Saturday, August 31, 2019

Labor Union in the United States

The United States Labor Unions can be considered as an organized group that usually represent the workers from their employees, aimed to legally function as a representative in a legal manner, in the various field or industries. Their activities are centered in the collective bargaining for wage increase, the proper implementation of benefits, good working conditions, and served as a representative if the company neglects or violates provisions from the contract. Aside from these focal points, the Labor Unions also served as a political influence (specifically inside the Democratic Party) through different coalitions with the same principle oriented activists and through strategic mobilization aimed at strengthening the numbers of their memberships.The evolution of Labor Union in the United States dated way back from the 18th Century. From the conception of the National Labor Union and the Knights of Labor- which were short-lived, followed by the rise of the American Federation of La bor in 1886. The 1900 saw the emergence of the Industrial Workers of the World in 1905, the eventual splitting of the AFL in 1938 and the birth of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), the merger of AFL and CIO in 1955, and the founding of the Change to Win Federation which emerged after splitting from the AFL-CIO umbrella in 2005. In general, the history of the United States Labor Union was categorized into four: The early Unions, the labor history from 1900-1932, labor history from 1932- 1955, the labor history from 1955 to 2005, and the labor union at present.Within these periods, several unprecedented and relevant events happened such as the Pullman strike and the Haymarket riot (between 1886 and 1894), the coal strikes (1900-1902), Dual Unionism, Gompers and AFL, Railroad Brotherhoods, the effect of World War 1 and 2, the New Deal Labor Policy, New Deal Coalition and PAC, Taft-Hartley Act, issues of corruptions, civil rights movement, the rise of the Public Sector Uni ons, the decline of the private sector unions, the NAFTA and the International Trade threat.The first local labor union (the Early Unions), the Order of the Knights of St. Crispin, was established in 1867 having an approximate of around 50,000 members by year 1870. The group resisted certain encroachments of several machineries and the matter of non-skilled labor regarding the autonomy of such skilled workers. Though considered the largest union at that time, the group was poorly disorganized that caused to its decline and eventual abolishment.After the abolishment of the Order of the Knights, the Knights of Labor was established in 1869. It was considered the first functional and effective labor union or organization through an effort of enlisting not only the laborers in their ranks but also believed in protecting the common interests of all groups engaged in production. Â  Their leader, Terence Powderly, initiated several causes through the influence of politics or by cooperativ e tie-ups and ventures. Though he hoped towards achieving their causes, the Union collapsed on its first big strike during the Hayment Riot in 1886.In 1886, after the abolishment of the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor was established. It was comprised mostly of confederations of skilled workers responsible of setting the organizational model being used until today. During this transition, from the Order of the Knights to the establishment of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), a major strike transpired that added much significant effects on U.S. economical status.The Pullman strike, happened on June 26, 1894 with around 125,000 workers on an approximate 29 railroad stations, quit their work instead of working on Pullman Palace Car Company. The cause of the strike was the declined decision of the company to decrease rent on the town of Pullman. The effect was a total production shutdown of the Pullman factories that eventually led to a lock out. United States M arshals and approximately 2,000 soldiers were deployed to break up the strike, leaving around $340,000 worth of damage properties, 57 wounded and 13 strikers killed.The American Federation of Labor or AFL was established by Samuel Gompers. The federation comprised mostly of skilled and unskilled workers, except for the African American and women who were excluded. This started the Labor Union history from 1900-1932, and from this period several developments transpired such as the increase in unionized wages, the creation of Clayton Act of 1914, the enactment of the Norris-LaGuardia Act in 1932, the coalition formed by the Socialist Party of America, and the most common events- strikes.The Coal strike of 1900-1902 was considered one of the most comprehensive strikes ever happened creating a political crisis on a national scale. It was spearheaded by the United Mine Workers on the Midwest that started in 1900. The United States President at that time, Theodore Roosevelt, made a compro mise on the miners on increasing their wages for shorter hours but excluded the view of recognizing the union as the workers representative in the bargaining table.Another strike that transpired was the Great Railroad Strike happened in 1922, wherein a nationwide strike was conducted by shop workers of the railroad. The cause of the strike was the decision of the Railroad Labor Board to cut seven cents from the workers wages thus creating hostility and an approximate 400,000 positions vacated by the strikers. The strike eventually died down on a local level since some of the shop workers did made agreements with the railroads after.The Labor history of 1932- 1955 witnessed the founding of another influential Union in the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), founded by John Llewellyn Lewis, who eventually also the President of the United Mine Workers or UMW. The CIO was instrumental in the establishment of the United Steel Workers of America or the USWA that consisted of aroun d millions of organized group of industrial workers during the 1930’s.His desire to expand the union’s membership and acquire in organizing the steel industry lead to an effort of organizing steel workers. This put him into a contrast between the AFL since he was concerned on organizing all industrial unions and workers in a specific industry instead of in a particular craft or trade skill only. Â  The conflict was then resolved by establishing the CIO but the leader of the AFL, William Green, opposed such.The CIO hoped to have a change of policy within the AFL with regards to their industrial organizing but the AFL treated them as an enemy and antagonism arose leading to the formal establishment of the CIO in 1938 to become its rival federation union. Since then the CIO was instrumental in several sit-down strikes such as the Flint sit-down strike, and the Chrysler sit-down strike. Their actual members were approximated at 2,850,000 from various members of the local labor unions such as coming from the Steel Workers, Electrical Workers, Amalgamated Clothing Workers, Rubber Workers, and United Mine Workers. (Karson, 1958).The negotiations of the Flint Sit-Down strike led the way for the establishment of the United Auto Workers Union or UAW in 1936- 1937. Walter Reuther took control of the union during the war and soon initiated some major strikes. The UAW eventually led the way for the merging of the AFL and the CIO in 1955.From 1955 to present, the labor unions consisted of two major organizations: the Change to Win Federation who broke up with the ALF-CIO in 2005, and the American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations. Both groups advocates legislations and policies in favor to the workers of the United States and Canada, took active participation in politics specifically favoring the Democratic Party. While the AFL-CIO is concerned with trade issues in a global perspective, the Change to Win Federation is concerned more in issues involving domestic Craft labor.Union members of the private sector have been severely regulated by the NLRA or the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. The unions are usually regulated in a sense by state laws and partly by federal laws. Thus it resulted in considerable growth rates, and working conditions as well as the wages are brought into negotiations with the elected state and local officials, therefore enhancing the political influences of the Unions.Other manifestation of unionism may include Solidarity unionism, minority unionism, and the practices being employed by an organization like the Industrial Workers of the World.The American Union membership specifically in the private sector has fallen by an approximate of 9% .and only the Commercial group retained some 50% of union representation. It also remained an indispensable political influence and the capital mobility, economic liberalization, and globalization improved in a tremendous fashion uplifting the stand ard of living being enjoyed by the American workers. In a real sense the Labor Union in the United States served as a role model for labor Domestic force. It’s served as a representative, an intermediary, for the social workers welfare against the violations of the Company to achieve specific arrangements that will benefit both workers and the Administration.ReferencesCommons, John R. (1918). History of Labour in the United States – Vol. 2 1860-1896.Karson, Marc (1958). American Labor Unions and Politics, 1900-1918.Beik, Millie (2005). Labor Relations: Major Issues in American History..

