Lifestyle of a Stripper Essay

Strippers, prostitutes and porn stars are the forgotten women of American society. Men adore them for their sexual prowess. Women despise them for their blatant sexuality. Prejudiced against as a result of their career choices, these women are truly outcasts. Exotic dancing in the United States is often considered an immoral activity. Women in the exotic dancing world are the subjects of scorn and ridicule all across the country. However, some women are able to take this situation and turn it to their advantage. By creating an illusion or fantasy in the three main areas of the club (the stage, the floor, and back room) many dancers feel that they are able to elevate themselves to a position of power over the patron. This perceived power not only allows the dancer to have control over the situation, but also allows the dancer to make money and possibly other material gains. In this paper, I will attempt to extract strippers lifestyle and there occupation as they live the life of a str ipper. Some strippers love to strip (exotic dancing in nude) because they enjoy the environment and the lust that follows it. A dancer in San Francisco feels different about exotic dancing. She thinks of it as an art, and she feels that she can create her own performance when she’s on stage as she can choreograph her moves and her likes. â€Å"I love the dancing; I love the art of it. I love to be on stage performing, and I love to create new stuff to perform. There are some basic things you have to do,† she explains, â€Å"like be totally naked by the end of the dance, do something with the pole at some point, and make sure that you’ve touched yourself, but other than that, anything goes.† She explains how she can easily act or perform on stage. College students actually chose stripping as a side job. Employed at a strip joint can give them some extra cash. Like many students at universities across the country money can be a problem. School, rent, phone and water bills add up and this does not even include spending money. Because of the pressure from mounting bills and money needs, students decide to look for a job as a stripper. As a full time student any job that can fit his or hers schedule would be perfect. Strippers have very flexible hours. A job where he or she could work three or four times a week, for about twenty hours total, would be great. Pay is another factor in the decision process. Like  this article where a student explains her first night as a stripper. â€Å"The hardest part for me at first was not the dancing itself onstage, but actually talking to the patrons in the club. At the end of my shift† The student explains, â€Å"I left the club with a little over five hundred dollars, I only worked for five hours.† After that I was hooked on dancing. There were also more benefits than just the money,† comments the student. â€Å"The hours were flexible and I could work just three or four nights a week.† This fit in well since the student needed the extra time to get class work accomplished. In the city of Las Vegas, were the professional strippers get paid two hundred thousand dollars a year. Due to the negative connotations associated with exotic dancing in the United States, one may begin to ask how these ideas affect the minds and therefore daily lives of the women involved in the world of exotic dancing. Some negative draw backs of becoming a stripper are the introduction to drugs an so forth. Because exotic dancing has a negative reputation in the United States, one wonders what affect the business has on the personal lives of the dancers. Being an exotic dancer can ruin ones relationship. A college student had been in what she termed a fairly serious relationship before she started dancing. When she began to dance she made no effort to hide this from her significant other. In fact she told her boyfriend about the job before she started working. At first things went on as usual. Eventually, however, things began to deteriorate. She worked most weekend nights because they paid the best money. Her boyfriend who worked a day job was at work during the time she had off. Lack of time spent together eventually began to strain the relationship. She and her boyfriend had a hard time getting things back together. She says that after some talking that they were able to mend things. She says that after the initial problems things were okay. Ultimately, though the relationship ended while she was dancing. By no means that this says that the dancing alone caused the end of the relationship, it only attempts to show that for she, had some sort of affect. This may also be true of other dancers around the country. She said that outside of the club they never act the way they do inside. She says that she obviously  meets more men in the club, but that is because she wants to make money. If she does not initiate the conversation (fantasy) she makes no money. The reaction of her family was another matter altogether. After a month or so she informed her mother about her dancing, and they only told her after she had quit. Her mother was understandably upset. According to her, her mother cried. Her mother apparently had trouble getting her head around why her daughter would want to be a stripper. She then explained that she did it because the money was good and that she had paid of school loans and credit card dept. She explained that she only did it for a while and that that part of their life is over with. Even though the family doesn’t accept the behavior of there daughter, she understands why her daughter dances. The fast paced lifestyle is easy to get lost in. Money, sex, and attention all play into the pull that catches many women. Many strippers felt that this lifestyle attracted many young women especially those just out of high school. Easy money, sex and attention are too much for many young women. Young women get drawn in and become addicted. Breast implants and other surgery was often the end result of this addiction. Many of these women end up staying in this line of work as long as they are able to make money. The student I read about, danced for one reason, MONEY. They needed it for school and bills, as soon as they were able to pay these they moved on. Society often times portrays the business of exotic dancing as an occupation that is undesirable and immoral. Some women however, are able to find a place in this business that not only provides material gain and stability, but also empowers them. By creating a fantasy onstage and then altering it for each patron on the floor and in the back room, the dancer in affect draws the customer into a fantasy she has tailored just for their enjoyment. This situation specific fantasy is where the power lies for the dancer.

Characters of Zodiac Signs

What are zodiac signs? What do these signs represent? The zodiac is an annual cycle of twelve station or, (signs) along the ecliptic, path of the sun and across the heavens and recognized as the first known celestial coordinates system. Zodiac signs consist of twelve sign which are Aries the first sign, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces being the last of the signs. Zodiac signs belong to four different elements: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Fire is a positive element as well as the element air. Fire focuses on a change of form to another, as for air is associated with the spiritual part of life. However earth and water is a negative element. Earth is a solid approve with people on earth, as for water tends to mysterious cause water has no shape form or density. How do you know your zodiac sign? When you are born within a certain day of the month you are automatically assigned a zodiac sign. For example Aries are born between the days of March 21 thru April 20, Taurus born April 21 thru May 21, Gemini born May 22 thru June 21, Cancer born June 22 thru July 22, Leo born July 23 thru August 21, Virgo born August 22 thru September 23, Libra born September 24 thru October 23, Scorpio born October 24 thru November 22, Sagittarius born November 23 thru December 22, Capricorn born December 23 thru January 20, Aquarius born January 21 thru February 19, Pisces born February 20 thru March 20. However all 12 signs are similar in ways. In my research, I identify my zodiac sign its characters Along with two other zodiac signs that interest e along my research. For my birthday are 14 July, my zodiac sign is the cancer that is symbolized as the crab. Cancer’s are ruled by the moon, Cancers are very compassionate and caring with friends, family, and lovers, and very emotional. But like the crab, the cancer protects their selves with an emotional shield. Cancers can be very moody that changes with his/her environment. Like the moon it goes through phases, starting with the new phase to the full phase. Cancer also goes through similar phases. Most cancer’s feel one way that day then totally feel different the next day. But this characteristic is part of their charm. Love and romance plays a most important role to a cancer. No other sign romance is better than a cancer, and no other sign takes its emotion badly when things go sour. With their changeable native cancers are fascinating, mysterious, and stimulating personalities. A cancer most secret desire is to feel safe, secure, and spiritual. Cancer is a very sensitive sign other than the other sign. Cancer also is inappreciative to criticism. Aries being the first zodiac sign gave me a great deal of interest due to their trait and characteristic that they hold. Aries are natural born leaders, excellent pioneer, very active and very naive. Aries is ruled by mars and is a fire sign like its element Aries tend to be adventurous and very accident prone due to their adventures. Aries live for the thrill in life. Also Aries tend to be a confused sign because of it complex combination of masculine and feminine expression all combined as one. Aries are doer not talker. This is why most Aries tend to have drama in their lives. Another good quality that this sign posse is that it thrives on competition and challenges. Aries are born between, March 21 thru April 20. The third zodiac sign that most interest me is the Libra. Libras’ are ruled by the planet Venus. Libras are born between, September 24 thru October 23. Virgos are symbolized by a scale. Virgo is the only sign that is not represented by an animal or person and is the seventh zodiac sign. Libras seek equality, humanity, and balanced through life. Like the scale Libras represent balance nature. Libras are peace-loving, eager to learn, and sociable. Therefore this trait Libras has makes it easy for this sign to communication. Libras qualities that it has are very simple. Libras tend to live a no complicated life, make everybody happy lifestyle. The final zodiac sign that grabbed my interest would be the Sagittarius. Which is ruled by the planet Jupiter, which this sign is a fire sign. This sign is very much a unique sign that is symbolized by both man and animal called the archer. Sagittarius are very stern and to the point, like the symbol itself. The Sagittarius is half man and half horse aiming a bow and arrow. The symbol also represents the way of man and animal. Sagittarius are curious learner and very idealistic. This sign is also quick in temper due to it being a fire sign. In conclusion, Astrology has been dated back to 2300 B. C. Astrology is a type of prophetic look into the future and past, using the solar system. True astrology is very complex because it can be real or not. Science and astrology are based on two diametrically points of views. Everyday modern science makes new discovery about the cosmos, while knowledge of astrology is based on ancient beliefs, which all that exist and has already been discovered. Traditionally astrology is based relative positions and the movement of the celestial bodies. One thing that astrology claims to provide is the understanding of personal traits and physical characteristics. Astrology believes that each person has a predestined life and that life can be reflected and be told a story in the sky. In conclusion Zodiac signs are a big part of an astrologist. Astrologers’ believe that astrology is the missing pages from the biblical bible. Could astrology be fact or fiction? Upon my research on astrology only one who devotes his time into astrology as well as its interest in the solar system would know that answer.

