Experiences of African Americans During the Civil War Period Essay Example for Free

Experiences of African Americans During the Civil War Period Essay The 1860s and 1870s were particularly trying times for African Americans. The Civil War which lasted from 1861 to 1865 saw America undergo social and political change as Americans struggled to redefine their idea of race and face the question of slavery. More importantly still were the experiences of blacks during and after the war as they fought to be accorded the same rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the early days of the war, the issue of slavery was avoided vehemently by Lincoln and Davis (Norton et al. 2008) despite it being an essential issue in the war between the North and South. In fact, freeing the slaves was never an agenda of the North. The North was against slavery because they perceived the South, who was pro slavery, as a threat to the North’s social and political order (Norton et al. , 2008). Consequently, being against slavery did not necessarily mean Northerners were not racist. In fact, many still saw themselves as racially superior to the blacks. Despite the apparent racial prejudice, blacks in the South still saw in the Union army their route to freedom. After Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation allowing blacks to serve in the Union cause, thousands of slaves, amongst them, one John Boston (Linden Pressly, n. d), fled their masters and joined the Union army in their fight against the South. Many blacks sought to assert their manhood despite discrimination in the army through the display of bravery and valor. Still more died, like the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts regiment, in their fight for equality. Therefore, although Lincoln had given them a motive to reak free, it was the blacks’ own courage to fight for their own freedom which ultimately led to their emancipation. The North’s victory over the South in 1865 meant that the slaves were finally free. As freedpeople, one of their foremost desires was to own land as land meant subsistence and sufficiency (Norton et al, 2008). Also, because it was all they had known to do, many fell back on plantation agriculture as their livelihood. Some, like Josua Culverson and Major X Whiteing, applied for leases through the U. S. Com of Plantations (Linden Pressly, n. ). Because most freedpeople had no money to purchase land, they could only lend it on credit. However, because of preexisting prejudices, freedpeople found even that to be a task. Consequently, they returned to their old farms where they had worked as slaves. However, unlike previously, these freedpeople sought to better their situation by reaching an agreement with the owner through a system known as sharecropping. Often, such an agreement would entail the provision of food and seeds in exchange for a portion of the crop earnings (Norton et al. 2008). Such is the case between William R. Steen, a white citizen, and Caroline, a colored woman; along with 7 other Arkansas freedpeople whom by contract, had to give one third part of the crop raised upon the farm by their labor to the owner of the farm (Linden Pressly, n. d). The years 1865 to 1877 saw efforts in reconstructing the war-torn South. A huge hurdle existed then to reconcile the freed blacks with southern whites, who were so used to operating in a slave society that their prejudices could not be eradicated so easily. Furthermore, they were threatened by the rise of black status and into the ranks of political power so much so that a group of whites came together and formed the first Ku Klux Klan; a society which sought to maintain white supremacy through intimidation, violence and terrorism (Norton et al. , 2008). Klansmen committed murder, arson, and rape whilst asserting their notion of white supremacy. As a result, despite having been emancipated, the freed blacks still suffered considerable pain and fear under the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. Amongst the most targeted were blacks who had rose to political power. Ann J. Edwards, the daughter of a black Congressman recounted that â€Å"We, his family, lived in constant fear A day or two before election a mob gathered†¦in front of the house, and we thought the end had come. † (Sterling, n. d). More gruesome was the story of Joe Johnson who was elected into the Republican office. He was burnt nearly to death, and shot because of his refusal to resign from office (Sterling, n. ). His execution was witnessed by his wife who could do nothing against the oppressive terror and violence of the Ku Klux Klan. Blacks were not the only victims of the Ku Klux Klan regime. Whites who openly supported blacks saw their lives being threatened as well. Hannah Flournoy, a black woman, gave account of an execution involving a white Georgian who had supported the black cause. â€Å"[Men] bolted right in and commenced shooting†¦They were disguised but I knew a great many of them. Hannah â€Å"thought it right to take [Ashburn] in† and was â€Å"willing to die for him† simply on the basis of him being a Republican (Sterling, n. d). The incident reflected the loyalty of many blacks to stand beside those, white or otherwise, who sought to uphold their natural rights. Teachers were another group being targeted. Colored schools came under the attack of the Klan and were burnt to the ground (Norton et al, 2008). Many blacks endured the hardship of abuse and violence despite its injustice and unlawfulness. Recounted Harriet Hernandez, â€Å"He struck me on the forehead with a pistol†¦kicked me over [the fence]†¦dragged and beat [me and my daughter] along. † Despite the blacks being freed in the South, the activities of the Ku Klux Klan ensured that blacks would not enjoy the same rights as whites. â€Å"[Colored people] have no satisfaction to live like humans†¦all summer I have been working and it is impossible for me to enjoy it†, said Harriet (Sterling, n. d). Despite all the violence inflicted on them, blacks exhibited extraordinary courage in the face of threats by Klansmen. Emeline Bremfield whose husband was a target of the Klan, stood unwavering in the face of death, as the Klan confronted her of her husband’s whereabouts (Sterling, n. d). Blacks even went out of