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What Make Urban Environments Unique

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What Make Urban Environments Unique

Urban centers are some of the most densely populated and diversified places in the world people from varied cultural backgrounds converge. As rational beings, humans are embracing such behaviors due to particular reasons that could entail the search for better social amenities, jobs and infrastructure (Abdul-Azeez and Opoola 140). Accordingly, cities accommodate unrelated persons with particular interests. Thus, urban environments exhibit unique attributes that promotes more freedom and have significant influence in human cultures and relations.

About four specific aspects make urban centers distinct from other environments. First, residents of cities are strangers with weak ties because they originate from varied backgrounds. Secondly, “weak norms, relativism and instrumentalism” shapes the urban centers. Consequently, urban environment promotes individualism as every resident is focused on personal interests rather than communal benefits. Moreover, urban centers rely primarily on formal institutions to attain and maintain order since there is no dominant culture that could otherwise rule the dwellers. As densely populated areas, urban environments comprise numerous people from varied cultural backgrounds who interact primarily on formal and economic occasions and when seeking government-sponsored amenities such as water and electricity. Hence, cities accommodate persons who are not interested in controlling or gaining deep social understandings of their neighbors but rather working on personal interests.

Conversely, the distinctive attributes of cities have adversely impacted on human relations and cultures. Since persons from different cultural backgrounds converge at urban centers, there is no specific or orderly culture in cities. Besides, urban centers tend to be ‘messy’ due to the relative freedom that allows each resident to defy their cultural norms because none of their community members are available to observe and control them. Unfortunately, there exist weak relationships between residents of cities as no one cares about their neighbor. Subsequently, dewelles of urban centers could encounter significant degree of anonymity, isolation and lack of social support (Desmond 1315). Thus, undesired instances such as “personal disorganization, mental breakdown, suicide, delinquency, crime, corruption, and disorder” could be more rampant in cities. Moreover, urban populations could exhibit immoral behaviors due to the relative absence of cultural norms and rules that could govern and shape conducts of people. That is, the capitalist and self-interest behaviors that shape urban centers attract perception whereby none of the residents would bother correcting or advising their neighbor, thus resulting in lots of existential problems, isolation and conflicts (Murtaza 583). Hence, the poor human relations and cultural erosion in cities attract detrimental impacts.

However, urban areas are more prone to freedom compared with other environments because of their profound innovation and adequate room for deviation from the otherwise restrictive rules and regulations that cultures attract. Residents of urban centers would strive to determine and develop more suitable social, economic, political and other strategies by exploring their skills, experiences and knowledge without limitations from cultural rules that entail imposition of taboos on particular activities. Besides, residents of cities would determine and embrace their most preferred and suitable cultural practices while defy the undesired ones. Also, urban residents would adopt new practices that could otherwise be forbidden by their original culture.

In conclusion, individualism, weak ties, weak social norms and the reliance on formal institutions to attain and maintain order serve as specific aspects that make urban environments distinct from other environments. Besides, cities are more prone to freedom due to the presence of adequate space for innovation and deviation of cultural regulations. Urban residents enjoy the freedom of determining and embracing their most desired cultural practices while discarding others. Unfortunately, undesired instances such as isolation, depression, incarceration, corruption and suicides are rampant in urban centers due to poor human relations and defiance of the otherwise beneficial cultural norms. Therefore, the unique urban environment attracts both beneficial and destructive consequences.

Works Cited

Abdul-Azeez, Ibraheem Adegoke, and Nurain A. Opoola. “An appraisal of the factors influencing rural-urban migration in some selected local government areas of Lagos State Nigeria.” Journal of sustainable Development 4.3 (2011): 136.

Desmond, Matthew. “Disposable ties and the urban poor.” American Journal of Sociology 117.5 (2012): 1295-1335.

Murtaza, Niaz. “Pursuing self-interest or self-actualization? From capitalism to a steady-state, wisdom economy.” Ecological Economics 70.4 (2011): 577-584.

Was Oskar Schindler considered an opportunist or a true hero

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Was Oskar Schindler considered an opportunist or a true hero?

The focus of this paper is to provide an analysis of the life of Oskar Schindler. The paper forms the basis of its argument through the analysis of Stevens Spielberg’s world renowned Schindler’s list. The movie is thus used to argue on whether Oskar Schindler is an opportunist or a hero. The paper gives evidence of Schindler’s heroic character that overpowered his past actions. The paper finally provides a concluding paragraph that summarises the contents of the analysis.

A hero is a person who places his or her individual needs aside so as to focus on the greater good of society. Very few people get the privilege of being called a hero due to the selfless nature of the act. Most heroes have a certain characteristic that makes them identify with qualities desired by the community. Oskar Schindler has on many occasions been referred to as a hero due to his role during the holocaust. This notion has however been dismissed by some who argue about his past and his relation to the Nazi party. Oskar Schindler’s life is thus one of a kind making his character one of a kind. Many movies have been dedicated to the Jewish holocaust. This is due to the number of lives that that were lost as a result of the massacre. One of the monumental movies that made a significant impact is that of Schindler’s list. The movie displays the character of Oskar Schindler and his shift from predator to hero (Crowe, p. 92).

Born into a considerably wealthy family, Oskar Schindler was the son of an influential figure in his country. This acted as an advantage to him in that he had the privilege that most children at his time would dream of. The sudden death of his father changed the dynamics of his life in that he lost the fortune that was accorded to him at an early age. Schindler was thus tasked with the responsibility of catering for his family so as to maintain his lifestyle. One of the choices he had was to join the prestigious Nazi party which was a one party state (Keneally and Taylory, p. 178).

All the qualities mentioned so far do not display the qualities of a future hero. The life of Oskar Schindler showcases the different characteristics that on individual can encompass. During his time in the Nazi party, Schindler was loyal to his leader and most of his efforts were dedicated to all things Nazi. During this time, the Nazi were a strong party that had control of the entire region. One of the principles of the Nazis was to wipe out the entire Jewish race so as to maintain the purity of the society. These racist ideologies were the motivating factor for the murder and persecution of the Jewish community in the country at the time (Spielberg, p. 185).

Schindler used his position in the party to venture into different businesses making him a successful and influential member of society. This was ideal for his relations to the ruling party making him one of Hitler’s allies. His position in society gave him privileges that most men would dream of. One of the factors that he took full advantage of was his good looks and money. Schindler was known for his love for women and extravagant lifestyle. This earned him a reputation as a womaniser and conman. Most of his friends were associated with the Nazi party making him a key figure in the country (Spielberg, p. 215).

Schindler used his business prowess to take over a factory that death with enamelware. This factory was located in a Jewish community making more significant in the society. Most of his labourers were Jewish who worked for a minimum wage due to the economic situation in the country. The low income was an example of the exploitation the Jews experienced at the hands of the German community. This however was not in vain in that his exposure to the Jewish society displayed the living standards that they were accorded. The people in this area were prone to attack from the Nazi government. This was not appealing to Schindler in that he realised a side of the government that he had not experienced. Most of the activities involved the slaying of young Jews who were the future of their community. This was meant to eliminate the able bodied so as to weaken the community. The activities went on for a considerable amount of time until the persecution reached its peak. This saw the beginning of the holocaust which is termed as one of the most evil acts in the modern world. The lifestyle of the Jews in Poland brought out the empathetic side of the businessman making him review his stance on his political allegiance.

