Analysis Chipotle Mexico Grill Company

Vision and Mission Chipotle Mexico Grill’s vision aims at serving high quality food that is prepared deliciously. The high quality food is obtained from classic cooking techniques, as well as sophisticated recipes. The company’s idea is to fulfill the promise of a full-service restaurant that values speed and convenience.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Analysis Chipotle Mexico Grill Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The ambition of the restaurant is to offer an extra special dining atmosphere that succeeds in redefining the fast food knowledge and enjoyment for everybody at inexpensive prices. Part of the vision says: â€Å"Food with Integrity†. This is a critical aspect that also forms part of the mission statement. It further declares the organization’s purpose of identifying the products and customers who are unique. This distinguishes it from the rest of the competitor s (Jones George, 2011). The restaurant realizes the fact that there is a difference between high quality food and mere maintenance of freshness. As such, the company intends to consider the source of food it serves as a way of ensuring that its organic status does not affect the society and the general environment in a negative way. Chipotle uses a simple strategy to determine the corporate goals by explaining the simple means through which resources will be used to achieve the particular goals (Jones George, 2011). The company focuses on serving food that is grown in a suitable way through supporting farmers who observe highly commendable environmental practices. This, in turn, builds the farmers’ capacity, thus ensuring a steady supply of foods in the restaurant. Competitive Intelligence Strengths Fast food restaurants mainly target strategic locations as an effective means of enhancing their competitive edge. Mucho chain of restaurants, for instance, has strategically es tablished its outlets in front of, or near Walmart stores and other highly frequented public places like bus stops. The company realizes how popular Walmart is among Americans; therefore, it makes it easy for shoppers to pop into its restaurants after or during their shopping sprees (Chipotle: Food With Integrity, 2011). This way, Mucho is able to raise significant revenues because of the high human traffic around its outlets. The fast food industry is highly competitive, thus players have to build on strategic means through which they can attract and convince buyers to be their frequent and loyal customers. The success of quick service restaurants depends on market position, strength of brands, as well as segmentation. Any industry player that fails to address these aspects keenly faces the danger of achieving overall poor performance. Taco Bell, for instance, only focuses on Mexican foods (â€Å"Taco Bell makes spicy retort to suit†, 2011). Taco Bell is a subsidiary of one of America’s largest fast food chains, Yum! Brands Inc. This segmentation has seen the company achieve a significant 50% market share throughout the US (Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2012). Its quality is high because of the total focus that the company achieves in serving only a few selected food items, thus it manages to attract more buyers than any other industry player.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Brand recognition is a critical characteristic that determines market success to a great extent. McDonald’s has maintained the number one position in the US and the North American markets. Its well established market operations for many years have seen it consistently build a strong image among the fast food buyers in this region (â€Å"McDonald’s Corporation SWOT Analysis†, 2005). Other smaller QSRs that have less established brand names are unable to compete with McDonald’s effectively because customers have built strong trust and loyalty in the brand over the years. Weakness The fast food industry has witnessed an increase in the number players, particularly in the USA. This has left the market saturated (Min Min, 2011). Many new ventures are using low prices in an attempt to win customers from other highly established chains, such as McDonald’s. This works for them, especially in luring price-sensitive buyers away from the competitors. Although McDonald’s prices remain relatively high, the chain is unable to make significant revenues as the case was in the past (Ashman, 2001). The industry’s sensitivity to negative image is very high and firms are at a higher risk of suffering losses in case an incident of negative image arises. Taco Bell has suffered such negative publicity. The company is struggling with the aftermath of the incident. In early 2011, the gigantic restaurant chain wa s sued over its beef content. The bone of contention was the fact that the products comprised of only 36% ground beef (Taco Bell sued for putting too little beef in its ‘meat’, 2011). According to the USDA standard, the prescribed ground beef content has to make up at least 40% to be considered as meat. The lawsuit was later withdrawn in April 2011, but Taco Bell still suffered immense losses (â€Å"Consumer reports fast food survey: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell lose†, 2011). Fewer outlets and a relatively smaller floor space equally reduce the propensity of fast food restaurants to make large revenues and profits (Winter Szulanski, 2001). While the highly established brand names in the industry, such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell, have literally opened up stores in all significant locations in the US and North America as a whole, it is a different case for other small players. Mucho, for instance, has a relatively small number of outl ets. This hampers its revenue capacity. References Ashman, S. M. (2001). Consumer choice models with customer loyalty programs in retail food stores. (Order No. 9994493, University of Minnesota). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 222-222.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Analysis Chipotle Mexico Grill Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chipotle: Food With Integrity. (2011). Chipotle Mexican Grill: Gourmet Burritos and Tacos. Web. Consumer reports fast food survey: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell lose. (2011, Jun 30). PR Newswire. Web. Jones, G. R., George, J. M. (2011). â€Å"Chapter 11.† Essentials of contemporary Management. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. McDonald’s Corporation SWOT Analysis. (2004). McDonald’s Corporation SWOT Analysis, 1-9. Min, H., Min, H. (2011). Benchmarking the service quality of fast-food restaurant franchises in the USA. Benchmarking , 18(2), 282-300. Taco Bell makes spicy retort to suit. (2011, Jan 31). Wall Street Journal. Web. Taco Bell sued for putting too little beef in its ‘meat’. (2011, Jan 25). McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Web.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Winter, S. G., Szulanski, G. (2001). Replication as strategy. Organization Science, 12(6), 730-743. Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2012). Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis, p.1. This case study on Analysis Chipotle Mexico Grill Company was written and submitted by user Roy B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mexico Essays - Valley Of Mexico, Americas, History Of North America