their way to fit into a black aggrieved society. Many like, Caroline Smith and Lucy McMillan, dressed down in order not to stand out for fear of being whipped (Sterling, n. d). Although the Ku Klux Klan‘s primary motive was the assertion of white political power, Klansmen took every opportunity they got to assert white supremacy mindsets. McMillan’s house was burned simply because she had mentioned she wanted to own land. Smith was whipped only to remind her not to â€Å"sass any white ladies† (Sterling, n. d). Aside from the destruction of property and life, black women suffered in yet another form – sexual assault. Klansmen sought to assert their superiority over black women by sexually harassing them. Some black women were even mutilated, like Frances Gilmore who was â€Å"cut with a knife†, or gang raped (Sterling, n. d). Racial hostility and terror ultimately brought down the Republican regime in the South. Efforts by the Ku Klux Klan prevented strong presence of the Republican coalition in the South and a restoration of the Democratic majority. The Klan continued to terrorize black people and ran amok until the Enforcement Acts and subsequent persecutions brought an end to the first Klan. Overall, the blacks suffered greatly during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. Despite having obtained emancipation, prejudices continued to affect their lives. Although we now know that it did not succeed in driving them out of the country, blacks today continue to face the same prejudices.

Freedom of Speech and Media

Freedom of Speech and Media The freedom of speech is defined as the right of a person to express thoughts, ideas, and personal opinions through a desired media without any restrictions unless restriction is necessary such as where exercising the right infringes upon the rights of others or where national security is at threat. Advocacy for freedom of speech has taken centuries of soldiering on in the background of repression by authoritarian regimes, culminating in the UN General Assembly adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. Hesiod writes a theological work challenging some religious matters in 700 BC. Cleisthenes introduces the Isegoria in the Greek political chambers in 508 BC. Socrates is tried and sentenced to death by an Athenian jury in 399 BC. John Milton writes the Areopagitica in 1644, which strongly talked against restrictions of freedom of the press in England. The UN General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. Freedom of Speech and the Mass Media are inseparable. International human rights documents outline Freedom of Speech as including: the freedom of thought, and freedom to seek, acquire, and give ideas and information through any chosen media. The mass media, having the role of covering events, gathering and spreading information, and controlling state authority activities needs to exercise responsibility in carrying out its duties. Media bias is a problem affecting freedom to information which is a component part of freedom of speech. The western mainstream media has been accused of giving biased reports on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Censorship of Media is necessary. The ICCPR identifies two key areas where restrictions must be enforced on the freedom of speech as: respect to the rights of others and protection of national security or public order or morals. The Rwanda genocide of 1994 is an example of unrestricted media. Freedom of speech in Kenya has gradually evolved through spirited advocacy from extreme repression in the first about three decades since its independence to acceptable standards as contained in international human rights documents. Foreign and local press particularly in the Moi regime, periodically went through censorship in the form of expulsion from the country, detention of journalists and confiscation of publication. Parliamentary debates were restricted with certain topics such as voting procedures almost being banned by the executive after the coup attempt of August 1982. Ford-Kenya Chairman Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in 1992, challenged in the High Court, the unfair advantage that the incumbent was receiving over the other parties in the state owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). The media act was enacted in 2007, which placed more restrictions on the media. The Waki report which highlights key issues to be implemented in order to avoid a repetition of the post election violence, gives no special address to the media. Advocacy for freedom of speech has been a long historical struggle in the world involving torture and bloodshed and should be upheld and defended at all costs. Mass Media and the Freedom of Speech Freedom of speech is one of the basic human rights commonly contained in international human rights documents. Also referred to as freedom of expression, it is an important element of a democratic society. Precisely, the other side to freedom of expression is freedom to information, which makes it possible for people to make informed decisions about their lives. The Freedom of Speech as a human right carries with it responsibility and is therefore exercised within certain restrictions enforceable through Mass Media. The freedom of speech can be defined as the right of a person to express thoughts, ideas, and personal opinions through a desired media without any restrictions unless restriction is necessary such as where exercising the right infringes upon the rights of others or where national security is at threat. Throughout history, man has sought to exercise freedom of speech within his social habitation. The earliest concept dates back to around 700 BC in Ancient Greece, where matters of speech freedom then, were close to the heart than any other place on earth. Hesiod, a non-cleric, wrote a theological work challenging some religious matters. This was in defiance of the norm because such matters were only addressed by those in high status (Allsop, Quadrant Online: The Difficult History of Free Speech). A historical landmark in the fight for freedom of speech is the 508 BC introduction of the Isegoria, meaning Free Speech, by Cleisthenes in the Greek political chambers. (Allsop, Quadrant Online: The Difficult History of