Epistles Of The French Revolution English Literature Essay

â€Å" It is with sorrow that I pronounce the fatal truth: Louis ought to die instead than a 100 thousand virtuous citizens ; Louis must decease that the state may populate † A Maximilien Francois Robespierre â€Å" Justice has its choler, my Godhead Bishop, and the wrath of justness is an component of advancement. Whatever else may be said of it, the Gallic Revolution was the greatest measure frontward by world since the coming of Christ. It was unfinished, I agree, but still it was sublime. It released the untapped springs of society ; it softened Black Marias, appeased, tranquilized, enlightened, and set fluxing through the universe the tides of civilisation. It was good. The Gallic Revolution was the anointment of humanity. † Victor Hugo â€Å" Liberty, equality, fraternity, or decease ; – the last, much the easiest to confer, O Guillotine! † Charles Dickens ( A Tale of Two Cities ) Helen Maria Williams was a adult female in front of her clip. While composing letters place to England during the Gallic Revolution, the convulsion and political turbulence around her closely mimicked the convulsion she was sing personally. An friendless amongst her friends, Williams ‘ observations and devastation are evident in her Letterss Written in France, in the Summer of 1790, a aggregation of her Hagiographas to friends and household still in England. As a adult female efficaciously on the front lines of war, Williams was able to capture the world of the revolution and record her observations in Letters, the recognized composing medium of adult females. Romanticism was an rational motion which began around the latter half of the eighteenth century and is was defined largely by alteration. Most humanistic disciplines, like music, poesy, literature, and even political relations began to accommodate in response to the disruptive societal clime seen in France during the Revo lution. Romanticism emphasized emotion, imaginativeness, and originality, which was in blunt contrast to the scientific discipline, ground and order defined by the â€Å" Age of Enlightenment † which came after the Revolution. Romanticism, as opposed to Enlightenment, concentrated more on the single author or creative person themselves, as opposed to the province or ground. Both ocular humanistic disciplines and literature, from the Romanticism motion, elevated and famed Nature as a wild Being, instead than as something that can easy be explained ground or survey. The Romanticism motion in literature evolved in response to the Gallic Revolution and instead than concentrate on ground and reason to explicate nature and adult male, Romanticism focused more on emotions and feelings to explicate and portray them. The poesy and Letters of Helen Maria Williams espouse the Romanticism ideals as they portend the hereafter of feminism and adult females who live their lives for themselv es. Helen Maria Williams straight confronted the ideals of the Revolution. Williams had relocated to Paris in 1792, and she was imprisoned for a short clip in the Bastille during the Reign of Terror. Both her clip in prison, and the atrociousnesss she witnessed during the Revolution, personally influenced her and straight influenced the tone of much of her work. While captive, Williams wrote many of her verse forms, like â€Å" Sonnet to the Curlew † , which trade with freedom and yearning. In the â€Å" Curlew † verse form, Williams identifies with a curlew and wants she could be every bit free as he is upon the air current. As Williams faced the Revolution of France, she began to confront a revolution of her ain that was reminiscent of the ideals of both Romanticism and Feminism. During her early old ages in France, Williams began a relationship with John Hurford Stone, a married Englishman and extremist militant. Though Stone divorced in 1794, it is ill-defined whether Williams and Stone of all time married and their relationship caused a dirt in England which resulted in Williams being personally attacked by the British imperativeness. Before Williams foremost visited France in 1790, she had been celebrated as a all right, feminine poet. After publically placing with the Revolution, Williams was denounced as a unblushing adult female who had developed debased political and sexual propensities. She had become a adult female who had â€Å" betrayed both her state and her sex † ( Blakemore 676 ) . In a Gentleman ‘s Magazine, a referee of her Letterss from France said of Williams â€Å" [ s ] he has debased her sex, her bosom, her feelings, her endowments in entering such a tissue of horror and villainousness and make bolding to diss a regular authorities and a happy people [ i.e. , the English ] with such inside informations, whose consequence, we defy her to demo has yet been productive of one individual good † ( Adams 114 ) . Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, referred to Williams as â€Å" a scribbling slattern † in his Correspondence and in Anti-Jacobin Review and Magazine, Williams was portrayed as Lechery in a emanation of the Seven Deadly Sins. The magazine went so far as to province, â€Å" [ Williams has ] an inveterate hatred of all bing constitutions, by an earnest desire to advance their devastation, and by a disdain of truth, decency, and decorousness, which constitute the general features of a female head infected with the toxicant of democracy † ( Blakemore 676 ) . Williams was vilified by the imperativenesss, both at place and abroad, and it is apprehensible that she would seek a more hospitable venue to name place. For Williams, that welcoming topographic point was a state in the throes of civil war. In June 1794, Williams and Stone fled to Switzerland after a jurisprudence was passed by Maximilien de Robespierre necessitating all aristocracy and aliens leave Paris under punishment of jurisprudence. Williams and Stone remained in Switzerland for 6 months, and she wrote Tour in Switzerland which dealt with subjects including political relations, history, and nature. In response to the effects of the revolution, Williams said that she appreciated what the Revolution had done for adult females ‘s rights, but she openly condemned the force needed to accomplish it. In her letters, Williams ‘ response to the Revolution varies, frequently comparing the feminine civilization of the Revolution with the â€Å" Antient authorities of France † and she condemns the force much as she had during the American Revolution. aˆÂ ¦The executioner held up the hemorrhage caput, and the guards cried ‘Vive La republique! ‘ [ ‘Long live the democracy! ‘ ] Some dipped their hankies in the blood-but the greater figure, chilled with horror at what had passed, desired the commanding officer would take them immediately from the topographic point. The hair was sold in separate braids at the pes of the scaffold ( 100 ) . After depicting the scene of King Louis XVI ‘s decease by closure by compartment, Williams describes the wake in an about composure and calm voice, as though she had become asleep to the force of the Revolution aˆÂ ¦The devastation of the monarchy in France on the 10th of August-the horrors of the slaughter of the 2d of September, and so the decease of the male monarch, eventually alienated the heads of Englishmans from the Gallic revolution ; rendered popular a war, which otherwise no curate would hold dared to set about ; disgusted all wise, and shocked all human work forces ; and left to us, and all who had espoused the cause, no hope but that Heaven, which knows how to convey good out of immorality, would watch over an even so interesting to the public assistance to mankind as the Gallic revolution ; nor suffer the folly and frailty of the agents concerned in it, to botch the greatest and noblest endeavor of all time undertaken by a state ( 100 ) . Laetitia Matilda Hawkins, a coeval of Williams, wrote a response to each of Williams ‘ letters warning Williams for her positions on the Revolution Hawkins ‘s Letters conveys a sense of pressing crisis ; for her, the Revolution is a foreign invasion endangering English life and English womanhood-a Revolution turning the natural order upside down. She bases her response to Williams ‘s Letterss on a reading of the first two series ( in the Scholars ‘ Facsimiles & A ; Reprints edition, 1:1.1-223 ; 1:2.1-206 ) , in which Williams celebrates the function of adult females in the Revolution every bit good as their â€Å" topographic point in the universe † ( 1:1.27-8 ) ( Blakemore 677 ) . Although Williams seemed to appreciate what the Revolutionary civilization did for adult females, she did non O.K. of the force used to accomplish the alteration. Williams was going a newer, more self-asserting and unchained adult female than she was earlier. â€Å" In the old ages predating the Gallic Revolution, a patriarchal political orientation stressing proper female behaviour, the â€Å" natural domestic function of adult female, and her biddable subordination to her hubby ( underscored in assorted scriptural texts ) had been in topographic point for centuries † ( Blakemore 673 ) . After sing societal turbulence, imprisonment, expatriate from her adopted fatherland, and the loss of some of her closest friends, Williams emerged as a adult female who was non afraid to populate her life her ain manner. In Paris, as in London, Williams was introduced to and hosted many outstanding intellectuals and literary figures in her salon, such as Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft. Williams ‘ salon rapidly became a meeting topographic point for outstanding Girondins, but as the Jacobins gained power, many of her friends were arrested and executed. Williams wrote in a manner acceptable for adult females ‘s Hagiographas, the epistolary. Despite the controversial content of her Letters, Williams ‘ Hagiographas received by and large positive reappraisals from many English magazines. What negative reaction her authorship received, was in response to the manner and vocabulary she chose because she would frequently utilize Gallic colloquialisms and spellings which alienated many of her English readers. Williams lost about everything she held beloved during the Gallic Revolution. She had lost her fatherland, her freedom-for a clip, her friends, but she refused to lose herself. Because of Williams ‘ Letterss, readers have a adult female ‘s first-hand history of the political and societal turbulence seen during the Revolution. The singularity of the history contained within her Letters has assured Williams a topographic point in women's rightist survey, irrespective if that was her original purpose. Williams personifies all the ideals of Romanticism within herself and her writings-emotional entreaty to trepidation, horror and awe-and the sublimity of wild nature.

