Coffe Shop Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Coffe Shop - Assignment Example Such a center would comprise of the serenity of a calm environment while also providing the rejuvenating refreshments that often correlates with a hassle-free refuge as a necessity for academic or professional research. Of course, the goal of combining the library/caf institutions would be to increase attendance to both the establishment and the downtown community. Like any business, a survey of current customers, i.e. readers/researchers, along with potential attendees must be taken into account if this establishment is ever expected to thrive. Therefore, samples of both categories of people were surveyed to answer the caf/library proposal. The first category of people were provided by Tony Barnett and library staff to meet an established criteria of frequent users, ages ranging from thirty to fifty years. Category number two is composed of individuals solicited by researchers that reside or are employed within a one-mile radius of the downtown area. These individuals are also within the thirty to fifty age ranges. With these candidates, the survey brings the opinions of both current attendees and very potential attendees. To better understand these candidates and their aspirations for the library, they were asked their own personal reasons for utilizing the library. Responses were various to include matters like researching, enjoyment, a place to bring children, internet accessibility, to save money, to utilize a silent environment, the abundance of informational resources, and for the programs any given library often offers. The fundamental purpose for any library will naturally be maintaining and offering informational resources. This correlates with the need to research and the quiet setting to achieve such a goal. Internet accessibility can also be paralleled with informational resources as the internet is perhaps the most modern and rising form of informational media. In fact, many libraries use the World Wide Web as a basis for cataloging the entire inventory of literature they may preserve. Accessibility to the internet in conjunction with the entire stock of literature allows people to save m oney on internet bills and book prices. Without this free access to media and literature, the general public would lack an overall ability to be successful, free-thinking citizens. And of course, there are the children to take into consideration, a population with the highest need of informational as well as imaginative enlightenment. Though schools are the primary establishment ordained to teach children, it is the library that allows for independent study in any field a pupil may deem fascinating. Without the library, the supportive ammunition essential to education would be seriously hindered. In essence, libraries are the pillars of the American educational system and still they remain the preserving force of all human knowledge. The question that comes to bear is how to reinforce these pillars: how can the library improve This question was bestowed to both groups and again a variety of responses were given. The primary concern of group one can be summarized as a need for a more

A response to the reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A response to the reading - Essay Example Doree symbolizes the traditional woman- the obedient daughter, the subservient wife, the careful female friend, and the loyal mother- because of her society that molded her into a passive, identity-less person, until she realizes that she has a much bigger purpose in life, to save someone because she wants to, and not because she is ordered to. Doree stands for the stereotypical woman, the one who leaves nothing for herself, and this begins in her childhood. At sixteen years old, she should be in school, preparing soon for her college life. Apparently, her mother has no other caregiver, but her daughter. Doree takes care of her mother, while neglecting her own dreams. She gives up the beginnings of her youth to be a good daughter. She makes her mother happy in the process, but not herself. Her puberty is spent on being the dutiful daughter that her mother wants her to be. Lloyd changes that, however, when he shifts the power of control from her mother to him. Without any other family members, Doree is vulnerable to manipulation, and devoid of a strong identity, Lloyd takes advantage of her youth and inexperience in life. Munro uses the environment to illustrate the weakness of Doree as a woman with no identity. Munro says in her story that the snow is gone and â€Å"it was hot enough to go bare-armed† and â€Å"sunlight was pouring down through naked branches† (Munro). Nature assaults people with its warmth. In the same way, people around Doree try to control her, and she is easy to control because she has no will of her own. She is like a leaf that lets the wind carry her to any direction. As a husband, Lloyd is an authoritarian who always makes important decisions; he is the unbearable wind in Doree’s life. He decides that their children should be home-schooled. He also demands that Doree breastfeed their babies, even though she wants to feed them on bottles already. Doree cannot control her own body because Lloyd must have the final say in that. By making decisions on family planning and breastfeeding, decisions that should belong to Doree too, Lloyd conditions his wife to be purely submissive. Furthermore, Lloyd does not want to Doree to say anything against him. When Doree calls him silly, he says: â€Å"Careful. Don’t call me silly† (Munro). He uses a threatening tone when Doree tries to have a small argument with him. Lloyd does not accept insubordination. Doree appears to be one of his slaves, a slave who should follow orders without hesitancy and who should never point out his mistakes. Doree has become a good female friend, which is typical for female friends, but unlike most women, she keeps her life secret. Maggie seems to be her only real friend, but Doree does not say anything about her marriage problems. Maggie appears to know better and that is enough for Doree. Their relationship affirms personal beliefs about women-women friendships. They understand one another without speaking. The mai n concern for Doree is that she has a misplaced sense of loyalty. She thinks: â€Å"[Lloyd] was still the closest person in the world to her, and she felt that everything would collapse if she were to bring herself to tell someone exactly how he was, if she were to be entirely disloyal† (Munro). Lloyd is a psychologically abusive husband who isolates his family and controls them

