Structural functionalism free essay sample

Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. [1]This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole. [2] This approach looks at both social structureand social functions. Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements; namely norms, customs, traditions, and institutions. A common analogy, popularized by Herbert Spencer, presents these parts of society as organs that work toward the proper functioning of the body as a whole. [3] In the most basic terms, it simply emphasizes the effort to impute, as rigorously as possible, to each feature, custom, or practice, its effect on the functioning of a supposedly stable, cohesive system. For Talcott Parsons, structural-functionalism came to describe a particular stage in the methodological development of social science, rather than a specific school of thought. We will write a custom essay sample on Structural functionalism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page [4][5] The structural functionalism approach is amacrosociological analysis, with a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole. [6] Structural Functionalism Theory Structural functionalists believe that society leans towards equilibrium and social order. They see society like a human body, in which important organs to keep the society/body healthy and well[4]. Social health means the same as social order, and is guaranteed when nearly everyone accepts the general moral values of their society. Hence structural functionalists believe the aim of key institutions, such as education, is to socialise children and teenagers. Socialisation is the process by which the new generation learns the knowledge, attitudes and values that they will need as productive citizens. Although this aim is stated in the formal curriculum[5], it is mainly achieved through the hidden curriculum[6], a subtler, but nonetheless powerful, indoctrination of the norms and values of the wider society. Students learn these values because their behaviour at school is regulated [Durkheim in [3]] until they gradually internalise and accept them. Education must, however perform another function. As various jobs become vacant, they must be filled with the appropriate people. Therefore the other purpose of education is to sort and rank individuals for placement in the labour market [Munro, 1997]. Those with high achievement will be trained for the most important jobs and in reward, be given the highest incomes. Those who achieve the least, will be given the least demanding jobs, and hence the least income. According to Sennet and Cobb however, â€Å"to believe that ability alone decides who is rewarded is to be deceived†. [3] Meighan agrees, stating that large numbers of capable students from working class backgrounds fail to achieve satisfactory standards in school and therefore fail to obtain the status they deserve[7]. Jacob believes this is because the middle class cultural experiences that are provided at school may be contrary to the experiences working-class children receive at home [8]. In other words, working class children are not adequately prepared to cope at school. They are therefore â€Å"cooled out†[9] from school with the least qualifications, hence they get the least desirable jobs, and so remain working class. Sargent confirms this cycle, arguing that schooling supports continuity, which in turn supports social order. [3] Talcott Parsons believed that this process, whereby some students were identified and labelled educational failures, â€Å"was a necessary activity which one part of the social system, education, performed for the whole†[7]. Yet the structural functionalist perspective maintains that this social order, this continuity, is what most people desire[4]. The weakness of this perspective thus becomes evident. Why would the working class wish to stay working class? Such an inconsistency demonstrates that another perspective may be useful. Conflict theories are perspectives in social science that emphasize the social, political, or material inequality of a social group, that critique the broad socio-political system, or that otherwise detract from structural functionalism and ideological conservativism. Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials, such as class conflict, and generally contrast historically dominant ideologies. It is therefore a macro level analysis of society. Karl Marx is the father of the social conflict theory, which is a component of the 4 paradigms of sociology. For example Salomon, the leading sociologist. [citation needed] Certain conflict theories set out to highlight the ideological aspects inherent in traditional thought. Whilst many of these perspectives hold parallels, conflict theory does not refer to a unified school of thought, and should not be confused with, for instance, peace and conflict studies, or any other specific theory of social conflict. Conflict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power in producing social order. This perspective is derived from the works of Karl Marx, who saw society as fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic resources. Social order is maintained by domination, with power in the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources. When consensus exists, it is attributable to people being united around common interests, often in opposition to other groups. According to conflict theory, inequality exists because those in control of a disproportionate share of society’s resources actively defend their advantages. The masses are not bound to society by their shared values, but by coercion at the hands of those in power. This perspective emphasizes social control, not consensus and conformity. Groups and individuals advance their own interests, struggling over control of societal resources. Those with the most resources exercise power over others with inequality and power struggles resulting. There is great attention paid to class, race, and gender in this perspective because they are seen as the grounds of the most pertinent and enduring struggles in society. Whereas most other sociological theories focus on the positive aspects of society, conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. Conflict theorists, for example, may interpret an â€Å"elite† board of regents raising tuition to pay for esoteric new programs that raise the prestige of a local college as self-serving rather than as beneficial for students. Whereas American sociologists in the 1940s and 1950s generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor of the functionalist, the tumultuous 1960s saw American sociologists gain considerable interest in conflict theory. They also expanded Marxs idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society. Critics of the conflict perspective point to its overly negative view of society. The theory ultimately attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. Social exchange theory is a social psychological and sociological perspective that explains social change and stability as a process of negotiated exchanges between parties. Social exchange theory posits that all human relationships are formed by the use of a subjective cost-benefit analysis and the comparison of alternatives. The theory has roots in economics, psychology and sociology. Social exchange theory features many of the main assumptions found in rational choice theoryand structuralism. Social exchange theory is based on a central premise: that the exchange of social and material resources is a fundamental form of human interaction. With roots in earlier theories developed in cultural anthropology, neoclassical economics, and psychology, the school of thought on social exchange developed at the UW focused on how interaction patterns are shaped by power relationships between individuals, and the resulting efforts to achieve balance in exchange relations. For example, in the first of a series of experiments dealing with social power and equity in exchange networks, the researchers studied factors and constraints that affected the use of power in a simulation of negotiated trade agreements. The simulation involved 112 male and female participants in a specially developed computerized laboratory and communication network. Each of eight subjects was connected to three others as bargaining partners, forming two separate four-person networks. Subjects sought to increase their profits by entering into trade agreements for resource units. Subjects could pursue either formal or informal negotiating procedures before a transaction was completed. The experimental design allowed the researchers to study power, equity, and the creation of commitment during these bargaining processes. Symbolic Interaction, refers to the patterns of communication, interpretation and adjustment between individuals. Both the verbal and nonverbal responses that a listener then delivers are similarly constructed in expectation of how the original speaker will react. The ongoing process is like the game of charades; only it is a full-fledged conversation. [1]Essentially, the theory can be viewed as a framework for understanding how individuals interact with each other and within society through the meanings of symbol. Symbolic Interactionism Theory Adapted from Scott Plunkett’s Course Pack Overview  · Symbolic interaction theory describes the family as a unit of interacting personalities.  · This theory focuses attention on the way that people interact through symbols: o words, gestures, rules, and roles.  · The symbolic interaction perspective is based on how humans develop a complex set of symbols to give meaning to the world (LaRossa Reitzes, 1993).  · Meaning evolves from their interactions in their environment and with people.  · These interactions are subjectively interpreted through existing symbols.  · Understanding these symbols is important in understanding human behavior.  · Interactions with larger societal processes influence the individual, and vice-versa.  · It is through interaction that humans develop a concept of larger social structures and also of self concept.  · Society affects behavior through constraints by societal norms and values.  · Self concept also affects behavior.  · Symbolic interactionism’s unique contributions to family studies are 1. families are social groups and 2. that individuals develop both a concept of self and their identities through social interaction.  · Symbolic interactionism is the way we learn to interpret and give meaning to the world though our interactions with others. Major Contributors (LaRossa Reitzes, 1993)  · George Herbert Mead (1934) often cited as the main contributor to symbolic interactionism  · Never published his theory  · Blumer, his student published it after his death o Meaning evolves from gestures (an action which produces a response in another) o Language is a set of shared meaning o Taking the role of the generalized other defined as the ability to extend interpersonal meanings to an entire group  · Herbert Blumer (1969) Mead’s Student  · credited with the term â€Å"symbolic interactionism. † He also summarized the basic assumptions of symbolic interaction from Mead’s earlier work Major Assumptions about Self and Family (LaRossa Reitzes, 1993)  · Individuals are not born with a sense of self but develop self concepts through social interaction  · Self concept is developed through the process of interaction and communication with others  · Self concept is shaped by the reactions of significant others and by our perceptions of their reactions  · Self concept, once developed, provides an important motive for behavior.  · Self fulfilling prophecy is the tendency for our expectations, and/or other’s expectations of us to evoke expected responses  · Humans interact and develop roles in the family according to symbols used to describe the family.  · These roles are based on the symbolic meaning attached to each role.  · How family members react to a situation is determined by how they interpret the situation. So, it is important to understand the symbols the family uses to understand their interactions and behaviors.  · In a family, complicated sets of meanings are transmitted through symbols that permit each member to communicate with each other and share experiences (Peterson, 1986). Core Principles of Social Interaction Theory 1. Meaning  · Meaning itself is not inherent in objects  · Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that they have assigned to them  · Meaning arises in the process of interaction between people. that is, it takes place in the context of relationships whether with family or community  · Meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with things he or she encounters  · Once people define a situation as real, its very real in its consequences 2. Language  · As human beings we have the unique ability to name things  · As children interact with family, peers, and others, they learn language and, concurrently, they learn the social meanings attached to certain words o That is, language is the source of meaning  · Meaning arises out of social interactions with one another, and language is the vehicle  · In Mead’s view, social life and communication between people are possible only when we understand and can use a common language, (Wood, 1997) 3. Thought or â€Å"Minding†  · An ability distinctly different from animals in that we have the ability to think about things rather than simply reacting instinctually  · An inner conversation with oneself  · A reflective pause through which we modify our interpretation of symbols  · an ability to take the role of â€Å"The Other† Major Premises of Symbolic Interaction Theory 1. Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meaning they have  § These things do not have an inherent or unvarying meaning  § Rather, their meanings differ depending on how we define and respond to them  § how we define, or give meaning to the things we encounter will shape our actions toward them  § Therefore, if we wish to understand human behavior we must know how people define the things— objects, events, individuals, groups, structures—they encounter in their environment 2. The meaning attributed to those things arises out of social interaction with others  § We are not born knowing the meanings of things  § We don’t learn these meanings simply through individual experiences, but rather through the interactions with others 3. These meanings are modified through an interpretive process  § the meanings of the things we encounter, though formed by social interaction, are altered through our understandings  § An individual’s interpretation of the meaning will guide and determine action 7 Major Assumptions of Symbolic Interactionism Theory 1. People are unique creatures because of their ability to use symbols. 2. People become distinctively human through their interaction with others. 3. People are conscious and self-reflective beings who actively shape their own behavior. 4. People are purposful creatures who act in and toward situations. 5. Human society consists of people engaging in symbolic interaction. 6. The ‘social act’ should be the fundamental unit of social psychological analysis. 7. To understand people’s social acts, we need to use methods that enable us to discern the meanings they attribute to these acts. Major Concepts, Definitions and Terms  § Identities the self meanings in a role.  § Language – A system of symbolds shared with other memebers of society, used for the purposes of communication and representation  § Looking Glass Self the mental image that results from taking the role of the other. imaging how we look to another person.  § Meaning – the purpose or significance attributed to something. Meaning is determined by how we respond to and make use of it  § Mind – A process of mental activity consisiting of self, interaction, And reflection, based on socially acquired symbols. Does not refer to an inner psychic world separated from society.  · Naming or Labeling Name-calling can be devastating because it forces us to view ourselves. through a warped mirror. Name calling like stupid can lead to a self – fulfilling prophecy. If a person sees himself as stupid he is likely to act stupid.  · Roles refer to â€Å"collections of expectations that define regularized patterns of behavior within family life† (Peterson, 1986, p. 22).  · Roles within the family may include but not be limited to the following: nurturer, socializer, provider, and decision-maker.  · Role-taking is the ability to see oneself as an object, in other words, to be able to see how others perceive oneself.  · Role-taking allows the individual to monitor and coordinate personal behavior in order to facilitate interaction with others and also to anticipate the responses of other individuals.  · Role conflict refers to the situation in which there are conflicting expectations about a specified role.  · Role making is the â€Å"process of improvising, exploring, and judging what is appropriate on the basis of the situation and the response of others at the moment† (Peterson, 1986, p. 23).  · The Self o According to Mead, self does not exist at birth but is developed through interaction with others o emerges from the social interaction of humans in which the individual takes on the role of the other and internalizes the attitudes and perceptions of others through those interactions o The interaction of an individual’s self-conception (I) and the generalized, perceived view that others have of the individual (Me) o The ongoing process of combining the â€Å"I† and the â€Å"ME. † â€Å"I† o An individual’s self-conception o The subjective self â€Å"Me† The â€Å"Generalized Other† o the generalized, perceived view that others have of the individual o The mental image of onseself that is based on expectations and responses from others o The image of the self seen in other peoples reactions  · Self-concept: the image we have of who and what we are (formed in childhood by how significant others treat/respond to us). The self-concept is not fixed and unchanging – if in childhood your teachers tell you you’re stupid, but later in life your teachers and friends begin to treat you as if you’re very bright, your self-concept is likely to change.  · Self-fulfilling prophecy- The tendency for our expectations to evoke responses in others that confirm what we originally anticipated. Each one of us affects how others view themselves. Our expectations evoke responses that confirm what we originally anticipated. Phenomenon: The way I choose to see the world creates the world I see.  · Significant symbol – A word or gesture that has a common meaning to an individual and others.  · Social Act – Behavior that in some way takes into account the â€Å"other† person, group or social organization, and is guided by what they do. It emerges through the process of communication and interaction.  · Symbol manipulation – The means through which we motivate others to action through the use of symbols Since people are symbolic creatures, they can interpret and talk about their inner experiences, such as their thoughts or desires, thus enhancing communnication and interactions with others Postmodernism is a general and wide-ranging term which is applied to many disciplines, including literature, art, economics, philosophy, architecture, fiction, and literary criticism. Postmodernism is largely a reaction to scientific or objective efforts to explain reality. There is no consensus among scholars on the precise definition. In essence, postmodernism is based on the position that reality is not mirrored in human understanding of it, but is rather constructed as the mind tries to understand its own personal reality. Postmodernism is therefore skeptical of explanations that claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead focuses on the relative truths of each person (i. e. postmodernism = relativism). In the postmodern understanding, interpretation is everything; reality only comes into being through our interpretations of what the world means to us individually. Postmodernism relies on concrete experience over abstract principles, arguing that the outcome of ones own experience will necessarily be fallible and relative, rather than certain or universal. Postmodernism