Personal Financial Planning Worksheet Essay

Based on your readings and discussions in class this week, answer the following multiple choice questions. 1. The process of creating a detailed plan to meet your financial needs and prepare for the future is called a. developing goals b. personal financial planning c. collecting financial information d. personal finance The answer would be (B) Personal financial planning. 2. Which of the following is not one of the five major steps of the financial planning process? a. Analyze your current finances. b. Establish and implement your plan. c. Collect and organize your financial information. d. Reevaluate and revise your plan as needed. The answer would be ( C) Collect and organize your financial information. 3. Which phase in life is commonly associated with focus on marriage, family, purchasing a home, and career development? a. Teenage years b. Between your 50s and 60s c)Late 20s through your 40s c. During retirement The answer would be (c) 4. Which of the following is a benefit of having a college degree that can affect your financial planning? a. The potential to make a higher salary b. Jobs with retirement plans and benefits c. The ability to receive promotions and wage increases d. All of the above The answer would be (D) All of the above 5. Which of the following elements of a comprehensive financial plan involves analyzing future needs, such as saving for retirement or college funding for dependents? a. Building wealth b. Securing basic needs c. Establishing a firm foundation d. Protecting wealth and dependents The answer would be (a) Building wealth Directions Respond to the following short-answer questions in 50-to 100-words: 6. People have different styles when it comes to handling their money. List the two things that affect your personal beliefs and opinions about financial planning. How well do you feel you manage your money? Can you spot areas for improvement in your money management style, and if so, where/how? I feel lthat I don’t manage my money as well as I should . I find myself waisting money on things I don’t need.I defiently need to improve on making a list when going to the grocery store.I always write a list but never stick to it .I end up spending more money than I budget for. 7. Which element of the comprehensive financial plan focuses on your housing  needs, setting aside money for emergencies, and establishing a career path? Consider your own finances. Do currectly own a vehicle and/or home? If yes, how well do you manage monthly home and auto expenses? How well do you save for unforeseen expenses? I manage my home and auto expenses pretty well . I place these things high priority. With having kids things are pretty tight . I have a small rainey day savings. I try to save for things like this as much as possible , because my car and home is two things I need. 8. The economy is unpredictable and can affect your personal financial planning. List one factor in economic conditions that may affect your financial future. How could you reduce the impact of that factor on your finances? One factor in economic conditions that may affect my financial future would be Job employment and security. In a tough economy its hard to maintain a job and job security. To reduce the impact of job employment I will save and do whats needed to maintain my job. That is honestly the best plan for me in this economy. 9. Which step in the five-step financial planning process requires you to organize your financial information, create personal financial statements, and evaluate your current financial position? Have you ever completed this step? If so, is it still applicable to your current financial situation? If not, do you plan to do this soon? Why or why not? 10. Step Five in the five-step financial planning process discusses the importance of regularly reevaluating and revising your plan because personal circumstances often change. List two life changes that may require you to update your financial plan. Have you recently experienced a change that requires you to reevaluate your financial plan? If so, what was it and how have you accommodated it? (Please share only what you are comfortable sharing)

Absolute Truth †Is There Such a Thing as Absolute Truth? Essay

There are two answers for the question, â€Å"Is there such a thing as absolute truth? † The answer could be either yes or no. In my opinion, the answer is yes, because every individual lives his or her life in various experiences. Some people claim to know the absolute truth. Individuals based their truth on experiences and emotions and at times not logically consistent. When force fields such as emotions are present decisions are made then opinions are formed. For example, politics, I state politics because it never has a common ground. In politics you’re either Democrat or Republican, and both parties feel their plan is the absolute truth. As an American, we have the right to our own opinion but realize that our opinion is not the absolute truth. To make the statement that there is no absolute truth is invalid. Because one plus one does equal two so there is absolute truth which can be proven and understood. Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Yes, because of human conscience that â€Å"duty† within us that tells us that certain things are right and wrong. Therefore, our conscience let us know there is something wrong with pain, hunger, rape and makes us aware that love, peace, and charity are positive things for which we should strive for. In my opinion it so important to understand the concept of absolute truth in all areas of life this includes religion, because consequences exist in life for being wrong. For instance, a nurse can give a patient the wrong amount of a medication that can kill them; having an investment broker make the wrong monetary decisions can put you and your family in poverty; getting on the wrong bus will take someone where they do not wish to go; and dealing with an cheating spouse can result in the destruction of a family and potentially divorce. There are so many religions in this world that attempt to give their meaning and definition to absolute truth. Your existence is absolute truth which is simple. Through religion, mankinds seek God, we hope for the future, forgiveness of our sins, peace in the midst of struggle, and answers to our deepest questions. Religion is really proof that mankind is more thanjust a highly evolved creature. God implanted in man the desire to know him, and God is indeed the Creator, which makes Him the standard for absolute truth, and with His authority that establishes the absolute truth.

Psychology’s Classical Theorists Essay

In the field of psychology, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung, developed three distinct theories of personality that to this day, continue to be the foundations on which all modern psychological theories are built. All three of these remarkable men knew and worked with each other. When Adler and Jung praised Freud’s book on dream interpretation, they were invited to join Freud’s circle of peers, who met weekly at his home in Vienna, Austria (Engler, 2006). At these meetings they discussed new and groundbreaking aspects of psychopathology (Comer, 2008). Freud, Adler, and Jung are unequivocally the most influential figures in modern psychology (Comer, 2008). Freud’s concept of the id, the ego, and the superego, are the underlying factors that began all three schools of thought and that provide the foundations of modern psychology (Engler, 2006). Freud believed that the id had no contact with reality and worked on the pleasure principle and hedonistic wants, with no morality involved. The ego develops as children experience the demands and constraints of reality. It uses reasoning to make decisions. The superego is concerned with right and wrong, it is the moral compass, the conscience in each individual (Comer, 2008). Freud believed that people are unaware of the most important personality processes. Like an iceberg, only the small portion of the conscious mind is accessible and above the water. The preconscious, just out of reach, and the subconscious, deeply repressed, is below the water completely. These are the reason for most problems with behavior and the personality, according to Freud (Nystul, 2006). Freud also theorized that the personality was formed by early childhood experiences, called psychosexual stages (Engler, 2006). If a child’s basic needs are not being met during one of these stages, the child may become â€Å"fixated† or stuck in that stage. For example, if an adult smokes, he or she could be said to be â€Å"orally fixated. † According to Freud, infants at the oral stage use their mouths to explore their environment (Engler, 2006). Freud’s emphasis on sexuality is one of the main reasons why Adler and Jung disagreed with him. They thought that Freud put entirely too much emphasis on the libido and sexual energy in children. Freud and Adler met every Wednesday for eleven years (Comer, 2008). In 1911, Alder, along with eight colleagues, broke away from Freud’s circle to form the school of â€Å"Individual Psychology† (Engler, 2006). Adler’s theory differed from Freud’s in that it focuses on the person as a â€Å"whole. † The Adlerian term, individual psychology, refers to the human being as indivisible, as opposed to Freud’s view of an individual being, internally divided (Engler, 2006). For Adler, each aspect of the personality points in the same direction (Nystul, 2006). Adler saw how humans connect with one another, with family, with friends, with community, and with society as a whole. He believed that this interconnectedness is essential for an individual to develop and to thrive (Comer, 2008). Each person develops uniquely, according to acquired experiences, both past and present. The process starts at infancy, as children compare themselves to older children and adults, they experience feelings of inferiority (Engler, 2006). This is a normal reaction to the awareness of not being able to do as one pleases. These feelings motivate people to strive towards usefulness and to become contributing members of the family, the group, and the society at large (Nystul, 2006). Carl Gustav Jung, long an admirer of Freud, met him in Vienna, Austria in 1907, after Jung praised Freud’s book, â€Å"The Interpretation of Dreams† (Comer, 2008). At this historical meeting they talked for 13 hours (Nystul, 2006). Freud thought that Jung, twenty years his junior, was to become his heir apparent. In 1910, Jung did become the first president of the International Psychoanalytic Association (Engler, 2006). However, in 1914, Jung broke away from Freud, primarily because he disagreed with Freud’s view of sexuality (Nystul, 2006). Using his own theories, he then began the school of â€Å"Analytical Psychology. â€Å"Jung’s theory of personality divides the psyche into three distinct parts: the ego, consisting of the conscious mind, the personal unconscious, which contains thoughts, memories, and experiences that are not presently conscious, but can be, and the collective unconscious (Nystul, 2006). The collective unconscious could be described as a â€Å"psychic inheritance† (Comer, 2008). It could also be a type of reservoir of the human experience as a species. Yet, the individual is never conscious of its presence (Feist, 1985). Jung’s â€Å"Archetypes of the Personality† evolve from the collective unconscious. These are the persona and its shadow, the female anima and male animus, and the self. Jung felt that until balance could be found within these archetypes in each individual, the complete realization of the self could not be achieved (Comer, 2008). The son of a pastor, Jung had a great interest in spirituality and its effects on the personality. His studies and knowledge of eastern philosophy, yoga, and meditation have certainly had an impact on his theories and have contributed greatly to today’s holistic approach to overall health (Nystul, 2006). Jung’s theories and writings have had a major impact on contemporary thought in many areas such as art, music, and literature (Douglas, 2005). Jung also coined the term â€Å"synchronicity,† which can be defined as â€Å"meaningful coincidences† occurring in everyday life (Engler, 2006). Jung claimed that there exists a synchrony between the mind and the phenomenal world of perception in each individual. For example, thoughts of an old friend fill one’s mind in the evening. The next morning, that particular friend calls, or news about them is received, out of the blue. However, no physical evidence has been found to support this idea (Strogatz, 2004). Although Freud, Adler, and Jung had their unique theoretical differences, they also shared many commonalities. For instance, they all utilized hypnosis and dream interpretation as therapeutic tools to treat their patients (Comer, 2008). They also all agreed on the importance of early life experiences and the existence of unconscious processes (Nystul, 2006). In the field of psychology, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung, developed three distinct theories of personality that to this day continue  to be the foundations on which all modern psychological theories are built. In their day, these three men were on the cutting edge of the newest science of western civilization. If not for Freud, Alder, and Jung psychology would not have evolved into the field that it is today. ReferencesComer, Ronald, J. (2008). Fundamentals of abnormal psychology. (5th edition). New York, NY. Worth Publishers. Douglas, C. (2005). Current psychotherapies. (7th Edition). (pgs. 96-129). Itasca, Ill. F. E. Peacock. Engler, Barbara. (2006). Personality theories. (7th Edition). Boston, MA. Houghton, Mifflin Company. Feist, J. (1985). Theories of personality. New York, NY. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Nystul, Michael (2006). Introduction to counseling, an art and science perspective (3rd Edition). Boston, MA. Pearson, Allyn, & Bacon. Strogatz, Steven, H. (2004). SYNC: How order emerges from chaos in the universe, nature, and daily life. New York, NY. Hyperion. NOTE FROM AUTHOR: The only comments from my professor were about APA formatting, like margins, and double spacing the bibliography. No points were lost for this.