Schindler had slowly been converted into a crusader for the Jews. This was not ideal for his position making him vulnerable to the Nazis. He therefore had to be tactical in his approach so that he could achieve success. One of the ways he could do this was by beating his fellow Nazis at their own game. He used the same qualities that he had used to rise to high ranks in the government. These consisted of bribing the Nazi authorities, spying on the government so as to save the lives of the Jews in his area (Keneally and Taylory, p. 138).

A hero possesses qualities that are modest in the eyes of the society. The qualities that Schindler portrayed are not reflective of the ordinary hero. Despite this he managed to outwit the strategic Nazis making him a hero in his own right. The Nazi soldiers were an extremely powerful lot in the continent. Most of their soldiers were situated in all parts of the country so as to monitor the activities of the Jews and their supporters. Schindler’s decision to take on the government was thus not only risky for the Jews but could mean the end of his comfortable lives. Despite the disadvantages that came as a result of his support for the Jews, Schindler chose to follow his heart as opposed to his privileged lifestyle. This displayed the amount of torture that the Jews were accustomed (Crowe, p. 290).

Schindler used his position to find out the plans that the government had for the Jews who worked in the area of the factory. This was a strategic area for the government due to the presence of thousands of Jew residents and workers. One of the plans of the Nazis was to use the gas chambers to explode the concentrated Jewish population. Schindler managed to secure information before hand giving his an advantage over the government. This made him outsmart Hitler’s men saving the lives of over 1200 Jews dubbed as the Schindler Jews. It is essential to note that his Schindler’s actions saw the depletion of his savings making denying him the power and influence he had initially. This however did not make him lose heart due to his determination to save the lives of the Jews. The movie brings out the different character Schindler thus displaying the contradictory nature of his qualities. This unique situation make the movie a must watch in that it brings out the different type of hero not known to society (Keneally and Taylory, p. 209).

In conclusion, Oskar Schindler lived a controversial lifestyle for the most part of his life. Most of his previous activities left allot to be desired with making him a villain as opposed to a hero. His realisation of the conditions of the Jews changed the dynamics of his life making him sympathetic to their plea. Schindler used the most absurd methods to save the lives of 1200 Jews located next to his factory. This earned him a new position as a hero in the eye of the enemies of his people. Oskar Schindler rose from a manipulative womaniser and profit driven businessman to a humanitarian. His actions triggered argument on the true definition of a hero making his character the subject of discussion to date. This disputes the perception of his opportunistic nature that is part and parcel of his character. Schindler can thus be described as a brave hero who defied the odds to save the lives of a people who had lost all form of hope.

Works Cited

Crowe, David. Oskar Schindler: The Untold Account of His Life, Wartime Activities, and the True Story Behind the List. New York: BasicBooks, 2004. Print.

Keneally, Thomas, and Nancy Taylor. Schindler’s List. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2008. Print.

Spielberg, Steven, Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagalle, Embeth Davidtz, John Williams, Thomas Keneally, and David James. Schindler’s List. Universal City, CA: Universal Studios, 2004.

Cromer Blood Group Systems

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Cromer Blood Group Systems

It can not be disputed that knowledge of blood groups is of paramount importance to effective administration of scientific as well as biological operations. The Cromer blood groups system was discovered in 1965. It was the named after its very first antibody producer who is also erffered to as Mrs. Cromer. At the time of its identification, the relative anibody was thought to be anti-Go. However, after ten years, it was found out that it has a new and different specificity. It was then that the respective antibody was renamed to anti-Gr.

Normally, the constituent blood group antigens of this Cromer system are carried on in a complement regulatory protein that is also a decay accelerating factor. The respective decay accelerating factor gene is usually located at chromosome Iq32. This according to Daniels and Bromiow constitutes one of the group genes that are referred to as the regulators of complement activation. The respective gene has close to 40kb and contains 11 exons. The decay accelerating factor glycoprotein is typically arranged in four different extra-cellular yet short consensus continuous domains. Each repeat domain usually has sixty amino acid remnants or residues. Through the GPI linkage, the amino acid residues are usually attached to a distinct RBC membrane.

The Cromer blood group system comprises of eleven antigens which have two sets of vital antithetical antigens. According to Hiller, eight of the respective antigens tend to be of high incidence while the remaining three are of a low incidence. The very last exon has a distict hydrophobic C terminal domain that is usually replaced by the GPI postranslationally. When in a secreted DAF form, it is agreed that this segment is likely to be more hydrophilic. The respective antigens are documented to be lacking the Inab phenotype, which is also known as the Cromer null phenotype. By now, it is contended that all the amino acids that are essential for expressing all the antigens are determined. Apart from the Dr, all result from just a single change of an amino acid. In the Dr a negative phenotype, the degree of expression of the respective DAF as well as that of the entire Cromer system antigens is reduced significantly. The CR (a negative) phenotype has been identified to be the least rare of all the other negative phenotypes. Current evidence indicates that apart form one Spanish American lady, the remaining individuals with Cr (a negative) RBCs tends to be Black. A significant percentage of the remaining phenotypes tend to be very rare.

With respect to treatment, it is widely recognized that the Cromer antigens tend to be resistant to any treatment of the RBCs by papain, ficin and sialidase. In addition, they are very sensitive to Chymotrypsin and tend to be weakened by 200mm volume of DDT. This information is imperatively important in clinical procedures of different types. The antibodies in this system on the other hand are very reactive, usually 1gG and neither bind nor complement. The respective antibodies usually culminate in a mild delay of transfusion reactions. However, they do not affect HDN in any way. In incidences where antibody of the patient is directed at an antigen of high incidence, Storry and Reid suggest that the siblings need to be tested for compatibility of blood. Such patients should also urged by clinicians to donate blood to be stored for a long term period whenever their clinical or health status allows.

With respect to expression, Cromer antigens are usually expressed on the relative RBCs of the new born babies. The DAF is usually expressed on the apex of trophoblasts and in most instances; it protects the conceptus from the dangers of antibody mediated hemolysis. However, patients with PNH III conditions do not have their DAF expressed on RBCs. Soluble antigens are usually useful when carrying out hemagglutination tests. However, to obtain optimal results, initial concentration is advised.

The decay accelerating factors usually inhibit assembly as well as accelerate the decay of C5 and C3 convertases. This culminates in decreased deposition of the C3 on RBC surfaces. This greatly reduces complement-mediated hemolysis. Usually, five to six individuals that are known to have the rare Inab phenotype that is also referred to as the null serological phenotype tend to suffer from wide ranging intestinal disorders. Nonetheless, no hematological abnormalities have so far been reported. The antibodies that have specificities in this blood group system do not cause any hemolytic diseases to new born babies.

Emergent research regarding the respective alleles indicates that the epitopes of this blood group system reside in different areas of the sequence of their DAF glycoprotein. Most of them have also been identified to culminate from the single nucleotide substitutions that are found in the SCR domains that characterize the DAF. Further research ascertains that the null Inab phenotype occurs when the membrane surface lacks DAF. According to Daniels, Green, Powell and Ward, DAF is also the most common allele.

Bibliography

Daniels, G. Bromiow, I. Essential guide to blood groups. USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006.

Daniels, G., Green, C, Powell, R.Ward, T. Hemagglutination inhibition of Cromer blood group antibodies with soluble recombinant decay accelerating factor. Transfusion. 1998; 38 (4): 332-336.

Lublin, D. Review: Cromer and DAF: role in health and Disease. Immunohematology. 2005; 21(2): 39-47.

Hiller, C. Blood banking and transfusion medicine: Basic principles and practice. USA: Churchill Livingstone, 2006.

