Feminism, the Public and the Private Essay - 1471 Words

Feminism, the Public and the Private Conceptualizations of the public and the private have always been central to the politics of second-wave feminism. The slogan, the personal is political, implied that private life was often the site, if not the cause, of womens oppression. In 1974, some of the authors of Woman, Culture and Society (Lamphere and Rosaldo 1974), one of the founding texts of academic feminism, asserted that the universal cause of womens oppression lay in their confinement to the domestic sphere. Since that time, anthropologists have modified and complicated their assertions about the private. 1 Many other scholars have turned to confronting the meaning of the public. Joan Landess anthology represents an important†¦show more content†¦Benhabib rejects both Arendts agonistic republicanism and liberalism in favor of Habermass radically procedural approach, which, she contends, offers a way to contest the rigid distinctions Habermas posed between public and private, justice and the good life, norms and values, and needs and interests. The analysis of Habermas continues in Part II, Gender in the Modern Liberal Public Sphere, which deals with the history of the public sphere from the Enlightenment through the establishment of what Carol Pateman calls in her essay, The Patriarchal Welfare State. In The Public and Private Sphere: A Feminist Reconsideration, Landes criticizes Habermass universalizing and textualizing tendency. Like several other authors in this volume, Landes calls for a conception of the public that includes embodiment, iconicity, theatricality, [End Page 179] unruliness, affectivity, and particularity as well as the Habermasian rational discourse that masks its origin and interests as universality. Lenore Davidoff is less interested in criticizing political theory than in showing how historians and others must look carefully at the ragged edges of the public, the semi-public, and the private spheres to understand how Victorian women and men of a variety of social classes came to define others and themselves in terms of rationality, individuality, the market, and property. Temporal and contested as these boundaries were, however,Show MoreRelatedLiberal Feminism vs. Radical Feminism Essay1490 Words   |  6 PagesLiberal Feminism and Radical Feminism The goal of feminism as both a social movement and political movement is to make women and men equal not only culturally, but socially and legally. Even though there are various types of feminism that focus on different goals and issues, the ultimate end to feminism is abolishing gender inequality that has negative effects on women in our society. The issues and goals that a feminist may have are dependent on the social organization or the type of economicRead MoreThe Public And Private Sphere1387 Words   |  6 PagesThe understanding of the public and private spheres has been part of a number of debates in different areas of academia, particularly in political theory and international relations. The concept of civil society emerges from this debate in an attempt to understand the formations of people outside of the private sphere. In this sense, I want to explore the development and expansion of this concept. In order to do that, I will explore the contributions of Jà ¼rgen Habe rmas and Nancy Fraser to the conceptualizationRead MoreFeminism And The First, Second, Or Third Wave1272 Words   |  6 PagesWhen referring to the history of feminism in the manner of the first, second, or third wave, one is undermining the experiences that were ongoing during, in middle of, and before those waves that history defines. What ideologies of oppression were being spoken of to raise awareness and whose experience was being excluded/diminished? The articulation of feminism in using the metaphor of waves to describe how the ideologies peaked and rescinded, is incorrect because it focuses only on the voices ofRead MoreFeminism Is An Interdisciplinary Idea881 Words   |  4 PagesFeminism is an interdisciplinary idea. In sociology, feminism broadens our ideas on gender and transforms it into a major field of study. George Ritzer, in Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, breaks feminist theory down into four major varieties, gender differences, gender i nequality, gender oppression, and structural oppression. He then explains the different forms of feminism seen in each variety. The first variety, gender difference, describes, explains, and traces the implicationsRead MoreFeminism : The Main Branches Of Feminism1668 Words   |  7 PagesThe extent to which feminism is characterised more by disagreement then agreement is the debatable. The three main branches of feminism: Radical, Socialist and Liberal disagree on a number of issues such as the roots of patriarchy and the details of its solution. However on whole it can be seen that they still agree the 2 core themes of feminism of patriarchy existing and what to do about patriarchy. Patriarchy is the view that man has oppressed women depriving them of choice or freedom to suchRead MoreThe Feminist Theory Of Women s Representation On The Company Board Of The Australian Agriculture Company Essay1733 Words   |  7 PagesThrough the notion of gender, feminists analyse relations of power concerning males and females, how that power is exerted and that the interaction has habitually, historically and socially instigated throughout time. There are four major lenses of feminism; liberal, Marxist, radical and socialism. The findings in this paper focus on the strengths and limitations of radical and liberalist feminist theories that propose reasons as to why women are underrepresented on company boards within the agriculturalRead MoreThe Feminist Theory Of Women s Representation On The Company Board Of The Australian Agriculture Company Essay1706 Words   |  7 Pages(AACo). Through the notion of gender, feminists analyse relations of power concerning males and female s, how that power is exerted and the that interaction has habitually, historically and socially implemented over time. There are four major lenses of feminism; liberal, Marxist, radical and socialism. The findings in this paper focus on the strengths and limitations of radical and liberalist feminist theories that propose reasons as to why women are underrepresented on company boards within the agriculturalRead MoreFeminism1121 Words   |  5 PagesFEMINISM Introduction to Sociology Feminism Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. The movement organized around this belief. Feminism Feminist Theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide. Feminism can be defined as a recognition and critique of male supremacy combined with efforts to change it. Feminism The goals of feminism are: To demonstrate the importance of women To reveal that historically women have been subordinate to menRead MoreThe Utopian Society : A Utopian State1296 Words   |  6 Pageshad few life options and due to historical developments, new opportunities have arisen for women in society. However, we still have long way to go to reach a utopian state. We can see this by the feminist movements that exist today. The belief of feminism is that women should have economic, political and social equality with men. Many feminists challenge traditional gender roles by pushing the limit and cultural ‘rules’ that were set. Women in America were denied the right to vote and pursue theirRead MorePolitical Ideology And The Public Policies1527 Words   |  7 Pagesto be a set of ideas on a broad range of issues concerning government and politics and the public policies used to achieve its goals. Ideologies are used to describe and understand the world as it is through human nature, historical events, realities in the present, future possibilities, and reaching social, economic and political ideals (Jost, Federico and Napier, 309). Conservatism, anarchism and feminism all have attributes of political ideology and are relevant to modern American politics when

As An Upper Level High School Mathematics Teacher, My...

As an upper level high school mathematics teacher, my students are assigned to classes based on skill level rather than grade level, but the due to the nature of the material, most students are juniors and seniors. Tasha, the student constantly demanding my attention to ask if she is doing the work correctly, is almost certainly one of these upperclassmen as the rare underclassman who is in an advanced math class generally has more confidence in her abilities if only because placement in such a class implies that the school believes that she is highly capable. While not offensive or intentionally disruptive, Tasha’s behavior does impact the classroom environment negatively. Every minute that she demands my attention is a minute that I†¦show more content†¦As a result, I am forced to spend more time refocusing students and dealing with inappropriate behavior which cuts down on the amount of instructional time in my classroom. While Tasha’s motivation for monopol izing my time is almost certainly not to deprive other students of having their questions answered or to keep me from maintaining order in the classroom, these are the inevitable consequences of her behavior if it continues. By allowing her to continue this pattern, I am also doing her no favors as she is not learning to be a self-directed learner or taking ownership of her own learning and work if I am constantly at her beck and call to confirm that she is doing just fine. Tasha’s behavior appears to be rooted in a lack of confidence in her own abilities, and she is exhibiting some signs of learned helplessness. It is unlikely that any particular incident in my class caused Tasha to be so insecure as low self-confidence and learned helplessness develop over time, but certain situations in class are more likely to trigger her need for confirmation that she is doing her work correctly. She is most likely to demand my attention when I have shifted the class into individual work time as opposed to group instruction or discussion. Tasha’s insecurities become more pronounced when she is left to work on an assignment without step by step guidance from me. If she sees other students getting to work immediately and seeming to breeze through anShow MoreRelatedFinding A New High School Mathematics Teacher870 Words   |  4 PagesI was a high school principal, and I was tasked with finding a new high school mathematics teacher, I would ensure that the new hire met a few important criteria. These criteria include a solid understanding of mathematics, intense passion for the subject, an ability to connect with students, and a deep care for the development of students. These skills and abilities are what I consider to be crucial for the formation and instruction of high school students. First, an ideal high school mathematicsRead MoreEast Rock Community Magnet School836 Words   |  4 PagesThe teacher I interviewed for this project was a fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Keith Wolkovitz. This teacher has been teaching at East Rock Community Magnet School for his entire career of eleven years. East Rock Community Magnet School is a Title I school in the New Haven School District. The school has a very diverse population and over 90% of the students qualify for the free-reduced lunch program. As a Title I school, the school is also mandated by the state to implement certain remedial interventionsRead MoreDesigning A Unit For First Grade1290 Words   |  6 PagesTopic/Concept I plan to develop a unit for first grade where my students investigate and explore probability and statistics at a very basic, introductory level. This will likely the first introduction they ve had to these concepts as first graders. In this unit, the students will begin to question why we need to collect data, how we proceed in obtaining data, and how we represent our findings (via tables, charts, graphs, etc.). The students will identify characteristics of the collected data and willRead MoreGrade Common Core Standard On Place Value And The Properties Of Operations1554 Words   |  7 PagesMy lesson was designed to fulfill the fourth grade Common Core Standard that students will â€Å"multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models,† (Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association, 2010). My students have been learning and practicing solving these equations using the grid method, which breaks the numbers intoRead MoreMath Analysis : Math And Math Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesoccasions that girls stress more about completing math work and math testing than boys. One theory that prompted my research is math assessment performance related to gender, male and female achievement in mathematics. At the elementary school level it is important to know basic math skills because math understanding and ability builds upon if itself. Questions like, Are male and female student evenly matched in math ability and knowledge? Are genders math assessment scores different or the same? ConsequentlyRead MoreStudents At Middle And High School Level821 Words   |  4 Pagesago I began tutoring high school students in several types of mathematics, physics chemistry. While I did this initially to earn money, I have continued to tutor (often pro bono) because I enjoy the material and the co ntact with the students. I have always enjoyed math tremendously. I can remember riding in a car for long distances as a child with my father and continuously calculating average speeds and percentages of distances covered as we traveled. In college I took upper division math classesRead MoreHigh School That Mean Mathematics Classes915 Words   |  4 PagesI have been placed Ryde Secondary College that partially selective high school that mean mathematics classes are operating by two different categories such as selective classes and normal classes that is consists of local students who lives in their catchment areas and commenced on 20.July 2015. I have withdrawn on 10th Aug that decisions made by PEU. During my prac, I have taught Yr 7(ME) , Yr7(MC)-one lesson only , Yr 9 (MC) class and Yr10(MC) one lesson .I believe I did not have support or poorRead MoreThe Influence Of Children s Cultural Background Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesalways asked me how the fabric colors and patterns were good or not. So , I had to express my views. After she finished sewing, she also asked me how nice her products were. She needed my judgments and asked further questions. Is this too big? Will it suit with this person?† Thus, the cultural background had been set from his family and we could imagine that he definitely brought the home’s cultures to his school. Another salient example is that Wat has stayed in a Buddhist temple with a monk, whereRead MoreInterview Paper : Influence Of Children Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pagesalways asked me how the fabric colors and patterns were good or not. So, I had to express my views. After she finished sewing, she also asked me how nice her products were. She needed my judgments and asked further questions. Is this too big? Will it suit with this person Thus, the cultural background had been set from his family and we could imagine that he definitely brought the home?s cultures to his school. Another salient example is that Wat has stayed in a Buddhist temple with a monk, whereRead MoreAlgebra 1: Math Curriculum Paper Written by Middle School Math Teacher1827 Words   |  8 PagesI am a mathematics teacher, with a middle school education degree (grades 5-9) with an emphasis in mathematics and social studies, teaching at an area high school. I have decided to focus on Algebra I for this curriculum paper, because it requires more abstract thought and problem solving. I will address the following areas: curriculum standards (national, state, local (district)), textbook adoption, community, and design of my classroom. This paper will relate the standards at these three levels