Friday, August 30, 2019

“Dulce Et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen Essay

In the poem â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est†, by Wilfred Owen, Owen uses imagery and diction to convey the meaning of the poem. Throughout the poem, Owen paints visual pictures in the reader’s mind. His word choice also emphasizes what he is expressing in the poem. Diction and imagery are two literary devices that help the reader understand that they should feel sorrow and understand the intensity of war, the purpose of the poem. Owen puts a mental image in the reader’s mind, which is a picture of a war scene. The soldiers are trucking on â€Å"limped, blood shod† and through the treks. He is showing that the soldiers are injured and exhausted, which tells the reader they are at war. When Owen talks about the dream of the soldier plunging â€Å"at me, guttering, choking, drowning†, this paints a picture for the reader and sets a very intense mood because the soldier’s bad injury. Diction is used as well to convey the meaning of the poem. The soldiers are slouching on, â€Å"knock-kneed, coughing like hags, they cursed through sludge†. The reader wonders what is going on and sets the feeling of sorrow and sick feeling the reader should feel when reading Owen’s poem. When Owen explained the scene of the injured as â€Å"obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud, of vile, incurable sores of innocent tongues.† This makes the reader feel sorrow for the innocent soldiers and shows the awfulness of the war scene. Wilfred Owen, used word choice and mental pictures to set the mood for Dulce Et Decorum Est. Diction and imagery are two literary devices that can put purpose into words. As for Owen’s poem, the purpose was to make the reader understand the seriousness of war and sorrow for the soldiers.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Human Rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights - Research Paper Example Article 1 of the universal human rights provides that all individuals are born free and equal while article 7 outlaws discrimination of individuals. Article 10 requires all people suspected of crimes to have access to free and fair trial while Article 16 provides for free consent to marriage and equality of the marriage partners. Accordingly, Article 17 provides that all individuals have the right to own economic property while Article 18 safeguards the right of individuals to select their own religion. On the other hand, cultural relativism entails selective implementation of the universal rights depending on the prevailing cultural norms in the society. This paper will define human rights and discuss the articles of Universal Declaration of human rights. The paper will also discuss the universality versus cultural relativism perspectives of human rights. Human rights Introduction Human rights refers to those rights and freedoms that are inherent to all the human beings regardless o f the sex, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion or any other identifiable characteristic of an individual (Darraj, 2010). Human rights are safeguarded by numerous national laws and international laws that include treaties and customary law. The international law requires the national governments to safeguard the human rights of its citizens from any possible violation (Darraj, 2010). One of the underlying principles of human rights is the universality principle that asserts that human rights are inherent and inalienable. According to this principle, all human beings are born with certain human dignity and rights that should not be violated such as the right to life and right to be freed from forced labour (Darraj, 2010). The second principle of human rights is the interrelatedness and interdependence principle that asserts that all human rights contribute to a higher wellbeing of the individual. For instance, violation of the right to social welfare will also negatively on the right to life (Streich, 2008). The third governing principle of human rights is the non-discrimination and equality principle that requires that human beings should never suffer any discrimination based on their physical attributes or psychological attributes such as differences in religion, ethnicity, religion, nationality or even sexual orientation (Darraj, 2010). Another cornerstone principle of human rights is participation and inclusion of individuals in the decisions that affect their welfare. National governments must seek the input of the citizens, civil society and minorities before making decisions that affect the welfare of the citizens (Streich, 2008). The last principle of human rights is the accountability principle that requires states to take responsibility and accountability in safeguarding the rights of the citizens. Streich (2008) asserts that national governments must create and enforce legislation that ensures all human rights are safeguarded from abuse. Th e core human rights treaties include the treaty on economic, social and cultural rights, the treaty on the elimination of torture, the treaty on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the treaty on protection of the rights of child and treaty on rights of migrant workers (Darraj, 2010).

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Law - Essay Example The social control theory can fit this scenario. This theory tries to explain why people do not engage in criminal activities. Being close to other members of the social group can make someone not to become a criminal. This is because people who belong to the same social group may find solutions that affect them in their daily routine. They may also have some conventional rules that can ensure they live together in harmony. This theory is applicable to this scenario since workers belong to the same social group and therefore they know what they need to do in order to avoid crimes. The state senator that is a go between the workers do divide them has his agenda that may not concur with their rights. He thinks that dividing them would establish a good condition for the workers but in the real sense, it does not . An implication of the theory is that it was intended to create harmony in the society given that the conditions were fulfilled. When the senator assures the donors that their work will not be interfered with by the union workers gives them the go-ahead to do what they want with the workers. The donors who are the major investors may turn up to humiliate the workers in what may be termed as the modern slavery. This is because the workers will have no one to give their complaints. They may end up doing a lot of work in very poor conditions. Their work may also be not compensated with a good wage. This kind of crime that the senator commits towards the labor sector deserves a lengthy punishment.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

An evaluation of the claim that Rousseau's Social Contract sacrifices Essay

An evaluation of the claim that Rousseau's Social Contract sacrifices the individual to the collective - Essay Example The will of the public is represented though democratic procedures in society. While most interest converge to reflect the overarching consensus within society, there are bound to be some marginalized opinions. This means that society has to develop a means of arbitrating between what is right and wrong. Rousseau developed a simple calculus for making this decision. He uses the general will to evaluate whether the upholding the individuals rights is good for society as a collective entity. In this paper after providing background information on the nature of humanity, I describe the social contract and the role of government. Next, we explore the philosophical framework that surrounds the rights that individuals have in society. Before concluding, I discuss the General Will and determine whether its meant to sacrifice the individual for the collective. II. Background Rousseau exclaimed that the state of nature existed without the rule of law or a system of morality. In this state hum ans banned together for the benefits and necessity of cooperation. As society became increasingly developed, the perpetual division of labor and the extension of private property demanded the totality of the human race to adopt governing institutions of law. This structure of society forces individuals to be increasingly interdependent whereby on one hand, they continue competition while on the other hand, they require each other. Rousseau theorized that by joining together into a civil society through the social contract surrendering their natural rights, individuals can both preserve themselves and remain free. Specifically, because the submission to the authority of the general will guarantees individuals protection against being subordinated to the wills of others and ensures that they obey the collective because they are, holistically, the authors of the law. This is where the general will becomes and important aspect of Rousseau’s Theory of the social contract. But all of this analysis started from an initial concept of human nature as naturally selfish. Lets discuss the psychological and sociological structure of society. If Humans are psychologically different, then it is easier to justify differential treatment of others. But if we are psychological alike, then one will find much more difficulty vindicating such claims. Hence my task with the analysis I provide you here, will be to prove that humans are psychologically alike as well as provide a clear definition for our psychological existence. Traditional conceptions of the psychological definition of humanity came from two different schools of thought. Either humans are naturally good, or they are naturally bad. I would argue that neither is correct and that humans are a blank slate, but let’s tackle the traditional conceptions first. First, Humans are naturally good. This belief is most notably held by the famous philosophical thinker Jean Jacques Rousseau. In The Inequality among Men â€Å"So many authors have hastily concluded that man is naturally cruel, and requires a regular system of police to be reclaimed; whereas nothing can be more gentle than he in his primitive state, when placed by nature at an equal distance from the stupidity of brutes, and the pernicious good sense of civilized man; and equally confined by instinct and reason to the care of providing against the mischief which threatens him, he is withheld by natural compassion from doing any injury to others, so far from

Monday, August 26, 2019

Asians' Attitude toward Different Age Groups Term Paper

Asians' Attitude toward Different Age Groups - Term Paper Example In anthropology the type of communication one uses shows how one feels about another. In the Asian continent, many countries have a very high level of respect for their elders even if they are only slightly older. They show this respect through non-verbal and verbal means. Bowing is one of the most significant non-verbal methods of showing respect to elder people in Asia. This practice has been ongoing for a long time and its integration in their culture is as old as the discovery of the community itself. In order to show trust, the bowing has to be with eyes down to the floor. In order to understand such concepts, anthropology uses certain concepts. The first concept in anthropology is human universalism. This concept tries to convince people that despite what society or race one is from, the aspect of humanity makes everyone equal. This is evident in the Asian scenario of respect to the elders. It is an inborn human trait to respect people older than someone due to their experience in life. The people may not be learned than the younger ones but their wisdom in life lessons is invaluable. Even though this concept remains trashed by many societies, the respect for elders remains universal. In Asia, bowing is a common symbol of respect across many countries. This proves the second concept of anthropology that all cultures are somehow interrelated. In order for one to understand how a culture works, one has to understand how it influences and influenced by other institutions. Respect impacts on the culture of Asians positively as it enhances love between the siblings and their elders. Bowing is a small task compared to what it accomplishes in the relationship between ancestors and their young ones. The lower one bows, the deeper the respect and trust one has for that person. In order for one to be successful, Asians in many countries believe there has to

