African American and Black People Essay

1 . What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? Reconstruction brought important social changes to former slaves. Families that had been separated before and during the Civil War were reunited, and slave marriages were formalized through legally recognized ceremonies. Families also took advantage of the schools established by the Freedmen’s Bureau and the expansion of public education, albeit segregated, under the Reconstruction legislatures. New opportunities for higher education also became available with the founding soon after the Civil War of black colleges, such as Howard University in Washington, D. C. , and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The number of African-American churches grew significantly and became social and political centers as well as houses of worship. Black ministers assumed a leadership role in the community and were among the first elected officials. The most fundamental concern of blacks through all of the changes, though, was economic survival. 2. What did black political leaders accomplish and fail to accomplish during Reconstruction? What contributed to their successes and failures? During the decade known as Radical Reconstruction (1867-77), Congress granted African American men the status and rights of citizenship, including the right to vote, as guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U. S. Constitution. During Reconstruction, some 2,000 African Americans held public office, from the local level all the way up to the U. S. Senate, though they never achieved representation in government proportionate to their numbers. 3. Were black political leaders unqualified to hold office so soon after the end of slavery? They were unqualified to hold office soon after the slavery because some of the amendments disqualified blacks. Yes because the amendments prevented blacks to be in the office. 4. To what extent did African Americans dominate southern politics during Reconstruction? Should we refer to this era as â€Å"Black Reconstruction† African Americans dominated the southern politics during Reconstruction because of the debate play a big part in the situation. 5. Why did the Republican Party fail to maintain control of southern state governments during Reconstruction? Because other party had more voters and stronger debates. 6. What was â€Å"redemption†? What happened when redemption occurred? What factors contributed to redemption? The return of an investor’s principal in a fixed income security, such as a preferred stock or bond; or the sale of units in a mutual fund. A redemption occurs, in a fixed income security at par or at a premium price, upon maturity or cancellation by the issuer. Redemptions occur with mutual funds, at the choice of the investor, however limitations by the issuer may exist, such as minimum holding periods. 7. How and why did Reconstruction end? reconstruction ended because of the compromise of 1877. It was an unwritten agreement that stated Hayes would win the presidency, if he were to remove troops from southern states (political).. Reconstruction also failed because many people in the south did not want to accept a life different from what they were used to (social). 8. How effective was Reconstruction in assisting black people to move from slavery to freedom? It was very effective because black people did get a chance to become free. 1 . How were black people prevented from voting despite the Fifteenth Amendment? Many white Americans were upset about the fifteenth amendment so they put fear in the black community by attacking them at the polls and throughout different cities. 2. How did white Americans justify segregation? They had better options than blacks. For example Blacks had to seat in the of the classroom and buses. 3. Why did the South experience an epidemic of violence? and lynching in the late nineteenth century? Because people wanted revenge upon people in the south 4. Why didn’t more black people leave the South in this period? Because they was afraid of what people from the south might do to them. 1. How did the strategies promoted by Booker T. Washington differ from those of W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP? Which were more effective? W. E. B Du Bois wanted people to work for the things they wanted. Booker T Washington wanted people to find a trade and work for the stuff they want. W. E. B Du Bois was more effective because the black community wanted to be educated was the can understand things . 2. Assess Washington’s contributions to the advancement of black people? Booker T Washington wanted people to find a trade and work for the stuff they want. 3. How did middle-class and prosperous black people try to contribute to progress for their race? Were their efforts effective? They efforts were effective they seen that it was possible for blacks to advance in life and they wanted to progress. 4. Why did most African Americans support U. S.participation in World War I? Was that support justified? Because they loved their country, and wanted to support their families. 6. Why did many black people leave the South in the 1920s? Why didn’t this migration begin earlier or later? Because they were not being treated fair. 2. What examples of progress could leaders like W. E. B. Du Bois, James Weldon Johnson, A. Philip Randolph, and Marcus Garvey point to in the 1920s? 3. Why did so many African-American leaders reject Marcus Garvey? Because he wanted them to go back to Africa and got close with Ku Klux Klan. 4. How did the black nationalism of the Universal Negro Improvement Association differ from the white nationalism of the Ku Klux Klan? Because they were not violent. 5. What economic opportunities existed for African Americans who had migrated to northern cities? 6. Why did the literary and artistic movement known as the Harlem Renaissance emerge? 7. What was distinctive about black writers, artists, and musicians? Were their creative works essentially a part of American culture or separate from it? 8. Did African Americans have any reason to be optimistic by the late 1 920s? 1 . Why did African Americans abandon their long association with the Republican Party in favor of the Democratic Party? Because African Americans felt like the democratic party share the same beliefs. 2. How did black radicalism influence Roosevelt’s New Deal policies and programs? 3. How did black people respond to and survive the Great Depression? How did the experiences of black women during the Depression reflect their race, class, and gender status? 1 . How did the Great Depression affect black culture? How did the WPA democratize black culture? How did black religious culture change during this era? It rapidly increases and had black support and establish an organization. 2. How did black artists, musicians, filmmakers, and writers negotiate the dilemma of dual consciousness as articulated by Du Bois? They knew that people had to be educated to make their dreams come true. The different talents that they had needed to be shared with the world and the way they could do that is understanding how, why, when and what message will people understand them or they dreams. This provided blacks with the opportunity to shine and show their talented. 3. How did swing-era big band music lead to bebop? What problems did the bebop musicians encounter? They were introduce to beats, It was not catching a lot of people attention. It was a culture change in Chicago and Harlem. The cities started a different age of music. Jazz and hip-hop dancing help create the renaissance in the two areas. 6. Why did black athletes become prominent during the1930s and 1940s? What was their impact on American.