TOK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TOK - Essay Example In other words, the relativist argues that there is no objective or unbiased way of distinguishing between these different sets of norms. Therefore, the relativist’s central argument is that an assertion’s position as true or false is relative to the criteria applied in assessing this assertion. The principle of relativism is often attributed to Protagoras, who argues that â€Å"any given thing is to me such as it appears to me, and is to you such as it appears to you† (Siegel 1998, 35). Protagorean relativism is described by Plato’s Socrates as basing on the assumption that â€Å"what seems true to anyone is true for him to whom it seems so† (Siegel 1998, 35). This assumption is a kind of relativism because for the Protagorean there is no norm greater than the person, with his/her own particular position in place, time, culture, context, and so on—with mention of which assertions of truth, and thus knowledge, can be evaluated. Critics of relativism have presented numerous arguments against the principle; without a doubt the most essential is the argument that relativism is self-contradictory or self-referentially incoherent, which is a logical fallacy where in â€Å"some claims is made which, upon being applied to itself, refutes itself† (Dancy, Sosa, & Steup 2010, 677). There are different accounts of the incoherence argument. The strongest is that relativism disqualifies the chance of establishing the truth, or, the epistemic value of questionable assumptions and arguments, including itself, because as stated by relativism no assumption or argument can fail any evaluation of epistemic sufficiency or be deemed false or unfounded (Eaton 1925). For instance, Protagorean relativism: the argument â€Å"what seems true [or justified] to anyone is true [or justified] for him to whom it seems so† (Siegel 1998, 35) implies that no genuine assertion can fail to be true or be reasonably evaluated to be false.

Surrealist Photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Surrealist Photography - Essay Example The essay "Surrealist Photography" analyzes photography and surrealism. Phantasmagorical is characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions. J.C. Powys defines it as the â€Å"incongruous imagery in surreal art and literature†. Beginning mostly in Europe, with some Americans participating, Surrealism featured a number of rebellious and strange artists. They used disjunctive and bizarre comparisons and contexts to try to break through to a cultural subconscious. In the course of making their art, they wanted to expose the hypocrisy that lay at the heart of what they considered to be a decadent, bourgeois world that only they truly understood. The work of Sigmund Freud and his understanding of the human mind had a great impact on the development of surrealism, but the similarly new field of photography truly opened up the field to new speculation. The ideas of Sigmund Freud, which are now relatively widely known, combined with the spiritual goals of Expressioni sm to give rise to Surrealism and its expression of the inner dream-state of the artist. Freud’s ideas include the subdivisions of the human mind into the subconscious and the conscious. Within this distinction, Freud says the true, natural inner nature of the man can only be found within the much larger and mostly secret labyrinth of the subconscious mind. While this subconscious mind cannot be directly accessed by the conscious mind, hints and suggestions from it can be received through dream imagery. Some processes become conscious easily.

Do any foreign policy models (the bureaucratic politics model, Essay

Do any foreign policy models (the bureaucratic politics model, groupthinking, etc.) help to explain American failure in Vietnam - Essay Example According to the research findings before oil was discovered in Middle East, this region had become a major target for a myriad of religious conflicts and wars, which were fought over the rich resources found there and the amount of land. When the Ottoman Empire faced a downfall, it provided a path for the European colonial and imperial powers to take matters in their own vested interests and gain access to various parts of Asia, which gradually also enabled them to secure these regions in their own favor. The biggest asset of Middle East is the amount of oil that is concentrated in the region, which has simultaneously also emerged as one of the biggest problems. Therefore the Western population is highly accustomed to the propaganda of the Middle Eastern regions, and this has also brought Islam in the middle. It was especially prominent during the European colonial times, which was also exacerbated by Edward Said in his famous book, â€Å"Orientalism†. The way it has been neg atively stereotyped has provided tremendous justification for involvement and also in ensuring a certain level of stability for the interests of powers that are present in the region. Another issue, which is also pivotal to Middle East, is racism and cultural stereotyping that has become very concentrated. There are certain war films that depict an Islamic or Arab group as bad, which clearly show the current conflicts etc. A bad guy is very often an Arab from one of the rogue states and because of the 9/11 attacks perpetrated against the United States and also the War on Terror; it’s very likely that this description will continue. Another huge problem is that to maintain their dominance and supremacy in the Middle Eastern, the West has also put a lot of power, money and influence in the hands of corrupt Arab leaders, and consequently collaborated in the overthrow of those people who were seen as a threat to their interests. Furthermore, it has contributed a great deal in kee ping the populations at bay, for the wealth, power and militarization of the elite class. It is also said to be done for combating the phenomena of communism. The major underlying factor has however been the effort to secure access to imperative resources such as oil (Bard, 1). Middle East is one of the most militarized regions in the world, and there are a lot of arms present. Majority of the people who have been oppressed see the influence of the United States in their region as the biggest cause of all the problems, which has also led to a rise in several acts of terrorism, Islamic militancy and anti-west sentiments. Although, there have been several declarations by the United States department that most of the American interests are vested in supporting the foundation of governments based on a democratic edifice, there have been some instances when the U.S has supported the suppressed regimes in the Middle East. When the U.S were having a Cold War with the Soviet Union, there we re a few policymakers who saw a very stable ally in the Middle East, whether it was tyrannical or not, which would be more preferred rather than an unstable regime that would side with the Soviets. Even when the Soviet Union collapsed, there was a whole lot of financial assistance and U.S dollars that kept flowing in to the regions, which were supposedly known as the centers for the regulation of human rights, or the evident lack of democracy. This also included Saudi Arabia (where a Wahhabi administration puts restrictions on the rights of women), Israel (which doesn’t promote the concept of equal rights for all its citizens), and the Egyptian government where an Egyptian cum American was imprisoned for supporting voter participation. In

Accelerating Change Management at CEB Case Study

Accelerating Change Management at CEB - Case Study Example The successes and failures of the change acceleration process have also been discussed and recommendations of how to improve the process made. CEB is one of the most prominent companies in the world and this is mainly as a result of its providing consultant services to a wide range of among the most successful companies today (Florent-Treacy, Kets de Vries & del Amo, 2010). Its success has been made possible through its ability to cater for the needs of the different corporations that seek its services and this has included a wide range of issues ranging from administration to the provision of advice concerning what to invest in and how to go through the process. A result has been that there has developed a wide variety of teams within the company that have enabled it to provide the services that are necessary to satisfy its clientele. Not only has CEB managed to expand globally, but it has also brought a unique style of management and consultancy into the market that has been sought after by a significant number of companies in the globe. CEB’s success has been attributed to its evolutionary attitude and actions, w hich have made it indispensable in the provision of services to its clients; all of which are based in different countries and environments. That these companies are based in different countries means that CEB has to ensure that it studies the new environments and make them a priority in the development of strategies that its clients can use to attain success. Through its efforts on behalf of its clients, CEB has managed to develop a unique position in the global market where it is able to adapt to different environments and advise its clients accordingly. The ever-evolving attitude that it has developed has made possible its success because this company has undergone many changes since its founding and as a young company, it has

Graph theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Graph theory - Research Paper Example iss Mathematician developed a solution to an old puzzle related to the possibility of establishing a path across every one of the seven bridges that span a forked river flowing past (Biggs 140). From a conceptual perspective, a graph is formed by vertices and edges linking the vertices. From a formal perspective however, a graph refers to a pair of sets (V, E), where V is a set of vertices and E is a set of edges. Based on these fundamental concepts underpinning graph theory, this paper seeks to explain the importance and application of the theory’s theoretical concepts in various fields (Biggs 124). The concept of graph theory is important because graphs allow for a simplification of complex concepts, eliminating the irrelevant details without forfeiting much information necessary for the task. As asserted by Biggs (148), the assumptions made by the graph theory match the real world conditions and are therefore not comparable to any other model. Among the fundamental uses of the graph theory entail; giving a unified formalism for diverse looking real life problems. This has been the sufficient basis upon which algorithms have been presented in this common formalism. The theoretical concepts underpinning graph theory are widely used in the studying and modeling of various applications, in diverse fields. These include; construction of bonds in chemistry, study of molecules, and the study of atoms. Graph theory is widely used in Sociology for instance to measure the prestige of actors or in exploring the mechanisms of diffusion (Biggs 150). Besides, the conservation efforts made in biological sciences essentially apply the concepts of graph theory where a vertex represent regions where certain species exist and the edges are used to represent paths of migration or movement from one region to another (Biggs 152). Such information is important more so when examining the breeding patterns or tracking the spread of parasites, diseases and in the study of the

Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Poetry - Essay Example It implies the speakers casual attitude towards his father, who had warmed the house and polished his shoes, the child not realizing the extent of the fathers assistance. To best categorize Those Winter Sundays theme, it might be intended for the reader to take notice of the people who care for you and to offer them love and gratefulness for their sacrifices, no matter how small they may be. Robert Hayden uses several literary techniques in this poem; one in particular that is most apparent is imagery. Haydens descriptions of the fathers "cracked hands that ached from labor†¦" and "Id wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking" give the reader a very clear mental view of both the father and the environment. The reader can almost hear the sound of logs being split by an axe (which is hard labor) and a picture of a mans weathered, probably calloused hands that were the result of heavy work. The imagery used in Those Winter Sundays leaves little doubt, for the reader, that the father is of the working class and used to performing difficult labor. It serves to feed the theme of the story, allowing the reader to feel pity for the father because he continues to perform his thankless work. The author also uses personification to make the story more powerful. When the speaker says, "I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house", Hayden is essentially granting the house human qualities, suggesting a harsh, angry environment stressed from the winter cold. Possibly, personifying the house as being chronically angry suggests it is an old house that has withstood countless winters and that the early morning environment leaves the house feeling ominous. It is also possible, through personifying the house, that Hayden is attempting to enhance the love that his father brings by comparing love against a gloomy, angry environment. Those Winter Sundays