Sunday, August 25, 2019

European Union Single Currency Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Union Single Currency Policy - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the European â€Å"dollar hegemony, thawed out frozen masses of immobilized capital, increased the volume and value of international trade, and opened and expanded markets on a vast scale. It created pressures that, if not irresistible, at least required better and more tenacious defenses, opened horizons beyond anything previously imaginable, yet also posed new regulatory challenges†. There are many advantages and disadvantages in implementing a change of work, place, policy, statute, condition or environment. There are successes, failures, and depression brought about by the fluctuations in a currency's market price. The following paragraphs explain the nuances of the single currency European Union economy and other related topics which are pegged on the European Union Dollar. European Union single currency policy is beneficial to its member countries. The potential benefits, as well as expenditures of the single European Monetary Unit, had been d iscussed at length in the European Commissions study entitled One Market, One Money. This report gave four major benefits that the single currency would bring to European Union member countries. The first benefit is the reduction in transaction costs. The second benefit is the reduction in risk. The third benefit would be the increase in competition. The last benefit would be the emergence of an international currency to compete on equal footing with the United States dollar. The first benefit is the reduction in transaction costs. The reduction of the transaction costs is connected with the decrease in the need to exchange the currency when one European Union Country like the United Kingdom would have to endure when buying a car from Germany, another European Union member state. Some of the members of the European Union include Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania , Bulgaria, Poland and Slovenia.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Lewis and Clark Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lewis and Clark - Essay Example ("Lewis and Clark Bicentennial," 2001) The expedition marked a key event in the course of the nation’s history. This is acknowledged during the bicentennial celebrations of the event that transpired in 2005. On the occasion of the event, a government commissioned Bicentennial Council was set up to educate the public as well as to promote research on the event. The Federal Interagency Lewis and Clark working group is another testimony to its importance. This essay will argue that Lewis & Clark Expedition played a key role in shaping the subsequent history, culture and geopolitics of the nation. In the early days of the American republic, literature pertaining to natural history was an esteemed medium of information. It combined scientific and spiritualist approaches to the study of American geography. The copious descriptions and classifications contained therein served as essential tools to â€Å"contain the immensity and incomprehensibility of American nature, a subject Amer icans knew little about.† (Lewis, 2004) The early accounts of the discoveries in western expanses were crucial for forging in people a sense of rootedness to their land. It encouraged early republic Americans †to celebrate the complexity of the natural world, and by extension God, through an intimate understanding of its products. This scientific-spiritualist approach crossed boundaries of class and education, jumped denominational lines, and assuaged guilty consciences over the racial genocide that accompanied expansion across the continent.† (Lewis, 2004) Hence, it is clear that Lewis & Clark has a profound socio-cultural relevance. One of the other achievements of the expedition was its completion of an overland journey through and across river systems in Missouri. By virtue of this feat, vast unchartered tracts of the West were opened up. The pioneers extended their interest well and beyond cartography. For example, they collected samples and specimens of plant s and animals – some of which they’ve never encountered before. They actively studied the culture and social structure of native Indian tribes that they happened to pass by. The comprehensiveness of the expedition is highlighted by the fact that basic civil administration tasks were also performed. These include conducting diplomatic councils, forming trading relationships with tribes and recorded weather data. It is not unfair to claim that the team led by Lewis and Clark went beyond the obligations of their contract. This is attested by the fact that the team created Camp River Dubois on the Wood River at the confluence of the two great rivers, Mississippi and Missouri, north of St. Louis. The captains then â€Å"recruited young woodsmen and enlisted soldiers who volunteered from nearby army outposts. Over the winter, they prepared the men, whom they called the Corps of Discovery, for the frontier.† (Conry, 2004) The team led by Lewis and Clark spent twenty ei ght months exploring, studying and recording the magnificent American landscape beyond erstwhile frontiers. It is a landmark event in American history because it captures the essence of challenges to westward expansion. For example, one area of challenge is on account of international diplomacy, where American

Friday, August 23, 2019

There are 3 parts in this assessment and i decided to write about Ipod Essay

There are 3 parts in this assessment and i decided to write about Ipod this product. The titles are in the assessment brief and pleas use them as the title for each part of the assessment - Essay Example It is time that Apple makes a move to intervene in iPods product life cycle (PLC). iPods first-movers advantage is waning, and needs a revival of customer interests or find new ones (Abel, 2008). In todays volatile business environment characterised by changes such as new market development, technological innovation, regulatory requirements, and changing consumer behaviours, technology based companies like Apple need to harness factors that are within their control. Zook (2004) recommends that companies or brands should progress by simultaneously investing in current business and responding to the new opportunities. To achieve this, companies must scan the environment and evaluate its current marketing programme in order to revise its marketing strategies for achieving growth (McGrath 2001). In the following sections, the author shall study these aspects pertaining to Apples iPod brand particularly relating to the UK market, and offer recommendations for improvement. Every business must operate within its macro and micro environment. The micro environment refers to factors that operate and immediately linked with the firm while the macro and competitive environment is the general factors that affect all firms. The environment can be evaluated so that the best opportunities can be capitalized to the advantage of the brand (Porter 1980). iPods macro and competitive environments are discussed as follows: Political - The UK is undergoing tremendous social and political change which influences its consumers as well as businesses. The British society has become more aware of their environment and their legal rights. They want the government to take active part in passing bills and implementing laws which have positive impact on the society, environment and the country at large. Even in technological innovation, they are concerned

Arguments in Favor of Capital Punishment and its Alternatives Essay

Arguments in Favor of Capital Punishment and its Alternatives - Essay Example This punishment has been applicable since ancient times to curb crimes and bring felons before justice. World’s major religions such as Christianity and Islam have also prescribed death for murder, necromancy and rape attempts as presented in Holy books including Bible and Quran. For instance, we have to consider the viewpoints, arguments, opinions, ideas, and understanding of every individual as we live in the democratic society where every person enjoys the freedom of speech, expression, and open communication. It is worthwhile to mention the fact that anti-capital punishment campaigners usually disregard the universal truth that everyone is mortal when defending Life Imprisonment against the death penalty. For instance, such campaigners argue that life-long wait for natural death by criminals will increase their agony of torture and emotional anguish in comparison to the pain and hurt they receive before hanging in public for death. However, they fail to provide a legitimat e explanation against the argument raised by endorsers of the death penalty â€Å"whether Life Imprisonment to culprits is the just decision for those who have lost their loved ones killed by felonies for personal reasons†. Some of the major arguments raised for and against capital punishment will now be demonstrated in the following sections to reach an appropriate conclusion. The first major argument in favor of Capital Punishment by supporters is that it leads to permanent eradication of notorious criminal groups, gangs or individuals from society. In addition, the death penalty serves as an example that no one is beyond the law as well as permitted to take law in one’s hand by brutally assassinating the innocents in society. Also, the punishment makes society safer and restores the confidence of the general public, which remains frightened from the presence of such malefactors in prisons.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Woman Ruler in Queen Elizabeth Essay Example for Free