Mexico Essays - Valley Of Mexico, Americas, History Of North America Mexico The Aztecs The Aztecs were the native American people who dominated northern Mxico at the time of the Spanish conquest led by Hernan Cortes in the early 16th century. According to their own legends, they originated from a place called Aztlan, somewhere in north or northwest Mexico. At that time the Aztecs (who referred to themselves as the Mexica or Tenochca) were a small, nomadic, Nahuatl-speaking aggregation of tribal peoples living on the margins of civilized Mesoamerica. In the 12th century they embarked on a period of wandering and in the 13th century settled in the central basin of Mxico. Continually dislodged by the small city-states that fought one another in shifting alliances, the Aztecs finally found refuge on small islands in Lake Texcoco where, in 1325, they founded the town of TENOCHTITLAN (modern-day Mexico City). The term Aztec, originally associated with the migrant Mexico, is today a collective term, applied to all the peoples linked by trade, custom, religion, and language to these founders. Fearless warriors and pragmatic builders, the Aztecs created an empire during the 15th century that was surpassed in size in the Americas only by that of the Incas in Peru. As early texts and modern archaeology continue to reveal, beyond their conquests and many of their religious practices, there were many positive achievements: the formation of a highly specialized and stratified society and an imperial administration the expansion of a trading network as well as a tribute system the development and maintenance of a sophisticated agricultural economy, carefully adjusted to the land the cultivation of an intellectual and religious outlook that held society to be an integral part of the cosmos. The yearly round of rites and ceremonies in the cities of Tenochtitlan and neighboring Tetzcoco, and their symbolic art and architecture, gave expression to an ancient awareness of the interdependence of nature and humanity. The Aztecs remain the most extensively documented of all Amerindian civilizations at the time of European contact in the 16th century. Spanish friars, soldiers, and historians and scholars of Indian or mixed descent left invaluable records of all aspects of life. These ethnohistoric sources, linked to modern archaeological inquiries and studies of ethnologists, linguists, historians, and art historians, portray the formation and flourishing of a complex imperial state.

The Influence of OBAOR Strategy in the GCC Countries Thesis Proposal

The Influence of OBAOR Strategy in the GCC Countries - Thesis Proposal Example This essay analyzes that UAE is considered as one of the advancing economies globally in a list that has India and China. While UAE enjoys close ties with nations such as the EU and the U.S. the nation’s still maintain close trade ties with Iran and other nations in the Middle East. It is known that the Western nations have placed trade sanctions on some nations that are considered to have violated human rights as well as being led by authoritarian administrations. It is from this context that it remains to be seen how the U.S. and the EU will precede in terms of the trade relations with UAE and other nations in the Gulf Region. The decision by GCC nations to form a regional economic block and by extension a free trade area is seen as one of the greatest step by the nations in the region. It is also significant Middle East states to take control of international trade, not just in the region but other regions such as Europe and Southern parts of the world. However, the strateg ies put in place can be said to be working as trade activities appear to be on the rise in the said regions. It is often assumed that the formation of trading blocs is aimed at creating some form of monopoly, particularly when the nations involved have some common characteristics. GCC nations are primarily oil producing countries. It can, therefore, be argued that the major motivation of the GCC was to try and monopolize oil prices and by extension the oil industry. Despite the numerous challenges, the general economic prospects in this region remain positive.