Civil Society In China

Question: Discuss about the Civil Society In China. Answer: Internet and Civil Society In China Introduction: Usage of internet in the public sphere has created public debate and problem articulation. Internet plays a supervisory role in the Chinese politics. Internet has also helped to shape the social organizations by creating a virtual community for the internet users by expanding the old principles of association by the means of creating a new platform where everyone can participate in the discussion (Chen 2014). Internet has become a dynamic weapon for the civilians to protest against the oppressing society. This article provides an overview of the internet usage and the Civil Society in China. The articles stresses on the importance of internet in the development of a new social phenomenon in China. Discussion: In the recent years much focus has been made on the development of civil society in China. In fact, the struggle has been considered as an emerging form of the reform era (Sullivan 2014). The concept of civil society is to protect the rights of the citizens and also allow them to participate in the political sphere. Chinas drive towards economic reform and modernization of the state has given new opportunities to the Chinese citizens to participate in the reform movements (Yang 2014). The recent development in the internet has been found to open up better scope to the people of China to participate in the civil reform. Further development is bound to shape the technology and the participation of people in the civil society. Internet connectivity was lately made official in China in 1994, but the development pace has been found to be high. There were only 10, 000 internet users in China when internet was made official but the number of computers and internet connections were found to increase to 2.1 million by the end of 1998; and in 2002 it was 59.1 million (Teets 2014). Internet not only helped to connect people with each other, but it also helped in other spheres of regular activities as well. Internet was largely used for the academic purpose that made the use of internet relevant among the learners (Yang 2014). Thus, it can be said that internet has been penetrating in every sphere of life. Online publishing became so popular and the number of websites developed within a short time saw no bounds (Sullivan 2014). Newspapers and magazines were also started to be available online. This was the time when not only the Editors but the readers can also keep their view point on a particular issue. Conclusion: Understanding the change in the civil society of China with the advent internet is not simple. However, this platform has given better opportunities to the citizens to participate in the civil rights and has helped to strengthen the civil society. It can be said that internet is a double edged weapon that might act differently in different societies but for China it has brought a new life to the people struggling for democratic rights and basic human rights to the civilians. References: Chen, W., 2014. Taking stock, moving forward: The internet, social networks and civic engagement in Chinese societies. Sullivan, J., 2014. Chinas Weibo: Is faster different?.New Media Society,16(1), pp.24-37. Teets, J.C., 2014.Civil society under authoritarianism: The China model. Cambridge University Press. Yang, G., 2014. Internet activism the party-state in China.Daedalus,143(2), pp.110-123.

The Caste System Essays - Indian Caste System, Caste, Jti

The Caste System The institution of caste system, one of the basic pillars of the Hindu society can be considered as old as the Hindu society itself. But over the years, the institution has undergone a metamorphic change. However there is a stupendous difference between the caste system prevalent and practiced then and now. The caste system is supposed to have a divine origin and sanction behind it. The caste stratification of the Indian society had its origin in the chaturvarna system. According to the chaturvarna doctrine, the Hindu society was divided into four main varnas namely, the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas and the Sudras. The Varna system which was prevalent during the Vedic period was mainly based on the division of labor and occupation. The Rigveda refers to the 'Supreme Purusha' (lord) as the creator of the four groups. The Brahmins originated from the mouth of the Lord, the Kshatriya from his arms, and the Vaishyas from the thighs and the Sudras from his feet. Each class was allotted specific functions to perform and they were rated in the society according to the task they performed. There is no evidence to show that intermarriages were prohibited in the Vedic age. As a matter of fact, up to 300 BC restrictions as to marriage for Brahmins were not at all as rigid as they became in medieval and modern times. The innumerable castes now found in the country must perhaps be the offshoot of the inter-caste marriages that had taken place. The original scheme of classes (varnas) was natural and was based on the occupation of a person rather than on birth. The system of castes which is prevalent in India today and which lays emphasis on birth and heredity has nothing in common with the four varnas based originally on race, culture, character, and profession. The spirit of exclusiveness and the sense of superiority and pride which differentiated the Aryans from non-Aryans did, however influence the division and subdivisions of people into innumerable jatis based upon difference of occupation, sect, and other causes which are now prevalent in the Indian society. When the spirit of exclusiveness and exaggerated notions of ceremonial purity which were applied to non-Aryans in connection with sacrificial ritual, were expounded systematically and extended to other groups because of the supposed impurity of certain occupations, it gave rise to untouchables, a malady peculiar to the Hindu society. The division which was initially made for the smooth functioning of the society, in due course of time, turned into a rigid and water tight compartment. In the name of caste, the society was thrown into an abysmally dark pit from where there was no respite. When India gained her independence, the caste system was at the zenith of its darkest phase. The leaders of the independent movement realized this and felt that the entire society was at stake and it eroded the credentials of the people. This aspect of the Indian society undermined the very principles of democracy. The framers of the Constitution never aspired for a country that was torn because of internal rift which was purely man made. The newly-born country continued with the democratic ideologies, a legacy which they had inherited from the British. Democracy aims to protect and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of the individuals, instill social justice, and it fosters economic and social development. In a democracy, the people are able to choose their representatives, as they have the right to participate in the political process of the country. In a democratic system, all citizens have the right to be heard. The Indian Constitution is imbibed with democratic ideals like periodic elections, rule of law, fundamental rights, directive principles, etc. The framers of the Constitution provided safeguards in the Constitution, which would treat all people at par with one another. Hence, the Preamble of the Constitution states that the people of India resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Democratic Republic and to secure for all its citizens the following objectives namely liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship, equality of status and opportunity, fraternity, asserting the dignity of the individu al and the unity of the nation. The Preamble of the Constitution states briefly the broad and

