Issues of social balance and mixed communities

Issues of social balance and mixed communities Interest in social balance and mixed communities has arisen as a response to both increased management issues in social housing and to concepts of the underclass and social exclusion. The identification of significant and persistent inequalities between areas at the ward and neighbourhood level in recent research (e.g. Meen et al., 2005) has triggered a shift in housing strategy and policy. Social balance is now entrenched within English housing and planning policy where it provides a correction to the housing markets natural tendency to segregate (Goodchild and Cole, 2001). Although this state interventionist approach has come under-fire from academics such as Cheshire (2007), who argue that spatial policy cannot correct deep-rooted social and economic forces and that the focus of policy should be to reduce income inequality in society not just treat the consequences of it, social mixing has gained popular support in urban policy. This literature review outlines the mixed community approach to urban gentrification in urban policy by discussing its latest iteration, the MCI. The MCIs place in UK policy discourse is then analysed as a way of exploring its conceptual and theoretical ideologies for area regeneration. Finally, an in depth review of the literature is conducted which reengages with Mixed Communities as an approach to area regeneration Since 2005, the mixed communities approach to gentrification and the renewal of disadvantaged neighbourhoods has become firmly embedded in the UKs housing and planning policy. The approach was first announced in January 2005 in the Mixed Communities Initiative (MCI) which formed part of New Labours five year plan for the delivery of sustainable communities. The MCI has four core components (Lupton et al., 2009); A commitment to the transformation of areas with concentrated poverty, to provide a better housing environment, higher employment, better education, less crime and higher educational achievements. To achieve these through changes in the housing stock and attraction of new populations, whilst improving opportunities for existing populations. Finance development by recognising the value of publicly owned land and other public assets. Integrate government policies to produce a holistic approach which is sustainable through mainstream funding. Initially the MCI was delivered through twelve demonstration projects situated in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK. However, more recently the concepts behind the mixed community approach have grown beyond these projects and are now advocated by planning authorities in a diverse range of areas. Consequently, mixed community developments are emerging without demonstration project status and as such mixed communities have become an approach to area regeneration in addition to being a government policy initiative (Silverman et al., 2006). In response to this policy development the purpose of this literature review is two-fold. Firstly, through analysis of the theories of poverty, place and gentrification in policy discourse it is possible to gain an understanding of the rationale behind the mixed communities conception of the causes place poverty. Review Secondly Theories of Poverty and Place in Urban Policy Any form of urban regeneration reflects a specific theoretical understanding of the causes of place poverty. Throughout the 20th Century UK urban policy has undergone a transformation in its understanding of the causes of place poverty and consequently the approach to urban regeneration has altered. A broad distinction can be made in the UKs approaches to regeneration; between early regeneration by the Keynesian welfare state and that advocated by conservative governments. The former looked to correct the crisis of the neighbourhood through neighbourhood improvement. This approach understands the problems of declining areas as a product of the economic structures which cause spatial and social inequality (Katz, 2004). In response they looked to improve living conditions and try to equalise life chances through redistributive social welfare programmes. In contrast to neighbourhood improvement is the neighbourhood transformation approach, a discernibly neoliberal approach advocated by conservative governments. Here the problems of disadvantaged neighbourhoods are understood as the product of market failures rather than underlying economic structures. The creation of mass social housing estates and overly generous benefit regimes are some of the market failures which reportedly trap the disadvantaged in social cultures of dependency (Goetz, 2003). In the neighbourhood improvement approach these areas are seen as a barrier to market forces; occupying inner city areas with good commercial and residential property investment potential. According to Lupton and Fuller (2009:1016) the neighbourhood improvement approach understands the solution to be: not simply the amelioration of conditions in these neighbourhoods for the benefit of their current residents, but the restoration of market functionality through the physical change and transformation of the position of the neighbourhood in the urban hierarchy Perhaps the best example of this is the role of Urban Development Corporations which brought about the transformation of the London Docklands in the 1980s. Their presence instigated a fundamental change in the role of the state in urban development, from a regulator of the market to an agent within the market. The state was now responsible for fostering the economic conditions under which the economic productivity of areas and communities could be improved. In 1997 New Labours urban regeneration policy was hailed as a divorce from this transformational approach and a return to the improvement approach. The government pioneered an array of new, enhanced public services under the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. Included was the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and the New Deal for Communities (NDC) which facilitated interaction between local agents on neighbourhood improvement. Whilst this strategy had the appearance of a strong local focus which prioritised residents, other elements of New Labours policies were characteristically neoliberal. As Fuller and Geddes (2008) remark, Labours urban interventions focus on an equality of opportunity agenda which aspires to greater social cohesion and inclusion by devolving responsibility to local citizens. However, by not matching these responsibilities with appropriate state powers within the NRU and NDC there has been little support for local citizens except to merely compensate the indiv iduals and places put at risk by market forces. As such New Labours initiatives have failed to deliver major redistributional interventions which relinquish local state agents from neoliberal targets, cultures and forms of control (Jessop, 1990). Neoliberal theories of poverty and place within the MCI Within this policy discourse the MCI exists as a more characteristically neoliberal initiative. It is clear in its understanding of the problem, concentrated poverty, and the solution, de-concentration through gentrification and neighbourhood transformation. By doing this the MCI subscribes to a policy discourse which understands concentrated poverty as a spatial metaphor (Crump, 2002). This