Attitudes towards e

Different faculty member’s attitudes towards e-learning E-learning is increasingly becoming popular in higher education with universities expanding provision as more students sign up for this type of learning module. It is against this reason that there is growing interest among scholars to offer in-depth study on e-learning.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Attitudes towards e-learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More E-learning may be defined as learning process that entails use of various technological tools that are web-enabled for purposes of acquiring desired knowledge (Paravantis, 2010). Although the adoption of e-learning has been expanding rapidly, its key success factor is highly dependant on users’ attitudes who are primarily comprised of students and faculty members. In literature, attitudes have been strongly linked with behavior hence many scholars have undertaken independent stu dies via various methodological approaches to investigate e-learning attitudes among students and faculty members. Attitude can be defined as either positive or negative evaluation of people, object or situations that are likely to affect behavior (Narme, 2008). Various literary studies in psychology have identified three major components, namely affective (beliefs or opinions), cognitive (emotional) and behavioral (intention to behave in specific manner) that affects a person’s attitude towards a particular entity (Narme, 2008). Similarly, specific studies on e-learning taking into consideration the above attitudes components have positively indicated that faculty attitudes towards e-learning can either promote or hinder their willingness to teach and embrace online learning (Liaw, Huang, Chen, 2007). In addition, the latter assert that effective implementation of e-learning technology is dependent on the faculty attitudes and that positive attitude is the greatest incentiv e when adopting e-learning. The role of attitude in the adoption of e-learning has become critical issue and as such, instructors have been overly concerned about several factors that influence faculty attitudes towards e-learning. This is because as Liaw, Huang, Chen (2007) point out, unless considerable effort is made to cultivate positive attitudes among faculty members, the adoption of e-learning in universities is doomed to fail.Advertising Looking for dissertation on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Empirical studies have identified several variables that are directly linked to user’s attitudes towards the use of computers. Significant relationship between self efficacies, perceived enjoyment, behavioral intention, perceived usefulness, perceived system satisfaction and multimedia instruction tools and faculty members have been established as expounded below. Variables Prior researches along the same li ne of thinking by had employed the technology acceptance model (TAM) to predict and explain the impact of dependent variables cited above on faculty member’s attitudes towards e-learning in Saudi Arabia as well as in other parts of the world. The basic assumption of the model is the implication that positive adoption of technology depends on the user’s intention to use and the attitudes towards the technology in question (Abouchedid Eid, 2004). The initial as well as subsequent researches positively concluded that the variability in attitudes was highly dependent on how the user perceived the technology in terms of usefulness and self efficacy (Abouchedid Eid, 2004). Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007) in their study, unanimously agreed with the recent empirical researches that technological self efficacy, perceived usefulness and behavioral intention among the user was the main determinant of the concurrent attitudes. Behavior intention has been viewed as the predictor of t he actual behavior and (Cheon, Song Jones, 2010) defines it as person’s conscious plan to carry out or not to carry out a specified behavior in the future, and the degree of the formulated plans varies from individual to another. Additionally, the concept of self efficacy was proposed by Albert Bandura (1997), and in the e-learning arena the term has been defined as a person’s belief on his capability to effectively use technology to improve learning or teaching (Elham, 2009). Depending on the level of self efficacy, the attitudes towards e-learning varied from one individual to another (Abouchedid Eid, 2004). The pattern of their results indicated that ability to use the computer equated to mean computer self efficacy elicited positive attitudes among faculty member’s and vice versa (Liaw, Huang and Chen, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Attitudes towards e-learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To expound on the meaning of perceived usefulness of learning Abouchedid Eid (2004) define the term as the type of perceptions on the essentiality of a particular technology in the performance of a particular job, which in turn determines that person’s attitudes. In their study Abouchedid and Eid (2004) had concluded that e-learning attitudes among faculty members varied significantly depending on the level of perceived usefulness of e-learning technology in promoting job performance, and similar conclusions