Consumer Influences and Behaviour: UK Banking

Consumer Influences and Behaviour: UK Banking Chapter 1 (Intro) 1.1 Introduction To become the leading international bank HSBC has combined the emerging markets through international connectivity and scale yet maintaining the strategy unchanged. To comply with the recent economic turmoil HSBCs strategy is apparently most appropriate one as the projected the return of total shareholders equity remains achievable over full business cycle. Reinvestment of the capital allowed the company to maintain flexibility of direction in accordance with financial and regulatory environment. This can help the company to make the long term decisions supporting the brand values and the customer relationship and the growth to be consistent with the strategy. The ‘Managing for growth a diverse evolutionary strategy ranging from 2003 to 2008 for HSBCs growth and development across the globe addressing the areas where desirable and attainable improvement can be made; was an ultimate success. Unlike competitors, the consistent approach to grow within the emerging markets HSBC did not have to dispose any stakes in strategic investments to generate capitals. Depending on the customer demand and maintaining the strategic line while reviewing the emerging new opportunities, HSBC has successfully survived in the period of uncertainty. The company has increased the number of HSBC Premier Customers to 2.9 million, and the customer volume is increasing highly in the emerging market. During financial crisis and economic recession the global financial markets have suffered a serious impact. Very few banks have escaped unharmed by adjusting to shifts in the global financial and economic environment. Market entry timing decisions are inherently difficult. A firms managers need to consider the influence of so many factors both internal and external to the firm in deciding when to enter a market with a new product (Lieberman and Montgomery, 1991). Firms face a particularly difficult decision of planning when it is best to enter a market with a new product in response to a market introduction of a pioneering new product by a major competitor. Given that pioneering is no longer an option, is it better for the firm to enter the market quickly with a competitive new product or is it better for the firm to delay market entry for strategic reasons. When the competitive stakes are high, it is clearly in a firms best interest for its management to plan carefully such a market entry timing decision by giving careful consideration to a broad array of information including information on the competitor, the competitors product offering, the market, and the firms internal resources and product offerings. Considerable academic research has been conducted that suggests the desirability of certain market entry timing strategies for a wide array of conditions in the competitive environment (cf. Bowman and Gatignon, 1995; Brown and Lattin, 1994; Green et al., 1995). The business world composed of organization and work becoming more demanding and wild. Facing organizations are now facing so many challenges. Among them globalization, customer awareness, higher revenue with minimizing the operational cost, strengthening the organizational capacity, renovation and change, technological implementation, maintaining diverse human capital, and confirming essential and constant change. Fortunately the degree of competition among industry rivals has significantly increased. Now most of the organizations can easily duplicate technology, industrial methods, production, and even strategy. To gain the competitive advantage in the long run, business houses need to establish their own organizational capability (Burke Cooper 2004). 1.2 Background of The Study HSBC is a prominent name in the global banking industry. This bank has been operating successfully all around the world as a local bank with its efficiency and effectiveness. The integrated strategy of HSBC and on time decision made it becoming a threat for other long lived bank in the industry. The strategy the bank had followed make it to cope up with all sorts of cultural barriers and to be along within the society and create the better brand value compare to the other rivals in the banking industry. The reason behind the on-going prospect of this bank is due to a reason which made is to gain the competitive advantage in the global money and investment market. Lately the economic crisis hit the global money market and retail banking industry injuring the performance of all the major players in the industry as the confidence and the trust of the customers were gone. 1.3 Rationale This study is a requirement for the course I am enrolled in. This study will help me to utilize the acquired knowledge/theories and relate them to the applied business. The title was chosen as banking industry is one of the diverse industries and UK is one of the most competitive markets where the industry rivals constantly changing their strategies to adopt with the change and HSBC is one of the best performing banks in it. With the establishment of the purpose given, this study may be of importance to the purpose that have been discussed by fulfilling the objectives, the study will be helpful for researchers focusing on different strategies and innovative techniques with regards to the method of gathering the information. The findings of the research will be helpful for researchers in creating their own means of conducting their study. The significance of this study is the option that it may contribute the findings for the other studies that wish to examine factors for the success or failure of a study. Another importance of the report is to serve as a director for researches that emphasis on defining the effects of an integrated marketing strategy which made HSBC successful in the UK banking industry as well as globally. 1.4 Aim and Objective of the Study The aim of the research to find the answer to the research question â€Å"How can HSBC Continue to Maintain Its Competitive marketing advantage in the UK market?† The objective of this study is to identify the reason behind the success of HSBC and the challenges the company may face in future and the potential strategy the company may follow so that it can maintain its leading position in the UK retail banking industry. So, the prime objectives of the study are as follows: To identify how HSBC operates and what made it unique besides others To identify the attitudes of the UK customers towards HSBC. To identify the attitudes of the company staffs towards existing marketing system. To identify the shortcomings (if existed) of the Strategy being adopted by HSBC To identify the most effective strategy appropriate for HSBC in response to the current financial crisis in UK. 1.5 The Organization of the paper: Unlike the conventional approach this paper is furnished with the industry analysis focusing on the UK banking industry in term of its performance, effective factors leading HSBC to become more successful, the changing switching tendencies of the customers, role of the SMEs in the industry and an overview on the investment criteria in the money market. The study will initially gather information that will serve as introductory part of the study. The study will then gather related literature to prove the need for conducting the study. The literature review can help in determining what are the studies already done, what study needs to be corrected. The study will then determine the methods and means for data to be gathered and analyzed. In this part the data is being readied to be gathered and analyzed but the method to gather it will first be determined. The