metaphor inherently undermines complex economic, social and political processes and uses the individual failings of the poor within concentrated spaces to justify their dilution or removal. The concentrated poverty thesis originated from the US (e.g. The Hope VI Urban Revitalisation Programme) where it provides legitimacy to policies which alter cities spatial structures through market forces. Such influences have encouraged British policy makers to adopt a more radical approach to urban regeneration and advocate extensive demolition and gentrification to restore functioning housing markets, imposing a neoliberal agenda on struggling housing environments (Imbroscio, 2008). The MCIs focus on market restoration is clearly articulated: the aim is that success measures should be choice. Reputation, choice of staying and that people want to move in its about market choice (Senior CLG official in Lupton et al., 2009:36) The government realises that while public service improvements will help create this market, it is not enough alone physical change is required to enhance peoples attraction to the neighbourhood and its market. The states role is therefore not just to invest directly but improve and diversify the housing stock whilst decreasing public housing ratios with the explicit goal of stimulating market processes. However, a further consequence of this is the re-population of The mixed communities approach requires the state to fund the improvement of services, in many cases to attract better-off residents, and sell or gift land to the private sector. The removal of social housing through its gift to the private sector inherently creates a spatial fix for poverty and incentivises the development of mixed-income housing developments. In such a situation there is potential for the private sector to change social housing in co-ordinance with market dynamics and consequently complex and marginal developments will be neglected (Adair et al., 2003). CONCLUDE and develop a little mention gentrifiction Impact of Mixed Communities As long as 30 years ago, Holcomb and Beauregard (1981) were critical of the way it was assumed that benefits of urban revitalisation through social mixing would trickle down to the poor. Despite the consequential academic debate, which disputed whether gentrification leads to social exclusion, segregation and displacement, it has become increasingly popular in urban policy where it is assumed that its application leads to a more socially mixed, integrated, and sustainable urban environment. The following review will explore the literature which questions whether moving middle-income populations into low-income neighbourhoods or vice versa has a positive impact on residents urban experience. link to mixed communities Schoon (2001) identifies three rationales behind social mixing in policy debates. Firstly, there is an assumption that the middle-class are more likely to attract public resources and as such the lower-income household will fare better in socially mixed communities. Secondly, mixed income developments are in a better position to support a local economy than areas of concentrated poverty. Finally and most controversially, the networks and contacts argument advocated by Putnam (1995) poses that socially mixed neighbourhoods create an environment which improves the bridging and bonding of social capital between social classes. Consequently, lower-income residents have more opportunities to network and break out of poverty than they would in areas of concentrated deprivation. The Social Exclusion Unit (1998:53) expands on this: [socially mixed neighbourhoods] often brings people into contact with those outside their normal circle, broadening horizons and raising expectations, and can link people into informal networks through which work is more easily found. These three arguments are the cornerstone of a global policy discourse which has received very little critique in the UK. One of the reasons for this is the way it is framed. The social mixing agenda which has been prominent in western efforts to decentralise poverty is a discourse which actively avoids the word gentrification. Instead it uses terms like urban revitalisation, urban regeneration, and urban sustainability to redefine itself as a moral discourse which helps the poor (Slater, 2005; 2006). By doing this the discourse deflects from the class restructuring processes which define its implementation. Previous Studies As of yet there is little consensus around the ability of gentrification to achieve the goals asked of it, neither is it clear what type of social mix is most desirable or the outcomes of different mixes (Walks and Maaranen, 2008). For instance, Tunstall and Fenton (2006) who claim to amass the best UK research on social mix conclude that although knowledge gaps exist the founding arguments for mixed communities remains valid. Yet, in contrast, Doherty et al. (2006) undertook quantitative analysis of the UK census and Scottish Longitudinal Study and concluded that there is little evidence to support the mixing of housing tenures in developments with the premise of improving social well-being. Purpose sentence Randolph and Wood (2003) note that much of the research conducted so far has concentrated on social mixing in public housing estates (Atkinson and Kintrea, 2000; Cole and Shayer, 1998) and there has been little exploration of the social mixing occurring in new build developments. Does Gentrification bring about social mixing? Contrary to the assumptions which link gentrification to improved social mixing, most research suggests that gentrification is likely to reduce social mixing at the neighbourhood level. Interviews conducted by Butler (1997), and Butler and Robson (2001; 2003) suggest that local middle-income gentrifiers engaged in little social interaction with lower-income residents. Their research found that gentrifiers generally sought out people with similar cultural and political interests which often lead to little interaction between middle and low-income residents. Accordingly, they found that interaction was greatest in areas where gentrification had homogenised an area and pushed out other groups. In areas where this had not occurred, Butler and Robson (2001) reported that, the difference between tenants resulted in tectonic juxtapositions which polarised social groups rather than integrating them. In their later research, Butler and Robson (2003) not only reinforced their earlier findings but found that children formed a key facilitator in resident integration: there was no evidence that the children played outside these middle class networks, our fieldwork strongly suggests that the middle class preschool clubs were highly exclusionary of non-middle class children (Butler and Robson, 2003:128) Although Butler and Robsons research rightly questions the role of gentrification in a policy discourse which looks to foster a sustainable urban environment it does so primarily through the experiences of the gentrifier. Davidsons (under review) research of new build, middle income development on the River Thames, London engaged with both gentrifier and non-gentrifier to reinforce scepticism over the ability of housing type to influence class relations. Davidson found no evidence to suggest that any of the developments desired outcomes had been achieved through the introduction of a middle class population. Both the temporary nature of