The Woman Ruler in Queen Elizabeth Essay Elizabeth I is considered as one of successful monarchs in the history of England. The period where she ruled is deemed as England’s Golden Age where extravagance and luxury flourished as expressed in literature through writers like William Shakespeare, and territorial expeditions through explorers like Francis Drake. In other words, there was a breathtaking cultural and political achievement that the England people experience after a century of chaos from a former ruler. This age is always attributed to the reign of Elizabeth I because prior to this, in the sixteenth century, people lived through the ruthlessness of Mary I, Elizabeth’s sister where she prosecuted all Protestants in the country. Elizabeth I became a queen when she inherited her sister’s throne after she died. At the onset, she was confronted by the challenge and opposition of those who thinks that a woman cannot qualify as a monarch. She has proved England and the world that she can and a woman can become a ruler, and successful at that. She is known to be a different kind of queen. She is â€Å"quick-witted, clever and able to use feminine wiles to get her own way. Elizabeth could be as ruthless and calculating as any king before her but at the same time she was vain, sentimental and easily swayed by flattery (Briscoe). † Her brilliance and ability as woman ruler are specifically suggested by her writings and her speeches for the whole of England. As mentioned earlier, there was a contemporary assumption in England that women are naturally incapable of a monarchical rule; Queen Elizabeth established her magisterial authority. She constructed a â€Å"positive representation of feminine power from a melange of popular beliefs about exceptional women, such as her identification with the Virgin Mary (Levin , et al 192). † Elizabeth I as A Powerful Monarch As a queen she had to fulfil responsibilities that were most difficult to fulfil as a woman. But the whole England saw her as having all the dignity and ability as a ruler that resulted a very prosperous and successful reign. When England was being confronted by the forces of King Phillip II of Spain when he decided to attack England and suppressed their engagement in the trade between the New World. He set off the Spanish Armada to meet the British troops. Before the war, Queen Elizabeth I meet the British troops and addressed them a speech that displays optimism and trust of a ruler upon her citizenry. â€Å"My loving people, we have been persuaded by some, that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects (Speech to the Troops at Tilbury). † Moreover, as a ruler she also displayed her concurrence and selflessness among the British troops when she said â€Å"And therefore I am amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of battle, to live or die amongst you; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor, my blood, even the dust (Speech to the Troops at Tilbury). † Despite being a woman, she always asserted her capability to rule as that of equal to men when she said that â€Å"I know I have but a body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too (Speech to the Troops at Tilbury). † This reiterated the fact that even though she is regarded as weak and incapable of ruling the kingdom, that doesn’t decreased her confidence in her ability to successfully rule England. She has proven that beyond doubts in her capability, she remains unafraid in facing everything from great responsibilities as a monarch to battles against the invaders. As a queen, she has nothing in mind but service that would bring England into a status that unimaginable before her reign. Her dedication to her people and her responsible leadership is expressed in her farewell speech to the parliament â€Å"There will never Queen sit in my seat with more zeal to my country, care to my subjects and that will sooner with willingness venture her life for your good and safety than myself. For it is my desire to live nor reign no longer than my life and reign shall be good for you. And though you have had, and may have, many princes more mighty and wise sitting in this seat, yet you never had nor shall have, any that will be more careful than loving (The Farewell Speech). † Queen Elizabeth as a Religious Leader While there were many chaos regarding the two opposing forces of Catholicism and Protestantism, Queen Elizabeth made little modification than what she was expected. What she did was just to imposed that prayers and services be rendered in English rather than in Latin. Moreover, she wanted that the Church be under the English Monarch, therefore establishing herself as a religious reader. While she acknowledges the Almighty God’s power as always reiterated in her farewell speech â€Å"Neither do I desire to live longer days than I may see your prosperity and that is what my only desire. And as I am that person still yet, under God, hath delivered you and so I trust by the almighty power of God that I shall be his instrument to preserve you from every peril, dishounour, shame, tyranny, and oppression, partly by means of your intended helps which we take very acceptably because it manisfesteth the largeness of your good loves and loyalties unto your sovereign (Farewell Speech),† she nevertheless want that the government will prevail over religion. Queen Elizabeth as Chaste and Virgin While most of her people and members of the Court persuaded her to marry and begot a child to become the heir of the throne when she dies, she remained unmarried throughout her lifetime. Moreover, she also had several suitors from different parts of England and the world such as France, Spain, Scotland, Sweden, and the Roman Empire. She has remained unmarried because she believes that marriage is not the best for her and for England. In her response to the proposal of Erik of Sweden she said that â€Å"And while we perceive there from that the zeal and love of your mind towards us is not diminished, yet in part we are grieved that we cannot gratify your Serene Highness with the same kind of affection. And that indeed does not happen because we doubt in any way of your love and honour, but, as often we have testified both in words and writing, that we have never yet conceived a feeling of that kind of affection towards anyone (Response to Erik of Sweden’s Proposal). † One by one, she rejected all her potential husbands not on the man’s weaknesses but based on her adverse thoughts and principles on the consept of marriage. In her refusal to marry and secure the line of the Tudor, she was regarded as a capricious woman insensitive of England’s welfare and future. When she was being pressured by the Parliament to marry before her reign ends, she replied â€Å" now that the Publick Care of governing the Kingdom is laid upon me, to draw upon me also the Cares of marriage may seem a point of inconsiderate Folly. Yea, to satisfie you, I have already joyned myself in marriage to an Husband, namely, the Kingdom of England And to me it shall be a Full satisfaction, both for the memorial of my Name, and for my Glory also, if when I shall let my last breath, it be ingraven upon my Marble Tomb, Here lieth Elizabeth, which Reigned a Virgin, and died a Virgin (Response to Parliamentary Delegation on Her Marriage, 1559). † Throughout her lifetime, she has proven to be a Queen that receives full credit for such a successful and prosperous reign that made England in the pinnacle of greatness in the world. Works Cited Briscoe, Alexandre. â€Å"Elizabeth I: An Overview†. BBC History. 01 October 2008. http://www. bbc. co. uk/history/british/tudors/elizabeth_i_01. shtml â€Å"The Farewell Speech†. Modern History Sourcebook:Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. 1533, r. 1558-1603) Selected Writing and Speeches. 01 October 2008. http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1. html#Response%20to%20Erik%20of%20Sweden%27s%20Proposal Levin, Carole, Carney, Jo Eldridge, et al. Elizabeth I: Always Her Own Free Woman London: Ashgate Publishing, 2003. â€Å"Response to Erik of Sweden’s Proposal†. Modern History Sourcebook:Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. 1533, r. 1558-1603) Selected Writing and Speeches. 01 October 2008. http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1. html#Response%20to%20Erik%20of%20Sweden%27s%20Proposal â€Å"Response to a Parliamentary Delegation on Her Marriage, 1559†. Modern History Sourcebook:Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. 1533, r. 1558-1603) Selected Writing and Speeches. 01 October 2008. http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1. html#Response%20to%20Erik%20of%20Sweden%27s%20Proposal â€Å"Speech to the Troops at Tilbury†. Modern History Sourcebook: Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. 1533, r. 1558-1603) Selected Writing and Speeches. 01 October 2008. http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1. html#Response%20to%20Erik%20of%20Sweden%27s%20Proposal

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Customer Service Quality To Gain Customer Satisfaction Tourism Essay