Review And Determine The Mcdonalds Strategic Marketing Essay

Review And Determine The Mcdonalds Strategic Marketing Essay LO1) Review and Determine the McDonalds Strategic Aims and Objectives McDonalds is one of the leading global fast food service retailers, with about more than 32,000 restaurants serving more than 60 million people in more than 117 countries each day. McDonalds is well known for some of its much desired food like; Chicken McNuggets, Big Mac and Egg McMuffins all around the globe. McDonalds 75% of its chains are owned and operated by the franchisees all over the world and only 25% of its chains are owned by the company. In 1967 McDonald opened its first international outlet in Canada. Most of the McDonalds outlets are free standing units, other than that it also has many units located at airports and in other retail areas. Since the opening of McDonalds first international outlet in Canada it is known for providing the outstanding quality, quick service, cleanliness and value to its customers (McDonalds, 2011). Current Strategic Aims and Objectives of McDonalds McDonalds has clearly defined its strategic aims and objectives; the vision of McDonalds is to be the leading, quick and the best fast food service provider all over the world. Other objectives of McDonalds are; to maintain and develop the best quality food products in the quick service restaurant market, McDonalds also wants to lead the quick service restaurant market by attracting new customers, opening more profitable restaurants, increasing its sales through promotion that enable them to continue their program of expansion. The McDonalds goal is to maximize its profits, maintain its competitive advantage by constantly creating new products to add onto its menu, which will help to attract new customers and satisfy their existing customers that gives customers a reason to visit McDonalds often (McDonalds, 2011). McDonalds main objective is to be the worlds best quick service restaurant ever experience and for this McDonalds provide outstanding service, quality, cleanliness and value to its customers all around the globe. McDonalds also aim to grasp every opportunity to innovate and lead the industry on behalf of the customers, they also have a passion and feel committed to go beyond their customers expectations every time in every restaurant in order to enhance and protect the McDonalds brand all over the world (McDonalds 2011). An Evaluation of the Component Parts of a Strategic Plan Strategic planning is a very important business activity and it is used to achieve certain goals and objectives. An organization sometimes summarizes its goals and objectives into a mission statement and a vision statement. Vision is basically a long-term view, which outlines what an organization wants to be in the future and also describe how the organization wants the world in which it operates. Vision basically concentrates on the future and provides the decision making criteria to the organization. Whereas mission defines the basic purpose of the existence of an organization, the mission also defines about the desired level of performance needed in order to achieve the organizational aims and objectives (Kotler, 1986). The Vision of McDonalds is to be the best and the leading fast food provider all over the world (McDonalds, 2011). There are five different ways of judging the suitability of an organizational vision; the first one is the foresight which tells whether the vision of an organization is strong enough and realistic and when the vision of McDonalds is evaluated it is clear that it is strong enough as well as realistic. The second way to judge the vision of an organization is the breadth, which tells does the vision of an organization fully cover likely changes in the market place and McDonalds has a capability to change with the environment and make sure that in every country of the world its customers must always get quality products, in quick time, in a clean and pleasant environment and at a reasonable price. Another way to judge the vision is the uniqueness that an organization can capitalize on and surprise its competitors and the uniqueness in the vision of McDonalds is that the tas te and the size of its burgers are same in each outlet all around the globe where it provides its products and services. The fourth way to judge the vision is through consensus, which tells that an organization should have only one vision and the McDonalds has only one and clear vision and that is to be the best and the leading fast food provider all over the world. Lastly through action-ability a vision can be judge which tells whether the vision is ready for implementation or does the organization have core competences. The vision of McDonalds is ready for the implementation and the core competency of McDonalds is providing convenience to its customers when they want to eat fast food at the prices that are competitive and provide best value for the customers money (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). The mission statement of McDonalds is to be our customers favorite place and way to eat. Their main focus is on being the best fast food provider and for this their worldwide operations has been aligned around a global strategy called a Plan to Win based on the five factors of an exceptional customer experience; People, Product, Price, Place and Promotion (McDonalds, 2011). Just like the vision statement the mission statement of McDonalds can be judge by seeing how far it meets the certain formulations. Firstly McDonalds should have a clear idea in what business they are in and should also do a thorough market research before introducing any new product. Secondly the mission statement should be made from a customer perspective and the mission of McDonalds is clearly defining that they have made their mission statement while keeping their targeted customers in mind. Thirdly an organization must make sure that its mission statement reflects the core values and beliefs of an organizatio n and the McDonalds mission statement is clearly defining that it provides convenience when people need and want to eat good quality fast food at reasonable price in a pleasant environment. The fourth way to