new build residents and the spatially segregated nature of the development itself meant the development fostered little integration between low and middle income residents who do not work in the same place, use the same transport or frequent same restaurants or pubs. In a similar study Freeman (2006) researched two black gentrifying neighbourhoods in New York City. Like Davidson, Freeman found that social networks rarely crossed and that gentrifiers and longer term residents generally moved in different spaces. Additionally, Freeman experienced that residents were hesitant to pass comment on social mixing, they rarely expressed their opinions in overly positive or negative tones. In accordance with this literature it seems unrealistic to assume that different social groups will integrate when living together. As some of the authors have highlighted, increased neighbourhood diversity does not correlate with increased social interaction and can in some cases promote social conflict as much as it does social harmony. Mention how its all based on a class representation of society The mixed communities policy agenda has been used to help improve inequality in social housing (estates managed by local authorities, housing associations, and other non-profit housing agencies) and more controversially to regenerate social housing. This concentration on social housing comes out of a Since its conception social housing in the UK has experienced slow residualisation a tendency to house only certain types of household; the poor, unemployed, those in debt, with a history of mental illness and experiencing a relationship breakdown (Cole and Furbey, 1994). For much of social housings history this process has been ignored and consequently has been accompanied by a sorting process forcing the most vulnerable households into the most unattractive housing (Willmott and Murie, 1988). MIXED COMMUNITIES DEFINE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE what is encapsulated within this? Social interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Previous Studies There are three studies which are relevant to this research. They examine the impact of mixed community housing on social interaction: Atkinson and Kintrea (2000) conducted an exploratory study which analysed diaries made by 38 households. The research suggested that patterns of social life vary by tenure and as such little interaction occurred between residents of owner occupied housing and social housing tenants. The neighbourhood was seen as a focus of interaction for social housing residents only. Cole and Shavers (1998b) survey of 52 residents in a new build, mixed-tenure redevelopment in Sheffield again found only weakly developed social networks. Jupps (1999:10-11) analysis of interviews with over 1,000 residents living in ten-mixed-tenure estates in England, concluded that the street is a more significant social unit than the estate. The case studies analysed often had social and private housing located on different streets and consequently there was little mixing reported between the two groups. Jupp reported that fostering social interaction would extremely difficult because of the overwhelming belief between residents: they do not think that they share many common interests with their neighbours. Individually these studies offer little scope, but taken together they provide a consistent view that mixed tenure developments foster little social interaction between residents of different social backgrounds. However, it must be realised that these studies only examine the grass-roots neighbourhood, that is to say that they often ignore the way external perceptions have defining role in the developments success. Atkinson and Kintrea (2000) identify it as a key area for future research when they report that residents welcomed the influx of higher income residents because they improve the reputation and appearance of the area. There is one fundamental understanding that underpins urban policy in the UK; as stated in the foreword of the Urban White Paper: How we live our lives is shaped by where we live our lives

Consequences of Phobia in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart Essay

â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, is a thrilling short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It is about the narrator’s attempt to convince us that he is not crazy, just have keen senses as we realize when he says: â€Å"Why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharped my senses† (The Tell- Tale Heart, p. 44). He tries to persuade us of his innocence and his sanity telling how he was able to kill an old man, proprietor of the house where he lives, with a good planning and craftiness. The story shows how the eyes of the old man were like the eyes of a vulture, how it disturbed the narrator, and how it made him paranoid. Every night he enters in the bedroom of the old man in order to get rid of those eyes, however he always keeps himself paralyzed when he realizes that the old man’s eyes are closed. We notice the narrator couldn’t commit such a crime in this situation when he says â€Å"I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye† (The Tell- Tale Heart, p. 5). One night, the old man sat down on the bed and began to call him, but he had no reaction. The sight of the old man’s eyes starts to terrify him. The narrator begins to hear the sound of the old man’s heart accelerated and thinks the neighbors are listening to it too, so he smothers the old man under his bed. He opens up some planks in the living room floor and buries the old man there. Now everything is clean. However the old man’s scream waked up a neighbor, and three police officers arrived at the house. Afraid of being arrested, the narrator invites them to come and shows that everything is fine and that the old man wasn’t in town. He offers a drink and the police officers sit in the room, and they keep satisfied with the manners of the narrator: â€Å"My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease† (The Tell- Tale Heart, p. 47). But the narrator begins to hear the heartbeat of the old man again, so he decides to confess to the police and asks them to take the body away from the house, and so the story ends. Analyzing the short story â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, Lisa Fritscher reaches some conclusions about the narrator, such as he is really paranoid, with the words â€Å"He is constantly convinced something about the old man is out to get him – first the eye and then the heart. † The narrator’s paranoia is first embraced by the obstinacy of the narrator with the eyes and when it ends, he becomes obstinate by the heart beating. There are strong reasons to think the narrator is really paranoid. In addition, Lisa brings a new idea to our eyes, the fact that our narrator has a phobia of the eyes of the old man. The old man probably has an eye disease called cataract and Lisa goes on to state that the narrator’s phobia would not have been enough reason for murder and adds â€Å"Clearly the narrator suffers from deep mental health issues beyond a simple phobia. † Summing up, we can conclude saying that the Poe’s short story is electrifying and for those who suffer of phobia, it can cause different reactions. With his writing that makes us always on the verge of taking scares, it makes us think of our fears and phobia in a frightening and very exciting way.