Storm Born Chapter Ten

By my count, we'd spent a little over two hours at Dorian's and almost an hour getting there. That did not please me. At this rate, we might not get home until dawn in our world. If we made it home. Dorian's servant, Gawyn, looked like he was about a hundred years old. No, wait. Actually, that'd be pretty young for one of the gentry. Okay. He looked about a millennium old. I don't know. He was just old, plain and simple. His gray hair fell almost to his ankles, and as soon as I saw him hobble forward, I suddenly envisioned us taking another three hours to get to Aeson's, despite how close Dorian and the spirits claimed it was. â€Å"He's ancient,† I whispered to Dorian. â€Å"And he seems kind of†¦out of it.† Gawyn was currently telling Wil what lovely legs he had, despite the fact that Wil had none in spirit form. I wasn't entirely sure if Gawyn even realized Wil was male. â€Å"His mind will be razor sharp when it comes to Aeson's castle. As for speed, I'll give you horses. You look like you could ride a number of things exceptionally well.† I ignored the innuendo, mostly thinking how it'd been years since I'd been on a horse – not counting my earlier capture. Horses had never done much for me. I didn't get why little girls wanted ponies. If I did more riding tonight, I'd likely be sore as hell tomorrow. Once my weapons were returned, we set out. Dorian waved us off, telling me he'd be looking forward to my next visit. I stayed professional, simply thanking him for his help. I think this delighted him more than any other reaction could have. The horses did give us more speed than walking and were the best I could have hoped for in a world without mechanical transportation. The horse I rode was midnight black with a small white star on its nose. Gawyn's appeared to be a palomino. The spirits and Wil merely drifted in our wakes. In the darkness, I could just barely see Gawyn glancing over at me. â€Å"So you're Eugenie Markham. The Dark Swan.† â€Å"So they say.† â€Å"I met your father once.† â€Å"Oh?† I didn't bother making the father-stepfather clarification. â€Å"Great man.† â€Å"You think so?† â€Å"Absolutely. I know some don't think so†¦but, well, you should be proud.† â€Å"Thank you. I am.† Gawyn said no more, and I pondered his words, feeling kind of surprised. Considering what Dorian had told me, I hadn't expected Roland to have fans in the Otherworld. Then again, Dorian had also said that some – what was her name? Maiwenn? – had opposed Storm King. They might very well view Roland as a hero. We traveled in relative silence after that, broken occasionally when Finn would happily spout about what a great party Dorian had had. Like before, we crossed in and out of the various kingdoms and their climatic changes. I still felt like we traveled in circles. More than once, Gawyn called us to a halt, scratched his head, and mumbled to himself. I didn't find that reassuring. At one point, he led us off the trail and into a forest, and I hoped one of my minions would speak up if we'd gotten completely lost. Everything was tropically warm and flourishing here, so presumably we rode in the Alder Land again. Gawyn came to a stop. â€Å"Here,† he said. I looked around. Night insects sang in the trees around us, and the smell of dirt, fresh growth, and decaying plants permeated the air. It had been dark before, but now the canopy of leaves blocked out even starlight. Gawyn climbed off his horse, nearly falling into a heap on the ground. I started to get down and help him, but he soon righted himself. He walked a few paces forward and then slammed his foot against the ground. A hard, solid sound answered back. I dismounted as well. â€Å"What is that?† Volusian, back in a legged form, walked over. â€Å"A door of sorts. Built into the ground.† â€Å"Yes,† said Gawyn triumphantly. â€Å"Built for sieges. But never used anymore.† â€Å"Does it lead into Aeson's fortress thing?† I asked. â€Å"To the cellar. Stairs from the cellar lead up to the kitchen. From the kitchen, you take the servants' stairs – â€Å" â€Å"Whoa, hang on.† I wanted to make sure I had it all. Volusian created blue flame to cast light, and we drew a map in a clear spot of dirt based on Gawyn's recollections. I might have doubted his memories, but he spoke with certainty, and he had managed to lead us to this obscure place. Maybe Dorian had been right in the â€Å"razor sharp† assessment. When Gawyn felt we had the directions to the residential wing memorized, he told us he wouldn't join us. He would wait here to tell Dorian what became of us. That was fine by me. I didn't really regard Gawyn as a battle asset – or Wil, for that matter. Unlike the old man, however, the ghostly conspiracy theorist didn't take being left behind so well. â€Å"But I told you, I need to reassure her – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said firmly. â€Å"I let you come this far, and you almost ruined things with those riders. Now you wait. If Jasmine's scared, she'll hold on a few more minutes until we bring her out to you.† I worried I'd have to bind him – I could actually do it since he was here in spirit, not in body – but it didn't come to that. He conceded, so I entered the trapdoor with just my minions in tow. â€Å"Truly,† remarked Nandi as we entered a darkened tunnel, â€Å"it is amazing that you have not died yet, mistress.† â€Å"Well, hang in there. The night is young.† Volusian provided light again, and we let it guide us along a stone-encased tunnel that smelled damp. Rats ran by at one point. Finn had been right. Apparently the Otherworld did have its share of animals and vermin. When the tunnel sloped upward, I knew we had reached the end. A wooden door in the ceiling marked our next gateway. I asked the spirits to go into an insubstantial form. Hitherto, they'd walked along looking very human. I needed them obscured now. Compliant, all three shifted to what looked like a fine mist surrounding me. I pushed open the door and climbed out, finding myself in a small enclosed space. The mist that was Volusian glowed once more, and I made out the shapes of bags and boxes. If Gawyn was right about this attaching to the kitchen, then those containers probably contained food or other supplies. Twenty feet in front of me, a doorway was outlined in light shining through from the other side. I walked up about ten steps and gingerly opened the door. I now stood in a kitchen, a very rustic one compared to my own, but completely on par with what I'd seen at Dorian's place. All was quiet. â€Å"Where is everyone?† I murmured. â€Å"It's late now,† Finn whispered back. â€Å"No one's hungry. And Aeson's not into the party scene as much as Dorian.† We found the servants' stairwell exactly where Gawyn had said it would be. Unfortunately, when I opened the door, I found a servant there, just coming down. We stared at each other stupidly, and I had only a heartbeat to decide how to handle him. I wielded both gun and athame. In another state of mind, I probably would have just killed him. But something held me back. Maybe it was Dorian. Maybe it was seeing his people and having to acknowledge they were more than just a faceless mob. Whatever it was, I chose not to kill this time. I reached out, grabbed the guy, and gave him a hard jolt to the head with my fist and the butt of my gun. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the floor. Once he had been safely deposited in the cellar, we continued on our way. We encountered no one else on the stairs, nor in the magnificent hallway it led us to. Enormous stone pillars supported the high ceiling, and rich oil paintings of various landscapes turned the walls into seas of living color. We had reached the residential wing, just as Gawyn had said. If my other intelligence was correct, we'd find Jasmine Delaney behind one of the many doors lining the hall. Fortunately, housekeeping had decided to leave open all of the unoccupied rooms. Sticking my head inside a few, I could see no one had occupied them in awhile. The beds were stripped of covers, and dust coated everything. Only two doors were actually closed. In some ways, that made my job easier. Yet, I might have enjoyed the buildup of opening a few false doors before the big payoff. Weapons readied, I opened the first one. It led to a bedroom almost bigger than Dorian's, but no one was inside. All was dark and still. A smoldering fire provided the only source of movement. Pausing a moment, I admired the wall tapestries and canopied bed. It had a nice layout, almost circular, complete with adjacent rooms and high ceilings. It made my bedroom at home look like a closet. â€Å"One left,† I muttered, slipping back out. We turned down the hall and approached the only other closed doorway. Unless Jasmine was locked in a dungeon, we should find her here, according to what we'd heard. I reached for the handle, then hesitated. â€Å"You open it, Volusian.† Some of the mist coalesced into physical form. Once solid, Volusian slowly opened the door and peered in. It looked dark. I started to move forward, but he held up a warning hand. â€Å"No, there's something – â€Å" Light flared on, and suddenly we were under attack. I tried to back out of the room, but someone grabbed me, pulling me inside. With me at risk, the other minions poured into the room. They had no choice, their preemptive orders always demanding they look to my safety. This was a bedroom, like the other one, but seven men stood here, armed with weapons and magic. I fired at the one who had grabbed me, aiming for the face and neck now that I knew what little effect I'd had on Dorian's people. It was bloody and messy, but I felt pretty sure even the best healing magic would have a tough time fixing that guy up. Once free of him, I turned on the next one who came at me. He was smart enough to strike out at my gun hand, attempting to neutralize that threat. I slashed at him with the other hand, the one holding the athame. He flinched at the feel of iron, and I used that momentary weakness to grab him and shove him into the wall with my elbow. He collapsed to the floor, and a sharp kick to the gut made sure he stayed down. I saw the spirits engaged in battle nearby, shoving and fighting with a strength that was literally inhuman. Two other men had been subdued or killed by them, and they now fought a third. That left two. One lunged at me, and I shot him, the gun's report loud in the small room. He fell backward, and I fired again, still not trusting gentry healing on their own turf. I started to look for the last guy when I heard a small whimper on the far side of the room. I turned, pausing. It was her. Jasmine Delaney. She was smaller and slighter than I'd thought she'd be. A long white gown covered her body, and she wrapped its voluminous folds around herself as she huddled in the corner. Lank, reddish blond hair nearly covered her face, but it couldn't hide her eyes. They were enormous and gray, filled with fear. They stood out sharply against her pale, gaunt face. Seeing my gaze upon her, she cringed further. Anger boiled within me. And pity. I knew she was fifteen, but in that moment, she looked about ten. She was a child. And she was trapped here, taken against her will. Hotter and fiercer my rage grew. I needed to make her captor pay, to let him know he couldn't just – My moment of emotion cost me. In those seconds I'd spent staring at her, I'd lost the last man. I felt a blade at my throat and realized I'd let him sneak up behind me. â€Å"If you want to live,† he said, â€Å"drop your weapons and call off your servants.† I didn't really think I'd live if I did that, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't if I didn't. So I did as he asked. Yet, it wasn't entirely clear to me what this one guy could really do alone. A moment later, I had my answer as another man entered. Immediately, I knew he was Aeson. For one thing, the others had been dressed in a sort of uniform. He was not. He wore deep burgundy pants tucked into thigh-high boots made of black leather. A shirt of black silk clothed his upper body, billowing and gleaming. His gray-streaked brown hair was pulled back in a short ponytail, and a circlet of gold sat on his head. His face was long and narrow, with a mouth destined for good sneers. Arrogant or not, Dorian had never worn a crown in his own keep, I realized. There had been no need. His kingship was obvious to all. Two guards followed Aeson, and upon seeing the situation, he sent one for backup. And here we'd been doing so well in evening the odds. â€Å"If I'd realized you would decimate my men in minutes, I would have had the whole garrison up here,† Aeson remarked. He leaned toward me, touching my cheek. â€Å"It really is you. Eugenie Markham. I can't believe I finally have you.† I tried to squirm from that touch, but I had nowhere to go, not with a blade at my throat. My minions waited, tense, willing to do whatever I asked. Yet, I feared unleashing them might put Jasmine at risk – and my own throat. â€Å"You have her,† said a shaking voice from the hall. â€Å"I did what I said. Now give me Jasmine.† Moving my eyes, I stared in astonishment. Wil floated in the doorway. He must have followed us after all. He looked at Aeson expectantly. An uneasy feeling built up within me, and everything clicked into place. â€Å"You traitorous son of a bitch!† Ignoring my outrage, Wil turned pleading eyes to Aeson. â€Å"Please. I brought you Eugenie. I kept my part of the deal.† â€Å"Yes,† said Aeson without even looking at the other man. â€Å"You did. And I will keep my word – momentarily.† He kept studying me like I was some kind of treasure or artifact. Like I was the eighth wonder of the world. I appreciated the boost to my ego, but the look in his eyes was actually kind of creeping me out. â€Å"Aeson – † tried Wil again. â€Å"Shut up,† snapped the king, still staring at me. The hand on my cheek slipped down and cupped my chin. He smiled, but it was a cold smile, one that didn't meet his eyes. In the corner, I heard Jasmine make a distraught sound. â€Å"After all this time, after so much waiting, I can finally beget the heir.† The statement was so ludicrous as to simply bounce off of me without comprehension. â€Å"Either kill me or let me go. I hate these idiotic soliloquies.† The entranced look on his face suddenly sharpened, and he blinked. â€Å"You†¦you have no idea, do you?† When I didn't answer, he started laughing so hard, I thought tears would form in his eyes. â€Å"I've tried so hard to get you, and you never even knew. You really don't know.† â€Å"Know what?† I asked impatiently. â€Å"Who your father is.† I didn't really appreciate the Star Wars?Cesque routine. â€Å"Roland Markham is my father. And the next time I see him, we're going to come back and kick your ass together. If I don't do it now.† â€Å"The next time you see him, you should ask him for the truth about you and Storm King.† â€Å"I don't have anything to do with Storm King.† â€Å"He's your father, girl. Roland Markham is a murderer and a thief. How could you not have known?† He might as well have been speaking a foreign language. â€Å"Maybe because you're insane. And because I'm human.† â€Å"Are you? Funny. You function in this world as easily as one of the shining ones. I've never met a human who could.† â€Å"Maybe I'm gifted.† I had on my bitch-bravado face, but his words were sneaking into me. I've heard that the soul often recognizes truth when it hears it, even if the mind does not. Maybe that was what was happening. My logical self was still being stubborn, but something†¦something in his words tickled the back of my mind. It was like some image lay there, covered in a black veil, waiting for me to lift it. â€Å"You are gifted. More than you know.† He brushed my hair out of my face. â€Å"Soon I will give you the greatest gift of your life. I'll redeem you for being a blood traitor.† â€Å"Shut up.† The keres had called me a blood traitor too. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about.† â€Å"Then why do you look so pale? Admit it. You've always known. You've always been alone.† â€Å"Everyone feels alone.† â€Å"Not like you do. Rest easy, though. You won't be lonely much longer. I would have taken you to my bed even if you were ugly, but now that I've seen you – â€Å" There were a lot of ways to have your maniacal tirade cut short, but being attacked by a fox was a new one. I didn't even know where it came from. One minute, Aeson was babbling on about having his way with me, and the next, a red fox was leaping out at him, claws and teeth bared. I'd never thought of a fox as a really dangerous animal, but this one looked lethal. It was the size of a German shepherd, and it hit Aeson like a tank. Its claws left scratches on his face. The guard holding me released me to help his master, and I retrieved my gun. I fired on him just as he was about to pry the fox from Aeson. It wasn't a killing shot, but it distracted him, halting his progress. I grabbed the wounded guard and threw him as far as the difference in our body weights would allow. He collapsed into a pile, and I shot him again. I turned toward Aeson to check the fox's progress, but the fox was no longer holding the king down. Kiyo was. My mouth dropped open. Kiyo. The black hair curled behind his ears, and I could see his muscles straining as he struggled with Aeson, his hands wrapped around the king's throat. Fire flared up from Aeson's fingertips, and I heard Kiyo grunt in response. I started to go to him without conscious thought, but he yelled at me to get Jasmine. Jasmine. Of course. The reason I was here. I dragged my eyes from the face I'd been obsessing on for the past week and approached the girl in the corner. I didn't think she could move any farther against the wall, yet she seemed to do so with each step I took. â€Å"Jasmine,† I said, leaning over and trying to sound gentle despite the panic coursing through me. â€Å"I'm a friend. I'm here to help you – â€Å" With those pathetic eyes and worn features, I'd expected some difficulty in getting her on her feet. What I did not expect was for her to suddenly leap out and flail at me with both hands. â€Å"Noooo!† she screamed, her shrill voice grating against my ears. I recoiled, not because of the threat she represented but because of the damage I could potentially cause her. â€Å"Aeson!† She ran to the struggling men and started beating fists on Kiyo's back. I suspected they had about the same effect as a fly landing on him. He transformed into a fox, and her blows fell on Aeson instead. I reached for her in that moment of surprise, but she was too small and too fast. She slipped away from me and everyone else in the room, and ran out the door before any of us could stop her. â€Å"Jasmine!† I yelled, my cries echoed by Wil as I ran to the door. Kiyo and Aeson still fought, and some distant part of me noted how Kiyo slipped in and out of fox and human forms as Aeson used fire magic against him. â€Å"Eugenie,† gasped Kiyo, â€Å"get out of here. Now.† â€Å"Jasmine – † I began. â€Å"The girl is gone, mistress,† said Volusian. â€Å"The kitsune is right. We need to get out of here. Cut your losses.† â€Å"No.† I stuck my head out the door. Jasmine was not in sight. Over a dozen or so guards running down the hall were, however. â€Å"Eugenie!† It was Kiyo again. â€Å"Run!† â€Å"Yes, Storm Daughter,† laughed Aeson, blood running out of his nose. â€Å"Run home. Ask Roland Markham who your father is.† â€Å"You bastard – † I wanted to lunge at him, to help Kiyo, but Finn grabbed me. â€Å"Jump now. Back to your world.† The pounding boots in the hall were almost upon us. â€Å"I can't. Not from here. I don't have an anchor.† â€Å"Yes, you do.† He glanced over at Wil, who hung there, translucent and utterly useless. If it had been up to me, I would have left Wil and his betraying ass here to be destroyed, but suddenly he had a purpose. Seeing my uncertain look, Kiyo said, â€Å"I'll go as soon as you do. They're here!† And they were. Men pouring into the room. I probably shouldn't have cared what happened to Kiyo, but I did. I wanted him to get out of this alive. I wanted to find Jasmine and bring her away. But the best I could do now was save my own skin. Invoking Hecate, I shifted my senses away from this world, reaching out to my own. While doing so, my will grabbed ahold of a startled Wil, dragging his spirit with me. A hard transition like that, without a crossroads or thin spot, theoretically could have dumped me anywhere in the human world. But I had Wil's spirit in tow. It had no choice but to snap back to his physical body, out in the Sonora Desert. If I was strong enough. â€Å"Follow!† I yelled to the minions. Or maybe it was to Kiyo. I didn't really know. The world shifted, my senses blurring. Crossing worlds in a convenient spot was like crossing through a wall made out of plastic sheeting. It was thin, and it took some struggling and clawing, but you could eventually get through. Jumping without a normal crossover spot, however? Well, that was like breaking through a brick wall.