were highlighted in Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007) study. The above notion implies that lectures who perceived e-learning as useful were likely to change their intention and subsequent attitude to adopt the system positively (Abouchedid Eid, 2004). Closely related is the impact of perceived enjoyment on learners and faculty member’s attitude towards e-leaning. Shirley (2002) explains that perceived enjoyment is the intrinsic motivation that is dependent on the user’s perception of the pleasure derived from using the computer in e-learning. Shirley (2002) tested the above variable based on assumption that it impacted on faculty members attitudes towards e-learning adoption. The earlier as well as the latter study by Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007) concluded that attitudes varied significantly depending on the level of perceived enjoyment. Additionally, Cheon, Song and Jones (2010) extended their variables to include perceived system satisfaction variable to test its impact on teacher’s attitudes towards e-learning. The study aimed to test the effect of the general perception about the capability of e-learning to satisfy a learners needs, and how it impacted on the faculty member’s attitude towards the adoption e-learning. This prior study showed that user’s gauged the ability of a system to satisfy the required need based on its flexibility, integration, reliability, accessibility, stability, ease of use and so on. Similarly, Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007) used similar parameters to measure perceived e-learning system satisfaction, and extended their study by measuring how the perceptions impacted on faculty member’s attitudes.Advertising Looking for dissertation on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further analysis of their study results showed significant disparities among faculty member’s attitudes depending on the perceived system satisfaction in meeting e-learner’s needs (Liaw, Huang and Chen, 2007). In addition, studies in the adoption of e-learning system around the world, Saudi Arabia included, have also focused on the role of modern e-learning tools in shaping the learners attitudes towards the adoption of e-learning (Shirley, 2002). On the other hand, Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007) extended this prior empirical study by testing the impact of multimedia instruction tools on faculty member’s attitudes towards e-learning. However, the impact of multimedia instruction tools used in e-learning cannot be viewed autonomous to self-efficiency as both variables are directly linked; In that the user’s belief about his/her capability to use multimedia tools promotes self-efficacy, and by extension elicits positive attitudes towards e-learning. Therefore, the level of self efficacy on the usage of multimedia instruction tools significantly impacted on the attitudes outcomes and varied from one individual to another (Liaw, Huang and Chen, 2007). In a different, but, closely related study carried out by Qudais, Al-Adhaileh and Al-Omari (2010), the attitude of senior members of most faculties towards e-learning was found to be positive. Most of them thought that conducting classes online is not only enjoyable but also stimulating. In the same research, attitude towards the use of modern technology was not influenced by gender, teaching experience or the nature of their institutions. In yet another empirical study by Al Mothana (2009), faculty members had positive attitude towards e-learning with more interest attached to internet based distance education. There was a strong positive relationship between the faculty member’s attitude towards e-learning and its perceived value. A similar study conducted by Albalawi (2000) also rev ealed that most faculty members had a positive attitude towards adopting web based instruction by institutions of higher learning. Almuqayteeb (2009) study on female attitudes towards use of technology revealed that there was positive attitude in using internet based computer in learning. Paravantis (2010) analyses on elementary female teachers towards e-learning indicated that many were willing to embrace it in spite of myriad perceived or real challenges. Shea, Pickett and Li (2005) also researched and concluded that most faculty members regardless of gender were satisfied with e-learning and that they were willing to engage more students due to benefits which came with it. Tzy and Jung (2006) study on examining attitudes of faculty towards teaching online courses, the faculty expressed positive attitudes towards participation in online teaching. A study to reveal the gender differences in attitude towards usage of information and related applications in teaching by McKenzie et al . (2005) there was equal level of positive attitudes displayed by both genders. Qudais, Mosleh and Al-Omari (2010) study identified the attitude towards e-learning to be positive and most of them were willing to be trained to enable them practice. The study also revealed that some faculty members needed financial support to motivate them in using the technology. This has also been supported by the study by Newton (2003) which revealed positive attitude of the faculty members which was also supported by Allan and Will (2001). A study by Agboola (2005) on assessing the awareness and perceptions of academic staff in using E-learning as a tool for instructional delivery in post secondary institutions more than half of the faculty members were willing to embrace it in their teaching methods. Ruth et al. (2009) study on the motivators and inhibitors for university faculties revealed that incentives in the education sector such as e-learning contributes to their positive attitudes towards the adoption of technology. Motivation leads them to developing positive attitudes towards electronic and distance education courses. Cardwell-Hampton (2008) study found that lack of experience and skills in the use of technology makes the faculty members to have negative perception about the embracing the technology. Challenges facing university faculty members towards e-learning In a research conducted by Alajmi (2010), it identified the differences in the demographic characteristics to the main cause of the challenge. Younger faculty members perceived fewer barriers towards e-learning than older faculty members. Different demographic systems registered differences in their perceived challenges towards e-learning. A similar study by Elham (2009) on the potential of implementing online professional training development attempted to find factors which could affect implementation of online training. According to the findings, respondents were skilled in using the computers and had th e basic knowledge in exploring the internet. Their attitude towards online learning was positive and they were ready to seek assistance from the administration for support. The most important barrier which was noticed towards potential of implementing online professional training development was lack of time due to the workload they have. In Elham (2009) study on implementation professional Training Development for the faculty at King Saudi University in Saudi Arabia, the study revealed that many of the faculty members are skilled in the use of computers. Research conducted by Alajmi (2000) on faculty member’s readiness for learning in the college of basic education in Kuwait revealed significant differences to be caused by age differences and department disciplines. Research conducted by Al Mothana (2009) on the faculty attitude towards internet based distance education revealed that the underlying challenges were on availability of the internet and computer access, time was also reported as a major challenge towards adopting internet based distance learning Although there were some barriers and challenges the faculty had a positive attitude toward the approach. Studies with â€Å"nationality† demographic variable From the different studies and research conducted, different nationality variables affect the use of technology. In a research conducted by Al- Sarrani (2010), it revealed that there was no difference between science faculty perceptions on the effects of faculties’ use of Information Technology in teaching. Similar studies were conducted by Albalawi (2000) on three universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; there was a positive attitude towards the use of information technology in teaching. Mital (2006) study found that experience at workplace affects the change process and ability to adapt to new learning styles. This was also affected by individual’s rank position since the young ones needed to gain recognition by emb racing the technology. References Abouchedid, K. Eid,G.M. (2004).E-learning challenges in the Arab world: revelations from a case study profile, Quality Assurance in Education, 12 (1), 15 – 27. Agboola, K. (2007). Assessing the Awareness and Perceptions of Academic Staff in Using E-learning Tools for Instructional Delivery in a Post-Secondary Institution: A Case Study. The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 11(3), 1-12. Alajmi, M. (2010). Faculty members’ readiness for E-learning in the college of basic education in Kuwait. â€Å"Doctoral dissertation†, University of North Texas Press. Albalawi,M (2000). Critical factors related to the implementation of web-based instruction by higher-education faculty at three universities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. New York: University of West Florida. Allan, Y. Will, M. (2001). Teachers’ computer attitudes: Factors influencing the instructional use of computers. Paper presented at the International Conference on Computers in Education, Seoul, Korea. Al-Mothana, M. (2009). A Study of Faculty Attitudes toward Internet-Based Distance Education: A Survey of Two Jordanian Public Universities. â€Å"Doctoral dissertation†, College of Education of Ohio University. Almuqayteeb, T. (2009). Attitudes of female faculty toward the use of computer technologies and the barriers that limit their use of technologies in girls’ colleges in Saudi Arabia. â€Å"Doctoral dissertation†, Mississippi State University. Al-Sarrani, N. (2010). Concerns and professional development needs of science faculty at Taibah university in adopting blended learning. â€Å"Doctoral Dissertation†, Kansas State University. Cardwell-Hampton, N. (2008). Faculty Perceptions about Instructional Technology in Eight Community Colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents Higher Education System. Nashville. â€Å"Doctoral dissertation†, East Tennessee State University. Cheon, J., Song, J. Jones, D. R. (20 11). Influencing Preservice Teachers’ intention to Adopt Web 2.0 Services. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 27 (2), 52-64 Elham, A. (2009) the Potential of Implementing Online Professional Training Development for Faculty in the College of Education at King Saudi University. College of Education, â€Å"Doctoral dissertation: Ohio University. Liaw, S. Huang, H. Chen, G. (2007) Surveying instructor and learner attitudes toward e-learning. Computers Education. 4, 1066-1080. McKenzie, B.K. (2005). Faculty Attitudes Toward Distance Education at the State University of West Georgia. Retrieved from https://www.westga.edu/~distance/attitudes.html Mital, M. (2006) No Age Correlation in the Effectiveness of Corporate E-learning in India. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 4(1), 85-89. Narme, J.S. (2008). Psyschology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Newton, R. (2003). Staff attitudes to the development and delivery of e-learning. New  Library World, 104(10), 412-4 25. Paravantis. J. (2010). Multivariate Analysis of Attitudes of Elementary Education Teachers toward the Environment, Computers and E-Learning. International Journal of Business Studies.4 (1), 34-41. Qudais, M. Mosleh, A Al-Omari (2010). Senior Faculty Members’ Attitudes in JordanianUniversities towards Using Information and Communication Technology. International Arab Journal of e-Technology, 1(4), 135-140. Ruth, G. et al. (2009). Motivators and Inhibitors for University Faculty in Distance and e- learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(1), 149-163. Shea, P. Pickett, A. Li, C. (2005). Increasing access to Higher Education: A study of the diffusion of online teaching among 913 college faculty. International review of research in open and distance learning. 6(2), 1-27. Shirley, A. (2002). A Study of Differential Perceptions of Students and Faculty in distance learning. â€Å"Doctoral dissertation†, Austin University of Texas. Tzy, L Jung, T. (2006). Examination of attitudes towards teaching online courses based on theory of reasoned action of university faculty in Taiwan. British Journal of Educational Technology. 37 (5), 6-13. This dissertation on Attitudes towards e-learning was written and submitted by user Yuliana O. 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.

20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing

20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing 20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing 20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing By Mark Nichol Clipped forms, shortened abbreviations of words, have a checkered history. Some are acceptable in formal writing, and others aren’t. When writing in academic contexts, in business writing, or another formal environment, take note of the status of these common clipped forms: 1. Ad: In formal writing, the full form, advertisement, is usually employed. 2. Bra: This clipped form of brassiere, from the French word for â€Å"bodice† (its euphemistic meaning: â€Å"arm protector†), has supplanted the longer form in all but the most stiffly formal writing. 3. Burger: If ever a reference to this fast food staple makes its way into formal writing, the short form of hamburger is just as likely to appear as the long form. 4. Bus: Omnibus (Latin for â€Å"all†), a word for a horse-drawn public-transportation conveyance, gave the right of way to its short form around the time such vehicles became motorized. 5. Copter: The full form, helicopter, is best for formal writing. 6. Deli: Though this word has been in use for at least a half century, delicatessen, from the German word for â€Å"delicacies,† is best for formal usage. 7. Exam: Examination was clipped back in the late 1800s and has long since been used even in formal writing. 8. Flu: The short form of influenza (Italian for â€Å"influence,† from the medieval supposition that illness was the result of celestial perturbations) is several hundred years old and has long been acceptable even in formal medical texts. 9. Fridge: This term, unusual not only in that the full form, refrigerator, has been clipped at both ends but also in that the spelling has been altered to reflect the pronunciation, is suitable for informal writing only. 10. Gas: Gasoline is much more likely to appear in formal writing than its clipped form. 11. Gator: This clipped form of alligator, in spite of its nearly 200-year-old tenure in the English language, is considered slang. 12. Gym: Most formal references to a school building for athletic activities will use the full form, gymnasium, which many patrons might be amused to learn stems from the Greek word for â€Å"naked,† because athletes in ancient Greece trained and competed nude. Because Greek gymnasiums were centers of intellectual education as well, the full term is often used in Europe to refer to what might in the United States be called a preparatory school (which, by the way, has its own clipped form: â€Å"prep school†). 13. Memo: So pervasive is this clipped form of memorandum that many people may not even know its origins. (The full word ultimately derives from the Latin for â€Å"memory.†) 14. Movie: Even more taken for granted than memo is this diminutive form of â€Å"moving picture,† which, if you step back from it, may appear silly looking and juvenile. Formal writing often refers to the medium as film or cinema, but movie is also acceptable. 