next part of the study is gathering, presenting and interpreting the data. In this part the validity of the hypothesis and ideas about the study will be proven. The last part of the study will be the part where conclusions and recommendations will be stated. In this part final statement about the study will be done. The study will be organized in accordance with the following order Chapter 2(Literature Review) According to Porter (1985) it is the value chain through which a company can create and offer value to its customers by efficiently utilizing costs and effectively offering the product or services through a lower cost or a higher differentiation. Again Rajnandan (2007) said value chain not only seeks to do away with the activities that do not add value, but establishes the importance of other support activities, including infrastructure, technology, and so on, that play a vital role in providing the foundation for competitive advantage. The value chain also is useful in outsourcing decisions. Understanding the linkages between activities can lead to more optimal make-or-buy decisions that can result in either a cost advantage or a differentiation advantage. (Graeme J. Buckley, 2006) After defining the discrete activities marketers need to identify the linkages between activities. The relationship survives if the performance or cost of one activity affects that of another. Competitive advantage may be obtained by optimizing and coordinating linked activities. (Porter, 1985) The developed opponents expected strategy, where it participates in the marketplace, how it competes, and what it tries to achieve, should be distinct from any strategy pursued by any rival. Those executives charged with visualizing the developed rivals strategy should also be encouraged to go beyond the likely strategies of announced. It is necessary to communicate the competitive variables to the target market as that will force the buyers to prefer the products. Where marketing communications carries the meaning of the companys product attributes, aiding customers reach their goals and moving the company closer to its own goals. (Lancaster, 2002) Marketing efficiency depends on communications effectiveness. The market is activated through information flows. The way a potential buyer perceives the sellers market offering is heavily influenced by the amount and kind of information he or she has about the product offering, and the reaction to that information. Marketing, therefore, relies heavily upon information flows between the seller and the prospective buyer. (Thomas A. Staudt, Donald Arthur Taylor, 1976) The firms value chain links to the value chains of upstream suppliers and downstream buyers. The result is a larger stream of activities known as the value system. The development of a competitive advantage depends not only on the firm-specific value chain, but also on the value system of which the firm is a part. (Kiichiro Fukasaku, 2007) Dramatic changes due to globalization, deregulation, and technology have redefined the nature of business by increasing competition. Significant increases in the speed of competitive response and the number of competitive actions and price cuts have also resulted. Those indicators highlight the intensity of competition. (Gr, Cu, Le, Hu, Ken G, 2005) Unlike the classical concepts, the marketing concept states that the nature of the marketing orientated organisation, whether product or service based, profit or non profit based, is the identification and genuine satisfaction of customers needs and wants, more effectively and efficiently than the competition. The marketing concept has been defined as ‘the key to achieving organisational goals and the marketing concept rests on ‘market focus, customer orientation, co-ordinated marketing and profitability. (Le, Ru, Lancaster, 2002). ‘Marketing Research is a systematic problem analysis, model-building and fact-finding for the purpose of improved decision-making and control in the marketing of goods and services (Kotler, 1999) Strategic capabilities that companies can use to support the strategy they have chosen to pursue. A strategic capability offers a company a sustained competitive advantage when substantial time and effort is required for competitors to develop the same capability. (Susman, 1992) Game theory more specifically, non-cooperative game theory can be a useful tool for investigating a comprehensive model of competitive advantage in that it demonstrates the linkages between resources, competitive moves and responses, and advantage. (Gr, Cu, Le, Hu, Ken G, 2005) The ability and speed with which a company can learn from experience is another strategic capability. The ability to learn is dependent, in part, on how the company captures and accesses information. Companies can simplify this process by minimizing the amount and complexity of information they have to process. (Susman, 1992) Only by gaining a deep and comprehensive understanding of buyer behaviour can marketings goals be realised. Such an understanding of buyer behaviour works to the mutual advantage of the consumer and marketer, allowing the marketer to become better equipped to satisfy the consumers needs efficiently and establish a loyal group of customers with positive attitudes towards the companys products. (Lancaster, 2002) Competitive advantage is a way of firms gained advantage over its rivals. Competitive Advantage introduces a whole new way of understanding what a firm does. Competitive Advantage takes strategy from broad vision to an internally consistent configuration of activities. Its powerful framework provides the tools to understand the drivers of cost and a companys relative cost position. Competitive Advantage also provides for the first time the tools to strategically segment an industry and rigorously assess the competitive logic of diversification. (Porter, 1998) The design stage determines the way in which a firm intends to differentiate its good or service from rivals. In this stage a firm makes choices to gain a competitive advantage over rivals. (William, 2004) For a single product or narrow group of products, a firms competitive strategy refers to the weighted mix of price, product qualities and features, and service that differentiates its product from those of rivals. (William, 2004) The Competitive Advantage model of Porter learns that competitive strategy is about taking offensive or defensive action to create a defendable position in an industry, in order to cope successfully with competitive forces and generate a superior return on investment. According to Michael Porter, the basis of above-average performance within an industry is sustainable competitive advantage. There are 2 basics types of CA: Cost Leadership (low cost) and Differentiation. The Delta Model contains the following elements: Strategic Triangle: used for defining strategic positions that reflect fundamentally new sources of profitability (three strategic options: best product, customer solutions, and system lock-in), Aligning these strategic options with a firms activities and provides congruency between strategic direction and execution (three fundamental processes are always present and are the repository of key strategic tasks: operational effectiveness, customer targeting, and innovation), and Adaptive processes: core processes of the company must be aligned to the chosen strategy in order to make progress against the strategic agenda and avoid a commodity-like outcome. 