Hue-Rowe, K et al. Three new high prevalence antigens in the Cromer blood group system. Transfusion. 2007; 49 (9): 1621-1629

Reid, M. Disappearance of antibodies to Cromer blood group system antigens during mid pregnancy. Vox Sang (1996); 71 (1): 48-50.

Reid, M. International women in transfusion award lecture: Selected lessons learnt from blood groups. ISBT Science Series. 2006; 1 (1): 112-119.

Schenkel-Brunner, H. Human blood groups: Chemical and biochemical basis of antigen specificity. USA: Springer, 2000.

Storry, J. Reid, M. The Cromer blood group system: a review. Immunohematology. 2002; 18 (4), 95-103.

Triulzi, D. Blood transfusion therapy: A physician’s handbook pocket. USA: American Association of Blood banks, 2002.

Unhappy Employees are Very Productive

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Unhappy Employees are Very Productive

Introduction

Various organizations and professionals across the globe have been trying to determine and embrace strategies that could result in excellent performance of their businesses. Precisely, productivity of employees has been a major aspect of concern because profitability and success of a firm depends primarily on the efforts of their workforce. As such, interested parties and scholars have conducted varied researches and experiments in attempt to determine if satisfied and happy employees perform better their dissatisfied and unhappy counterparts. Even so, the effects of faulty intuitions could adversely impact on the quality of conclusions that such researchers make.

Thesis

Unhappy employees are not always unproductive because some of them could perform exceptionally well like their happy counterparts.

Literature Review

Existing literature suggests that happy employees are good performers. Cropanzano and Wright (194) claim that depression among unhappy employees attracts unpleasantness which leads to poor activation. In other words, Cropanzano and Wright support the thesis that happy employees exhibit high performance. Besides, Zelenski, Murphy and Jenkins assert that even high level executive officers in private and public sectors demonstrate high performance when they are happy (533). Likewise, Fogaça andCoelho Junior claim that wellbeing, job satisfaction and suitable organizational structure are among crucial aspects that encourage high performance among employees (156). Also, Sageer, Rafat, andAgarwal suggest that happy employees demonstrate moral behaviors that encourage customer attraction and retention (39). Still, Friedman and Lobel claim that happy workaholic employees are crucial workforce for an organization because they strive to satisfy their needs as well as those of their firms (406). Thus, “the Happy Workaholic executive realizes that part of the leadership responsibility is to help employees align their values and actions (Friedman and Lobel 406).” Nonetheless, Saari and Judge claim that the link between happiness, or attitude and employee’s job satisfaction and performance is yet to be established (404). Therefore, further studies should be conducted to unravel if the widespread assumption that happy employees are productive workers is a faulty intuition or not.

Research Method

A qualitative research method would be employed in the study due to the focus on non-quantifiable elements. Besides, secondary sources of data would be used.

Findings and Discussions

Although some studies show that happy employees are highly productive, unhappy workers could perform exceptionally well. Specifically, unhappy employees could demonstrate high levels of attention and caution while handling their duties and responsibilities. As a result, unhappy people could make relatively few mistakes and errors unlike their happy counterparts who may not pay adequate attention and care on their jobs.

Unhappy employees are probably working under certain levels of stress. As such, they have relatively high degrees of efforts and capabilities because they are trying to attain specific goals and objectives that could have been dictated by their employers. Thus, unhappy employees could assume that their only source of happiness is satisfactory accomplishment of their roles. For example, an employee could be happier on attaining or exceeding set targets concerning their job performance.

Behaviors of workers play a crucial role in dictating their performance. As such, unhappy employees could demonstrate satisfactory productivity if they exhibit appropriate workplace behaviors. For instance, Leblebici asserts that “while the employees are unhappy with the physical conditions of the workplace, they have remarkable satisfaction with the workplace by having strong behavioral workplace conditions (47).” Thus, a workforce could perform exceptionally well despite the presence of unfavorable work conditions that are perceived to adversely impact on a worker’s productivity.

Additionally, unhappy staff could exhibit satisfactory performance and low-turnover rates. In with that line, a study by Zenger and Folkman shows that middle-level managers act as the dissatisfied category of employees, yet they exhibit high productivity, no absenteeism and work for extended durations in their organizations (3). Since workers understand that they have an obligation to handle their roles and responsibilities effectively, the concept of happiness could have insignificant impacts on their performance.

Conclusion

Overall, unhappy workers could perform exceptionally well compared to their happy counterparts. Since unhappy employees are working under certain levels of stress and pressures, they tend to be more keen and careful while handling their duties. As such, happiness of such types of employees would come after attaining satisfactory performances. Hence, the popular notion that happy employees are more productive could signify how faulty intuitions adversely affect humans.

Works Cited

Cropanzano, Russell, and Thomas A. Wright. “When a” happy” worker is really a” productive” worker: A review and further refinement of the happy-productive worker thesis.” Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research 53.3 (2001): 182.

Fogaça, Natasha, and Francisco Antônio Coelho Junior. “Is “happy worker” more productive.” Management 4.4 (2016): 149-160.

Friedman, Stewart D., and Sharon Lobel. “The happy workaholic: A role model for employees.” Academy of Management Perspectives (2003).Leblebici, Demet. “Impact of workplace quality on employee’s productivity: case study of a bank in Turkey.” Journal of Business, Economics 1.1 (2012): 38-49.

Saari, Lise M., and Timothy A. Judge. “Employee attitudes and job satisfaction.” Human Resource Management: Published in Cooperation with the School of Business Administration, The University of Michigan and in alliance with the Society of Human Resources Management 43.4 (2004): 395-407.

Sageer, Alam, Sameena Rafat, and Puja Agarwal. “Identification of variables affecting employee satisfaction and their impact on the organization.” IOSR Journal of business and management 5.1 (2012): 32-39.

Zelenski, John M., Steven A. Murphy, and David A. Jenkins. “The happy-productive worker thesis revisited.” Journal of Happiness Studies 9.4 (2008): 521-537.

Zenger, Jack, and Joseph Folkman. “Why middle managers are so unhappy.” HBR, Harvard (2014).

U.S Immigration Policy

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U.S Immigration Policy

Introduction

American immigration policy is supported by a number of laws, which some of them date back as far as 1798. Laws range in all manner of presentation. Top in the list is security, employment and the quota system. It should be noted that American immigration policy is centered on brain gain benefit which is seconded by a friendly philanthropic commitment to spread job opportunities to economically challenged countries. This research will prove that the American immigration policy is responsive to local and global issues, but it needs some improvement in the way it is oriented. The research is defragmented into two main sections; firstly, the background section of the immigration section; seconded, by the discussion. The discussion part will analyze the issues, and provide possible policy changes

Background

Summary

Immigration in United States can be referred to demographic changes resulted to the influx of foreigners to the local community. Immigration to the U.S is primarily responsible for the development of controversial social, economic and political aspect. These developments are liable for altering settlement patterns, significant social mobility, voting patterns and increased crime levels. Previously, immigration in the U.S was largely a white-man affair seconded by people from South East Asia; however, recently, leading immigrations are from South American, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. Quit a significant number of immigrants are illegal; nonetheless, the illegal immigrants can through the immigration policy be naturalized into the nation. More than half of immigrants are in America through family reunification, seconded by employment factors and thirdly, humanitarian reasons. There has been a subsequent calling for the improvement of the immigration policy. Issues are social, economic or political. This study will provide a recommendation on possible improvement points of the policy.