15. Phone: The original term, telephone, is still often used in formal writing, but the clipped form is just as likely to be used. 16. Plane: Plane has become as acceptable as airplane in formal writing. 17. Pro: Professional, the full form, is the preferred usage in formal contexts. 18. Quake: This clipped form of earthquake is, despite long usage, still considered informal. 19. Tie: The full form, necktie, is all but obsolete. (Perhaps the clothing accessory will be, too, before long.) 20. Typo: This slang for â€Å"typographical error† is over a century old but is still considered substandard usage. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?Social vs. Societalâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Alignment of staffing strategy with organizational strategy Essay

Alignment of staffing strategy with organizational strategy - Essay Example Human resource professionals deal with such areas as employee recruitment and selection, performance evaluation, compensation and benefits, professional development, safety and health, forecasting, and labor relations. Some of the challenges today in human resource management are maintaining a diverse workforce, dealing with major technological changes, keeping up with governmental regulations, handling corporate restructuring and downsizing, and formulating strategies essential to personnel management. As a result, many executives have suggested that effective Human Resources (HR) strategies are one of the most important aspects of successfully implementing organizational strategy within the company. For the past decades, there have been profound changes on how the role of the people in business success has been perceived. These changes have promoted the view that people management is important in maximizing organizational capabilities and should be integrated with the strategic aims of the business. One of these notable changes includes the reinvention of the government, which emphasizes on the need for performance measurement, increased efficiency and enhanced political accountability (Osborne and Gaebler, 1992). In the aspect of personnel administration, this change implies the significance of political efficiency and responsiveness as values. Moreover, the reinvention of the government had introduced the need for personnel administrators to work in coordination with other systems, which in turn leads to objective attainment and cost control. Change has brought about many important goals of HRM into view. For An example of which is the significance of labour productivity. Some authors have pointed out that labour productivity should be seen as the major goal of an organisation's labour management (Osterman, 1987). It is the touchstone against which every human resource policy should be evaluated. Thus, in formulating certain HR policies, integrating means that will promote greater productivity or cost-efficacy, should be taken into account. Aside from labour productivity, change has also introduced the need for organisational flexibility. Within this term, the word organisational is used as employers usually seek forms of flexibility that extend beyond, but cover, their employee relations (Streeck, 1987). Within the aspect of organizational flexibility, two related factors should be considered. These are short-run responsiveness and long-run agility. Short-run responsiveness involves financial and numerical flexibility. I t also includes the attempt to employ workers who are multi-skilled or cross-trained. This functional flexibility aids the organisation to maintain lower headcount but cope better with marginal improvements in production processes or product design. Long-run agility on the other hand, is more powerful yet conceptually ambiguous (Dyer and Shafer, 1999). This factor refers to the ability of the firm to learn within an environment that changes rather drastically. Strategic Staffing in an Organization It can be said that human-resource planning is a challenge because the needs of the organization are constantly changing and sometimes do not converge and such challenge can be greater if the Strategic Staffing pool is limited or

African American Cultures Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

African American Cultures - Research Proposal Example Through the nuance of the Black culture, the African Americans are reminded of their past especially during slavery. The bifurcations in the trajectory remind the black American persons of their past and the conditions that unite them (Anderson, 1977, p.4). The aura of the Black spirituals is also credited for uniting the Blacks. The church also boosted the culture, creativity of the African American Music, in relation to Huggins (2007, p.xiv –xx) and the depictions in African American poems (Graham & Vard, 2011, p.535). Anderson, E. (1977). The Use of the Black Folk Oral Tradition and Other Black Rhetorical and Verbal Strategies in the Teaching of Composition. Retrieved on 2 August, 2012. From: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED145425.pdf Hamlet, J. (2011).Word! The African American Oral Tradition and its Rhetorical Impact on American Popular Culture, 74 (1), p27-31. Retrieved on 2 August, 2012.