assess the mission statement of an organization is to define what sustainable competitive advantage an organization has over its competitors and one of the McDonalds competitive advantages is it focuses on the consistency of the quality, the use of raw materials and the production of food all around the world. Lastly an organization should summarize the strategic approach they would use in order to achieve the strategic aims and objectives of an organization. McDonalds has design certain strategic approaches to achieve its aims and objectives like the utilization of technology, the defined work routines and maintaining the competitive advantage (Lynch, 2006). Factors Affecting the Strategic Plan There are certain factors that affect the McDonalds corporation so much that their role in shaping the strategies cannot be ignored and these factors are; political, economical and social factors. The political factors affect the organization in different ways like the international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. For instance different countries focus on different areas of concern like; the worker protection, health and the environment. All these elements are in the control of government and considers when giving a license of the restaurant in different countries (Bateman and Scott, 2004). Different organizations in the fast food industry have their individual concerns involving economic factors. The different branches and the franchises of McDonalds have the tendency to experience difficulties where the economy of certain countries hit by the inflation and the changes in the exchange rate. Therefore, if a franchise operates in a particularly economically weak country, then these franchises must make certain adjustments in their strategies to maintain the economies of scale (Sustar and Sustar, 2005). The social factors also affect the strategies of an organization. McDonalds cater variety of customers with different types of personalities in different countries. McDonalds uses different concepts of consumer behavior like product personality and purchasing decisions of consumers to make proper strategies, so that it can attract new customers and satisfy their existing customers in order to achieve its aims and objectives efficiently (Bateman and Snell, 2004). LO2) Evaluate the Alternative Strategies to meet the desired Future Strategic Position 2.1) A Range of Strategic Analysis tools to Audit Progress towards strategic Aims and Objectives   The marketing audit is very essential for an organization as it provides the backbone strategic analysis that supports corporate decision making process and it also tells the current position of an organization. The SWOT analysis is one of the auditing tools that are use to analyze the internal as well as the external factors of an organization that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve the objectives of an organization (Aaker, 1997). The biggest strength of McDonalds is its large market share, strong brand image and reputation, strong financial performance and position in the food industry, friendly environment for customers and the practice of going green has made it possible for McDonalds to gain more fame all around the world. The weaknesses of McDonalds are it had to face certain legal action because of using trans-fat and beef oil that can negatively affect its brand image, other weaknesses of McDonalds are it offers the variety of junk food which is considered as a very unhealthy food among people and it is also losing its customers due to the increase competition (Peter and Donnelly, 2007). There are certain opportunities as well for McDonalds like; through globalization open more profitable restaurants, it could also make itself more innovative by offering deals that appeal to new customers, and other opportunity is that in the last few decades there is a huge growth in the fast food industry has been observed. Like some opportunities there are certain threats as well that McDonalds faces like; the health professionals accuses McDonalds because of increasing health issues of diabetes, high cholesterol heart attacks and obesity. Another threat for McDonalds is the competitors market share of the company both internationally and domestically (Peter and Donnelly, 2007). 2.2) The Expectations of major Stockholders and their Influence upon the Organizational Strategy The major stockholders like; the top management, customers and suppliers influence the organizational strategies in different ways. So for this the top management should establish a superior strategic decision process throughout the company so that the strategies can evolve and flourish consistently over time. All the strategic preferences that increase the value for both the customers and the share holders are highly desirable and should increase the growth of any organization. For instance, McDonalds rapid withdrawal of its fifty-five cent hamburger campaign, which separated franchises without creating much new customer loyalty or demand, was a costly but necessary decision to avoid further damage to share holder value (Hill and Jones, 2009) The conflict arises when the manager face choices that involve real trade-offs between the customer and the share holder value. Let say if a proposal to increase customers or customer value will reduce the shareholder value, then it should be rejected. For example with increasing awareness about the food and the importance of the balanced diet, if McDonalds would start encouraging people to opt for low calorie food with high fiber content then people might appreciate McDonalds for giving this awareness and people will might change their eating patterns and spend less on fast food. This would be beneficial for customers but not for the shareholders and this would gives rise to conflict that would harm the organizational strategy (Hill and Jones, 2009). Suppliers play a vital role in achieving the organizations aims and objectives and also influence the strategy of an organization and it is believed that suppliers success is an integral to an organizations success (Webster, 2002). So an organization should remember that suppliers cannot be expected to support their plan with an organizations plan unless organizations have shared its strategic plans with suppliers. 