Nature (Literature)

Based on the background, one will notice that there are three imperative factors in relation to immigration policy. These are media, politics, and public policy. The three collectively interrelate with each other to provide direction in relation to immigration policy. However, as this study will unveil, the current immigration policy, seconded by a plethora of states and federal laws fail to meet a desirable threshold of quality.

Security

The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act (EBSVER) of 2002, seconded by the Real ID act of 2005, are vital laws that alter to a greater extent the immigration policy. The EBSVER law enhances the development of Border Patrol agents, stipulate foreigners, and nationals to carry a Biometric technology I.D card. In addition, the above named school report to foreign students attending classes. On the other hand, the Real ID act aggrandizes on the provision of certain security standards; which relate to the entrance of crucial state buildings, plane tickets, and bank accounts.

It is good clarify on the nature of established national standards in relation to state driver licenses which cleared the way for the building of border controls. Ideally, these two laws enhanced many protocols affecting visa insurance. It was now official that embassies and consulates are required to buffer up a terrorist lookout committee to locate suspected terrorist within any given jurisdiction. The information is further distributed to security bodies’ national wide.

Now based on these two laws, exchanges in information would become a common practice in attempting to prevent visa fraud for immigrants entering U.S. The question melts down that whether the quality of laws being implemented was responsive as an important policy question. On top, the two laws are instrumental in enhancing portability of clearance changes of status. The laws would further improve the training on consular officers to receive regards to Visa Mantis and Mandates that the secretary of state would improve in regard of Technology Alert List.

Employment

The federal government decisively supports the immigration policy for its general contribution to the economy. Employment laws in relation to this policy date way back to 1898, when the federal government processed the Chinese immigrants to enter U.S legally. The law is based from the Immigration Reform and Control act of 1986. The law denied American employers from hiring illegal immigrants. Secondly, the law provided amnesty for illegal immigrants who are already in the US. Thirdly, the law enhanced increased border enforcement. This law was imperative since it responded to different immigration problems based on the thesis of legality and equality. The law inhibited discrimination on the basis of national origins and further led to the increased border patrols by 50 percent. It should be recalled that it is this law that pioneered the establishment of the Green Card lottery program for 5,000 visas for countries that were economically challenged (Farnam, 56).

As a result of the increased number of immigrants, the federal government pioneered the development of the Illegal immigration act (1996), which required the increased border enforcement for immigrants coming to U.S for employment opportunities. Additionally, the law required phone verification for all foreign workers to determine their validity. Lastly, the law sought to reinstate the welfare benefits of more difficult legal aliens. This law was speculative that the number of illegal immigrants living in United States was estimated to 20 million by 1996. Most of these immigrants were coming from economically challenged countries and did not stand a better position to qualify for genuine Visa enrollment. LeMay (19) cites that small business did take advantage of illegal workers, and in US it is estimated that around 6-8 million jobs are done in the underground market, and around 5 million workers are paid off the books yet they constitute of a stealth workforce.

Later in June 2000, the congress processed the Immigration and Naturalization Service Data Management Improvement Act (PL. 206-215). The act further amended section 110 of the illegal immigration act of 1996. The 2000 improvement act charged the Immigration and Naturalization Service to develop an automated system to track all entry and exit of non-citizens and nonimmigrant and immigrants. The system was expected to operate in all seaports, land borders and airports. The INS was to become effect on December 31, 2003, but due to logistical factors, fifty land and border ports were selected by the attorney general for having the highest number of departures and arrivals.

Based on this, there has been a subsequent desire to ensure that there is the American labor market is fully supplied with labor and that desires look on the ability to increase the number of international players optimally. In U.S, the number of job vacancies exceeds the number of eligible applicants. The potential of domestic pool of workers has significantly shrunk, while the percentage of Native American pursuing higher education has increased. Thus, there is a paradox of thrift when it comes to labor supply.

On the other hand, the recent debate in relation to off-shoring foreign jobs seconded by a motion whether Americans will be willing to do the same jobs if they are paid handsomely has gained significant clout. Bush (14) argues that the efforts to further restrict immigration by low-skilled workers to lure more educated people to unskilled labor by raising wages might be successful, but this will only increase the aggregate expenditure of companies. Thus, the government is left with limited option not to pursue a desirable immigration policy since requesting Americans to do unskilled work would naturally harm the economy.

Quota System

In relation to immigration policy, the quota policy has been an egalitarian thrust from several civil rights movements. The debate was centered on the role of congressional approach to abolish the national origins quota system which was enacted in 1965. Jacob (107) establishes that there are considerate dangers of the quota system and has significantly led to the uncontrolled immigration. The quota system seems to limit appropriate evidence that seeks to apprehend immigration reformers in increasing reformers. Reformers have constantly agitated that the quota system has been discriminatory and should be established, and subsequently, there should be the establishment of national origins of a quota system that is largely fair and responsive to challenges affecting individuals at a time.

Now based on the belligerent nature of the quota system, the American Immigration and Citizenship Council (AICC) led the immigration policy based on equality purposes. The AICC visible organization were based on ethnic groups; for instance, Hellenic Education Program Association of the Sons of Italy, and the Japanese American Citizens League. Although most of these groups were considerably small, they did have an impetus on the development of immigration policy. To a greater extent the groups led to the establishment of civil rights groups; for instance, American Civil Liberties Union. The groups were under the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The objective was to end apartheid created by the quota system based on the ethnic representation.

It is through this driving force that the immigration reform consolidated the driving force against racial and ethnic quotas. Jacob (9) further states that as far as racial quotas were concerned, economic interest and foreign policy was considered heavily. Thus, the American government had limited options of attempting to limit minor children and citizens to immigrate outside the quota allowances. Relatives were given significant preference within the quota system. The quota reserve for unmarried parents, spouses, and children was extended in emphasis of family reunification. At this point, humanitarian concerns exceeded any interest of the country. As a result, the quota legislation adopted by the federal government made it clear that discriminative was a central element of U.S immigration policy.

Issues with this kind of commitment

After a close revelation of the above assessment, one will notice the asylum factor and how it affects different policy development. U.S attempts to extend a benevolent hand to individuals from different countries for immigrants are willing to live and work in U.S. However, in assessment, there are significant inexplicable disparities in asylum approval rates that tend to urge administrative reforms. In fact, there have been subsequent political, religious, and ethnic indifferences between immigrants and natives. To a larger extent, immigrants do feel that the are not treat fairly like native Americans, obviously on the basis of human being factors. Hence, agitators from Middle East, South Asia, and Northern Africa facilitate terrorist activities in U.S as a responsive measure.

Secondly, the wage levels have increased mixed signals on the role of immigrants in U.S. Since immigrants are willing to accept lower or even minimal wage, then the nature of immigration policy could cause a decline of native workers wages. This not only causes individual problems, but to a greater extent, causes institutional factors will strong trade unions. Indeed, trade unions in America are the most vehement when it comes to agitating for equal treatment especially in relation to wage level. Thus, immigration not only causes a higher rate of unemployment in U.S but to also, belligerence between the government and civil rights institutions.

Subsequently, the nature of American economy means that the economy will naturally operate on closed doors. Immigrants will increase the price of factors of production and this leads to complementary decrease in the price of supplies of factors of production. In economics, the impact of immigrant to the native economy depends on production factors like capital and labor. In other words, these are the degree of substitutability between natives versus immigrants with supplies; for instance, technology being considered constant.