Customer Service Quality To Gain Customer Satisfaction Tourism Essay This study investigated the customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction of Travelodge Covent Garden. As per I know, this is the first student research based on customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction at the Travelodge London in Covent Garden. This study was to examine customer service quality of hotel, Impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction, Importance of customer service policy and importance of employee training to improve customer service quality. A questionnaire was circulated in electronic form to 250 customers those who stayed at Travelodge Covent Garden hotel from April to September 2010.Only one fifth (#50) of the total customers were the actual respondents .09 employee of Travelodge Convent Garden were involved in this research. That means 59 completed questionnaires were collected. The respondent customers of Travelodge Covent Garden London, provided information of their visit, customer service quality, degree of customer satisfaction, worst thing that can not satisfy customer, why they choose this hotel and their opinion about the employee of this hotel. The respondent employees provided information how they improve their customer service quality and how they motivated their customer to come to this hotel. The picture of this study was not straight- forward; some differences which were quite different than common supposition were come out. The study found that customers were expected to get high quality of customer service provided by hotel staff. From this study it could be said that that customer service quality of this hotel is good but their room service quality fail to get customer satisfaction. Based on these findings, some recommendation had been pinched. It was recommended if business want to get competitive in todays global market they should concern about their customer service policy by providing training to their employees, as research shows that only trained employee can provide better service to their guests. Customer service manager should concern that their customer will get better customer service and at the same time standard room. 1.0- Introduction: The main aim of this study is to report the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction of Travelodge Covent Garden. With so much competition in todays global economy, customer service is necessary for any business. In todays increasingly competitive hospitality sector, every organization marketing strategies and tactics is to make profit and contribute to the growth of organization. Customer service quality is a comprehensive issue that effects all organization. Does not matter how big or small the organization is or what is their interest. Todays business world, not necessarily hospitality organization, all organization are interested in evaluating and implementing marketing strategies that aim to improve customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction which will help them to be differentiate from other. Customer service is a kind of service which involves a series of work designed to get customer satisfaction. It is one of the most important elements of the marketing mix for products and services. To stay in the competitive market organizations have to consider that customers are not only interested for product or service but also have some concern of how they are getting it. Customers are more educated, more aware about their money. Their expectation of the organizations and the people they buy from is much higher, they want better customer service. Customer service provides an income for the business, it also provides feedback, which can help the organization to improve service delivery on products, improve customer service bring up to date marketing, Production and transference equipments. In this assignment my problem statement is Does customer service quality play a vital role in order to gain customer satisfaction at Travelodge Covent Garden, London? Quality service is the key to a successful hotel business. When customers get better services from a hotel they become satisfied and want to come back at the same hotel when they needed. A satisfied customer will often be a repeat customer. Also that customer may tell other people and referred them in the same hotel where they get great service, which is one of the cheapest effective advertising for that particular hotel. Travelodge Covent Garden is one of the greatest budget hotel situated in the heart of London. With Travelodge, consumers can expect an easy, calm, stress-free experience and reliable standards of quality and service. Travelodge provides them the best budget hotel which has the spatiality of good customer service and room quality. 1.2- Research question: This study is set up to answer the following research questions: 1. What is the definition of customer service? 2. Discuss the importance of having great customer service in hotel. 3. What are the most important principles of great customer service? 4. How to improve customer service in hotel? 5. How customer service builds loyalty and profit? 6. Why hospitality organization such as Travelodge Convent Garden should assess the success of their customer service policy and how this organization can use this to improve the provision of staff training and development. 7. What are the disadvantages of negative customer service? 1.3- Significance: 1. Customer service is a service which principally helps an industry to keep a deep understanding with customers and manage their customers information to understand what is the need and want of their customers. 2. This project will help an industry to improve their customer service. Customer service can make or break a business. 3. This proposed study has also vital significance for evolution of theories of customer service which would help hotel organizations to adopt effective marketing strategy. 4. This research is beneficial to get some reason of having a good customer service policy in business. 5. This research has managerial implication, as managers can get advantage and have better understanding of their customers. 6. It provides that high quality of customer service create loyal customers which are beneficial for the future of hotel. 7. Apart from the above mentioned significance, this research will give me a chance to explore my ideas and views, as a post graduate diploma in hospitality and tourism student which will help me to gain knowledge for my future profession. 1.4- Research Objectives/Goals/Aims: The objectives of this study are to examine customer service management as a competitive advantage for hotel business. The research aim and objectives explored in this study are: 1. To help the hotel to enhance their competition. 2. To review literature on customer service and its effectiveness. 3. To get loyal customers and to build good reputation and image of hotel. 4. To evaluate competitive advantage of Customer service. Customer service is as important as product quality of hotel. 5. To examine whether hotel business adopts customer service management as a tool to keep customer longer to increase revenue. 1.5 Ethical implications: Ethical insinuation in a research is principally to carry out the research in a moral and responsible way. As a researcher I must discover a reasonable way of what methodological theory recommends and what is ethical possible from practical viewpoint. As a researcher it was always attempted to continuance objectivity by making sure all data were collected accurately fully. Some ethical issues I took into consideration are: a. Ethical treatment of participants: I designed my survey questionnaire in such a method that respondents do not suffer discomfort, awkwardness or loss of privacy. In order to protect the respondents I clarified the respondents about the benefits of this research and the participants rights and protection. b. Anonymity and Confidentiality: I offered complete anonymity and privacy to all participants in my research. During the time of my survey questionnaire I never asked name, address or any personal information which might recognize the specific person. All data which I collect kept confidential and used for only research purpose. 1.6 Hypothesis: Good customer service can help this particular hotel to beat the competitors between the hotels. In todays world market it is as important as product quality of hotel. It can make or can break. By providing great customer service quality a particular hotel can get repeat customer or loyal customer which is helpful to save money that might be spent on advertising. Repeat business and word of mouth advertising are the best ways of maintaining a healthy business. 2.0 Literature review: Reviewing literature is essential for assignment. It can critically form the foundation on which research is built. According to Jankowicz (cited in Saunders, M.et al.2007) literature review is a review which is written for project report should therefore be a narrative and critical analysis what other authors have written. This literature review will introduce the concepts of customer service, importance of customer service, and development of customer service which can help a hotel organization to gain customer satisfaction and to be profitable in competitive hotel business. 2.1Definition of-customer service: Many researchers have difined customer service quality in different ways. Customer service is the stipulation of  service  to  customers before, during and after a purchase. According to Jamier, L. Scott. (2002),  Customer service is a progression of actions designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation. The book  Rules to Break and Laws to Follow is written by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. in 2008.In this book they write that customer never forget the services that they get from an organization. Sometime their trust can be destroyed when they do not get proper service quality or it can be destabilized one day at a time, with a thousand small demonstrations of incompetence. In todays hyper-competitive business environment, Customer service quality is a significant factor that helps in differentiating service products. According to various literatures, satisfaction of customer is obtained with the escape of high quality service and products. Now consumer are more educated, better informed, more value conscious and demand more for their money. Their expectations of the companies and the people they buy from are much higher. In short, they want better customer service. 2.2 Importance of Customer Service quality: Marquardt (1989) points out that Customer service quality improvement becomes the most valuable fact in the service industry .This service quality can improve productivity, decrease the cost, build customer satisfaction and increase profit for organization. This is one of the greatest keys for the success of a business. It can literally make or break business. In business, if anyone wants to generate profits by selling their products and services to people who need and want to buy. Customers want to know how the organisation or hotel industry can make their lives better or easier or how the organisation can relieve them of their pain. Customer service is the most important function in todays hospitality industry. Many researchers(Olsen2002;kang,Nobuyuki and Herbert,2004;soderlund and Ohman,2005) stated that good customer service quality have been correlated to customer behavioural intentions like purchase and loyalty intention, willingness to spread word of mouth. Those customers who experience good customer service from a hotel are likely to return to this hotel and even spend more money at other attractions in the area. Jones and Farquhar (2003) told that good customer service quality make an impact to gain loyal customer. Bolton (1998) pointed out; service quality manipulates customers consequent behaviour, intentions and preferences. When a customer chooses a contributor that provides service quality that meets or exceeds his or her expectations, he or she is more likely to choose the same provider again. Besides, Cronin and Taylor (1994) also found that service quality has a significant effect on repurchase intentions. Good customer service helps to increase business. People or customers who leave the hotel which provide them good customer service are likely to tell their  friends  about the good time they have and also tell their friends and family what type of services they have got. In return, their friends and family will also come to the same hotel, building a growing customer base. Thats why its essential to be consistent in providing excellent customer service, quality food and an inviting or friendly atmosphere. 2.3 Importance of customer service policy: Having customer service policy is important for any hospitality and tourism business. It is a structure that describes the companys doctrine of doing business. Many researchers are pointed out some reason of having good customer service policy: 1. Good customer service policy helps to increase the brand name of a hotel. It pushes the brands name of any companys into customer mind. It shows a very positive attitude of customers towards the hotel or company. 2. This policy helps company to get more profit continuously which help to amplify revenue. 3. It helps to adjust and acclimatize employees principles and approach in accordance to company service policies. 4. Good customer service policy can feel up whatever consumer want, so consumers spend more for getting these services. 5. It helps to get good competitive advantage which is helpful to maintain companys position up to date and marketable. 6. Repetition of customer is achieved by a good customer service policy.Customer service policy is a fundamental factor which must be maintained a very standard level especially in hospitality sector in order to achieve target market. Advertising is essential in growing and maintaining a profitable hotel business. Good customer service helps to increasing advertisement for a hotel. Guests expect high-quality service. Lunchars (1996) said: the results of a 1990 survey of conference participants revealed that eight of the top ten factors rated most important for guest satisfaction were related to service quality rather than to the quality of facilities. While the leisure and business markets will undoubtedly have different specific demands for facilities, fulfilling guest expectations for quality service will be necessary for success across all market segments. On the other hand Poor customer service can wreck the reputation of a hotel, restaurant. People will talk over the Internet or by word of mouth and after getting poor service people will not visit this hotel. Customers are not only external but also internal as well. Some researchers noticed that a person who has experienced poor customer service from a restaurant will most likely share their bad experience with an average of 10 other people. Those 10 people are extremely like to pass it on again, and after that a huge wave of negative publicity has grown. It is revealed that 80% of all hotel complaints are related to poor service not for poor products and quarter of those surveyed pointed out they would not ever return to this hotel where they received poor service. These following policy are essential to provide good customer service quality in hotel: 1. A general early check in or late checkout process is maintained. 