postulates that many, if not all, apparent realities are only social constructs and are therefore subject to change. It claims that there is no absolute truth and that the way people perceive the world is subjective and emphasises the role of language, power relations, and motivations in the formation of ideas and beliefs. In particular it attacks the use of sharp binary classifications such as male versus female, straight versus gay, white versus black, and imperial versus colonial; it holds realities to be plural and relative, and to be dependent on who the interested parties are and the nature of these interests. Postmodernist approaches therefore often consider the ways in which social dynamics, such as power and hierarchy, affect human conceptualizations of the world to have important effects on the way knowledge is constructed and used. Postmodernist thought often emphasizes constructivism, idealism, pluralism, relativism, and scepticism in its approaches to knowledge and understanding. Postmodernism is generally considered to have been conceived during the early twentieth century. Postmodernism gained significant popularity in the 1950s and dominated literature and art by the 1960s. [1] Postmodernism has influenced many disciplines, includingreligion, literary criticism, sociology, ethics and morality, linguistics, architecture, history,politics, international relations, anthropology, visual arts, and music. Postmodern Theory – A Broad and Ambiguous View of Reality Postmodern theory is a broad and somewhat ambiguous belief system tied to the philosophical and cultural reaction to the convictions of Modernism (sometimes equated with Humanism). Postmodernism is the philosophical proposal that reality is ultimately inaccessible by human investigation, that knowledge is a social construction, that truth-claims are political power plays, and that the meaning of words is to be determined by readers not authors. In brief, Postmodern theory sees reality as what individuals or social groups make it to be. Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical discourse. It aims to understand the nature of gender inequality. It examines womens social roles, experience, and feminist politics in a variety of fields, such as anthropology and sociology, communication,psychoanalysis, economics, literary, education, and philosophy. [1] While generally providing a critique of social relations, much of feminist theory also focuses on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of womens rights, interests, and issues. Feminist researchers embrace two key tenets: (1) their research should focus on the condition of women in society, and (2) their research must be grounded in the assumption, that women generally experience subordination. Thus, feminist research rejects Webers value-free orientation in favour of being overtly political-doing research in pursuit of gender equality. [2] Themes explored in feminism include discrimination, objectification(especially sexual objectification), oppression, patriarchy,[3][4][5] stereotyping, art history[6] andcontemporary art,[7][8] and aesthetics. [9][10] Feminist theory is one of the major contemporary sociological theories, which analyzes the status of women and men in society with the purpose of using that knowledge to better womens lives. Feminist theorists have also started to question the differences between women, including how race, class, ethnicity, and age intersect with gender. Feminist theory is most concerned with giving a voice to women and highlighting the various ways women have contributed to society. There are four main types of feminist theory that attempt to explain the societal differences between men and women: Gender Differences: The gender difference perspective examines how womens location in, and experience of, social situations differ from mens. For example, cultural feminists look to the different values associated with womanhood and femininity as a reason why men and women experience the social world differently. Other feminist theorists believe that the different roles assigned to women and men within institutions better explain gender difference, including the sexual division of labor in the household. Existential and phenomenological feminists focus on how women have been marginalized and defined as the â€Å"other† in patriarchal societies. Women are thus seen as objects and are denied the opportunity for self-realization. Gender Inequality: Gender-inequality theories recognize that womens location in, and experience of, social situations are not only different but also unequal to mens. Liberal feminists argue that women have the same capacity as men for moral reasoning and agency, but that patriarchy, particularly the sexist patterning of the division of labor, has historically denied women the opportunity to express and practice this

How to Write an Essay About Love Tips and Topic Ideas

How to Write an Essay About Love Tips and Topic Ideas If you've fallen in love, you know that nothing can be compared to this incredible feeling. Love has inspired millions of poets and artists to create masterpieces. But there are no such words that could describe the emotions you have when you're in love. When dreaming about love, most associate it with the eternal romance. When having relationships, people understand that love is like a flower, which you have to water if you want it to grow. It's the work you need to do daily. Sometimes, it may be not as easy as ABC to be happy in relationships. For some, even writing an essay about love is a challenge. Professional Writing Help Here It is due to the fact that you should be a bit of a philosopher and a psychologist to discuss romantic relationships. By the way, the choice of a theme may become the first stumbling block. On the one hand, there are a lot of questions you could write about. On the other hand, it is a theme that is much spoken about. So, it may be difficult to choose a really hooking love topic to attract the audience. Do you find it difficult to create essays on such intimate topics like relationships? Lack original ideas for your paper? Follow the tips below and you'll create a high-quality piece of writing with ease. Helpful Tips for Writing an Essay About Love When writing about love, many students make one and the same mistake. They forget about structure completely. As a result, the paper looks like a love letter. To avoid such mistakes, you are recommended to check the simple tips below. They will help you to have a clear understanding of how a love essay must look like. Follow the standard essay structure. When you are assigned to compose a love essay, you need to remember that it is an academic piece of writing. This means that it shouldn't be messy. Like other