2.3) Analyze, Interpret and Produce a Structured Evaluation of the Organizational Strategic Position The challenges that McDonalds faces are; as the food industry is continuously growing the competitors are entering into the market with competitive prices not only internationally but domestically also and due to this McDonalds can lose its customers as well as its market share. The other difficulty that McDonalds is facing is the increasing awareness about the food and the importance of the balanced diet nowadays people are opting for low calorie food and changing their eating patterns by consuming less fast food and this is because there are competitors that provide the low calorie food at the prices almost the same as McDonalds and due to this McDonalds can lose its customers (Freidman, 1999). McDonalds can achieve competitive advantage by using three generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and focus. The competitive advantage can be achieved by differentiating the products from those of competitors and McDonalds is differentiated by its brand name and brand images of Big Mac and Ronald McDonald. Another way to achieve competitive advantage from those of competitors is through low costs and McDonalds provides substantial entry barriers from economies of scale and cost advantages which clearly define that McDonalds follow the cost leadership strategy. Organizations can achieve competitive advantage through targeting their products by a broad target, thereby covering most of the market place, or they can focus on a narrow target in the market. McDonalds target market is broad almost covering the most of the market and not focusing a particular market (Porter, 1998) PEST/EL is an analysis of the external macro environment in which a business operates. The operations of McDonalds in each country are highly influenced by the individual country policies enforced by each government and every country has its own political affects on the organization and its operations. The economic factors are also different in different countries that affect the organizations strategies like the different franchises of McDonalds in different countries have to face different problems due to the change in economic environment (McDonalds, 2011). McDonalds run its operations in more than 100 countries which mean it serves variety of consumers with different cultures and personalities. So McDonalds cannot use only one strategy for all its food chains, the strategy might not be completely different but differs with respect to the social environment. The technology has greatly helped McDonalds in providing quick service to its customers. The incorporation of technology in the operations of McDonalds tends to add value to their products. The social responsibilities of McDonalds on the country are influential to the operations of the company and these involve allegations of environmental damage with such claims like the using non-biodegradable substances for their drinks glasses and the Styrofoam coffers for the meals. McDonalds also had to face certain legal actions because of using trans-fat and beef oil and this could easily harm the reputation of the McDonalds all over the world (McDonalds, 2011). LO3) Decide the Strategy and Justify the Selection to meet the Required Future Strategic Position 3.1) Develop a Range of Alternative Strategic Options to meet Strategic Aims and Objectives The fast food industry is often criticized because of its role in creating numerous health problems like obesity, cholesterol and diabetes and was thought to be the driving force for the unhealthy eating disorders. These days customers are becoming more aware of the nutritional values and the health benefits of the products they are consuming. So in order to achieve strategic aims and objectives McDonalds should come up with greater variations in its menu and offer healthier food like sandwiches and salad and innovative fresh juices for the health conscious people. There are many competitors in the industry because of the rapid growth of the fast food industry all over the world and these competitors are offering almost the similar products and services at almost similar prices. So if McDonalds wants to achieve its strategic aims and objectives and wants to attract new customers as well as retain the existing customers then it need to focus more on the strategies that attract more children to their restaurants by offering toys that are most desired among children with a happy meal because this would help them in retaining their customers. McDonalds should also see what similar products the other competitors are offering and try to offer something very innovative product that no other competitor is providing or as well as that attract the customers. McDonalds should also start separate McCafes for teenagers and college going students and the ambience of that cafà © should reflect the different colors of youth. McDonalds should also introduce more variety in the existing range of milk shakes and smoothies and also introduce a variety in coffee and offer innovative high quality and refreshing products at a reasonable price that attracts the young people. 3.2) Determine and Justify the Strategic Option that meets the Revised Strategic Position Among the four strategic options that were given above the first option and that is McDonalds should offer healthier food like sandwiches and salad and innovative fresh juices is the best option for McDonalds to achieve the strategic aims and objectives in the food industry because of the increasing health problems like heart attack, obesity, cholesterol and diabetes. As the awareness about the nutritional values, health benefits and the benefits of low calorie food with high fiber content has increased among people and due to this people have started changing their eating patterns and spend less on junk food that the fast food chains are providing. McDonalds need to introduce a healthier menu that emphasize the healthy side of McDonalds and should also introduce the low calorie variations of all its burgers and make its fries healthier by using the right kind of oil, then do the aggressive promotion of the new menu variety in order to cope with the health concerns related with its products. This would help McDonalds to achieve its strategic aims and objectives efficiently as well as it would proof that McDonalds has the capability to change with the environment and the consumers preferences and lastly this would also enhance the brand image of the McDonalds in the consumers mind.

