A research on the issues of the black urban experience according to steven gregory Essay Example for Free

A research on the issues of the black urban experience according to steven gregory Essay Critical Reading Assignment #3 Chapter 5: Race and the Politics of Place Gregory, Steven (1999) Chapter 5: Race and the Politics of Place, in Black Corona, Princeton, NJ:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princeton University Press, 109-138. The researchers conducted this study in order to challenge the depictions of the black urban experience in the media, academics, and public policy debates, which the author does frequently throughout the study. In this portion of the study, Gregory focuses on the struggles that black Lefrak City residents to disrupt the lingering stereotypes alluding to race, crime, and space in everyday politics. To conduct this research, Steven Gregory, an anthropologist, uses ethnography methods including open-ended interviews, participant observation in neighborhoods and political meetings, and archival research to collect the data used in this study. He interviews various residents and political members from this area and attends a meeting involving the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee and Community Board 4. The study takes place in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York, specifically in the Lefrak City are home to many African Americans residents as well as people from many other backgrounds. In this study, Gregory points out the struggles that Black Lefrak City residents had in disrupting the lingering stereotypes about, race, crime, and space in everyday politics. He explains how this area of Corona was viewed as a threat to the quality of life in the surrounding areas, which provides a link to urban decline and crime to black welfare dependency (Gregory 111: 1999). He focuses on struggles in the representation of identity and the meaning of place with the distribution of political power. As evidence, Gregory interviews and observes Edna Baskin, an African American woman eager to get involved and create a political organization to counteract these stereotypes and give black citizens from this area representation in the local politics. She establishes the organization called the Concerned Community Adults, where she would help inform residents of neighborhood issues. She faced many struggles in doing this, however, and was said to be â€Å"rubbing against the grain† (Gregory 118: 1999) while trying to promote her organization and get involved with the Community Board, made up of mostly white participants. Gregory talks about other problems this organizations faced, and the successes it achieved later on. This research has strengths in its overall comprehensiveness of the issues that Gregory is discussing. The topic he tries to tackle is very complex, and he does a good job at trying to try to explain the overall issues of the research. However, Gregory could organize his work in a fashion that is easier to comprehend that helps understand the overall concepts and issues he is focusing on in the research. He also only discusses in depth one example of the struggles that one area of this community faces. I believe that it would be interesting to instead compare the many different struggles that different areas of the community have and relate them to one another. It would be interesting to see the similarities and the differences between the different areas of this community.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Veterans :: Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

For more than twenty years, Patricia Dietz, a wife of a Vietnam veteran, has suffered along with her husband the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. She has stated that, "It has changed everything; it has affected the rest of his and her life." Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is when a person is haunted by his memories so badly that it affects not only the rest of his life, but others close to him as well. Any time there is a traumatic event, physical danger, or threat or personal danger, this disorder is able to appear in ones' life (USA Today Magazine). "A key factor is the persons' response to this event, whether it happens to them or they are witnesses to feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or horror" (USA Today Magazine). "To be classified as PTSD the symptoms must last longer than one month, and usually appear within six months to a year after the event" (USA Today Magazine). Jim Dwyer describes Traumatic memories as "frozen in time, waiting to thaw" (Block, Norris). "PTSD has become a common condition among the armed forces as well as the police, and it has spread throughout society" (Fitzpatrick). "After Vietnam, PTSD appeared and was rapidly taken over from the veterans" (Fitzpatrick). There are a large number of symptoms of PTSD. The Veterans symptoms can be identical to those symptoms experienced when the actual trauma was occurring (Panzarino). "[symptoms include] May be prone to insomnia, irritability, or outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, and an exaggerated startled response when shocked" (USA Today Magazine). Michael Wheeler, a Vietnam veteran, is divorced because of PTSD, he was having thoughts of suicide, he couldn't handle life, he thought he was going crazy (Block, Norris). More symptoms are night terrors (dreams), flashbacks, and recurrent/intrusive thoughts of traumatic events (USA Today Magazine). "Many PTSD sufferers develop depression and anxiety or obsessive/compulsive disorder, in addition to alcohol or drug problems" (USA Today Magazine). "Of all the Wars in which Americans have fought Vietnam was without a doubt the one in which soldiers experienced the greatest psychological difficulties" (Welsh 58). In the Vietnam war the enemy didn't have a uniform, they could be hidden in with some of your allies this caused a lot of confusion and led to the saying "I wasn't really sure what was going on," and is probably the key reason why there are so many PTSD sufferers (Welsh 58). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Veterans :: Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD For more than twenty years, Patricia Dietz, a wife of a Vietnam veteran, has suffered along with her husband the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. She has stated that, "It has changed everything; it has affected the rest of his and her life." Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is when a person is haunted by his memories so badly that it affects not only the rest of his life, but others close to him as well. Any time there is a traumatic event, physical danger, or threat or personal danger, this disorder is able to appear in ones' life (USA Today Magazine). "A key factor is the persons' response to this event, whether it happens to them or they are witnesses to feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or horror" (USA Today Magazine). "To be classified as PTSD the symptoms must last longer than one month, and usually appear within six months to a year after the event" (USA Today Magazine). Jim Dwyer describes Traumatic memories as "frozen in time, waiting to thaw" (Block, Norris). "PTSD has become a common condition among the armed forces as well as the police, and it has spread throughout society" (Fitzpatrick). "After Vietnam, PTSD appeared and was rapidly taken over from the veterans" (Fitzpatrick). There are a large number of symptoms of PTSD. The Veterans symptoms can be identical to those symptoms experienced when the actual trauma was occurring (Panzarino). "[symptoms include] May be prone to insomnia, irritability, or outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, and an exaggerated startled response when shocked" (USA Today Magazine). Michael Wheeler, a Vietnam veteran, is divorced because of PTSD, he was having thoughts of suicide, he couldn't handle life, he thought he was going crazy (Block, Norris). More symptoms are night terrors (dreams), flashbacks, and recurrent/intrusive thoughts of traumatic events (USA Today Magazine). "Many PTSD sufferers develop depression and anxiety or obsessive/compulsive disorder, in addition to alcohol or drug problems" (USA Today Magazine). "Of all the Wars in which Americans have fought Vietnam was without a doubt the one in which soldiers experienced the greatest psychological difficulties" (Welsh 58). In the Vietnam war the enemy didn't have a uniform, they could be hidden in with some of your allies this caused a lot of confusion and led to the saying "I wasn't really sure what was going on," and is probably the key reason why there are so many PTSD sufferers (Welsh 58).

Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning

University of Zimbabwe Graduate School of Management *Marketing Ma*nagement Question: Kotler (1988) has stated that: â€Å"The heart of modern strategic marketing can be described as STP – segmenting, targeting and positioning. ’’ Discuss this statement using appropriate examples. Introduction Market segmentation By definition market segmentation is the division of a market into different groups of customers with similar needs. Or to express it in another way, market segmentation is the division of a mass market into identifiable and distinct groups or segments, and each has common characteristics and needs and displays similar response to marketing actions. ‘’In essence it is the process of dividing a varied and differing group of buyers or potential buyers into smaller groups, within which broadly similar patterns of buyers exist. ’’ (Wilson and Gilligan, 2007, p. 318). There are several ways in which companies can segment their markets. Just as you can divide an orange up into segments you can divide the population as a whole into different groups of people or segments that have something in common. Marketers therefore look for variables they can use to divide up the population. According to Kotler (1997) the commonly used variables are: Geographic segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation and behavioural segmentation. Products can be aimed at a lifestyle. People are grouped according to the way they lead their lives and the attitudes they share. For example, young professionals may drive a sports car because of the image they want to portray. Married parents might want the same things, but have to provide for their children, which is a large extra cost. They will need a family car to suit their lifestyle. Thus you will find a couple that has just married and have no children, will go for a Mazda 3, while older couples with three or so children will go for a Mazda BT-50 because it is bigger and can accommodate the whole family. However the range and variety of marketing decisions suggest that any attempt to use a single basis for segmentation may result in incorrect marketing decisions as well as a waste of resources. Thus increasingly today you will find marketing strategies combining two or more basis for segmentation of their market. TARGETING Once the firm is satisfied that the segments warrants attention there are various ways in which a firm can then target a market. The first is a single product offering. In other words, the marketer targets a single product offering at a single segment in a market with many segments. For example, British Airway’s Concorde is a high value product aimed specifically at business people and tourists willing to pay more for speed. Identifying marketing targets enables organisations to find opportunities and tap into them. It gives firms the information needed to focus on the buyers that are interested in what they have to offer. This saves both time and money in an ever-changing society. However if you pursue one segment of your target market and the demand for your product decreases, so will your financial strength. In essence, you are putting all your eggs in one basket. When your firm becomes well established in a particular market segment, it may be difficult for you to move to another segment. This may occur due to your market reputation or popularity. For example, if Lorimark HR Consultants becomes known for helping college graduates find jobs, unemployed professionals may perceive them as only having the expertise to serve that market. Another downside of target marketing may that a large segment of the population may be left out in the cold. Though demographics and segmentation might give an overall view of the intended market, consumer spending habits change greatly, depending on trends and economic factors. With society taking on more of a unisex lifestyle businesses should be careful when using for example gender to target market. An example of a product that was traditionally targeted at women and is now being targeted with variations in strategy at men is hair colouring. Men now pay particular attention to their hair in much the same way as woman. Thus target marketing should be done with extra care taking into account all factors that may have an effect on the organization’s profitability and the perception or position it wants to create in the market. POSITIONING Thus positioning is all about perception and is inextricably linked to segmentation. It cannot be defined until the market has been divided into unique segments, and target segments have been selected. As perception differs from person to person, so do the results of the positioning map. Positioning reflects the â€Å"place† a product occupies in a market or segment. A successful position has characteristics that are both differentiating and important to consumers and the characteristic may or may not reflect reality. A position is effectively built by communicating a consistent message to consumers about the product and where it fits into the market in terms of the features, performance, quality, conformance, durability, reliability, style and design — through advertising, brand name, and packaging and all the other elements of marketing mix. Kotler, 1997, p. 301) For years OK Zimbabwe has constantly and consistently bombarded the minds of consumers’ with the message ‘†¦. where your money buys you more. ’ Thereby creating in the mind of the consumer that OK has the best prices and your dollar with OK can take you a long way. Another example w ill be that of Colgate