Internet Changing Journalisim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internet Changing Journalisim - Essay Example Journalism besides covering political and social issues it also covers cultural aspects related to the concerned society like arts and entertainment. In the old times there were only three ways through which news and other information could be published or broadcasted but now in this modern era anyone can produce media if he has an internet connection and a computer or a smartphone. In the olden times journalism was an extremely professional career but now journalism has de-professionalized due to other forms of media and most importantly the internet (Whitman, Bergman, Noverr & Recchia, 1998). With the introduction of internet, journalism has quite changed in all aspects. The internet is a very wide network which comprises of many wide networks. It has become a very interactive form of media. Data through the internet is sent by means of packet switching. No form of media can attract such a large audience at a single time but through internet this is possible. The greatest advantage of internet being the ease of availability, use and cost effectiveness have made it even more common among the people. Anyone having access to the internet can have contact with all of the people of the world. Internet has removed all bounds and limits that were included with the traditional journalism. Internet has now become the center of all mass communication (Pavlik, 2001). There are various kinds of journalism that people are adopting as a profession or being practiced by amateurs. Internet has affected all types of journalism. Examples can include the following. Fashion journalism is one of the kinds of journalism in which the person has to write articles related to fashion and life style. People interested in fashion writing can opt for this profession; such articles can be read in newspapers and magazines and nowadays certain TV channels are there which only cover fashion related issues and trends. The internet has revolutionized the fashion journalism. We can now easily g et access to the latest fashion trends and tips on the net in a jiffy anytime. If we were to watch a show on television we will have to wait until the show is aired on the television but through the internet we can access anything, any information without a time restriction. Tips to life style, health tips and other fashion related issues can easily be accessed through the web. Now almost all fashion magazines and fashion channels have correspondence with their own website. The journalist now has to work more hard and find more interesting and innovative ideas so that people are more attracted towards reading magazines and newspapers (Dreiser, & Nostwich, 1988). News journalism is another type of journalism in which news related to political, social issues, current issues, weather, entertainment news are covered. In the earlier times news could only be accessed by the people through the television and when there were no televisions then it was done through radio, and later on by new spapers as well. But all this required time and spending of large amounts of money. News through the newspapers could not be reached to the people instantly and the people had to wait a whole day long to read the news related to that day because it took time to gather, write and edit news and articles and then print them. For the news on television we had to wait for the time on which the news would be

Maketing analysis of cheese pizza Essay Example for Free

Maketing analysis of cheese pizza Essay Cheese pizza is a consumer product that is bought to satisfy individual’s personal wants. It is a shopping product that requires comparison shopping because it is usually more expensive and found in fewer stores. It is not as popular as pizza box and pizza hut, but it is an relatively new product in the market and offers an alternative for customers with different wants. Cheese pizza is now at the growth stage. It is experiencing increasing rate of sales, entrance of competitors, market consolidation, initial healthy profits. It has been expanding to 14 branches within half a year. Its main strategy is to attract customers by setting relatively low prices , so most of its branches are near public housing estates . The target customers of cheese pizza are just ordinary people , whose affordability is similar to students. Though it focuses mainly on take out services , it lowers the dine in costs to 40% of its take out one. The operation of cheese pizza stores is simple and easy, there are detailed guidance for food-making procedures and the ingredients required, the only thing the staff need to do is to follow the instructions. After calculation , they think that it is more economical and safe to put sources on cooking utensils rather than on labors , so a pizza oven is equipped in each branch. It is easy to use the oven- there’s the raw pizza with toppings on left hand side, after 6 minutes, a well-cooked pizza will be ready on the right hand side. As a result, much costs are saved. Besides the pricing strategy mentioned above, cheese pizza also adapts other marketing mix strategies. For example, product strategy. It expands different types of tastes and toppings – from onion, pepper, pepperoni, ham, mushroom only to pineapple, beef, pork, chicken, bacon, tomato ,egg, jalapano and peach inclusive. It also has frequent product modification on the pizza quality. Second, distribution strategy. It has expanded the number of dealers- opening more and more branches. At the beginning , there are only several stores of cheese pizza, but now there are branches in Fanling, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Tai po , Shatin, Kwai Fong, Hung Hom, Tsuen Wan and Tung Chung etc. Cheese pizza also tries its best to establish long-term relationships with wholesalers and retailers. Lastly, promotion strategy. Cheese pizza is trying its best to stimulate selective demand. For instance , it softens the hardness of fried chicken by adding more oil . Up till now, cheese pizza has set up 16 branches, and is expanding rapidly with a speed of 2 new branches in a month. Such an achievement implies the high standard of the cheese pizza made. In fact, every piece of cheese pizza and its quality are strictly monitored , so as to make sure the pizza is solely cooked with high quality of raw materials. For example, the weight and size of a fired chicken is under strict control, as it will be over-fired if it is too small, and it will not be tasty if it is too large. They make sure every raw material used is of the highest quality , and they will not fry any chicken until an order is made. In the process of making the pizza, cheese pizza is the only one pizza restaurant that uses olive oil. The cost of using olive oil is high, but the pizza made from it smells good and will not be too oily, most of all , people will not get food stagnation after eating . Conclusion: In this project, we have been working intensively into Cheese Pizza and trying to find out ways that the company can increase its market shares. We have identified the company’s strengths and weakness. We have also showed the current positioning of Cheese Pizza and its competitors. Cheese Pizza’s current segmentation strategy as well as its importance were also analyzed. Finally, based on all the analysis, we recommended a new product for Cheese Pizza. It is hoped that Cheese Pizza will continue to take its advantage and make improvements from time to time, so as to increase more and more branches and to increase its market shares. References: http://blog. yahoo. com/_VI2LRCBUJLT5L6PNJKMLDAAW6Y/articles/29299 http://www. openrice. com/restaurant/reviews. htm? shopid=38341tc=sr1listpage=2 http://www. cheesepizza. hk/index. html.