Arthur Millers Play Death of a Salesman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arthur Millers Play Death of a Salesman - Essay Example Naturally, in order to understand how the play itself is autobiographical, one must perform a great deal of background analysis into the early life of Arthur Miller. Once this has been completed, it is readily seen that Arthur Miller’s protagonist Willy Loman is likely a direct representation of his own father – Isadore Miller. Yet, this autobiographical nature should not be considered merely as a means of Arthur Miller relating a story; rather, it has a correlation with respect to the way in which life is understood and represented within middle class America during the time period in question; specifically the perennial fear of abandonment that is felt not only by Willie Lowman, but by his family. The first evidence of this fear of abandonment is with regards to the unbelievably high esteem that Willie Lowman has for an individual who gains the trust and respect of his business partners and/or clientele. An overarching theme of the entire play is the unnatural and dog ged determination that this level of love and respect, on the part of his clients, is what defines him from the faceless mass of individuals throughout society. Ultimately, rather than merely representing a narrow-minded salesman that struggles to find a place in this world and define himself differently from others, the greatest level of understanding that can be provided from a psychological standpoint is the fact that Willy Lowman is in fact terrified of the reality of abandonment and censure (Hooti & Farzaneh 19). This fear keeps him feverishly working and preaching the gospel of self sufficiency and good relations with clients to any and all who will listen. Rather than viewing Willie Lowman as a completely and entirely deranged individual, it is far better to understand his particular case from the standpoint of an individual that has traumatized from some previous instance; forever fearful that a life of abandonment and solitude will be his to live. But perhaps the greatest i rony that is represented within Arthur Miller’s play is with regards to the fact that the greatest fear that Willy Lowman has is in fact realized. Unbeknownst to Willy Lowman, as he lies dying, the abandonment and ostracism from the very individuals that could have cared about him and would have otherwise helps to ameliorate the greatest fear that he had, were disassociated from him and ultimately standoffish. Although it is of course true that his two sons were by the side, as well as his loving wife, the level of disassociation it was represented within this particular scene helped to reinforce the irony of a man that was perennially fearful of the loss of relevance that he may have if he ever came to find himself in a position of being unloved and/or unneeded. Miller’s own early life was eerily similar to that of what the reader is made aware of Willy Loman’s life. For instance, Miller grew up in an upper-middle class neighborhood in New York City; the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. Miller’s own father was a successful businessman in a textile mill; which eventually employed 400 individuals. This successful lifestyle enabled the family to enjoy the luxuries of having a new car at a time when cars were still a novelty, attending private schools, and enjoying the occasional vacation. However, the good times would not last as the crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression shattered the family’s bliss. Miller’s father, out of work and out of options sold their home and moved to Gravesend, New York. It was during this time that young Arthur Miller was forced to take a bread route ever morning

Laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Laboratory - Lab Report Example In addition, The PACS system is equipped with a central core consisting of a 300-gigabyte central server; a set of 1.25-terabyte optical jukebox archive together with adjustable wavelet compression or PacsPro II that is an EMED Technologies, Lexington, MA; some workstations which are four-panel 2.5 2.0K monitors (average rate image display time is less than 2 sec/full-resolution computed radiography image. The Images in PACS system are routed to individual workstations based on the algorithm that applies a synthesis of patient location, image source, day of week, time of day, imaging type, and Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) code (Gale, Gale, Schwartz, Muse and Walker, 2000). Oracle is a new networking infrastructures and applications that provides highly available integrated and high level of performance software components that meets the demands of most industries. The Oracle empowers applications with very high throughput and instant responsiveness and performance-critical functions faster. The combination of programs are delivered on the data management requirements important to realize service agility like: Superior combination of batch performance and real-time for data located in call control as well as back office applications; Intelligent caching; Providing support geographically for "fail over" and load balancing; full adherence to standard interfaces; Easy manageability and low maintenance requirements; and non-stop operations capable of achieving carrier-grade availability (Oracle Corporation, 2007).All PACS products (The Royal College of Radiologists, 2002) consist of database that can store information of patients, at the same time, cataloguing their imaging studies. Several PACS installations integrate and use a single relational Oracle databases to data storage. The user then, interacts instantly with the Oracle

Bowlby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bowlby - Essay Example This is where the process of coming up with the attachment theory came in. he watched the behavior of the children keenly and how they behaved when they were left by their mothers (Rachel 78). This theory of attachment came to bring confusion with another theory known as the behavioral theory of attachment which Dollard and Miller had come up with in the year 1950. The theory had underrated the bond of a child and a mother. The behavioral theory stated that the child became attached to the mother for the reason that the mother fed the child. Bowlby suggested that attachment was adaptive and it plays a major role in the surviving of the child. He said that the infants feel the need to be close to the people who take care of them when they are stressed up. The stages of attachment go by the age of the child. When the child is 3 months old most children respond well to all people that take care of them this is referred to as indiscriminate attachment. 4 months there is preference for certain people. 7 months preference to a specific person and after nine months there is multiple attachments where the baby becomes independent (Jerry

The New Synagogue, Berlin, Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The New Synagogue, Berlin, Germany - Essay Example The building has defied time, having been constructed in early 20th century, following its demolition in the Second World War. Otto Von Bismark, the Prime Minister of Prussia by then, opened the building in 1866. It is one of the few synagogues that survived Kristallnatch-a revenge attack that involved the Nazi youths. The current building is a reconstruction of the former building. Its street frontage was ruined and the current building is a renovated version of the older building. The entrance has a new outlook; the domes and the towers have been repainted and redesigned, perhaps using the newest architectural designs, this time round blending modern designs and architecture with the mediaeval Roman architecture used before the demolition (Simms 43). Only some few rooms were left behind. The synagogue was meant to serve the growing Jewish population in Germany, especially the immigrants who came from the East. The building had a capacity to house 3000 worshipers in one sitting. The building was also used for public concerts; the most notable being the violin concert featuring Albert Eistein in 1930. The religious services included organ and choir, reflecting liberal developments among the Jewish community then. The building was set ablaze in the infamous Kristallnatch on November, 1938, in the e vent that saw the Torah scrolls debased, furniture destroyed, and combustible property within the building set ablaze (Simms 98). A brave police officer, Lieutenant Otto Bellgardt, arrived on 10th Nov, the following day and ordered the Nazi mob to disperse, arguing that the building was a historical landmark that was protected. He upheld the law to protect the synagogue from further damage by the Nazi youths. Therefore, the fire was distinguished before it could spread to other parts of the buildings. The New Synagogue remained intact and was rebuilt by the congregation who used the building up until 1940. Apart from prayers, the

Susan Power's Scared Wilderness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Susan Power's Scared Wilderness - Essay Example Different backgrounds and eras gave them an idea to restore foundation to fulfill the dream of American women. The novel is taking us through the time, when the Mohawk were living on the territory of present-day Minnesota. The fourth novel by Susan Power is taking up to the centre cultural and spiritual traditions. We are getting cognizance with four women: Gladys Swan is enjoying the mansions on St. Paul’s Avenue. She is a housekeeper in the house of Candace Jenssen, who is well-to-do lady. She has all necessary material goods, she does not suffers from poverty, in spite of this she has a lack of spirit, being in disconnection with her husband and the sources and heritage of her Mohawk culture. Gladys, being as the elder of an Ojibwe, is thinking about putting Candace in touch with her ancestors as her private mission. However, Candace does not know about this idea. Beautiful Maryam is her co-conspirator in this unusual task. Candace dismisses appeals of Maryam, thinking about her as a hallucination caused by a brain tumor. Maryam changes the strategy, appealing to Gladys, who is very glad to meet â€Å"a sister†, who would join to her work and share her desire to help Candace. The author is trying to show is the images of the prehistoric biblical times, giving the readers an interesting re-imagining of first meetings of Native Americans with the missionaries of the Christian religion. She makes the reader to look from another fresh point of view to the lives Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Al this is happening in addition to the Power`s contemporary line of story, returning to the traditions of ancient cultures, which the imaginative time-traveler would be able to found in the early 17th century on the territory belonging to the Mohawk people, when man were hunting the food and female Mohawks looked after the gardens and collected vegetables to feed the tribes. â€Å"Do you really want to be reduced to some kind of throwback stereotype from the Dark Ages?