Stretegic Managemeny Vodafone Essays

Stretegic Managemeny Vodafone Essays Stretegic Managemeny Vodafone Essay Stretegic Managemeny Vodafone Essay Mobile operators are gaining the first mover advantage that enables them successfully to improve top line and build customer loyalty when they create innovative and differentiated products and services and launch them quicker than other competitors.In a fierce competitive mobile telecommunications market, gaining and maintaining cost and operational efficiency relatively has a great impact on bottom line improvements. These operators can capitalize on IT capabilities to gain and maintain competitive advantages and improve both top line and bottom line to achieve their strategies and objectives. Vodafone Group is the world? s largest mobile operator to provide a total of 333 million subscribers with its products and services globally.The Group has a better understanding of the strategic values of IT as a source of competitive advantages to continuously improve both top line and bottom line in order to achieve its organizational strategies. To improve top line, Vodafone Group has continuously developed and launched new differentiated products and services beyond traditional voice and simple data services to improve customer experience and build customer loyalty while adapting the advanced technologies faster than its competitors, optimizing entire value chains and redefining industry, and focusing on the Group Technology activities.To improve bottom line, Vodafone Group has implemented its strategic initiative, „One Vodafone? program, which transforms 16 operating companies into a united operation to achieve streamlined cost effective and efficient organization. Vodafone Group has embedded IT sharing, outsourcing, and centralization and consolidation strategies in order to achieve the objectives of One Vodafone program. Radio access network are shared with Orange, IT application development and maintenance are outsourced to IBM and EDS, and supply chain management function and data centers are centralized and consolidated.Vodafone Group has developed group-wide strategy that is associated with its better understanding of the importance of the customer experience to its business success. The Group standardized on Siebel CRM platforms globally to gain a 360 degree view of customers, and measure and manage customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, revenue assurance, revenue growth and profitability. Vodafone Group have been committed to helping all employees reach their full potential through ongoing training and development while Vodafone Group has embraced diverse workforce and created a leaner and agile structure with clear accountabilities.Vodafone Group capitalizes on IT capabilities to enable all employees to have access to a Learning Academy to deliver the one-stop shop for all learning and development solutions. IT definitely plays a decisive role in Vodafone Group as a critical enabler to gain and maintain competitive advantages and to perform its business operations more efficiently and effectively. Understanding the values of IT is essential for people in Vodafone Group in order to successfully achieve organizational strategies and objectives. iii I.Introduction The mobile telecommunications industry is one of the fastest growing sectors around the globe. Mobile operators are still able to gain the first mover advantage that enables them successfully to improve top line and build customer loyalty when they create innovative and differentiate d products and services and launch them quicker than other competitors. In a fierce competitive mobile telecommunications market, gaining and maintaining cost and operational efficiency relatively has a great impact on bottom line improvements.These operators can capitalize on IT capabilities to gain and maintain competitive advantages and improve both top line and bottom line in order to achieve their strategies and objectives. Vodafone Group Plc, which was established in 1982, is the world? s largest mobile operator that manages ultra large-scale mobile networks in 25 countries and has a presence through partnerships in another 39 countries. Based on the registered customers of mobile telecommunications ventures in which it had ownership interests at that date, the Group had 333 million customers (Vodafone, 2010).Vodafone Group is one of the most influential companies in mobile telecommunications industry and now attempting to move into the fixed voice and broadband markets. The o perator has a better understanding of the strategic values of information technology (IT) as a source of competitive advantages and has capitalized on IT capabilities to expand its marketplace more globally, and create and launch innovative and differentiated products and services like Vodafone 360 and Cloud Services more rapidly than other mobile operators in order to improve top line.Vodafone Group strategically shares with or outsources some business activities to third partied, and centralize and consolidate other activities, which each group company had previously managed in each country, to Vodafone Group, in order to significantly gain and maintain cost and operational efficiency in order to improve bottom line.IT definitely plays a decisive role in Vodafone Group. The objective of this paper is to analyze the IT management strategies, tools, initiatives and transitional planning in Vodafone Group to ensure that the operator capitalizes on IT capabilities effectively and effi ciently to achieve their organizational strategies and objectives. 1 II.Building a learning organization and a professional intellect Vodafone Group has embraced diverse workforce and offers equal opportunities for all aspects of employment and advancement, regardless of race, nationality, sex, age, marital status, disability, religious or political belief, to understand expectations of its diverse customers around the globe and have required skills and competences to create and launch the innovative and differentiated products and services that Vodafone Group meets its customers? equirements. Vodafone Group created a leaner and agile structure with clear accountabilities in 2009 to accommodate rapid growth. Three regions, including Europe, Africa and Central Europe, and Asia Pacific and Middle East, were created and each regional CEO was appointed. Along with the group-wide organizational restructuring efforts, several centralization initiatives have been accelerated, including sup ply chain, product development, IT and network programs, and terminal procurement.As the result, approximately 1,900 jobs were eliminated but the overall number of employees grew 9% because of rapid growth in emerging markers and business acquisitions. Although organizational structure has been continuously improved in response to market environmental changes, Vodafone Group has been committed to helping all employees reach their full potential through ongoing training and development. In the 2009 financial year, Vodafone provided an aggregate of 230,000 days of training, an average of three days per employee, and this training program was extended to all employees via an online interactive course that has been translated into 11 languages and rolled out to 18 countries (Vodafone, 2009, p. 18). Vodafone Group capitalizes on IT capabilities to support its one-stop shop for all learning and development solutions that enable all employees to have access to a self-service development po rtal and Learning Academy on its intranet to develop required skills and competences.The self-service portal is fully integrated for reporting and analysis purposes. Online „Source a Course? application incorporates a wide range of training options across multiple categories that all employees are able to individually select, and also provides them with opportunities to source a course if their specific training requirements are not on the system. 2 III. Taking advantage of Customer Relationship Management tools Vodafone Group has developed the group-wide strategy that is associated with its better understanding of the importance of the customer experience to its business success.Delivering value-added products and services that can meet individual customer needs and widen the scope of its relationship with its customers are essential to reshape its competitive environment. Vodafone Group has standardized on Siebel CRM platforms across three geographies to collect, analyze and share customer information across multi-channels, including customer service agents, sales and marketing teams, to gain a 360 degree view of customers, and measure and manage customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, revenue assurance, revenue growth and profitability.Employees in Vodafone Group have access to a centralized repository for customer information in the systems. Siebel CRM systems have helped Vodafone Group optimize upselling and cross-selling opportunities to grow revenues more quickly, predictably and profitably, and also significantly reduce the time to create and execute precisely targeted customer retention and acquisition while improving its ability to measure marketing return on investment.The systems also encourage Vodafone Group to improve productivity of customer care organizations by automating previous complicated workflow and reducing the time it takes to respond to answers, and Vodafone Group has gained significant cost savings. The customer experience is assessed by Vodafone Group through customer surveys, repairs and returns, mystery shops and written complaints but its challenges in existing Siebel CRM systems is to completely implement revenue assurance, churn and win-back functions from the viewpoint of a customer-centric imension. Revenue Assurance (RA) is a vital requirement in any telecommunications operators to reduce and prevent revenue leakage that is identified as a uncontrolled costs derived from network provisioning, CDR and mediation errors, billing and interconnect inconsistencies, loss of data and corrupted files, fragmented support systems, incoherent databases, and manual or ill defined business processes (TeleManagement Forum, 2009, p. 5). Donaldson and O?Toole (2007) argued that Telco may be losing 1-30% of revenues owing to leakage, and a failure to take into account the CRM dimension of RA is very costly for the firm (p. 144). RA is typically embraced in the concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) but the billing department in Vodafone Group has been responsible for RA activities and a customer-centric dimension to RA is missing in the CRM systems. Churn management is also another vital requirement in any operators in line with each operator? specific customer retention strategies, and promotions and campaigns. The difficulty in implementing churn management is that key performance indicators of predictive churn are little available in a relationship context and as a part of the CRM systems. Finally, win-back is the effort an organization expands to win back (or recapture) customer? s goodwill once it has been lost due to service failure (Donaldson and O? Toole, 2007, p. 146). Vodafone Group has not implemented it from the standpoint of a customer-centric dimension yet. IV. Building competitive advantages 4. 1 Top Line Improvements Vodafone Group has definitely had better understanding of the strategic values of IT to gain and maintain competitive advantages from the viewpoint o f both top line and bottom line improvements. To improve top line, general telecommunication operators consider IT as sources of innovative and differentiated products and services that they create and launch globally in a timely manner.Vodafone Group has not used the cheaper price than other competitors to attract new customers and retain existing customers to become the largest or the second largest mobile operator in the most markets the Group has ever entered but it has focused on creating and launching new value-added services that entice new customers. Arun Sarin, the former CEO of Vodafone Group stated (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2008, p. 340). We have rededicated ourselves to delighting our customers because we believe this is the foundation for our continued success.We recognize that every customer interaction provides another opportunity to win loyalty and that? s why we continue to raise standards on the quality of customer case in our call centers and our stores and th e quality of our networks. Key to delighting our customers is our ability to deliver superior voice and data services according to differing customer needs. The choice of right IT at right time is necessary to drive current and future returns and intellectual capital that articulate and structure all the stakeholders? alues, and Vodafone Group? s three key strategic IT initiatives have been sources of competitive advantages to improve top line. 4. 1. 1 Agility to adapt the advanced technologies Telecommunication operators? agility to adapt the advanced technologies has a great impact on innovative and differentiated products and services, including the converged services of network data, services data and customer data available to improve customer experience in response to the changing customer needs and market environment.Saxtoft (2008) argued that competitive advantages in the future convergent communications industry will be based on the organizational ability of communications service providers to utilize the specific mix of network data, services data and customer data available to each of the players in the market (p. 71). Vodafone? s ability to adapt new IT continuously ensures that their customers are able to stay connected to the people and the information that are central to their lives – via voice, text, instant messaging, e-mail, music, communities, news, and applications both social and work related – whenever, wherever (Read, 2009, p. 2). Vodafone Group thus created Vodafone 360, Vodafone Vorteil, and Cloud Computing services and the Group in turn can greatly improve customer experience, and eventually gain and maintain its competitive advantages. Along with increasing bandwidth demands and a data dominated traffic mix, the ability to optimize its network capacity according to the differentiated products and services has been essential in improving quality of services for these services. 4 Vodafone launched „Vodafone 360? a s uite of new Internet services for the mobile and PC that gather all of customer? s friends, communities, entertainment and personal favorites. Vodafone 360 encompass a universal contacts address book „Vodafone People? that automatically synchronize all contacts from a customer phone, Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, and Google Talk, and an online content and data management tool. Vodafone 360 brought together many existing Vodafone mobile Internet initiatives under a common and intuitive service umbrella.Vodafone 360 represents the new service standard to take everything back in Vodafone and superimpose proprietary ownership over all service aspects while dispelling the notion that mobile operators are unable to response to the full force of the innovation that Apple iPhone brought to market. This is the first time a mobile operator has created an experience which can compete against the iPhone standard of excellence and superior user interface.Vodafone is now attempting to m ove into the fixed voice and broadband markets and has either acquired fixed Internet Service Providers in some countries or formed partnerships in the other countries where acquisitions are not feasible or not cost efficient. The previously pure mobile operator is now following a total communications strategy which includes mobile (cellular), broadband (fixed) and wireless; it has been offering combined services, with fixed, mobile and broadband services under a single bill (Mavrakis and Saddi, 2009, p. 42). Vodafone Germany launched a new multi-service discount service, „Vodafone Vorteil? for customers who purchase a bundle of fixed and mobile services in 2009. The service offered discounts at maximum EUR 20 a month for various combination of service in Germany in response to market environmental changes that loyalty discounts are coming to the fore as a key competitive advantage in the recent economic recession in Germany. Vodafone Vorteil customers also benefit from a 24 h our, door-to-door mobile phone replacement service and free 24-by-7 customer support hotline, and a 25% new handset discount. Cloud Computing has become popular in the telecommunications industry all over the world.It is a large-scale distributed computing paradigm that is driven by economies of scale, in which a pool of abstracted, virtualized, dynamically-scalable, managed computing power, storage, platforms, and services are delivered on demand to external customers over the Internet, and has become the hottest technology in IT (Jaatun, 2009, p. 559). Vodafone Group announced a strategic partnership with Decho Corporation to deliver a series of „Could Services? for both enterprise and consumer markets. The first service to emerge across the Vodafone Group footprint is the „Vodafone PC Backup? ervice that enables customers to save personal data from the PC to a remotely hosted site. They are able to view and share the data from their account through the web browser of their PC while reducing the need to transfer the data from one device to others. None of Vodafone? s key Tier 1 competitors has launched free PC backup and online storage aggressively with consumer mobile broadband services and Vodafone Group is relatively staking leadership in consumer Cloud Service provision. Emma (2009) argued that A Vodafone-branded PC backup service promises powerful value-added differentiation for the operator? mobile and fixed broadband portfolio across its key European markers by year-end (p. 1). Vodafone Group can continuously maintain its competitive advantages while launching a series of Cloud Services faster than other competitors, in addition to existing PC backup and online storage services. 