How are Night Vision Devices Beneficial to Society Research Paper

How are Night Vision Devices Beneficial to Society - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that one of the filed that has solely relied in these devices is the military. Military has benefited on this technology close to a century. This has enabled them to perform most of their vital operations in the darkness. This paper declares that before the development of this technology the military carried out their main operations during the day. This technology of night vision devices was markedly enhanced with the advent of World War II. At this period, both Germany and Britain developed a basic infrared sniper. However, few of these innovations were used during this reign. This is because this basic apparatus only assisted in offering a perimeter defense. Additionally, they were extremely heavy and required continuous replenishing of power. This reduced their effectiveness and worth during this period. However, these challenges experienced at this time helped in development of improved technological materials. This led to the development of an advanced night vision technology. Most of the military leaders saw the usefulness of such technology beyond just operating under the cover of darkness. This potential existed in the use of night vision goggles, helmets and weapons that was to help armies o perate effectively under the cover of darkness. This meant that there was to be an improvement that would ensure there was no need of IR searchlight. This would ensure that the enemy could not detect the position of the soldier. (Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, n.d.). T

Fake News the Epidemic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fake News the Epidemic - Essay Example Basically, in opinion news is the real or accurate information about the event in societies. For example, local weather news stations are what would be called real news because really can't lie about the weather. Another example of real news would be nature disaster that happens around the world. There has been a call for a state of natural disaster to be declared in the parts of New Caledonia worst hit by Cyclone Cook on Monday (Call for state of natural disaster in New Caledonia, April 2017). In early March, unprecedented rainfall brought extreme flooding to Peru, leaving 94 dead and almost a quarter of a million without homes so far (Delaney Chambers, April 2, 2017). Another form of News can describe in sports. "Jimmy Butler scored 22 points, Rajon Rondo finished one rebound shy of a triple-double and the Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their series against the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference" (Bulls beat top-seeded Celtics 111-97 t o take 2-0 series lead, April 19, 2017). Overall there are many forms real news but fake news is still a growing epidemic in 2017 society. Fake news, or hoax news, refers to false information or propaganda published under the guise of being authentic news (Forrest Stroud, n.d.). In layman terms, the Fake news is information that someone or a group of people decided was accurate information. For example, the "pizzagate" conspiracy theory end in 28-year-old Edgar Welch shooting gun inside of a Washington D.C. pizzeria.