GLOBAL BUSINESS STRATEGY - IMF Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GLOBAL BUSINESS STRATEGY - IMF - Essay Example 3. State holds the authority of law and establishes adequate procedures. 4. The power of state has to be distributed and fragmented among different centers. Power at one center should be minimized. 5. Last, state eradicates the fragmentation of powers by dejecting the system of check and balance. Economic Nationalist Theory This theory focuses on developing, flourishing, and guarding national economies. It is widely used in the cases of world markets. Upsurge in the growth of national economies as a result of increased exports created the reality of national economies. This theory emphasizes that there must be a domestic control on capital formation, labor, and economy even if it requires imposition of quotas and tariffs to restrict the movements of goods, labor, and capital. The notion has been generated from the idea that a country would perform better if its local industries were protected from the international competitions. Some of the measures for implementing on this theory in clude Import Substitutions, Protectionism, and Mercantilism. Under this theory, the government or the state has extensive control on trade and economic matters. Currency depreciation, tariffs, export subsidies, and quota restrictions are some of the methods utilized by government to pursue economic nationalism. Structuralist Theory According to this theory, the disparities among economies of countries are a result of previously derived power relations. This theory advocates an emphasis on an economy with its interrelations with other elements and its totality rather than segregated elements in isolation. For example, the world economies in essence are intrinsically linked resulting in many economic problems as well. International Monetary Fund (IMF) International Monetary Fund (IMF) was developed in 1945 as an international organization. The primary purposes of this organization are: Promoting global exchange and monetary stability Facilitating the balanced growth and expansion of i nternational trade Aiding the development of multilateral system for prevalent transactions Nelson, (n.d.) stated that during the devaluation of Brazilian Currency, though it looked financially sound but the conditions that IMF provided them to follow were difficult to implement. In order to deal with the issue of inflations, Brazil introduced fixed exchange rate. IMF imposed those conditions for two reasons. First, to keep interest rates high so that foreign investors keep their investment in Brazil. Second, these interest rates would decline the growth of thereby reducing overall demand. If the economic nationalist theory would be implemented then the country would have full control on its economy and would not require any other institutions’ condition. In contrast to that, liberal theory undermines the sovereignty of Brazilian country over its economy and urges to outsource its department to an external, more competent organization. As per structuralism theory, the reason due to which Brazil is compelled to fulfill conditions of IMF is its past relations with this organization. Corning (n.d.) stated that the rescue package provided by IMF were not promising. A week after the IMF bailout, the Korean financial market experienced decline of 27% against dollar. Consumers were in panic as businesses and banks paralyzed. It was also

Different Moral Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Different Moral Standards - Essay Example They took advantage of the changing social norms and values. Since women were entering employment, they believed that they could sell packaged food very well. GMC was concerned only with increasing profits and this was communicated to the Pillsbury-Green Giant Group. Green Giant would have to relocate to Mexico in order to ensure profits. Pillsbury accepted the deal against a payment. In this case, the moral standards of three groups differ with each other and the fourth to be considered is that of the local people of Mexico. It is difficult for Green Giant not to take any action because of remaining passive they would be harming the interests of the stakeholders. The conflict has to be understood and resolved by all parties involved. The goal of GMC was profiting no matter how it was achieved. They were least concerned if the personal values of any group would have to be compromised with. They valued profits and they could apply the management style of ‘light but firm hand on the throat’ to achieve this end. Using this style would not make them feel guilty of committing a wrong. This clearly demonstrates that they give priority to profits over any other values. The goals of Giant Green had to undergo a change to swim along with the demands of the new company. The cultural and religious traditions of both the groups differ which affects the decision making process. GMC is a British company while Green Giant has its roots in Minnesota and California. Since the economic situation of GMC had deteriorated, they were willing to compromise on their values as this gained priority. Thus an ethical solution becomes imperative which causes the least harm and maximum good to the different groups of people involved in this case. The goal of Green Giant-Pillsbury was to maximize profits but their norms differed. The values of the executives of the Pillsbury group differed from the GMC.  

Socialist Feminism Essay Example for Free

Socialist Feminism Essay According to (Alcoff,1995 ) Cultural feminism is the ideology that a woman needs to appropriate the value of her female nature in an attempt to authenticate her female attributes that were previously determined and undervalued by masculinity itself. In cultural feminism, a woman’s enemy lies not just in an economic institution, backward values or even a social system but the root of it all lies in masculinity itself and even in male biology. It is a celebration womanhood, of the separation of a woman’s existence from mans and taking pride in the very essence of female sexuality right down to one’s anatomy. The power of popular culture and the â€Å"Vagina monologues† All aspects of feminist culture seems to occur in waves over periods of time however overlapping and questionable in terms of generations they may be they are most evident in western parts of the world, such as the suffragists of the 1920’s and the American women who fought for sexually reproductive rights in the 1960’s. A wave of popular culture swept across America in the early 1990†s that was indeed a reflection of how cultural feminism was present in their society known as â€Å"the vagina monologues†. In her book Baumgardner (2011:102) writes about a how the series of fictional stories inspired by the real life experiences of women of different races, ages and ethnicity on their sex life’s, relationships and personal struggles inspired plays in different universities across the nation gave birth to the V-day an international movement that stands to end violence against all women and girls. This wave of popular culture encouraged not just the lesbian woman but the heterosexual female to be proud of every bit of her womanhood and sexuality. In (Alcoff, 1995:435) suggest â€Å"woman should not dismiss their biological importance simply because patriarchy has used it to overpower us, our biological make up and the paradox of a woman’s body holds the key to reconnecting with ourselves, our inner genius and beguiling physicality. † Cultural feminist movements today and the fight against FGM A primary concern of cultural feminism today can be seen in the stance against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Which according to (WHO, 2010) involves the piercing, cutting and burning off of the clitoris or labia and the stitching of the vagina. It is the horrific violation of women’s rights and is predominantly practiced as a result of cultural beliefs in Africa. (UNICEF,2011)estimates the number of women being subjected to FGM in Africa today ranges between 100 to 130 million, FGM is most prevalent in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Somalia which has approximately 98% of girls being mutilated. This is an important example of why feminist movements are still needed because third world feminist struggles and first world struggles differ. Feminist movements have developed non governmental organisations like (The Feminist Majority Foundation, 2010) Amnesty International group that seeks to replace cultural practices like FGM with symbolic ceremonies that will still promote traditional beliefs without causing any physical harm. Such Non-Governmental organisations truly represent how feminism has evolved and has become more concerned with helping vulnerable groups without the help of government aid or funding to address struggles and inequalities by providing health care without asking for anything in return and advocating for policy development and policy change that affects women. Radical feminism  It can be said that radical feminism is at the root of all types of feminism. Bates (2005:66) states that radical feminism has been the incubator from which many feminist ideas rose, from the period of 1967-1975 radical feminism was the leading edge of most feminist theory, however it is no longer fit to solely describe â€Å"feminism†. It is often misrepresented as women who detest men when in actual fact it is about women who detest patriarchy. Nachescu (2009:30)mentions how radical feminists challenged the knowledge of politics under their slogan â€Å"the personal is political† this redefined political areas that affected human life such as abortion and contraceptive laws all of which were previously part of ones personal life. Sexuality and the â€Å"closet feminist† Generally feminism is torn between two opinions on the issue of sexuality; some believe sex is the root cause of female oppression whilst others believe it is what truly liberates a woman. Prostitution challenges female liberation from male objectivity especially in states where sex work has been legalised creating miscommunication between radical feminists and prostitutes. According to (Morris 2007:6) â€Å"they only believe in finding a way for prostitutes to escape but what is wrong with having sex for a living, who am I to you if I enjoy how I earn a living, and are such people without dignity? †. Although this may be a sensitive topic, the legalisation of prostitution in some countries has served to protect sex workers. Today even though one might support various issues of feminist concern, no one wants to bear the title of the ball busting ice queen. The modern woman fears being branded as a narrow minded cliche of a radical feminist who would much rather burn a bra than buy one. Women prefer to be recognised as non-neutralists and are more content to make a sizable anonymous donation than stand and protest for the cause itself. This has sparked a trend of â€Å"closet feminists† who are deluded by the so called illusion of â€Å"having it all†. Genz, 2009:101)The modern woman can be described as an individual figure that tips her hat to past feminist accomplishments but now thinks of them as superfluous and extreme. Feminism and why the cause will never die The struggle has changed but the cause is still very much the same, society may have guaranteed equality for women on paper but in actual reality there are still hidden mechanisms still obstructing progress. Over time feminist movements have addressed the most obvious struggles and inequalities like education, equal pay and reproductive rights which previously were hard to detect at individual level. However(New York Times, 2011:22)reported â€Å"the right to vote was only granted to women by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2011 but women will only be allowed to vote or run for municipal positions in 2015 and only with the consent of a male family member. † Even in todays so called â€Å"enlightened era† the lists of human rights denied to women in some parts of the world are appalling. Feminist movements are still present addressing the relationship between oppression and power, which is evident in today’s society as sexual harassment and rape and attacks on the gay and lesbian communities. Roy (2011:12) journalist at the New York Times reported the rape of a 15 year old girl in New Delhi, India the story made headlines because her attacker was granted a reduced sentence on the account that he was his family’s primary breadwinner. These injustices have given birth to different kinds of global movements such as the â€Å"slut walk† in which women protest on the right to wear what they choose without fear of male attack or rape. (Reader: 2012) reports on women and men taking their protest to the streets after a Toronto police officer accused a rape victim of â€Å"asking for it† flashes of cleavage and legs on show their slogan reads â€Å"consent is sexy†. Too often very light is shed on such organised protests but this is a specific example of how the feminist movement is not over it is merely manifesting itself in different ways.