2. Customer can cancel or adjust their reservation if required. Any cancellation can be done in respect to the type of reservation made. 3. Special needs can be made in request area when customer information is confirmed as a part of online reservation process. By following these basic rules in maintaining good customer service, company build a relationship with their guests, a relationship that helps their business grow and prosper. 2.4 Conclusion of literature review: Although many researchers have been done so far on common information of customer service and many theories have been described by researchers but only a few studies have been provided on explaining the effect of customer service in particular hotel. To make a better position in hotel business, increasing profit and getting a brand name at Travelodge London in Covent Garden it is needed to be researched or studied further on various aspects. There is no complete research have been done till now specially impacts of customer service in Travelodge hotel. A fastest budget hotel like Travelodge in Covent Garden in London is situated in tourist attracted place. Many types of tourist come here and enjoy holiday. So it can be said that this area could be the best place to carry out this research. 3.0. Research Methodology: According to Kumar, R. (2005) research methodology is one technique of finding answer to such questions. There are two major types of data collection methods for this analysis: Secondary data collection methods and primary data collection methods. Both data collection methodologies have been used in this research. 3.1 Secondary data collection: Secondary data are those types of data which are existed and has already been examined by an academic. Saunders, M.et al. (2007) said that literature sources are divided in to three categories: primary like email, report etc; secondary like newspapers, books, journal etc and tertiary are those like encyclopaedia, index etc. In this research all data were collected through the library of London Victoria College, British library, Internet search engines, commercial bibliographic database and dictionaries. 3.2 Primary data collection: It is raw data. This data may be collected by survey based on questionnaire or interviews. Survey based questionnaire provide quantitative data; on the other hand interviews provide qualitative data. Guba Linchon (1994) said, Both qualitative and quantitative method may be used appropriately with any research paradigm (cited in Saunders, M. et al.2007,pp.100). Both two types of data collection method were used in this research. 3.2.1 Questionnaire Survey: A self-administered internet arbitrated questionnaire was planned to collect raw data. A semi-structured questionnaire has been prepared and given to about 250 customers whose had stayed Travelodge Covent Garden hotel at least one night in the previous six months. I am contacted those customer by e-mail as my friend who is the customer complaint manager in this hotel. After explaining him that I am doing this research for my study and it is not harmful for the organisation rather than from this research, organization can be benefited. Then he helps me to get those customer mail address.Questionnaire question was closed format questions as respondent (customer) can quickly and easily answer the questions. The questionnaire consisted two sections: First section was designed to explore the demographic data of respondent like age, gender; status (tourist or local consumer) etc .Second section of questionnaire identified the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction . This questionnaire took 5-10 minutes to fill up. Different methods were used for every part of the questionnaire. For example, the questionnaire asked consumer to signify the quality of customer service in this hotel, using Liker rating scale (very good= 4, satisfactory= 3, poor= 2, very poor= 1). There were some open ended question are also attached with closed format question like If you have responded others please specify and also give them (respondent) an opportunity to express their own idea. 3.2.2 Interview: An interview strategy has been carried out to collect qualitative data which is connected with philosophically phenomenological. According to Kvale, S. (1996) Qualitative Interviews also depend very much on the connection between interviewer and interviewees in developing the open dialogue which can allow a joint construction of considerate in the interview. This technique was applied when the interview was conducted to the H.R manager and Guest complaint manager and some other employee of Travelodge Covent Garden hotel. The interview was conducted through face to face conversation. 3.3 Data Analysis: Data analyses are two types, quantitative and qualitative data analysis. 3.3.1 Quantitative data analysis: Table, graph chart, pie chart has principally used to analyse quantitative data. Quantitative data refers to numerical data which has been given in percentage form for better understanding. Saunders et al. 2007 pointed that Quantitative data is supported on meanings derived from numbers and data collection marks in numerical outcomes and analysis conducted through the use of diagrams and statistics. 3.3.2 Qualitative data analysis: It is a data analysis process which refers to all nonnumeric data that have not been quantified and this process allow us to develop theory from data. Saunders et al. (2007) argued that qualitative data is based on meanings articulated through words and collection results in non-standardized data requiring classification into categories and study conducted through the use of conceptualization. 4. Finding: Questionnaire was given to 250 customers and it was circulated on August to September 2010. 50 of the total respondents were customers and 09 people were employee of Travelodge London Convent Garden. That means 59 completed questionnaires were collected. This Questionnaire was designed to get information from respondents that customer service quality makes an impact and help to gain customer satisfaction in Travelodge Covent Garden, London. In this questionnaire three sections were designed, First section was designed to explore the demographic data, second section of questionnaire identified the information of customers visit and third section designed to identify the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction. 4.1 Demographic Characteristics: Demographic data which provide respondents age, gender, status etc Table-1 Age of respondents Age(years) Number of respondents Percentage (%) 21-30 21 42 31-40 17 34 41-50 12 24 50+ Total 50 100 This figure shows that biggest numbers of respondents were aged 21-30; the second biggest group of respondents were aged 31-40, that means large numbers of respondents were aged between the ages of 21-40 (Table-1). Figure-1: Gender This figure shows that 30 out of 50, which means 60 percent were male and 20 out of 50 means 40 percent were female. Figure-2: Customer status Figure II, it shows that most of the guest who came in Travelodge London Covent Garden were holiday maker, out of the total 50 respondents 70 percent were holiday maker and the other 30 percent were business customer. 4.2 Information-customers Visit: This section of the questionnaire were designed to get information of customer service quality of Travelodge London in Covent garden and also identify the level of satisfaction of those customers who came in this hotel. Figure 3: Frequency of visit to the Travelodge London Covent Garden. Respondents were asked how many times they were visited in this hotel. This figure shows that 16 percent of customer visited in this hotel very often and 34 percent were visited often, 38 percent sometimes and 12 percent seldom, that means most of the customer came here sometimes and often ( Once in a year and once within six months). Figure-4: Planning to stay at this hotel. Respondent were asked how many time they were stayed in this hotel. This figure showed that the biggest number of customer was stayed here 3-5 days. The second largest number of respondent (24 percent) indicated that they wanted to stay here 2-3 days and 20 percent agreed to stay for a single night. Figure- 5: Main reason to visit in this hotel Figure- 5 showed that 42 percent guest visited here with friends and relatives, 16 percent came here for rest and relaxation, 14 percent came for business reason, 22 percent came for fun , sports and recreation. Only 6% came for attending conference, seminar and other forms of educations. 4.3 Customer service quality in Travelodge Covent Garden: Majority of guest expressed their satisfaction with the overall customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden but they were less satisfied with the quality of the room. In Figure- 6, Respondents were asked how the customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden London, figure shows that Majority of customer were satisfied about the customer service quality f this hotel. As shown in this figure 46% respondents were satisfied, 14% respondents said that the customer service quality of this hotel was good and 4% said it was very good.24% commented that it was poor and 12% said it was very poor. Adding three points(very good, good and satisfactory) of measuring scale it could be said that 64% commented positive attitude towards the customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden and 36 percent showed negative attitude towards the customer service quality of this hotel. As found Figure-7, it was apparent that the staffs in this hotel are friendly towards their guest. Largest number of respondents (52 percent) were agree that their staffs friendliness.22 percent said they were disagree and 12 percent commented that they were strongly disagree. Figure-6: customer service quality which is offered by Travelodge London Covent Garden. Figure-7: Staffs in this hotel is friendly towards the guest. Figure-8: Room quality of Travelodge Covent Garden As per figure-8, it was showed that the guest of Travelodge Covent Garden did not think that room quality of this hotel is satisfactory. Only 4 percent said it was good.42 percent respondents said that it was satisfactory while largest number of guest (38%+16%=54%) said that was unsatisfactorily (poor and very poor) Figure-9 Worst reason that cannot satisfy customer Figure show that most of the customers (70 percent) think that service quality is the main reasons to gain customer satisfaction on the other hand 30 percent think that quality of product is main reason. *Motivate customer to come again and again. This question was asked to customer service manager, guest complaint manager, human resource manager and staffs to know how they are satisfying their customers. First of all they are attracting their customers by their web sites which provide all information about their hotel. They offer lowest price with great customer service quality, clean and comfortable rooms and do everything which is needed for a good nights sleep. Travelodge do things differently to other hotel companies for attracting more customers. *Any plan to improve customer service system and room quality? This question was asked to the customer service manager, human resource manager to know about their customer service improving plan and improving about room quality. They inform that they are trying to overcome this problem. Already their company has taken some plan to develop their room quality and customer service system. They also said that by this time customers complain rates decreased significantly. They consider that customer service quality and room quality are gradually increasing and get customer satisfaction as their customers complaints are decreasing. 5.0 Recommendation and Conclusion: It is recommended that customer service is an important factor for a hotel to gain satisfied customer and this customer will be loyal customer. Business can be gain more profit by this loyal customer and customer service help to make relationship with customer. Training is fundamental for improving customer service. Training process help employee how to check in ,how to check out, how the reservation system work, how the equipment work ,how to provide better service to customer and how to deal customer nicely .Smile and eye contact is essential for good customer service. Employee of Travelodge London in Convent Garden must need to provide their customers requirements. Today customer not only want better product they also want services, If company failed to provide better service to their client. In this case they not only lose their customer who get their service but also lose their other customer because of bad reputation .So that company have to concern that the service provided by them is superior to make their customers to be loyal. The study discovered that company website is an important element to provide better service to their customer. For providing best customer service company should use website. In this website customer can get all kinds of service and idea about this hotel. From this research, It can be said that customer service quality help to get brand name. The study showed that the room service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden failed to satisfy their customers expectation. So it could be suggested that if they want more customer they should concern their room service quality. Frome this study it is finding that customer service quality had effective relationship with customer satisfaction. Customer service quality of hotel had positive relationship with guest but room quality revealed an unsuspected result of a negative relation with consumer. It was discovered that room quality was not good but guests expectation was high. Finally, it could be said that further research is still needed to justify the outcome of this research. The research issue may have been similar but the situation in all the research may be different including this research. Further researchers are welcomed to conduct a similar research as this in the identical content. 6.0 References: 1. Saunders, M. et al (2007)Research methods for Business students.4th edition, Essex, UK: Person Education. 2. Peppers, Don et al (2008)Rules to Break and Laws to Follow Wiley. pp.  24, 164 3. Marquardt, I. A. (1989) The link between Total Quality Improvement and Market Orientation in Guiry M. and customer service: The Critical Focas for a Firm, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Marketing Science Institute Conference. 4. Olsen, S.O. (2002) Competative Evaluation and the Relationship between Quality, Satisfaction and repurchase Loyalty. Academy of Marketing Science, 30(3), 240-249. 5. Kang, S. S.; Nobuyuki, O. et al (2004)Service quality and its Effects on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Behavioural Intention: Hotel and Ryokan Guest in Japan. Asia Pacific Journal of tourism Research, 9(2), 189-203. 6. Jones, H. Farquhar, J. D. (2003) Contact Management and Customer Loyalty Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 8(1), 71-78. 7. Bolton, R. N. (1998) A Dynamic model of the Duration of