Introducing Online Paper Writer

Introducing Online Paper Writer It is not difficult to decide on the least expensive essay writing service just by comparing the prices provided by various customized essay writing service providers. Below is a list of steps you may take to get ready for the SAT. Then you only need to click our site, make an order by means of your topic on a superiorpaper to your private writer and he'll try his very best. Today, it's simple to receive paid to compose essays online. Websites like Etsy make it feasible that you download professionally designed resume templatesall you want to do is add your own personal info. Thesis on-line service is a superb solution should you be composing your thesis. Online Paper Writer service are all set to aid with specs! You must be certain the continuing solution you utilize can provide your paper to you personally on time. Just describe what you need and want your paper appears like and we'll fulfill your requirements effortlessly. Following your paper was finished, you'll also be requested to rate the author. Writing an excellent research paper may prove to be almost impossible, considering that time is extremely much against you. Our 1-hour essay writing service may be ideal solution for you. Our company is probably going to make sure in case you get your paper we give you a thorough plagiarism report. In order to acquire the work you genuinely need, discover the nice and trustworthy essay writers. Finally bear in mind that there are nice and dependable essay writers online but also some who aren't great. With our support, you are going to be in a position to compose an impressive research paper. Students are typically required to compose a term paper that's assigned to them either close to mid-semester or towards the end. Based on the paper instant, you could be required to do outside research or you may use only the readings you have done in class. Dependent on the paper instant, you may be required to do outside research or you may use only the readings you have done in class. You'll be fully delighted both with the caliber of the paper and with the way our clients support team works. Instead, you want to use a trustworthy company, such as ours. For this reason, you shouldn't wait until customer support will get in touch with your writer and you'll get a response. Our service is at your disposal, in the event you would prefer a person to compose my paper. Whilst approaching feasible essay authors concerning the road is not advised, utilizing a little business which focuses on such something can help in several techniques. A 1 hour essay deadline may be true problem, if you aren't good enough at writing and expressing your ideas on a topic you aren't really interested in. Regardless of different websites you get to choose the writer you want to work together and will be in a place to communicate with them during the process. Whilst approaching possible essay writers on the street isn't advisable, employing a business that specializes in such a service will help in quite a few ways. If you're going to visit the trouble of seeking qualified support in writing an essay or essays and doing so with an internet writer, you must be absolutely sure that you're getting what you need and certainly what you pay for. In case the customer wants the writers to generate a revision of the thesis again, then the writers will certainly look again. Your writer won't ever learn your name. The first point to understand is that not all on-line essay writers are equal. Being a college student, you will wind up required to compose essays in a number of designs. The majority of the moment, the expression paper is employed in grading students which means that whatever grade you will score on it's going to greatly influence your general grade at the close of the semester. There are an assortment of college papers which generally give students a challenging moment. Many indicate they won't accept students who score below a particular level on the test.

What to Do if You Are Failing Chemistry

Are you failing chemistry? Dont panic. Heres a look at what you can do and how you can make the best of the situation and possibly turn it around. What Not to Do First, lets take a look at how not to handle the situation. You may view failing chemistry as the end of the world, but how you react could actually make a bad situation worse, so dont do these things: PanicCheatThreaten your instructorAttempt to bribe your instructorGive upDo nothing Steps to Take Talk to Your Instructor. This should be the very first thing you do because nearly all of the options for minimizing the damage involve your teacher. Discuss your options. Is there any way you can pass? The answer to this question is almost always yes since most chemistry classes end with comprehensive exams that are worth a lot of points. Most classes, especially at the middle school and high school level, are intended to allow for mistakes since the point of the class is to teach you the material and not to weed you out. Most general chemistry classes in college are the same way, though there may be less opportunity to make up for a bad beginning. Ask about extra work. Ask about extra credit. Ask if there is any chance to re-do past assignments. Teachers usually respect an honest effort, even if you made a late start of it. If you are willing to work for the passing grade, there is almost always something you can do.Keep Doing Your Homework. Or start doing your homework, if that is part of the problem. Digging yourself in deeper is not going to help you.Keep Attending Lectures and Labs. Or start going, if you havent been attending. Showing up makes a difference.Take Notes. Write down whatever the instructor puts on the board. Try to write down what is said. If your teacher takes the time to write something out for you, it is because that information is important.Get Someone Elses Notes. Part of your problem may have to do with your skill at taking notes. Studying your own notes strengthens the connection between what you experienced in class and what you are learning, but studying someone elses notes gives you a different perspective and may help you identify important concepts that you overlooked.Try a Different Text. Your instructor should be able to recommend a different text you can read in addition to the one you are using. Sometimes concepts click when they are explained differently. Many textbooks come with outlines that instructors use to prepare note s. Ask if those outlines are available for your text.Work Problems. Problems and calculations are a big part of chemistry. The more problems you work, the more comfortable you will become with the concepts. Work examples from your book, examples from other books—any problems you can find. How to Fail Gracefully Everyone fails at something. How you handle failure is important for several reasons. But with respect to chemistry, it affects your academic future. Consider Withdrawing.  If you either dont want to put forth the effort required to turn your grade around or else cant avert failure, see if you can withdraw from the class. In some cases, you may be able to drop the class without having any negative marks made on your academic record. No grade may be better than a bad grade since a bad grade will work into your grade point average.Consider Staying in Class.  If you cant avert the failure no matter what, you may be tempted to just walk away. That may be fine if you never have to see chemistry again, but if you need to pass the class at some point, you may want to stick it out for lectures and labs so you will be better prepared the next time you face the material. You may not think you are learning anything, but chances are, some of what you read and hear will stick. If you are withdrawing from class, discuss remaining in class (not for a grade) with your instructor.Exit Gracefully.  Dont say or do anything you might regret lat er, no matter how tempting it may be at the time.