Finally, an increase in the employment of skilled people will naturally increase the aggregate demand for complementary factors – capital lance. However, the immigration of unskilled workers will lower the wages of unskilled workers; thus, capital and skilled workers will end up being redundant since the economy will prefer the utilization of unskilled workers who are relatively cheaper. Hence, the influx of such immigrants shifts the labor supply and makes it more elastic.

Policy Recommendation

It is imminent that there is security and economic problem in U.S. The policy problem in American is responsible for the development of divergent policies; primarily, those which are not productive. The influx of immigrants into the country means the federal government has to step- a step forward to create decisive policy goals. According to Workpermit (2014), the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program commonly known as the lottery program will be abolished. However, in light with this research, such an abolishment may not effective enough. Hence, it would sound better if the federal government endeavored to process a more liberalized policy; for instance, Labor Exchange Program. This would allow subsequent exchange of expatriates between different countries.

Secondly, in relation to the issue of security, U.S administration should endeavor to spread a helping hand to counter terrorism breeding points internationally. In addition, security perimeters of immigrants should be spread to ensure that it operates without hitches. Most terrorist will immigrate to U.S posing as investors or students, and not commonly as job seekers. Thus, more policy measures should be reinstated in relation to this approach.

Work Cited

Bush, Jeb, Thomas F. McLarty, and Edward H. Alden. U.s. Immigration Policy. New York:

Council on Foreign Relations, 2009. Print.

Jacob, Dickson”Chapter 12: Fighting the Immigration Quota System; Supporting a Code of

Ethics and the Right of Blacks to Vote.” Center for Migration Studies special issues 31.2 (2008): 101-110. Print

Farnam, Julie. Us Immigration Laws Under the Threat of Terrorism. New York: Algora Publ,

2005. Print.

“Green card lottery will be abolished by US immigration reform bill.” Green card lottery will be

abolished by US immigration reform bill. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014. <http://www.workpermit.com/news/2013-04-23/green-card-lottery-will-be-abolished-by-us-immigration-reform-bill>.

LeMay, Michael C. Illegal Immigration: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.:

ABC-CLIO, 2007. Print.

Twelve Reasons to Oppose the World Trade Organization.

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Professor

Course

Date

Twelve Reasons to Oppose the World Trade Organization.Since the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1994 as an independent unit to ease the movement of and flow of trade goods and services between and among nation states of the international system, this particular organization has also had its fair share of negative aspects in the same system. This thesis therefore seeks to critically and rhetorically analyze an article by Global Exchange article is entitled “Twelve Reasons to Oppose the World Trade Organization”.

The author begins by stating that the WTO exists undemocratically in the International System. The author expresses that he does not understand how and who elected the WTO government. The author punctuates and uses question marks in the sentences. This is a core technique to capture the attention of the target audience. The author’s core argument here is that the impact of the WTO is being felt across all aspects of the society yet it is not a transparent and democratic institution. He proceeds to educate the audients by telling them that WTO is a non state actor yet it controls the state actors. Conventionally, in the international system, the state actors enjoy more privilege when it comes to matters of relative power. Yet this is not the case when it comes to International trade. The author sympathizes with the above situation and proceeds to state that it is with regret is that the rules and regulations that run this body are written by only those states and corporations that make part of trade negotiations yet these rules affect every member states when access to simple information is not possible. The author summarizes this particular point by creating suspense among the audience and leaves them with the question of if the WTO is a democratic institution.

The author then proceeds to put across that this institution is a threat to global peace and security. Using a sarcastic tone, the author states that WTO makes people perceive that free trade ultimately promotes a safer and more peaceful international arena. On the contrary, the answer to the above is generated. To put emphasis on this point, the author asks the audients on the sustainability of global peace. Global peace is not sustainable when nations are competing to find market for their goods. He reinforces this point by further stating that this peace is not sustainable when it is the developed countries that dominate international trade. This peace he proceeds, is not genuine when only the ten great nations enjoy the fruits of world trade at the expense of over 150 developing nations. He reinforces this point by stating that WTO cannot be an instrument of peace when over 80% of nation states in the globe are not seeing the benefits of International Trade. In his accord, this inequality is already a form of economic conflict. These are some of the issues the author uses to provoke the mind of the audients. The author also places emphasis on the need to have trade institutions that achieve global justice for a safer international community.

The author then proceeds to argue that the WTO overlooks human rights as well as labor rights. The argument placed forth is that this institution has rules in place that advocate for rights of corporations to make profits at the expense of labor and human rights. At this point the author employs a sarcastic approach towards these rights. He raises the tone and wonders which rights should come before the other. The author for emphasis proceeds to give examples of countries like Burma which overlook human rights when manufacturing as well as purchasing certain products. He also uses exclamation on the issue of rights. The author particularly points out that government of independent states ought not to consider issues of human rights “non commercial values” when purchasing certain products. This principle of the WTO means that human rights should be put aside at the expense of commercial activities which the author uses to surprise the audients. The author then goes ahead to admit that the WTO has an objective that will see the privatization of essential services of health care, education, water and energy among other basic services. The author embraces the use of punctuation marks to show he is indeed surprised by the whole issue of privatization. He convinces the audience that by privatization of these services would basically mean that public assets would be sold off to private corporations. He also warns them of the core disadvantages of privatization. The author explains to the audience that whereas public service draws its motivation in serving the public and serving them well, private agencies are more motivated by profit making and therefore service delivery to the citizens comes second. He reminds the audients using the irony that even though the private sector are more efficient when it comes to service delivery compared to the public sector, when it comes to matters of quality services however, truth is that public sectors have the interest of the public at heart. The author persuades the audients by stating that in countries which privatization has taken shape then the implication is that one has to pay more for standard services. He winds up this point by reminding the audients that they should indeed campaign against the WTO.

The author also warns the audients of imminent environmental degradation practices by the WTO which is an activity of corporations, particularly the Multi National Corporations (MNCs) which the WTO uses to achieve this. The author convinces the audience that MNCs particularly those established in developing countries deplete natural resources in those host countries. He also argues that a number of industries set up by these corporations are not environmental friendly. He uses existing examples from the South, where he states that the WTO establishes MNCs which set up industries that do not promote sustainable development activities. He points out that in particular, the interest of these MNCs is to make profits while at the same time depleting the resources of the rich southern states. This is a concern, most Northern states have already depleted their natural resources and therefore feel that the south is a viable option for their already depleted natural resources. He expresses his concern as to why WTO has interest in business ethics over environmental ethics. This particular concern should particularly provoke the audients on the issue of environmental protection which is a core pre requisite for achieving sustainable development. At the end he calls for a collective action from the audients to campaign against environmental degradation.

He proceeds to question about the role of Trade Related Intellectual Property’ rights (TRIPs). The author supports this by stating categorically that even pharmaceutical companies are producing sub standard medicinal drugs. TRIPs since its inception, has its attention on the issue of patents, trademarks and to crown it all profits. For instance, when sub standard drugs are produced for medicinal use, the worst is that this would result to more deaths. The author punctuates the role of TRIPs and dismisses the role of WTO and its practices in the globe. He also raises his tone to remind the WTO that the mother objective of TRIPs was to ensure patent of products as well as entry of standard and approved products to the international market. The author uses these techniques to convince the audience that they should indeed advocate for better practices from this institution by campaigning against it.

The author does not understand and is surprised by the viability of this body internationally. 80% of trade goods end up in the very few developed countries and only 20% of trade goods end up in the hands of developing countries. According to the author, this expresses some form of economic marginalization as well as economic inequality. The author therefore convinces the reader that the WTO is a sycophant institution that plays to the tune of the few developed countries.