American Antislavery 1820-1860 Essay Example for Free

American Antislavery 1820-1860 Essay Rather, the movement was fraught with ambiguity over who its leaders would be, how they would go about fighting the institution of slavery, and what the future would be like for black Americans. Some of the persisting goals of antislavery activism were legal emancipation, aid to runaway slaves through vigilance groups and the Underground Railroad, civil rights for freed blacks in the north, and education, suffrage, and economic advancement for African-Americans. Perhaps the most unifying ideal of the  anti-slavery movement  was that the racial basis forAmerican slavery  could be undermined by promoting Christian values, education and economic progress among free blacks to show that they were capable of succeeding as individuals in an integrated American society. Richard Allen, leader of the A. M. E. church, stated the case for black progress as an answer to the justifications of slaveholders: â€Å"if we are lazy and idol, the enemies of freedom plead it as a cause why we ought not to be free. In addition to the connection between abolition and economic and social progress, most abolitionists worked for the assurance of civil rights and legal protection for free blacks, who lived in an anomalous condition of â€Å"freedom† without citizenship and with constant threat of discrimination, violence, and abduction to be sold into slavery. There were some bitter conflicts over specific strategies. Though Garrison and most blacks favored immediate abolition, many whites continued to prefer or express willingness to settle for gradual emancipation. Violent resistance was at first rejected by many, again under the influence of Garrison, but David Walker’s appeal that violence should be used against slavery became more popular as blacks and abolitionists searched for an effective means of self-defense against mobs and pursuit of civil rights. Whether or not individuals worked within the political framework of the constitution to effect change again depended on allegiance to Garrison, and in general the early antislavery activists preferred moral arguments while later leaders were more willing to use political means. To what extent black abolitionists cooperated with and trusted white abolitionists varied, for though whites were essential to the movement, blacks often felt they needed to rely on their own race’s leadership, and so both black and integrated organizations formed. A few abolitionists supported the proposal of African or Haitian colonization by free blacks, but most viewed the colonization schemes as a way for whites to get rid of the â€Å"black problem† in the US rather than a viable alternative to gaining equal rights in the nation of their birth (since only a small minority of blacks in the US after the 1820s were African-born). Furthermore, colonization reinforced the notion that African-Americans would be better off somewhere else because they could never be integrated into American society as whites’ equals. Blacks saw similarities between Jackson’s Indian removal policy and federal funding for African colonization, and most determined to resist relocation. Settlement in Canada was not similarly viewed as running away from the struggle for equality at home because it not only provided safety, legal protection, and civil equality for black refugees but also harbored the founders of new abolitionist publications who strengthened the antislavery movement in the American North and Midwest. Leaders of the anti-slavery movement were well known for their publications and speeches, and many served the equally important but less public role of organizers or â€Å"conductors† on the Underground Railroad. The assortment of leaders included free blacks, like William Still in Philadelphia, radical whites, like William Lloyd Garrison, former slaves, like Frederick Douglass, and women of both races, such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Garrison’s anti-political, non-violent moral opposition to slavery was the largest sect of antislavery agitation for many years, but his unwillingness to work within the political system to reclaim the constitution and his allegiance to women’s rights were controversial positions that caused many, including Douglass, to split with Garrison eventually. Many whites who were identified with the antislavery cause, such as Stowe, did not extend their sympathies for enslaved blacks as far as supporting equal rights for freedmen. Though generally considered radicals, few leaders of the antislavery movement committed large-scale revolutionary or violent acts. Quiet small-scale acts of resistance termed â€Å"the Underground Railroad† gave way to more violent public resistance in the 1850s, particularly in â€Å"radical† centers like Boston, against the recapturing of fugitive slaves who lived as free blacks in the northern states. A later martyr for the cause of abolitionism, John Brown, was one of the few who were brave (or insensible) enough to direct violent action against the federal government with hopes to end slavery through militancy in his raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859. Blacks and whites who rallied behind the unified cause of abolitionism did not always cooperate fully, sometimes because their goals differed, but often because blacks were wary of whites. As the Hortons summarize, â€Å"white