Analysis Of Freddy Gray s Death And The Dilemma Of The...

After the unrest of Freddy Gray’s death in April of 2015 and the aftermath of the Baltimore City riots, the inner-city communities are in the process of regrouping, repairing, and reorganizing its neighborhoods. Many businesses suffered vandalism and loss of merchandise that their livelihood had to come to a standstill. During the dilemma, those residents who destroyed their communities never contemplated at the time what they were doing to their neighborhoods. Several pharmacies and corner stores were impaired. Some of these locations were the only places convenient for senior citizens to travel for their medication. So many people were fed up with the police department and the manner in which they were being treated that they used this†¦show more content†¦One form of social disorganization that can be related to the predicament that happened in April is the siege mentality. While people develop reasons of hopelessness with authority figures, such as the police, the n people begin to doubt their credibility. Due to the treatment that law enforcement imposes on the lower class citizens; it affects their attitude and tempers to flare up which will make people respond in a violent way. This reading will focus on two different areas of Baltimore City which are the Western district of Sandtown-Winchester and the Southwestern district of Irvington. Emphasis will be on the demographics and crime trends in these areas of the city. According to the 2013 Censors Bureau, the population in Sandtown-Winchester totals 36,514 thousand and of that amount 16,732 are males and 19,782 are females. The area is a predominantly African-American community; however, with a diverse blend of other ethnic groups. The population in the community is made up of 14,331 families and of those numbers 3,995 marriages. The average household income consists of $39,314 and the middle being $ $26,077. Very few people have high school education, 23.7 % graduated high school, and 32.5% attended college. Giving the outline of society, the work-related employment is white-collar office jobs and the other types of work are those of a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor. Although, there a re many other low-income

Strategic Management Study Guide Free Essays

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT TEST 2 (Chapters 3, 4, and 6): STUDY GUIDE †¢Know definitions and be able to recognize examples of concepts †¢Test will be multiple choice, 45-50 items †¢Bring scantron sheet and #2 pencil Additional free student study resources available including an interactive quiz from the publisher at: http://highered. mcgraw-hill. com/sites/0078029317/student_view0/chapter1/chapter_quiz. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management Study Guide or any similar topic only for you Order Now html Chapter 3: Assessing the Internal Environment †¢What is value chain analysis? How is it useful for understanding competitive advantages? Strategic analysis of an organization that uses value-creating activities. It is useful for understanding the building blocks of competitive advantages. †¢In the value chain, what are the 5 primary activities? Which 4 activities are support activities? Primary- inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. Support- general admininistration, human resource management, technology development, and procurement. †¢Relating to primary activities, what specific activities are associated with inbound logistics? Operations? Outbound logistics? Marketing and sales? Service? Inbound logistics- receiving, storing, and distributing inputs of a product. Operations- all activities associated with transforming inputs into the final product form. Outbound logistics- collecting, storing, and distributing the product or service to buyers. Marketing and sales- activities associated with purchases of products and services by end users and the inducements used to get them to make purchases. Service- actions associated with providing service to enhance or maintain the value of the product. †¢What is a Just-in-time inventory system? were designed to achieve efficient inbound logistics. Parts and deliveries arrive only hours before they are needed. †¢Relating to support activities, what specific activities are associated with procurement? Technology development? HR management? General administration? Procurement- purchasing inputs used in the firm’s value chain, including raw materials, supplies, and other consumable item s as well as assets such as machinery, laboratory equipment, office equipment, and buildings. Technology development- development of new knowledge that is applied to the firm’s operations. HR management- activities involved in the recruiting, hiring, training, development, and compensation of all types of personnel. General administration- general management, planning, finance, accounting, legal and government affairs, quality management, and information systems: activities that support the entire value chain and not individual activities. †¢How has Walgreen’s used information systems to be a sources of competitive advantage? Introduction of a computer based prescription management system- automates telephone refills, store to store prescription transfers, and drug reordering. Also provides information on drug interactions and frees up pharmacists from administrative tasks to devote more time to patient counseling. †¢What are the two levels of interrelationships among value-chain activities? 1. Interrelationships among activities within the firm 2. Interrelationships among activities within the firm and other stakeholders. †¢What is resource-based view of the firm? Perceptions that firms’ competitive advantages are due to their endowment of strategic resources that are valuable, rare, costly to imitate, and costly to substitute. What are the 3 types of firm resources? Tangible, Intangible, and Organizational Capabilities. †¢What are the 4 kinds of tangible resources? Financial, physical, technological, and organizational. †¢What are the 3 kinds of intangible resources, Human, Innovation and Creativity, and Reputation. †¢What examples of organizational capabilities? Ex. Outstanding customer service. Excellent product developm ent capabilities, innovativeness of products and services. Ability to hire, motivate, and retain human capital. What are the four criteria that a firm’s resources must possess to maintain a sustainable advantage? 1. Resource must be valuable in the sense that it exploits opportunities and/or neutralizes threats in the firm’s environment. 2. It must be rare among the firm’s current and potential competitors. 3. It must be difficult to imitate. 4. Must have no strategically equivalent substitutes. †¢How can the following four resource characteristics help sustain a competitive advantage based on inimitability: physical uniqueness, path dependency, causal ambiguity, and social complexity? 1. Inherently difficult to copy. 2. Resources are scarce because they were acquired through a unique series of events. 3. Costly to imitate because competitor cannot determine what the resource is and/or how it can be re-created. 