The Sex Tape Of Joost Van Der Westhuizen

The Sex Tape Of Joost Van Der Westhuizen Joost van der Westhuizen, the former Springbok rugby captain, was secretly taped in a bare-looking room with a blonde stripper while snorting a white substance with her. Heat Magazine, a South African celebrity gossip spot, can be seen as publishers constituting to invasion of Joosts privacy according to South African Media ethics and the after effects that has inevitably affected Joosts personal life and rugby reputation. It was the scandal of the year in 2009 when heat exclusively brought South Africa the sex and drugs videotape of Joost in the 250th issue, whereby the story further unfolded months after the first publication of the videotape. Joost denied being involved in such a sex tape to the extent that his team behind protecting him took the original videotape from heats attorneys to the CSIR in Pretoria to have it analysed for authenticity. (www.heat.co.za : 09/05/2011) We are given the breakdown in the magazine and on the Heat Homepage, however, from an ethical perspective we can argue that such invasion of privacy shouldnt have constituted Heat winning an award for the scoop, but rather further legal actions shouldve arisen. The word ethics is based on the Greek word ethos, referring to character. Heat Magazine journalists, like all other print journalists, have to make ethical choices. The line of privacy is defined by the code of ethics, and deals with the philosophical foundations of decision making, or choosing among the good (ethical) and bad (unethical) options that one now has to face through such publications by journalists. Ethical decisions in the media determine what the public will read, hear and see. Thus heat magazine chose for the public to read and see this invasion of Joosts privacy. However, one needs to also take into consideration that ethics is such a broad and complex code, and poses a primary problem for the media public, students and journalists alike. What is ethical has to be moralising, and the argument then follows if publishing a sex and drug scandal with graphic images and unknowingly authentic information in the eye of the public. Regarding teleological theories, one can see Hedonism as a feed off to the Heat Magazine theme and structure. The Hedonists believe that pleasure is the sole purpose of life and thus means of information can be twisted to an extend as long as people are receiving pleasure from the information. (Froneman and De Beer, 1998: 296) However, one needs to consider the Utilitarianism effect which briefly explains the difference between wrong and right, and that everything should inevitably bring the greatest amount of good. (Froneman and De Beer, 1998: 295) As Heat magazine twists information for pleasure, one must also consider the goodness that needs to come out of it, in order to not break the code of conduct. Gossip, the general content of Heat, is poles apart to a formal academic publication and can be seen as idle-talk, exaggeration, broken telephone or a rumor. Gossip is ideally about personal or private affairs of others, and constitutes to a degree of the invasion of privacy. It is a way of sharing views/facts but also has know as a means of communication which has the tendency to produce and introduce errors and variations. Gossip can be seen as personal or trivial nature, as opposed to formal means of information. (Niko Besnier, 2009) Thus, heat is already risky with its content, however has evidentially stepped over the line with this explicit videotape of the former Springbok. Van der Westhuizen views the release of the video as a scandalous attempt to sell tabloid news, a means of entertainment for the public. (www.iol.co.za/news: 08/05/2011) Inevitably exactly what Heat Magazine aims to do through gossip Entertain. Not only is Joost a married man to Amor Vittone, but being a former captain of the Springboks, he is the hero in the eyes of many South Africans. Heat thus did take advantage of the publicity from the scoop as Joost is a well known celebrity in this country, however crossing ethical boundaries is a downfall on heats behalf. The ten commandments of Ethical Journalism according to Johan Retief (2002: 44 45) in George Claasens (2005) article Why Ethics Matter, follows the code of ethics that journalists need to take into consideration before publishing a story, despite the magazines publicity and reactions which might be increased. Firstly, the content of the publication needs to be accurate and secondly, truthful. The fact that Heat received the videotape from an unreliable source, or likewise a source that could easily be out to get Joost the content was not one hundred percent accurate at that time and still had to undergo authenticity, thus unethical. Thirdly, the publication must be fair and present all relevant facts in a balanced way. The videotape was in no way fair to joost, and produced no balanced facts. It was merely what the media call a juicy story to get people talking and buying heat at the time to find out the scoop. Similarly, the content must also be duly impartial in reporting the news, and in no way biased. It is clear that heat was, like the majority of their articles which are structured and themed around what the public want to hear is biased to the spiced up version of the story, rather than getting a fair ground balancing both parties sides and opinions. Joost had not seen the video or heard about it until the news was released in the 250th issue which is unethical due to its explicit and personal content. Thus the ethical code states that the publication must protect confidential sources and be free from obligation to any interest group. Above all, this publication unethically disrespected the privacy of individuals. Unless it is overridden by legitimate public interest, which is no way a matter of public interest but merely gossip. Nobodys personal sex life, especially not approved to be viewed by the public and unaware of the tape itself should be of the publics moral interest, and thus goes against ones rights. The publication can be seen as a level of intuition into privacy and despite refraining from stereotyping, is not socially responsible in referring to matters of indecency, sex and the usage of drugs. As the magazine is sold to all ages, the heat magazine is opening up unethical publication and explicit viewing to underage readers. Media ethics is important because the media need to regain their credibility, where thus can be seen as morally incorrect for heat magazine winning an award for such a scoop. The woman on the tape, Marilize van Emmenis, told her story in heat further on as the story progressed. Her ex- boyfriend who requested to remain anonymous, told heat that the videotape was all his idea and that was further beaten up by men which he claims was organized by Joost in 2006, where the video was confiscated and thus not released. (Heat homepage, www.heat.co.za: 08/05/2011) This again, constitutes for unreliable and biased sources which are not fully authentic and fair. The first issue (250th) to release the story of this scandal included graphic images of the former Springbok captain snorting a white power, which is believed to be CAT, while with a topless stripper. Additional information was and still is today available on the heat homepage website. One of the tabs names is Joostgate and entails the full timeline of how the story progressed as well as a link to the unclear and unreliable video where we can see the stripper prepare the camera in her bag. The fact that the incident was staged without Joosts knowledge and then given to Heat Magazine, heat couldve either produced an article with far less and more fair information about their findings without graphic images and a link to the video, or approached Joost in person before as this evidentially goes against his privacy rights. However, heat undoubtedly took advantage for their own benefits. On the 6th of March, as seen in the timeline on Heats homepage (www.heat.co.za, 09/05/2011), Mike Bolhuis tells the media that Joost will lay criminal and civil (human rights) charges against heat and the producers of the video and that proceedings will start on Monday. The fact that Joost had a leg to stand on and that he was ready to take the case to the court, immediately justifies that this publication has undergone means of invasion of privacy, along with going against other ethical codes. Joost van der Westhuizen announced at the end of March 2009, that he was not going to sue anyone for the video due to his reasoning being that South Africa has a weak legal system and would drag his court case out which would affect his personal life to a greater extend. Firstly, the fact that it has affected his personal life from content that was between him and a stripper and was not a means that effected anyone whatsoever is unethical for getting put out in the public eye, and secondly, the fact that he makes mention of the weak legal system it is distressing as a country due to the fact that such a scoop from Heat went on to win an award and got rewarded rather than punished. It merely fades such boundary lines for further publications and other journalists and the media need to take note of the code of ethics to not invade such privacy of an individual to such an extend again. The sexual conduct in the Code of the Broadcast Complaints Commission of South Africa (2003) states that sexual conduct is forbidden in the context of; A person who is depicted as being under the age of 18 to view such or participate and engage in such publication; to be open to explicit sexual conduct and finally sexual conduct which degrades a person in the sense that it advocates a particular form of hatred based on an individual which can cause harm to their personal reputation and emotional stability. Thus, this videotape and publication in the heat magazine goes against the Code of the Boradcast Complaints Commission of South Africa. Within the Code of the Broadcast Complaints Commission of South Africa (2003) where there is a reason to doubt the correctness of the news and it is practicable to verify the correctness thereof, it shall be verified before publication. Heat Magazine released this news in issue 250 whereby they were unaware of the correctness of this video and took a huge risk with Joost further denying that it was not him in the video. Regarding privacy in the Code of the Broadcast Complaints Commission of South Africa (2003), as both news and comments are concerned, there should be extra care and consideration in matters involving the private lives and private concerns of individuals. Invasion of privacy is one of the most controversial ethical issues. Despite including the harassing of celebrities and releasing false information about their lives, this issue does also entail using cameras to photograph an individual without them knowing. As seen in this case. Journalists do have a job to do however, which means they are paid to tell the public what they want to hear which often blurs the boundaries of privacy and questions what privacy is and when has one crossed the line. Justifiably, however, as this content entail sexual content and drugs and clearly is a production produced without the victim being aware of the video, Heat magazine has crossed the line. In conclusion, as Snyman (1994) argues that there is no absolute right of the public to know everything, this explicit and graphic heat publication has broken the codes of ethics by invasion of privacy of Joost van der Westhuizen, as well published as unfair and initially unreliable content which entails sexual and drug content. The mere fact that Joost was believed to be unaware of the videotape until Heat released the scoop, and that it entailed his private life which caused harm to his personal reputation and emotional stability such a publication should result in legal ethical punishments, rather than rewards through awarding heat magazine for such gossip.