Traveling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Loss Aversion and Its Effects False Impact in Decision Making Research Paper

Loss Aversion and Its Effects False Impact in Decision Making - Research Paper Example â€Å"People’s choices are often prediction-based about how different results will make them feel† including loss aversion. Naturally, people tend to trust that the effects of all the losses are superior to hedonic effects of a similar-sized gain. If these people are right that the irregularity of the foretold feedbacks to debts and credits matches true irregularity in real reactions to credits and gains, then they would be right and wise to avoid losses, if they are positive that the asymmetry of predicted reactions to losses (Deborah, Kermer; Erin, Driver-Linn, and Gilbert, Daniel). We acknowledge the fact that losses might have a larger hedonic impact compared to gains, but it is not so the case at all times. Even though the brain appears to processes negative events in different other regions compared to the positive events while triggering more concentrated neural activity than when it processes positive, but this does not mean that loss aversion always affects peo ple’s decision. Sometimes people trivialize negative results by persuading themselves that these negative outcomes will improve and will not be exceedingly damaging. This has led to the conclusion that not all people are negative. It is not a fact that all people are loss averse. It sometimes seems that people have learnt from experience that losses have less emotional impact than they predicted to have. However, studies showed that a number of impediments such as learning. As noted, a large number of psychological defences ensue outside of conscious alertness, making their anticipation difficult to observe. Further, for correct prediction, individuals have learnt to recognize how they recently reacted to a similar and previous occasion, and further, gotten to predict correctly. People have recognized experiences simulating how they are reacting. Individuals have mug up that loss has less emotional effect than what they predicted. They have learnt that these losses have less emotional effect than what they predicted due to facing repeated losses in the exact area over a short time. The theory of loss aversion does not apply at all times. It is not necessary that one bases his decision making on loss aversion. Research has shown that despite the fact that people try to make their decision on the fear that they might lose something and fall in a deep set back full of regret, they also try to link it to a past situation where a similar event happened, and the turnout was different. In contradiction to the theory of loss aversion, an experiment conducted on the reaction of people when they have lost $100. The rules of the experiment were whether the participants were ready to gamble to take another round and risk gaining the $100 back or falling $200 down. Though most people would quit and end the game at being $100 down, others will take the gamble of gaining their $100 back or falling another $100 down because the risk is a 50-50. Comprehending that the r isk of falling down another $100 is 50 and the risk of gaining back their $100 are also 50; they will go ahead and try regaining it. Not all the individuals are get affected with the anxiety of the loss affecting them emotionally and impeding their vision to make soundness decisions (Deborah, Kermer; Erin, Driver-Linn, and Gilbert, Daniel). An argument that there might be a forthcoming negative outcome is presented. This argument is feasible in

How does opeational line maintenance differ from manufacturing and Research Paper

How does opeational line maintenance differ from manufacturing and does either degrade aircraft maintenance abilities if no change is made Or does stability lead to increase in quality - Research Paper Example The problem is the huge maintenance of aircrafts in an airline. The huge maintenance of the aircraft imply to the groupings of the maintenance of aircrafts that are owned by an airline on the foundation of the structures of each type of aircraft, the necessary needs of maintenance, and the functional features of each aircraft type. Thus, the cause of this problem are the huge and necessary maintenance needs that are needed to attain a complete repair of the aircrafts. These needs include the maintenance that had been planned before, examination of nearly all constituent parts of the airplane along with changes in the structure of the airplane. The significance of the problem is that in the current market environment coupled with the competition in the aviation industry, aviation industry players have to seek the best means through which to keep their airplanes up to date and effective in their operations. Doing so will ensure that they are able to cut on the huge costs that may be accrued overt time and find the best solutions to the aircraft problems that may face them in the course of their operations. Moreover, the problem sets alight the necessity to develop an action oriented program that identifies issues in the aircrafts. The program helps identify the best action that is needed to ensure that airlines get the most out of their fleet, be it through operational line maintenance or manufacture of new aircrafts. It is essential to realize that during the operational line maintenance, the aircraft is taken out of operations; hence, it provides no revenue to the airline. During this period when an aircraft or aircrafts are taken in for operational line maintenance, the time taken to undertake the necessary maintenance actions is known as the downtime. Further, it is vital to note that operational line maintenance is a complex undertaking. It is complex because of the difficulty and size of the operation. On the other hand, manufacture of new

The Effects Of Welfare Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Effects Of Welfare Reform - Essay Example Welfare reform are a great source of assistance for many individuals who are unable to earn their living for any of reason and depends on the social welfare programs to get their share of livelihood. This dependence on the welfare programs may be attributed to their some physical or mental disability, natural calamity or age factor. The large number of dependents in our society requires a comprehensive mechanism to address the issues pertaining to their requirements and needs. Additionally, some other facets of the society who require some economic enabling assistance may get the benefits of the reforms. Taxpayers are also the legitimate beneficiaries of the system. The social response to these needs shapes into the welfare systems arranged, managed and run by individuals, state, social security groups and societies, state owned welfare schemes like Medicaid and Medicare or similar services. Welfare of these needy and dependants is not a simple task, enormous spending are required to keep these programs running and a huge managerial effort is required address the issue in a befitting manner. Moreover the coordination among various social welfare programs and scheme is of core importance to avoid wastage of hard generated resources. More recently there is an increased awareness among masses to ensure that their contributions in these social welfare programs are used purposefully for the wellbeing of the targeted populations.

Logics - Analysis of an Article by Peter Kreeft Essay

Logics - Analysis of an Article by Peter Kreeft - Essay Example Apart from many articles, he has written many books such as The Snakebite Letters, The Philosophy of Jesus, The Journey: A Spiritual Roadmap for Modern Pilgrims, Prayer: The Great Conversation: Straight Answers to Tough Questions About Prayer etc. The major idea behind this article â€Å"The Apple Argument Against Abortion† is to educate people about the consequences of performing abortion. Peter Kreeft argues against abortion in a philosophical manner throughout this article. He is making in depth analysis of the abortion issue with the help of answering certain questions like Who human are, what are the rights of human, why abortion is wrong etc and topics such as basis of morality, differences between the rights of all people and the rights of some people, arguments from skepticism etc. He also tries to analyze different cases with respect to abortion by taking different combinations such as; The fetus is a person, and we know that The fetus is a person, but we don't know t hat The fetus isn't a person, but we don't know that The fetus isn't a person, and we know that (Kreeft, 2000) Approach This article is mainly analytical in nature. The author tries to avoid the use of any instinctive methods in this article. He has analyzed abortion from various angles. Different dimensions of abortion were beautifully explained in this article. For example, the author took the example of an apple and the understanding of ordinary people about it, to attract the attention of the readers towards the topic. Since the author is a philosopher, a philosophical approach can be visible throughout this article. He explains various dimensions of abortion with the help of comparisons, analogies etc. It is difficult for ordinary people to understand the problems associated with abortion, especially the moral issues. The author tries to explain all those issues in a simple, but comprehensive manner so that anybody who decide to perform abortion may think twice or thrice before doing so, after reading this article. In short, the author succeeded in persuading the readers of this article to argue against abortion. Different kinds of reasoning in the article Inductive, deductive, causal and analogical reasoning techniques were used throughout this article. The following paragraph is an example of an inductive argument present in this article. I have heard it argued that we do not treat any other species in the traditional way — that is, we do not assign equal rights to all mice. Some we kill (those that get into our houses and prove to be pests); others we take good care of and preserve (those that we find useful in laboratory experiments or those we adopt as pets); still others we simply ignore (mice in the wild). The argument concludes that therefore, it is only sentiment or tradition (the two are often confused, as if nothing rational could be passed down by tradition) that assigns rights to all members of our own species (Kreeft, 2000). The above argument is an example of inductive reasoning. It is not necessary that the argument needs to be 100% right to make it as an example of inductive reasoning. It should be noted that cultures like Buddhism or Jainism treats any type of killing - killing of animal or killing of human - as a sin. But cultures like Islam or Christianity do not treat killing of animals as a sin. In short, the above argument may not be conclusive or correct everywhere, but it helps the author to strengthen his arguments

Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Media - Essay Example the formation of social media and the Internet. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship of Media and Middle East and how it has transformed in the past decades. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the emergence of social media as a major forum that has built people’s perspectives during and after the Arab Spring. In order to understand Middle East (the Arab specifically and comprehensively), the relationship of the media and the state’s culture and its politics should be understood. For more than forty years, mass media authority has built the region. Utilizing the numerous communications models, the centralized government of the region has perfectly ruled the mass media. It is evidenced through history that the Middle East had had rough relationships with its media. The Emirs of different Arab states due to Sharia Laws and other reasons shut down numerous media agencies. Despite the freedom given to the media, different media organizations including BBC were closed down in the Middle East as it was against the laws and Islam (Al-Obaidi). However, over the past few years, it has been noticed that the trend is transforming and the acceptance towards media across the Middle East is increasing. The shift has been observed since the beginning of the Arab Spring (Carrington). The events that took place in various countries of the Middle East from 2010 has transformed the way people think and believe. The role of social media in the Arab spring is dominating and its importance can not be denied as various scholars and researchers have shown that many revolutions started through social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. (Gelvanovska, Rogy and Rossotto). Despite the fact that these social media forums were banned in many countries of the Middle East for this particular reason, the Arab Spring continued and many governments were brought down

Motivating employees Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Motivating employees - Coursework Example She emphasized that being respected, being taken seriously, and being listened to are considered very crucial. In this regard, using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Shank’s old boss failed to meet her esteem and status needs, which are the desires for self-respect, or self-esteem. These include the desires for achievement, confidence, independence, and freedom; as well as reputation, prestige, recognition, attention, importance and appreciation. For Shank, these needs have not been previously met because of the organizations’ utter disregard for a person’s worth as a person, and not as a number, as alleged. To address these missing needs, management of these previous organizations should provide positive recognition and importance to their personnel by acknowledging good performance through rewards, appreciating inputs, promotions and recognizing exemplary work, as needed. (2) Use the Expectancy Theory and/or the Equity Theory of motivation to explain how feeling underpaid might affect the work of a Flight 001 associate and what a manager can do to increase the employees motivation. The Expectancy Theory states that motivation is a product of three variables: namely, â€Å"valence which represents how much as person wants a reward; expectancy, which refers to a person’s estimate of the probability that effort will result in effective performance; and instrumentality, which relates to a person’s estimate that performance will lead to receiving the reward† (Martires & Fule, 2000, p. 22). Feeling underpaid might affect the work of an associate in terms of perceiving that the effort exerted leading to a level of expected performance is not appropriately compensated and therefore, there is this feeling of being short changed or not being properly remunerated for the particular job. In this case, the associated would

Epistomology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epistomology - Essay Example Notably, there are .numerous argument on the existence and non-existence of God and such arguments are categorized into logical, metaphysical, empirical, and subjective. Philosophers and the philosophy of popular culture and regions have since had lively debate on the existence of God (The Christian's God Does Not Exist†¦ 114). Therefore, from the same philosophies and understandings, this essay considers that it is equally logical to believe that God may or may not God. Despite the openness on the argument that God may or may not exist does never qualify these same arguments to have the same magnitude. In other words, a lack of positive belief is not the same thing as the presence of a negative belief. While it is perfectly fine not to believe either way, I believe it is hypocritical to assert that God does not exist. This notion will make the believer’s argument invalid for lack of sufficient evidence; however, there is also insufficient evidence for God’s nonexi stence either. Both beliefs (existence and nonexistence) are of equal logical grounds and are valid depending on the weight of the argument/contribution. For instance, the believers usually note that if God never existed, then life could have been meaningless ultimately. In other words, if life was doomed until death, then it could have not mattered how an individual lives his or her life. This theory is actually supported by nature and natural existence. Therefore, to this limit God exists. Despite this argument, there is no physical evidence that God does or does not exist. Beliefs that are based on false assumptions are still logically valid following the assumption (If P>Q; therefore, the statement P>Q is still true.) Since there is no physical evidence for either argument, it is impossible to determine the truth-value of P; therefore, both arguments are logically valid following the initial assumptions they claim. I believe that, in fact, it is truly impossible to prove with 10 0% that any initial assumption is true. Even physical evidence of widely accepted notions, for example, is detected through imperfect human sensory organs. â€Å"I see that the chair is blue> the chair is blue† is 1. Valid and is 2 (Treharne 389). The assumption that your eyes are trustworthy is impossible to verify. (the argument that you could refer to someone else, asking â€Å"is the chair blue?† fails because no matter how many people you ask, how do you know that you can trust them, or that they can trust their own eyes? In addition, what does it really mean to be called blue, anyway?) with this mode and form of arguments, it worth noting that any believe hold especially when a person have no reasonable doubt to believe in their thinking and imaginations. Therefore, both beliefs that God exist and or not holds to those believe on the same, either way. Additionally, Metaphysical â€Å"evidence† may be considered valid. Arguers against metaphysical evidenceà ¢â‚¬â„¢s validity do not, I think, fully understand what it means to be valid. Is any evidence provable with 100% certainty to be true? For example, in Mathematics proofs and deductions that bring about new knowledge are usually based on Theorems or Axioms (but rarely â€Å"Laws†). Therefore, while all deductions from these theorems are logically valid, should the Theorem be proven false, the deductions are no longer applicable to the universe in which the theorem as been proven false but