5 4. 1. 2 Optimizing entire value chains and redefining industry Optimizing entire value chains beyond Vodafone Group and its traditional suppliers, and redefining industry are identified as sources of competitive advantages to create and launch innovative and diff erentiated products and services.The telecommunications industry is confronted with unprecedented challenges in breaking down traditional industry boundaries and redefining industry in response to changing market environment while the Internet companies such as Google, eBay and Yahoo have demonstrated business models that enable third parties to develop new services by combining existing services to increase the value of the traditional and original services. Service providers are no longer limited to the traditional voice and simple data services but are comprised of content, application, and other service providers.To compete against these new service providers, an effective service delivery framework is essential, to deliver and maintain differentiated services beyond traditional boundaries, achieve time to market, and conclude business agreements among all stakeholders. Vodafone Group started implementing Service Delivery Platform (SDP) in 2002 that is an infrastructure for serv ice delivery to be provided for technically enabling business to engage in business transaction (Filipe and Cordeiro, 2009, p. 21) to effectively deliver „Vodafone Live? ervice in a timely manner. Its multimedia portal was marketed extensively in the traditional media. SDP supported application development consistency and a multi-lateral settlements model to enable all stakeholders to add values to deliver the services to get paid. Vodafone Live used a home-built SDP to launch its offering back in 2002, a product that provides an integrated service across handsets, networks, content and services, and also includes video content, music downloads and games (Greene and Hayes, 2007, p. ). Subsequently, Service Delivery Framework (SDF), indeed different from SDP, was defined by TeleManagement Forum (TM Forum). SDF weaves together various Service Delivery Platforms (SDPs, IMS, IPTV, etc) offered by equipment vendors and their allied software vendors to allow uniform management of se rvices, easy to align with each Service Provider business model (TM Forum, 2008, p. 20). Vodafone was the first mobile operator in the UK to offer a portable laptop with built –in broadband in the business sector in 2005.In 2008, the launch of the Dell mobile laptop with integrated mobile broadband moved portable computing into the consumer market. Vodafone? s strategy differs from the other mobile operators in the UK and the operator ensures that the embedded route meets end users? aspirations in both business and consumer market. Vodafone has a deal with Dell whereby the vendor offers customers buying netbooks and notebooks via its website the option to include a 3G HSPA mobile broadband module in their devices, and to be contacted by Vodafone to receive a SIM card and the mobile broadband service (Roberts, Mavrakis and Jesty, 2009, p. 70). Betavine and the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) are two API initiatives in Vodafone Group. Betavine is a research and development project t o create values around Vodafone? s network. Subsequently, Vodafone Group started the JIL initiative with its partners to use open APIs and widgets to address the commercial environment. Web 2. 0 technologies were considered as the fundamental enabler to broaden service choice for Vodafone? s customers and Vodafone Group decided to create a service innovation website „Betavine? in 2007.Betavine provided Web 2. 0 tools and resources so that developers can use to create innovative mobile services and get 6 feedback from the Betavine developer community. Its main objective was to stimulate the number of applications available for all mobile phones by providing an operator and technology agnostic development environment, and Betavine has clocked up more than 180 applications developed using the site across a range of categories, including games, utilities, mobile health, and recipes (Mendyk, 2009, p. 29).More than 1,000 registered users are collaborating on software development, an d Betavine has enables Vodafone Group to learn much more from its service incubation platform, both about Web 2. 0 technology and its development models, and about the types of mobile application that people want to create and which applications are essential in the current market environment. Vodafone? s product groups are hoping that through the Betavine initiative, they will gain access to „killer? applications that can be turned into massmarket products (Mendyk, 2009, p. 29).Subsequently, Vodafone Group has made a commitment to provide a group wide network API that encourages developers to access Vodafone? s customers. Vodafone enables developers to use its direct billing capabilities to permit customers to pay for services through Vodafone accounts rather than credit card payment (Mottishaw, 2009, p. 52) because a simple payment model has a great impact on customers? choice of services. In 2008, Vodafone, China Mobile, Softbank and Verizon Wireless announced the JIL initi ative to have common APIs and development environment.Vodafone Group launched the „App Store? that encapsulated widgets from JIL that run in any devices and use the operator? s billing mechanisms to charge users directly. The combined customer base of JIL members exposes applications to a potential 1 billion end users, by far the largest addressable market for any application stores in the market today. JIL is working closely with several industry standards bodies, including GSMA, OMTP and W3C, to encourage developers to use network enablers to enrich their applications.JIL has launched a web site to provide the developers with service development kit (SDK) and device API information to develop applications for specific handsets. 4. 1. 3 Group Technology Vodafone Group? s has driven the Group Technology initiatives that have managed and controlled group-wide projects to orchestrate the move toward significant coordination and identify and disseminate best practices to focus on expansion of service capacity while replicating business models across a number of countries and maintaining cost efficiency.Vodafone Group created two central functions, Group Marketing (to drive revenue growth), and Group Technology and Business Integration (to drive cost and scale benefits, and thy purpose of Group Technology will be to lead the implementation of standardized architecture for business process, information technology and network systems (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2008, p. 345). The initiatives have supported the third generation (3G) network rollout, the enhancement and expansion of Vodafone Live service to Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and then UK, and the development of Vodafone Group? business offering on a global basis. Vodafone Group has benefited from the effective and efficient Group Technology initiative. First, Vodafone Group is given more strategic option for marketing and sales of its products and services. Second , the time-to-market becomes shorter by consolidating its development resources and sharing the solutions. Finally, cost reduction arises from avoiding multiple development 7 resources and environments and from consolidating demand according to the collaborative IT solutions fro building IT platforms.Buchta, Eul and Croonenberg (2009) argued that A correspondingly worldwide uniform IT architecture with worldwide uniform business process is the prerequisite, for example, for developing the advantages of a global customer management from uniform coordination and universal organizations – with the lowest possible level of country-specific individuality (p. 73). 4. 2. Bottom Line Improvements On the other hands, Vodafone Group has capitalized on IT capabilities to implement its strategic initiative, „One Vodafone? rogram, which transforms 16 operating companies into a united operation to achieve streamlined cost effective and efficient group. Vodafone Group has embedded IT sharing, outsourcing, and centralization and consolidation strategies in order to achieve the objectives of the program. Radio access network are shared with the other mobile operator, Orange, IT application development and maintenance are outsourced to IT outsourcing vendors, IBM and EDS, and supply chain management function and European data centers are centralized and consolidated to Vodafone Group.One Vodafone program is analyzed in depth in Chapter V. 8 V. Using IT initiatives to transform the operator 5. 1. One Vodafone The „One Vodafone? program was focused on key initiatives to integrate business activities to leverage economies of scale and scope of Vodafone group to transform the Group into a streamlined, cost-effective and efficient organization while standardizing designs and processes, reducing duplication, centralizing and consolidating certain functions and sharing best practices across operating companies.The program was targeted at achieving ? 2. 5 billion of annual pretax operating free cash flow improvements in Vodafone Group? s controlled mobile business by the end of March 2008. Alan Harper, Group Strategy and New Business Director, explained that all our marketing efforts, branding and product development are centralized, technology is standardized, network design (switching, radio) are coordinated, and knowledge is shared via the HQ, HR, strategy, and marketing departments (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2008, p. 42). The program was not just an integration of a few functions and countries but a strategic transformation that Vodafone Group transformed 16 core independent national operating companies which had diverse people and markets into a united operation with a high degree of similarity with regard to product, brand, position, advertising strategy, personality, packaging, and look and feel (McLoughlin and Aaker, 2010, p. 251) in order to achieve significant economies of scale and scope.It was definitely supposed to be one of th e most difficult challenges for Vodafone Group but the transformation strategy has already resulted in significant cost savings as well as innovative market strategies, more competitive and differentiated pricing, and leading product and service offering (Booz Allen, 2006). Vodafone Group predominantly embedded IT sharing, outsourcing, and centralization and consolidation strategies to achieve the objectives of One Vodafone program that transform multiple operating companies around the globe in Vodafone Group into a streamlined, costeffective and efficient organization.Vodafone Group adopted NetCo and ServCo business model in the One Vodafone program. ServCo is mandated to provide services over the telecommunications network on the same terms as other service providers while NetCo is tasked with managing the telecommunications network backbone (Orbicom, 2007, p. 211). Network, IT application development and maintenance, and supply chain and data centers were considered as NetCo that Vodafone Group needed to pursue scalability globally to achieve the lowest unit cost.Sales, marketing and customer management were relatively considered as ServCo that Vodafone Group needed to achieve customer focus locally to improve customer experience and build customer loyalty. As a consequence, Vodafone identified key imperatives in One Vodafone program. Radio access network are shared with Orange globally, and IT application development and maintenance are outsourced to IBM and EDS, and supply chain management function and European data centers are centralized and consolidated to Vodafone Group.On the other hand, sales, marketing and customer management are relatively operated and managed by each local operating company. 9 5. 2. Network Sharing with Orange There are a number of different levels of network sharing deals and the most fundamental scopes involve the use of common sites and towers around the globe. Complete network sharing deals are also popular in some countries and these involve the building of a single network to lease its capacity between two or more licensed mobile operators.Some of network sharing deals involve radio access network that two or more mobile operators jointly deploy and own access network. In the UK, India and some other countries, network sharing deals have been actively encouraged by the government, and independent infrastructure companies have been established by two or more operators. Vodafone and Orange have established their network joint venture in the UK to deploy and own their combined radio network. Their initial scope was limited to 3G network and Vodafone and Orange planed to expand the scope to their 2G network infrastructure as well.Their objective to establish the network sharing joint venture was to gain cost and operational efficiency to deploy new 3G mobile internet access service. The radio access network includes mast, antenna, sites, site support cabinet and power supply as well as antennae, combiners and transmission links, Nodes B (3G), BTS (2G) and the radio network controllers which are linked to the core network, and they are expected to expand their existing network sharing deals to includes the costs of engineering, maintenance, and technology, in a move which is expected to save Vodafone (and Orange presumably) around US$1. 5 billion a year (Cellular-news, 2009). During fiscal year 2009, Vodafone Group announced a number of significant sharing deals in Germany, Spain, Ireland, UK and India. 5. 3. IT Outsourcing to IBM and EDS Outsourcing refers to the use of external organizations to perform some business activities that were previously accomplished in-house and outsourcing is becoming more acceptable and widespread in the telecommunications industry. Telecommunications operators re-evaluate their core business and create added values in a fierce competitive market.The two different activities are identified as non-core business activities that some mobile operators have mainly transferred to outsourcing vendors: (1) IT services including IT infrastructure, desktop and servers, BSS (Business Support Systems), software development and implementation, and deployment of new IT services, and (2) network operations and management including network planning, site acquisition and civil works, installation, network integration, network optimization and upgrade, fault management, performance management, configuration management, OSS (Operations Supp