and Surf by Unilever, these products are stuck in the minds of consumers (positioned), such that if someone is buying any other toothpaste or washing powder, not necessarily Colgate or surf, they will still refer to the product as Colgate or surf respectively. It is ‘the’ product in mind of the consumers. That is positioning. What is our current position? What does the space look like – what are the most important dimensions in the category? What are the other products in that space and where are they? What are the gaps, unfilled positions or ‘holes’ in the category? Which dimensions are most important? How do these attitudes differ by market segment? What position do we want to have? Some of the positioning opportunities for a product include: Finding an unmet consumer needs – or at least one that is not being adequately met now by completion? Identifying product strength that is both unique and important. Determining how to correct a product weakness and thereby enhance a product’s appeal. For example Ponds â€Å"new and improved†. Changing consumer usage patterns to include different or additional uses for the product. Identifying market segments, which represent the best targets for a product. How do we create a new positioning? Physical product differences. Communications- finding a memorable and meaningful way to describe the Positioning is not what you do to a product; ‘positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect’. (www. s-m-a-r-t. com/Exp_brandpros. ) Accessed 3 September 2009. Other questions that the marketer should contend with in terms of positioning are: whom do I have to defeat to own the position, do I have the resources to do it, can I persist until I get there and are my tactics supporting the positioning objectives I have set. The positioning map below will show how the motor industry positions their products in the market. Positioning map: +High (price) From the above positioning map it can be concluded that products tend to bunch in the high price/low economy (fast) sector and also in the low price/high economy sector. There is an opportunity in the low price/low economy (fast) sector. Maybe Hyundai or Kia can consider introducing a low cost sport saloon. However it is all down to the perception of the market about the product. Conclusion Undertaking a Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning process is probably one of the most important processes management should undertake both at the onset of a new offer creation as well as part of a periodic revision of the portfolio of offers and strategies used by organization. A market research is always the starting point in the STP process; otherwise the organizations resources will be misdirected. References: Aaker A. David, (1995). Strategic Market Management, 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Armstrong J. Scott, (2006). Strategic Marketing Management – A Business Process Approach. Brand pros available at http/www. s-m-a-r-t. com/Exp_brandpros. Accessed 3 September 2009. Grahame Dowling, (2004). Creating Corporate Reputation. Identity, Image and performance. Oxford University Press Inc. Kotler P, (1997). Marketing Management, Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control, 9TH Edition, Prentice Hall. Malcolm H. B. McDonald, (1996) Marketing Plans, How to prepare them how use them, 3rd Edition, Butterworth-Heinemann. Wilson and Gilligan

Introduction Of Human Resource Management - 1576 Words

Introduction of Human Resource Management Escape to the Wild Assessment 2 - Human Resource Management: An Introduction Stephen Ward L000257274 Introductio Introduction At present there is currently no Human Resource Management department within the company of Escape to the Wild. This report will outline recommendations for the HRM functions which should be addressed and implemented along with the additional staff resources which should be recruited. Functions to be carried out by HRM department Human Resource Planning and Research In order for the company to continue to grow, the HR planning function will provide advice enabling the Senior Management Team to make the correct decisions in relation to the†¦show more content†¦A job description details the work duties and activities of employees. Job descriptions are a vital source of information to employees, managers, and HRM staff. Through the use of the job description, HRM staff can then determine how much employees should be paid for each position within the company. Compensation and benefits play a huge part in the recruitment and selection of employees as potential employees are generally attracted to organisations offering better compensation (pay) and benefits in exchange for work being carried out. These benefits might include flexible working hours, childcare and healthcare. Recruitment and Selection Recruitment is the function which will advertise positions in order to attract qualified applicants to fill job vacancies or future posts within the company. In the selection function, the most qualified applicants are selected for hiring from among those attracted to the organisation by the recruiting function. HRM staff will put in place policies and procedures which will enable managers to decide on the most suitable candidate to select. Staff Induction Induction will provide the first steps toward helping a new employee adjust themselves to the new job and the company. It is a method to acquaint new employees with particular aspects of their new job, including pay and benefit programmes, working hours, and company rules and expectations. Training and Development The training and