Pakistan Microfinance Sector Analysis

Pakistan Microfinance Sector Analysis The aim of this study refers to highlighting the key challenges and prospects for the microfinance sector of Pakistan. Being practiced since last few years, microfinance is considered to be an imperative financing practiced by financial institutions for the development of countrys economy. This study has been carried out using the following four steps: present scenario of microfinance in Pakistan, identification of internal and external challenges, prospects in microfinance, and policy recommendations to boost microfinance sector in Pakistan. In this research, microfinance framework has been used to better understand the process of building a sustainable microfinance institution. The findings have been obtained through Primary data which has been collected by sending 80 questionnaire surveys to microfinance sector. The companies that have participated are banks and other financial institutions. This research contributes in three ways. First, microfinance institutions will be facilita ted in highlighting the challenges and prospects that are being neglected in the process of analyzing the problems and opportunities faced by this sector. Second, other financial institutions and banks, realizing the significance of this business, will get encouragement to enter this sector with more innovative products and better standard practices. Thirdly, it will help the country in coming up with new strategies for micro financing. Moreover, microfinance sector may start conducting more training sessions to enhance the skills of the clients which will impact positively on this sector. INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem Poverty cannot be illustrated, it can be experienced. One knows more about it when he is starving and can not manage to pay for food. He and his children want new cloths on festivals but can not buy these, due to low income. He is sick, but he is not able to buy medicine. He wants to send his children to school, but can not bear the expenses. He wants to be appreciated in society, but is treated poorly by the institutions of the state and society. He is voice less and incapable (Gobind M et al,2008). Poor people save all the time, although mostly in informal ways. They invest in assets such as gold, jewelry, domestic animals, building materials, and things that can be easily exchanged for cash. They may set aside corn from their harvest to sell at a later date. They bury cash in the garden or stash it under the mattress. They participate in informal savings groups where everyone contributes a small amount of cash each day, week, or month, and is successively awarded the pot on a rota ting basis. Some of these groups allow members to borrow from the pot as well. The poor also give their money to neighbors to hold or pay local cash collectors to keep it safe. However widely used, informal savings mechanisms have serious limitations. It is not possible, for example, to cut a leg off a goat when the family suddenly needs a small amount of cash. In-kind savings are subject to fluctuations in commodity prices, destruction by insects, fire, thieves, or illness (in the case of livestock). Informal rotating savings groups tend to be small and rotate limited amounts of money. Moreover, these groups often require rigid amounts of money at set intervals and do not react to changes in their members ability to save. Perhaps most importantly, the poor are more likely to lose their money through fraud or mismanagement in informal savings arrangements than are depositors in formal financial institutions. The concept of microfinance was launched to help the poor population of the world. The significance of microfinance cannot be neglected for the development of any economy. Microfinance encourages poor households to consume their funds in productive activities by providing them small amount of loans. Poor household refers to low-income people who traditionally lack access to banking and other related financial services. The concept tend to empower would-be entrepreneurs to take up a trade for living, allow them to start earning, and thus to provide their families with income stability. The income that generates from such businesses not only helps in expanding those activities but also contributes to the income of the household bringing benefits for the whole family. In Pakistan, about one-third of the population is Å“un-banked?, or lacking access to finance, which if appropriately tapped can offer tremendous opportunities to both banking institutions and businesses. As a step towards mainstreaming the un-banked, SBP has envisaged increasing the size of micro and small enterprise (MSE) financing from one million borrowers to four million borrowers, and from Rs.1 billion to four billion by the year 2010. In this context, increasing institutional outreach and sinking micro financing in to the sector are considered pivotal strategies. Other areas of interest include regulatory regimes, product and process innovations, relationship management and monitoring, and market intelligence data (Sohailuddin Alavi, 2007). According to ILO (2005) cited by Dahri (2007) it is concluded that the reality for most of the worlds poor is that they have to work often for long hours, in poor working conditions and without basic rights and presentation- at work that is not productive enough to enable them to themselves and their families out of poverty, it is Å“decent and productive? employment that matters, not employment alone. In developing countries, so many strategies have been put into practice and research has been done but it is felt that it is not enough and research should remain continue in light of latest reports and research to highlight the challenges and opportunities of microfinance. These studies are helping in bringing new strategies into practice. As Pakistan is also a developing country, further suggestions would help to overcome the challenges faced by microfinance and avail the opportunities that exist for this kind of financing. To keep these things in mind attempt has been made to iden tify the internal, external challenges and opportunities as special objective in this study. LITERATURE REVIEW The great challenge before us is to address the constraints that exclude people from full participation in the financial sector. Together, we can and must build inclusive financial sectors that help people improve their lives.(Kofi Annan, 2007). However, poverty is a widespread problem found in the rural areas of Pakistan, as almost 28 per cent of the total rural households is categorized as poor. In this regard, the provision of credit, especially micro-credit, has now become an effective tool and a successful strategy for poverty eradication. In Pakistan over the past few years, the number of active borrowers has increased by 85 per cent while total outstanding loans grew by 115 per cent (Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2005-2006). The broader definition of microfinance includes not only microcredit but also other financial services, which can be offered to the poor. Interested economists found soon that not only small credits but also other services connected with lending could improve economic lives of the poorest (Bauer, Chytilova Morduch, 2008). Most MFIs connect their credit services also with educational or saving programs or business trainings, retraining scheme or technical trainings. Logically, the investments can turn out to be more profitable when the people have access to training, which can enhance their skills. Historically, the goal of microfinance was the alleviation of poverty. For many years, microfinance had this primary social objective and so traditional MFIs consisted only of non-governmental organizations (NGO), specialized microfinance banks and public sector banks. Although the Microfinance sector has reached a maturity stage over the last three decades, but the capacity of operational level staffs has not enhanced to that extent (Hassan Islam, 2008) A variety of studies have found a few key strengths and positive impacts produced by the implementation of microfinance programs in poor and impoverished areas of the world. First, microfinance programs can be an effective way to provide low?cost financial services to poor individuals and families (Stephens Tazi 2006). Second, such programs have been shown to help in the development and growth of the local economy as individuals and families are able to move past subsistence living and increase disposable income levels (Khandker, 2005). MFIs should take initiatives to upscale their Microenterprise clients to SME level and provide necessary support to link these clients with mainstream financial institutions. The MFIs should take responsibilities of their clients managerial skill development training (Hassan Islam, 2008). In addition, many studies (primarily microfinance institution impact studies and academic researcher qualitative or case studies) have shown that microfinance programs were able to reduce poverty through increasing individual and household income levels, as well as improving healthcare, nutrition, education, and helping to empower women. For example, standard of living increases, which help to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, have occurred at both the individual and household levels as a result of microfinance programs (Khandker, 2005). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated by some research that microfinance programs increase access to healthcare, making preventative healthcare measures more affordable to the poor (Morduch, 1998). Finally, it has been shown that such programs can help borrowers to develop dignity and self-confidence in conjunction with loan repayment, and self?sufficiency as a means for sustainable income becomes available.The Microfinance Summit Campaign Report (2006) estimates that there are now more than 3,000 microfinance institutions, serving more than 100 million poor people in developing countries. The total cash turnover of these institutions world-wide is estimated at $2.5 billion and the potential for new growth is outstanding.One individual who gained worldwide recognition for his work in microfinance is professor Muhammad Yunus who, with Grameen Bank, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Yunas and Grameen Bank demonstrated that the poor have the ability to pull themselves out of poverty. Yunus also demonstrated that loans made to the working poor, if properly structured, had very high repayment rates. His work caught the attention of both social engineers and profit-seeking investors (Grameen Bank, 2008). Some key strengths and positive impacts of microfinance programs in poor and impoverished areas of the world that; Microfinance programs can be an effective way to provide low-cost financial services to poor individuals and familie s (Stephens Tazi 2006). Such programs help in the development and growth of the local economy allowing individuals and families to move past subsistence living, and therefore increases their disposable income levels (Khandker 2005). Negative impacts of microfinance and microcredit programs are that; microfinance programs benefit the moderately poor more than the destitute, and thus impact can vary by income group (better-off benefit more from microcredit) (Jonathan Barbara 2002; Morduch, 1998; Dugger, 2004). Both formal and semi-formal financial institutions cover a very small share of MFIs markets as compared to informal market (Aleem, 1990). Hassan and Islam (2008) in a study conclude that, uplifting of client, managerial skill development programs for both client and staff of MFI and governmental policies can uplift the MFI growth which in turn has positive impact on overall macroeconomic growth of country. Moreover, the studies conducted on micro-credit were mainly based on the impact assessment of the programme. Realizing the situation, there is a need for an empirical study to analyze the factors that determine challenges faced by MFIs and future prospects in microfinance programme. Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study are: To explore the present scenario of MF in Pakistan To identify the challenges faced by MFIs in Pakistan To identify the internal and external constraints of MFIs in Pakistan. To provide policy recommendations to boost MFIs sector in Pakistan RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Conceptual Frame Work Utilizing the above mentioned details, a framework is suggested for MFI. Generic Framework for Building Sustainable Micro Finance Bank (MFB) Source: SOHAILUDDIN ALAVI (2007) Å“Microfinance in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects?, journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan Volume 74, Issue No. 3 page 52-61 Data Collection In this research study, primary data has been obtained from questionnaire survey. The primary data here has been collected through a comprehensive questionnaire in this research. Primary data There are several choices for primary data collection i.e. survey (questionnaire), interview, observations and experiments. These choices are shown in below figure. The primary data here has been collected through a comprehensive questionnaire in this research. Primary Data Sources Source: Ghauri, P. Gronhaug, K. (2005). Å“Research Methods in business Studies?, 3ed. Prentice Hall. Size of the Sample The questionnaire was distributed to 80 executives in four different MFIs. These executives have the responsibility of key customers identification, analysis and operational activities involved in the management process. Out of the 80 respondents 54 (67.50%) have responded. The author has done the convenience sampling due to the limitations. Questionnaire We have divided this Questionnaire into three segments; External Challenges Internal Challenges Prospects First and second section measure challenges, both internal and external faced by MFI and third section addresses the future prospects for MFI. Each section is based on separate research objectives. Only closed-ended questions are included in the questionnaire. In closed-ended questions Likert-scale method (Proctor, T. 2005) is used for response. Seven different scaling options are included in Likert-scale method to minimize the response biasness. The scales: strongly agree, agree, slightly agree, neither agree nor disagree, slightly disagree, disagree and strongly disagree are assigned ranks from 1- 7 respectively. DATA AND METHODOLOGY Data and Sampling As we have limited MFIs in the country so author has distibuted 80 questionnaires and 54 responses are received (67.50%) from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore cities. In the above section, the six factors highlighted addressees the external challenges of MFIs in the market of Pakistan. Govt.s due importance to the sector Staff trainings by the MFIs Utilizations of the loans Importance of clients skills development by the MFIs Islamic point of view Local norms Its clear from the table 1(b) that Å“Government is giving due importance to MFI?, out of 54 respondents 78% response positively and 22% in negative. It means Government considers MFI as a very important sector in the country development process. Second question is about Microfinance Institutions staffs training level; there is 50% response in positive and 50% in negative. This indicates that MFI staff working in market needs adequate training. Ultimately, their training may draw some positive impact on MFI sector in specific, and at large it may benefit the countrys economy. Third and the most important factor about the utilization of loan money by client, surprisingly 70% of respondents say that loans are used for investment purpose by client and not for personal consumption. However, 30% of respondents believe that loan taken by client is used for their private consumption. The fourth question is about MFI attitude towards clients skills development shows; only 26% of responses are positive and 74% responded negatively. This result indicates a gap for policy makers of MFIs concluding that they are not putting due efforts in their business because their client is usually not only poor but also lacking management and other skills. Further research can be done on the level of skill of client and the growth of their business and relationship with MFI. The second last question in the first section addresses the perception of the client about financial institute in religious perspective; 80% of respondents are positive that financial intuitions are largely perceived as non-Islamic. This issue can be resolved by focusing on the establishment of Islamic MFIs or marketing the concept of microfinance more aggressively. Final question is about the norms restrictions on the financial sector, again 53% of responses are positive about the existence of such norms and 43% are negative. We may say that in future these norms may go to decline. Internal Challenges The section 2 of the challenges is about the key internal challenges faced by MFI. We have discussed six different internal challenges; the first and probably the most important challenge is about the availability of other cheaper financial resources. 74% of the respondents agree that the availability of other cheaper source of finance is a great challenge for them and 36% responded in opposite. This indicates the fact that the cost of borrowing is high for small borrowers. Effort should be done to make small loans available at some competitive cost in comparison to other financial products. About the limited physical presence of MFI, 87% response is positive and only 13% is negative, which again reveals the gap for policy makers that the limited presence may be the major cause of low performance and growth of MFI sector. The third question is about the general inability of MFIs about risks and standard practices; 52% responded positively about the situation but 48% do not agree. We may say that there is a great need for MFIs to mitigate the risk factors and adopt the standard practices. The fourth question is about the incompatibility of conventional banking with the need of microfinance product; 52% of respondents are positive about the inaptness of conventional banking with microfinance product need while 48% do not agree that there is incompatibility of microfinance need and traditional banking. So we may say that a second majority of MFI believes that conventional banking system can also cater to the need of microfinance product. The second last question of this section is about the availability of quality human resource in comparison to other financial institutions; 48% of the respondents are positive about the availability of quality human resource due to scare funds while 52% do not agree. This shows that availability of quality human resource is not much of an issue in MFIs. Final question is about the lacking in value chain and delivery process of mic rofinance product; a majority of 59% is positive that there are lacking in value chain and delivery process, but 37% are of opposite view and 4% are uncertain about the answer to this question. Prospects/Opportunities The third and the last section is about the opportunities for MFIs, first question is about the promotion of different kinds of business through MFIs; 56% of respondents are positive that MFIs are promoting all kinds of business and 44% do not agree. The second majority of respondents believe that MFIs are not addressing all kinds of business. Hence, there is a need to look at the different kinds of businesses served by MFIs. In the question about the role of MFI,s in reduction of poverty, 83% are positive about the role of MFI in poverty reduction, while a minority of 17% do not agree. The fourth question about the role of MFI in economic growth of country; 100% respondents advocate that MFIs are working for the economic development. 100% respondents are positive that MFIs are not only working against poverty but also playing some other roles too in economy. Finally a 70% of respondents are positive about the alliance of commercial banks and MFIs , 13% do not agree about the allianc e and 17% are uncertain. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION In this study, conclusions will be drawn on the basis of literature review and analysis made through market research. The reasearch is divided into two parts: conclusions and recommendations. Conclusions From this study we conclude that; Government is providing due importance to MF sector. MFIs staff needs training which can impact positively on MF Sector. A majority of 70% believe that loan is utilized in investments activities rather than personal consumption. MFIs have very low attention toward its clients skill development. A majority of population perceive MFIs and other financial services against their religious beliefs. Lastly norms and culture poses threats to MFIs and Banks. Cost of microfinance is relatively high in compassion to other financial products. Standards of practices and processes need improvement in MFIs. Alliance of commercial banking and microfinance is viewed as positive. Recommendations MFIs staff working in market needs adequate training. Ultimately, their training will draw some positive impacts on MFI sector in specific and may also benefit the economy of the country at large. MFIs are not putting due efforts in their business because their client is usually not only poor but also lacking management and other skills. Further research can be done on the level of skills of the client and growth of his/her business to elaborate the different skill levels. There may be a need of Islamic MFIs or marketing the concept of microfinance more aggressively to avoid the potential biasness in financial organizations. Effort should be done to make small loans available at some competitive cost in comparison to other financial products. There is a great need for MFIs to mitigate the risk factor and adopt the standard practices. Limitation of Research This study had the following limitations The author was not able to distribute the questionnaire to company executives all over the country. Time period to conduct the study was very limited. Some of the respondents did not answer the questions seriously Sample size was limited to 3 cities only which cannot be easily applicable to all population of Pakistan. The questionnaire was sent to respondents through e-mail. It was not feasible for the author to conduct the interviews personally. All respondents cant maintain same level of accuracy in answering the questions due to lack of time and interest. It may create little discrepancy to some extent in formulating the conclusions. Refrences www.sbp.org.pk/publications/prudential/micro_prs.pdf www.sbp.org.pk/l_frame/MF_Bank_Ord_2000.pdf Kofi, Annan. UN secretary,.2007. Avalibale atÂÂ  : http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/default.asp Herani, Gobind M, Rajar , Allah Wasayo, Wasim, Mohammad Pervez and Shaikh, Riaz Ahmed., 2008. The Nature of Poverty and Its Prospects: Pakistan Evidence. Journal of Global Economy ,4(3), pp. 183-194. Global Monetary and Financial System: Principal Issues. Journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan , 74 (2) pp 1-6 Available at:www.ibp.org.pk/journal/Journal-Apr-Jun-2007.pdf Pakistan Statistical Profile Available at: agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/CP03_Workforce_Pakistan.pdf M. Bauer, J. ChytilovÃÆ'Â ¡, J. Morduch., 2008.Behavioral Foundations of Microcredit: Experimental and Survey Evidence from Rural India. American Economic Review,59 (1) pp71-86 Rashed Al Hasan., K.M. Zahidul Islam., 2008. Bridging the Gap between Microfinance and SME Financing in Bangladesh: Unlocking the Potentials. Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, 3.(1), pp 41-57 Shahidur R. Khandker., 2005.Microfinance and Poverty: Evidence Using Panel Data from Bangladesh .The World Bank Economic Review, 19(2), pp263-286 Jonathan Morduch., 1998. Does Microfinance Really Help the Poor? New Evidence from Flagship Programs in Bangladesh, Department of Economics and HIID Harvard University. Available at: www.princeton.edu/rpds/papers/pdfs/morduch_microfinance_poor.pdf Grameen Bank. Available at: http://www.grameen-info.org/ Dugger, Celia W. 2004. Å“Debate Stirs over Tiny Loans for Worlds Poorest.? New York Times. Morduch, J., and Haley, B. (2002), ËÅ"Analysis of the Effects of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction, NYU Wagner Working Paper No. 1014 Available at: http://www.nyu.edu/wagner/workingpapers.html Briefing Note Summary of the Poverty and Social Impact Assessment: Pakistan Microfinance Policy May 2006 Available at: www. pipl.com/directory/name/Tazi/Hind Pakistan Microfinance Sector Analysis Pakistan Microfinance Sector Analysis The aim of this study refers to highlighting the key challenges and prospects for the microfinance sector of Pakistan. Being practiced since last few years, microfinance is considered to be an imperative financing practiced by financial institutions for the development of countrys economy. This study has been carried out using the following four steps: present scenario of microfinance in Pakistan, identification of internal and external challenges, prospects in microfinance, and policy recommendations to boost microfinance sector in Pakistan. In this research, microfinance framework has been used to better understand the process of building a sustainable microfinance institution. The findings have been obtained through Primary data which has been collected by sending 80 questionnaire surveys to microfinance sector. The companies that have participated are banks and other financial institutions. This research contributes in three ways. First, microfinance institutions will be facilita ted in highlighting the challenges and prospects that are being neglected in the process of analyzing the problems and opportunities faced by this sector. Second, other financial institutions and banks, realizing the significance of this business, will get encouragement to enter this sector with more innovative products and better standard practices. Thirdly, it will help the country in coming up with new strategies for micro financing. Moreover, microfinance sector may start conducting more training sessions to enhance the skills of the clients which will impact positively on this sector. INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem Poverty cannot be illustrated, it can be experienced. One knows more about it when he is starving and can not manage to pay for food. He and his children want new cloths on festivals but can not buy these, due to low income. He is sick, but he is not able to buy medicine. He wants to send his children to school, but can not bear the expenses. He wants to be appreciated in society, but is treated poorly by the institutions of the state and society. He is voice less and incapable (Gobind M et al,2008). Poor people save all the time, although mostly in informal ways. They invest in assets such as gold, jewelry, domestic animals, building materials, and things that can be easily exchanged for cash. They may set aside corn from their harvest to sell at a later date. They bury cash in the garden or stash it under the mattress. They participate in informal savings groups where everyone contributes a small amount of cash each day, week, or month, and is successively awarded the pot on a rota ting basis. Some of these groups allow members to borrow from the pot as well. The poor also give their money to neighbors to hold or pay local cash collectors to keep it safe. However widely used, informal savings mechanisms have serious limitations. It is not possible, for example, to cut a leg off a goat when the family suddenly needs a small amount of cash. In-kind savings are subject to fluctuations in commodity prices, destruction by insects, fire, thieves, or illness (in the case of livestock). Informal rotating savings groups tend to be small and rotate limited amounts of money. Moreover, these groups often require rigid amounts of money at set intervals and do not react to changes in their members ability to save. Perhaps most importantly, the poor are more likely to lose their money through fraud or mismanagement in informal savings arrangements than are depositors in formal financial institutions. The concept of microfinance was launched to help the poor population of the world. The significance of microfinance cannot be neglected for the development of any economy. Microfinance encourages poor households to consume their funds in productive activities by providing them small amount of loans. Poor household refers to low-income people who traditionally lack access to banking and other related financial services. The concept tend to empower would-be entrepreneurs to take up a trade for living, allow them to start earning, and thus to provide their families with income stability. The income that generates from such businesses not only helps in expanding those activities but also contributes to the income of the household bringing benefits for the whole family. In Pakistan, about one-third of the population is Å“un-banked?, or lacking access to finance, which if appropriately tapped can offer tremendous opportunities to both banking institutions and businesses. As a step towards mainstreaming the un-banked, SBP has envisaged increasing the size of micro and small enterprise (MSE) financing from one million borrowers to four million borrowers, and from Rs.1 billion to four billion by the year 2010. In this context, increasing institutional outreach and sinking micro financing in to the sector are considered pivotal strategies. Other areas of interest include regulatory regimes, product and process innovations, relationship management and monitoring, and market intelligence data (Sohailuddin Alavi, 2007). According to ILO (2005) cited by Dahri (2007) it is concluded that the reality for most of the worlds poor is that they have to work often for long hours, in poor working conditions and without basic rights and presentation- at work that is not productive enough to enable them to themselves and their families out of poverty, it is Å“decent and productive? employment that matters, not employment alone. In developing countries, so many strategies have been put into practice and research has been done but it is felt that it is not enough and research should remain continue in light of latest reports and research to highlight the challenges and opportunities of microfinance. These studies are helping in bringing new strategies into practice. As Pakistan is also a developing country, further suggestions would help to overcome the challenges faced by microfinance and avail the opportunities that exist for this kind of financing. To keep these things in mind attempt has been made to iden tify the internal, external challenges and opportunities as special objective in this study. LITERATURE REVIEW The great challenge before us is to address the constraints that exclude people from full participation in the financial sector. Together, we can and must build inclusive financial sectors that help people improve their lives.