A True Hero Essay -- Definition Hero Heroes Essays Role Model

A True Hero As I read David Halberstam’s ideas in his essay, â€Å"Who We Are† (2004), I started thinking about our nation’s leaders and heroes. September 11th came to my mind and the many firefighters and rescue workers who heroically risked their lives to save complete strangers. Then, I remembered that the media dubbed Jessica Lynch a hero when she came back to the United States. Not only Jessica, but also many other American soldiers fighting abroad are called heroes. I started wondering if their bravery actually makes them true heroes or not. I asked myself, what is a hero? Do people need heroes? Where does the belief that we need heroes come from? This belief has caused us to over apply our use of the word to almost everyone: leaders, firefighters, and even sports figures. Sometimes, those who we title heroes are merely good people in the right place at the right time or are simply doing their jobs. Essentially, we shouldn’t need â€Å"heroes.† Instead, we should seek role models and acknowledge the everyday worker. However, the ultimate search for a hero should be within us. We all have the capacity to embrace our inner strength in order to lead our lives with courage and nobility. I. Archaic Definitions In a US News & World Report special online issue about heroes, Clark (2001) gives several definitions of a hero: [heroes] go above and beyond the call of duty, they champion a good cause, and (my favorite) they serve as a calling to our higher selves. In an online â€Å"Answers† dictionary, hero is defined as â€Å"a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life† (2005). There is a song sung by Bonnie Tyler called â€Å"Holding Out for a Hero† in which a line is: â€Å"I n... ..., from http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/changed.html. Jordan, R. (1989). The quiet hero. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press. Ruotolo, L. (1973). Six existential heroes: the politics of faith. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Singh, Manjari-Lu, & Yu, Mei. (2003). Exploring the function of heroes and heroines in children's literature from around the world. Retrieved Dec. 04, 2005, from http://www.ericdigests.org/2004-1/heroes.htm. Steinman, J. (2005). Bonnie tyler. Retrieved Dec. 11, 2005, from http://www.lyricscafe.com/t/tyler_bonnie/holding_out_for_a_hero.html. Think Exist Quotations, (2005). Quotes. Retrieved Dec. 06, 2005, from http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/martyrs/. Warner, J. (2004). Do we need another sports hero?. Retrieved Dec. 04, 2005, from http://www.webmd.com/content/article/93/102060.htm.