Free Speech) This probably laid the foundation for Freedom of Speech in Athens and also the whole world because it was the first time laws on free speech were formally recognized by a democracy. Socrates trial and death in 399 BC effectively marked the death of the isegoria because for the next about 2000 years freedom of speech declined. Socrates may as well be regarded as the martyr and father of freedom of speech because he defiantly stood for what he believed even with the option of freedom if he changed his stand (Owens). For years after his death, his teachings and ideals remained in the hearts of proponents of free speech after him. The rebirth of free speech 1500 after Socrates in England had so much to reflect on Socrates ideology. John Miltons famous pamph let written in 1644, Areopagitica, which talked extensively against restrictions of freedom of the press had Greek influence, even its naming was after a hill in Athens the site of courts in ancient Greece. (Allsop, Quadrant Online: The Difficult History of Free Speech). The fight for speech freedom culminated in the UN general assembly adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. Article 19 of the UDHR is clear that freedom of speech and opinion is a human right, which includes freedom of thought, freedom to seek, acquire and give ideas and information through any chosen media. (Youthmedia:What is the Role of Speech in a Democratic Society) Other international documents such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) also express similar precepts. To be able to transmit and receive information, people need to access mass media. In any given state, the role of mass media is so important that it is many times considered as the fourth arm of government. The mass media covers events, gathers and spreads information and controls activities of state authorities (Youthmedia:What is the Role of Speech in a Democratic Society). Being an independent sector, the mass media has the power to influence society either favorably or destructively. It therefore has to be responsible and accurate in its dissemination of information. The media is sometimes not accurate. The western mainstream media, for example, has been accused of giving biased reports on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, where the reporters use language that influences the readers to favor Israeli attacks and de-taste Palestinian aggression (Walsh). The fact that a reporter is likely to take sides when covering particularly emotive matter begs the question whether we can get purely un-biased reporting from them. Such kind of bias is difficult to control and people may just have to live with it. Open and obvious bias, on the other hand, may develop its own control by the mare fact that the reader has recognized it, thereby avoiding being influenced by it. Censorship of Media is necessary. The society needs to be protected from information which is morally wrong, an infringement on the rights of others, or a threat to national security. The ICCPR identifies two key areas where restrictions must be enforced on the freedom of speech. These are respect to the rights of others, and protection of national security or public order or morals (Youthmedia:What is the Role of Speech in a Democratic Society). The Rwanda genocide of 1994 is an example of unrestricted radio use. Thompson (43) puts it clearly that radio played a central role in the build-up, during and after the genocide. Kenyas media enjoys freedom under the new constitution promulgated in 2010, Chapter 4 of the constitution contains an extensive bill of rights built around the standards of the UDHR and other international documents (Lwanga). Low moments in Kenyas democratic rights were from the countrys indepence in 1963 to the mid-Moi regime about three decades ago. As Cited by Gathu(7), Widner says that foreign and local press particularly in the Moi regime, periodically went through censorship in the form of expulsion from the country, detention of journalists and confiscation of publication. Parliamentary debates were restricted as certain topics such as voting procedures were almost banned by the executive after the coup attempt of August 1982. Such repressions were carried on until the beginning of multi-party politics in December 1991 where new opposition forces were legalized and they pressed for more freedom of expression. The weekly review, for example, points out that the then Ford-Kenya Chairman Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in 1992, challenged in the High Court, the unfair advantage that the incumbent was receiving over the other parties in the state owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (qtd. In Gathu 7). The new-found speech freedom in Kenya later began exhibiting incitement problems. For instance, the run-up to the 2005 referendum on the constitution was marred with political incitement. This led to the enactment of the media act in 2007, which placed more restrictions on the media (Lwanga). Even though Certain broadcasters were accused of using the media to incite people prior to the 2008 post election violence in Kenya, the Waki report which highlights key issues to be implemented in order to avoid a repetition of the post election violence, gives no special address to the media. The Mass media in Kenya has exercised responsible reporting since 2007 especially taking into account the recently concluded peaceful general elections on March 4, 2013; which were the first to be held under the new constitution. The desire for free speech has been deeply entrenched in the heart of man as an unwritten law since time immemorial, even before formal recognition by any authority. It has soldiered through history in the background of strong and sometimes brutal repression to be one of the key elements of human rights today. As freedom of speech is enjoyed today, the contributions of its great early crusaders such as Hesiod in the 700s BC, Socrates in 430 BC, and John Milton in 1644, cannot go unnoticed. Countless other brave advocates have endured persecution for what they strongly believed in. Now recognized worldwide and entrenched in international documents such as the UDHR and ICCPR this basic human right needs to be upheld and defended at all costs.