(Kofi Annan, 2007). However, poverty is a widespread problem found in the rural areas of Pakistan, as almost 28 per cent of the total rural households is categorized as poor. In this regard, the provision of credit, especially micro-credit, has now become an effective tool and a successful strategy for poverty eradication. In Pakistan over the past few years, the number of active borrowers has increased by 85 per cent while total outstanding loans grew by 115 per cent (Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2005-2006). The broader definition of microfinance includes not only microcredit but also other financial services, which can be offered to the poor. Interested economists found soon that not only small credits but also other services connected with lending could improve economic lives of the poorest (Bauer, Chytilova Morduch, 2008). Most MFIs connect their credit services also with educational or saving programs or business trainings, retraining scheme or technical trainings. Logically, the investments can turn out to be more profitable when the people have access to training, which can enhance their skills. Historically, the goal of microfinance was the alleviation of poverty. For many years, microfinance had this primary social objective and so traditional MFIs consisted only of non-governmental organizations (NGO), specialized microfinance banks and public sector banks. Although the Microfinance sector has reached a maturity stage over the last three decades, but the capacity of operational level staffs has not enhanced to that extent (Hassan Islam, 2008) A variety of studies have found a few key strengths and positive impacts produced by the implementation of microfinance programs in poor and impoverished areas of the world. First, microfinance programs can be an effective way to provide low?cost financial services to poor individuals and families (Stephens Tazi 2006). Second, such programs have been shown to help in the development and growth of the local economy as individuals and families are able to move past subsistence living and increase disposable income levels (Khandker, 2005). MFIs should take initiatives to upscale their Microenterprise clients to SME level and provide necessary support to link these clients with mainstream financial institutions. The MFIs should take responsibilities of their clients managerial skill development training (Hassan Islam, 2008). In addition, many studies (primarily microfinance institution impact studies and academic researcher qualitative or case studies) have shown that microfinance programs were able to reduce poverty through increasing individual and household income levels, as well as improving healthcare, nutrition, education, and helping to empower women. For example, standard of living increases, which help to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, have occurred at both the individual and household levels as a result of microfinance programs (Khandker, 2005). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated by some research that microfinance programs increase access to healthcare, making preventative healthcare measures more affordable to the poor (Morduch, 1998). Finally, it has been shown that such programs can help borrowers to develop dignity and self-confidence in conjunction with loan repayment, and self?sufficiency as a means for sustainable income becomes available.The Microfinance Summit Campaign Report (2006) estimates that there are now more than 3,000 microfinance institutions, serving more than 100 million poor people in developing countries. The total cash turnover of these institutions world-wide is estimated at $2.5 billion and the potential for new growth is outstanding.One individual who gained worldwide recognition for his work in microfinance is professor Muhammad Yunus who, with Grameen Bank, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Yunas and Grameen Bank demonstrated that the poor have the ability to pull themselves out of poverty. Yunus also demonstrated that loans made to the working poor, if properly structured, had very high repayment rates. His work caught the attention of both social engineers and profit-seeking investors (Grameen Bank, 2008). Some key strengths and positive impacts of microfinance programs in poor and impoverished areas of the world that; Microfinance programs can be an effective way to provide low-cost financial services to poor individuals and familie s (Stephens Tazi 2006). Such programs help in the development and growth of the local economy allowing individuals and families to move past subsistence living, and therefore increases their disposable income levels (Khandker 2005). Negative impacts of microfinance and microcredit programs are that; microfinance programs benefit the moderately poor more than the destitute, and thus impact can vary by income group (better-off benefit more from microcredit) (Jonathan Barbara 2002; Morduch, 1998; Dugger, 2004). Both formal and semi-formal financial institutions cover a very small share of MFIs markets as compared to informal market (Aleem, 1990). Hassan and Islam (2008) in a study conclude that, uplifting of client, managerial skill development programs for both client and staff of MFI and governmental policies can uplift the MFI growth which in turn has positive impact on overall macroeconomic growth of country. Moreover, the studies conducted on micro-credit were mainly based on the impact assessment of the programme. Realizing the situation, there is a need for an empirical study to analyze the factors that determine challenges faced by MFIs and future prospects in microfinance programme. Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study are: To explore the present scenario of MF in Pakistan To identify the challenges faced by MFIs in Pakistan To identify the internal and external constraints of MFIs in Pakistan. To provide policy recommendations to boost MFIs sector in Pakistan RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Conceptual Frame Work Utilizing the above mentioned details, a framework is suggested for MFI. Generic Framework for Building Sustainable Micro Finance Bank (MFB) Source: SOHAILUDDIN ALAVI (2007) Å“Microfinance in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects?, journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan Volume 74, Issue No. 3 page 52-61 Data Collection In this research study, primary data has been obtained from questionnaire survey. The primary data here has been collected through a comprehensive questionnaire in this research. Primary data There are several choices for primary data collection i.e. survey (questionnaire), interview, observations and experiments. These choices are shown in below figure. The primary data here has been collected through a comprehensive questionnaire in this research. Primary Data Sources Source: Ghauri, P. Gronhaug, K. (2005). Å“Research Methods in business Studies?, 3ed. Prentice Hall. Size of the Sample The questionnaire was distributed to 80 executives in four different MFIs. These executives have the responsibility of key customers identification, analysis and operational activities involved in the management process. Out of the 80 respondents 54 (67.50%) have responded. The author has done the convenience sampling due to the limitations. Questionnaire We have divided this Questionnaire into three segments; External Challenges Internal Challenges Prospects First and second section measure challenges, both internal and external faced by MFI and third section addresses the future prospects for MFI. Each section is based on separate research objectives. Only closed-ended questions are included in the questionnaire. In closed-ended questions Likert-scale method (Proctor, T. 2005) is used for response. Seven different scaling options are included in Likert-scale method to minimize the response biasness. The scales: strongly agree, agree, slightly agree, neither agree nor disagree, slightly disagree, disagree and strongly disagree are assigned ranks from 1- 7 respectively. DATA AND METHODOLOGY Data and Sampling As we have limited MFIs in the country so author has distibuted 80 questionnaires and 54 responses are received (67.50%) from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore cities. In the above section, the six factors highlighted addressees the external challenges of MFIs in the market of Pakistan. Govt.s due importance to the sector Staff trainings by the MFIs Utilizations of the loans Importance of clients skills development by the MFIs Islamic point of view Local norms Its clear from the table 1(b) that Å“Government is giving due importance to MFI?, out of 54 respondents 78% response positively and 22% in negative. It means Government considers MFI as a very important sector in the country development process. Second question is about Microfinance Institutions staffs training level; there is 50% response in positive and 50% in negative. This indicates that MFI staff working in market needs adequate training. Ultimately, their training may draw some positive impact on MFI sector in specific, and at large it may benefit the countrys economy. Third and the most important factor about the utilization of loan money by client, surprisingly 70% of respondents say that loans are used for investment purpose by client and not for personal consumption. However, 30% of respondents believe that loan taken by client is used for their private consumption. The fourth question is about MFI attitude towards clients skills development shows; only 26% of responses are positive and 74% responded negatively. This result indicates a gap for policy makers of MFIs concluding that they are not putting due efforts in their business because their client is usually not only poor but also lacking management and other skills. Further research can be done on the level of skill of client and the growth of their business and relationship with MFI. The second last question in the first section addresses the perception of the client about financial institute in religious perspective; 80% of respondents are positive that financial intuitions are largely perceived as non-Islamic. This issue can be resolved by focusing on the establishment of Islamic MFIs or marketing the concept of microfinance more aggressively. Final question is about the norms restrictions on the financial sector, again 53% of responses are positive about the existence of such norms and 43% are negative. We may say that in future these norms may go to decline. Internal Challenges The section 2 of the challenges is about the key internal challenges faced by MFI. We have discussed six different internal challenges; the first and probably the most important challenge is about the availability of other cheaper financial resources. 