The author proceeds to persuade the audience that dumping by developed countries has had an effect on the food production capacities of poor countries. He educates the audients by telling them that dumping of already processed foods by the few countries in the markets of the populated developing countries cripples the ability of these nation states to agricultural activities. These nation states have adequate labor but dumping has made them dependent on food aid. The expresses a somber mood when he states that close to 800 million people of the world population with a majority of these from the poor countries suffer either from acute or severe malnutrition. The author finds this absurd because dumping of food stuffs in the markets of poor nations undermines food production capacities. This according to the author is a reason enough to oppose the WTO which plays a major role in the cases of increasing hunger in the world. The author once again expresses the notion of inequality when it comes to matters of decision making in WTO negotiation rounds. The author expresses his concern by the way the rich countries dominate International Trade. He proceeds to state that this is some form of a serious injustice. This hurts the majority poor countries since “they are too poor to defend themselves” as the author puts it. The author states that the WTO undermines the sovereignty of national governments. The author criticizes the fact that developing countries are not allowed to pursue laws that the developed nations once pursued. The author raises this question to provoke the audients.

Eventually, the author reassures the audients that their indeed exists rational alternative s to the WTO. He goes ahead to convince the audients that nation states can create an entity that plays the opposite roles stated above, roles that can promote equity, justice, human rights among other roles that are not discriminatory. The author also reassures the audience in his last point that only time will tell as there is already a steady international opposition against the WTO.

In the essay the author provokes the audience by use of questions, sarcasm among other forms of communication to convey the message on why states ought to oppose the WTO. The author also embraces the use of examples where possible and eventually reassures the audients that there exists an alternative to the WTO.

Work Cited

Kuypers, Jim A. Rhetorical Criticism: Perspectives in Action. Lexington Books. 2009.

CRM influence on investors buying behavior in Banking

CRM influence on investors buying behavior in Banking

Student’ Name

Institution Affiliation

Literature Review

Introduction

This section determines the effect caused by various other factors to CRM (Customer relationship management (Alsmadi & Alnawas, 2011). CRM is noted to be one of the most used management concepts. It has been in existence for more than two decades since its inception in the world of business as well as other organizations. Therefore, this section will evaluate the influence of several factors to CRM in the banking industry especially towards investment.

Psychological Influence

In the business industry, especially in the banking industry. One of the key models that explains the impact of psychological influence on investor’s behavior in banking is the Johari window (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998). The model was developed to explain how interpersonal communications play part in development or creation of unique psychological influence to an individual towards investment. Most financial theories are based on the idea that clients or investors must take control of all available information that their disposal before making investment decisions (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998). However, there is much evidence in favor of the above as this is not the case in the banking industry. Investors fall prey to psychological failings hence end up taking the wrong decision towards investment at later end up in losses rather than profits. There are various type of psychological pressure that impacts investor’s decisions especially under conditions of uncertainty. This does not happen in a predictable manner. It not only does it happen the workplaces but also in other financial situation such as in the banking sector amid other sectors (Demetriou, Papasolomou & Vrontis, 2010).

The bottom line of the factors is that psychological forces lead most investors to make an investment mistake most of the time. Investor’s psychological behavior affects their interest to take part in banking market. This, in the long run, affects their ability to invest. According to Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters (1998) it is high time that the banking industry gets in line with measures on how to influence the customer’s psychological concerns. Hence the call for better and well-focused CRM in the banking industry (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998). On the other hand, the study of human psychology denotes that psychological factors highly affects investment decisions and strategies. However, the psychological influence is highly compounded by other various variables. For example, it is clear from research that banking institutions that engage in proper CRM have more customer base as compared to those that do not have it. Such organizations have better strategies for managing their clients’ psychological influence on investment hence able to make the right decisions when investing and in such cases their client end up victories. In addition, it is evident that psychological process also affects the type of investment that people make or would engage in (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998).

Cultural Influence

Investor’s behavior constantly differs around the globe. This affects investment decisions, strategies and financial returns on the financial market (Alsmadi & Alnawas, 2011). For example, when taking side with organizations such as Anglo-Saxon investors, they are considered as ones that can tolerate greatest losses, on the other hand, German investors are considered as the most patient. Based on the traditional understanding of investment, this has to do with money on the return the investor expects profits, but this time he/she has to be patient and have a positive attitude towards risks. However, the ability of a risk attitude depends on the investor’s economic environment (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998).

In a given situation, that an American investor has a similar patience and risk abhorrence as a Japanese or a German investor (Alsmadi & Alnawas, 2011). This is only possible if all the investors have the equal economic background such as same rates of inflation and job security. Studies show that culture drives people’s investment behavior, even if other variables such as wealth and inflation are in control. In addition other studies have also indicated that how the effects of cultural differences have on investment in the banking industry (Jamal & Naser, 2002). Likewise, it has been noted that an individual’s cultural background can influence the returns of the economic and financial markets.

For example, European investors are ready to pay less for the value of stocks than those from Nordic nations; they always have a lower risk aversion and are considered to me more patient. Therefore, it can be concluded that cultural background of an individual affects the overall willingness to invest various banking platforms (Bloemer, De Ruyter & Peeters, 1998). The ideas that support proper CRM is the real solution to cultural influences on investment. Therefore, for a positive influence to be established, banking institution as well as investors should ensures they research and determine a cultural alternative that will assist investors with negative cultures to investment. This will help them to be more vigilant to investment concerns especially in the banking industry (Demetriou, Papasolomou & Vrontis, 2010).

Brand Influence

The selection or the choice of a certain brand is connected to the level of consumer behavior especially in the banking industry (Jamal & Naser, 2002). Members of the banking industry perceive brand image from the perspective of their needs as well as it value to the public or society. These members combine the two outlooks and perceive all the information needed in order to ascertain the right framework or market to the investor the stock to invest with. It can be determined that consumers of banking service are not only customers they are also investor or environmental advocates (Demetriou, Papasolomou & Vrontis, 2010). They become they greatest shareholders of the banks by the investment funds and portfolios. This develops an interaction among the facets of corporate brand image thus, influencing the behavior of clients, as well as their perceptions in the banking market (Fan & Ku, 2010).

It is worth to note that investors strategize their familiarity with a certain brand. This is a brand that is strongly influenced by its reliability and presence in the market. When selecting a certain brand, potential investors are influenced by the attractiveness and saliency of a brand and its financial performance in the banking industry. According to Howcroft, Hamilton & Hewer (2002) he concludes that a study conducted in Saudi Arabia indicated that banking industry is paying attention towards strengthening their brand image in order to increase their customer base as well as retain the current ones. Individuals are more aware that the brand image has a higher influence on stock market value. The value for brands account for up to 80% of the stock market value for banking firms in UAE (Jamal & Naser, 2002).

Therefore, it is worth to consider that with a proper CRM, a bank can analyze the best branding strategies that can steer its brands in the financial market for clients to invest or trade in.

Advertisement Influence

Whether the advertisement is via TV, Radio, Newspapers and other new forms of media such social media and the internet, earning the trust of a consumer is the objective of a successful campaign. The banking industry is also not left behind trying to ensure that it meets this threshold (Jamal & Naser, 2002). The good news for advertiser is that the clients are more trusting that they used to be a decade ago. It is evident that advertising influence consumers or the clients at a great extent. It is through advertising that organizations can share the cake of success to their clients. As for the banking industry, it can reach more and more clients via advertising hence able to grow geographically and economically (Kheng, Mahamad, Ramayah & Mosahab, 2010).

It is worth to consider that it is from the adverts that we share that the banks can get more and more clients. The type of advertisements greatly influence the behavior of most investors (Jamal & Naser, 2002). It is from an advertisement that banks in the UAE, as well as others, around the world can share their service with clients. The more the advertisement and the richer the adverts, the more the clients get envisioned or persuaded to the services rendered to them. It is from an advertisement that clients can refine the breath of information that they need to garner from the banks. For example, clients can know of a bank’s share value from an advertisement hence able to make the right decision to invest (Kheng, Mahamad, Ramayah & Mosahab, 2010). For better depiction of information, it is worth to evaluate the reliability of CRM towards value of the advertisement towards banking investments. Via CRM the banks can determine the best advertising platform to use in order to persuade more customers to invest.

Influence of Product/Service Quality

The quality of a products or service greatly affects the consumer behavior towards the service of product. As of the banking industry, it is worth to denote that they offer service, as well as products to its clients (Krasnikov, Jayachandran & Kumar, 2009). The quality of service and product rendered by banks have proved to be an asset in the past and also currently. Banks that offer quality service and products have increased their customer potentials as well as develop a better customer satisfaction level as compared to those that offer considerably poor services. Clients are noted to have a higher preference to the banks that offer higher quality products and service hence develop trust to such institutions (Kheng, Mahamad, Ramayah & Mosahab, 2010). Therefore, it can be noted that the consumer behavior is greatly influenced by the quality of service and products.

References

Alsmadi, S., & Alnawas, I. (2011). Empirical investigation of the CRM concept in the Jordanian context: The case of banks and financial institutions.International Journal of Business and Management, 6(2), p182.

Bloemer, J., De Ruyter, K., & Peeters, P. (1998). Investigating drivers of bank loyalty: the complex relationship between image, service quality and satisfaction. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 16(7), 276-286.

Demetriou, M., Papasolomou, I., & Vrontis, D. (2010). Cause-related marketing: Building the corporate image while supporting worthwhile causes. Journal of Brand Management, 17(4), 266-278.

Fan, Y. W., & Ku, E. (2010). Customer focus, service process fit and customer relationship management profitability: the effect of knowledge sharing. The Service Industries Journal, 30(2), 203-223.

Howcroft, B., Hamilton, R., & Hewer, P. (2002). Consumer attitude and the usage and adoption of home-based banking in the United Kingdom.International journal of bank marketing, 20(3), 111-121.

Jamal, A., & Naser, K. (2002). Customer satisfaction and retail banking: an assessment of some of the key antecedents of customer satisfaction in retail banking. International Journal of bank marketing, 20(4), 146-160.

Kheng, L. L., Mahamad, O., Ramayah, T., & Mosahab, R. (2010). The impact of service quality on customer loyalty: A study of banks in Penang, Malaysia.International Journal of Marketing Studies, 2(2), p57.

Krasnikov, A., Jayachandran, S., & Kumar, V. (2009). The impact of customer relationship management implementation on cost and profit efficiencies: evidence from the US commercial banking industry. Journal of Marketing,73(6), 61-76.

Critiquing Racial Stereotypes from the Perspective of Television Content

Critiquing Racial Stereotypes from the Perspective of Television Content

Name:

Institutional Affiliation:

Date:

Introduction

Racial stereotyping is one of the most controversial aspects of cultural analysis as it applies to regular human interaction. These aspects of human cultural coexistence emerge from individual mental perceptions people hold as part of their respective racial groups about other races. The issue of racial stereotypes seems to have permeated into almost all aspects of human life and culture as demonstrated by racism-related issues coming up from all manner of human activity. As one of the most interactive forms of human creation, the media informs and entertains in almost equal measure. However, racial stereotypes seem to have already permeated into this valuable human resource as this critique will demonstrate. Therefore, racial stereotypes will form the main subject of this critique with a particular interest in their adverse effects, as aspects of the cultural analysis, on television content as part of the media.

Criticism for racial stereotypes as evidenced in television programming and its consequences

The relationship between racial stereotyping and television dates back to the very discovery of television. Racial stereotyping is a form of racial discrimination that entails attaching some usually negative attributes to a particular racial group other that which one belongs (Nelson, 2009). Based on the negativity of most of these attributes, the majority of the racial groups affected by these forms of racial discrimination are usually those that belong to the minority groups. Therefore, from the perspective of media, especially television, the Black and Hispanic racial groups suffer most of the consequences of racial stereotyping.

Recently, an American journalist Don Lemon of the CNN disclosed that the number of African Americans killed in shooting incidents involving police officers was twice that of Whites (‘CNN Tonight’, 2015). Surprisingly, Lemon stated that as at June 2015, 135 Africa American deaths involved unarmed individuals as opposed to armed individuals who would compel the law enforcement officers to use lethal force. As a good example of racial profiling, which is related to racial prejudices and stereotyping, the issue incited uproar among African American media personnel. These individuals used their media positions to instigate the start of a racial stereotyping frenzy between them and their white counterparts. African American reporters and newscasters used every opportunity to fuel the fires that raged by demanding for equality in all law enforcement scenarios.

Concurrently, their white counterparts, feeling compelled to downplay any impending media disasters, downplayed all the attempts. The results were an increased proliferation of special coverage by media houses involving a protracted effort by African American journalists to bring to the attentions of the world the injustices faced by their racial group. On the other hand, Whites and journalists from other racial groups downplayed the issue demonstrating the extent of the racial stereotyping present on the media platforms.

Racial stereotypes do not only touch on crime. Other human endeavors such as education, entertainment, and sports also suffer from this harmful practice. There are many forms of racial stereotypes affecting racial minority groups, which get airtime on television either intentionally or otherwise. A common racial stereotype that targets the African American group suggests that most of them make a living from sports and games (Luther, Lepre & Clark, 2012). Such stereotypes seem to borrow from the negative connotation that this racial group is only suitable for activities that involve and require high physical fitness and athleticism. The American Basketball League is one good example of situations that support this negative mindset due to the vast number of African American players. One interesting point that most of the people that subscribe to such inferior mindsets choose to ignore is the success of the American media sector in marketing and promoting its content. Therefore, due to the broad reach of the NBA screening rights and famous African American basketball players like Michael Jordan, the majority subscribe to the racial stereotype that this racial group makes a living primarily from sports. The same mindsets have infiltrated the athletics and track events scene with harmful consequences for the victim countries in international ratings (Fullwood, 2013).

What only a few realize is that only a few thousand African American individuals make a living from all games in the United States out of the millions. However, these considerations quickly lose their potency once concern extends into the entertainment scene. A vast number of successful entertainers in music belong to the African American race making a stereotypical racial assumption easy. Unfortunately, the distance between violence and the music industry is closest at the African American connection based on gang violence. Such considerations fuel an already negative stereotype that all African Americans or Blacks are members of gangs and, therefore, prone to violence. These conclusions are tantamount to prejudice and could not be further from the truth based on the number of people from these racial groups who succeed in industries considered a preserve for the majority. According to Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, “there are 12 times more Black lawyers in the US than Black athletes” (Fullwood, 2013).

The situation is similar in other facets of entertainment as demonstrated by numerous studies. In one particular study aimed at American television programming, most television programs saw African Americans usually get roles equal to their White and Hispanic counterparts. However, the situation changed when themes such as crime come up where the Black minority get inferior and dark roles in most cases. Such scenarios arose again in similar fashion for other minority groups as demonstrated by the plight of the Hispanic group in North America. Most typical television programs depicted this racial group in a usual manner, but when themes such as immigrant labor and Latin dance came up, racial stereotyping emerged. These mindsets are proven to affect development programs and coexistence in the areas they exist (Bratt & Rohe, 2005). Such types of racial discrimination cannot continue to permeate society, especially mixed race society such as North America and Europe as it fans darker agenda hidden in neo-racism.