essays, this kind of essay paper should be structured properly. It should consist of an introduction, the main body, and the conclusion. Don't make your essay too sweet. It may be difficult to be objective if you have either broken up with your someone or vice versa fallen in love. But to complete a good love paper, you should concentrate on the topic. Of course, this kind of paper supposes that the writer will include emotions. But you shouldn't make this piece of writing too emotional. Keeping a balance is the key to success. Remember that your paper should be written in a realistic manner. Remember that love isn't only romance. When you're assigned to complete an essay about love, you may choose to write about various types of love. It is not always about the relationships between a man and a woman. Consider writing about feelings to your family, friends, or even your favorite toys in childhood. If you haven't been in love yet or it is painful to share your emotions because your heart has been broken, choose another topic for paper writing. Impressive Topic Ideas for Your Love Essay The right topic will bring you success while the bad one will bring guaranteed failure. So, be careful when choosing the topic for your essay paper. For you not to waste hours racking your brains on what to write about, we've made a list of the best ideas. First, choose the type of essay that suits your academic assignment. Secondly, look through the themes and give preference to the one you feel passionate about. â€Å"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.† Lao Tzu Descriptive Topic Ideas for Your Love Essay The main purpose of writing a descriptive essay is to describe someone who you've feelings towards. Describe your emotions and feelings in every smallest detail. The reader should understand what emotional condition the writer is in. Your assignment will be evaluated positively if it contains the objective description of the personality traits. Have a look at the good topic ideas you can use for your love essay. Describe the person who you fell in love for the first time. What makes the first love so special? Describe the traits of the personality you love. What is the perfect love relationship? Are there people you love most of all in this life? Describe the must-have character traits to become a happy couple. How to understand that the feeling you have is love? What kind of relationship do you dream about? Describe the relationship between your parents. How does your attitude to life change when you're in love? Literary Analysis Topic Ideas: Don't Miss a Chance to Analyze Romantic Characters There are a lot of great literary works about love. If you don't want to share your personal experience, choose the love story you would like to analyze. Analyze the relationships between Romeo and Juliet. Choose a poem about love and tell about the feelings you've when reading it. Analyze the consequences the jealousy leads to (Analyze the personality and actions of Othello). Compare literary works written in different periods of time. Choose the piece of romantic literature you consider a real masterpiece. Analyze some love story of the modern writer. How has the perception of love changed with time? Which literary stories do you consider real tragedies? Would Romeo and Juliet be happy together if they didn't die? Outline the main features of the Romantic Era in literature. Place Your Order Online Argumentative Love Essay Topics for Your Academic Writing The key purpose of an argumentative love essay is to express your standpoint and prove it. You are expected to provide the persuasive arguments, which would convince your reader that your opinion is worth attention. An argumentative love paper should well-grounded and structured in accordance with the outline. It is recommended to start each new paragraph with a new argument. Here are the interesting ideas for your assignment. Do you agree that love lives for three years and then dies? There is an opinion that love is the result of the work of our hormones. Do you agree/disagree with this statement? Can love make people happier? Is it possible to live happily if the person you love doesn't answer you? The person who loves should provide the beloved with the freedom of choice. Should a person forgive his/her partner the betrayal? Love has nothing to do with the marriage. After saying â€Å"I love you† the person takes responsibility for another person. Happy relationships can’t exist without support and respect. Love comes at the right moment even if you haven't expected it to come. Hope that the above-listed tips and ideas will help you to fall in love with essay writing! Just share your personal experience, the examples of real people you know, or the characters from the famous pieces of literature. Your essay about love will definitely sound great if you be sincere and find the right words to express your ideas. Choose one of the theme ideas above and get started! Lack the time to write an A-grade essay? Entrust your essay to professional writers with years of experience! It is the best solution taking into account that you’ve already gained all the necessary skills for writing this kind of paper!

Project Management Tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Management Tools - Essay Example This essay explores that the common elements are interrelated and any change in one has an effect on the other two. Microsoft Project excels on these elements as whenever any change in project is done using Microsoft Project, the affect of those changes will be visible through Microsoft Project's graphical presentation of your project. This discussion declares that Project Management Templates help to manage projects more successfully. More than 50 pre-completed project management forms, templates, documents and processes will help a Project Manager to save time, reduce cost and improve the quality of projects. Microsoft Project is program developed and sold by Microsoft which is designed to assist project managers in developing plans, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing budgets and analyzing workloads. Open Project is an open source clone of Microsoft Project 98, which is built for Linux and Unix Systems. It is a powerful application that can be used to efficiently plan, manage, and communicate project information. It can be used to handle dynamic scheduling, manage multiple projects and resources, and support better communication. It makes easy to organize, track and manage project details. The New consolidation and schedule-building help you plan more efficiently, keeping your projects on t rack and within budget. FastTrack Schedule delivers descriptive project snapshots that are sure to make an impact with clients and project managers.