2.1 The Trends (Customer Focused) E-trading and online customer services are becoming the key differentiators in every industry. The banking industry in the midst of a shift assisted and backed by the rapid technological advancement, internet and globalization. The transition is not an incremental one through which organizations, processes, and technologies evolve in linear fashion into more advanced, but still familiar models which is distinct from the earlier industry change. Industry observers anticipate that this transition will be much more radical and constitute a complete metamorphosis of bankings entire business model, realigning everything from its strategic business orientation to its technology architecture to its value proposition to its customers. (Balthasar, 2010) 2009 is a significant year forcing many private banking experts to remember. Privet funds failed to generate revenue as clients withdrew assets from private banks. The global financial crisis has fundamentally changed the investment pattern of the High Net Worth Investors and their wealth management business itself. Growing Market ‘Many â€Å"new money† acquire their wealth through IPO. Brazil and China accounted for two-thirds of global capital raised in Q2 2009 (Ernst Young, 2009) showing that there is a growing demand for private banking and wealth management service in the region as the economy is rapidly growing. Chinas growth will outstrip US which is a good news for private banks who have a strong APAC presence, wealth management professionals should understand that the Chinese market is not easy to penetrate. First of all, client advisors need to be fluent in Mandarin and have local connections. Secondly, guanxi (relationships) still plays an extremely important role in the modern Chinese business community, private bankers without access to key relationship brokers as references will find it very difficult to convince Chinese HNWIs to open accounts. Private banks that hire locals will have a definite advantage over expats trying to cover Chinese clients. (Warren Buffet, 2009) Responsible lending Affordability assessment approaches vary across the industry. Responsible lending decisions require checks to be made concerning income and outgoings (typically using a combination of income multiples and affordability models) when assessing ability to repay now and into the future. Also the type of lending undertaken and the type of borrower (for example, applicants with impaired or low credit ratings) may require more detailed assessments to be carried out. Other (unregulated) lending Mortgage lending is only part of the affordability picture. Under the auspices of Treating Customers Fairly (TCF), affordability assessments are equally relevant to other borrowing, including personal loans and credit cards, and a number of lenders are looking at how their affordability assessment processes may need to be strengthened for these types of credit. In an effort to strengthen existing rules, new Banking Code guidance concerning assessing affordability in relation to unsecured loans (overdrafts and other borrowing) was issued by the Banking Code Standards Board in April 2006. Any assessment should now include at least two of the following: Income and financial commitments Repayment history Credit reference agency information and past repayment history Credit scoring. It is also worth noting that the Office of Fair Tradings recent guidance (‘the OFT Guidance) reinforces the need for firms to have regard to its earlier guidance on non-status lending and confirms its intention to consider further specific guidance with regard to irresponsible lending and what this may mean in different market sectors and circumstances. Responding to the concerns The FSA has indicated that as part of its retail agenda it will continue to focus on quality of advice processes in the mortgage market. In responding to these concerns, firms will wish to consider how the results of the FSAs findings impact each of their lending businesses: How extensive is the affordability process; does the advice process include an assessment of income and identifiable expenditure; anticipated changes in personal circumstances (income/expenditure composition); impact of interest rate changes and possible future increases in interest rates? How can the consumer deal with mortgages extending into retirement? What steps are taken to ensure that underwriting processes (including income multiples and affordability models) reflect the different characteristics and risk profiles of customers in different market sectors (for example, sub-prime; non-conforming)? Is the recent assessment carried out to identify the affordability (including affordability decisioning models) to meet the regulatory as well as commercial drivers impacting the business? What steps are taken concerning the assessment of the customers ability to repay where ‘enhanced income multiples are used (and where the firm may have insufficient, or outdated, data to measure the potential impact/risks of default)? What MI does the consumer have to facilitate the identification of affordability issues on a timely basis (for example, the performance of loans where ‘enhanced multiples have been applied; at the end of any discount period; the level of arrears and repossessions; lending introduced by intermediaries)? Even for long-established product offerings, it is clear that nothing stays still. Aside from regulation by the FSA, the market still needs to respond to the challenges of competition investigation into the PPI market. Household Leverage: In the years leading up to the crisis, a combination of factors, including low interest rates, lax lending standards, a proliferation of exotic mortgage products, and the growth of a global market for securitized loans fueled a rapid increase in household borrowing. (Shedlock, 2010) ‘The recent financial crisis contributed to the longest and most severe economic contraction since the Great Depression. The rapid expansion in the use of borrowed money, or leverage, by households in recent years, is one factor that may help account for the virulence of the downturn. (Shedlock, 2010) ‘The common patterns observed across countries suggest that, the unwinding of excess household leverage via increased saving or increased default rates could be a significant drag on consumption and bank lending going forward, possibly muting the vigor of the economic recovery. (Shedlock, 2010) 2.2 Changing Nature of Consumer Behaviour (Higher Expectation) ‘Customers take control. Customers will be smart, informed and savvy users of financial services. They will only be interested in service providers that can meet their very specific individual needs. (CMA Management, 2006) Global banking leader for the Institute for Business Value, each bank must decide on a strategy that fits its customers needs. Banks will need special strategies to cater to a far more discerningand controllingcustomer. Innovative approaches to business design, customer service, workforce management and IT will be critical to banks future success. (Sunny Banerjea, 2009) Banking customers will demand more advocacy, personal security and control in their banking relationships Banks will source products and services from many specialized and best-in-class service providers, including independents and other banks providing white-label products and services. Innovation in products, processes, relationships and business models will be the primary path to sustainable growth. Furthermore, the modern banking industry has brought greater business diversification. Some banks in the industrialized world are entering into investments, underwriting of securities, portfolio management and the insurance businesses. Taken together, these changes have made banks an even more important entity in the global business community. 