74% of the respondents agree that the availability of other cheaper source of finance is a great challenge for them and 36% responded in opposite. This indicates the fact that the cost of borrowing is high for small borrowers. Effort should be done to make small loans available at some competitive cost in comparison to other financial products. About the limited physical presence of MFI, 87% response is positive and only 13% is negative, which again reveals the gap for policy makers that the limited presence may be the major cause of low performance and growth of MFI sector. The third question is about the general inability of MFIs about risks and standard practices; 52% responded positively about the situation but 48% do not agree. We may say that there is a great need for MFIs to mitigate the risk factors and adopt the standard practices. The fourth question is about the incompatibility of conventional banking with the need of microfinance product; 52% of respondents are positive about the inaptness of conventional banking with microfinance product need while 48% do not agree that there is incompatibility of microfinance need and traditional banking. So we may say that a second majority of MFI believes that conventional banking system can also cater to the need of microfinance product. The second last question of this section is about the availability of quality human resource in comparison to other financial institutions; 48% of the respondents are positive about the availability of quality human resource due to scare funds while 52% do not agree. This shows that availability of quality human resource is not much of an issue in MFIs. Final question is about the lacking in value chain and delivery process of mic rofinance product; a majority of 59% is positive that there are lacking in value chain and delivery process, but 37% are of opposite view and 4% are uncertain about the answer to this question. Prospects/Opportunities The third and the last section is about the opportunities for MFIs, first question is about the promotion of different kinds of business through MFIs; 56% of respondents are positive that MFIs are promoting all kinds of business and 44% do not agree. The second majority of respondents believe that MFIs are not addressing all kinds of business. Hence, there is a need to look at the different kinds of businesses served by MFIs. In the question about the role of MFI,s in reduction of poverty, 83% are positive about the role of MFI in poverty reduction, while a minority of 17% do not agree. The fourth question about the role of MFI in economic growth of country; 100% respondents advocate that MFIs are working for the economic development. 100% respondents are positive that MFIs are not only working against poverty but also playing some other roles too in economy. Finally a 70% of respondents are positive about the alliance of commercial banks and MFIs , 13% do not agree about the allianc e and 17% are uncertain. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION In this study, conclusions will be drawn on the basis of literature review and analysis made through market research. The reasearch is divided into two parts: conclusions and recommendations. Conclusions From this study we conclude that; Government is providing due importance to MF sector. MFIs staff needs training which can impact positively on MF Sector. A majority of 70% believe that loan is utilized in investments activities rather than personal consumption. MFIs have very low attention toward its clients skill development. A majority of population perceive MFIs and other financial services against their religious beliefs. Lastly norms and culture poses threats to MFIs and Banks. Cost of microfinance is relatively high in compassion to other financial products. Standards of practices and processes need improvement in MFIs. Alliance of commercial banking and microfinance is viewed as positive. Recommendations MFIs staff working in market needs adequate training. Ultimately, their training will draw some positive impacts on MFI sector in specific and may also benefit the economy of the country at large. MFIs are not putting due efforts in their business because their client is usually not only poor but also lacking management and other skills. Further research can be done on the level of skills of the client and growth of his/her business to elaborate the different skill levels. There may be a need of Islamic MFIs or marketing the concept of microfinance more aggressively to avoid the potential biasness in financial organizations. Effort should be done to make small loans available at some competitive cost in comparison to other financial products. There is a great need for MFIs to mitigate the risk factor and adopt the standard practices. Limitation of Research This study had the following limitations The author was not able to distribute the questionnaire to company executives all over the country. Time period to conduct the study was very limited. Some of the respondents did not answer the questions seriously Sample size was limited to 3 cities only which cannot be easily applicable to all population of Pakistan. The questionnaire was sent to respondents through e-mail. It was not feasible for the author to conduct the interviews personally. All respondents cant maintain same level of accuracy in answering the questions due to lack of time and interest. It may create little discrepancy to some extent in formulating the conclusions. Refrences www.sbp.org.pk/publications/prudential/micro_prs.pdf www.sbp.org.pk/l_frame/MF_Bank_Ord_2000.pdf Kofi, Annan. UN secretary,.2007. Avalibale atÂÂ  : http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/default.asp Herani, Gobind M, Rajar , Allah Wasayo, Wasim, Mohammad Pervez and Shaikh, Riaz Ahmed., 2008. The Nature of Poverty and Its Prospects: Pakistan Evidence. Journal of Global Economy ,4(3), pp. 183-194. Global Monetary and Financial System: Principal Issues. Journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan , 74 (2) pp 1-6 Available at:www.ibp.org.pk/journal/Journal-Apr-Jun-2007.pdf Pakistan Statistical Profile Available at: agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/CP03_Workforce_Pakistan.pdf M. Bauer, J. ChytilovÃÆ'Â ¡, J. Morduch., 2008.Behavioral Foundations of Microcredit: Experimental and Survey Evidence from Rural India. American Economic Review,59 (1) pp71-86 Rashed Al Hasan., K.M. Zahidul Islam., 2008. Bridging the Gap between Microfinance and SME Financing in Bangladesh: Unlocking the Potentials. Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, 3.(1), pp 41-57 Shahidur R. Khandker., 2005.Microfinance and Poverty: Evidence Using Panel Data from Bangladesh .The World Bank Economic Review, 19(2), pp263-286 Jonathan Morduch., 1998. Does Microfinance Really Help the Poor? New Evidence from Flagship Programs in Bangladesh, Department of Economics and HIID Harvard University. Available at: www.princeton.edu/rpds/papers/pdfs/morduch_microfinance_poor.pdf Grameen Bank. Available at: http://www.grameen-info.org/ Dugger, Celia W. 2004. Å“Debate Stirs over Tiny Loans for Worlds Poorest.? New York Times. Morduch, J., and Haley, B. (2002), ËÅ"Analysis of the Effects of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction, NYU Wagner Working Paper No. 1014 Available at: http://www.nyu.edu/wagner/workingpapers.html Briefing Note Summary of the Poverty and Social Impact Assessment: Pakistan Microfinance Policy May 2006 Available at: www. pipl.com/directory/name/Tazi/Hind

Family Ethnicity :: essays research papers

Name:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Title:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The impact of ethnicity on my family Subject:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due Date:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up, my family consisted of my mother, father, and my three brothers. My father was of German decent and my mother was of Irish. There was a stigma attached to being a German American back in the late 1940’s and as a result, my father would have nothing to do with this German heritage. He changed his name from Willie to William and as a great disappointment to my grandparents, refused to learn the German language. Even with his attempts to keep his ethnicity out of his life, my father retained many of the German traits of his parents. He is extremely hardworking and thrifty. The thought of going into dept makes him physically sick to his stomach. He would never own a credit card. To make a major purchase such as a car or appliance, he would take a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd job so he could pay cash for the items. I like to think that I inherited my father’s work ethics. But I know for a fact that I don’t have an ounce of his thrifty ways, nor do my daughter. I miss the German foods that my Grandmother used to make. Now that she is gone, I wish I had some of her recipes. The only German foods I can make are potato pancakes and German Potato salad, which my daughters love, or at least they say they do so they don’t hurt my feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I hardly knew my mothers parents. They both died before I started kindergarten. My grandfather loved beer and died of cirrhosis. I suppose that this could go along with his Irish ethnicity. My mother is a strong catholic and had plans to become a nun before she met my father. As long as I can remember, my mother would give up a pleasure in her life and spend time praying for something to happen or not happen to one of her sons. Examples are:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She gave up wine and prayed that I wouldn’t be drafted during the Viet Nam war. I received a medical exemption for a back problem.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She gave up between meal snacks and prayed that my brother, Kevin would marry his live-in girlfriend. Kevin is in his mid 40s now and is still living with Patty. Mom doesn’t pray for this anymore since Kevin is the only of her 4 sons that hasn’t been divorced yet.