Cuba in the Cold War Essay -- Bay of Pigs invasion

On April 17, 1961 one of the greatest foreign policy mistakes of the Cold War was made, the attempted invasion of the Bay of Pigs, Cuba. The failed invasion happened under the administration of John F. Kennedy and caused the deaths and imprisonment of over 1500 Cuban exiles fighting to over throw the rule of Fidel Castro. The aftermath caused much larger impacts towards United States foreign policy. The invasion made the United States look imperialistic to the rest of the world and allowed the Soviet Union to portray America as an aggressive and hostile country to its neighbors, which in turn allowed the Soviet Union to aid Cuba even more for future affairs. The Bay of Pigs also caused President Kennedy to distrust many of his advisers from the CIA for misinforming him. The CIA led him to believe the invasion would be over quickly and successfully after Kennedy had only been in office for three months. This distrust of his advisers certainly affected how Kennedy acted in future cri ses involving both Cuba and the USSR. This of course leads the question did the Kennedy Administration act appropriately for the Bay of Pigs invasion and how did the outcome affect United States foreign policy with Cuba and USSR? Fidel Castro was a growing issue towards the US. Castro was the communist prime minister of Cuba. He rose to power through the Cuban Revolution in 1953 and ruled Cuba under communist philosophies. Fidel Castro was also threat to the United States national security because of his affiliation with the Soviet Union and his alliance with Nikita Khrushchev. There was rising tensions between the US and Castro's government because American owned oil companies which were operating in Cuban territory refused to produce crude oil for t... ...r, 2011. Walsh, Daniel C. "An Air War With Cuba; The United States Radio Campaign Against Castro." Reference & Research Book News, October 7, 2012. Accessed March 15, 2014. Academic OneFile /Gale (A304010214). Wood, Jeff. "Cuba Missile Crisis." In Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History. Accessed February 11, 2014. American History Online (DACH0151). Prados, John. "The Perfect Failure." MHQ: The Quarterly Journal 19, no. 3 (Spring 2007): 82-92. Endnotes "Cuban Missile Crisis," in Encyclopedia of American Foreign "Fidel Castro," Hastedt, "Political Aspects of the Bay of Pigs," Kreiser, "JFK: Trials, Triumph and Tragedy," The New York Times "Overview John F. Kennedy," Rasenberger, Brilliant Disaster Walsh, "An Air War With," Wood, "Cuba Missile Crisis," in Disasters, Accidents, and Crises Prados, "The Perfect Failure," [Page #]. â€Æ'

Arab Spring Essay

Two years ago, the West thought it recognised what was happening in the Arab world: people wanted democracy, and were having revolutions to make that point. Now, recent events in Egypt have left many open-mouthed. Why should the generals be welcomed back? Why should the same crowds who gathered in Tahrir Square to protest against the old regime reconvene to cheer the deposing of their elected president? Could it be that the Arab Spring was about something else entirely? I believe so. The Arab Spring was a massive economic protest: a demand that the poor should have the basic rights to buy, sell and make their way in the world. I have the nerve to say this because just after the death of Mohammed Bouazizi, the Tunisian fruit seller who started the Arab Spring by setting himself ablaze, my researchers spent 20 months in the region to find out more. Why would someone kill himself after he had lost a cartful of fruit and an old set of scales? We found something the newspapers missed: he was not alone. No fewer 63 men and women replicated Bouazizi’s protest within two months of his death, in one country after another. We interviewed their families, and started to piece together their story — the true story of the Arab Spring. The picture is now complete and the facts are in. These facts have deep implications for David Cameron’s government. Our research suggests that the region’s revolution has just begun and has the potential to transform the Arab world for the better. But only if the West can see what is really going on, and offer support. As is so often the case with political martyrs, Mohammed Bouazizi has come to mean different things to different people. To some he’s a symbol of resistance to injustice; to others an archetype of the fight against autocracy. Last year the Occupy activists enlisted him as a spiritual ally. It is hard to imagine that the real Bouazizi would have recognised himself in any of these incarnations. When local authorities took away his fruit and scales, his livelihood was destroyed. He knew that from then on he would never have a legal right to put up a stall. He had no way to reduce the cost of the bribes that he paid regularly for his right to