Marketing and Social Networking Web Sites Essay

Marketing and Social Networking Web Sites - Essay Example It's a straightforward concept that assists build integrity when you are able to put a face to the messenger. Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace have turned out to be the party lines in this 21st century. They are attractive and fascinating and a powerful tool for communication between people. Learning the way to use them intelligently for marketing can add to any businesses profile. Social networking Web sites provides an important media channel for broadcasting to a diverse demographic, ranging from teens and young to adults, women, moms, prosperous consumers, to elder individuals. In fact experts suppose U.S. ad expenditure on social networks to rise by about 200% by 2011. Consumers react less to conventional media and advertising, and are changing towards consumer-to-consumer communication including mobile messaging, blogging, word-of mouth marketing, similarity shopping sites, and peer-to-peer networks. Study shows that 80% of consumers belief in the advice from online friends, representing thrice as much trust compared to through traditional media. Additionally, one of every three users of the internet visits Web sites comprising of user-generated stuff to aid make purchase choices (Ward, 2007, 3). There are several companies, including P&G, Morgan Chase, Toyota, Unilever and JP Burger King that have successfully leveraged their marketing communications through social networking Web sites to accomplish different marketing strategies. These social sites permit people to communicate freely on anything. However, most significantly allow people to share knowledge that might be helpful to both parties. Numerous common things shared via these sites are fashionable recipes, sites to visit, trustworthy mechanics in their area, superlative place to acquire a steak and still great areas to go fishing. A number of the most well known and established Networking sites comprise of MySpace, SlingAd Videos, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Social Media on the internet is a vast untapped source of leads, projections and partners to business and the good news with this is they are FREE. Thus, in order to take advantage of the social media madness, businesses have to recognize how precisely to monetize this critical untapped resource of prospective business partners. Numerous Online business proprietors have learned the way to establish a Blueprint of themselves over the internet with the rationale of presenting to their consumer that they have used up the time perhaps writing articles, redistribution videos and presenting photos of themselves and their relatives in order for this new consumers not to be intimidated when they contact them through either email or calls. This enables the consumers to easily be capable of

Report on feasibility for investment in the construction sector Essay

Report on feasibility for investment in the construction sector - Essay Example There are 5 basic groups of ratios that are generally used for business analysis. From these, we select 1-2 ratios from each group depending upon the information provided by each company, and subsequently assess each company depending on these selected ratios. The 5 basic ratio groups are explained below: Profitability Ratios: These are defined as the ratios that are used to measure the degree of success of a business concern in terms of determining factors such as liquidity, assets, return on investment etc. Ex-Group Operating Profit. Group operating profit: Leopold A. Bernstein (1999) defines the Group as a measure of a company's earning power from ongoing operations, equal to earnings before the deduction of interest payments and income taxes. Dividend per Share: Leopold A. Bernstein (1999) explains that Dividend per share is the payment designated by the board of directors to be distributed pro rata among the shares outstanding per shareholder. On preferred shares, it is generally a fixed amount. On common shares, the dividend varies with the fortunes of the company and the amount of cash on hand, and may be omitted if business is poor or the directors determine to withhold earnings to invest in plant and equipment. Sometimes a company will pay a dividend out of past earnings even if it is not currently operating at a profit. Operating Profit: It is defined as the difference between the revenue or turnover and the costs incurred during operations ie. Total operating expenses. Turnover or turnover ratio: It simply is the amount of business done by a firm during a financial year. DETAILS OF THE STUDY For the study, some core financial ratios of each of the 5 companies were studied and tabulated as shown under: 1) Alfred Mcalpine Group operating profit has risen by 6% to 38.2m (highest so far) before exceptional charges, tax and goodwill amortization. But the profit after goodwill amortization and exceptional charge

Challenges And Constraints Of Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay

Challenges And Constraints Of Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay The biggest challenge that Solar Energy faces today is the alternative conventional energy sources that are cheaper in terms of consumption measures (Rupees per KWh).Electricity generated from Solar Energy is costlier compared to that produced from coal-fired power plants. Government and enterprises are working on producing cheaper solar cells to reduce cost of usage. Although the price of Solar Photovoltaic technology has decreased in the last years, it is still not a feasible solution for large scale power generation purposes. In India, the average cost of Photovoltaic modules is around Rs. 2 lc/KWh and the cost of electricity generation of electricity from Solar Photovoltaic and Solar thermal route is in the range of Rs. 12 -20 per kWh and Rs. 10 15 per kWh respectively. The electricity produced this way is four-five times costlier from that produced from conventional sources. Advancement in technology is required to reduce this gap. The manufacturing process needs to be more cost- effective since the Solar Photovoltaic conversion of electricity is a high-technology process demanding high level of skills and expertise. Companies are allocating special funds for research and development in the industry to encourage innovations to improve the process. Since the field is a relatively new one with less knowledge in the field, new companies face challenges in coping up with the existing players in the field. India is suitably located to receive sufficient sunlight all round the year. However there