4. Costly to imitate because the social engineering required is beyond the capability of competitors, including interpersonal relations among managers, organizational culture, and reputation with suppliers and customers. †¢Substitutability can take which two forms? 1. Substitute a similar resource that enables it to develop and implement the same strategy. . Very different firm resources can become strategic substitutes. †¢ See exhibit 3. 7 – what are the implications for competitiveness based on differing characteristics of a resource or capability? The less valuable, less rare, easier to imitate, more substitutes, the less competitive advantage. †¢What are the four factors that help explain the extent to which employees will be able to o btain a proportionally high level of a firm’s profits? 1. Employee bargaining power. 2. Employee replacement costs. 3. Employee exit costs. 4. Manager Bargaining Power. What are the two approaches to use when evaluating a firm’s performance? Financial ration analysis and taking a broad stakeholder view. †¢What is financial ratio analysis? How can historical comparisons, industry norm comparisons, and competitor comparisons each serve as useful reference points? 1. Technique for measuring the performance of a firm according to its balance sheet, income statement, and market valuation. 2. Provides a means of evaluating trends. 3. Assesses relative performance. 4. Gain valuable insights into a firm’s financial and competitive position. What is the balanced scorecard? Why is it useful? a method of evaluating a firm’s performance using performance measures from the customers, internal innovation, and learning, and financial perspectives. Provides managers with a fast, but comprehensive review of the business (operations measures that drive the future financial performance). †¢What are the four key perspectives of the balanced scorecard? 1. Customer perspective- measures of firm performance that indicate how well firms are satisfying customer’s expectations. 2. Internal business perspective- measures of firm performance that indicate how well firms internal processes, decisions, and actions are contributing to customer satisfaction. 3. Innovation and learning perspective- measures of a firm performance that indicate how well firms are changing their product and service offerings to adapt to changes in the internal and external environments. 4. Financial perspective- measure of firm’s financial performance that indicate how well strategy, implementation and execution are contributing bottom-line improvement. †¢What are the limitations of the balanced scorecard? Lack of a clear strategy, limited or ineffective executive sponsorship, too much emphasis on financial measures rather than nonfinancial measures, poor data on actual performance, inappropriate links of scorecard measures to compensation, inconsistent or inappropriate terminology. Chapter 4: Recognizing a Firm’s Intellectual Assets: Moving Beyond a Firm’s Tangible Resources †¢What is the knowledge economy? An economy where wealth is created through the effective management of knowledge workers instead of by the efficient control of physical and financial assets. How has the emphasis shifted between intangible and tangible resources as a result of changes in the competitive environment? Shifted from tangible resources such as land, equipment, and money. Efforts were more directed toward the efficient allocation of labor and capital. Now intellectual and information processes create most of the value for firms in large service industries. †¢What is the market va lue of a firm? What is the book value of a firm? What does the difference between the two values represent? In what types of firms does this difference tend to be the greatest? Market value- the value of a share of its common stock times the number of shares outstanding. Book value- is primarily a measure of the value of its tangible resources: total assets- total liabilities. The difference between the two represents the firm’s intellectual capital ( a measure of the firm’s intangible assets). In firms where knowledge and the management of knowledge workers are relatively important contributors to developing products and services and physical resources are less critical, the ratio of market to book value tends to be much higher. †¢What is intellectual capital and how can it be increased? Intellectual capital= market value of firm-book value of the firm. To increase: attract and leverage human capital effectively through mechanisms that create products and services of value over time. †¢What is human capital? Social capital? Explicit knowledge? Tacit knowledge? Human capital- the individual capabilities, knowledge, skills, and experience of a company’s employees and managers. Social capital- the network of friendships between talented people both inside and outside the organization. Explicit knowledge- knowledge that is codified, documented, easily reproduced, and widely distributed. Tacit knowledge- knowledge that is in the minds of employees and is based on their experiences and backgrounds. †¢How is new knowledge created? Through the continual interaction of explicit and tacit knowledge. †¢How has employee loyalty to the company changed relative to loyalty to the profession? Knowledge workers place professional development and personal enrichment above company loyalty. †¢What is a first critical step in the process of of building intellectual capital? What are the other processes organizations use to build human capital? Hiring talented individuals, developing them to fulfill their full potential to maximize their joint contributions. Retain the best and brightest. †¢Why do many companies use employee referrals for new hires? Incentive bonuses paid to the referrers are cheaper than what they would have to pay headhunters to find candidates, plus the current employees would find good candidates because they are putting their reputation on the line for them. †¢What strategies are used to develop human capital? Encouraging widespread involvement, Transferring knowledge, monitoring progress and development, and evaluating human capital. How as the importance of evaluating human capital changed in recent years? Collaboration and interdependence are vital to organizational success. Individuals must work collectively. Traditional past systems evaluate performance from a single perspective. †¢What is 360 degree feedback? Superiors, direct reports, colleagues, and even external and internal cus tomers rate a person’s performance. †¢What are the 6 benefits of diversity in a firm’s workforce? 1. Cost argument- firms with more effective management in diversity will have a cost advantage over those that are not. 2. Resource acquisition argument- firms with excellent reputations as prospective employers for minorities will have an advantage in the competition for top talent. 3. Marketing argument- for multinational firms this will be useful. 4. Creativity argument- less emphasis on conformity to norms of the past and diversity of perspectives will improve the level of creativity. 5. Problem solving argument- people with different perspectives have a better shot at solving complex problems than those who all think alike. 