International Business Essay Example for Free

International Business Essay In present time and age globalisation has gained much more importance then what it had about thirty years ago. No doubt globalisation started ever since human being existed on this planet, but it is observed that in this era geographical boundaries has a very little part to play, when it comes to trade, culture, travelling and communication. Effects of this integration of different economies will have its outcomes and many of them can be seen already. In most countries however due to Globalization one can see the growing concern regarding employment and income distribution (Lee Vivarelli 2006, p. 168). Based on qualative and quantative analysis this paper would come with the conclusion to suggest wether globalisation is beneficial for everybody or the complete opposite. Globalisation means increasing flows of trade, finance and factors of production across the border, with the help of faster transportation and effective communications set up. It is globalisation which is compeletly responsible for making this world a global village. With globalisation, international bonds develop not just amongst specific groups of countries but across a wide global network in which factors of production or finished goods can move freely. The second era of globalisation that we are now living has come as a outcome of a numerous factors, not only because of of internet (which has allowed the speedy flows of massive volumes of information) but also because of intense changes in institutional environments. The economic ideas of the 1970s promoted moves towards financial liberalisation and deregulation within a large number of OECD countries during the 1980s and 1990s, the policy approaches of the Bretton Woods institutions were also modified with the Washington Consensus being built upon the promotion of economic severity, privatisation and liberalisation Stiglitz and Gualerzi (cited in Baddeley 2006, p 392). Furthermore, Baddeley claims that this deregulation has made the movement of capital and factors of production across national boundaries, contributing to the globalisation process In most countries, however, the current wave of globalization has been accompanied by increasing concern about its impact in terms of employment and income distribution (Lee Vivarelli 2006). Evidence has been provided from group studies to explain that globalisation does promotes growth by Dreher (cited in Baddeley 2006, p 393). However, it has been argued that the benefits do not essentially help to alleviate poverty. Krugman and Venables( cited in (cited in Baddeley 2006, p 393) emphasize that globalisation has the potential to benefit less-developed nations but at the start globalisation will worsen world inequality but then it will reduce it down. For example—as transport costs fall below a threshold, developing nations suffer real income declines. Falling transport costs allow core nations to exploit greater economies of scale in manufacturing to the loss of manufacturing sectors in developing economies. Labour demand will fall in peripheral nations and rise in core nations as a consequence. Milanovic (cited in Baddeley 2006, p. 394) completely discards the view of globalisation as something that would benefit any economy, he also provides evidence that, since 1870, globalisation has worsen international inequality with particularly prominent increases in inequality during the 1978–1998 globalisation era. He argues that the blow on less developed countries have been severe which means per capita GDP has not increased in Africa and a number of less developed countries are in a financial crisis and many transition economies are facing extraordinary levels of debt. The point worth mentioning here is that globalisation has increased the level of business activity all around the world but to be honest for many developing countries this is of very little use rather it is to the their detriment. Now when the host country provides its labour and resources, it is just like other economies eating away host countries resources. Plus all the profits are gone somewhere else. And the story does not end here, on the other side developing countries have always been forcing all the countries to reduce the amount of tariff and import duties and talking about how good free trade is. Now the rich countries enjoy economies of scale therefore the imported goods in some poor countries are cheaper than their own home base industry products. This discourages the economy of developing countries and does not allow it to become self sufficient. (Kaplinsky 2001, p. 60) When we look at the labour market outcomes, (Wood 1998, p. 1463) explains that there have been gaps between skilled and unskilled labour both in terms of wages and in terms of unemployment rates and claims that globalisation is the most likely cause for this rising inequality. Feenstra 1998, p. 37) adds outsourcing into the reasearch to prove that the outcomes of globalisation on employment and wages will be comparable to the outcomes of skills-biased technological innovation. Which means demand for skilled labour in less developed countries will rise but the demand for unskilled labour will fall contributing to wage inequality. Even though globalisation has encouraged factor price equalisation, it has been at the expense of lower incomes for low-skilled workers. (Williamson 1997, p. 5) explains that factor-price convergence in the earlier stages of globalisation improved conditions for unskilled workers in Europe but made the situation worse for poor unskilled workers in the new global village. As per the concept of comparative advantage, trade and FDI both should take advantage of the cheap and readily available amount of labour in developing countries and so generate a movement of specialization in domestic labour intensive Activities and, ultimately, an expansion in local employment (Lee Vivarelli 2006, p. 170) On the contrary Heckscher-Ohlin recent research leads to the conclusion that the employment impact of increasing trade is not necessarily positive for a developing country. In a developing country, the final employment impact of increasing trade depends on the interaction between productivity growth and output growth both in traded-goods sectors and in non-traded sectors. The final outcome cannot be assessed for different reasons. On the one hand, export may involve demand-led economic and employment growth, but on the other hand – imports may displace previously protected domestic firms, inducing labour redundancy. Moreover, in the presence of supply constraints (lack of infrastructure, scarcity of skilled labour, under-investment, labour market inefficiencies), productivity growth may exceed output growth even in the exporting sectors, to the detriment of job creation Fosu and Reddy (Lee Vivarelli 2006, p. 171). Finally, lucky sectors of the domestic economy e. g. agriculture, public administration, construction, non-traded services may act as labour sinks, often implying hidden unemployment and underemployment in the informal labour market . Shifting the center of attention from trade to FDI inflows, when a developing country opens its borders to foreign capital, FDIs generate positive employment effects directly and indirectly through job creation by suppliers and retailers. They also produce a tertiary employment effect by generating extra incomes and in that way increasing total demand (Sanjaya 2004, p. 91). By comparing the labour intensities of exported, imported and non-traded goods, it is sorted out that in 21 out of 39 sampled developing country which is an increase in the level of trade resulted in an increase in employment. In the remaining group of 18 countries, however, increased integration in the global economy produced a reduction in employment which is the opposite of (Heckscher-Ohlin theorem). In reality inequality comes from a bunch of other sources: corruption, the overextended power of states, technological change, demographic change and diseases, the spread of AIDS in Africa etc. Globalisation, engagement with the wider changes in the world, is as crucial for the less developed countries as it is for the more developed ones. No country which has cut itself off from the wider world has prospered. Take a look at North Korea or Burma to see what happens to a country which tries to simply isolate itself from the world economy. Future is not in regionalism or dull protectionism. That does not mean you should simply accept free trade. Industries should only be opened up to markets when certain favourable conditions prevail. Nonetheless, you do need to tackle with the wider global economy. â€Å"The main challenge for poorer countries is to find what circumstances of that engagement are† (Giddens 2000) People on both sides of this debate have been very swift to draw conclusions about the Impacts of â€Å"globalization† from their measured poverty numbers. The title of a book published recently by the International Forum of Globalization asks: â€Å"Does globalization help the poor? † and the book confidently answers the question with a big â€Å"no. † The back cover of Bhalla (2002) asks: â€Å"Who has gained from globalization? † and answers with equal confidence: the poor. However, readers of neither book will become any wiser about the answer to these questions than when they started. Actually neither book contains the sort of analysis that would be needed to convincingly allow acknowledgment of the claimed changes in poverty and inequality to â€Å"globalization. † I am not given any evidence that would allow me to identify the role played by greater openness to external trade in the distributional changes observed, against other factors such as rising agricultural productivity, demographic factors, changes in the distribution and returns to education and internal policy reforms (Ravallion, p. 15). Globalisation is like a fire, a form of force which is bad if not controlled but useful if channelled responsibly.