The impact of globalisation on business Essay Example for Free

The impact of globalisation on business Essay 1. INTRODUCTION. Advancement in transportation and information technologies has opened up the world to lucrative business opportunities. Many companies no longer confine their business domestically but reach out globally in search of better profits. When a company conducts business across national boundaries, it is participating in international business. International business paves the way for globalisation. Ball et al. (2004) found that globalisation can be defined in many ways but broadly globalisation occurs when an entity (government, company, NGOs, etc.) carries out an activity (economic, political, technological, etc. ) in a host country. Globalisation has impacted the way many companies performed their business. New strategies are required to identify the opportunities presented by globalisation. Companies need to understand the forces that drive them towards globalisation. Most importantly, the companies must be prepared to meet the challenges of globalisation. This report presents globalisation in the context of a global strategy. It assesses the impact of the global strategy on the Texchem Group of Companies (Texchem), a company based in Penang. Texchem is founded in 1973 by its current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dato Seri Fumihiko Konishi. Today, Texchem is well diversified into the business of trading, manufacturing and services with divisions in the packaging, industrial, food, family care and venture industries ( 2003). Currently, Texchems globalisation efforts are concentrated around the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) countries and China (Chiew 2004). The organizational structure of Texchem is shown below. The groups investment holding company is Texchem Resources Berhad.  (source: Texchem Resources Bhd, www.trbgroup.com/business_act_corporate_structure.htm) FIGURE 1: Texchem organizational structure 2. FORCES DRIVING TEXCHEM TO GLOBALISE. Normally, a companys decision to globalise is influenced by a combination of several factors. These factors are the forces that drive a company to expand abroad. Each company has its own unique reasons to carry out oversea business activities since declining trade barrier and technological changes seem to underlie the trend towards greater globalisation (Hill 2003, p. 8) today. Texchem has mainly operated domestically apart from venturing into Singapore a year after its inception. It was not until 18 years later that Texchem started its globalisation exercise aggressively after building up its strength and reputation. Starting with Thailand in 1992, Texchem continued with Vietnam (1994), Myanmar (1997, Indonesia (2002) and China (2002). Now, Texchem is well represented in the ASEAN region (Texchem Annual Report 2002). Like any other companies, there were also unique forces that drove Texchem to globalise. Chief among them were: * Be a US$1 billion company. It cannot be denied that all companies are profit driven. After all the very existence of a company rest on the profits it makes. Texchem is no different in this aspect. However, Texchem is not only trying to make a profit but striving to be a US$1 billion company by 2010. This is Texchem Vision 2010 which is to be achieved with annual sales revenue of US$1 billion (Konishi 2002). Texchem 5 year performance chart below shows that there is still much to do and globalisation is the answer to bigger market opportunities. (source: Texchem Resources Bhd., www.texchemgroup.com) FIGURE 2: Texchem financial performance In order to realise this Vision 2010: Texchem has identified and capitalised on global market opportunities and allowed its growth to be determined by market trends and customers demands. Then it responded to such opportunities with top quality products and services that deliver real value www.texchemgroup.com/aboutus/history.html 2003, p. 1). Furthermore, Texchem has to survive through economic crisis in order to sustain a steady and resilient performance. One way is to prudently invest in growth industries with different market cycles like the food industry (  history.html 2003). * Loss Of Trade Preference. Konishi said Malaysia is treated by Europe under the general system of preferences which imposed an import duty of 14% on Malaysian products entering Europe. Texchem will not enjoy this status when import duty goes up to 20% in 2005 (Tan 2004). In 2003, Konishi said Texchem has estimated a US$25 million export market to Europe, Japan and Australia for its surimi and fishmeal products by 2006 (The Star 2003). The loss of this preference will affect Texchems profit. It may not be feasible to market seafood products in Europe due to price disadvantage. Therefore, to continue capturing the European market, Emmanuel (2004) wrote that Texchem is setting up a RM50 million seafood processing plant in Europe in 2005. Tan (2004) reported that Konishi said, Raw material will be imported from Myanmar as import duty on raw material going into Europe is only 3.5%. Production cost will then be lower giving Texchem the  competitive edge again. * Be close to clients / customers. Interdependency among companies is a norm. When a client is satisfied with the companys products and services, loyalty is attained. Therefore, when a client sets up shop overseas or penetrates a foreign market, it is not surprising that the company normally tags along. Many international companies wanting to market and distribute products in ASEAN have appointed Texchem for the task due to its reputation and international networking. Taking customer support a step further, Texchem even located its operation to be close to its local and multinational clients ( 2003 ; www.texchemgroup.com/stakeholders/customers.html 2004). For instance, Texchem-Pack (Thailand) was established to serve its major Texchem customers like Seagate, Mektec, IBM, etc. in Thailand (Konishi 2003). Its production facilities are located near customers operations to give immediate respond to their needs and to any changes in the local market. This also shorten delivery timings and to provide just-in-time delivery. Reduction in logistics and transportation charges is a cost savings to customers ( 2003). Another example is Texchem-Pack (Wuxi) which was established to serve the hard disc drive industry, the semiconductor industry, the electronics industry and the telecommunications industry in Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, China ( 2003). The establishment in China enables Texchem to be close to and provide more effective and efficient services to its customers in China. * Acquire Technology. Many companies brought along their technologies when setting up shop abroad. As the world become more and more accessible, it becomes possible to team up with these companies in the host country to acquire their technologies. Although Texchem has invested heavily in research and development and use leading edge, in-house facilities both for product enhancement and for new products (www.texchemgroup/business/packaging.html 2003, p. 1), it is continuously seeking out new technologies to gain competitive edge. As such Texchem joint ventures with international leader and creates new subsidiaries often through technology transfer arrangements that enable both parties to net a bigger catch ( www.texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-eng.html 2003a ;  group.com/stakeholders/associates.html 2003). To illustrate, Eye Graphic (Vietnam), a Texchem joint venture with Eye Corporate Planning Co Ltd of Japan, is equipped with advance digital propress system and flexo photopolymer printing plate making equipment ( * Demand. In any business activities, there must be demand. Without demand, a companys product will eventually be rendered obsolete. One of the reasons Texchem chose to expanded into ASEAN and China was because there was a huge demand for its products. And, Texchem is prepared to set up more manufacturing plants to meet the increasing demands of the ASEAN market ( 2003, p. 1). With greater demands from the Chinese market, Texchem now intends to expand its Wuxi plant into thermoforming for the high-tech industry and injection moulding for the computer and semi-conductor industry (Konishi 2003a, p. 2). Also, in line with increasing global demand for surimi, Texchem has set up a manufacturing plant in Myeik, Myanmar (Konishi 2003a, p. 3). Texchem expansion into Indonesia, with its largest manufacturing plant in Kerawang (near Jakarta), is to cater for the need of 206 million people. The  brand name of Fumakillas mosquito coil in Indonesia is distributed under the name Domestos Nomos, a successful household name ( 2003a). Yap (2003) reported Konishi as saying, so far, we have shipped over 400,000 cartons in the first 6 months of operation, equivalent to the total volume that Texchem sold in Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines in the same period. A comparison of the population in ASEAN countries in presented below in order to appreciate the magnitude of the demands in ASEAN. FIGURE 3: ASEAN population breakdown. From the table it is understandable why Texchem has been aggressive in penetrating the ASEAN market to capture the demand. ASEAN has a combined population of 500 million. 3. GLOBALISATION EFFECTS ON TEXCHEM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY. Before a company expands abroad, it must have a strategy. According to Ball et al. (2004) there are several strategies that could be adopted such as the global strategy, multidomestic strategy, transnational strategy and international strategy. Globalisation has an influence on which strategy to adopt. Careful assessment of the various internal and external business environments is a prerequisite before any decision can be made. In crossing national boundaries, globalisation affects Texchem international business strategies in terms of the following: * Standardisation. Texchem operations are standardised in all the host countries. All packaging plants provide: One stop total packaging solutions equip with state-of- the-art facilities. Furthermore, all Texchem plants support customers through excellent logistics, warehousing and inventory management. This is done via a nationwide network of branches and sales offices ( www.texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-pack.html 2003c, p. 2; www. texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-mat.html 2003a, p. 1; www.texchemgroup. com/business/familycare.html 2003, p. 3). With globalised operations, Texchem would be able to take advantage of business opportunities occurring anywhere in the world and would not be constrained to specific sectors (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 43). As product preference and requirements are becoming increasingly alike globally, product standardisation across all cultures would enable companies to manufacture and sell low-cost reliable products around the world without being adapted to individual country preferences (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 43). To capitalise on this, Texchem products are also standardised globally. It manufactures and distributes household insecticide such as the Fumakilla mosquito coils under different brand names in Indonesia (Domestos Nomos), Thailand (Chang) and Myanmar (Jumbo) ( 2003b). * Global Decision Making. With globalisation, Texchem decision making covers a wider scope now compared to when it did domestically. Texchem has centralised its decision making in its Penang corporate office. This is where Texchem makes decision on strategies issues such as policy, capital, technology and products. Decisions are global minded taking into consideration the local factors of the host countries. Texchem Design Centre is centralised to tailor-make packaging solutions in the fastest possible time for all its plants across ASEAN countries and China to meet customers demand around the world ( 2003). * Market scope. Globalisation opens up the world as a very big market. Domestic markets, however large, are limited in size and growth and are targeted by domestic competitors (Khambata and Ajami 1992). To continue growing, Texchem sees the world as one market to sell its products. Khambata and Ajami (1992, p. 283) said that: Apart from the fact that the existence of a new, larger customer base would help boost sales, overseas markets often confer additional advantages such as competition from overseas markets may not be strong. When the local market is large and the demand is consistent enough to justify investment in the plant and equipment needed to set up a manufacturing operation, production economies can occur (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 284). Also, Texchem can tap the Chinese market to derive economies of scale and scope (Konishi, Texchem annual report 2002). Operational economies of scale allow Texchem to keep prices competitive and deliver exceptional value ( 2003). * Develop skills. Part of the globalisation process concerns developing skills especially multicultural and bilingual ones. Texchem encourages such skills development to communicate and establish rapport with its global clients, staff and customers. Not surprising, Texhem only recruits staff of outstanding caliber and provides training for them ( 2003). In order to develop skills, Texchem formed strategic alliances with agents around ASEAN region with strong domestic knowledge in sales and distribution ( 2003b, p. 1). Texchem has approached globalisation with a global strategy because the above effects have the essence of a global strategy. Ball et al. (2004, p. 6) defined the global strategy as a strategy that attempts to standardise and integrate operations worldwide in all functional areas. Texchem has adopted precisely this strategy. 4. MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES CREATED FOR TEXCHEM. As the world shrinks into a global village because of accessibility, abundant opportunities are available to business organisations. Companies are quick to take advantage of these golden opportunities to further their interests. In other words, globalisation provided avenues for companies to spread their wings into foreign markets. Globalisation presented many major opportunities for Texchem too as it did for others. Texchem management was quick to see these opportunities and swiftly took advantage of them. The major opportunities created for Texchem were: * Tariff Reduction. Tariffs are taxes levied on foreign goods entering the country. Sometimes it can be levied on goods leaving the country as well. According to Hill (2003), tariffs protect domestic products against foreign ones. It is a form of government intervention to shield local companies from international  competitors who have superior technologies to make higher quality products at lower cost. By levying taxes on such goods, it brings up their prices to be on par with local goods. With the exception of Singapore, all ASEAN countries have imposed tariffs on imports. However, ASEAN initiated the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1992, detailing a regional progressive tariff reduction plan. To be implemented in stages, tariffs on goods with 40% ASEAN content shall be progressively reduced to between 0 5% by 2003. There were some exemptions to the implementation year for Vietnam (2006), Laos and Myanmar (2008) and Cambodia (2010) ( 2003). With the reduction in tariffs coupled with the huge population in ASEAN countries, the trading opportunities are very attractive. Texchem acknowledged this fact. It noted that with AFTA in place, the regional exchange in business is expected to further boost various industries ( 2003a, p. 1). Texchem has been anticipating AFTA since 1990s. Knowing the opportunities AFTA presented, it has ventured into ASEAN countries to position itself first while waiting in full anticipation for the implementation of AFTA. This strategy gave Texchem a head start to study the market opportunities of the host country better, build up its reputation, find solutions to lower production costs and sell competitively. This foresight has paid off handsomely as Texchem registered improved sales in all its division for the year 2003 (Konishi 2003b). As quoted in the Texchem investor newsletter (2003, p. 4), the increase in revenue for the Packaging Division was mainly contributed by the successful penetration into new market AFTA region, namely Thailand. This is because: Thailand experienced a substantial increase in revenue from the trade of plastic resins, a direct benefit of reduces impact duties effective Jan 2003, in line with the implementation of AFTA (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 2). As Konishi (2003b, p. 5) mentioned: Texchem Resources Bhd Group will continue to make the 100% AFTA proof objective its priority. Texchem is indeed