buy and sell. This would destroy his ability to get credit to buy the truck he dreamed of. The government has the power to crush people like Bouazizi, and it seemed to him that they would do so. He protested, in an act copied by 21 more people in Tunisia, 29 in Algeria, five in Egypt, four in Morocco, two in Syria, one in Saudi Arabia and one in Yemen. They were all, like Bouazizi, extralegal entrepreneurs — protesting for the right to get on. The right to own and better their lives; to accumulate capital; not to have their property expropriated on a whim. They were in businesses as diverse as restaurants, computing, real estate, opticians and taxis and their decision to commit suicide in public was usually taken after the authorities confiscated their wares or their documentation. As one Tunisian survivor told us: ‘I have no problem with competition, but expropriation is an indignity. Authorities do not recognise what is ours, and that is not -tolerable.’ This is the case not just for most of the Arab world, but for most of the third world. The phrase ‘black market’ suggests, to western ears, dodgy dealing on the sidelines. But in the Arab world legality is what happens on the sidelines. Economists look only at the official statistics, and imagine, for example, that Egypt has a massive unemployment rate. If you were an out-of-work Egyptian, however, you would be dead after three or four months be cause you would not have enough food. Most Arabs are working, but in a way that has become invisible not only to their governments but to the West. ‘Grandad, tell me again about the old days when we were rubbish at sport and Britain never won anything.’ Outside Cairo, the poorest of the poor live in a district of old tombs called the ‘city of the dead’. But almost all of Cairo is the city of the dead — that is to say, dead capital. Assets that cannot be used to their fullest, cannot be used as collateral for loans or changed for other assets. Seeds that can never grow. These people are working, but not in ways that western governments are prepared to recognise. Given the chance, they would pull themselves, and their countries, out of poverty. But they are denied the chance, because the rule of law is a cosy club to which only the elite belong. And the scale? In Egypt alone, the extra-legal sector accounts for 84 per cent of businesses and 92 per cent of land parcels. My organisation, the Peru-based Institute for Liberty & Democracy, estimates that some 380 million Arabs derive most of their incom e from the ‘shadow’ economy. If the Arab Spring is to be compared to a revolution, then it should that of England in 1688. After the Glorious Revolution, the crown agreed to be limited by the rule of law. The English were able to have deeds for their property, a right that even a king could not take away. People could borrow against their property, no matter how humble. The eventual result was the industrial revolution. This process, which allowed the West’s incredible economic transformation, has yet to happen in the third world. And so many billions of people are stuck in poverty. This is not some western monopolistic conspiracy. Americans, Europeans and Japanese take the wealth-creation process so completely for granted that they have forgotten that property is about more than real estate or ownership. It is about the identities, contracts, rules, credit guarantees and documented information that allow entrepreneurs to join people, things and capital into more valuable combinations. These tools, essential to escape poverty, lie out of reach for most Arab entrepreneurs. In Egypt, for example, to legally own a small business such as a bakery requires dealing with 29 different government agencies and navigating 215 sets of laws. In Arab countries, the poor entrepreneur’s right to transact derives from the goodwill of local authorities, not the law. When Bouazizi and those other entrepreneurs lost that goodwill, that right evaporated, severing access forever to the legal tools that property rights bestow. Those authorities expropriated not just their property but their futures. This is why they burned themselves alive. Britain has been generous with international aid. But if Cameron were to match this by pointing out the obstacles facing the Arab poor, it could be transformative. He has long been a vocal proponent for property rights and the rule of law as crucial elements for economic development. What better moment than to carry that message to the Arab world? Relieving poverty need not be seen by the new Arab governments as an act of charity. On the contrary, legal reforms are already at the top of these new governments’ agendas for growth. It was a British philosopher, Gilbert Ryle, who coined the term ‘category mistake’. If don’t get your categories right, he said, you won’t get your analysis right. If the West places Egypt and