Industrialization, Capitalism and American Dream

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a novel whose veracity actually became a topic of federal investigation, provides another interesting example of the complex relation between fact and fiction and between naturalism and other literary and nonliterary discourses. The Jungle in many ways presents the appearance of a conventional novel: it has character, event, theme. Yet it is also profoundly shaped by the documentary strategy.Although the novel is organized biographically, the course of the protagonist Jurgis Rudkus's life follows a path which ensures that he will observe phenomena that interest Sinclair; he is conducted through a series of experiences that are not only representative but comprehensive, for this account of the meat-packing industry and the conditions of life for immigrant workers attempts to be encyclopedic.When the Rudkuses arrive in Chicago the first thing they do is tour the packinghouses, giving occasion for sentences like this one: â€Å"The chutes into which the hogs went climbed high up — to the very top of the distant buildings; and Jokubas explained that the hogs went up by the power of their own legs, and then their weight carried them back through all the processes necessary to make them into pork. † As Jurgis and other members of his family take jobs in various parts of the plants, the different operations — slaughtering, processing, canning and so on — are described in more detail.Jurgis also works in a harvester factory and a steel mill, passing through periods of prosperity and of unemployment and want; eventually almost every vicissitude of working-class life befalls Jurgis or one of his relatives. Jurgis himself begins as a strong and successful wage earner, but he is injured on a job and has great difficulty supporting himself while recovering, spends time in jail after a conflict with a foreman, tramps in both the country and the city, joins a union but later works as a scab and then as a foreman, rea ps the benefits of corrupt machine politics, and finally becomes a Socialist.His wife is sexually exploited by her boss and dies in childbirth without competent medical care. His son drowns in a muddy street in Packingtown. His father dies of an illness caused by a job. His cousin becomes a prostitute. What Jurgis cannot experience at firsthand he learns about from others; for example, his cousin tells harrowing stories of women forced into prostitution and explains why she cannot save any money working in a brothel: â€Å"‘I am charged for my room and my meals and such prices as you never heard of; and then for extras, and drinks for everything I get, and some I don't.‘ . . . Seeing that Jurgis was interested, she went on: ‘That's the way they keep the girls — they let them run up debts, so they can't get away'† (p. 352). Jurgis even rounds out our map of the social order when he â€Å"chances† to meet the drunken son of a packing-house owner and is taken into a mansion built by a meat fortune to see how the other half lives. The novel is episodic, even disjointed, if one attempts to organize it in terms of plot; its coherence derives from the documentary strategy.Its events are linked not directly to one another but through their common connection with the abstraction of the â€Å"jungle† and their relevance to the topic of the Chicago meat-packing industry and the lives of its â€Å"wage slaves. † The Jungle demonstrates the metonymic, accretive nature of the documentary strategy, for despite its aspiration to provide a totalizing map of Chicago its most characteristic procedure is to pile horror upon horror just as London does in The People of the Abyss.The action of The Jungle is produced less by the characters' choices than by their reactions as one disaster after another bursts upon them. When Jurgis and his family buy a house, they discover that â€Å"it was not new at all, as they had supposed; it was about fifteen years old, and there was nothing new upon it but the paint, which was so bad that it needed to be put on new every year or two. The house was one of a whole row that was built by a company which existed to make money by swindling poor people.The family had paid fifteen hundred dollars for it, and it had not cost the builders five hundred, when it was new† (p. 77). They find that they owe not just the monthly payments they have been told of but interest, so that it will be almost impossible for them to keep up the payments, and â€Å"when they failed — if it were only by a single month — they would lose the house and all that they had paid on it, and then the company would sell it over again† (pp. 77-78).Portraying a political awakening is one way of suggesting the possibility of profound social change without violating the conventions of realism, and it is a strategy that emerges still more strongly in a later genre that has many affiniti es with naturalism, the proletarian novel. Jurgis's transformation strikes the reader as such a dissonant and discontinuous element in this novel because it so obviously requires him to leave his native realm of victimage to become a character who exercises free will.There is no pretense in The Jungle that the group Sinclair is writing about is the same or even has much in common with the group he is writing for. In a gesture we have encountered before, we find the narrator and reader clearly marked off from the characters by the very languages they use: Sinclair prefaces one description with the remark that â€Å"the reader, who perhaps has never held much converse in the language of far-off Lithuania, will be glad of the explanation that . . . † (p. 2).Although the only things that are recognizably Lithuanian about the Rudkuses are their names ( Sinclair even provides a footnote to tell us how to pronounce â€Å"Jurgis†), they are certainly foreigners. One might deba te the exact degree of irony in that â€Å"perhaps† — I think it is considerable — and attempt to measure the exact width of this chasm between classes, but its existence is taken for granted. Throughout the novel the naturalist plays the role of the readers' guide and interpreter in an alien land. But he is not a native of that land either.Sinclair tells us in his autobiography that his own painful experiences of want — that is, his confrontation with proletarianization, to which his autobiography testifies at length — imbue the book with anguish, but that he is a stranger to the â€Å"jungle† of Chicago. The book is based on his research during â€Å"seven weeks lived among the wage slaves of the Beef Trust, as we called it in those days. People used to ask me afterward if I had not spent my life in Chicago, and I answered that if I had done so, I could never have written The Jungle; I would have taken for granted things that now hit me a sudden violent blow.I went about, white-faced and thin, partly from undernourishment, partly from horror. † 25 Despite the novel's affirmation of the possibilities for change, the realms of knowledge and experience, the worlds of the observer and the participant, remain polarized, joined only by the narrator's pity and good intentions. Nevertheless, The Jungle is famous as a novel that changed the world: an important progressive reform, the passage of the Meat Inspection and Pure Food and Drug Acts in 1906, is widely attributed to the public furore over conditions in the meat-packing industry that it created.(It was this that motivated the intense scrutiny of Sinclair's facts. ) But as Sinclair himself recognized, the movement for the inspection of meat had originated with the big packers themselves and ultimately benefited them by providing a guarantee of quality at government expense and removing obstacles to meat exporting. 26 And the reforms demanded by the horrified read ers of The Jungle addressed not the condition of the workers but the menace of the unsanitary practices Sinclair reported — what bothered them was less the claim that men fell into the cooking vatsand died agonizing deaths than the revolting idea that â€Å"all but the bones of them had gone out to the world as Durham's Pure Leaf Lard! † (p. 117). Sinclair wrote, â€Å"I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach. † 27 He was neither the first nor the last socialist to set out to write of the iniquities of class society and find himself enmeshed in the mysteries of consumer society.In a characteristic naturalist gesture, Sinclair appeals to his readers to pity the miserable, thwarted lives of the other half; yet he also pays a great deal of attention to unclean meat and does not distinguish the two concerns so clearly as his lament would seem to suggest. The revolting truth about meat revealed an avenue by which the unclean horrors of a world outside the campfire found their way into that well-lighted, respectable circle and exposed a potentially contaminating contact between the disorder of the slaughterhouse district and the haven of the middle-class home.Although it clearly did not capture Sinclair's full intent, the impulse to regulate and rationalize the meat-packing industry was a perfectly consistent response to Sinclair's plea for reform. The connection illustrates the fundamental structural similarity, seen here in