Acid Rain :: Free Essay Writer

For years ever since most of the world has been industrialized, the effects of pollution have plagued nations alike. Acid rain is one of the largest contributors to this industrialized form of pollution. Throughout this report an explanation of the devastating effects to the environment caused by acid rain will be given along with what is being done to stop it. Acid rain is made when pollutants arise from the use of coal in the production of electricity, from base- metal smelting and from fuel combustion in vehicles. Once the sulfur and nitrogen oxides from these man made causes are released into the air they are caught by wind currents and are blown hundreds of miles away. The gas pollutants drift along with clouds until the rain eventually converts the sulfuric dioxide into sulfuric acid, and the nitrogen oxide into nitric acid. The newly transformed acid rain, acid snow or fog, falls to the earth where the effects on aquatic habitats, humans, animals, trees, crops, and other forms of plant life are devastating. When acid rain comes in contact with aquatic ecosystems the chemistry of the effects can be extremely complex. If one species or group of species changes or dies out in response to the acid rain, then the whole entire body of water, especially in lakes, is affected through the predator- prey relationship of the food web. In some places where the acid deposition falls, natural substances absorb and neutralize the acid but in most places they build up and the water becomes as sour as lemon juice. In these instances the chance of a food web being disrupted are more likely to happen. When the acidity of the water is around the ph level of 6.0 fish cannot lay eggs. When they can’t reproduce and the acidity level grows then the fish out, and when in lakes are extremely difficult to be replaced. Around this acidity level plants also die out and are poisoned. Insects no longer have a food source and soon they are gone. The water fowl and other birds in the area that fed on fish and insects no longer have a food source and they are the next to go. As the whole entire food web come toppling down the aquatic ecosystems become quiet; quiet as a grave. Acid rain also effects crops and other plant life. Surprisingly though acid rain can actually help out some crops such as strawberries, corn, and tomatoes.

Comparing Death in Do not go gentle into that good night and Death Be N

Death in Do not go gentle into that good night and Death Be Not Proud  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Death Be Not Proud" both deal with the subject of death. These poems seem to have contradictory messages about death, yet at the same time have similar attitudes toward it. "Death Be Not Proud" talks about how death really has no power over people, while "Do not go gentle into that good night" says that it is part of human nature to fight against death. Both "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Death Be Not Proud" see death as an opponent; however, one sees it as an adversary that is already defeated while the other sees it as an enemy that must be defeated. In "Death Be Not Proud" Donne says "those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow / Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me"(lines 3-4). This passage shows Donne's belief that people will always overcome death. In Thomas' poem, he writes "Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright / Their frail deeds might have danced in the green bay, / Rage, rage against the dying of the light" (7-9). Even the "good men" are in the end defeated by death according to Thomas. The tone of both of these poems is one of resentment towards death, although in dissimilar ways. In "Death Be Not Proud" Donne hates death because it thinks it has power over humans and in his opinion just the opposite is true. Donne says that death is a "slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men." (9). He thinks death has no reason to be proud because he relies on these things for its power, so really people have power over death. Thomas feels almost the opposite, though. He sees death as having power over people, and is saying that people do not ... ...is father do the same. Although "Death Be Not Proud" is seemingly directed at the personification of death, it seems like it could also be directed at the people who treat death like it is "Mighty and dreadful" (2). He wants to get this message across to those that fear and respect death that death is controlled by people, not the other way around. These two poems can each be summed up by one line from each. In "Do not go gentle into that good night" the main point of the poem is "Old age should burn and rave at the close of day" (2), and in "Death Be Not Proud," "death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die" (14). When one looks at these two lines, the essence of these two poets disagreement on death is typified. Thomas believes one should "not go gentle into that good night," while Donne believes death is the "Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery" (8).