in a position to take full  advantage of AFTA as it expands further into the global market. * Strategic Location. Geographical location is another opportunity that can be taken advantage of. According to Ball et al. (2004, p. 263), geographical proximity is often the major reason for trade between nations. Apart from close proximity, the location of a nation also offers other suitable operational advantages for foreign companies. For instance, if the country has sea frontage, companies can make use of ports in the country to export their products. This was what Texchem was looking for when it ventured into Myanmar. Texchem was searching for an advantage in Myanmars location and found it in a town called Myeik (please see map for location). (source: design printing services, www.dpsmap.com) FIGURE 4: Map of Myanmar. The Myeik Archipelago, which includes over 800 pleasant and enchanting islands, lies in the Andaman Sea along the south Tanintharyi coast. Myeik is the port city of this archipelago. It has the potential for industrialisation of marine base products because the Andaman Sea has abundant fish. Texchem joint ventured with Mascot Industries Co Ltd of Myanmar to set up ASK Andaman (Lee 2003). The strategic location of ASK Andaman at a fishing port complement the abundant fresh fish from the Andaman sea has set it as the most idealistic plant for surimi and fishmeal processing ( www.texchemgroup.com/  business/andaman.html 2003, p. 1). The fishing port facilitated the export of Texchems products from Myeik to Japan, Australia and Europe. It also provided an infrastructure for Texchem geographical reach so that it is the ideal partner for multinationals that have operations spread across the region ( 2003, p. 2). * Abundant Raw Materials. Sourcing for cheap raw materials is an important task in any operation. This is where competitive advantage can be sustained. Therefore, many foreign companies flock into ASEAN in search of raw material because they are in abundance. Konishi said Texchem globalisation into Myanmar enables it to tap the countrys natural resources and obtain a reliable supply of good quality and more cost effective raw material (The Star, 2003). ASK Andaman manufactures and market surimi and fishmeal products and provides Seapack Food with a reliable supply of reasonably priced, good quality surimi raw material ( 2003a, p. 1). It requires fresh fish to manufacture and process surimi and fishmeal products. The Andaman Sea has abundant supply of fresh fish to provide ASK Andaman. * Low Labour Cost. Labour cost in ASEAN countries is generally low with the exception of Singapore and Malaysia. Many foreign investors take this opportunity to relocate their operations here so that their production cost can be reduced. The table below provides a comparison of labour cost among ASEAN countries. Texchem has set up manufacturing plants in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar because the labour cost is lower than Malaysia. It practices stringent cost controls ( 2003, p. 2) and taking advantage of this opportunity is a prudent strategy. The setting up of manufacturing operations in competitive labour cost countries (Texchem investor newsletter 2003a, p. 2) provided Texchem with a competitive advantage over other domestic competitors. Konishi (2003b, p. 4) was please to note that: The year 2003 was spent building a solid base for Texchem operations in Myanmar and with its competitive labour and abundant natural resources, great returns beckons as Texchem begins exporting its marine products globally. Myanmar Sometimes a company is attracted by just one or two opportunities offered by the host country. However since Myanmar offers all the above opportunities for Texchem, it is only appropriate to provide an opinion of the country in this report. Myanmar has rich natural and human resources. The government is encouraging direct foreign investments to take advantage of these resources. With a market oriented economic system aimed to liberalise its economy, foreign investors would be given the right to enjoy appropriate economic benefits. They would also be safe guarded by the Government against nationalisation of their business. There are tremendous investment opportunities in natural resources such as teak forests, minerals and gems. Historical and cultural attractions offer vast potential for tourism. The labour force is highly literate and trainable. Myanmar has a long coastline rich in fish and other marine life. An estimated one million metric tons of sustainable fishery resources could be exploited annually. Investment opportunities in the fishery industry include setting up of cold storage facilities, fishmeal plants, canning plants and shrimp farms and / or hatcheries ( n.d.). 5. CHALLENGES FOR TEXCHEM AND MEETING THEM. Converting business opportunities into profits is usually never plain sailing. There are challenges to overcome first. These challenges come in many forms i.e. trade barriers, high taxes, corruption, unskilled workers, poor infrastructure etc. Although globalisation created many opportunities, Texchem must overcome the many challenges that came with these opportunities before reaping in the profits. Among the many challenges Texchem has or shall encounter in globalisation are: * Building Brand. Branding is a very important exercise for companies going global. Foreign markets must be made aware of the existence of their products. Irrespective of the large population, if the product is not known then there shall be no demand. When Texchem ventured into Indonesia to market its mosquito coils through Fumakilla, it realised the difficulty in building its mosquito coil brand. Fumakilla is relatively unknown to millions of Indonesian and without awareness the product will be just another product on the shelves. As a solution, Fumakilla has embarked on a RM12 million branding exercise to expose its mosquito coils to the Indonesian market under the brand name Domestos Nomos. Advertising and promotions activities were carried out via PT Technopia Lever (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b). Since the expansion of the Family Care business to Indonesia in September 2002, Domestos Nomos has: Achieved a market share of 6.5% as of Sept 2003. Sales in the 2nd half of 2003 improve due to seasonal trend of the household insecticides market in ASEAN. It has also become the top brand with an average market share of 40% in modern retail outlets located within Jakarta and Medan (Texchem investor newsletter 2003, p.4 2003a, p.3). With such a large market, Fumakillas top priority for 2003 was to build the Domestos Nomos brand so as to achieve further significant market penetration into Indonesia. With a population 206 million, industry  potential in massive (Tan, GH 2002, pp. 30-31). * Sustaining Market. Market penetration is just the first step to a successful globalisation. After penetrating a foreign market another challenge shall present itself. This challenge is sustaining the market. Sustaining a market is difficult because there is no such thing as a perpetual sustainable market. Products come and go frequently because of competition. Texchem success depends on: Keeping its fingers on the pulse of an ever-changing market and on its resourcefulness in responding to customer needs. By constantly updating knowledge of market trends and sharing knowledge with suppliers, Texchem is able to rapidly develop and introduce new products that exceed its customers expectations (  industrial.html 2003, p. 1). Texchem is focused on maintaining its market leadership and is confident of attracting potential partners for help because of more competitive products from China (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 2). Therefore, Texchem is very selective in its choice of partners, choosing only those whose needs can genuinely be met and who are committed to long term brand building ( 2003, p. 3). * Financial Limitation. Insufficient financial capability is a hindrance to globalisation. Funds are required to invest in foreign soil. Additional plants and equipment have to be procure and employees paid. Normally, capital expenditure can only be recouped after a few years of operation. Sourcing for funds to globalise is a major task for Texchem. One of the ways to overcome the shortage of funds is to list the company in Securities Exchanges. In September 2003, Texchem announced: The listing of its Packaging business on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX-ST). Texchem is currently awaiting approvals from SGX-ST and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to list Texpack Holdings on the SGX-ST (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 3). The access to funds shall pave the way for Texchem to take advantage of viable investment opportunities in the international capital market. It also broadens its fund raising capabilities to expand and grow its Packaging Division within the region and on the global arena (Texchem investor newsletter 2003a). * Risk. There are no risk free investments. The same goes for globalisation. In fact, risk assessment for globalisation is considered a delicate task. Unexpected global events such as epidemic, natural disaster and war are some of the risks that are difficult to account for. These unexpected events affect company performance. Texchem Food Division performance could have been better if not for the SARS epidemic and war in the Middle East (Nishida 2003, p. 28). To demonstrate the impact, Kim (2003, p. 18) said that Texchem-Pack (Wuxi) in China suffered losses due to the indirect effect of the SARS epidemic during the first half of 2003 because Texchem sales and marketing team was prevented from servicing the clients due to the outbreak. However, Texchem was able to overcome this challenge with the support from its clients, new business partners, the dedication of the team and the support form the Penang head office'(Kim 2003, p. 18). Apart from that, the risk of lack of basic infrastructure and communications  is another prevailing issue when entering third world countries. Texchem can attest to that because the initial stage of establishing in Myanmar was difficult because of the lack of infrastructure and communication problems (Nishida 2003, p. 28). Nevertheless, Texchem was able to grow and expand its operation in Myanmar due to strategic acquisitions, meticulous planning and the synergizing of all Texchem plants (Nishida 2003, p. 28). 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION. Globalisation has changed the way business is being conducted. From being a domestic company in the 1970s and 1980s, Texchem is now a successful global company. Ever since Texchem started globalising its performance has been growing steadily. Apart from a slight drop in revenue in 2001, Texchem has registered an increase in sales and operating profit for the past five years. (source: Texchem Resources Bhd, www.texchemgroup.com) FIGURE 5: Texchem financial performance For the year 2003, Texchems gross dividend payout was a remarkable 8%, much to the delight of its shareholders. Globalisation has also generated sufficient profit for Texchem to be transferred to the Main Board of the Bursa Malaysia (formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange) in 2001 after being listed in the Second Board in 1993. This milestone signified the growth of Texchem into a major listed conglomerate in Malaysia. Texchem is now a household name in family care products and its packaging division is well represented in ASEAN. Its food division is also making inroads into Europe, starting with Italy. Overall, globalisation has indeed changed the corporate profile of Texchem. It has provided Texchem a vast market for its products and Texchem has seized the opportunities created well. With six more years to go, Vision 2010 may sound a little ambitious. It is not that Vision 2010 cannot be achieved but it should be scaled down to allow for any unforeseeable economic crisis such as workers strike, war, epidemic or even natural disaster. Also, Texchem should continue spreading its influence in the relatively untapped Chinese market. Aggressive branding exercise is required here to capture a lion share of its 1 billion market opportunity. With AFTA already in full implementation for certain ASEAN countries it may be prudent for Texchem to invest more in Research Development so that it can continuously reinvent itself to stay relevant. Competition is getting keener with more and more companies expanding in ASEAN to take advantage of AFTA. Finally, Texchem may consider a multidomestic strategy in the near future as it strengthens its foothold globally. This strategy is flexible and allows participation from the locals. Furthermore this strategy allows global companies to look beyond costs and product standardisation to think in new ways about world competition (Hamel and Prahalad 1985, p. 139). REFERENCES: 1. Associates 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, holders/associates.html, p. 1. 2. Ball, DA, McCulloch, Jr, WH, Frants, PL, Geringer, JM Minor, MS 2004, International business: The challenge of global competition, 9th edn, McGraw Hill, USA, pp. 4-6, 263. 3. Chiew, CH 2004, A yen for Malaysia, Asia Inc., 1 May. 4. Customers 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, holders/customers.html, p. 1. 5. Emmanuel, M 2004, Texchem eyes Europe as seafood processing plant site, The New Straits Times, 28 May. 6. Employment and labour-based technology (n.d.), viewed on 9 August 2004, . 7. Family care division 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, business/familycare.html, pp. 1-3. 2003a, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 8. Food division 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 2003a, viewed on 14 July 2004, html, p. 1. 9. Hamel, G Prahalad, CK 1985, Do you really have a global strategy?, Harvard Business Review, July August 1985, p. 139. 10. Hill, CW 2003, International business: Competing in the global marketplace, 4th edn, McGRaw Hill, USA, p. 8, 173. 11. History 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, history.html, p. 1. 12. History and business 2003, viewed on 20 July 2004, care.com/, p. 1. 13. Industrial division 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, business/industrial.html, pp. 1-2. 2003a, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 2003b, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 14. Khambata, D Ajami, R 1992, International business: Theory and practice, Macmillan, Singapore, pp. 43, 283-284. 15. Kim, LK 2003, Countering obstacleschallenging the competition, Texchem Annual Report 2003, p. 18. 16. Konishi, F 2002, Chairmans Statement, Texchem Annual Report 2002, p. 11 17. Konishi, F 2003, Presidents message towards globalisation, Texview, September, viewed 4 August 2004, detailpage.php?Id=147, p. 1. 2003a, Presidents message, Texchem investor newsletter, Inaugural issue 2003, pp. 2-3. 2003b, Chairmans Statement, Texchem Annual Report 200, pp. 2-5. 18. Lee, KF 2003, Texchem gets shareholders approval to buy Sushi Kin, The New Straits Times, 11 December. 19. Nishida, Y 2003, The journey of continued success, Texchem Annual Report 2003, p. 28. 20. Our ASEAN expansion 2003a, viewed on 23 July 2004, care.com/, p. 1. 21. Our ASEAN presence 2003b, viewed on 23 July 2004, care.com/, p. 1. 22. Our history 2003, viewed on 20 July 2004, history.html, p. 1. 23. Our strength 2003, viewed on 20 July 2004, strengths.html, p. 1. 24. Packaging division 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, business/packaging.html, p. 1. 2003a, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 2003b, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 1. 2003c, viewed on 14 July 2004, , p. 2. 25. Staff 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, holders/staff.html, p. 1. 26. Tan, D 2004, Texchem plans Euro processing facility, The Star, 28 May. 27. Tan, GH 2002, Reaching home, Texchem Annual Report 2002, pp. 30-31. 28. The ASEAN free trade area and other areas of ASEAN economic coorperation 2003, viewed on 20 July 2004, , pp. 1-2. 29. The Star 2004, Texchem setting up aquaculture products plant in Myanmar, 21 March. 30. Texchem Annual Report 2002 2002, Corporate History, p. 2. 31. Texchem Investor Newsletter 2003, Higher contribution from packaging, consumer and industrial divisions in first half, inaugural issue, pp. 2-5. 2003a, Q3: Focus on streamlining operations to further improve profitability, 3rd quarter, pp. 2-5. 2003b, Q4: Food division set to spearhead growth for Texchem, 4th quarter, pp. 2-3. 32. To set up business in Myanmar (n.d.), viewed on 6 August 2004, myanmar.com/gov/trade/setup.htm, pp. 1-2. 33. Wages and productivity (n.d.), viewed on 6 August 2004, wdi2000/tab2_6.pdf. 34. Welcome 2003, viewed on 14 July 2004, html, p. 1. 35. Yap, D 2003, Texchem on expansion path, The Star, 7 June.