History Of Measuring Consumer Ethnocentrism Marketing Essay

History Of Measuring Consumer Ethnocentrism Marketing Essay For marketers it is essential to understand the importance of attitudes, motives, beliefs and attitude change in the study of Marketing and Consumer Behavior. Therefore, Consumer Behavior is about the perceptive of the consumers needs and what affect their purchase intention. Consumer behavior can be distinct as the study of individuals, groups or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use and dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society (Hawkins, 2001). It covers the field from psychology, sociology and economics. With the open-door-policy in 1979, China has improved its trade relations with the rest of the world. China benefited from foreign direct investments and its export expansion. Today, China is the second largest economy in the world. The rapid growth in China led to an increase in consumption. Chinese consumers nowadays have comprehensive choices in buying different kind of products. Due to the open-door-policy, many overseas companies have entered China and benefited from the increased consumer spending. Chinese consumers can choose from foreign goods that are imported from overseas or manufactured by foreign companies in China, or domestic goods. Due to the increased foreign investments, domestic companies face fierce competition in several markets. Markets are globalizing in China but Chinese consumers still keep buying local products. The globalization affects consumer behavior but China has a strong traditional culture which remains noticed in the countrys choice of product purch ase. According to Mooij (2011), globalization can also cause a strengthening of local identities. Studies have identified that consumers in developing countries have a different perception than consumers in developed countries towards local made products. The consumers in developing countries believe that foreign sourced goods are better than local made products. Belk (1996) identified that globalization can lead to motives to resist the globalization policies, such as localism, ethnogenesis and the neo-nationalism. Further research about this paradox can be an effective way for investors, entrepreneurs, companies and producers to develop and enhance their marketing strategy in China. There have been several studies about consumer ethnocentrism and its effect on consumer behavior and purchase intention. Most of the studies have their focus on the Western consumers. There has been little emphasis on the research of Chinese consumer purchasing behavior and evaluation towards consumer ethnocentrism, which leads to a scarce knowledge of the Chinese consumers. This study focuses at explaining the degree of consumer ethnocentrism and its assumptions on evaluation of several products. This research will focus on food products by Chinese consumers. To explain the relationship there has to be a literature review to issue the concepts in the research and analyzing existing studies on consumer ethnocentrism to understand the theoretical background. Secondly, a research question and the hypotheses will be described and after the methodology will be explained. To test the hypotheses, data will be collected. At last, after evaluation of the hypotheses, a conclusion can be drawn from the present study. 1.1 Problem statement Chinese consumers are shifting towards other consuming patterns as the economy grows faster than any other country in the World. The behavior of Chinese consumers has shown significant changes in the couple of years. In the 12th five-year plan, the Chinese government wants to boost its domestic consumption. The changes have led to a declining demand for foreign goods. An explanation can be that Chinese consumers are becoming more ethnocentric because of the favoring for domestic products. The central question in this research is therefore: Does Consumer Ethnocentrism (CE) apply for the Chinese consumer towards food products? Which moderators are influencing the relationship between CE and the outcomes of CE for Chinese consumers towards food products? 1.2 Research method A literature review is needed in order to answer the central question. A literature review is needed to gain insight about a suitable method to measure Consumer Ethnocentrism. It is important to set a theoretical background to gain insight about the factors that are influencing CE, the effects of CE and the moderators that are influencing the relationship between CE and the outcomes of CE. A conceptual framework can be developed after a literature review. In this framework, the factors that can be found that are influencing CE and also the outcomes and moderators that are influencing the relationship between CE and the outcomes, will be presented. The final conceptual model will be empirical tested. This research will be a quantitative research. A questionnaire will be developed and a convenience sample will be used to collect data. A total of 210 questionnaires will be delivered randomly to adult participants. 1.3 Thesis structure In Chapter 2, there will be an explanation how Consumer Ethnocentrism can be measured and if this is applicable in this research. In Chapter 3 there will be a brief description of the Chinese consumer market. In Chapter 4, the conceptual framework of Consumers Ethnocentrism will be developed and thereby its hypotheses. This framework will be the basis for the empirical research that will be described in Chapter 5. At last, the conclusions, limitations and recommendations will be discussed in Chapter 6. 2. Theoretical background 2.1 Ethnocentrism The concept ethnocentrism was first introduced by Sumner (1906). According to the author, ethnocentrism is the tendency to perceive that a particular ethnic or cultural group is being more significant than other groups. Individuals who tend to be more ethnocentric find their group better than others, who are seen as inferior. Ethnocentric individuals have developed an own perspective of how they see people or groups and they dont accept individuals who are different from them (Netemeyer et al., 1991; Shimp and Sharma, 1987). In the field of sociology Lewis (1976) argued that individuals tend to give their group members a privileged treatment than non-group members. Thus, ethnocentrism established the development of in-groups, which is the group of the individual as pride and on the other side a disfavor for out-groups (Levin Campbell, 1972). According to Lynn (1976) ethnocentrism is part of the human nature. Thus, the phenomenon can be used for large diversity of societal groups including the local community, regions and nations. In the study of Chryssochoidis et al (2007, p. 1518) he issued: ethnocentrism is based on the formation of we-group feelings, whereby the in-group is the focal point and all out-groups are judged in relation to it. Levinson (1950) also related ethnocentrism to cultural narrowness which explains behavioral tendencies of favoring the individuals with the same culture and excluding other cultures, who are not the same. 2.2 Consumer ethnocentrism Consumer ethnocentrism is derived from the psychological concept of ethnocentrism and particularly points out to ethnocentric perceptions held by consumers in one country, the so called in-group, towards products from a different country, the out-group (Shimp and Sharma, 1987; Shankarmahesh, 2004). Ethnocentrism is adapted in order to suit Consumer behavior, which is suitable for marketers. Ethnocentrism has already been discussed to the study of consumer behavior in the 1970s (Markin, 1974; Berkman et al, 1978). Shimp and Sharma (1987) defined the concept in order to suit the field of marketing. Sharma, Shimp Shin (1995) argue that the ethnocentric tendencies of consumers are influenced by social-psychological and demographic factors. The basic conceptual model of Sharma, Shimp Shin (1995) shows that Consumer Ethnocentric is the focal concept that is related to demographic variables (age, gender, education) and social physiological variables (openness to foreign cultures, patriotism, collectivism/individualism and conservatism). The result of Consumer ethnocentrism is overestimating the domestic products and underestimating the import products. Thus, Consumer Ethnocentrism is a significant factor towards import product attitude. In their model, there is also a moderating factor. The model issues that when products are perceived as not necessary, consumers will have stronger ethnocentric tendencies towards the attitude of import products. Sharma, Shimp Shin (1995) have tested this conceptual model in Korea. Results have shown that there is a negative correlation between openness to foreign cultures and Consumer ethnocentrism. This shows that people who are open to foreign cultures, are less ethnocentric. There is a positive correlation between patriotism and Consumer ethnocentrism. The demographic variable gender is also significant related to CE: women show more ethnocentric tendencies than men. The study also identified that higher education leads to less ethnocentric tendencies. The research did not find a negative correlation between age and CE. Consumer Ethnocentrism tendencies Antecedents Openness to foreign cultures Patriotism Conservatism Collectivism/individualism Attitude towards imports Moderators Perceived necessity Economic threat Demographics Age Gender Education Figure : Basic model Sharma, Shimp Shin (1995) Consumer ethnocentrism is about the perceived appropriateness and morality when buying foreign products and preferring domestic goods over foreign goods which can be seen as consumer loyalty (Shimp and Sharma, 1987). According to Shrimp and Sharma (1987) highly ethnocentric consumers tend to believe that purchasing foreign-produced goods will affect the countrys economy negatively and will cause unemployment. Conversely, non-ethnocentric consumers, who do not consider ethnocentric beliefs, have no bias where a product is produced. These consumers will consider their purchase based on evaluation of the merits of the products. Shimp and Sharma (1987) state: The family unit would be expected to be the primary socialization agent, but adult opinion leaders, peers and mass media would also influence a childs ethnocentric orientation during the prime period of early childhood socialization. This statement explains that an adults perception is created by what he or she has learned and exper ienced as a child. According to Lingquist (2001) the degree of ethnocentrism is influenced by the developed levels of different regions. In some studies there has been concluded that consumers in developing countries tend to perceive foreign sourced products as prestigious and of high quality while on the other side, developed countries tend to perceive domestic products as prestigious and of higher quality (Agbonifoh and Elimimian, 1999; Bow and Ford, 1993; Sklair, 1994; Wang et al., 2000). Sharma et al. (1995) assume that the less significant product categories lead to greater ethnocentric tendencies and behavior by consumers. Orth Firbasova (2003) and Dosen Krupka (2007) have researched the food industry, where it has been identified that ethnocentric consumers have more willingness to purchase domestic food products instead of foreign food products. To measure consumer ethnocentrism, Shimp and Sharma (1987) developed The Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale (CETSCALE). The CETSCALE is a 17-item predictor of consumer ethnocentrism (Lindquist et al. 2001). This measurement distinguishes consumers whether they are highly ethnocentric or not, thus consumers scoring high on this scale will tend to prefer domestic products over foreign ones. There are several researchers that use the CETSCALE with their own modification for aiming on employment impact, patriotism and economic impact in studies (Lindquist et al., 2001; Cleveland et al., 2009). The scale has been applied widely in different countries, such as Turkey, France and the Czech Republic (Klein et al., 2006). Herche (1992) identified that the CETSCALE is able to forecast consumers choices to buy domestic or foreign products. He argues that this measurement is even better than demographic and marketing mix variables. According to Balabanis (2001), the Customer ethnocentric mea sure of buying intentions differs from countries. Good and Huddleston (1995) agreed on this. They identified that Polish consumers find it significant to purchase foreign goods, contrary to Russian consumers. In a research study of Wei (2008) he issues that the Consumer ethnocentrism will decrease when brand sensitivity and product cues are taken in account. These factors will influence the purchase intention of the consumer. The CETSCALE will be further explained in paragraph 2.3. 2.3 CETSCALE The central question in this research is: Does Consumer Ethnocentrism apply for the Chinese consumer towards food products? This question can only be explored if there is a method to measure CE. There are different kinds of methods and tools to measure CE, but the Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale is the most common used. Shimp and Sharma (1987) have developed this scale to measure CE (see 3.1). Previous studies have tested this scale on its reliability and validity (see 3.2 and 3.3). At last there will be a conclusion if this CETSCALE is valid for measuring CE in this research. 2.3.1 Measuring Consumer-ethnocentrism The first study to measure CE was done by Shimp (1984). He came to a conclusion that measuring CE was being hindered by a suitable tool. Before Shimp developed the CETSCALE, there were other tools, such as the famous F- and E-scales of Adorno et al. (1950). These scales were able to measure ethnocentric tendencies but were useless because of the commonality and dated nature of the scales. Shimp (1984) used an open question to test CE empirically. He used the following sentence: Please describe your views of whether it is right and appropriate for American consumers to purchase products that are manufactured in foreign countries. The question is aimed on the perception of the respondent, questioning if buying foreign products is ethical. Shimp (1984) indicated that the choice for an open question is legitimate, given that the concept of CE is very complex and the relevant dimensions were not known at that moment. Shimp Sharma (1987) developed and validated a multi-item scale to measure the CE of individual consumers: the CETSCALE, which stands for Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale. The CETSCALE consist 17 items, with a 7-point Likert-scale ranged from Totally disagree (1) to Totally agree (7). The 17-item CETSCALE is validated and tested on its reliability in three studies, which are the four area study, Carolinas study and crafted-with-pride study. Shimp Sharma (1987) also developed a shortened version of the CETSCALE for the national consumer good study. This scale consists 10 items of the original 17-item scale. This is because the 17-item scale is often being used for commercial market research. For this subset scale Shimp Sharma (1987) use a five-point Likert-scale. In table 1, the 17-item and the subset 10-item scale is shown. 17-item CETSCALE 10-item CETSCALE 1 American people should always buy American-made products instead of imports. 2 Only those products that are unavailable in the U.S. should be imported. 