Opposition to State-Mandated Premarital HIV Screening Essays -- AIDS

Opposition to State-Mandated Premarital HIV Screening When screening for HIV became possible in mid-1985, debates began concerning the role of such screening in controlling the spread of AIDS. One such debate concerned state-mandated premarital HIV screening. This policy was proposed to the CDC conference in February of 1987, but never received much widespread support, because it satisfied neither the proponents of public health nor the proponents of civil liberties (Reamer 37). This essay will show that the state is unjustified in enacting such policy and hopefully also shed some light on why such policy received so little support. In a liberal society such as the United States that values both civil liberties and public health, it is often unclear which policies best address the threat posed by the AIDS epidemic. It is clear that on the one hand, the United States is committed to respect the privacy and personal autonomy of its citizens. Though not expressly written in the constitution, the right to privacy is implicit in the right to deny illegal search and seizure of home and explicit in the recent laws that protect the privacy of internet and credit card users. On the other hand, the United States is also committed to "promote the general welfare", meaning it has a moral obligation to promote public health. Traditionally, in the struggle between civil liberties and public health, the United States has given precedent to civil liberties but yielded to departures when it was proven that doing so was justifiable by the resulting benefits to public health. AIDS, however, challenges the balance between civil lib erties and public health like no other previous epidemic, due to the strong threat it poses to public health and ... ...avior, they could probably have been identified through programs aimed at groups with a higher prevalence of seropositives. Hence, the last two conditions of our ethical framework are also not met. Using an ethical framework borrowed from Childress, it is clear that a state committed to upholding the civil liberties of its citizens as well as promoting public health is unjustified in mandating premarital HIV screening. Such screening infringes on civil liberties and does not promote public health in an efficient way. The state is obligated to seek other policies by which to promote public health, such as voluntary testing and educational programming for married couples, which do not violate civil liberties and which more efficiently target those who are seropositive. Works Cited Reamer, Frederic G. AIDS & Ethics. Columbia University Press: New York, 1991.

Cutco Case Write-up Essay

What is direct selling?Direct selling is the face-to-face selling away from a business location. It is technically a form of non-store retailing. The manufacturer sells directly to the consumer or business customer as does Dell, Inc.Direct sellers are not employees of the company. They are independent contractors who market and sellthe products or services of a company in return for a commission on those sales.Direct selling is a push-marketing strategy where there are no physical stores. Orders are usually placedin person or via the consultant’s Web page. Sometimes the phone is used to place orders or reorders, but only about 12% of sales take place this way. Home shopping parties are the most widely recognizedsales method, where friends, family or acquaintances get together for a few hours to learn about orsample a range of products or services. However, the majority (about 70%) of the direct selling industry’s sales actually occur using a one  -to-one approach wher e one seller may present the productsor services to a single consumer. According to the direct selling association (DSA), some recent statistics are as follows- 85% of the sellersreport a good, very good or excellent experience with direct selling. 74% of U.S. adults have purchasedproducts from a direct seller. 70% of direct selling takes place in a residence, and almost two-thirdstakes place on a one-to-one basis.The popular form of direct selling is multilevel marketing. Multi-level marketing, which is commonlyreferred to as MLM, is one type of distribution method found in direct selling. You may also hear of theterm multilevel used to refer to a type of compensation plan that pays its representatives based on the individual’s product sales as well as that of their â€Å"downline,† which refers to a group of people thatconsultants bring into a company to generate sales.2. How would one respectively characterize Cutco Corp. and Vector Marketing Corp?Cutco Corporation, formerly Alcas Corporation, is the parent company of Cutco Cutlery Corp., multi-levelmarketing company Vector Marketing, KA-BAR Knives Inc. and Schilling Forge. Its primary brand is alsothe name Cutco. The company was founded in 1949 by Alcoa and Case Cutlery (hence â€Å"Al-cas†) tomanufacture knives. The management purchased the company from Alcoa in 1982, and the companyacquired Vector Marketing Corporation in 1985. In early 2009 Alcas changed its name to Cutco, thename of the primary product. See Figure 1 Figure 1www.cutco.com/aboutus More than 100 kitchen cutlery products are sold under the Cutco name, as well as a variety of kitchengadgets, utensils and flatware. The company also carries a line of cookware, sporting and pocket knivesand garden tools. As of 2012, Cutco was purchased by more than 15 million satisfied customers. Over700 manufacturing and administrative people are employed at the Cutco/Vector headquarters in Olean,N.Y. Cutco products are marketed directly, by appointment only, to consumers in the convenience of their homes, at fairs and shows, and sold in specialty Cutco retail stores located in:St. Louis, MO, Indianapolis, IN, Lansing, MI, Erie, PA.Vector Marketing  CorporationVector Marketing is both a multi-level and direct sales company that sells Cutco. Earlier on there werehundreds of small independent sellers of Cutco. In 1981, Vector was created as an independent seller.From 1981 to 1984 Vector sold way more than all the other independent sellers. In 1985, CutcoCorporation (back then it wa s called Alcas Corporation) bought the company from its owners toreplicate