How to Analyze Sources and Information

How to Analyze Sources and Information By Riley Kohl       Today, we live in a world that runs on information. Information is gathered, shared, bought, and sold. More and more, individuals are consuming vast amounts of information and using it to shape themselves and the way they perceive the world around them. In our journey to reach new heights of understanding, we construct for ourselves a tall watchtower, with each brick being a new piece of information. Far too often, however, we dont ask ourselves a crucial question: what if this new brick has cracks? My goal is to explain why you need to be able to appraise the quality of the information you consume and to give you the tools to do so reliably and efficiently. A Growing Need One of the most commonly used sources of information is the news, specifically the mainstream media. In recent years, there has been a gradual, observable decline in the quality of journalism. Noticing this, the American people have subsequently displayed a gradual decline in the level of trust they place in the mainstream medias ability to report information in a trustworthy and unbiased manner. In a Gallup poll conducted in 2016 with a random sample of 1,020 adults, only 32% professed to having a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mainstream media.[1] A graph of this trend is provided in Figure 1. A Practical Demonstration In order to better grasp the methodologies of information analysis, and the need for such skills, a practical demonstration is best. On November 20, 2015, CNN published an article alleging that President-elect Donald Trump made a definitive statement regarding the implementation of a Muslim database.[2] Several hours later, an article was published by the Gateway Pundit claiming that the conclusions presented by the CNN article were based on falsified evidence.[3] Figure 2 provides a side- by-side view of the article headlines. This leads to the first, and most important, critical rule of information analysis: no source is above scrutiny because no source is infallible. CNN is a major media outlet. The first reaction of the average person would be to simply trust them over the Gateway Pundit, a relatively unknown source. The CNN article also provides a video which seems to support the claim presented in the headline. The two most notable arguments presented by the Gateway Pundit article are that the CNN video is heavily edited and that the reporter deliberately pushed a vague, unspecific question. The first step the reader must take at this point is to watch, or re-watch, the CNN video. It is clear that the video is edited, but this practice is not unusual. Videos provided in articles and reports are often edited for time purposes, cutting out unnecessary information in order to deliver the important information in a timely manner. Thus, we arrive at the second critical rule: when in doubt, consult the raw data. This is not always an easy task. In scientific reports, the raw data is often extensive or presented in a format that is difficult for laymen to understand. News articles, on the other hand, often draw their data from raw video or official statements. Given the positions presented by the two articles, at most only one of them can be correct. Therefore, at least one of these articles must be false. The result of this is that a person who believes the false article will likely form an opinion on Donald Trump, then a Presidential candidate. This newly assimilated information might affect a choice of action taken by the reader, such as who they vote for, which could have consequences as significant as deciding the next political leader of the United States of America. Placed in this perspective, it is clear that information and misinformation can be a powerful, dangerous forces. It is imperative that they a re properly evaluated by the readers. Methodologies for Appraising Information Some of the simplest methods for appraising the quality of an information source involve asking basic questions. These include confirming whether or the not source is unbiased, comprehensive, current, and clear.[4] While the latter questions are fairly simple, the question of bias is a tricky beat to handle. Bias is fundamentally difficult to avoid when writing, or choosing not to write, articles or reports. These are written by human beings, who have their own ingrained outlooks and opinions on the world. Additionally, the existence of bias extends outside the article itself, into the meta realm of publication. There can exist a bias in what information is published and what information is not. A news outlet might choose to only report on the legitimate scandals of a political figure and publish nothing regarding their accomplishments. Even though the published articles may be true, the bias still exists. A very common misconception is that the authorship of an information source is a good measure of its quality or trustworthiness. While this can serve as a significant, time-saving shortcut, it can also lull the reader into a false sense of security. The most well-respected news outlet can publish erroneous articles, and the most sensational tabloid can publish articles containing nothing but the truth. A final concept to note, before proceeding to a more orderly listing of methodologies, is the writing itself. The writing styles of information sources can vary widely based on their intended audience and purpose. A scientific report on geological predictions based on survey data will vary in appearance and flow from a news article reporting on a recent crime wave. Despite this, the hallmark of a good article lies with its objective reasoning. There should be a clear logical flow from the raw information being cited to the final conclusions drawn and presented by the author.[5] Faulty logic or subtle fallacies can take factual evidence and output misleading conclusions. A Simple Checklist for Appraising Sources Ask yourself the three Cs: Is it comprehensive, clear, and current? Look to see if the source has a logical flow of objective reasoning. Identify the purpose of the article. What is the writer trying to convey? Identify any potential for bias. Does the author have an underlying motive? Cross-reference with alternative sources. Consult the raw data if necessary. Remember that is is alright to decide that no definitive conclusions can be drawn from insufficient sources. Works Cited [1] Gallup, Inc. Americans Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low.Gallup.com. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017. [2] Trump would certainly implement national database for U.S. Muslims.CNN. Cable News Network, 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [3] Hoft, Jim. THEY LIED! Media Edited Video to Claim Donald Trump Said to Register All Muslims (Video).TheGatewayPundit. N.p., 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [4] Markel, Michael H. Practicalstrategiesfortechnicalcommunication. 1st ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. Print. [5] LibGuides: Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Critical Appraisal and Analysis.CriticalAppraisaland AnalysisCriticallyAnalyzingInformationSourcesLibGuidesatCornellUniversity. N.p., 27 May 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017.   Ã‚  