6. Organizational flexibility argument- greater flexibility leads means better reactions to environmental changes. What is network analysis? Closure relationships? Bridging relationships? Analysis of the pattern of social interactions among individuals. †¢How can effective social networks be advantageous to an individual’s career? Private information now available. Access to diverse skill sets. Power. †¢What is groupthink? – tendency in an organization for individuals not to question shared beliefts. †¢What are intellectual property rights? What actions can be taken to manage intellectual property? Intangible property owned by a firm in the forms of patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets. What are dynamic capabilities? The ability to sense and seize new opportunities, generates new knowledge, and reconfigure existing assets and capabilities. Chapter 6: Corporate-Level Strategy: Creating Value Through Diversification †¢What is corporate-level strategy? What two related issues does it address? a strategy that focuses on gaining long-term revenue, profits, and market value through managing operations in multiple businesses. Acquisitions and mergers. †¢How is related diversification different than unrelated diversification? What are the potential benefits of each? Related diversification- a firm entering a different business in which it can benefit from leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, or building market power. Unrelated diversification- a firm entering a different business that has little horizontal interaction with other businesses of a firm. †¢Be familiar with the classifications of Exhibit 6. 2 3M was using exorbitant rebates to retailers, which pushed them into a â€Å"monopolistic position† and courts ordered 3M to pay 68. 5 million dollars to another tape company. †¢In related diversification, what is meant by economies of scope? Cost savings from leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, or building market power. †¢What is a core competency? What are the three criteria for assessing if a core competency creates value? Firm’s strategic resources that reflect the collective learning in the organization. 1. Must enhance competitive advantage by creating superior customer value. 2. Different businesses in the corporation must be similar in at least one important way related to the core competence. 3. Must be difficult for competitors to imitate or find substitutes for. †¢What are sharing activities? What are the two payoffs associated with sharing activities. -Having activities of two or more businesses value chains done by one of the businesses. -1. Cost savings -2. Revenue enhancement †¢In related diversification, what is market power? Firm’s ability to profit through restricting or controlling supply to a market or coordinating with other firms to reduce investment. †¢What is pooled negotiating power? the improvement in bargaining position relative to customers and suppliers. †¢What is vertical integration, in its associated risks and benefits? an xpansion or extension of the firm by integrating preceding or successive production processes (occurs when a firm becomes its own supplier or distributer). Pros- secure supply of raw materials or distribution channels. Protection and control over assests and services required to produce and deliver. Access to new business opportunities and new forms of technology. Eliminating the need to deal with a wide variet y of suppliers and distributors. Cons- costs and expenses associated with increased overhead and capital expenditures. Loss of flexibility resulting from large investments. Problems associated with unbalanced capacities along the value chain. Additional administrative costs associated with managing a more complex set of activities. †¢What 5 issues should be considered in making vertical integration decisions? 1. Is the company satisfied with the quality of the value that its present suppliers and distributors are providing? 2. Are there activities in the industry value chain presently being outsourced or performed independently by others that are a viable source of future profits? 3. Is there a high level of stability in the demand for the organization’s products? . Does the company have the necessary competencies to execute the vertical integration strategies? 5. Will the vertical integration initiative have potential negative impacts on the firm’s stakeholders? †¢What is the transaction cost perspective? A perspective that the choice of a transaction’s governance structure such as vertical integration or market transacti on, is influenced by transaction costs, including, search, negotiating, contracting, monitoring, and enforcement costs, associated with each choice. †¢What is unrelated diversification? What is a parenting advantage? A firm entering a different business that has little horizontal interaction with other businesses of a firm. Parenting advantage- the positive contributions of the corporate office to a new business as a result of expertise and support provided and not as a result of substantial changes in assets, capital structure, or management. †¢What is restructuring? What are the three types of restructuring? The intervention of the corporate office in a new business that substantially changes assets, capital structure and management. 1. Asset restructuring 2. Capital restructuring 3. Management restructuring What is portfolio management? Method of assessing the competitive position of a portfolio of businesses within a corporation, suggesting strategic alternatives for each business, and identifying priorities for the allocation of resources across the businesses. †¢What is the Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) growth/share matrix? What are the 4 quadrants in the matrix? What are the suggested strategies associated with each of the quadrants? What are the limitations of the BCG matrix? Each of the firm’s strategic business units is plotted on a two-dimensional grid in which the axes are relevant market share and industry growth rate. 1. Stars-competing in high growth industries with high market shares, long term growth potential and should continue to receive substantial investment funding. 2. Question marks- competing in high growth industries with but have weak market share, resources should be invested to enhance their competitive positions. 3. Cash cows- have high market shares in low growth industries. Have limited long run potential, but represent a source of current cash flows to fund investments into starts and question marks. 4. Dogs- have weak market shares in low growth industries, weak positions and limited potential. Most recommend they become divested. Limitations of BCG matrix- 1. the only compare based on two dimensions. 2. View them as a stand-alone entity, ignoring common business practices and value creating activities that may hold promise for synergies across business units. 3. The process becomes largely mechanical, substituting an overly simplified graphical model for the important contributions of the CEO or other managers experience. †¢What are the three primary means by which a firm can diversify? 1. Through acquisitions or mergers 2. Pool the resources of other companies with their resource base, commonly known as a joint-venture or strategic alliance. 3. Diversify into new products, markets, and technologies through internal development. †¢What are the benefits and potential of mergers and acquisitions? 