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel in Spanish

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel in Spanish Here is a Spanish version of the popular Christmas carol and Advent hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The song, whose author is unknown, comes originally from Latin, dating to around the 11th century, and is known in both English and Spanish in multiple versions. This Spanish version is one of the most popular.  ¡Oh ven!,  ¡Oh ven, Emanuel!  ¡Oh ven!,  ¡Oh ven, Emanuel!Libra al cautivo Israel,Que sufre desterrado aquà ­,Y espera al Hijo de David. Estribillo: ¡Alà ©grate, oh Israel!Vendr, ya viene Emanuel.  ¡Oh ven, Tà º, Vara de Isaà ­!Redime al pueblo infelizDel poderà ­o infernalY danos vida celestial.  ¡Oh ven, Tà º, Aurora celestial!Alà ºmbranos con tu verdad,Disipa toda oscuridad,Y danos dà ­as de solaz.  ¡Oh ven, Tà º, Llave de David!Abre el celeste hogar feliz;Haz que lleguemos bien all,Y cierra el paso a la maldad. English Translation of Spanish Version Oh come! Oh come, Emmanuel!Free captive IsraelWhich here suffers, displaced,And waits for the Son of David. Chorus:Be joyful, O Israel!He will come, Emmanuel is coming. O come, You, Rod of IsraelRedeem the unhappy peopleFrom hells powerAnd give us heavenly life. O You, come, celestial light of dawn!Illuminate us with your truth,Dispel all darkness,And give us days of solace. O come, You, Davids Key.Open the happy heavenly home.Make it so we arrive there well,And close the path  to evil. Translation Notes Oh: This interjection usually expresses amazement or happiness, so it isnt always the equivalent of oh. It is far more common in poetic writing than in everyday speech. Ven: The Spanish verb venir, usually meaning to come is highly irregular. Ven is the singular, familiar imperative form, so in Spanish this song unambiguously is written as if speaking to Emanuel. Emanuel: The Spanish word here is a personal name transliterated from Hebrew, meaning God is with us. The name is still used today, often  in the shortened form of Manuel. In Christianity, the name usually refers to Jesus. Libra: This is the singular  familiar imperative form of librar, meaning to free to liberate. Al: Al is a contraction of a (to) and el (the). The use of the personal a here indicates  that Israel is being personified. Desterrado: The adjective desterrado is derived from the noun tierra, meaning Earth. In this context, it means exiled, referring to someone removed from his or her homeland. In informal contexts, it can mean banished. Danos: It is common to attach object pronouns to verbs in the imperative mood. Here the pronoun nos, or us, is attached to imperative of dar. Tà º: The familiar form of you is used throughout this hymn as it is the pronoun that Spanish-speaking Christians use in prayer. Vara de Isaà ­: A vara is a rod or stick. Isaà ­ is a  poetically shortened form of the name Isaà ­as, or Isaiah. The reference here is to Isaiah 11:1 in the Christian Old Testament that there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse. Christians have interpreted this as a prophesy of the Messiah, whom they believe to be Jesus. In the common English version of this hymn, the line is Come O rod of Jesses stem. Redime:  From the verb redimir, to redeem. Alà ©grate: From the reflexive form of the verb alegrar. Aurora: The aurora is the first light of dawn. In the English version, Dayspring is used here. Alumbranos: Alumbrar  means to enlighten or to give light. Disipar: Although this verb can be translated as to dissipate, in the context of this song it is better translated as to get rid of or to dispel. Oscuridad: This word can mean obscurity, as when referring ideas. But it far more often means darkness. The related adjective is oscuro. Solaz: In some contexts, solaz refers to rest or relaxation. Llave de David: This phrase, meaning key of David, is a reference to an Old Testament verse, Isaiah 22:22, which Christians have understood to refer symbolically to the authority of the coming Messiah. Lleguemos: This verb for is an example of the subjunctive mood. Llegar is a common verb meaning to arrive. Note that llegar is irregular because the -g- of the stem changes to -gu- when followed by an e to maintain the correct pronunciation. Celeste: Here, this word has the meaning of celestial. However, in other contexts it can refer to the blue color of the sky. Haz: This is an irregular form of hacer.

MISSISON STATEMENT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Research Paper

MISSISON STATEMENT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION - Research Paper Example All through these years, the organization made continuous attempts towards spreading out its offered services always with the intention to put a stop to along with alleviating suffering (American Red Cross, 2012). The paper will intend to assess the mission statement of the organization in order to ascertain its effectiveness. Consecutively to ascertain the effectiveness of the mission statement of the non-profit organization, it becomes necessary to gain a lucid comprehension regarding its activities. Presently, the organization focuses on not only providing aid related to domestic catastrophes but it even puts in its contributions and endeavours towards providing empathetic relief services in other fields as well. The American Red Cross was found to extend its helping hand by way of making available community supported services for assisting the deprived and poor. It is also learnt to support along with consoling and reassuring the military members and also their respective immedia te families accompanied. The organization is also found to undertake initiatives for gathering, processing and dispensing lifesaving blood and the other relevant products. Various educational curriculums are provided by the organization in order to trigger general consciousness for the promotion of better health as well as safety and providing international aid along with conducting numerous development programs (American Red Cross, 2012). ... Around four million individuals have been predicted to donate their blood with the help of this organization which makes it one of the major and leading blood suppliers as well as products in the entire United States (US). The American Red Cross is also learnt to extend their support and aid to the several service members of the US who need to live staying away from their respective families owing to the nature of their military duty by way of keeping them connected with their families. The Red Cross on the whole commands a national association of almost 186 nationwide societies and with mutual cooperation and support aids in reinstating hope as well self-esteem to the globe’s most weak and defenseless individuals (American Red Cross, 2012). Majority of the volunteers along with the employees engaged with Red Cross are believed to serve around 70, 000 sufferers of catastrophes in both the large as well as small communities every year. It was estimated that on an average above 9 million individuals are provided training by Red Cross on the aspects of water safety, first aid accompanied with various other skills which are believed to prove to be helpful in saving lives each year. It was also predicted in this context regarding the considered organization that on the basis of a made average around 91 cents with respect to each Dollar spent by Red Cross gets invested or contributed towards the compassionate programs as well as services. As already mentioned that Red Cross functions and operates as a non-profit organization for which reason it remains heavily dependent on the donations related to money, blood and time in order to keep on carrying out and maintain a constant flow of its services (American Red Cross, 2012). Although the organization is believed to be