are a few places which do not receive enough solar energy throughout the year, which affects the cost of production. Areas which receive huge amounts of rainfall and are clouded for most parts of the year, automatically get ruled out as prospective sites for Solar Energy generation. Another major challenge that solar energy faces is storage of the generated power. Electricity from Photovolatic cells cannot be generated during the night and during cloudy days and hence suitable measures have to be adopted to store the energy produced during the other times of the day. Another major disadvantage is that access on a short term basis cannot be predicted. Since India is located near to the equator the incoming radiation fluctuate a little every year, it is however difficult to predict the incoming radiations on a day to day basis. Apart of this there are seasonal variations which cause the supply and demand to grow out of phase. It is thus imperative that Solar Energy cannot be relied upon as the only source of electricity for potential uses like space heating, till proper storage measures are invented. It is also difficult to store energy since it also increases the cost of production and installation. Only once this issue gets resolved can solar energy actually com pete with other existent sources of energy. ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS Due to absence of proper government regulation ,local government and individuals are skeptical about the effect that setting up of big solar power plants will have on the individuals and environment. A large scale solar power plant typically requires approximately one square kilometer for every 20-60MW generated. RAW MATERIAL AND WASTE PRODUCTS Some of the materials ( like Cadmium) used for producing Solar PV cells are hazardous and other raw materials like plastics used for the packaging of the cells are non-biodegradable, thereby impacting the environment. Although some of the waste generated during the manufacturing process is recyclable (silicon), not all other materials are recyclable and disposal of the same is a challenging process. AESTHETICS AND DESIGN Another barrier to wider adoption of solar cell and solar module products and systems among commercial and residential consumers is aesthetics and design. Consumers have resisted solar products for aesthetic reasons. Established solar products are heavy, rigid, fragile and non-modular. Solar cell and solar module manufacturers can improve aesthetics by developing products that can be more attractively integrated into building structures, and that are lighter, flexible and modular and hence more feasible. Growth in future and driving factors Concentrated Solar Vs Photovoltaic Solar Solar energy utilization technologies can be broadly classified into two categories as Concentrated Solar Technology Photovoltaic Solar Technology In Concentrated Solar Technology the solar energy converts heat liquids into steam, which is then used to drive turbines to produce electricity, heating and cooling purposes, providing hot water etc. In PV Solar, solar panels are used to produce electricity. The Concentrated Solar technology provides a good alternative to PV solar, one that is less expensive and more versatile. Benefits of concentrated solar technology are: It uses existing resources like generators, piping and mirrors. Due to which the production costs are much lower than PV solar In producing solar energy no hazardous materials are used. Thus it is free from production hassles that could arise due to future government laws or policies. It can also store the heat that is generated during the day, and use it at a later time when the electricity is needed. Storing heat is much more efficient than most forms of storing electricity, and does not require expensive equipment or large tracks of land. Due to the aforementioned benefits Concentrated Solar Technology is currently a more sought after method. But the potential for PV Solar Technology is higher and is being worked over across all countries. Government incentives Major percentage of the solar energy production has been backed by the government world over. Few of the government incentives in the following ways are: FIT (mainly in europe) Direct Subsidy on panels Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS, in US) ITC (Investment tax credits, in US) Some of the goals with respect to solar energy of different countries driven by government initiatives are: The  European Union  has linked goals to get 20% of its energy from clean sources by 2012. Chinas Renewable Energy Law aims to raise the total percentage of renewable energy used in the country to 15% by 2020. The U.S. Stimulus Bill of February of 2009 included $60 billion in loan guarantees for companies building solar and wind plants with the goal of doubling renewable energy production from 2009 to 2012. In June of 2008, Germany approved a law cutting its solar subsidies by 10%. Further, under the law subsidies will fall another 8%-10% each year for the next three years. The Spanish Government cut its solar subsidies by 30%. Renewable energy demand Shifts in renewable energy demand are a major driver for the solar market. Two major drivers of this shift are climate change  and  peak oil. Climate Change With more people than ever being aware of global warming and its potential effects, and fear of the repercussions of a carbon-based energy scheme is driving consumer demand for alternatives like solar. With increasing number of people being aware of global warming and its harmful effects, rising fear caused due to carbon based energy production, the demand for alternative energy resources are in demand. The number of awareness campaigns to promote the use of alternative resources has increased tremendously over the past few years and will continue to rise in the future. Wind and Solar energy are the first potential step taken into consideration. Peak Oil and Energy Independence The ever rising oil prices and the scarcity of finding the mines and oil reserves are a growing concern. It is predicted that the oil resources will dwindle to such an extent that the growth of any country will be a standstill if measures are not taken today to curtail the dependence. Furthermore, a large part of the world oil supply can be found in politically turbulent countries; with OPEC having dominant control over world oil supply (and, therefore, prices), many countries desire energy alternatives in order to break dependence on geopolitically unstable nations. Technology and Silicon Supply Silicon was previously used extensively by the semiconductor industry. But, with the advent of