2.3 Globalization (Intense Competition) ‘By 2015, we will live in an intensely customer-centric market that is dominated by global mega banks and densely populated by specialist financial services providers. Fierce competition, global regulation and technology will reshape bank and non-bank structures. (Rusty Wiley, 2009) Banking is moving incrementally but unmistakably away from a model based on products, transactions, touch points, and internal departments toward one based on customers, processes, integrated experiences, and the enterprise-wide value of information. The new strategic centre is not an institutions asset size, market share, revenue growth, or operating efficiency, but the â€Å"customer experience† the institution provides to consumers. Whether a seismic departure in focus or simply a more pronounced emphasis on an existing strategy, many banks have decided this is their destination. Many countries are now more alert after so many scams including The Bernard Madoff $65 billion Ponzi scheme exposed in 2009. To minimise and control the false trading activities and tax evasions, governments worldwide demand more oversight of banking operations influencing not only the investment banking business but also the private banking side. The account opening process, KYC and offshore banking activities are under tighter scrutiny than ever before. As a direct result, banks have to spend more money on compliance and risk management. (Investment Research, 2010) Banks no longer think in terms of selling products and making transactions, but rather in terms of acquiring, satisfying, and retaining customers. They are realigning their system architectures to recognize, integrate, and monitor business processes that span departmental boundaries and consider customers from a company-wide perspective. The resulting systems provide customers with tools to conduct their own banking business on their own terms, in their own time, and through whatever channel they happen to access. (Balthasar, 2010) This shift in strategic focus has already had a profound impact on the way that bankings role and value to its customers have evolved, leading to the second feature of the industrys transformation, which is that banking is no longer seen as purely a financial transaction, but rather in a broader and more significant way as a financial information business. This distinction may sound like splitting hairs, but the eventual effect on the banking industry will be nothing short of transformative. To better adapt and accommodate this shift successfully, banks will have to recon and upgrade their entire IT infrastructures. The excellent international reputation and the $300 billion private banking assets the region currently manages, the Singaporean government is aggressive in making the country more attractive to private banks and HNWIs worldwide. Singapore officials are planning to amend the Income Tax Act, which is likely to help the country to make Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Developments â€Å"white list†, further establishing itself as Asias private banking stronghold. (Wall Street Arrow: Market Insights, 2009) The competitive pressures that have squeezed the banking industry for the past decade show no sign of letting up, principally due to the banking industrys continuing consolidation. (Balthasar, 2009) Many industry analysts are expecting another round of large bank merger announcements, with the additional element of international banks involved in cross-border mergers. We have seen the beginnings of that trend already in Europe, with the acquisition of Abbey National (U.K.) by Santander (Spain) and the protracted dispute between Dutch bank ABN AMRO and another Spanish bank over two Italian banks. One important ramification of the continued growth of leading banks will be their ability, based on their sheer size and higher efficiencies, to invest in world-class data storage, management, and analytical capabilities, thereby extending their dominance by the development of innovative revenue-generating products and services. The transition to banks as primarily an information source has helped lower the barriers to entry in the financial services industry, opening the banking arena to a host of new, non-bank players. The current alarm among banks and their regulators about Wal-Marts efforts to obtain an industrial loan company (ILC) license in Utah is the most visible manifestation of that trend. 2.4 Technology (Customised Service) Sharply focused technology. The enabler of all this change will be technology that supports rapid, accurate decision making and greater operational flexibility and efficiency. The successful specialists will be those who can track and analyze specific customer needs and speedily meet them with profitable, reliable products. (CMA Management, 2006) The global trend of deregulation has opened up many new businesses to the banking industry. Coupling that with technological developments like internet banking and ATMs, the banking industry is obviously trying its hardest to shed its lackluster image. (Investopedia, 2010) The major force driving banking transformation stems from the increasing commoditization of financial transactions. Banks can no longer distinguish themselves on the basis of product set functionality or operational excellence. Commercially available systems have perfected virtually all the important functions in basic transactions, including payments, deposits, funds transfers, and account reporting. The maturity of technology in these areas has made both functionality and pricing nearly uniform among leading vendors. The sheer volume and scope of regulatory requirements has imposed on banks an unprecedented need to develop transparent systems and processes, along with more effective and reliable means for collecting, storing, and manipulating information. Going forward, banks will need to develop an approach to their IT infrastructure that places a premium on flexibility, adaptability to rapidly changing market circumstances, and the ability to integrate information from multiple sources currently isolated from each other. The competitive landscape has also shrunk considerably. In June 2008, there were 46 lenders offering unsecured personal loans, down from 58 in June 2007, however, by June 2009 this number had dropped further to just 37. The real value proposition that banks offer now is in the information they can provide about financial services and transactions, from a perspective of accessibility, speed, convenience, granularity, analysis, and so forth. In other words, the important question to ask banks now is â€Å"how quickly, accurately, deeply, efficiently, transparently, and finitely can they capture, parse, store, identify, access, retrieve, sort, match, analyze, aggregate, present, share, distribute, and protect data?† Therefore, leading banks are basing new technology strategies on transforming and enhancing their command of information. Although they already sit atop vast amounts of data about their customers, banks in many respects are unable to identify and/or retrieve it with any degree of precision. With bankings future growth and profitability dependent on the ability to aggregate information across systems and reorient it by customer instead of product, technology spending decisions will he nceforth be guided by how well a proposed solution furthers a banks command of information. (Balthasar, 2009) Data management The command of information should be incorporated it into technology development by the vendors allowing them to capture (automatically as much as possible) descriptive and associative information about customers, transactions, and workflow circumstances as distinct data fields; to identify, access, associate, aggregate, sort, and display data from disparate sources; to exchange, transfer, compound, and deconstruct data freely across system boundaries; to normalize, integrate, and analyze that data for a specific purpose and for a specifically designated market segment; to drill down and parse data into ever more discrete units that can be segregated and analyzed; and to manage all of the above in near-real time through centralized database management and automated business processes with rules-based workflow and exception management. Initiatives and architectures not built on a sophisticated data management core will provide only limited benefit, since sooner or later they will be unable to integrate fully into