Alexander Wendt The Agent-Structure Problem in International Relations Essay

Alexander Wendt The Agent-Structure Problem in International Relations - Essay Example Initially, Wendt believed on Marxism, as a way of understanding international politics and capital, but later turned to constructivist theory. According to Wendt (1999, 110), in the Agent-Structure theory of international relations, states in international relations act: out of the need to make own free choices and independently; and out of consistent patterned structures which fundamentally shape state choices and opportunities. This discussion therefore seeks to discuss Wendt’s theory and is therefore divided into four sections as shown below: Wendt’s central argument How Wendt’s argument differs from neo-realism and world-systems theory Whether Wendt’s ‘solution’ to the agent-structure problem is the only one available or not Whether Wendt’s ‘solution’ compelling or not Alexander E. Wendt (b. 1958, Mainz, W. Germany) is a political scientist and a core constructivist scholar in the field of international relations. Toget her with scholars such as Peter Katzenstein, Michael Barnett and Martha Finnemore, Wendt established constructivism as a school of thought. Wendt has taught Yale University (1989-1997), Dartmouth College (1997-1999), University of Chicago (1999-2004) and Ohio State University, where he currently serves as the Ralph D. Mershon Professor of International Security. Wendt wrote the Agent-Structure Problem in International Relations in 1987. ... state interests and identities and that because of this, many scholars fail to consider how first and second factors affect state interests and identity. Wendt also points out the failure of neoliberalism as being steeped in the fact that it seeks to explain interstate cooperation by only focusing on the process, while leaving out systematic variables. Constructivism fails to address how state identities are formed in practice (Clarke, 2003, 122). Nevertheless, Wendt ties the constructivist approach to the concept of self-help. This is because, international institutions (as self-help agents) may change identities and interests of states. The concept of self-help as is viewed by realists and himself emanates from the interaction of the units in a system in lieu of anarchy. This stands diametrically opposed to structural and deterministic documents which realists advance, and in which anarchy exists as the principal explanatory variable which drives interactions. Wendt also posits tha t states interact with one another, and depending on the results of the interaction, these states can come to be characaterised by self-help. Whatever is accrued depends on the process and not the structure (Fay, 1996, 75 and Fuller, 1998, 98-112). Klotz, Lynch and Dunn (2006, 355 – 381) observe that according to Wendt, unlike norms-based constructivism, neorealism and neoliberalism cannot give an adequate account for changes which take place in international systems. For instance, neorealism and neoliberalism cannot account for the manner in which states behave at their pristine periods, before they acquire any priors. Koran (2007, 324 – 326) and Nishimura (2011, 96 – 112) charge that Wendt identifies sovereignty, evolution of cooperation and intentional efforts to change egoistic

Group Psychology Essay Example for Free

Group Psychology Essay Irwin Mansdorf in his article The Psychology Framework of Suicide Terrorism brings out another aspect of group psychology in an attempt to explain what has motivated various groups and their members to be involved in suicide bombing e disagrees with those portraying The Palestinians suicide bombers as desperate rot who are driven by their suicidal motives. He feels that individual psychopathology does not play any important role in this case. (Mansdart, I 2003) Group dynamics are responsible in reinforcing behavior within these people’s culture where those who carry out suicide bombing are seen as heroes where their faces are displayed in the open for every one to see and their immediate families are handsomely rewarded for their sons bravely and commitment to serve the community. The families are rewarded with great respect and financial considerations. (Bloom, M 2004) Suicide in the clinical sense may be directly related to personal psychological state at the time of committing the acts. In the case of suicide of suicide bombing, Irwin has observed that there is no close relationship with personal clinical psychopathology. He believes hat these people are drawn by the political and nationalistic aspects advocated by their groups. (Mansdart, I 2003) Kamikaze pilots used this tactic to attack American in the pacific during the Second World War. Several researches carried out have not pointed that the pilots were suicidal rather they are seen as people who were driven by a strong desire to fight for their country. They never at any time display any signs of abnormal behavior which could have led to suicide. The letters Kamikaze pilots wrote to their families show that they were calm and in a peaceful state before they carried out the misson. Their expectations beyond death served as the motivational factor for them to fight the enemy knowing that they have served the nation and they will be heavily be rewarded in the life after. (Mansdart, I 2003) A closer look at the Tamil tigers brings out the same picture; the group has been responsible for the most suicide bombing carried out by any organization in the world. Those who carry out these activities are fighters who have are well trained and fully dedicated to their cause. In all the cases the group chooses volunteers based on their record as fighters. Those who are involved in the suicide bombing are not described as victims of any psychological condition which can drive them to volunteer to participate in this activity but rather they are drawn by great dedication to serve their group and to a large extent liberate their people from the yokes of occupation. (Bloom, M 2004) In most cases of suicide bombing according to Irwin observation the purpose of mission is rarely due to desperation or hopelessness. The suicide bombers were focused drawing inspiration from nationalism and large the group identity. Irwin explains that group pressure and identity inspires a suicide bomber into action. They are manipulated ,brainwashed and made to believe that after carrying out the mission they will be honored as martyrs, their families will be recognizes and reward greatly. The recruits are never allowed to leave denying the m an opportunity to back down from the mission. (Mansdart, I 2003) Recruitment The number of organizations carrying out attacks has increased in the recent past. These organizations are found in almost all the corners of the world. This increase also means the number of recruits needed to carry out the suicide attacks is on the rise. According to the latest statistics more than forty countries in the world have experienced suicide bombing attacks since 1980s. It is estimated that there are sixty known groups which employ suicide bombing as a fighting technique. (Reuter, C 2004) Despite an increase in the number of organization employing this tactic, there have been no shortages of people of people who are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of the organization or cause they believe in. There has been an upward surge in the number of suicide bombings in the recent past, this means that the number of people who are willing to die for what they believe in has also increased. (Kramer, M 1991) Recruits in suicide bombing are drawn from a variety of backgrounds. There has been a perception that people who are involved are usually psychopaths, insane or poor but this is not the case. Most of those who have been recruited are usually well educated, relatively rich. These are people who ready to sacrifice their lives for a cause and are more than willing to go to any length to kill themselves. In the recent past trends have been changing where even children have been involved in suicide bombings. As the Middle East conflict escalate militants groups in Palestine are actively involved in recruitment of young people. One of the groups Al aqsa-intifada has been actively involved in the recruitment of children as suicide bombers. Other groups which have been employing the same mode are the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Hamas are known to run kindergartens, where children are taught all the tactics and the need to sacrifice their souls for the sake of their people. These children in the kindergarten are made to believe that they are the holy martyrs in making. (Shay, S 2003) There are several factors that qualify one as a recruit for suicide bombing recruit. A number of organizations in the Middle East take into consideration ones religion. It has been noted that almost all the recruits who have participated in the Palestinians suicide bombings are staunch Muslims. Once a new recruit is taken in especially children they are taken in for an intensive training which involves reciting of the Koran. Therefore knowledge of Koran becomes very crucial in taking in the recruits. Criminal record also plays a significant role in the selection of those who are to take part in any given task as far as these groups are concerned. Those who have a clean criminal record are first considered for the task, this is because they attract little attention from the authorities therefore carrying out their mission successfully. (Reuter, C 2004) This is a policy that has been employed by the Hamas and the Hezbollah groups of the Middle East. (Noval, M 1999) Most of the organization rely on volunteers to carryout their missions, when the current Iranian president Mohmoud Ahamedinejad came into power he appealed to the youth from the Muslim countries to come forward and help in fighting Israel and United States. Most other terror groups appeal to their members to volunteer and get trained as suicide bombers . In the Palestine there are many youth who are willing to volunteer, these people may be driven by the promises made or purely to fulfill their religious obligation as spelt out in the recruiting organizations. Most of the suicide bombers are selected at an early age, educated and then set off to carry out their duty when they are just about in their twenties or in their late teenage years. Those who a re recruited are normally encouraged to cut themselves from the outside world as they are subjected to the intense training and recitations of the holy book to prepare them for the task ahead. Governments also sponsor some of the groups involved in the suicide bombings where those who participate are given monetary rewards. Iranian president is on the record urging his countrymen to come out and be trained for a fight with the western powers. Those who volunteered were promised compensation for the families and great honor once they have successively carried out the mission given. There have been considerable involvement of the Iranian government in the training of the terror outfits; a training center was opened when Ahamednijad came into power. This center which came to be known as the Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison has been involved in recruiting and training of suicide bombers who according to the Iranian president are to help in fighting the western powers who have occupied the Muslim territory. The volunteers’ suicide bombers have been equated to nuclear bombs owned by the United States and Israel and they are meant to cause wanton destruction against the enemy. Conclusion Suicide bombers are just as ordinary people, but there are forces within them which make them carry out their missions. These forces range from desparation, nationalistic ideals or religion. Debate on what makes a suicide bomber tick will continue for a long time as different people will see different motives for a given group of attackers. As far as those factors which breed terror remain with us suicide bombing will continue to be with us for a long time, attracting much attention from different scholars whose aim is to understand the factors behind these daring acts. References Radu, M (2004) Radical Islam and Suicide Bomber, Retrieved from http://www.fpri.org/

Through the Emergency Room and on to Medical School Essays -- Medicine

Through the Emergency Room and on to Medical School    Thirty years ago when my parents left behind a comfortable life in South America to pursue opportunities that would truly change their lives, they had no idea they would be foreshadowing the recent events of my life. After working for two years as an engineer, I have realized something that I had suspected all along: I do not belong in the world of business or engineering. I need to be in a profession in which I can establish unique relationships with people by having a positive impact on their lives.    Oddly enough, my relationship with medicine began at an early age, as a twelve year old asthmatic, living in a house with two dogs (that I insisted on having). As a result, whenever I got sick, my respiratory situation was quick to decline, which inevitably led to frequent trips to the local emergency room. In one particular situation, I was admitted to the ICU with a pnuemothorax. While I do not recall the names of the doctors or nurses who cared for me over the next several days, I have come to recognize that their anonymous efforts may very well have saved my life. Naturally, this is not something immediately recognized as a child, but there is no doubt that I was walking a thin line between life and death.    As I got older, I started working at jobs where I had a lot of interaction with people. While attending the university, I worked as a Lifeguard Instructor, a Swim Instructor, and a CPR/First Aide Instructor. In these capacities, I touched the lives of other people in a positive manner, but I had yet to link this with a possible career in medicine. I believe this stemmed from three factors. First, nobody in my family was involved in the hea... ...ithdraw from school in the Fall of 1994. Since then, I have regained control of my financial situation, and I have resumed working on my Bachelor of Science in Biology . My current goal is to finish my Biology degree prior to the start of medical school in the Fall of 1996.    For the first time in my academic and professional career, I am sincerely interested and excited about what is yet to come. This is not to imply that I am displeased with the amount of time it took me to make the decision to pursue medical school After all, there are many people who never end up in a satisfying career. I believe my past experiences are propelling me forward with a sense of enthusiasm and conviction which will translate into the formation of a competent and humane doctor. Perhaps, someday, I will be the anonymous face that helps a twelve year old boy in his time of need.