The ideology behind racial stereotyping extended into tokenism and cultural hegemony

In the course of the development of cultural diversity within the modern era, the vices of neo-racism and racial discrimination have taken on new faces. As outlined in the previous sections, racial stereotypes seem to have permeated into every aspect of modern human existence that present circumstances denoted by cultural and racial diversity. Part of this aspect of cultural analysis borrows from past eras where social vices such as slavery and racially motivated extermination existed. However, the fact that these inferior forms of discrimination continue to hide in ordinary human activity such as entertainment and other forms of media is unfortunate. Television has continued to suffer from a sustained form of racial stereotyping as evidenced earlier in the sport and entertainment industries. Weir (2007) states that “the fact that one racial group is perceived to inherently possess superior traits that almost guarantee success and good performance in these sectors is unfortunate” (pg. 152). Such mindsets point to a continued failure by the human race to let go of backward and outdated practices.

Unfortunately, the ideology of racial stereotypes and related forms of racial discrimination such as racial profiling seems to lie in scientific history. In the 19th century, scientific racism emerged as a kind of classification for the human race based on their skin color. Almost immediately, pioneers of this backward scientific reasoning such as Johann Blumenbach whose research in 1775 advanced theories based on this ideology of racist classification referred to as ‘polygenism’ (Bolaffi, 2003). After dividing the human species into five distinct groups based on skin color, White, Blacks, Mongols, and the like, these early ideologies paved the way for racial stereotypes. These stereotypes revolved on assumptions such as black skin being inferior and white skin being beautiful. A few years later after Blumenbach’s inferior ideological presentations, Christoph Meiners cemented the foundation of what would be the start of racism. He suggested the existence of two distinct racial groups; black and white.

Many hundreds of years later, the same backward form of thinking still exists albeit with more subtle attributes. While the Black race and other minorities have suffered sustained inhumane mistreatment over the course of the last four centuries, the modern form of racial discrimination takes on a softer approach. Television programming presents an excellent example of one of the modern forms of racial discrimination that is racial stereotyping. The Black race plays roles attributed to their circumstances under poverty, illiteracy, athleticism, slavery, and servitude (Brooks & Althouse, 2007). The Hispanic group also faces distinct racial stereotyping on television in the form of roles that depict the perceived ignorance and romanticism of Latin culture. Besides, this racial group is linked with immigration issues into North America, gang violence, drug trafficking and animal cruelty. As unfortunate as the circumstance are, the modern media houses and entertainment stakeholders seem unwilling to let go of the negative connotations that continue to fuel neo-racism.

Modern attempts to cover up racial stereotyping in the media have evolved into almost ingenious tactics. Tokenism is the first extension of racial stereotyping that tries to heal these racial stereotypes. Tokenism is the provision of certain privileges or conditions that seek to conceal the recipients’ social, cultural, or financial inferiority. Tokenism is rife in all aspects of human interaction within the context of racial stereotypes and in light of television-related media. A look into the media houses that relate to aspects of racial stereotypes reveals that the media personalities assigned the duty of investigating and reporting these vices are mostly from the affected communities. CNN is perhaps the most affected by this form of racial stereotyping as Hispanic media personalities cover issues of Latin origin such as immigrant welfare. Interestingly, the same applies to other aspects of television as demonstrated by ESPN where African American figures are assigned the majority of basketball commentary positions while Whites and Hispanics cover baseball. These extensions continue to impart an adverse effect on these aspects of human life as racial stereotypes ingrain themselves deeper into human thinking. The results exhibit even in young children who believe that certain racial groups are inherently gifted in various forms of sport and related activity based on what they watch on television.

Cultural hegemony is the second kind of extension to racial stereotyping as it relates to television programming. Cultural hegemony means the dominating effect that a ruling class has in culturally diverse societies demonstrated by the overwhelming effect of their morals, beliefs, values, perceptions (Faber, 2002). Based on the racial stereotyping and other circumstances such as colonization and scientific discovery witnessed over the previous centuries, the White racial group has established itself as the ruling class. Other racial groups have had to contend with this fact, which has in turn been imparted on them through force and other more subtle methods. In the modern setting, cultural hegemony still exhibits itself as an extension of racial stereotyping and other forms of racial discrimination. A cultural analysis of the effects of this vice on the media, especially television programming, reveals that the vice is present in many forms.

Because the ruling class owns most of the major and international media houses, all minority groups have to align their productions with the values and morals of the owners for their content to be televised. Perhaps the reason that many minority groups have started their media houses is the fact that cultural hegemony continues to remind them of the existence of racial stereotyping (Richardson & Kelly, 2012). Some good examples of this phenomenon are the American entertainment groups BET and OWN. BET (Black Entertainment Television) counters cultural hegemony and its effect on the Black entertainment be it music, film, or literature. On the other hand, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) seeks to provide the African American minority with an equal playing field in terms of film and music on television. These are part of efforts aimed at countering cultural hegemony in American television circles.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, the vice of racial discrimination continues to plague human life at various levels of social and cultural interaction. One aspect of cultural analysis that seems to be indomitable is racial stereotyping. The reach of racial stereotypes is perhaps the widest, as it appears to have permeated into almost all aspects of human life. The media, especially television programming, demonstrate best how racial stereotypes continue to be propagated and sustained within the global community. The news-casting sector of television has this year suffered severally from instances of racial stereotypes where news personalities gravitate towards their racial groups after unjust occurrences. Similarly, each respective racial group seems to continue suffering the same vice in the entertainment and sports industries.

Interestingly, the beneficiaries of racial stereotyping in whatever sector of television entertainment it affects appear to be willing to sustain it. Through tokenism and cultural hegemony, both sides of the racial stereotyping issue are struggling to maintain the upper hand meaning this social and cultural evil shall remain in existence. However, the fact that all the stakeholders in this unfortunate circumstances seem to overlook is that racial discrimination needs to be eliminated. Whatever forms this vice take, all humanity should unite as a single species and eliminate petty considerations such as skin color and geographical origin. Otherwise, the difficulties that lie in fostering conditions that improve the globe’s economic, social, and cultural status will remain.

References

Bolaffi, G. (2003). Dictionary of race, ethnicity and culture. London: SAGE Publications.

Bratt, R., & Rohe, W. (2005). Challenges and dilemmas facing community development corporations in the United States. Community Development Journal, 42(1), 63-78. doi:10.1093/cdj/bsi092

Brooks, D., & Althouse, R. (2007). Diversity and social justice in college sports. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

CNN Tonight. (2015). CNN.

Faber, S. (2002). Exile and cultural hegemony. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press.

Fleming, T. (2001). Racial stereotypes used by intercollegiate track and field coaches in hypothetical event assignment.

Fullwood, S. (2013). The Media’s Stereotypical Portrayals of Race. CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS. Retrieved 19 July 2015, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2013/03/05/55599/the-medias-stereotypical-portrayals-of-race/

Luther, C., Lepre, C., & Clark, N. (2012). Diversity in U.S. mass media. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

Nelson, T. (2009). Handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. New York: Psychology Press.

Richardson, B., & Kelly, L. (2012). Power, place and representation. Oxford: Peter Lang.

Weir, R. (2007). Class in America. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.