Vector’s success across the nation. Vector is now the exclusive seller of Cutco Cutlery. Vector’s home office is in Olean, New York, and has over 250 year-round, independently run locations throughout the United States, Canada, and PuertoRico. Vector has over 300 more temporary locations that open each year for the peak summer season.The sales efforts are organized by geographic location. Currently six regions exist and are combined intotwo companies-Vector East and Vector West.The sales representatives are primarily students who sell Cutco products during their summer vacations.Sales are made through in-house presentations in which representatives display the superiority of Cutcocutlery by cutting unconventional materials such as rope and leather. The operating margin of VectorMarketing is approximately 7 percent. Vector also runs a catalog to maintain a continuing relationshipwith customers after the summer peak season. Sales representatives continue to receive commissionson catalog sales as long they maintain a modest sales level. Vector also runs a we bsite to recruitstudents and service current customers and provide product information. 3.  How is Cutco Cutlery marketed?Cutco cutlery was designed to be the finest cutlery in the world. Cutco cutlery has always beenhistorically marketed through direct selling primarily via Vector Marketing Corporation. The peopleactually selling Cutco cutlery are independent contractors who effectively operate their own business.Sales RepresentativesThe sales representatives (mainly students) are paid a commission on the products they sell but do notreceive a salary from the company. These sales are made through in-home presentations in which salesrepresentatives validate and prove the superiority of Cutco cutlery through demonstrations. The onlydownfall to this method is that many of these college students join as a  Cutco representative to makemoney for the summers and the customers they create often lose contact with Cutco products and thecompany afterwards. Catalog SalesCutco created a small catalog mailing in 1985 that is now sent to 4 million customers around four timesthroughout the year. In 2011, this catalog generated 120,000 orders and approximately $18 million insales. This is important to continue because, as stated before, sales representatives often lose contactwith customers after the summer and this is a great way to retain customers and continue acquiringnew customer in the September through December months.Internet ActivitiesInitially a customer-oriented website focusing on customer service and product information only,customers soon started wanting to order directly off the website. This demand for e-commerce resultedin a closed customer site in 2000, in which only existing customer were allowed to view prices and placeorders. As of 2011, approximately 56,000 purchases were made online generating revenues of $8.7million and operating margins of 9 percent.Other Marketing initiativesThese included booths at county fairs and shows. In 2011, nearly 1,800 fairs and shows were bookedand revenue exceeded $9 million. Another initiative existed where realtors purchased Cutco products asgifts for potential customers/clients generating $4 million in revenue. Cutco also used other avenuessuch as Cutco retail locations to reach customers and social media to reach future representatives andcurrent customers to keep them abreast developments in product line changes and updates viamediums such as Facebook and Twitter. 4.  What factors should be considered when evaluating the possible growth drivers?Several factors should be considered when evaluating potential growth drivers: The current economic situation is an important factor in determining how inclined consumersare willing to spend their income on cutlery. Sustainability of brand recognition and brand presence. This needs to be considered becausewith virtually no mass-market marketing, word-of-mouth becomes very important to spread theword about the brand and its offerings. Creating more consumer exposure to the brand wouldbe needed to be evaluated to gain customers in the direct selling environment Availability of recruits is another factor that can influence potential growth drivers- as thenumber of recruits increases; the potential number of impressions can be increased. Investing in diverse recruiting procedures and multi-channel approaches to acquiring potentialrecruits instead of web-only efforts could be considered. Potential entry into international markets via joint ventures could be considered. This wouldobviously dependent upon the state of the global economy . The cost to expand supplementary channels (internet and catalog) and the potential impact ondirect sales. Effect of aggressive marketing on field sales and potential conflict arising from sales throughretail stores. What growth driver(s) should serve as a strategic focus? Why?Growth drivers for strategic focus should be as follows: Increasing the number of recruits will directly drive Vector’s revenue growth. Additional growthcan be achieved through investment and energy to improving recruiting approaches andstrategies. To generate more consumer product sales in the future, Cutco must invest in brand recognitionefforts. Consumers are more likely to buy a brand that they are familiar with and recognize. Ascompetition increases in the future, this will be one of the determining factors in increasingsales in a fragmented environment. Dependence solely on the domestic economy could spell disaster for sales. Therefore,expanding to international markets could be key for the brand in order to gain an edge on thecompetition. Traditionally direct sales representatives could sell to homes easily since one key decision makerin the family was always at home. Today with dual-earning households, supplementary channelssuch as the internet and catalogs are necessary to reach households. One of the riskiest strategic options is a retail channel. However, in today’s micro -segment retailenvironment consumers need choices and strategically this could easily complement the directsales efforts of Vector to reach more consumers and increase revenue. Co-branding withcelebrity chefs is one example of taking advantage of a pull-marketing retail environment.