Psychology and education in the twentieth century Essay

The twentieth century was innovative in a multiplicity of fields, including psychology and education. The attempt to develop the understanding on how humans learn was a challenge upheld by a â€Å"huge and diverse cast of characters† (Harrà ©, 2005: p7), with some so prolific that they didn’t only affect the classroom but â€Å"have left an enduring mark on our understanding of ourselves† (Harrà ©, 2005: p7). For this essay, I will describe and reflect on the theories of Burrhus Fredrick Skinner and Jerome Bruner, particularly focusing on Operant Conditioning and Cognitive Learning and apply them to an educational setting. Jerome Bruner (1915-2016) is renowned as one of the most significant and influential cognitive and constructivist theorists of the twentieth century and specifically developed â€Å"the study of the mental processes of thinking† (Harrà ©, 2005: p49). His initial focus was the development of human cognition but psychology at Harvard, according to Bruner had become â€Å"centrifugal† (Bruner,1983: p252). In turn, this led Bruner to begin his exploration into child cognitive development, heightening the importance of categorization in learning as well as â€Å"challenge the old psychology in the latter years of the 20th century† (Harrà ©, 2005: p.60) Bruner was highly influential in educational thinking, especially after the release of his book â€Å"The Process of Education (1960)† that is now recognized as a classic. Himself and other cognitivist theorists such as Piaget were both interested in child development, and Bruner agreed with Piaget that biological organisation underlies cognitive development but queried whether age ranges were correct in his developmental stage theory and believed that â€Å"it paid insufficient attention to the role of social interaction† (Olson, 2005: p.25). Similarly to Bruner, I do not believe that a child’s age always indicates their level of understanding. Limited description is offered of a child’s learning necessities, capability level, or motivational influences; all of which will have an impact on their understanding. I believe that this is a notion that still hasn’t been explored deeply enough and has a negative impact on our education today, as some students are still failing as the curriculum is generalised â€Å"the exam boards adopt common ways of working† (Ofqal,2017). The Eminent Harvard Psychologist has contributed greatly towards psychology overall, but his works have been most recognized in education; he felt that it was substantial for a learner to attain the fundamental values of a subject – his theory generally expressed that learners develop new ideas and concepts based upon existing knowledge; correspondingly to Piaget, he used three phases to develop his theory on modes of representation (how a learner may think of an object). Each mode is foremost at different stages of development, but all are present throughout the process. The first stage (1-18 months), was termed â€Å"inactive†. Thinking is utterly based on the child’s physical actions rather than their internal thinking. This mode is continuously seen in the later years, an example of that would be when a child is learning how to get dressed for school or ride a bike. The second mode begins to develop when a child reaches 18 months and was named â€Å"iconic†, and is mainly obtained via pictures or icons. These are mainly based on the five senses (hear, touch, smell, visualise). In an educational setting, diagrams and/or illustrations are often useful when introducing a new topic. The third stage, mainly reached at the age of 6 is â€Å"symbolic† and is primarily based on the use of symbols. Language also serves the purpose of regulation in this stage; as children develop, they shift from being external to being internal in cognitive processes. Using language as a symbol is essential to develop the capacity to think in abstract terms. Based on this three-stage notion, Bruner recommended using a combination of concrete, pictorial and then symbolic activities which will lead into more effective learning. This remains true even for adult learners. The theory is conceptually useful in teaching, as it allows staff to engage with all learners regardless of their cognitive level. With a range of supplies (study materials, activities, and tools), a new topic can be taught easily as it can begin as a concrete representation, and eventually end as an abstract one. This also provides learners something they can return to if they come across any problems with the matter. A primary example would be to engross the learners to do physically create 3D shapes. The following exercise would be an illustration of a shape, and the names of the shapes would aurally be read out and explained by the tutor. Thirdly, the learners should discuss the concept of the lesson and discuss any findings. Not only is this a far more gradual and realistic way of learning, I believe it also encourages motivation; something Bruner felt strongly about â€Å"The act of grasping the meaning, significance or structure of a problem or a situation without explicit re liance on the analytic apparatus of one’s craft† (Bruner, 1966: p.) For Bruner, the purpose of education is not to impart knowledge, but instead to facilitate a child’s thinking and problem solving skills which can then be transferred to a range of situations. Bruner’s notions and concepts have been rejected and critiqued by other theorists. For example, Piaget trusts that patience is necessary to reach the stage where a child is ready, whereas Jerome Bruner believes that the speed of cognitive development process can be increased if necessary. Unlike Piaget who was â€Å"resistant to criticism, sticking to a fixed position in the face of theoretical objections and empirical refutations† (Harrà ©, 2005: p57), Bruner was â€Å"unafraid of words like mind, and expectation, and perception, and meaning† (Miller, 2003: p.142). Bruner places a broader focus on his theory and attempts to be more open-minded and take a variety of studies into account