Jacksonian Democracy Essays -- essays research papers

Jacksonian Democracy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jacksonian (Democracy, Society, etc.) is a term used to describe reform during the time of Andrew Jackson’s Presidency. Specifically Jacksonian Democracy refers to â€Å"the general extension of democracy that characterized U.S. politics from 1824 to 1828.† Jacksonian Democracy and its support came primarily from the lower classes as a rebellion of sorts apposing the aristocracy. Even though it stressed equality, it was pro-slavery and anti-Indian (not unlike Andrew Jackson). Also there was change in both the political parties and the social reforms. Jackson was seen as a westerner (even though he was from Tennessee) and a president of the common man. This we can see when he married women out of the lower classes and the upper class was astonished. Also, Jackson had opened the white house to everyone on his inauguration day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During his time in office Political parties changed their names and were affirmed. Earlier when the term party was looked upon with similar meaning as faction, it represented a sort of selfishness and contention over unanimity that wasn’t needed in the government. The Democrats and the Whigs were the new names of the parties. The Whigs grew from the Republican Party and the Democrats form the Anti-Federalists. What brought this change were economic booms and downturns that had characterized the 19th century economy. Also Missouri Compromise (when Missouri’s proposed constitution admitted for slavery and to balance the states Maine was admitted as a free state) had a hand in bringing about the parties when a group of politicians (of whom Martin Van Buren was apart of) that were organized in a coalition for states rights and limited government that would be later supported by Andrew Jackson; also they help support Jackson for the presidency of 1828, they were known as the Democrats. Parties were also essential because they gave the Common man (which Jackson was all about) the power to compete (sort of) with the wealth, education, and social connections of the traditional leaders (fun?). The Whigs stood for Government controlled commercial development that incorporated what was called the American System, and wanted a high tariff that would benefit the North and its factories rather than the European competition, which meant more funds for the national governme... ... points in social reform from Jacksonian Democracy was abolition. The logic was that social reform also applied to slavery and almost more than any other institution. The reasoning behind this was that slaves resisted their own enslavement. Slavery was opposed in the 18th century by Quakers and few other whites, even though the American Revolution with its rhetoric about equal and universal rights called slavery into serious question. The Northern States abolished it and the Southern slave owners (upper south mind you) thought about liberating slaves. However it wasn’t until the 1830s that a number of middle class Norteà ±os (northerners) began to demand immediate emancipation of slaves for their incorporation as equals in the Republic. Just as other social reforms had taken root with mostly radical Norteà ±o Whigs, abolitionism soon found its way to them. This was a basis for the middle class revivals of the 1820s and 1830s. In closing this is what Jacksonian democracy incorporated; pretty much any reform that happened within the country during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Source: Microsoft  ® Encarta  ® Reference Library 2005.  © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Palliative and Hospice for End of Life Care Essay

The notion of death and the process of dying are often experienced as tragedies, especially in the western culture. Thus, the medical model of care performed in our western culture includes life-saving measures and curative treatments. However, there may be a time in a person’s life when a cure may no longer be an option. That is the time when palliative or hospice care can step in to afford the patient and the family the opportunity to maximize the remaining time spent together. This paper will compare and contrast palliative care with the hospice model. In addition, end-of-life care related to physical well-being, psychological well-being, social well-being, and spiritual well-being will be addressed based on my experience as a student nurse with Hospice of San Joaquin. Finally, the views of end-of-life care will be discussed as it relates to the hospice model. Palliative care and hospice care share a common thread. They are both models of care that take a holistic and individualized approach to anticipate and alleviate the symptoms and suffering that arise from chronic and terminal illnesses (Witt Sherman, D. , & Cheon, J. , 2012). They both encompass the patient and family as the center of care and provide comprehensive assessments and comfort measures to patients with terminal illnesses. The care continues past the death of the patient and can continue into the bereavement period for family. Hospice will continue to support the bereaved family up to one year past the death of the patient (Hospice of San Joaquin, 2010). Both models utilize an interdisciplinary approach to care with team members that include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual members, massage therapists, and home health aids and others. Palliative care can be utilized during any time during the course of an illness and disease process. The cost of cure can be extensive and both palliative and hospice care limit medical interventions that can significantly increase healthcare costs. Data substantiating improved quality of life for the patient and the families as well as improved coordination of care have been identified as valuable outcomes in both palliative and hospice care (Hospice of San Joaquin, 2010). Both models allow for services to be provided in the home, in extended care facilities, hospitals, and community home-based programs and outpatient clinics (Witt Sherman, D. , & Cheon, J. , 2012). The differences between the programs are centered on the time the care is available. Palliative care is available during any point of the illness from time of diagnosis through the bereavement period for families. In addition, palliative care may be offered while life-prolonging treatments are being administered (Witt Sherman, D. & Cheon, J. , 2012). Hospice care is available during the end of life and typically, but not always, takes place the last six months of the patient’s life. If the dying process exceeds six months, hospice care can be suspended and restarted when the patient’s life expectancy falls below six months (Hospice of San Joaquin, 2010). Hospice care may be offered in all settings previously mentioned, as well as hospice units and residential hospices (Witt Sherman, D. , & Cheon, J. , 2012).