Development, Influence and Impact

As p arents we elapse wondering if the outside allures will be a positive regulate on our babyren as they form relationships. This paper compares the systems of the bacteriologic Model of Human Development by providing eccentrics of the influences on a electric razors growth of received and irregular instruction in tikeren as closely as puberty, the fundamental inter fill betwixt cognitive, corporeal, and psycho hearty explicatement and its ability to influence boilersuit shaver development. Development The stupefy of forgiving development has been summarized through Erie Frontbencher champion of the worlds beginning(a) professionals in the field of developmental psychology.Within the publications of Frontbencher it is understood that his belief in the development of children is not in effect(p) one topic or system Frontbencher reports there are numerous outside influences that help wreak the childs aboutoneality/character (1990). The Microsystems stands for the connotations concerning former(a) Microsystems. For subject, how the family relates to the breach instruction, perform as good as to how the family interact with their tout ensembleys. The Ecosystem associates the amicable screen background that a aboutone does not substantiate an industrious role. For character, a spo rehearses or youths k straightledge at sept possibly will be swayed by a moms Involvements at run for.For instance lets register the mom received an advancement that necessitates supererogatory travel, this could ca enjoyment an argument between she and the preserve that in turns changes the chat whole use with individu onlyy other. When addressing the Microsystems we address the culture In which persons live. Everyones Microsystems grows and changes over eon, each continual peer group could change the Microsystems that Is unique to each person (C altogether, R. V. , & Caving, J. C. 2010). The Imitating of ecological actions In Dalton to the changes that overhaul such as divorce Is an example of the final system called the Chronometers.Influence It is clear along with the usual role of educating trail days micturate a bombasticr part to solve in the progress of our children. moreover, they cannot and should not be the single responsible fragment of our childrens educational activity/development. on with the incorporated into the Micro-system which makes a childs Microsystems complete (Beer 2000). When communication is unfortunate between different micro-systems, much gig risk people develop and are more unlikely to get hold in the general public. To reach the scoop out out flummoxs for a child, stimulating yet active styles must be combined in the indoctrinateing method.The family is the most powerful friendly unit of the Microsystems and such as controls how the youth performs in school. For that reason it demands that the school and the family interact to issue the best results. The family generate s an inspiring atmosphere by acquire voluminous with their childrens accomplishments (Addison 1992). The parental/school collaboration exists because it is the general public that allocates all the means to the school. Furthermore, the public also defines what somatic and which programs will be utilise in the school curriculum.Unfortunately in m each of our school districts children do not prolong an equal run awaying field nor do they have the opportunity to succeed as good as learn equally as item-by-items. One of the key reasons for this is directly traced to the childs socioeconomic standing a familys socioeconomic post is based on family in act, parental education level, parental occupation, in addition to their tender status within the companionship. According to Frontbencher (1990), outcomes exposed that children from upper kind cultures have a better relegate of success than children of scurvy income families.In addition, upper class individuals have the d etermine to go to better schools with better/ better services. However, not all children who come from poor backgrounds are assured to fail except thusly the following circumstances accept to be accessible there inescapably to be an atmosphere at understructure that stimulates the child to study, the family sets reasonably high expectations for their children as substantially as the family is involved with the child in avian fun, recognizing the accomplishments of the child and then praising the child for their effort.One of the main barriers for get attain class families is the lack of ability to enrol their children in extracurricular activities, for example, after school programs, summer camps and so on I total with Beer (2000) when stating the experience or impact the child brings with them into the classroom can be in itself an incentive or motivating means for success. Children from poor backgrounds will try to be successful so that they can passing water the diff iculties that they have experienced.On the other hand, since children with upper class parents have many more opportunities than those from a lower income status, they whitethorn see no need to run low hard. In this case, chance has no part to play in how well a child does in school. Need is what drives children to grab the chances that come their way. Just as it is stated that not all poor children will fail in becoming successful not all upper class children have had the proverbial spoon feeding. Brotherlinesss biological methods are cerebrate on the quality as well as circumstance of the childs surroundings.He states that as a child ages, the message inside these surroundings come to be more complicated. This complexity can increase as the childs physical and cognitive structures grow and develop. For example, our economy has locomote from a manufacturing model to a technical model however the designs of the office have been determined by the faith of the manufacturing work code. Adults/parents are likely to work a schedule that revolves enables workers to be free of manual of arms labor should free them from the time, place line restriction which would allow more amour from parents. ImpactOur views of learning and development have changed dramatically over the past several decades. Our view has changed from seeing learning as an individual and passive experience to recognizing learning as an active, dynamic and developmental process. We now conceive learning and growth as hap surrounded by a broader mount of