of the Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour include the Complimentary use, barter, walk-in, overbooking, and house use and time share (Folkestone, 2016). Other factors of Segmentation Complimentary use, Barter, Walk-in, Booking, House Use and Time Share Environmental scanning Political Environment The government can overcome different barriers to development of hotels in different parts of Sydney and boost the business environment of the hotel industry in which the Novotel Sydney operates Reports reveal the fact that the increase in the supply of hotels in Sydney from 150 to 550 rooms per year by the end of the year 2020 can permit the increases in the supply in order to meet various demands and at the same time permit the development of a sustainable hotel industry (Home, 2016). In case of the company Novotel, Sydney, the political environment scan reveals the fact that Australia is a liberal capitalistic democracy and the economy persistently interferes in the operations of different nations. The government also affects the policies of the taxation of the economy (Meissner Strauss, 2012). Economic Environment The economic factors that commonly affect the business operations of the Novotel Sydney mainly include the confidence of the consumers, the rate of employment in the economy, rate of interest as well as inflation (Ovchinnikov Milner, 2012). The condition of the economy, system of the economy, policies of the government, the industrial strategies, import as well as export policies are the main economic factors that affect the business operations of the Novotel Sydney (Folkestone, 2016). Reports reveal the fact that the Australia holds the 10th rank in the area of the Ease of Doing Business index (Dunbar, 2013). In addition to this, the Australia based Novotel is also a positively influenced by the persistent growth of the economy of Australia, low rate of inflation in Australia, contained rate of inflation and very low rate of public debt (Ovchinnikov Milner, 2012) (Meissner Strauss, 2012). Socio-cultural environment Australia is regarded as an assortment of diverse individuals residing in a comparatively young community. In addition to this, there is no official religion in the nation with 26% Anglican, 26% Roman Catholic and 24% Christian among many other categories. The increase in the overall level of education of the people of Australia affects the business operations of Novotel, Sydney. Again, there can be high concentration on the assimilation of different cultural groups into different dominant British Australian traditions. Trend Analysis The five-starred hotel, Novotel Sydney have acquired high rate of growth in the supply with persistent growth in demand (Ovchinnikov Milner, 2012). Reports reveal the fact that there is a 2.2% increase in the supply corresponding to 1.5% increase in demand for the hotel industry (Casado, 2012). On the other hand, there is a 0.6% decline in the occupancy rate along with a 2.6% increase in the mean daily rate (Casado, 2012). The average daily rate is now registered to be AUD 230.74 in addition to a 2% increase in the revenue per available room (Dunbar, 2013). According to reports, there is a marginal decrease in the occupancy although the absolute level remains high (Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour | Darling Harbour Hotels, 2016). According to reports provided by the Deloitte Access Economics, the average rate of occupancy of the Sydney hotels has reached the highest level during the year 2016 ever since the year 2000 (Meissner Strauss, 2012). Generational Targeting The management of Novotel, Sydney has positioned itself to engage guests of different generations and serve them something more than just a hotel stay. The management of the company therefore devises strategy for customer engagement that can appropriately attune to the psychological association of the guests to the brand and help the hoteliers in anticipating the desires of the guests in a better way. On an average, one in a five consumer remains potentially engaged. However, this holds true for 22% of the guests belonging to the generation X (Schwartz et al., 2012). Again, the rate of engagement rises for the Millennial to 20%, 25% for the Baby Boomers and 26% or the traditionalists (Semrad, 2014). However, there is relatively lower percentage of young guests that can be engaged with the services of the hotels. The management of the hotel Novotel, Sydney can therefore target the generation Y as the emerging targeted segment in the hotel industry (Semrad, 2014). The hotelier can ther efore concentrate on the pre-purchasing process online, healthy eating as well as eco-friendliness and technology induced services. The young customers also aspire for luxury consumption and depend on the credit as well as thrift culture of shopping. Customer Worth The total Customer Worth can also be referred to as the dollar value of the total customer association founded on the present life-time value. The total customer value refers to the perception of the customer regarding what the customer receives in comparison to what the customer pays (Singh et al., 2016). Therefore, the customer lifetime value makes attempt to make out the economic value those customers can bring in to the business over the entire lifetime of the customers. The life-time value can also be regarded as the prediction of the overall net profit that can be attributed to the entire future association with the customer (Steinhardt et al., 2012). Analysis of the competitor set Identification of the competition The analysis of the competitor set of the Novotel, Sydney reveals the fact that the company does not face the challenges of competition as the company has entered into the arena of premium and luxury hotel industry. The big companies are very much likely to enter into the domain in the near future. Again, the small local hotels do not pose any challenge to the company Novotel, Sydney. The main competitors of the Novotel Sydney include the Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, Sir