the Arab Spring into the category of ‘Islamist uprising’, it will not only misunderstand the hopes of millions but miss a remarkable opportunity. By our estimates, entrepreneurs who want a legal system with property rights like those in the West outnumber al-Qa’eda members in the region by a ratio of about 100,000 to one. Britain is ideally placed to see the link between the 1688 Glorious Revolution, and what it did to ensure so many shared the benefits of the industrial revolution, and what is happening today in Egypt. If it did so, much of theconfusion of what underpins the Arab Spring would clear up. This is not only an Arab phenomenon. It needs an eloquent western advocate, who can point the economic potential in extending the rule of law, property and businesses to the many, not the few. The West has spent decades making a category error in how it sees third world poverty and stability. It needs a new voice, with a new approach. There is no reason why that voice should not be David Cameron’s. Hernando de Soto, is president of the Institute for Liberty & Democracy and author of The Mystery of Capital

Action Research: Behavior Modification

ACTION RESEARCH :BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION I. Introduction For schools, creating an appropriate learning environment is critical. Oftentimes, maintaining discipline among the learners is a hard task for a teacher. In my Reading and Phonics class in Grade 5 at St. James College of Quezon City, I encountered one pupil by the name of __________ who misbehaves most of the time. I had observed him that he was not listening attentively in our lesson. When I asked him a question, he cannot answer and asked me to repeat the question. He is even playing while having our discussion in class. I asked the adviser if this kind of behavior is also evident in her class and the adviser affirmatively confirmed to what I had noticed. And so I made a plan that will gradually change his behavior. II. Problem 1. What should be the appropriate reaction I should evoke when ________________ misbehaves in my RP class? 2. Should I impose punishment or reinforcement to change his behavior? III. Hypotheses During my preliminary investigation I found out that a. _______________ was misbehaving in my class because he lacks attention in his own home, his parents were preoccupied to give him sufficient time with his home works. b. His attention is diverted on some other things like playing airplanes made of papers. He played most of the time in my class because I found out that he has a younger brother and less attention is given to him by his parents. IV. Solutions I started to make a step by step plan for me to alter the behavior of _ _______________. These are the proposed solutions: . Discuss the whole class of how they are graded. 2. Appreciate those pupils who actively participate during our lessons by giving praises and rewards. 3. Encourage the pupils to speak in English in my RP class and give credit to those who abide in this rule. 4. Ask the pupils for some clarifications. V. Actions Taken From the proposed solutions I had set, these were the actions taken: 1. Before starting my lesson, I reminded my Grade 5 pupils that their behavior in my class is a factor in their grades. And whatever performances they made is rated. I told them that they are the ones making their grades and I am the only one who computes it. 2. During our RP class, I gave praises to those who actively participate in the discussion and in group activities. 3. I encouraged them to speak in English in my RP class and gave credit to those pupils who abide in this rule. 4. I asked the pupils if there are some clarifications about our lesson. VI. Results of the Action When the plans I had set were manifested in my actions these were the results: 1. _______________ started to listen to our lesson and participated in the discussion by reciting. 2. He does his homework and enthusiastically tackled his seat work. 3. He spoke English in my RP class. 4. He clarified some things he cannot understand in our lesson by asking questions. VII. Conclusion From the result of the action research I made, I conclude that 1. Providing a set of reminders to pupils enlightens the pupils on how they should per form in the class. 2. Giving praises and rewards to learners’ performances motivate them to study more. . Encouraging them to speak in English is a good training for them to be good speakers. 4. Asking them for clarifications allows them to have a better understanding of the lesson. VIII. Recommendation To maintain discipline among pupils/ students, a teacher should 1. Determine first why a certain pupil misbehaves in class. 2. Set plans that will modify his behavior. 3. Decide whether a punishment or reinforcement should be imposed. 4. Motivate the pupil to study harder by appreciating him through praises and rewards.