reformers were more likely to accept a gradualist approach to anti-slavery, and blacks sometimes faced discrimination or subtle prejudice in integrated organizations† (Hortons 222). Racism of various forms existed among white antislavery reformers, who often felt that slavery was a moral wrong but nonetheless thought blacks inferior to whites or distasteful to associate with. Harriet Beecher Stowe notes this phenomenon in her creation of the character Miss Ophelia for Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Like many white northerners who object to the institution of slavery, Miss Ophelia sees the education and moral improvement of blacks as a Christian duty that whites owe to the race they have long enslaved, but does not see that the â€Å"spiritual equality† of blacks and whites implies social equality and is uncomfortable with physical contact with her black charge. In addition to direct racism, white reformers often harbored a more subtle condescension when they â€Å"credited their work with blacks as broadening their views and stimulating personal growth,† as if the movement was more about the moral development of white individuals through their acts of charity than about seeing justice enacted in fulfillment of the Constitution’s claim that all men are created equal (Horton 224). Despite these tensions and overwhelming white paternalism, whites â€Å"brought financial power, reformist zeal, and the respectability of heir color† to the movement and were â€Å"instrumental in opening higher education to African Americans on an equal basis† which bolstered the educated black leadership of the 1840s and 50s (Horton 236, 215). Many short-lived organizations, some comprised solely of blacks and others integrated, competed to some extent for support, and allied themselves with different causes. There were a few longer-la sting organizations, such as the American Anti-Slavery Society and the National Convention of the People of Color, and publications such as the Freedman’s Journal and the Colored American, that were highly influential. Discounting one convention’s endorsement of the Free Soil Party in 1848, the Liberty Party was the only political party that embraced an antislavery platform. Garrisonian opposition to recognizing the Constitution and working within the existing political system, termed â€Å"union with slaveholders,† detracted from potential early antislavery political organization, favoring moral arguments which proved largely ineffective for provoking large-scale change. Between the period of the 1820s through the eve of the civil war, and particularly during the 1850s, the antislavery movement grew in response to political developments and increasing sympathy to abolitionist propaganda. Federal victories for slavery such as the expansion of slavery in the west, the Fugitive slave law of 1850, and the Dred Scott decision of 1857 threatened blacks and white northerners alike as they represented the power of the slaveholding south to influence federal policy. In nine Northern states, where twenty years before towns had passed regulations against integrated schools and where racism persisted to some extent, Personal Liberty Laws passed which essentially nullified the federal Fugitive Slave Law, evincing that states’ rights to reject complicity with slavery was more widely supported than black equality. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, slave narratives, and other popular publications aroused many white northerners’ sympathies. The alliances forged between antislavery agitation and other political and social reform movements garnered support for the anti-slavery cause among moderates. Over time, as hopes of gradual emancipation and an end to racism soured in light of the political and social realities, many shifted from adherence to Garrisonian apolitical non-violence to a widespread sentiment, especially among blacks, in favor of David Walker’s appeal for the use of violence in defense and in opposition to slavery. Resistance to enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law included groups rescuing blacks from jails, like the case of Shadrach in Boston in 1852. Whites and blacks alike worked for black suffrage, and the blacks who cast votes in the 1860 presidential election overwhelmingly voted for the Republican candidate Lincoln, a departure from the call for Garrisonian disunion by blacks like Charles Lenox Remond. Blacks in the North formed militias, including Boston’s Massasoit Guard, without state governmental sanction. On the eve of the Civil War, blacks were ready to engage in a federal struggle for freedom, a new revolution that would grant them the equality promised to all men in the Constitution that was now nearly a century old. The decades leading up to the south’s secession had taught blacks that patience and diligence in educating themselves and working to acquire land and social status was far from achieving the end of slavery or earning them equal citizenship. White northerners who were not necessarily proponents of black civil rights often supported the antislavery cause in order to counter the seeming growing influence of Southern slave power. Secession lit the fuel of 40 years of antislavery agitation and began a war that some would say was waged for union, but most blacks and many whites insisted that the coming war would be the final struggle for universal freedom.