The Harlem Renaissance and African American Identity Professor Ramos Blog

The Harlem Renaissance and African American Identity The Harlem Renaissance and African American Identity The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s was a pivotal era for African Americans. This was an era where African Americans produced a mass amount of literature, art, and music that represented and celebrated African American culture. The Harlem Renaissance also embarked â€Å"racial pride, and artistic expression† which â€Å"set a foundation for future activism† (Standish 40). This was the first time since the end of the Civil War where African American’s began to become more aggressive about fighting against the oppression and racism they faced as well as embracing their self-confidence. Although the Harlem Renaissance was set in Harlem, New York, there was an outbreak throughout different areas that celebrated blacks and spoke out against racism such as the Negritude movement for the French speaking blacks and also a movement in the British West Indies (Harden 8). Despite the various movements happening in different areas, the Harlem Renaissance was the most prominent and influential. Several social situations influenced the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance such as the Great Migration, Jim Crow laws, and frequent lynching’s. The Great Migration was a time when a large amount of African Americans traveled from the south to the north in hopes of leaving behind the â€Å"mean brutality of southern racial bigotry† (Harden 8). This was the time after the Civil War where brutal racism and oppression rose greatly. The spark of chain of events that led to the Great Migration included the creation of Jim Crow laws, which essentially were created in order to suppress blacks from their rights and freedom. Furthermore, the amounts of lynching’s increasingly grew, with there being â€Å"more than four thousand reported lynching’s occur[ing] between 1877 and 1950† (Standish 41). All these factors pushed toward the Great Migration that eventually began the Harlem Renaissance. There was a great amount of people who were very well known during the Harlem Renaissance but Langton Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston are two of the most prominent writers of the time. Langston Hughes poem Theme for English B and Zora Neale Hurston’s essay How it Feels to Be Colored Me efficiently portray the American life, specifically for African Americans, by conveying their acknowledgement of being colored in areas that were predominantly white, being aware of the racial differences but also, expressing how despite these differences, they are American. Langston Hughes is one of the most prominent writers of the Harlem Renaissance. He was recognized for depicting â€Å"African American pride† and portraying the â€Å"newly inspired, unapologetic voice of black America† (Standish 41). Hughes is greatly known for helping establish the newly found African American identity by opening up about personal experiences in his writing. In his poem Theme for English B, Hughes describes an assignment his professor assigned of writing a page that represents them. He begins the poem by stating â€Å"I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem† (Hughes 1043). Hughes identifies that he is a young African American male in order to provide context to understand the contrasts he presents later on. He later states how he is â€Å"the only colored student in [his]class† (1043). Hughes points out that he is colored but emphasizes how he is the only person of color in his class to demonstrate the lack of diversity not only in in his school during that time but also the social segregation that was happening around them. Hughes attended school in a predominantly white area, therefore, being the only colored student in his class made him stick out a lot more. Hughes then begins to describe things he enjoys doing and realizes that despite the racism occurring, the two races are very similar. He believed â€Å"being colored doesn’t make [him] not like the same things other folks like who are other races†(1043). Hughes expresses how despite being colored, he still shares similar interests with other races (including whites). He decides to include this in order to point out how they are more related and equal than they think or care to see. Hughes begins to try to compare and relate himself to his professor. He describes how his professor is â€Å"white- yet a part of [him], as [he] [is] a part of [him]. That’s American† (1044). Hughes acknowledges their differences yet he is able to find a connection between them, which is how they are both American. Despite being different races, different color and from different areas, they still share being American with each other, therefore, sharing a â€Å"part of themâ₠¬ . This is an important statement, which embodies not only the changed attitudes during the Harlem Renaissance but also the African American life during that time. Hughes represents the changed attitude of being more aggressive in wanting equality by demonstrating their equality by both being Americans. Another important influential writer of the Harlem Renaissance is Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston is known for being able to â€Å"explore and capture Black cultural reality† (Harden 15). Especially in her essay How it Feels to Be Colored Me, Hurston vividly describes her experience as a child of when she was first made aware of being colored. Hurston was originally from Eatonville, Florida, a predominately colored neighborhood and it was not until she was sent to live in Jacksonville where she felt as though she did not fit in. Hurston begins the essay with the statement â€Å"I am colored† (Hurston 958). Hurston is very straightforward yet confident in how she is aware that she is a colored women, relating her American identity to being colored. Once Hurston was in her new environment, she felt as though her identity changed. She felt like she was â€Å"not Zora of Orange County any more, [she] was now a little colored girl† (959). Hurston’s identity changed when she moved because she felt as though she no longer fit in due to the racial differences of the area. She did not feel as if she was able to be just herself but as though she stood out and was viewed as solely the colored girl in her white neighborhood, meaning, the color of her skin defined her. Furthermore, Hurston describes how she is not always made aware or made self-cautious of her racial oppression due to being colored. She states: â€Å"I do not always feel colored†¦ I feel most colored when I am thrown against a sharp white background† (959).   