miniature and in Chapter 4 at length, between naturalism and progressivism. The social problems of Industrialization As depicted in The Jungle this century has seen dramatic changes in this pattern.With the advent of legal equalitarianism, Industrialization, and a general rise in humanitarianism, social fixity has been succeeded, for thousands of groups, by a high degree of mobility. With the blurring of traditional social class lines and the removal of the more flagrant legal and economic priv ileges of certain classes, there has been marked change in the whole status structure of modern society. With a culture in which the ethic of success is compelling, it is only to be expected that status striving will become obsessive for large numbers of persons.The struggle to succeed, to belong, to influence, lies behind remarkable achievements in all areas of our society. But it also lies behind some of the tragedies: lives broken by the struggle; individuals driven to means that are not tolerated by society, even though the ends which dictate the means are tolerated; children, as well as adults, who seek status security where they can find it, even when it lies in illegal or unmoral contexts. There is wreckage as well as achievement written in the story of social mobility.Wherever the world's population is experiencing Industrialization, family systems are also undergoing some changes, though not all these are being recorded. This means that at least some of the elements of the old family patterns, such as arranged marriages in China, are dissolving. Of course, if a family system is undergoing change, the rates of occurrence of these forms of disorganization, such as divorce, separation, illegitimacy, or desertion, may change. However, the new system may have lower rates of occurrence of certain forms of disorganization.For example, the divorce rates in Arab Algeria and in Japan have been declining for half a century. In several Latin American countries, the rate of illegitimacy has apparently been decreasing. Prolonging life in industrialized countries has meant that fewer children must face orphan hood. Aside from these facts, the main structure of a family system may be altered only slightly by such changes in rates. Finally, though the old set of patterns is in part dissolved, it is usually replaced by a new set of patterns which is as determinate and controlling as the old one was.Despite the importance of these forms of family disorganization for the individuals in the family, and thus for the society, the legal and formal structures of the society reflect little concern with these problems. If a couple in the United States decides to separate, no agency of the society acts, or is even empowered to find out that a separation occurred, unless the wife seeks financial support. There are few customs to guide the illegitimate mother or father, and once again the state moves only in narrowly defined circumstances (e. g.if the mother wants to get on the relief rolls). If a wife becomes schizophrenic, or a child is born an idiot, few customs exist to help guide the family members and the formal agencies of the society do not act unless asked to do so. How Capitalism is hostile to the American Dream? The American Dream has been that every generation could look forward to a better life for its children. Is the dream becoming a nightmare? It is now actively discussed that Capitalism can not avoid a housing crisis that makes the word home a mockery to millions of families.Capitalism can not avoid laying off men in favor of more profitable machines. It can not avoid depressions, when consumers can not buy, nor threats of war to stimulate business. Capitalism can not avoid edging to the brink of war, constantly, to secure raw materials and markets, and to exploit the labor power of other countries. Capitalism makes a travesty of political democracy when a poor man's vote gives him choice only among candidates and polices which may be good for the largest corporations, but not for him. We have a noble traditon of democracy in this land.The changes, as it has moved from an economy of scarcity in an undeveloped country to high production in a mechanized economy, demand that democracy be brought up to date. The rule of a few families controlling the nation's resources is not the same thing as the rule of the people of the United States over themselves. Either we must have economic democracy, or we shall lose the political democracy our fathers fought and died to win. References Acemoglu, Daron. 2003. Cross-country inequality trends. Economic Journal 113 (February): 121–49. Acemoglu, Daron, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson.2002. Reversal of fortune: Geography and institutions in the making of the modern world income distribution. 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Literary Analysis of Schindler’s List Essay

The Holocaust was a colossal extermination of about six million Jews in Eastern Europe under the criminal hands of Nazis and SS troops during World War II. It started in 1933 and ended in 1945 when the war in Europe finally ended. The whole genocide was organized methodically Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler. At first Jews are persecuted, then robbed of their citizenship, then moved into ghettos, and quickly into concentration camps. The evil plot developed and grew and what started out as hatred turned into a scheme of mass murder. Steven Spielberg uses color, shadows, and juxtaposition of scenes to display the inhumanity of the Nazi Germans and the hopelessness of the Jewish people during the Holocaust of World War II. Spielberg uses shadows to symbolize the archetype of good and evil in Oskar Schindler. The shadow on Schindler’s face is used to represent the evil and the selfishness in him. The shadow on Schindler’s face in the beginning is dark and prominent. T he dark shadow becomes less and less prevalent as Schindler’s point of view of the Jews begins to change. As the film goes on and Schindler’s emotions change Spielberg uses less shadow, and eventually ends up using none at all. Schindler begins to care about the well-being of the Jews. When Schindler gives his speech to the Jews before they all leave the camp, no shadow is seen on his face, displaying his true emotions and his complete empathy for the Jews. Spielberg uses shadows for Schindler as he makes the transformation from a selfish Nazi to the savior of hundreds of Jews. Spielberg’s use of color indicates hope in the film. In the beginning, the film’s color changes from all color to black and white, except for one candle. The switch to black and white gives the film a more realistic feel by relating to film from World War II. The color of the candles both at the beginning and at the end of the movie represent the loss and redemption of hope for the Jews. While the Germans are clearing out the slums where the Jews are being held, Schindler is seen looking at an apparently lost girl wearing a spot-lit red coat. The girl is confused about where to go and what to do. After seeing this girl Schindler begins to feel  the same, he’s confused about how the Germans can be so cruel to the Jews and he begins to wonder what he can do to help. The little girl pushes against the crowd, and Schindler, when he sees this, begins to do the same by pushing against the German attacks to help the Jews be free once again. Spielberg uses black-and-white and spot color to display the theme of hope throughout the film. Juxtaposition from scenes places a Nazi party, a Jewish wedding celebration, and a servant being brutally beaten parallel to each other to contrast the differences between them. In the first scene, a party is shown filled with many Nazi soldiers and officials. Schindler is seen at this extravagant party drinking, laughing, and kissing many women. He is happy and shows no kind of remorse for his action or any of the actions going on at the concentration camp. As Schindler’s scene closes, the camera goes to the Jewish barracks where a sec ret wedding is taking place. The barrack is filled with singing and happiness as the couple is united. This symbolizes the Jews’ choice to be happy even as the world around them is so harsh and brutal to them. The scene once again circulates to show Amon Goeth in the basement intimidating, yelling at, and eventually beating his Jewish servant Helen. The entirety of Goeth’s hate and wrath are taken out on Helen. Spielberg’s use of parallel editing helps display the effects of the Holocaust between three different groups of people at the same time. In the film Schindler’s List, Schindler stands up for the Jews by buying their freedom and shipping them to his own factory where they are treated well with good food, water, and the company of what family still remained. The Nazi party wanted the extinction of the Jews, so they made a valiant effort to do so. In 1933 approximately nine million Jews lived in the 21 countries of Europe. By 1945 two out of every three European Jews had been killed. The Holocaust was one of the darkest periods of history, filled with madness and murder, and Spielberg displays the effects of the Holocaust by using color, shadows, and juxtaposition in his film, Schindler’s List.