Intercultural communication language

Intercultural communication language CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction A literature review refers to any collection of materials on a topic, not necessarily the great literary texts of the world. The literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. The literature review can be just a simple summary of sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. Therefore, this chapter will discuss published information in a particular subject area. In addition, this research also will discuss sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. This chapter details the relevant secondary data obtained to present various works published by various authors in many different countries. The literature review usually precedes a research proposal, methodology and results section. This chapter is organized according to several components. This chapter will focus on the intercultural communication is affected by language use in un iversity for different ethnic groups. The independent variables like languages proficiency, language conflict, acculturation motivation to learn, and interaction potential about communication languages and too much documentation will be studied.(Virginia, 2002) Definitions Language A language is considered to be a system of communication with other people using sounds, symbols and words in expressing a meaning, idea or thought. This language can be used in many forms, primarily through oral and written communications as well as using expressions through body language (APA Style, 2009). Ethnic groups The term ethnic means of or pertaining to a group of people recognized as a class on the basis of certain distinctive characteristics such as religion, language, ancestry, culture or national origin (Babylon, 1997). Intercultural communication This is in many ways similar to group communication, but the role of groups is taken by ethnic cultures. However, as it is used in communication studies, intercultural communication tends to describe the relations between members of different ethnic groups and languages, and interacting in an international context (Kwintessential, 2009). Efficiency A relatively efficient process either requires fewer inputs or produces more outputs compared to a similar process, to achieve the objectives of the process (Dave Chaffey, 1997a). Effectiveness Effectiveness is very similar to efficiency, but the measure is related to some enterprise objective rather than the technical quality of output. Therefore, the effectiveness measure of a business process can be indicated by the resource inputs needed to produce a level of an enterprise objective (Dave Chaffey, 1997b). Teamwork spirit A joint action by two or more people, in which each person contributes with different skills and express his or her individual interests and opinion to the unity and efficiency of the group in order to achieve common goals (Buzzle, 2000). Independent variables A manipulated variable in an experiment or study which is the presence or degree determines the change in the dependent variables. The independent variable is the element that is subject to arbitrary (not random) change, in order to test the results. An independent variable is a hypothesized cause or influence on a dependent variable. One way to distinguish these variables is to ask yourself what you are wanted to learn from this research (Wikipedia, 2009). Language proficiency Refers to the degree to which the student exhibits control over the use of language, including the measurement of expressive and receptive language skills in the areas of phonology, syntax, vocabulary, and semantics and including the areas of pragmatics or language use within various domains or social circumstances. Proficiency in a language is judged independently and does not imply a lack of proficiency in another language (Wren, 2009). Acculturation The exchange of cultural features that results groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first hand contact; the original cultural patterns of either or both groups may be altered, but the groups remain distinct (Kottak, 2007). Motivation Motivation is defined as communicating to an internal force that actuates a behavioral pattern, thought process, action or reaction. Negative forces or positive forces can act as actuators (Speechmastery, 2009). Language Proficiency Martin and Nakayama (1999), communication is the most rewarding one as well teaching us that culture always changes and the most important quality for work on intercultural society. Because of the internal and external influences, intercultural communication is important because people from different cultures have been encountering each other. Communication is a interpretive, symbolic, transactional, contextual process of difference between people is large and important to create dissimilar interpretations and expectations about the regarded as competent behaviors that should be used to create shared meanings. The theories in philosophy of languages will make a distinction between two communicative challenges (Hale and Wright, 1997; Ludlow, 1997). The first concerns need to have a platform of a shared language (Burge, 1979; Peacock, 1992). According to Fodor (1992) and Nordby (2003), imagine the reindeer herder and some government official can represents the interests of the public having a dialogue about the idea of turning the relevant areas into national parks. The way to understand language is shaped by the overall beliefs and socio-cultural contexts. It is obvious that the herders and the officials respective understandings the sufficiently similar for their associating and the same meaning with the same expressions (Burge, 1979). Most respondents believe that the proficiency of language is Latvias inhabitants must know the Latvian language. More than two year, they need to improve their Latvian language. Thus the attitude of Latvian language is positive. This is supported towards growing the proficiency in Latvian among non-Latvians. Inhabitants of Latvia may improve inter-ethnic relationships, constant process and, promote the process of integration and communication between each others (Bratt, 1994). The communicative similarities and differences across cultures provide is to understand the cross-cultural misunderstandings occur, and misunderstanding can be reduced in future intercultural encounter. The individual made the communicative adaptations when they move between cultures provides cross-cultural adaptation models, and they can informative indexes to understand cross-cultural newcomers dynamic status of intercultural transformation (Kim, 2001). According to Bartlett and Johnson (1998), the English is a sort of creoles language. It is more difficult for native speaker rather than non-native ones to understand. The use of English in multinational companies is that able to master the foreign languages tend to centralize communication within the company. Because of the few problems they have in making acquaintance with all kinds of people and interacting with then in a competent ways. This centralization of communication is often associated with a concentration of power into the hands of who can cope with communication in an autonomous way. Therefore, language skills may become an important tool in internal company politics with consequent significant strategic potentialities. Students learn second language may possesses skills ranging from conversational fluency acquired from contacts with the second language-speaking world to formal knowledge obtained in second language as a foreign language classes in their countries of origin. For example, High schools students are learning English as a second language in U.S. classroom. The extent and type of prior knowledge is an essential consideration in planning instruction. For example, a student with informal conversational English skills may have little understanding of English grammatical systems and may need to specific instruction in English grammar (Eric, 2000). Language Conflict In different social-cultural contexts, teachers and students face different challenges, such as power and control, local structural conditions, language policies, ideology, and discursive rules that generate practice of inclusion and exclusion (Bertein, 1996; Phillpsom, 2001). Teachers and students in a foreign context will lack familiar frames of references. Therefore, they may find the situation such as unfriendly, unwelcome, inhospitable, and confusingly varied and unpredictable (Holliday, 1994) and may fail to recognize and meet both experiences, public, and personal theories may often lead to misunderstanding and frustration. According to Dyke (1985), the language conflict is a worst problem in Latvia. Regarding this conflict, the psychological factors are importance because Latvian language is a national symbol of Latvians as an ethnic group. Besides that, a part of Russians and Russian speakers the reversal from dominant to minority position is not acceptable. In the Baltic Data House survey data, the language conflict between Latvian speakers and Russian speakers is most obvious. Stereotypes of the ethnic identities, the all ethnic are a rapist rejects the suggestion that this applies to personally act as catalyst of misunderstanding and communication difficulties. By dissociating, these stereotypes the interviewees support the argument that not all member of an ethnic group are alike. The ethnic groups are heterogeneous, and then the conflict of language will easy occur in the group (Bennett, 2004). In intercultural communication, people often believe for granted because they have grown up in the culture and think their way is the best. In this case, they tend to transfer their own cultural values and beliefs to the situation of intercultural communication as guidelines for their behavior, so that misunderstandings or ineffective communication arise. Jensen and Longreen (1995), the negative transfer of deep-structure culture arises in such aspects as cultural values, thought patterns, religious beliefs and ethnics. Turner (1982), in different ethnic groups has a different value on group membership or individual self-determination. As a result, a member of ethnic group may think someone from a different ethnic group with different values for politeness is rude. When this misunderstanding is occur without correction, this situation can escalate into a negative labeling of all members in the group. This can be a major source of negative ethnic stereotypes. Worldwide migration induces multicultural contact in societies, including health care. The multicultural contacts and communication are often complicated by language barriers, and obstructions are caused by different culturally defined views and perceptions. According to Kleinman, (1995) both physician and patient need to exchange each others perceptions about the patients illness in order to achieve understanding and agreement about diagnosis and treatment. Lack of understanding and agreement is assumed to lead to less compliance and a reduction in perceived quality of care. Communicating in English is confronted with a psycho-cognitive situation where his/her native linguistic and cultural schemata conflict with the English schemata dominant in international professional communities. Forced to negotiate and redefine cultural, the identity is to successfully communicate in international and intercultural settings. Furthermore, cultural interaction in international communities and organizations suggest the possibility of hybrid communicative schemata in which a new set of cultural values and identities-functional to communication in the wider community. This is created in response to communicate internationally. This is a counterpart of the ongoing process of economic globalization of which it is both an expression and an instrument. (Hofstede, 1991) Stranger person will commonly interaction the stereotyping (Gudykunst, 2005). When people are group, they will perform the positive or negative evaluations to these groups. Turner (1982), groups with people identify are evaluated positively or negatively. This is regularly recognized as ethnocentric attitudes, biased, or prejudice (Togeby, 1997; Brown, 1995). According to Tajfel (1978), the negative evaluations can create problems in an interaction when people need a positive self-image. Acculturation and Motivation to learn According to Chan (1997); Kennedy (2002); and Hu (2002), it is well acknowledged that Chinese students are extremely diligent, high achieving, hardworking, respectful, cooperative, trustworthy, persevering, and disciplined. Chinese students learning seriously and they show the respecting for the English native speakers in a hope to learn real English and get the best from them (Boyle, 2000). In their learning, Chinese students tent to exhibit a high degree to improve their knowledge of both western culture and the English language through diligent study and practice, and this can be a very stimulating motivation from a teacher. Trueba (1988) argued that the conditions for effective learning are created only when the role of culture is recognized. The used in the settings is under which learning are taking place. The environments should recognize the importance of culture in specific instructional settings and attempt to integrate the home and school cultures into the teaching pedagogy. When cultural conflicts arise, they should be resolved instead of being dismissed. A research study on the cultural identities of an ethnic group in China called the Miao. The undergraduate students of Miao and their life in the university, is an institution dominated by the majority Han Chinese and revealed that even when placed in a different learning environment. The strong cultural identity of the Miao students allowed them to draw on this affiliation for an increased motivation to succeed academically. Learning a second language is not detract. In fact, it is enhanced their pride in their identity and strong affiliation to their ethnic group. This study is important implications because it shows that being empowered in a new learning environment and do not necessitate forsaking ones own culture and language; indeed their empowerment in a new society depended on their being Miao and retaining their identification and affiliation with Miao traditions, culture and language (Trueba and Zou 1994). The importance of the host language in intercultural communication is self-evident. Effective of cross-cultural communication can take place when the language appropriate to a given society is as least minimally used and comprehended. According to Taft (1957), The function of language in intercultural communication is to facilitate ones cultural learning and to permit maximum group participation. Research has largely supported the generalization that the learning of the host language accelerates acculturation (DeFleur and Cho, 1957; Breton, 1964; Chance, 1965; Richmond, 1967; Graves, 1967; Price, 1968). Similarly, fluency in English is considered to be the most important determinant of a sojourners exposure to the American mass media (Richmond, 1967). Cross-cultural communication is attempts to link the variations in communication behavior to the cultural contexts. It also provides the conceptual tools to understand culture and communication influences the communications. The latter is relatively a new area and seeks to understand the changes in individual communication behavior that are related to the process of acculturation and communication interaction. This approach has provided a substantial body of literature dealing with stages, patterns and outcomes of adjustment. Intercultural communication helps to comprehend daily events in the multicultural world from the depth of social-cultural, especially cross-cultural level (Ting-Toomey, 1993). According to Poppy et al. (1996), adapting to a new culture may be taken much time for newcomers. Children generally acculturate more rapidly and easily than their parents. It is important to note that there are varying degrees or levels of acculturation which students and their families may be experiencing at any point in time after arriving. The degree of acculturation can accelerate or delay learning in school. This is equally important that there is no right or wrong with regard to acculturation and any fix nature to any. The labels simply describe a cultural condition and psychological experienced in the process of acculturation. Since the 1980s, the concept of integrativeness has been extended to identification the general cultural and intellectual values associated with the speakers of other languages and the explaining the attraction toward languages in countries. Motivation is one of the most studied aspects of learning. Social psychologists working in Canadian bilingual programs, Robert and Wallace Lambert (1972) considered that the motivation is the primary enhancing or blocking communication between cultures. For many years, integrative motivation was regarded as the desirable motivation for foreign students. Alicia Pousada (2006), some Puerto Rican students being like Americans is important because they may attend English-only schools, listen to English language music, travel to the U.S. Some have U.S.-born and/or raised parents or relatives, and plan to live or study in the U.S. in the future. For others, English is viewed solely as a tool for obtaining a good job. Their motivation is instrumental rather than integrative, since there is little desire to emulate Americans, even though cultural imitation or syncretism may occur unconsciously. English and Americans are totally foreign, somewhat frightening, and perhaps repugnant, as they represent a perceived loss of local Puerto Rican mores and a form of cultural homogenization. Interaction Potential Intercultural communication competence can improve by the communication apprehension. Beamers model did not make a clear distinction between competence and sensitivity and targeting developing intercultural communication competence (Beamer 1992). In there studies, intercultural communication competence was treated generally as the knowledge, motivation, and skills for effective communication. (Spitzberg, 1989; Wiseman, 2001). Herring (1990) presented that nonverbal communication was part of communication. Cultural misunderstandings and miscommunications must be reduced and increasing the cultural differences awareness in nonverbal communication patterns. Herring noted that many ethnic groups use nonverbal communications to expressions their feeling and attitudes. The incorporation of nonverbal communication in current and new counseling techniques could result in more appropriate and effective cross-cultural counseling. Nowadays, the cultural competency is very important. We are not longer confined to out national and cultural borders. We mix with people from different cultures, ethnicity, religions and colours on a daily basis. According to Belay, (1993), to make this intercultural experience work on all levels from education to business and to the government, we have to develop basic skills in intercultural communication and understanding. Shorris (1992) makes the point that umbrella labels such as Latino obscure important differences between Latinos of different countries of origin, thus confronting standard concepts of ethnic groups. Bershtel and Graubard (1993) discuss the role of religion in defining ethnicity, and also challenges students to consider intersections between race and ethnicity. Ethnic identity is not a constant throughout the life course. Feiler (1991) served to cover Japanese culture. He wanted to reflect an international perspective and to bring the discussion of interaction of language and ethnicity outside of the American context. He also shows how one must understand the underlying logic of a culture, not just its language and local customs, and interaction potential between ethnic groups. Anderson (1990) serves to address both Euro-American and African American ethnic groups. In a study, he focused on interactions between Euro-American and African American ethnic groups in public spaces in an urban setting. He showed students how nonverbal communication works through the lens of ethnicity and colour, and how social class and race affect the use of public spaces and urban territories. Thomas (2000), inability to speak the same language presents significant obstacles to understanding will occur the stressful and it must be for the many international students in colleges and university throughout the United States who must expend considerable energy listening and trying to decipher the content of messages; little energy is available for the nuances and subtleties of the interaction. The important concept in intercultural studies is intercultural sensitivity. That has been confused or treated indiscriminatingly and not yet fully understood with intercultural communication competence and intercultural awareness (Chen and Starosta, 2000). Intercultural awareness, intercultural adroitness, and intercultural sensitivity is an umbrella concept that subsumes by intercultural communication competence and representing the cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspect of intercultural communication competence and respectively. The multidimensional conceptualization makes it possible into how knowledge, motivation, emotion, and behavior may interact with each other. These elements may contribute the overall level of intercultural communication competence of the communication subjects. Thus, the insightful clues for rigorous research and theoretical framework will development the effective training programs for intercultural sensitivity. Roux (2002) argued that successful educators are effective communicator and culturally competent in cross-cultural encounters. Communication can be a useful source of intercultural knowledge and mutual enrichment between culturally diverse students if managed proactively by the teacher. Therefore, teachers should be sensitive to the potentially problematic outcomes of intercultural communication in the culturally diverse class. Otherwise, communication could be a source of frustration, intercultural conflict, misapprehensions and ultimately school failure. Cross-cultural communication is complex and potentially problematic on education. A rich repertoire of verbal and nonverbal behavior to the intercultural situation will effective capabilities to react sensitively to fellow communicators from other cultures is a necessity in education (Linda, 1997). Chen (2002) explored perceptions of intercultural interaction. The study addressed the connection between perceptions of intercultural communication and intercultural interaction satisfaction. The most common aspect that was realized the inability of the students to identify mutual topics of mutual interest. This was probably mutual the lack of familiarity with the partners culture. This factor was labeled common ground to reflect this characteristic of intercultural communication. Communication satisfaction was affective construct that reflected participants emotional reaction toward their interaction. In terms of the degree it had met or failed to their expectation. The competent intercultural communication was predicted the high communication satisfaction. Summary The beginning of this chapter two is basically about the brief overview flow of the chapter. Then followed by the discussion on informational literature review which the main content of this chapter. In this section, it focuses on past research that provides useful information for the progress and development in this research paper. In addition, it also exposed the readers with the knowledge and understanding towards the intercultural communication that is affected by language use in university for different ethnic group. After that, this chapter goes on with the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variable of this research, which is a really short and simple summary for the extensive literature review. Finally, this chapter ends with the summary for this whole chapter.