14 Strategies for Writing Better College Papers

14 Strategies for Writing Better College Papers Learning how to write solid college papers is literally half the battle with most majors. In this 3-minute article we’ve broken down the 14 most effective strategies involved. Breeze through each one and ingest them at your leisure. 1. Adjust Your Writing Attitude No, writing doesn’t suck, but your attitude might. College writing is actually quite fun and engaging once you get into it. Make it easy on yourself and just settle into the papers as they come. Accept them. Commit to them. 2. Get Interested Intrigued Part of adjusting your attitude is getting personally invested and interested in the subject. The more involved you are the higher the quality in most cases. Your personality will come through. The things you learn will be genuine. The paper won’t feel forced. Get it? 3. Master the Craft of Outlining Once swept away into the passion of writing (expression), it’s easy to get artsy and try to wing it. Don’t. Instead, make it a habitual practice to get an outline drawn up. Love them. Outlines are just structure to help your thoughts mold along certain parameters. Without them you can find yourself either a) mid-paper and at a dead end, or b) mid-paper and completely off the radar. 4. Get a Second Opinion Show your initial outlines and drafts to other people. If your friends and family aren’t interested, then find people who are. Or, pay someone a couple bucks. It’s worth it. A second pair of eyes can tell you things that are simply invisible to you as the writer. 5. Begin Writing Sooner rather than Later Even if the paper isn’t due for three months, be engaged and working on it from day one. However, don’t try to turn it in super early. There’s no real benefit to doing so other than saving mental space perhaps. Otherwise just take all the time you have and relax. Craft something amazing because you’ve got plenty of time. 6. Visit a Writing Center Once in a While Yeah, really! Grab your outline/draft and head over to the writing center. See what kinds of things they say. Critiques are worth their weight in proverbial gold. They’ll help you edit/polish as well as nail down your thesis. Plus, they know everything about all the small formatting details (more on this in a moment). 7. Don’t Freaking Plagiarize! It’s so tempting! Yes, you can definitely use quotes and cite small supportive paragraphs from relevant sources but there’s a limit. Now, aside from that it’s also quite tempting to try and just copy/paste someone else’s thinking†¦don’t do it. Professors these days have many tools at their disposal to find duplicate content. 8. Let Your Thesis Evolve By beginning the writing process as early as possible you give it lots of time to naturally evolve or settle on the primary thesis you’re searching for. Go with the flow, but stick to deadlines. Give your thesis room to breathe. Don’t stay so narrowed in focus/perspective that you end up with a narrow paper (something most professors are likely to dock you on). 9. Start Thinking Analyzing like a Professor Speaking of professors, look at your thesis statement, outline and drafts like a professor would. If you aren’t sure what your professor will say, then show it to them! Throughout the process try to step into their shoes and critique yourself. It helps. It’s a sobering practice. 10: Spend Serious Time on Formatting The writing center can really help here. All the many formatting details with citing courses, subtitles, adding graphs/charts, etc. can be daunting at first. Instead of wasting tons of time doing it yourself, get some help until it becomes like second nature. Little errors add up fast! 11. Be Creatively Risky In essence college really isn’t a time to strictly follow the rules and conform. Don’t be afraid to test professors and truly express yourself. Don’t be afraid to bend the rules a little as long as it doesn’t have to do with the technicalities. Like, as long as your paper is well-written, though out, formatted correctly and clear, it’s going to be hard for a professor to dock you even if you went a little left field. 12. Let Information Marinate Never underestimate the power of absorbing ideas/concepts and then letting it marinate in your mind or subconscious where ideas form. Let it sit and settle. Let the information coagulate and mold together naturally. Don’t force writing. Follow your gut instincts here. 13. Learn to Take Thorough Notes If you ditch class and skimp on notes it will translate into more hours researching. Take proper notes with your paper in mind. 14. Don’t Forget to Think Critically This is serious business and seriously lacking in America today. Be objective as possible, and then color that cold data with your subjective self. Get it? Be critical. Think critically. Deduce things critically. Okay all you aspiring and accomplished college paper writers out there, how do you do it? Share your wisdom!

Definition of Consumption within Sociology

Definition of Consumption within Sociology In sociology, consumption is about so much more than just taking in or using up resources. Humans consume to survive, of course, but in todays world, we also consume to entertain and amuse ourselves, and as a way to share time and experiences with others. We consume not only material goods but also  services, experiences, information, and cultural products like art, music, film, and television. In fact, from the sociological perspective, consumption today is a central organizing principle of social life. It shapes our everyday lives,  our values, expectations and practices, our relationships with others, our individual and group identities, and our overall experience in the world. Consumption According to Sociologists Sociologists recognize that many aspects of our daily lives are structured by consumption. In fact, Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman wrote in the book Consuming Life that Western societies are no longer organized around the act of production, but instead, around consumption. This transition began in the United States in the mid-twentieth century,  after which most production jobs were moved overseas, and our economy shifted to retail and the provision of services and information. As a consequence, most of us spend our days consuming rather than producing goods. On any given day, one might travel to work by bus, train, or car; work in an office that requires electricity, gas, oil, water, paper, and a host of consumer electronics and digital goods; purchase a tea, coffee, or soda; go out to a restaurant for lunch or dinner; pick up dry cleaning; purchase health and hygiene products at a drug store; use purchased groceries to prepare dinner, and then spend the evening watching television, enjoying social media, or reading a book. All of these are forms of consumption. Because consumption is so central to how we live our lives, it has taken on great importance in the relationships we forge with others. We often organize visits with others around the act of consuming, whether that be sitting down to eat a home-cooked meal as a family, taking in a movie with a date, or meeting friends for a shopping excursion at the mall. In addition, we often use consumer goods to express our feelings for others through the practice of gift-giving, or notably, in the act of proposing marriage with an expensive piece of jewelry. Consumption is also a central aspect of the celebration of both secular and religious holidays, like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween. It has even become a political expression, like when we buy ethically produced or sourced goods, or engage in a boycott of a certain product or brand. Sociologists also see consumption as an important part of the process of forming and expressing both individual and group identities. In Subculture: The Meaning of Style, sociologist Dick Hebdige observed that identity is often expressed through fashion choices, which allows us to classify people as hipsters or emo, for example. This happens because we choose consumer goods that we feel say something about who we are. Our consumer choices are often meant to reflect our values and lifestyle, and in doing so, send visual signals to others about the kind of person we are. Because we associate certain values, identities, and lifestyles with consumer goods, sociologists recognize that some troubling implications follow the centrality of consumption in social life. We often make assumptions, without even realizing it, about a person’s character, social standing, values, and beliefs, or even their intelligence, based on how we interpret their consumer practices. Because of this, consumption can serve processes of exclusion and marginalization in society  and can lead to conflict across lines of class, race or ethnicity, culture, sexuality, and religion. So, from the sociological perspective, theres much more to consumption than meets the eye. In fact, theres so much to study about consumption that theres a whole subfield dedicated to it: the sociology of consumption.