Stamford At Circular Quay, QT Sydney and many more. The premium class luxury hotels pose challenge to the business of the Novotel, Sydney as the five star rated hotel offers high level of services and is very organized in their operation (Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour | Darling Harbour Hotels, 2016). Competitive intelligence The management of the company can develop the competitive intelligence by increasing the revenue by way of smart evaluation of the overall market as well as competitive set having the historical as well as the forward looking data (Ovchinnikov Milner, 2012). The twenty four cycle of the news needs to shorten different time to press of different environmental events as well as business developments that can affect the overall business of the Novotel, Sydney. The competitive intelligence of the hotel also recognizes with different risks as well as opportunities before the events occur (Schwart et al., 2012). Therefore, the competitive intelligence also includes the variances between different widely accessible factual information that includes traditional information accessible from different online, social media and unique perspectives on the developments as well as events that can yield the competitive edge. Therefore, the competitive intelligence of the professionals includes sophi sticated training as well as processes in order to acquire important information and convert the same into intelligence for business decision making. Competitive Advantage The competitive advantage refers to different conditions or else state of affairs that facilitates the company to remain in a favourable or else superior business position. The business advantage of the Novotel, Sydney SWOT analysis The market condition of the organization Novotel, Sydney can be better understood from the SWOT analysis as this particular analysis helps an analyst to distinguish between the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths: Location Service Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainability Brand Accommodation Atmosphere Weaknesses: Price Association to hotel rather than Conference venue Opportunities: Brand Image Flexibility Threats: Competitors Declining Market Strengths: The particular organization Novotel is situated on Darling Harbor at Sydney, in Australia, the largest capitalist nation in the world. This location attracts many visitors and thus it can be said that the particular location is considered as one of the strengths of the organization (Bodea Ferguson, 2014). Additionally, the brand name, high accommodation capability, healthy atmosphere, sustainability of the firm and its CSR activities adds more value to the organization (FitzPatrick et al., 2013). Weaknesses: The price or the rate of the organization Novotel is relatively higher than any other hotels. Thus, it sometimes acts as an obstacle to the revenue generation process of the organization. Moreover, Novotel is more associated with hotel than conference venue, thus, the business people cannot select this particular hotel for the purpose of conference (Novoteldarlingharbour.com.au, 2016). Opportunities: The flexibility of the firm Novotel and the image of the brand act as the opportunities for the particular organization. The reason behind this is that the brand image helps the firm to attract more customers and thus it also helps to enrich the revenue of the organization Novotel. Threats: The hospitality industry is growing in Sydney and new competitors take entry to the market. This increases the competency of the firm and thus it seems to be a threat for the particular organization Novotel. Moreover, it has been found that due to the economic condition, the market of hospitality industry declines in Sydney (Mauri, 2013). Development of strategies as per the competitive SWOT analysis The management of the Novotel, Sydney can implement the Blue Ocean Strategy that can help the company to gain competitive advantage in the market. The blue ocean strategy refers to the process of elimination of the age old existing concept of offering guests with different private rooms (Chen et al., 2012). Again, the blue ocean strategy of the company also includes raising the awareness regarding the concept of the backpacking trips as well as sharing the rooms with the world (Wang, 2012). However, the strategy also involves the reduction of different elements with high cost in order to increase the cost efficiency. Demand Forecasting Supply and demand The management of the Novotel, Sydney can concentrate on the growth rate of the demand for the hotel industry in Sydney. The historical figures reflect the fact that the hotel industry in Sydney has not experienced any long-term growth that is near to the targeted figure of the 4.1% per year (Mauri, 2013). Again, as per the reports published between the year 2000 and 2011, there has been an annual average decrease in the nights spent by the visitors to 1.4% (Bodea Ferguson, 2014). However, based on the historical figures on the demand of the visitors we can arrive at the demand forecast figures until the year 2020. In order to attain the growth targets for the future, the hoteliers can devise long term approaches by taking into consideration different marketing initiatives and at the same time the infrastructure for the investment. Figure 1: Future Demand Scenarios (Source: Bodea Ferguson, 2014) The management of the hotelier Novotel, Sydney can consider the Australian Tourism Accommodation Model in order to recognize with the future conditions of the hotel market. The model takes into account the multi-equation as well as structural model that can incorporate different economic facets in the hotel accommodation market and takes into account the supply, demand as well price in a very dynamic setting. The scenario 1 refers to the scenario when the annual average increase in the demand during the year 2012 to 2020 is 549; the scenario 2 refers to the situation when the mean increase in the demand profile is 