Ethics in an Academic Environment Essay

Teachers hold the power and responsibility for building the foundations of intellectually and morally great minds. Since people spend a large chunk of their class and their entire formative years in school, their position and contact with young children and adolescents allows they shape and mold what these young people’s potentials and capabilities. Teachers have the opportunity to influence and inspire the future generations. As such, it is imperative that teachers become rightful role models of ethics for their students. Karl Menninger believed that â€Å"What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches† (cited in Hunter, 2006). Menninger’s statement stress that teachers should always be a good ethical example for their students to look up to and learn from. A teacher must show tact, tolerance and morally-charge decision-making; he or she has to refrain from preferring one student over the other and from demonstrating disrespect or irritation for any of his or her students (Hunter, 2006). In a nutshell, for a teacher to be an ethical one, he or she has to always depict professionalism. Teacher professionalism manifests as both an internal, personal practice and an explicit expression. Professionalism starts from the inside. A teacher needs to make a fundamental commitment to teaching and to all the people that his or her teaching will touch (Phelps, 2003). This commitment is actualized by a teacher’s shown competency in his or her field and his or her capacity for following the teachers’ manual or code of ethics. It is essential that teachers recognize that their accountability should lie first, foremost and only with the students they teach. Therefore, a teacher shows his or her professionalism in how he or she prepares and plans how he or she could impart knowledge to the students in best way possible. Apart from making sure students understand what he or she is teaching to them now will have a high, enduring quality and will have more than just academic significance to students’ lives. To motivate and help them give their best effort every single day and to every single student, Phelps (2003) believes that teachers ought to accept and embrace all the challenges and hardships the journey of educating and aiding the youth’s learning may possess. In doing so, teaching is elevated to more than just a job for teachers but a calling. Professionalism requires teachers to invest themselves physically, mentally and emotionally in the process of the student’s education. This act allows teachers to make personal connections with students. Personal connections, relationships and bonds with one’s students are generally positive and helpful qualities. However, heavy emotional investments can also pave the way for the loss of professionalism, for which personal sentiments were invested in the first place. Emotional investments and personal connections can destroy professionalism and lead to a bending of the credibility of teacher-student ethics when they become the main object of teacher-student relationships instead of one of its reinforcements. When a teacher forms personal opinions or connections with one or a few particular students, it leads to a closeness or familiarity that can affect a teacher’s ethical conduct and professionalism. Examples would be developing a romantic relationship with a student or creating a hierarchy of student’s value based on a personal favoritism. Apart from creating partialities in favor of a student, personal opinions could further cloud a teacher’s judgment and create bias against a student or certain students. In both aspects, the founding of personal opinion can seriously hamper a teacher’s potential to be at his or her most professional best. Teachers are therefore reminded to abide by the code of ethics and ensure the protection of the rights of students, each and every single student (University of Iowa [UI], 2008). Teachers are encouraged to build rapport and make students comfortable in their presence enough for the students to liberally and honestly participate and contribute to class discussions. However, teachers are responsible for ensuring that there is still a professional boundary between them and student to prevent their relationship from getting too casual (UI, 2008). Teachers should instill and model fairness for all students of all racial, ethnical and economic background. Overall, ethics between teachers and students depend on the level of professionalism the teacher has. Teachers’ positions or social roles emphasize respect for one’s profession and the people they encounter. Teachers should direct all of their efforts and prioritize above all how they have contributed to students’ learning and development. References Hunter, D. (2006, Oct. 18). Teacher’s ethics. Articles Base. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www. articlesbase. com/article-marketing-articles/teachers-ethics-64131. html Phelps, P. (2003). Teacher Professionalism. In Find Articles. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa4009/is_200310/ai_n9335958 University of Iowa. (2008). The importance of teacher ethics. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www. education. uiowa. edu/resources/tep/eportfolio/07e170folder/Ethics. htm

Romeo and Juliet- Dilemmas

Out of the frying pan into the fire: The cause and effect Friar Lawrence’s dilemma, in William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. A dilemma is a very unfortunate thing that no individual should ever have to face. A dilemma is a very tough choice in which there are many choices, all of which usually have bad outcomes.William Shakespeare gives us many examples of a dilemma throughout his play of, Romeo and Juliet, some of the dilemma’s Shakespeare shows us, is when Friar Laurence has to decide whether to marry Romeo and Juliet, how he has to decide how to get Romeo and Juliet back together after Romeo is banished, and finally how his choice leads to the death of the two star crossed lovers.Through friar Laurence’s example, William Shakespeare demonstrates that when faced with a dilemma go with a simple choice, because when ideas become complex there is more room for error. Initially we see Friar Laurence as a man of the church who disapproves of Romeoâ₠¬â„¢s love for Rosaline, but also disapproves of him changing whom he loves very quickly. Friar Laurence tells Romeo that he is going through love to quickly, (Holy Saint Francis!What a change is here! Is Rosaline that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes†2. 3. 66-69) This is only some of the wisdom spoken by Friar Laurence to young Romeo in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on the decision made by him to wed thirteen year old Juliet in such hastiness after shedding his love for Rosaline.Romeo sought after instruction through the wisdom of Friar Laurence when he first met Juliet as there was no one else he could turn to, especially when the couple decided they wanted to get married. At that point in the play, it became apparent to Friar Laurence that if he were to marry Romeo and Juliet that it could abolish the hatred between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, and con cludes that he will help Romeo and Juliet plot their marriage in secret, hoping that it will bring their family’s together.However, after Friar Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet, he is confronted with the obstacle of Romeo being banished, which causes him too struggle as he seeks to find a way to keep Romeo and Juliet together. Juliet convinces Friar Laurence to help her by coming up with a plan to bring Romeo and Juliet back together, (God joined my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo's sealed, Shall be the label to another deed†¦Could to no issue of true honor bring! Be not so long to speak!I long to die, If what thou speak'st, speak not of remedy! 4. 1. 56-58 ; 66-68). In the discussion Juliet blames Friar Laurence for marrying her to Romeo, and blames him for Romeo being banished, she tells him it is his entire fault and he needs to fix it, thus evoking Friar Laurence to come up with a plan to help her spend time with Romeo. Consequ ently when Friar Laurence comes up with a complex plan, when something that Juliet said sparks an idea, (O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, 4. . 78) Juliet tells him that she would rater die than marry Paris, which brings him to the idea of faking Juliet’s death. He believes, with a draft that puts Juliet to sleep, and makes her look dead, her family will put her in the family vault. Then as a second stage of the plan a letter would be given to Romeo telling him to come to the burial vault, where they will meet, and then after she awakes they will be able to run off together, and live somewhere else happily ever after.But the complexity of father Laurence's plan leads to a miscommunication, which causes the death of both star crossed lovers. Romeo fails to receive Friar Laurence's letter and receives the news of Juliet's death from a relative, but the relative does not know of the plan behind her death. Romeo goes to visit the burial vault, and kills himself over Juliet 's seemingly dead body, soon after she awakes and then kills herself once she realizes Romeo is dead.This is why a dilemma is so complicated and why it should not be forced upon anyone. As demonstrated by William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet, a dilemma is a choice with much room for error and needs to be gone through with much precaution. William Shakespeare saw the need to put dilemmas in his play and understood the importance of choices that seemed like every day choices, but had hard decisions involved, choices in which the power to change the whole story line is held.These choices are shown by William Shakespeare's character Friar Laurence, as he has to decide whether to marry Romeo and Juliet, he has to decide how get Romeo and Juliet back together after Romeo is banished, and finally when his choices lead to the death of Romeo and Juliet. One bit of advice that should be taken from this play is that, when faced with a dilemma go with a simple choice, because when i deas become complex there is more room for error.

Analysis of Legally Blonde play

Analysis of Legally Blonde play My experience watching ‘legally blonde’ was one not to be reckoned with, despite the fact that the play took place in a well-known community theatre, it did not match my full expectations of how a good production of ‘legally blonde’ play ought to be performed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Legally Blonde play specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Generally, I would rank the play as below average. One of the major reasons why it was a poor performance is due to lack of proper portrayal of charm by Elle Woods who according to the original musical production uses them to get to Harvard. The character in this play was rather dull and kept on pausing in between her speeches. It was clear that she had not mastered her lines. The script represented an original ‘legally blonde’ script and therefore the author of the script did a commendable job because he included all the roles in the play and interpreted every scene in the play correctly. The vital theme in the production script from the author’s original work is the theme of love, perseverance, and loyalty, which were all included in the script. Therefore, the author of the script had his role well cut out. Another shoddy aspect of the production is the casting which was poorly presented because the main characters Elle Woods and Emmenet Forest were not well represented. The actor who played Emmenet did not portray a smart, honorable part as required. Instead, he seemed to struggle with the role while Elle Woods on the other hand lacked the energy that qualifies the role of original Elle Woods. Misrepresentation of these qualities diverted my attention from the play at some point. The set was perfectly done and every location in the original play was included in the stage. From my own judgment, the set was complete and it matched my expectation of a ‘legally blonde’ production and st age arrangement. Could I see everything? Yes, the theatre was well equipped with the latest lighting systems. The background lighting, area lighting and other latest techniques that enhanced toning and blending were employed. This helped to enhance the characters skin tone and reduced shadows on their faces. Therefore, visibility was perfect and heightened the mood in the play. The costumes were well done to suit the play. The use of bright colored costumes enhanced visibility and clarity. The costumes also matched the appropriate time of the story and the use of wigs help to identify Ellen Wood who was one of the main characters portrayed as a ‘blonde’.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In my opinion, the props were well represented as required in the play. The use of a background screen that kept on changing to suit different venues in the story enhanced th e originality factor; this managed to catch my concentration in the play. Also the furniture used was appropriate for the different scenes in the play. The sound was perfect, and audible enough to follow the play. There were no echoes and, it managed to keep my attention on the play to the end. The sound equipment ensured clarity and enhanced the mood. The use of music matched the different events in the story ranging from the sad moments to the happy moments. This made the play a bit more interesting. Generally, the acting was poor despite having high quality equipment and nice venue. The first major loophole started with the characters. To be more specific, the main characters Ellen Wood and Emmenet lacked energy and smartness qualities respectively; therefore, the originality of the play was not expressed. According to the play, every character was present but they did not play their role as required to qualify a typical ‘legally blonde’ narrative. I did not believe in the play due to poor role representation by the characters. In my own opinion, the characters in the play were not well prepared.