Quotation Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Quotation Analysis - Assignment Example Therefore, competitive professionals that include artists and athletes are needed to endure pressure and pain to attain professional excellence. It expresses the belief that for one to develop solid large muscles they need to train and constantly suffer sore muscles. This idiom has also been used in the field of education to encourage the poorly performing students to press on and work harder despite the challenges they face. It is through hard work that they will be assured of better results (Wimmer, 96). Therefore, the phrase â€Å"No pain, No gain† means that God rewards those who work hard. In life nothing comes the easy way instead one has to work for it. If anyone desires to be successful and enjoy a brighter future, he must be ready to endure the challenges and problems that come along the way. For example, in education if a student desires to have good results and better grades he or she must be ready to sacrifice so many things, put in more time and work extra

The role of entrepenurship in the 1860-1900 and the role of technolgy Essay

The role of entrepenurship in the 1860-1900 and the role of technolgy in railroads and government influence and tariff policys a - Essay Example The demand for steel and oil hit an all time high. This industry had very renowned personalities (Link and Susannah 34). These included John D. Rockefeller who dealt in oil and Andrew Carnegie, who dealt in steel. These individuals went by the name of robber barons because people believed that they got their wealth through unscrupulous business deals. It is Gilded Age because of the notable fortunes realized in the period and people’s improved level of affordability. It is during Gilded Age that the United States shifted from an agricultural society to an urban industrial society. This was as a result of massive movement of people to cities after the Civil War. In 1860, only twenty percent of people in the U.S.A lived in cities. This number grew to forty percent in 1900. Cities provided a place of adventure for young people who left the countryside to go to towns and cities. This heightened modernization in the U.S.A as more skyscrapers came up department stores emerged and, t elephone and electric lamps installed. Consumerism and middle classes emerged as a result of industrialization and immigration into cities (Meyer 61). Technology and expansion of railroad Railroad was perhaps the single most important factor that transformed industrial cities in the West in the 1800s. The advanced technology of the time enabled the building of railroads that helped ease transportation around the U.S.A and made travelling safe and cheap. Transcontinental lines helped move grain, people, ore, cattle, and equipment to and from across the Midwest. Railroad passed through Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada and the fertile areas of California and Oregon (Link and Susannah 35). The building of railroads transport transformed the landscape of the West. Bison travelled across the Great Plains to provide food and clothing to Native American tribes. Railroads destroyed Bison’s habitat and brought sport hunters to their environment. Americans killed many Bison and by 1885, o nly 1,000 Bison survived. There were other things that contributed to the expansion of railroads in the U.S.A. One important factor was the Civil War. The Civil War caused an increase in U.S.A’s industrial production leaving it among the world’s leading industrial producers in the 1890. The war also accelerated the growth of corporations as it demanded more consumer goods and services. The growth and popularity of money capital also contributed greatly to the expansion of railroads as it attracted foreign investors into American economy. Consequently, more people increased their investment in capitalist ventures. Government support of business also had an impact on the growth of railroads in America (Meyer 62). The government donated enormous land to railroad companies for the expansion of railroad transport. Pullman sleeper car complemented the development of railroad transport by increasing railroad passengers’ comfort. Double sets of tracks took the place of a single set track system. This enabled two-way rail traffic with snarl-up. Iron rails gave way to steel rails that could handle heavy weight loads. The development of locomotive tenders enabled the use of coal to power trains. Coal took the place of wood as it was more efficient than wood. Coal power cut on the number of times trains had to stop and refuel (Link and Susannah 36). After Westinghouse got patent rights for air brakes, mechanical brakes paved the way for air brakes. Air brakes allowed for