solar power and its rapid growth the demand for them has increased exponentially, resulting in an under-supply of silicon unable to meet the current demand. Thus the higher prices in silicon mean higher production costs for solar companies and lower margins. For a sustainable growth and control in costs of production in the future the demand-supply equilibrium must be in check. In recent years the technical advancements in the field of solar power has been rapid and tremendous. Everyone across the value chain, manufacturers and suppliers are working towards producing more solar energy out of the existing solar equipment. Advancements have included increasing cell energy efficiency, using thinner wafers, and increasing generating power in low-light (generation of energy even on a cloudy day). The advancement in two new manufacturing processes namely string-ribbon technology and thin-film technology, designed to drastically reduce the  silicon  required to make PV cells, could dramatically decrease the cost of new PV cells. The use of a new nanotechnology based approach using Tetrapod Quantum Dots (TQ-Dots) is being considered. It is an economical alternative to replace the silicon wafer based solar cells with flexible TQ-Dot solar cells and has the advantage of generating electricity from UV and infrared wavelengths allowing generation 24/7. Government Regulation As the solar industry continues to grow at 25% per annum, the government is faced with the challenge to regulate the industry to allow for equitable distribution of the industry benefits. The Union Ministry has set up a separate Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources later renamed as Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The government is trying hard to bring India to the number 1 level by introducing grid based incentives and providing concession at various levels of manufacturing and distribution in its recent budget 2010-11. Effect on the Environment: There is an ongoing debate on how Concentrated Solar Plants especially inare affecting the environment. There is a concern how the use of vast amounts of public land for Solar Energy development will affect local inhabitants. Local Government and Environmental bodies have raised concern for reliable regulatory measures to be setup to understand the affect on the operations of such large plants on the environment. It is expected that the government will frame certain special energy zones, where concentrated solar plants will be setup. Permitting: The permit fees to set up Solar Plants varies in different areas in the countries, which causes variations in the setup price causing a dilemma in the minds of prospective investors.The cost of Solar Installation in a city varies from Rs.15,000 to Rs. 50,000.Many countries that used to face such issues are now migrating to a uniform permit fees system to encourage investment in this field. Regulating Solar Energy Providers: As part of JNNSM, government has dedicated NTPC VidyutVyapar Nigam, for the purchase of Solar Energy by independent solar plants, the prices of which are fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission for a given period of time. The power distribution companies will purchase the power generated from these plants at the prices set by the regulator.They would also follow the below mentioned norms: CERC has announced tariff of Rs. 18.44 per unit for solar PV power and Rs. 13.45 per unit for solar thermal power for 25 years; Zero or concessional duty to be applied on import of some specific items; Zero Excise duty on manufacture of many solar energy devices within the country; NTPC VVN will purchase solar power for a period of 25 years at fixed tariff announced by CERC; CERC will review the costs every year and fix tariff accordingly for new projects. Union Budget 2010-11: Government has announced an allocation of $10bn for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The budget also provides incentives to private solar companies by reducing customs duty on solar panel by 5% and exempting excise duty on photovoltaic panels.

SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESS OWNER :: essays research papers

SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESS OWNER DAVID STEWARD CEO & FOUNDER, WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY David Steward grew up in a Christian home in a small town of Clinton, Missouri. As a teen, he lived through the racially tense ‘60s, attending segregated schools, sitting in the balcony of the movies, and being barred from the public swimming pool. David doesn’t harbor any negative feelings about having to endure those days, especially since his mother warned him against becoming bitter and resentful. He literally lived on the other side of the railroad tracks, but learned that division doesn’t work. Though his family had few material possessions, David believes he inherited considerable wealth from his parents because they taught him what was important: treating people right. David recalled homeless people stopping by the house. â€Å"No one was ever turned away,† he said. â€Å"I saw faith in action.† David also remembers his mother giving her lat dollar to the church. He knew that it was seed to be sown with the expectation of a harvest. These principles of sowing and reaping have stayed with him his entire life. David always had a lifelong dream of owning his own business. It was a burning desire inside of him. After college, he spent ten years in sales for three Fortune 500 companies. As the senior accountant for a major corporation, David was awarded Salesman of the Year and was made a member of the company’s hall of fame. They presented an ice bucket with his initials engraved inside. David looked inside the bucket and realized that it was empty. This was a defining moment; he asked himself is this what he really wants out of life. At the time, David and his family were living paycheck to paycheck, but David had complete faith in God. It was clear in his mind that his belief in God, coupled with the desire to work hard to serve others, meant he was destined to succeed. After many years and five failed companies, he finally figured out the secret to success, ‘treat people right.’ He launched Transport Administrative Services in 1987. The company’s purpose was to provide online automated transportation audit services to seven major rail carriers. He later decided to diversify his business interest by capitalizing the start-up of World Wide Technology (WWT) in 1990 on a shoestring budget and 7 employees. He wanted to be part of one the greatest revolutions that ever hit history, the information stage.