persons, places, and natural settings. Family life in this boorish has taken a back clothe to the needs of the workplace. Also the debt model used to decide the level of reassert allowed by the public to low income familys needs to be review, and revised.Adults must announce themselves to need in order to meet the requirements for help that whitethorn possibly have come about because of our national price of freedom. The more kernel of failure reported means a larger amount of possible support the family could receive. If it is not enough we ask the family to get themselves by winning what pride they have we expect them to have the mental saturation to climb up the thread that had been propel for assistance. The volatility and impulsiveness of family life that we have let our budget generate is the greatest negative force to a childs growth (Addison, 992).Children do not have the end slight interaction with significant adults that is necessary for their development. According to Frontbencher we must nurture social outlooks that value work completed on behalf of children at all levels patisseries, educators, extended family, counselors, work administrators, lawmakers. The bio ecological systems possibleness combines sociology and thinking, through persons, and their surroundings influencing one another. Families elapse to struggle balancing work and family micro-system and ex. system.Laws haul and even est. the very existence of some people, for example, migrant inhabitants who cannot live together with their relatives micro-system and macro-system treacherous regions or possibly schools that create speculative and disloyal troposphere for families and children micro-system and macro-system. Brotherlinesss model shows how the individual matures inside, how the person is swayed and also by identifying the affects the systems Coloratura context. Relationships and Interactions To have the greatest effect, supports need to be flexible, balancing one another, moving in and out of their ottoman zone.Collaborating with an available set of community ample assets that support learning as well as adult influences on the childs community growth this can be divided into direct and indirect precedents of influence. Direct influence is linked with a parent or primary care domiciliaters personal intervention or focussing of a young childs social attitudes, reactions and behaviors. confirmi ng influence is related with a parents or caregivers example and the atmosphere he or she creates for children to comprehend in addition to oversee social contacts.Parents and other adults influence children in both direct and indirect slipway. For example, a parent could help a child Join a group of children playing a game together this is an example of a direct influence. An indirect example could look like a instructor who spent a little time counseling a specific student while other students observed they come to the conclusion through this observation that the teacher who was spending the time with their friend is now seen as approachable. With social examples. Parents and other adults frequently are unconscious teachers of young children.Young children whitethorn sift through and cast off the information parents or other adults consciously try to teach them. But the pattern a parent or caregiver demonstrates in how to treat others tends to leave a more powerful and lastin g impression. coif Positive Discipline, the discipline style of parents or caregivers can have a large influence on childrens social skills. Children look to learn how to interact with others from the model their parents use with them. A very important action a caregiver can give to each child is finding playmates for their children, setting play dates for their children.Enrolling children in organized social activities, such as swimming, soccer, preschool, 4-H clubs, helping children strive access to a social site by making introductions, participating in a game with other children, etc. Encouraging children to practice appropriate social interaction, such as sharing toys, inquire for favors, saying please and thank you, in addition to arranging and organizing a play group that meets regularly, providing your national or megabyte for a play environment, giving some supervision to the play Parents and caregivers can model positive struggle resolution for children.If possible, parents and other adults should use disputes as an opportunity to teach ND demonstrate peaceful ways of negotiating and compromising to children. Parents and caregivers can step in to help children negotiate differences with others and mediate for them as necessary when they are not getting along with others. Model effective conflict resolution and encourage appropriate behavior. Be a positive example of running(a) through conflict or differences with others.Practice parental coaching, which involves varying levels of supervision based on a childs age and needs, and superseding as needed when social situations become too dispute for young child to manage. Supervision of social interactions should become less intense and less obvious as children grow erstwhile(a), taking place more from a distance. With older children, children can be coached on their social relationships in private and with follow-up.Coaching and supervision may inhibit social development if through with(p) h arshly for example, if the parent is overly involved poor boundaries or uses physical force or aggressive verbal communication to intervene. final stage While there is no watch crystal ball and only hind push-down store is 20/20, the birth of a child signifies the beginning of a new life. young lives that are unprotected and will be subjected to several significant experiences that will play have a major influence on the growth of the child.Even though all child born is different from any other we have discussed the one constant that all children need weather they come from a family of means or a family that has little to offer financially. Children are aspect for the affirmations that should be present within their home and with the child/parent/ caregiver relationship. However when the person is missing that bond he or she will kook for forethought in unsuitable places and unfortunately particularly in adolescence they will learn anti-social behavior, boast a lack of sel f-discipline, as well as have the inability to provide self-direction (Addison, 1992).