Professional Wrestling :: essays research papers

Current Issues  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Professional Wrestling   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When some people hear the word wrestling they think of â€Å"2 points takedown† or headgear and singlets. But most people think of the WWF, WCW, NWO, and the WolfPac. They think of names such as Hollywood Hogan, Sting, Stone Cold, Diamond Dallas Page, and Golberg. If you have been alive in today’s TV culture, you have undoubtedly heard these names.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although professional wrestling has been enjoying newfound success lately, it is not a new sport by any means. Professional Wrestling has been around since the 1800’s but it was mainly confined to barns and other small areas with people betting on the winner. These were often bloody and dangerous fights. Dangerous for the wrestlers as well as the audience as sometimes the fight would spill out into the crowd.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Professional Wrestling became more of a spectator sport in the early to mid 1900’s, but it resembled very little of what we think of Professional Wrestling today. Today, as opposed to old-time wrestling, it is just a spectator event with people cheering for a â€Å"hero† against a â€Å"vilian†. Most all matches are set up in a way that there is always one crowd favorite, and one that the crowd hates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today Professional Wrestling is no longer a sport but a entertainment industry. The fights are rigged, the wrestling is fake, and the only thing real about wrestling is the money. Millions of dollars are generated by professional wrestling. TV contracts, t-shirts, posters, Video games, movies. These all generate enough money and interest to make professional wrestling the most watched entertainment event today. One of the reasons that wrestling has become such a powerful force in entertainment is that it has all the action of a Jackie Chan movie, all the drama of ER and all of the â€Å"eye-candy† of Baywatch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am going to tell you some of todays biggest stars and give you a little background on them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most entertaining people in professional wrestling is current world champion Goldberg. Goldberg grew up as a doctors son in Oklahoma with his two brothers. Goldberg was even an imposing future at a young age as he was a bouncer in a bar at age 17. He went on to play college football at SEC power Georgia. As a Georgia Bulldog, Goldberg earned all-confernce honors as a nose-guard and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and eventually ended his career as a LA Ram. Goldberg was not done bashing skulls after he hurt his knee though. He shaved his head and got a tattoo and followed many former football players into Pro wrestling.

International Expansion of an E-Tailer Essay

International Expansion of an e-tailer „We seek to be Earth ? s most customer-centric company for three primary customer sets: consumer customers, seller customers and developer customers. † The story of Amazon. com is a marvelous successful one. A company ? s biography which since the foundation in 19941 (followed by webpage launch one year later in 19952) became the world’s market leader in e-tailing by fully focusing on customer satisfaction and consequently aligning all organization activities, such as for example corporate strategy as well as technological portfolio, towards the consumer needs. From day one Jeff Bezos leads Amazon. com with a conspicuous overall philosophy of customer orientation and the strategic decision to focus on an increasing market share, instead of stock profits after Amazon went public (IPO) in 19973. Under consideration of these company’s aims, a powerful corporate structure has been built which became source of the flourishing first years in the US market (1995-1998) and also, specifying this as the crucial learning years in terms of consumer requirements and behavior, the preparation and basis for the future expansion. According to Cochran, customer satisfaction is a strategic decision and â€Å"the ultimate goal† of an organization – adequate investments and the full involvement of all employees are necessarily crucial. For the measurement and organization around the subject of customer satisfaction, numerous tools are available, such as reports, client comments, complaint processes and surveys representing elementary solutions for all kind of company-sizes and business4 as well as more sophisticated and comprehensive processes, such as the Balanced Scorecard5. However enterprises cover this part of their relationship towards customers, satisfaction ever has to be managed methodically, continuously, substance and process-broadly as well as differentiated by segments and target groups. 6 As a result of my research, no detailed and reliable information related to the customer relationship & satisfaction management of Amazon are available – nevertheless, Bezos has a clear picture of the customer needs and remains of the conviction that at Amazon they get exactly what they want: â€Å"selection, low prices, and fast delivery†. Consequently, for instance even the logo of Amazon has a relation to the organizations key objective of customer satisfaction8 and finally the overall strategy converts into measurable excellent results, such as the ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) scale in which Amazon constantly ranks under the top best since the establishment of the â€Å"Internet Retail† category in 2000. 9 Exhibit A contains a division table which, on one hand, imparts a better visual understanding of the historical development that took place and, on the other hand, demonstrates how ambitious this sector is performing in the area of customer satisfaction – currently, but also within the prior years of internet boom. Impressively, Amazon. com ranked first in 7 out of 11 years in which this Index category has been tracked. Displacement of the first position appeared only in 3 specific cases, such as barnesandnobel. om (strongest competitor in the US with the objective to keep up with