How to Get a Full Ride Scholarship 5 Key Tips

How to Get a Full Ride Scholarship 5 Key Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College is a huge investment - you spend a lot of time, energy, and money to earn a degree. Graduating from school means making financial sacrifices, but it also means reaping significant educational and professional rewards. But what if the whole money problem wasn’t an issue? What if you could go to school without worrying about tuition expenses or accruing interest? With a full ride scholarship, all your college costs are taken care of. Instead of thinking about paying your bills, you could focus on the important things: studying for that big exam or getting your term paper in on time. Here, I’ll lay out everything you need to know about how to get a full ride scholarship: what exactlyitis, who can get one, and where you can find them. What Is a Full Ride Scholarship? If you’ve already done your research on what college will cost, you’ll know that tuition isn’t the only expense you’ll be responsible for - you’ll also have to budget for room, board, fees, textbooks, transportation, and personal expenses. The amount of all of these expenses together is called the Cost of Attendance, or CoA. Depending on where you go to school, the CoA can come to over $200,000 for a bachelor’s degree. (For more information on college expenses, check out our guide to college costs). Full ride scholarships are special because they fully cover all college-related costs, meaning they pay for the entire CoA. A traditional â€Å"scholarship† is awarded based on merit, not on financial need - this means that a student could win a full ride award even if her family isn’t low-income. There are other avenues to getting a full ride beyondjust traditional scholarship programs, however. Free money is free money, whether you’re getting it based on merit or financial need, so in this post, I’ll address other ways to get your CoA covered besides the private scholarship route. The best strategy for how to geta full ride scholarship (and get all of your expenses covered) is to take a multi-pronged approach, applying toall of the following: Private scholarship programs (both merit- and need-based) Institutional need-based financial aid Institutional merit-based scholarships Private Full Ride Scholarship Awards Full ridescholarships seem almost too good to be true - how could you get all of your college costs covered, regardless of your family’s financial need? These sorts of scholarship programs do exist, but as you might imagine, they're not exactly common.Fewer than 20,000 students per year will earn a private full-ride scholarship award - that may sound like a lot, but consider that over 20 million students are expected to attend college this fall (so about 0.1% of students, or one in 1000, get full-ride scholarships). Because these scholarships are so competitive, there will be many qualified applicants who won’t end up with funding. This should not discourage you from applying, but don’t pin your hopes on any one of these awards - you should have solid backup plans if you're set on securing outside funding (I’ll address that later). Now for some good news: if you were worried about spending a bunch of time researching different scholarship programs, don’t be! We have some great guides on the top scholarship programs out there. Start off with our post on some of the best full ride scholarships, and then check out our guides to top scholarships for high school juniors and high school seniors. Full Ride Scholarships From Schools Kill two birds with one stone: get into a college and get a full ride with one application. Some schools will cover their own CoAs if you’re a particularly attractive applicant or have high financial need. To get a full scholarshipfrom any school, though, you'll have to be a very compelling applicant - either competitive enough to earn merit-based awards or academically strong enough to get into a top-ranked school. Here's some more information about merit-based and need-basedfull ride scholarships from schools. Schools That Offer Full Rides Based on Merit Traditional scholarship awards are based on merit, not necessarily on financial need. Some schools use scholarship awards to attract strong applicants regardless of their family’s financial situation. Top colleges don’t generally offer merit scholarships because they don’t have to attract competitive applicants (the applicant pool is already really strong). We have a list of 79 colleges that offer full ride scholarships - you may not be very familiar with the schools on this list, but if you’re academically or athletically strong with low financial need they may be good options for you. Schools That Offer Full Rides Based onFinancial Need Some of the best financial aid programs out there are at some of the most competitive schools - like Harvard, for example. Some schools have very generous financial aid programs that will cover the entire CoA for students with high financial need. Most schools with these types of programs are top private colleges. If you have high financial need and want to get a full ride from one of these top colleges,you'll have to focus your energy on getting in. For a list of schools with these generous aid policies, check out our guide to colleges with the best financial aid. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. 5 Steps to Winning a Full Ride Scholarship Now that you know wheretoget full ride scholarships, you'll want to know how to get a full ride scholarship. The following strategies will help you get an award no matter the funding source. In general, the things you can do to make yourself a strong college applicant will also make you a strong full ride scholarship candidate.If you’re a strong college applicant, you’ll also increase your chances of getting merit-based scholarships from schools. Finally, you’ll also be more competitive at top colleges that give generous need-based aid. This strategy guide will walk you through steps you can take to increase your chances of funding across the board. Your should start preparing forscholarship applications early - think Day 1 of your freshman year of high school. Scholarship programs and admissions officers evaluate applicants on many factors, most of which can’t be worked on at the last minute. To optimize your chances of winning a full scholarship award, you should be close to the top of your class with a strong background in leadership and community service. You should also have strong relationships with instructors and mentors who can write you glowing letters of recommendation. Finally, you should have a concrete plan in place so that you can get all application requirements in on time. There may be a lot of boxes to check, but this guide will help you get everything in order. Demonstrate Academic Excellence This isn’t just about a high GPA - it’s also about taking challenging courses. In order tostand out in a positive way, take as many advanced or AP classes as possible. If you're struggling in a particular subject (everyone has weaknesses), seek out extra help from teachers so that your grades don't suffer. If you're gunning for a truly excellent academic performance, aim for the top 10% of your class rankings. If you have your eye on some of the most famous full scholarships (like the Gates Millennium) you’ll likely need to be at the very top of your class to be a competitive applicant. Develop Leadership Skills Private scholarship committees, in particular, want to invest in future leadersand give awards to students whom they anticipate will go on to be successful in business, politics, academia, etc. The only way scholarship committees can evaluate future leadership potential is by looking at your past experience. In order to develop your own leadership skills, be an active classroom participant (teachers will be able to speak to your leadership potential in letters of recommendation). Raise your hand, volunteer to lead projects or groups, and help other students if possible. Join extracurricular groups, but focus on quality over quantity - choose clubs or activities that you'll stick with long-term. This will lead to more opportunities to move up to club officer or team captain roles. If there aren't many activities at school that spark your interest, look into starting your own club, activity, or charity. Invest in Community Service Private scholarship programs and schools alike want to invest in students who will â€Å"pay it forward† or students who will do good in the world. Show funding sources that you’re this type of person with a history of community service. Like with clubs and other extracurriculars, quality is more important than quantity. Try to pick something that you’re interested in early on and stick with it. Regular weekly participation is ideal.If you want ideas onwhere to start building volunteer experience, start with our guide on the nine best places to do community service work. Develop Relationships With Mentors and Instructors This step is important for a couple of reasons: It’s valuable to have mentors who can offer you trusted professional, personal, and academic advice. You should have people on your side who are willing to write strong letters of recommendation. Begin building these relationships by showing respect for your class, sports team, club,or activity. Show potential mentors and instructors that you are willing and able to actively participate. Follow up byseeingleaders for extra help and showing interest in the relevant subject area. We all need someone to go to when we have questions. Plan Ahead You’ll have quite a few deadlines to keep track of for both college and scholarship applications. Unfortunately, scholarship application deadlinescan be all over the place.Many of the top scholarships have deadlines early in your senior year, so prepare a list of scholarship programs that you want to apply to by the end of your junior year. It’s also important to give yourself enough time to complete applications, especially if you have to submit personal statements or essays. Also, keep in mind thatif you have to submit letters of recommendation, you should provide 10-12 weeks advance notice for letter-writers. What You Should Do If You Don't Think You'll Get a Full Ride Scholarship Let’s say you’re a good student, but you don’t think you’ll qualify for a full ride scholarship. Maybe you'renot academically strong enough to win a top merit-based scholarship or get into a top-ranked college, but you also don't demonstrateenough financial need to qualify for much aid. What are your next steps? A full ride is still a full ride even if it’s patch-workedtogether through multiple funding sources. Here are some things you can do to come up with a full ride: Apply broadly to many scholarship programs. This is essentially a numbers game: the more programs you apply to, the better your chances of winning one (or more) scholarships. Do some research into more targeted or local scholarship programs. Smaller scholarships may be less competitive than the big full ride programs. Focus on following the advice above on how to geta full ride scholarship. Even if you don't think you'll win a big award, building your skills, resume, and grades will give your funding chances a nice boost. What's Next? Private scholarships and institutional aid are great, but the backbone of college fundingoften comes in the form of federal aid. Learn more about the Pell Grant, Perkins loan, Direct Subsidized loan, and Direct Unsubsidized loan. Are you looking at full ride scholarships because you want to get through college debt-free? Read more about how to pay for college without taking out loans. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: