Mexican-American culture. Music tradition. essays

Mexican-American culture. Music tradition. essays Music adds cultural continuity to any immigrant groups national, religious, and family celebrations. Like other immigrant groups, Mexican immigrants continued their musical traditions once they moved to the United States. The influence of music traditions from Mexico, particularly regional music, has always played an important role in the lives of Mexican immigrants. Music, according to anthropologists, reflects the cultural worlds of any group. An immigrant groups musical heritage represents an important factor in the groups maintenance of national and cultural identity within the larger American society. Throughout Mexican immigrant communities in the United States, distinctively Mexican music styles continue to flourish. Although a diversity of musical styles eventually develops within all immigrant groups, traditional music usually continues within a specific sector of the immigrant community. Musica Nortena (music from north of Mexico) represents one of the major and most recognizable styles of music from Mexico. Musica nortena refers to a music genre that originated in the northern states of Mexico such as Nuevo Leon, Tamualipas, and Chihuahua, and along the U.S.-Mexico border states, particularly Texas. From the earliest phases in their immigrant history, Mexican immigrants brought musica nortena with them to their new communities in the U.S. where the music evolved within their communities, blending new elements with those of the past. Musica nortena can be traced back to the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century. Mexican musicians and songwriters built on the influence of German immigrants who brought their distinctive music styles with them from Germany in the nineteenth century to South Texas and Northern Mexico. Within their communities, Germans listened and danced to German polkas and mazurkas. Im...

Which Colleges Require the SAT Essay Complete List

Which Colleges Require the SAT Essay Complete List SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Planning to take the SAT? Before you sign up, you need to decide whether you’re going to take the test with or without the optional Essay. How should you pick? Well, some colleges require that you apply with the SAT with Essay; others don’t care whether you submit an SAT score with or without the Essay. In this article, I’ll provide you with a complete list of colleges that require or recommend taking the SAT with the Essay. What Is the Optional SAT Essay? The redesigned SAT debuted in March 2016 along with a now-optional Essay section. For the Essay, you have 50 minutes to read a passage (similar to those you see on the Reading section) and write an essay dissecting how the author made the argument. Did the author use evidence to support the main claim? Appeals to emotion? Specific word choice? If you take the SAT without Essay, the test length is three hours. However, if you take the SAT with Essay, the optional Essay adds 50 minutes. It also costs more to take the SAT with Essay: $64.50 vs $47.50 without the Essay. Don't automatically assume you must take the Essay. Whether it's important for you depends on which schools (and scholarships) you're applying to, and what the rest of your application looks like. I'll go into more depth later about how to decide which version of the SAT to take. See if you need to take the SAT with Essay to end up here! List of Schools That Require the SAT With Essay Below, I’ve compiled a list of colleges that require or recommend taking the SAT with Essay. Info comes from the College Board and some individual schools who we consulted separately. NOTE: This list is subject to change, so make sure to double-check with each school you’re applying to. School State/Country Require or Recommend Abilene Christian University TX Recommend Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences NY Recommend Allegheny College PA Recommend Amherst College MA Recommend Art Institute of Houston TX Recommend Augsburg University MN Recommend Austin College TX Recommend Benedictine University IL Require Caldwell University NJ Recommend California State University, Northridge CA Recommend Central Connecticut State University CT Recommend Central Michigan University MI Recommend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania PA Recommend City University London UK Require Coastal Carolina University SC Recommend College of Wooster OH Recommend Colorado School of Mines CO Recommend Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art NY Recommend Corban University OR Recommend Cornerstone University MI Recommend Dallas Christian College TX Recommend Davidson College NC Recommend Delaware State University DE Require DeSales University PA Require Dominican University of California CA Require Eastern University PA Recommend Eastern Illinois University IL Recommend Eastern Nazarene College MA Recommend Five Towns College NY Recommend Gallaudet University DC Recommend George Washington University DC Recommend Georgia Highlands College GA Recommend Greenville University IL Recommend High Point University NC Require Hofstra University NY Recommend Holy Family University PA Recommend Howard University DC Recommend Husson University ME Recommend Indiana University Southeast IN Recommend Indiana Wesleyan University IN Recommend Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus Puerto Rico Recommend John Wesley University NC Require Juilliard School NY Recommend Kentucky State University KY Require Lehigh University PA Recommend Madonna University MI Recommend Manhattan College NY Recommend Martin Luther College MN Require Marymount California University CA Recommend Massachusetts Maritime Academy MA Recommend McMurry University TX Recommend Molloy College NY Require Montana Tech of the University of Montana MT Recommend Morehouse College GA Recommend Mount Saint Mary College NY Recommend Mount St. Joseph University OH Recommend New Jersey City University NJ Recommend Nichols College MA Recommend North Park University IL Recommend Occidental College CA Recommend Ohio University OH Recommend Oregon State University OR Recommend Purdue University Northwest IN Recommend Randall University OK Recommend Randolph-Macon College VA Recommend Reading Area Community College PA Recommend Rowan University NJ Recommend Rutgers University- Camden Campus NJ Recommend Saint Michael's College VT Recommend Schreiner University TX Require SciencesPo France Recommend Seton Hill University PA Recommend Shiloh University IA Recommend Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania PA Recommend Silver Lake College of the Holy Family WI Recommend Soka University of America CA Require Southern California Institute of Architecture CA Require Southern Illinois University Carbondale IL Recommend Southern Oregon University OR Recommend Spring Hill College AL Recommend Stanford University CA Recommend Sul Ross State University TX Recommend SUNY Farmingdale State College NY Recommend SUNY University at Stony Brook NY Recommend Texas AM International University TX Recommend Texas AM University TX Recommend Texas AM University- Galveston TX Require Texas State University TX Recommend The King's College NY Recommend United States Military Academy (West Point) NY Require University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) CA Require University of California, Davis (UC Davis) CA Require University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) CA Require University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) CA Require University of California, Merced CA Require University of California, Riverside CA Require University of California, San Diego (UCSD) CA Require University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) CA Require University of California, Santa Cruz CA Require University of Evansville IN Recommend University of La Verne CA Recommend University of Mary Hardin- Baylor TX Recommend University of Massachusetts Amherst MA Recommend University of Minnesota, Twin Cities MN Recommend University of New England ME Recommend University of North Texas TX Require University of the Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Recommend University of Toledo OH Recommend University of Washington Bothell WA Recommend VanderCook College of Music IL Recommend Virginia Union University VA Recommend Wabash College IN Recommend Webb Institute NY Recommend Webber International University FL Recommend Wesleyan College GA Recommend West Virginia University WV Require West Virginia University Institute of Technology WV Require Western Carolina University NC Require William Jessup University CA Recommend William Jewell College MO Recommend Surprisingly (and in contrast to how it's been in the past), top schools mostly do not require the SAT essay. Currently, no Ivy League School requires students to take the SAT with Essay; the same is true for Caltech, Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Northwestern, NYU, and UChicago. Many of these schools no longer even recommend students take the SAT with Essay, which is a huge turnaround from even a couple of years ago. Most liberal arts colleges do not require or recommend the SAT with Essay. However, there are a few exceptions: Soka University requires it, and Amherst College and Occidental College both recommend it. In general, most state schools also do not require the SAT with Essay, although there's still a significant portion which do. There tends to be some weird variance even within states. For example, all University of California schools require the SAT with Essay, but most of the California State University schools do not. Regardless of the types of schools you're applying to, don’t assume that they all ask for the SAT with Essay. Check with every school to make sure you understand their testing requirements. To take or not to take, that is the question. How to Decide Whether to Take the SAT Essay When making your decision about whether to take the SAT with Essay or the SAT without Essay, you'll need to consider the following four questions: #1: Do Any Schools I Want to Apply to Require the SAT Essay? If you’re applying to any school that requires the Essay, then you must take the SAT with Essay. If you take the SAT without Essay, your application will be incomplete and you won't get admitted. By contrast, if you apply to any schools that don't require the SAT Essay, you can still take the SAT with Essay since these schools will accept both types of SAT scores (with or without Essay). To reiterate, colleges that require the SAT Essay won't consider your score if you took the SAT without the Essay. The last thing you want to do is take the SAT without the Essay and get a good score- but then find out that one of your target schools requires you to take the SAT with Essay. Remember that some colleges change their application policies from year to year, so make sure to double-check the testing policies of the schools you’re applying to. #2: Do Any Schools I Want to Apply to Recommend the SAT Essay? If you're not applying to any schools that require the SAT Essay section but are applying to some that recommend it, then I'd still suggest taking it. This gives you another dimension schools can use to evaluate your application. However, there are some cases in which you shouldn't take the SAT with Essay as well. If, for some reason, you do not qualify for SAT fee waivers and paying the extra cost to take the SAT with Essay would be a financial burden to you, then please don't feel like you have to take it; in this case, it's fine to take the SAT without Essay instead. In addition, if you really struggle to write essays under time constraints (due to anxiety), you might want to opt out of the Essay. However, I only recommend this for students who normally have strong English and writing skills but struggle to write coherent essays when there's the added pressure of a time constraint. For example, do you get As on essays you can work on at home but Cs on in-class essays because you get easily nervous? If that's the case, taking the SAT with Essay might not be a good idea. #3: Am I Applying to Any Scholarships That Require an SAT With Essay Score? Many scholarships (such as National Merit) require you to submit SAT scores, and some specifically want SAT with Essay scores. Therefore, be sure to check the requirements of each scholarship you're planning on applying for. While scholarships that don’t require or recommend the SAT Essay should still accept your SAT with Essay score, scholarships that require the Essay section will not consider your SAT score if you took the no-essay version. #4: Will the SAT Essay Enhance My Application in Other Ways? Generally speaking, taking the SAT Essay if it's not required won't add a lot to your application. In truth, colleges that don't recommend or require the Essay really don't pay much attention to it. However, the Essay might be helpful for international students who want to prove they have strong English skills and who think they'll do especially well on it. If you fall into this category and feel confident that you'll get a high score on it (after doing practice essays, for example), definitely consider taking the SAT with Essay. On the other hand, if you don't think you'll do well on the Essay, I recommend against taking it. What’s Next? Need help preparing for the SAT? Read our ultimate study guide to get expert tips on prep and access to the best free online resources. If you're taking the test soon, learn how to cram for the SAT. Want to learn more about the SAT Essay? Check out our step-by-step guide to writing a great Essay. Not sure where you want to go to college? Learn how to do college research right and figure out your SAT target score. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Explain how westward expansion impacted American history Essay

Explain how westward expansion impacted American history - Essay Example However, the process turned to be violent due to the outbreak of the Mexican war. The Western expansion of America has some social, political and economic impact in the history of the country. Politically, the expansion to the west helped in spreading the American ideologies with major support of the Democratic Party. People moved to the western states of Kentucky and Tennessee where they survived under the ideologies of the Democratic Party that subjected great support to expansion (Billington and Martin 9). The early penetration of the Democratic Party in the areas towards the west of America confirms dominance of the party in the regions. The expansion also opened access of USA to the Atlantic and Pacific seas that linked America to other western countries like Mexico and Russia. Socially, the western expansion caused both positive and negative experiences. Positively, the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862 that encouraged people apply free 160-acre plots in the western regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Hawaii among others, would see many Blacks from the South migrate to own lands alongside the white slave masters. Social justice and fairness began to appear as a reality to the Black community (Billington and Martin 18). Negatively, the western expansion broke and ruined social life of Native American tribes who constituted the great population in the western sides. The communities struggled to resist the expansion and triggering war that saw displacement and killing of many Indians. Economically, western ward expansion supported expeditious completion of the Transcontinental Railway system that would facilitate trade across America, running from east to west. According to Carlisle, the access to ports along Atlantic and Pacific oceans surrounding some of the regions bought and annexed as part of expansion boosted trade power of America (20). It was easy to access

Chapter3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter3 - Essay Example This business is affected by regulations that govern the standard of products being produces. There are potential fines if the standard law is not met. Canada is a stable country so the company does not experience frequent changes in laws and regulations. The economic analysis examines how the business is affected by the world’s economy. The non-alcoholic beverage industry in Canada has high sale because of the high economic growth in the country. Social analysis examines how changes in the society affect the organization. Consumers who are around the ages of 37 to 55 are becoming more concerned with nutrition. They are changing their lifestyles to a more healthy habit. Technological analysis examines how emerging technology affects the company (Edwards, 2014). This company has taken advantage of new technology to improve its products in terms of packaging the products and through its marketing strategy. The legal analysis examines how the company is affected by the national a nd world legislation. The company has all the rights that is applicable to the nature of its business. The Environmental analysis examines how environmental issues affect the company. Coca Cola makes sure that all its facilities comply with the environmental laws set by the government. The company understands the importance of studying the PESTLE in its success. Companies operate in very competitive markets where substitutes and competitors keep on emerging. It is crucial for companies to be innovative in order to survive in the industry. One product that faces competition is Colgate. This toothpaste has been in the market for many years and is one of the most trusted brand s in the market. This is also recommended by dentist worldwide for its ability to strengthen the enamel, whiten the teeth and freshens the breathe. However, toothpaste brands have increased significantly in the market over the years. The market is filled with many brands, each with its own

The Contributions of the P-51 Mustang to the Victory of the Allies :: World War Two American History Essays

The Contributions of the P-51 Mustang to the Victory of the Allies This paper deals with the contributions of the P-51 Mustang to the eventual victory of the Allies in Europe during World War II. It describes the war scene in Europe before the P-51 was introduced, traces the development of the fighter, its advantages, and the abilities it was able to contribute to the Allies' arsenal. It concludes with the effect that the P-51 had on German air superiority, and how it led the destruction of the Luftwaffe. The thesis is that: it was not until the advent of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter, and all of the improvements, benefits, and side effects that it brought with it, that the Allies were able to achieve air superiority over the Germans. This paper was inspired largely by my grandfather, who flew the P-51 out of Leiston, England, during WW II and contributed to the eventual Allied success that is traced in this paper. He flew over seventy missions between February and August 1944, and scored three kills against German fighters. Table of Contents Introduction Reasons for the Pre-P-51 Air Situation The Pre-P-51 Situation The Allied Purpose in the Air War The Battle at Schweinfurt The Development of the P-51 The Installation of the Merlin Engines Features, Advantages, and Benefits of the P-51 The P-51's Battle Performance The Change in Policy on Escort Fighter Function P-51's Disrupt Luftwaffe Fighter Tactics P-51's Give Bombers Better Support Conclusion Works Cited Introduction On September 1, 1939, the German military forces invaded Poland to begin World War II. This invasion was very successful because of its use of a new military strategic theory -- blitzkrieg. Blitzkrieg, literally "lightning war," involved the fast and deadly coordination of two distinct forces, the Wermacht and the Luftwaffe. The Wermacht advanced on the ground, while the Luftwaffe destroyed the enemy air force, attacked enemy ground forces, and disrupted enemy communication and transportation systems. This setup was responsible for the successful invasions of Poland, Norway, Western Europe, the Balkans and the initial success of the Russian invasion. For many years after the first of September, the air war in Europe was dominated by the Luftwaffe. No other nation involved in the war had the experience, technology, or numbers to challenge the Luftwaffe's superiority. It was not until the United States joined the war effort that any great harm was done to Germany and even then, German air superiority remained unscathed. It was not until the advent of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter, and all of the improvements, benefits, and side effects that it brought with it, that the Allies were able to achieve air superiority over the Germans. Reasons for the Pre-P-51 Air Situation The continued domination of the European skies by the Luftwaffe was caused by two factors, the first of which was the difference in military theory

Friedrich Nietzsche Essay

I chose to write on Freidrich Nietzsche . He was criticized for all of his writing because they were so controversial. He was mostly known for his statement â€Å"the Death of God†. It was said that a lot of his philosophies were misunderstood by most of his readers. He was commonly classified as a German philosopher. He believed in life, creativity, health, and the realities of the world we live in, rather than those situated in a world beyond. His key ideas were the death of god, perspectivism, the Ubermensch, the will to power, and the eternal recurrence. His philosophy was highly innovative and revolutionary but was also indebted to the pre-Socratic Greek thinker Heraclitus. Nietzsche frequently criticized Christianity in offensive and the most blasphemous ways possible. His views on morality were what got the most attention by other scholars. In his Daybreak he called himself an â€Å"immoralist† and often criticized the morality of his day. He wanted to create a new more naturalistic source of value in the fundamental impulses of life itself. He claims that Christianity had more of a master-slave morality than anything else. He associated the master-slave morality to that of the Jewish and Christian traditions. He associates good morals with charity, piety, restraint, meekness and submission and evil one’s being cruel, selfish, wealthy, and aggressive. He saw slave morality was mainly born out of the resentment slaves held toward their masters. It worked to give the slaves their own sense of inferiority over the wealthy or better off masters. His beliefs made it seem as if the slaves had chosen to be enslaved because they were believed to have the good morals. Their refusal to stand up for themselves was relabeled as meekness to further prove this point. Nietzsche argued that slave morality is essentially the morality of effectiveness since moral goodness involves anything that is helpful to whom is weak and poor. Nietzsche saw modern day Europe and its Christianity existing only as a hypocritical state due to the tension created by the master-slave morality. He made it clear that although he didn’t believe that morality was bad, it was just portrayed wrongfully. He believed that each individual should be responsible for their own morality and how they wanted to portray it. One of his favorite mottos was taken from Pindar was â€Å"Become what you are. † In Nietzsche’s view recent development in modern science and the increasing of secularization of European society had effectively â€Å"killed† the Christian God who served as a meaning and value in the west for more than a thousand years. He claimed that the death of god would eventually lead to the loss of any if not all universal perspective on things. The death of god would also cause people to hang on to their own multiple, diverse, fluid perspectives. This thought was eventually named perspectivism. But instead it was believed that the death of god would eventually go from perspectivism to nihilism or the belief that nothing had natural importance and that life itself lacked purpose. Nietzsche then said in The Spoke Zarathustra that an Ubermensch would be brought upon the people. He believed that only after a long twilight period with no God and nihilism Zarathustr’s gift of the superman would be given to mankind. Any problem that shall arise could be solved by the superman. An important element form his philosophical attitude was â€Å"will to power† which was a foundation for understanding motivation in human behavior. He held that the will to power was much more important than the force for adaptation or survival. According to him, it was only in limited situations where the drive for conservation was higher than the will to power, primarily when life was reduced to a state of poverty and limitation. He claimed that the natural condition of life was one of abundance. Later in his works he claimed that the will to power applied to all living things not just mankind. He suggested that adaptation and the struggle to survive came secondary in the evolution of animals and was less important than their desire to expand their power. He eventually took it even further claiming that even inorganic nature also followed the same rules. Nietzsche will to power was often compared to Schopenhauer’s will to live theory. Schopenhauer work was written an entire generation before Nietzsche and was believed to be borrowed. Schopenhauer’s belief was that the entire universe and everything in it was driven by a primordial will to live, resulting in all creatures’ desire to avoid death and procreate. Nietzsche however challenged this belief stating that people and animals really just want power and living in itself is only a subsidiary aim necessary to promote one’s own power. He backed up this belief by using competitive fighting as an example. He stated that people as well as animals were willing to risk their lives to gain power or higher ranking within their groups. Nietzsche was compared to other writers before him along with their views and beliefs on motivation of the human behavior, each time Nietzsche argued that in the end the will to power provided the most useful and general explanation. One of Nietzsche’s articles Eternal Return, was also known as the eternal recurrence, and was used as an answer to nihilism. In it he states that the wish for eternal return of all events would mark the ultimate affirmation of life. To comprehend the eternal recurrence in his thought and not to purely come to peace with it but to embrace it required the love of fate. Some people had stated that the Eternal Return was a crucial part of Nietzsche’s work and was central to his entire philosophy but was not widely discussed felt as though a large part of his philosophy was left untouched and unexplored. The basic explanation was that the universe was limited in extent and contained a finite amount of matter; time was viewed as being infinite. The universe however had no starting or ending state and matter comprised its constant changing state. The number of possible changes was infinite so sooner or later the same state would eventually occur. This concept was one of his most difficult to understand, he used it as an existential thought experiment. His most famous quote on eternal recurrence was called â€Å"the heaviest burden† and the best way to comprehend it was to let it be read by the reader. What if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: â€Å"This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but ever pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything immeasurably small or great in your life must return to you-all in the same succession and sequence-even this spider and his moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned over and over, and you with it, a grain of dust! † Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or how well disposed would you have to become to yourself and to life to crave nothing more fervently that this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal? -Nietzsche

Negative Leadership Behavior Essay

Negative Leadership Behavior Bad leadership experiences can be both a bad experience and a learning experience. We have all had bad experiences with leaders and we should use these experiences to help us grow and become good leaders. Poor leaders tend to be focused more on themselves than on their employees and this will cause employees to lose trust in their leader and to disregard their leader’s guidance and advice. A lot of companies suffer because of poor leadership and leaders not utilizing their employees properly. A company can still be successful even if it has poor leadership from what I have experienced, but the success is usually short lived. A company will not reach its goals or stay on top with poor leadership. My personal experience with poor leadership would be when leaders fail to recognize their team member’s individual talents and give the right assignments to the right people (Simonton). I was working at Staples as their Easy Tech Associate and the leadership there was terrible. The mangers were lazy and one had just turned 21 years old with the mind of a 13 year old. They would assign people tasks and walk away without explaining anything or showing them what they wanted done. My boss was terrible at his job and couldn’t fix a computer to save his life. There were several times where he made customers promises that he couldn’t deliver on and I would have to come in and save him. He was very unorganized and every time I came into work I had to hunt things down that I needed and play find the paperwork for computers that were there for repair. It made my job harder having to clean up after him and kept me from getting things done that I needed to do. It seemed like I had to go behind everyone that worked there because nobody seemed to know what they were doing. This is why I eventually quit. My poor leadership experience at Staples really addressed several poor leadership characteristics. The management team showing a lack of energy and desire by not caring if anything got done right or got done at all. They set low goals for themselves so that they could feel like they were accomplishing something, but would try to pawn off the real work onto their employees. They wouldn’t listen to any ideas from their employees because they felt like they knew it all. This one was very hard for me because I can’t stand working for someone that I am smarter than, but they think they are smarter than me. The leaders there also lacked any type of true leadership skills or any real skills at all (AG Careers). I couldn’t sell anything unless I would be there to do the work. Almost every time I came to work I had to deal with an irate customer because my manager failed to do what he had promised them. Poor leadership not only makes the employees suffer, but the company suffers as well. To fix this problem, Staples should pay more attention to who they put in leadership roles and what assignments that they give to employees. They could listen to their employees more and do a better job at addressing their employees concerns an suggestions. The management team should take more time to show employees how to properly do things so that they are done right the first time and no one has to go after them and fix it. The management team could also do a better job at leading by example. If the managers did their part, this would entice the employees to work harder and the store would be in so much better shape (Simonton). Staples could also provide extra training for their managers to help point out their poor leadership qualities and show them ways to address them to turn them into good leadership qualities. Conclusion The poor leadership that I experienced at Staples didn’t make me think badly of the people I worked with, but it did make Staples as a company look poorly organized. Bad leaders don’t just make themselves look bad, they make the company look bad as well. It is just as important for a company to address bad leadership qualities as it is good leadership qualities. When good leadership practices are exercised, employees will take pride in their work and whatever the leaders put into it will be multiplied by how many employees that they have. In order for a company to be successful and stay successful, they have to have a good strong leadership team. Without good leadership, they are like a ship at sea with no paddles or motor, they will just drift around or sink instead of getting to their destination. References: AG Careers. (n.d.). The traits of good and bad leaders. Retrieved from http://www.agcareers.com/newsletters/the_traits.htm Dodd, D. (2004, January 1). On the road of experience: Seven observations on leadership. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/road-experience-seven-observations-leadership Goodell, R. (2012, October). Characteristics of a poor leader. Retrieved from http://www.wjmassoc.com/insight/characteristics-of-a-poor-leader/ Simonton, B. (n.d.). Good leadership vs. bad leadership. Retrieved from http://www.bensimonton.com/good-vs-bad-leadership.html

Free Essays on BlockBuster Strategy

Blockbuster Video With the growing usage and purchase of videos and VCRs, David Cook started Blockbuster. The industry at the time had many individual video rental stores, and the stores that existed were not very customer responsive. This fragmented market, had low entry barriers for starting a video store. Blockbuster realized the growing demand in videos, and as a result Cook started a video superstore based on: giving a unique identity to customers, a wide variety of tapes, a longer rental time, targeting the largest market segments, and longer more convenient hours. These concepts promoted Blockbusters differentiation in the industry, offering a better valued service to the customers. Soon Blockbuster franchised, opening stores in the most populated areas to ensure a higher return on investment. In addition, Blockbuster uses horizontal mergers to consolidate their respective industries. As a result, Blockbuster creates an overall economy of scale. In addition, Blockbuster used a chaining strategy to obtain cost leadership. This is because through being interconnected they can function as one business entity offering lower prices and wider selections to customers. To make sure their growth would be sustainable, Blockbuster hired top managers with skills to grow retail chains. Blockbuster marketed their services on numerous television markets reaching 75 percent of the U.S population. As a result, Blockbuster was able to build brand recognition through convenience and family oriented video image. Blockbuster started to diversify realizing that the entertainment industry was changing. Blockbuster started to sell complimentary goods such as food products in addition to movies to increase sales. In addition, they started to rent video games to increase sales and appeal to the younger consumers. Also, buying Spelling Entertainment and creating horizontal mergers with Sound Warehouse and Music Plus in the entertainment industry, Bl... Free Essays on BlockBuster Strategy Free Essays on BlockBuster Strategy Blockbuster Video With the growing usage and purchase of videos and VCRs, David Cook started Blockbuster. The industry at the time had many individual video rental stores, and the stores that existed were not very customer responsive. This fragmented market, had low entry barriers for starting a video store. Blockbuster realized the growing demand in videos, and as a result Cook started a video superstore based on: giving a unique identity to customers, a wide variety of tapes, a longer rental time, targeting the largest market segments, and longer more convenient hours. These concepts promoted Blockbusters differentiation in the industry, offering a better valued service to the customers. Soon Blockbuster franchised, opening stores in the most populated areas to ensure a higher return on investment. In addition, Blockbuster uses horizontal mergers to consolidate their respective industries. As a result, Blockbuster creates an overall economy of scale. In addition, Blockbuster used a chaining strategy to obtain cost leadership. This is because through being interconnected they can function as one business entity offering lower prices and wider selections to customers. To make sure their growth would be sustainable, Blockbuster hired top managers with skills to grow retail chains. Blockbuster marketed their services on numerous television markets reaching 75 percent of the U.S population. As a result, Blockbuster was able to build brand recognition through convenience and family oriented video image. Blockbuster started to diversify realizing that the entertainment industry was changing. Blockbuster started to sell complimentary goods such as food products in addition to movies to increase sales. In addition, they started to rent video games to increase sales and appeal to the younger consumers. Also, buying Spelling Entertainment and creating horizontal mergers with Sound Warehouse and Music Plus in the entertainment industry, Bl...

The Powers of Congress

The Powers of Congress The powers of the United States Congress are set forth in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution. The constitutionally granted powers of Congress are further defined and interpreted by the rulings of the Supreme Court, and by its own rules, customs, and history. The powers explicitly defined by the Constitution are called the â€Å"enumerated powers. Other powers not specifically listed in Section 8, but assumed to exist, are called â€Å"implied powers. Making Laws Of all the powers of Congress, none is more important than its enumerated power to make laws. Article I of the Constitution sets forth the powers of Congress in specific language. Section 8 states, Congress shall have Power †¦ To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof. Laws arent simply conjured out of thin air, of course. In fact, the legislative process is quite involved and designed to ensure that proposed laws are given careful consideration.   Briefly, any senator or congressman may introduce a bill, after which it is referred to the appropriate legislative committee for hearings. The committee, in turn, debates the measure, possibly offering amendments, then voting on it. If approved, the bill heads back to the chamber from which it came, where the full body will vote on it. Assuming lawmakers approve the measure, it will be sent to the other chamber for a vote. Once the measure clears Congress, it is ready for the president. If both bodies have approved legislation that differs, it must be resolved in a joint congressional committee before being voted on again by both chambers. The legislation then goes to the White House, where the president may either sign it into law or veto it. Congress, in turn, has the power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Amending the Constitution In addition, Congress has the power to amend the Constitution, though this is a long and arduous process. Both chambers must approve the proposed constitutional amendment by a two-thirds majority, after which the measure is sent to the states. The amendment must then be approved by three-quarters of state legislatures. The Power of the Purse Congress also has extensive powers over financial and budgetary issues. These powers include: levy and collect taxes, duties, and excise fees;allocate money to pay the government’s debts;borrow money on the credit of the United States;regulate commerce between the states and other nations;coin and print money; andallocate money to provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States The Sixteenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, extended Congress’ power of taxation to include income taxes. Its power of the purse is one of Congress primary checks and balances on the actions of the executive branch Armed Forces The power to raise and maintain armed forces is the responsibility of Congress, and it has the power to declare war. The Senate, but not the House of Representatives, has the power to approve treaties with foreign governments, as well. Other Powers and Duties Congress keeps the mail moving by establishing post offices and the infrastructure to keep them going. It also appropriates funds for the judicial branch. Congress can establish other agencies to keep the country running smoothly as well. Bodies such as the Government Accountability Office and the National Mediation Board ensure that the monetary appropriations and the laws that Congress passes are applied properly. Congress can also investigate pressing national issues, famously holding hearings in the 1970s to investigate the Watergate burglary that ultimately ended the presidency of Richard Nixon, and it is charged with supervising and providing a balance for the executive and judicial branches. Each house has some exclusive duties as well. The House can initiate laws that require people to pay taxes and can decide whether public officials should be tried if accused of a crime. Representatives are elected to two-year terms, and the Speaker of the House is second in line to succeed the president after the vice president. The Senate is responsible for confirming presidential appointments of Cabinet members, federal judges, and foreign ambassadors. The Senate also tries any federal official accused of a crime, once the House determines that a trial is in order. Senators are elected to six-year terms; the vice president presides over the Senate and has the right to cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie.​ The Implied Powers of Congress In addition to the explicit powers enumerated in Section 8 of the Constitution, Congress also has additional implied powers derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution, which permits it, â€Å"To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.† Through the Supreme Court’s many interpretations of the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Commerce Clause- the enumerated power to regulate interstate commerce- such as McCulloch v Maryland, the true range of the lawmaking powers of Congress extends far beyond those enumerated in Section 8. Updated by Robert Longley   Phaedra Trethan is a freelance writer who also works as a copy editor for the Camden Courier-Post. She formerly worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she wrote about books, religion, sports, music, films, and restaurants.

Critical Thinking Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking Questions - Essay Example These principles include dialectical critique, risk, reflexive critique, collaborative resources, theory and plural structure. An exemplary example is the action research process that has been initiated in the Caribbean Windward Islands. This was after the Caribbean government realized that the process involved several organizations and numerous business groups. Therefore, an action research approach was recommended as the best alternative in this situation. There are several categories of evaluation studies that can be employed in a program. These six categories of evaluation studies include objectives-oriented, management-oriented, consumer-oriented, expertise-oriented, adversary-oriented and naturalistic and participant-oriented evaluations (Fitzpatrick, Sanders, & Worthen, 2004). These evaluation approaches are quite critical in certain programs. An objective can be defined as the declaration of a result that is to be accomplished (Fitzpatrick, Sanders, & Worthen, 2004). Objectives can be broken down into several precise declarations that determine the activities or means that attribute to the success of a program. Research asserts that the objective-oriented evaluation approach is the best methodology that can be employed in a writing center. This approach has a positive significant impact on the writing of students. In fact, this approach mainly focuses on the outcomes of the program. This approach is also accepted globally, and it is also easy to use, hence; it enables objectives to be set. However, the approach majorly overlooks some unintended outcomes. Management-oriented evaluation is normally geared to serve the decision makers. In addition, the success of the program is mainly based on the teamwork between the decision makers and the evaluators. This clearly asserts that the decision maker is the individual on which the evaluation is directed. This approach is useful in program management. It has been employed in educational