Hurston claims she is usually made aware that there are racial differences due to her skin color when she is forced to notice it, by being surrounded or in a environment where there are mostly people of white skin color who therefore, make her skin color seem much more noticeable. Hurston then provides an example of a situation where this happens such as â€Å"at Barnard†¦[she] feel[s] [her] race. Among the thousand white persons, [she] [is] a dark rock surged upon, and overswept, but through it all, [she] remain[ed] [her]self† (960). Just like Hughes, Hurston went to a school in a predominately white area. Similarly to Hughes poem, Hurston uses this experience to explain how she was one of the few co lored people at her school, thus making her feel more aware of being black. Despite this realization of oppression and racism, Hurston expresses self-confidence, a common theme that was celebrated during the Harlem Renaissance, which emphasizes her views on African American identity during that time period. Lastly, just as Hughes does in his poem, Hurston points out how she is an American citizen but also colored. She believes she has â€Å"no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored† (960). Stating that they are American allows them to show that being an American does not apply only to people who are white but people of color as well, further reclaiming their American identity. Hurston, along with Hughes, eloquently embodies the American identity of African American’s during the Harlem Renaissance. In conclusion, the Harlem Renaissance presented various works of literature and art that helped embody the time period but also helped influence future aspects of society. The Harlem Renaissance brought forward black confidence which allowed them to express their desires and needs for changes in society. This movement and its works allowed blacks to represent their American identity and how the races are equal. The works presented, of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, are works that can still be referenced to fight against the lasting oppression and racism that blacks face in society in present day. Harden, Renata, et al. â€Å"Reading the Harlem Renaissance into Public Policy: Lessons from the Past to the Present.† Afro-Americans in New York Life History, vol. 36, no. 2, July 2012, pp. 7–36. Hughes, Langston. â€Å"Theme for English B.† The Norton Anthology of American Literature, by Robert S. Levine et al., W.W. Norton Company, 2017, pp. 1043–1044. Hurston, Zora Neale. â€Å"The Norton Anthology of American Literature.† The Norton Anthology of American Literature, by Robert S. Levine et al., W.W. Norton Company, 2017, pp. 958–960. Standish, Noah. â€Å"Pain, Pride, Renewal: How Langston Hughes Embodied the Harlem Renaissance.† LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 11, Fall 2018, pp. 40–50.

Argument Analyis of Racist Speech

Argument Analyis of Racist Speech Personal view In his writing titled ‘on racist speech’, Charles. R. Lawrence III clearly portrays himself as a dissenter probably setting the tone for his argument. It is indeed clear that Lawrence’s opening remarks already indicate the contentious issue at hand. As a renowned scholar, Lawrence addresses racist speech especially within the university and campus environment. There is no doubt that racism is the catalyst for racist speech that is; a conspicuous but silent issue as Lawrence puts it on college and university campus.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Argument Analyis of Racist Speech specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Racist speech on campus There is another angle to which Lawrence connotes racist speech. In introducing the rights as enshrined in the constitution, Lawrence’s intention is an attempt to qualify racist speech as a tenet within the constitution which guarantees freedom of speech. In his opening remarks, Lawrence proudly describes himself as a dissenter yet a consumer of the first amendment which also legally qualifies and legalizes his argument. However, as Lawrence advances in his argument â€Å"the problem has been framed as one in which the liberty of free speech is in conflict with the elimination of racist speech† (61). It is indeed evident as the writing advances on that, the law and scholar contributions have so far been ineffective in providing protection to blacks and other minorities; as guaranteed in the constitution. A case of segregated education system is the point of reference by Lawrence and the Brown versus Board of education case is used by Lawrence to amplify the conflict that exists between the first amendment and the racist speech. Lawrence’s opinion is that, the constitution remains lenient in as far as racist speech is concerned. The contention as Lawrence asserts is that on one hand â€Å"we understand the ne cessity of eliminating the system of signs and symbols that signal inferiority of blacks †¦ proclaiming that all racist speech that stops short of physical violence must be defended†(62). The tug of war in Lawrence’s mind is even clearer in his assertion that, â€Å"the Supreme court has held that words which ‘by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of peace’ are not prohibited by the first amendment† (62). However, on the other hand the first amendment gives leeway to colossal amount of speech which includes racist speech. While the case of Brown versus Board of Education on segregated system of education is worth revisiting. Lawrence points out that, â€Å"courts have held that offensive speech may not be regulated in public forums† (62). Ironically the effect this has for example on the university campus is that minorities or blacks will confine themselves to common rooms or locations where they do not encounter racist speech. However, this silently promotes segregation on ground of race where one will now go to common rooms with people of the same race or minorities on campus.Advertising Looking for essay on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lawrence’s dilemma advances is based on â€Å"commonly advanced argument against the regulation of racist speech†¦we recognize that minority groups suffer pain and injury as a result of racist speech but we must allow this hate mongering for the benefit of the society as a whole† (63). In his strongest assertion yet in this argument, Lawrence concurs that â€Å"there can be no meaningful discussion of how we should reconcile our commitment of equality and our commitment to free speech until it is acknowledged that there is a real harm inflicted by racist speech† (64). As far as it goes, there is a delicate balance