1. A means of obtaining valuable resources that can help an organization expand its product offerings and services 2. Can provide the opportunity for firms to attain the three bases of synergy—leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, and building market power. 3. Can lead to consolidation within an industry and can force other players to merge. Cons- competing firms can often imitate any advantages realized from the MA. there can be cultural issues that may doom the intended benefits from the endeavors. †¢What is a divestment? The exit of a business from a firm’s portfolio. †¢What is a strategic alliance? Joint venture? How do they differ? What are their potential advantages and downsides? Strategic alliance- a cooperative relationship between two or more firms. Joint venture- new entities formed within a strategic alliance in which two or more firms, the parents, contribute equity to form the new legal entity. A strategic alliance is a cooperative relationship. A joint venture is a special case of alliances where both firms contribute equity to form a new legal entity. Pros- Reducing manufacturing or other costs in the value chain. Developing and diffusing new technologies. Cons- many fail to meet expectations. Without proper partner, a firm should never consider it. Little attention is often given to nurturing the close working relationships and interpersonal connections that bring together the partnering organizations. †¢What is internal development? What are its potential downsides? -Entering a new business through investment in new facilities, often called corporate entrepreneurship and new venture development. -It may be time consuming, firms may forfeit the benefits of speed that growth through mergers and acquisitions can provide. †¢How can managerial motives erode value creation? They may often act in their own self-interests (CEOS). â€Å"growth for growth’s sake†, excessive egotism, and the creation of a wide variety of antitakeover tactics. †¢What is meant by growth for growth’s sake? Egotism? Manager’s actions to grow the size of their firms not to increase long-term profitability, but to sever managerial self-interest. -Manager’s actions to shape their firm’s strategies to serve their selfish interests rather than to maximize long-term shareholder value. †¢What are the antitakeover tactics of greenmail, the golden parachute, and poison pill? Greenmail- a payment by a firm to a hostile party for the firm’s stock at a premium, made when the firm’s management feels that the hostile party is about to make a tender offer. (sort of like a bribe) How to cite Strategic Management Study Guide, Essay examples

Same Sex Marriages1 Essay Example For Students

Same Sex Marriages1 Essay Alex knows that his family is unusual, to say nothing about his conception. In 1982, a family friend bicycled an oyster jar of his own sperm over to Bonnies Tinker house. Bonnie She administered the insemination herself. Alex Tinker considers Bonnie and Sara Graham his parents. But the father occasionally takes Alexalong with his own childrenhiking or biking (Shapiro and Gregory 2). This example is a prime reason of unacceptable behavior carried on by same-sex partners in todays society. According to the many religious beliefs, same-sex marriages are immoral and sinful. It is understandable that not all people believe this statement, and we do have freedom of religion in the United States of America. One must see this issue from the point of view of a homosexual in order to fully understand the many controversies present in todays society. Being gay and loving another person is not illegal, but uniting that couple in marriage is rejected by most of society. Many people are unaware that legalized homosexual marriage is a probability, nor are they aware of the nearness of this situation. As things stand now, there is a better than 90% probability that homosexual marriage will be legalized (New Storm Brewing 1). Courts in Hawaii would not allow same-sex marriages, and that is now being looked at as unconstitutional. Disallowing these marriages is discrimination against homosexuals, which is a non-constitutional act. Even though same-sex marriages are considered immoral by the many religions, according to our laws there is no reason why these marriages shouldnt take place. Although laws do not make same-sex marriages illegal, there should be limitations. Same-sex marriages should be examined because they often wrongfully affect the well being of children, jeopardize the nature and rights of modern families, and wrongfully disobey many religions. Marriages of the same-sex should not involve children. There is no natural way that two people of the same-sex could have children; therefore, they should not be given custody of a child or the ability to adopt a child. Rules and regulation have recently been written in order to prohibit such situations. Government on the national level is proposing to ban Second-parent adoptions, which in the past have been approved. These regulations would require marital status to be given to the Department of Social Services. Many people have pushed for the approval of this regulation in order to protect innocent children from being placed in an unstable family. Another difficult situation that has been known to arise is when one parent of a marriage finds out that he or she is gay. The adjustment is a struggle for children who think they are a typical heterosexual family to find out suddenly that one of their parents in gay (Shapiro and Gregory 2). All too often children are put into this situation, and some have a hard time coping with the repercussions. Children who have parents of the same-sex are often unbearably harassed by other children and considered an outcast. An innocent child put in a situation that would be emotionally stressful for most of their youth is not necessary. Just imagine what a child would go through. Billy, which one of your dads wore the dress in the wedding? or Suzy, which one of your moms is coming to the mother-daughter picnic? Why put kids in an environment that is not morally or socially acceptable in todays society? It is often hard to let friends, family, and other people with whom you interact know that you are homosexual, or that you have homosexual parents. This was very noticeable in the case of Josh Gehman, when he had to explain to his fianc about his homosexual parents. He stated My marriage fell apart over my wives discomfort with her lesbian in-laws (Shapiro and Gregory 2). Many critics are also arguing that children of gay parents have a higher tendency to become gay themselves. Michael Bailey from Northwestern University says, they are finding rates on the order of 10% of the offspring of gay parents wh .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .postImageUrl , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:hover , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:visited , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:active { border:0!important; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:active , .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7 .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0b2a880bd1b7741541d05a1361f2edd7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Antigone's Tragic Hero EssayBibliography: .