1 Only those products that are unavailable in the U.S. should be imported. 3 Buy American-made products. Keep America working. 4 American products, first, last, and foremost 2 American products, first, last, and foremost 5 Purchasing foreign-made products is un-American 3 Purchasing foreign-made products is un-American 6 It is not right to purchase foreign products, because it puts Americans out of jobs. 4 It is not right to purchase foreign products, because it puts Americans out of jobs. 7 A real American should always buy American-made products. 5 A real American should always buy American-made products. 8 We should purchase products manufactured in America instead of letting other countries get rich off us. 6 We should purchase products manufactured in America instead of letting other countries get rich off us. 9 It is always best to purchase American products. 10 There should be very little trading or purchasing of goods from other countries unless out of necessity. 11 Americans should not buy foreign products, because this hurts American business and causes unemployment. 7 Americans should not buy foreign products, because this hurts American business and causes unemployment. 12 Curbs should be put on all imports. 13 It may cost me in the long-run but I prefer to support American products. 8 It may cost me in the long-run but I prefer to support American products 14 Foreigners should not be allowed to put their products on our markets. 15 Foreign products should be taxed heavily to reduce their entry into the U.S. 16 We should buy from foreign countries only those products that we cannot obtain within our own country. 9 We should buy from foreign countries only those products that we cannot obtain within our own country. 17 American consumers who purchase products made in other countries are responsible for putting their fellow Americans out of work. 10 American consumers who purchase products made in other countries are responsible for putting their fellow Americans out of work. Table 1: The CETSCALE of Shimp Sharma (1987) 2.3.2 International reliability The basic requirements of a scale, that can be used in several countries, is the reliability of a scale (Craig Douglas 2000). In case a scale is being used in a different country than where the scale is developed, there can be a measurement invariance. This refers to observing the construct in different conditions and studying constructs where the measurement does not always measure the same attribute. Linguistically or conceptual inequality of measuring instruments can cause variations in the reliability. This is a threat to the validity of conclusions. The focus on the study of the reliability is to obtain the same results when using the existing measuring instrument in a different context, different way or different point of time. These tools do not have to be reliable in every context, despite the attempt to develop tools that can be used in every culture (Craig Douglas 2000). Therefore, the CETSCALE does not have to be reliable everywhere. If the scale in the United states giv es a good reflection of the items that are measuring the CE in the United States, however this does not mean that these are the right items for a different country (Douglas Craig 2000, p.277). It is important to determine if the CETSCALE is international reliable and therefore suitable in other countries. The reliability of a scale can be identified in multiple ways. There are two parts of reliability of the CETSCALE that come up for discussion: The internal consistency and the dimensionality of the CETSCALE and the stability of the CETSCALE over time. The internal consistency is being measured with the Cronbachs Alpha. The Cronbachs alpha measures if the items of the CETSCALE truly measure one concept: Consumer Ethnocentrism. The internal consistency has to be large enough (alpha higher than 0.60) to measure CE with the CETSCALE. When this is the case, the items can be considered as reliable indicators of CE (Hair et al. 1998). When a low alpha occurs, the respondents do not have consistent image of the concept and in that case the measurement is not reliable. A requirement by measuring the internal consistency of a set of items, is that the items are one-dimensional (Hair et al. 1998). This means that the items have to be interdependent and combined they have to measure one concept (Hair et al. 1998). Factor analyses are important to measure the dimensionality of a set of items by determine several factors (Hair et al. 1988). For one-dimensionality all items of the CETSCALE have to load high on one single factor (Hair et al. 1998). The stability of the CETSCALE over time is being measured by a test/retest method. The consistency of the answers of a respondent is being measured at different moments. The objective of this method is to be sure that the answers do not vary over time, in order for the CETSCALE to be considered reliable at every moment (Hair et al. 1998). According to Hair et al. (1998) Cronbachs alpha is being defined as: Cronbachs Alpha is most widely used objective measure of reliability. It is used to measure the internal consistency of a test or scale. The measurement is expressed as number of 0 and 1, whereby the nearer Cronbachs Alpha coefficient is to 1, the better the internal consistency of the set of variables. Internal consistency and dimensionality of the CETSCALE Shimp Sharma (1987) were the first researchers that executed four distinctive studies to determine the reliability of the 17-item CETSCALE. These studies have shown that the internal consistency of the CETSCALE is very high; the Cronbachs alpha of the four studies varies from 0.94 to 0.96. The internal consistency and the dimensionality of the CETSCALE is identified in several studies and countries (Appendix 1). The alpha coefficients in the appendix show a consistency. That implies that the alpha in every study lies about 0.90 (with exception of the alpha for Hungary in the study of Lindquist et al. (2000)). In any other cases the internal consistency meets the minimum of 0.60.Orth Fibrasova (2003) have studied the role of CE towards the evaluation of food. They have found a high Cronbachs Alpha value for the CETSCALE and imply that the CETSCALE is internal consistent. There are different opinions about the amount of items of the scale that must be used. Shimp Sharma (1987) have used 10 items in the national consumer good study, because of the limited possibilities in the questionnaire. Lindquist et al. (2001) have studied the dimensionality of the shortened 10-item CETSCALE in Hungary, Czech and Poland. According to this research, the CETSCALE does not have a universal good fit in the central- and east-European countries. They assume that a scale that can be used in every country does not exist. Therefore, they suggest to use a part of the CETSCALE items and add some land specific or population specific items to effectively measure the CE. Another problem the authors have identified is the translation of the CETSCALE. The authors imply that the scale functions better in English then translated to their native languages in their research. The authors emphasize that the back-translation technique must be used to set up an accurate translation of the scale. Stability of the CETSCALE over time Shimp Sharma (1987) have used the test-/retest method by doing the research twice with a interim period of five weeks. These studies have found comparable alpha values. Shimp Sharma (1987) conclude that the CETSCALE is stable over time. Nielsen Spence (2001) have also researched the stability of the CETSCALE over time. They studied the stability in the United States over an eight week period during the summer of 1992. In this period they have found that the CETSCALE-scores are stable over time but by investigating different groups, the scores can vary over time. They conclude that a longer period of data collection, scores can vary more. 2.3.3 International validity The validity of a scale refers whether a scale or set of measurements measures the focal concept accurate (Hair et al. 1998). The three most accepted types of validity are convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. Convergent validity examines the degree to which the operationalization converges with other known measuring instruments of the concept. Discriminant validity assures that the scale differs enough of other similar concepts and nomological validity measures if the scale shows the relationship based on previous studies or theories. These types of validity are empirical tested by defining the correlation between theoretical defined sets of variables (Hair et al. 1998). Convergent validity This type of validity examines the correlation between two measurements that measure the same concept (Hair et al. 1998, p. 118). A researcher can look for this and find an alternative tool to measure CE and correlate this method with the CETSCALE. If the correlations are high, then the CETSCALE truly measures CE. Shimp Sharma (1987) have found a convergent validity in their study. The 17-item CETSCALE correlates with the open question of Shimp (1984). This correlation (r (=correlation coefficient) =0.54, n=388, p Discriminant validity Discriminant validity is the degree where two concepts are different. This type of validity examines the correlation between measurements. In this case, the CETSCALE is being correlated with a different conceptual measurement. The correlation has to be low, as it shows that the CETSCALE differs enough comparing to another measurement (Hair et al. 1998, p. 118). Shimp Sharma (1987) have found evidence for discriminant validity. Three constructs are being used in the studies (patriotism, politics, economic conservatism and dogmatism) that are related to Consumer Ethnocentrism. The researchers have used a test of Fornelll Larcker (1981). They assume that the average variance of the separated constructs is larger than the variance where the constructs are being combined. They have found that this is the case for the CETSCALE and the politic-economic conservatism-scale. The variance distinctive is 71% for the CETSCALE and 61% for the conservatism-scale, as the combined variance of the two constructs is 34%. Thus, Shimp and Sharma (1986) indicate that there is a discriminant validity. The study of Sharma, Shimp Shin (1995) also proves that there is a discriminant validity between CE and the product attitude towards foreign goods. They have found this through a factor analyses on the 17-item CETSCALE and the 10 attitude items. Findings have shown that the CETSCALE items and the attitude-items load on two different factors. A factor analyses have shown that the correlation between the two constructs (r = 0.568) differs significantly . Thus, these two constructs are not similar. Nomological validity Nomological validity examines how far the CETSCALE can give an accurate prediction for other concepts in a model that is based on theories. In this case, a research must identify theoretical supporting relationships from earlier studies, then he has to determine if the scale has comparable correlations (Hair et al. 1998, p.118). For the 17-item scale Shimp and Sharma (1987) have used the CETSCALES-scores of the respondents to determine the nomological validity. Shimp and Sharma (1987) applied different measuring instruments of Warshaw (1980), Fishbein Ajzen (1975) and Ajzen Fishbein (1980). These tools have been used two years before the development of the CETSCALE to investigate the purchase of a domestic or foreign car. The purchase of a foreign car is negative correlated with the CETSCALE score of the ethnocentric respondents of Shimp and Sharma (1987). Furthermore, the ethnocentric consumers have less favorable cognitive structures and attitudes regarding foreign cars than non-ethnocentric consumers. These results imply the nomological validity of the Consumer Ethnocentrism concept and measuring this concept with the CETSCALE. The 10-item scale is also tested on its nomological validity by Shimp and Sharma (1987). They have tested this by looking to the country origin of the manufactures. According to this study, the country of origin of the manufacturer is an important purchase consideration when the scores on the CETSCALE increase. Consumers with a higher score on the CETSCALE are likely to choose for American manufactures and have less preference for European and Asian manufactures. Predictive validity Herche (1992) has some remarkable notes about the predictive validity of the CETSCALE. He assumes that the predictive validity of the CETSCALE is product specific (the predictive validity for cars is higher than computers). Herche (1992) gives several explanations for this phenomena. First, when buying a more expensive product, people tend to have more ethnocentric tendencies because these transactions have a bigger economic impact. Another possibility is that if there are no acceptable domestic goods available, even ethnocentric consumers are being forced to purchase foreign goods. Also, the degree of involvement can be responsible for the difference between product categories. Purchases with a higher involvement can evoke emotional reactions about the country origin. However, this does not have to be true because the involvement of a purchase of a car does not has to be bigger than the purchase of a computer. Witkowski (1998) assumes that the predictive validity of the CETSCALE does not has to be product specific but also country specific. He has found this assumption in his study in Mexico and Hungary. Respondents in this study are asked to give nine durable products in the past three years. There was a significant negative relationship between the CETSCALE-scores and the purchase of a foreign car, television, video recorder and washer in Hungary. No significant relationship was found between CE and the purchases in Mexico. 2.3.4 CETSCALE in this research The internal consistency of the scale is high in most of the studies and meets the minimum requirements of the Cronbachs alpha value of 0.60. Orth Fibrasova (2003) have done studies of the role of CE regarding food products. To measure CE, they make use of the CETSCALE. In this research the shortened 10-item scale of Shimp Sharma (1987) will be used. The main reason the use the 10-item scale is because the length of the questionnaire has to be limited. In paragraph 3.3, sufficient evidence has found for the international validity of the CETSCALE. Thus, the CETSCALE is an useful scale to measure CE in China. 3. Chinas consumer market Due to the globalization of markets, there is an abundance of foreign goods in China. Domestic companies had to face strong competition of foreign companies during the last ten years. According to Cui (1999), the Chinese consumer market has the largest growth opportunity in the world. The market of 1.3 billion people, with an emerging spending power of the middle income class, is an enormous opportunity for producers of consumer goods. Each year 10 million new Chinese consumers enter the market. In 2010, Chinas consumer market was approximately worth $1.7 trillion. According to Forbes (2011) the domestic consumer market in China could grow to about $15 trillion within ten years. A.T. Kearney (2007) assumes that the middle class will increase its consumptions especially on food, the branded food product market supposed to increase from $150 billion to $650 billion by 2017. The statistics show that the mediocre