between first amendment a nd racist speech as Lawrence puts it. On the surface racist speech has far reaching detriment to the society and its promotion in the name of upholding the first amendment is a great irony. Albeit freedom of speech is upheld constitutionally, tenets within the same law appear conflicting and therefore the racist speech issue remains far from over. It is without a doubt that policy makers at the university level continue to grumble with this issue. However, the skew that results from the interpretation of the law invokes in Lawrence’s mind the need to â€Å"strike a balance against the regulation of racist speech† (64). The understanding here is that, the cost of this balance should not be borne by a few as it presently is the case. Conclusion The argument that racist speech should be handled in light with the first amendment leaves a lot at stake. Charles Lawrence has ingeniously considered this issue at the university and campus level though it generally covers the wh ole fabric of the society. The initial conclusion to draw from this argument is that; racist speech will remain an emotive issue until a critical analysis of the present law is undertaken and amendments made. Lawrence proposes a dissenting stand to start with. This will be achieved through resistance of government regulation on speech.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Argument Analyis of Racist Speech specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a reader I am fully persuaded that Lawrence’s argument was correct. This argument provokes a clear conclusion and also encourages everybody to re-think how democratic space has been used to ironically advance inequality. Work Cited Lawrence, Charles. The debate over placing limits on racist speech must ignore the damage it does to victims. Chronicles of Higher Education. Chroninicles, 1989. Web.

Limits to the Power of the Security Council Essay

Limits to the Power of the Security Council - Essay Example The UN’s principal goal is to build on the lessons of the past and create a peaceful and secure environment for the future. To better achieve this, the Security Council was established as one of the two principal political organs of the U.N. Controversies have arisen, described in the following section, on the use of the broad coercive powers of the Council. This paper examines whether limitations exist to the exercise of these powers, and if so, how they work to enable the Security Council to better achieve its objectives. 2. The Power of the Security Council The powers of the Security Council are far reaching, but they are generally confined to the maintenance of international peace and security.1 The powers of the Security Council are conferred upon it by the United Nations in Article 24 of the UN Charter, by virtue of which the Security Council acts on behalf of the Member States of the UN in the discharge of these duties. It is also in Article 24, in paragraph 2, where th e first mention is made of the limits to the exercise of its duties. ... â€Å"In any case, neither the text nor the spirit of the Charter conceives of the Security Council as legibus solutus (unbound by law).†2 This contains no assurances, however, that the Security Council’s actions at all times will be within the proper purview of the constitutional provisions; there may be times when questions arise as to whether certain actions exceed the limitations of these powers. The powers granted to the SC for the purpose of fulfilling its duties are explicitly stated in Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and XII.3 Chapter VII of the Charter empowers the Security Council to make decisions with far-reaching repercussions and which bind the Member States of the UN.4 And Member-States are bound to comply with its pronouncements: â€Å"Whether or not States have accepted the jurisdiction of the Court, they are required to fulfill their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and other rules of international law†¦and they remain responsible for acts attributable to them which are contrary to international law.†5 This makes it all the more important for the Security Council to project itself through its actions as entirely credible and legitimate in its resolutions and decisions. 3. Definition and Composition of the Security Council The Security Council (SC) is a permanent council of the United Nations with the primary (but not exclusive) responsibility of ensuring that peace and security is maintained among the Member-Nations and, in effect, the nations of the world. Its principal task is to determine whether particular events or activities pose a threat to international peace and security. It has the power to

ECON333 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ECON333 - Assignment Example On the other hand, if these people are compensated then actual Pareto improvement is possible which is not always possible in reality. A restricted version of Pareto improvement is where the resources are allocated in the manner where there are both gainers and losers. This is a more practical situation since under any situation there will be one or more parties who will be at the losing end. However, if the gainers agree to pay more than the value of their gains so that the losers can be compensated, i.e. the value of gains is more than the costs, a potential Pareto improvement will occur. For instance, in case of a new airport the gainers will be the society and the airline company. However, if the company compensates the people living near the airport for their inconvenience then no party will be the loser although the compensated people will not be gaining anything. To understand a Pareto improvement it is necessary that the gains and losses can be measures in the terms of money that people can pay for their goods and services. In short, it is Pareto improvement if the money left in the end is in excess of the money that was in the beginning (Gold, 1996, p.33). Kalder-Hicks compensation principle is adopted from Pareto improvement but with less strict measures. It is an economic situation where the gainers will be in a position to compensate the losers and still be better off, even if the compensation is not actually done. One problem of Kalder-Hicks theory is that although gainers will have the capacity to compensate the losers, in reality the gainers may not agree to compensate. This will increase economic disparity in the society, and hence is considered unfair by many economists. For instance, people living under the flight path of the new airport may feel they have been cheated if the airline company refrains from paying compensation