395 and the scenario 3 indicates the demand profile that equals to 145 (Hawkins Chen, 2014). The limited growth in the overall supply of the hotels in the industry can also offer some stimulus to the increase in the hotel room in the Novotel, Sydney as well. Figure 2: Future Annual Hotel Room Supply (Source: Hawkins Chen, 2014) Price Elasticity The price elasticity of demand can be calculated by the dividing the percentage change in the quantity demanded by the percentage change in the price (The Digital Economist., 2016). The equation on the price elasticity essentially represents the comparative responsiveness to the demand founded on the price. For instance, in case if the hotelier has 100 available hotel rooms where 20% of the inventory can be marketed at AUD100, then the marketer needs to increase the price of the remaining 80 hotel rooms owing to the lower number of inventory and thereby need to decrease the number or else the quantity to be marketed. The basic principle of the revenue management is to market at the highest possible price (The Scholarly Commons | Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Research., 2016). The total availability in the market place can also affect the price elasticity of demand. Finally, it can be said that the price elasticity of the demand or else the internal compression as well as the demand competitor pricing is equivalent to the price optimization (Tourism Accommodation Australia | Australia, 2016). Management of Demand The changes in the procedure of the distribution, rise of the internet among many other factors have affected the demand management process in the hotels. The staff members, members of the regional chains and the managers of the chain manage the demand factor in the hotel. The factors that the managers of Novotel can take into consider for management of the demand include gauging the response of the market, appropriate segmentation of the market and the related pricing strategy along with the price response to different competitive sets. The process of enumeration of the market response is the enumeration of the response of the consumers towards the pricing policy, promotional strategy and different marketing initiatives adopted by the hotelier. Impact of the elasticity of price on the consumer spending and revenue There exists a relationship between the elasticity of demand with the total revenue of the corporation. The inelastic demand can lead to increase in the prices and at the same time increase in the revenue. Again, the elastic demand can lead to fall in the prices and in turn a rise in the total revenue of the firm Novotel, Sydney. Figure 3: Effect of Price Elasticity of Demand on Revenue (Source: Hawkins Chen, 2014) Channel Analysis Reservation Evolution The evolution of the hotel reservation system is also considered as a vital factor in the hospitality industry. As per the organization Novotel, booking is one of the important parts of service thus; here evolution of this booking or reservation system has taken place. This includes online booking system, reservation through phone call and in person booking is also available for the firm Novotel (Walker Walker, 2012). All the systems have been evolved and designed in order to suit both the domestic and international customers. The evolution in the reservation system has taken place, thus, confirmation of the booking is done by Novotel over the phone only or over the e-mails (Hawkins Chen, 2014). These evolutions and modifications are considered by Novotel in order to earn more new customers and also to retain the existing ones. Global Distribution System (GDS) The GDS system helps to maintain both local and international commercial contracts with every type of client. It has been found that Novotel has generated more than 500 major corporate client accounts across the world by negotiating with the leisure, business and intermediary partners (Novoteldarlingharbour.com.au, 2016). Preferential agreements and strategic partnerships with the leading OTAs (online travel agencies) also help Novotel in GDS (McMahon-Beattie Yeoman, 2014). In addition to these, the contracts with 200 major airline companies, biggest international travel organizers and agreement with leading events procurement agencies (like meetings, conferences, incentives and seminars) also help Novotel in GDS (Novoteldarlingharbour.com.au, 2016). Property Management Systems (PMS) PMS is also known as Hotel Operating System (Hotel OS) that is used in the particular organization Novotel. These are computerized systems which help to facilitate the personal property, equipment and management of properties (Novoteldarlingharbour.com.au, 2016). Therefore, Novotel uses the cloud technology and software-as-a-service model for better running of the organization. Distribution Costs It has been found that Novotel has planned to invest an amount of 220 million euro in next four years in order to serve the common interest in the best way (Novoteldarlingharbour.com.au, 2016). The particular firm is ambitious regarding the digital strategy and thus it considers the foreseeable future to be digitalized, as it will help to decrease the distribution costs. Channel Selection The strong reservation system of Novotel acts as an efficient distribution platform that helps to meet all the requirements of the organization from online reservation and online payment to optimization of sales value and management. Moreover, the direct sales distribution channel of the firm like a stronger online presence, growth of presence of mobile, after-sales service and call centres helps Novotel to earn more revenue (Arenoe, van der Rest Kattuman, 2015). Conclusion The above study helps in gaining a deep understanding regarding the market segmentation of the hotelier, business environment of the hotel in which it operated. In addition to this, the current study also helps in understanding the existing trends along with the total worth and the lifetime value of the customer. 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