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Subcultural Theories of Youth Offending

Subcultural Theories of Youth Offending Introduction The essay will look at historical subcultural theories and explanations which play a role in explaining youth offending behaviour. It will in particular focus on deviant and radical subcultural theories including theories from Merton and Cohen and look at ways in which these theories are still prevalent amongst contemporary society and continue to be relevant. The essay will consist of an in dept critical analysis of the arguments put forward. Browne (2000) defines a subculture as a group of people who hold their own norms, culture, ethnicity, sexuality and values. Subcultures are smaller cultures held by a group of people within a larger culture in the society of which they belong to. Crime and deviance subcultural explanations of deviance advocate that those individuals who commit deviant behaviours share similar values which are to an extent differentiated from the main values of society The dissertation will critically review the literature. It is useful to do this as it helps to identify to the validity of the literature. In carrying out a critical literature review it aids in ensuring that new research into the topic avoids the errors found in some earlier research. Aims and objectives of the dissertation will be to critically analyse literature of historical theorists well known for their work associated with early deviant subcultural theories and to explore their relevance within contemporary society and demonstrate how historical ideas differ and/or are similar with ideas from society today. Other aims and objectives include carrying out a critical analysis on the work of these theorists and of sources which information has derived from. Literature Early Radical and Deviant subcultural theories Robert Merton put forward the theory of anomie/ strains which posed of great relevance to subcultural theories in the origins of deviant subcultural theorists. The theory suggest that deviance is a means used to achieve societys goals when they cannot be achieved through legitimate means due to factors such as socio economic factors, disadvantages in education and job prospects. This can then place strain upon these individuals as they want to achieve the goals but lack the opportunity for doing so by conventional means, (Cote, 2002). Great Britain Department for Work and Pensions (2004) in their sixth annual report state that many neighbourhoods have been subject to a spiral of decline. Areas with high unemployment and crime rates attain bad reputations resulting in businesses and employers to move out and which means there is high turnover and plenty of housing which is left empty posing opportunity for crime, vandalism and drug dealing. This supports Mertons view that deviance may in actual fact be a result of deprived areas posing disadvantages on individuals. This provides strong support for Mertons theory as it has been derived from a credible government organisations findings which have been providing data for the government for six years. Cohen (1955) criticised Mertons theory however and states that it does not account for crimes which are committed for no apparent reason. He fails to address why acts of deviance may take place where they fail to provide any monetary value. Cohen believes that acts of deviance take place out of fun not out of necessity. He also believes that crime does not take place on an individual level but as a collective problem for gang members who seek audiences in order to gain status and respect. In addition Cohen (1973) states that undesirable subcultures may be used as scapegoats for the government and law officials with the aim of creating moral panic so they can be viewed as fighting off these delinquents. There have been occasions when the governments claims have been questioned. BBC (2002) talk about the government placing blame for the growth of youth crime on incompetent and violent parents. Questions however have been raised as to whether the government is evading responsibility for the increase of crime levels to parents. This can however only be a matter of raising questions as to whether or not the government exercise the use of scapegoating. Baerveldt et al (2006) used criteria from work carried out by Goode and Yehuda to carry out an investigation to prove the hypothesis that a moral panic relating to youth crime has been prevalent since the 1990s in the Netherlands. They had found that most of the criteria identified by Good and Yehuda had been met however it was unclear that the underpinning of this moral panic was solely down to beurocratic processes. There were also flaws identified with the methodology or the research and Baerveld et al felt that future research should be more comparative looking at moral local panics or comparing panics with non-panics. This suggests that the finding from this study may not be as significant as the methodology may have been flawed. The work carried out by various sociologists in The Chicago School also contributed to the origins of deviant subcultural theories. Hopkins Burke (2008) speaks of the Sociologist Ernest Burges who put forward a theory of social disorganisation in 1928. The University of Chicago Centennial Catalogues (2010) state that Burgess played a central role in research which he contributed to the Chicago School of sociology. He observed that there was a high presence of criminal behaviour in the zones of transition. He put this down to the constant expansion of the business district into these areas resulting in the displacement of residents in this area. As this was one of the most desirable zones to live in, it was an area of attraction for immigrants who were too poor to live elsewhere. Burges claimed that this resulted in the weakening of family and communities due to social patterns. Shaw and McKay state that it is neighbourhood organisation which allowed or prevented offending behaviour. They noted that parents of youths from neighbourhoods which were wealthier fulfilled their childrens needs resulting in less crime in the areas. However they stated that in the zone of transition families were strained as a result of migration, poverty and rapid urban growth. Left with little support children and young people had no social constraints placed on them therefore were more likely to seek friends in the streets of the city in search for excitement. It can be argued however that poverty does not always lead to crime as there are people who want to break the cycle of poverty and change their lives around. BBC (2005) state that the cycle of poverty (As shown in Appendix 1) is where families or communities become trapped in poverty as a result of limited resources such as education, and finance. Breaking the cycle of poverty can be demonstrated by the self made millionaire Sir Alan Sugar; his early life began by being brought up in a council estate. It can be said that in some situations being bought up in poverty may have a positive effect on some people, Barke and OHare (1991). However sometimes it may be necessary to commit crimes in order to break thee cycle of poverty. Jenks (2005) stated that The Chicago School contributed to the discovery of new and different people. Subcultural studies by The Chicago School discovered new ways of life and different sides of cities. Albert Cohen is a well known theorist for contributing to early US deviant subculture theories throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Burke (2005) talks about Cohens deviant subculture theory, which suggests that it is the family position in the social structure which determines the childs actions in later life. Cohen states that juvenile delinquents were motivated to offend in order to achieve status, with their offending serving no real purpose. He questioned acts of deviance which were non finance motivated such as vandalism. He put this down to a term which he described as status frustration. He talks about mainly working class boys who are denied of any status achievement through education which ultimately leads to failings in education and future prospects. This according to Cohen caused frustration due to the lack of goal achievement and as a result they formed delinquent subcultures in order to create new achievable goals of their own. Moreover Cohen believes they take middle class values and rebel against them. This theory replaces the emphasis that Merton placed on financial incentive for delinquent behaviour with the focus being on the achievement of status. Cohen rightly shows how deviance is a rational response to life and indicates how it can be learnt through peer groups. Moreover Cohens theory offers a good explanation for non utilitarian crimes. Cloward and Ohlin in Downes and Rock (1988) disagree with Cohen and state that he overrated the role of school and education as the cause of delinquency. Short and Strodbeck (1974) however found little evidence to support Cohens claims of rejection towards middle class values of society within gangs Cohen has also been criticised for not accounting for female deviance and emphasising too much on males. Home Office (2003) looks at the summary of cautioning rates for non-monitoring offences by sex from 1992 to 2002 (see Appendix 2). This summary shows female cautioning to be relatively low, accounting for an average of 10% up until 1996. The rate then increases by a substantial amount between 1997 up until 1999 where at one point it is the same as males. From 2000 to 2002 there is a drop in the female figures. This shows that females do also account for offending behaviours and also shows how societys situation can change over the years and therefore one single theory which applies at one stage may not be sufficient enough to apply at later stages and therefore goes against the relevance of early deviant subcultural theories with regards to contemporary society. Albert Cohen is a well known for his work with relation to sociological explanations of theories of gangs; his theories have played an important role throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Cohens work has been of high relevance throughout the decades and continues to provide foundation for contemporary society, (Kinnear, 2009). The notion of the family position being a factor in causing deviant behaviour is also supported by Albert. K. Cohen who talks about breakdown of the family controls being a casualty of gang membership, (Cohen 1955). Albert Cohens work is supported by another well know researcher, Albert. K. Cohen and therefore provides more support for Albert Cohens claim that status achievement provides a source of encouragement for gang membership. ESRC Society Today (2009) state that members of organised gangs are generally males who are from broken families and lower class backgrounds. It is said that they may join gangs as they are more likely to gain moral support from them which encourages excuses of violence and criminal activities. They also spoke about the link between social class and crime in deprived neighbourhoods. This shows how the work of Cohen is still reflected in modern day society. Smith (2007) supports this by claiming that the majority of young offenders derive from broken homes and that gangs usually consist of boys who have never been a part of an intact family. This supports the view that broken homes contribute to delinquent behaviour. This provides support for the notion that it is males who are usually involved in gangs is still consistent with modern day ideologies. Macdonald (1995) also supports the view that it is generally males who join gangs and states that males gain identity from being in a gang whereas women tend to pursue independence. Muncie (2004) discusses Cohens work further and talks about the concept of status frustration which is similar to Mertons anomie/strain theory. It states that children who are lower class feel this notion of status frustration as they feel they can not meet the same criteria as the children from the middle class so they seek groups who share similar status frustration in which they fit in better. Muncies claim demonstrates that Cohens work is still relevant to modern day researchers. This view can be supported by the work of Gold and Mann (1972) who found that it was students who achieved lower grades with the most involvement in delinquent behaviour. They also reported that these students felt threatened by academic failure which lowered their self esteem and delinquency was a factor which was identified in order to raise esteem. This link can still be found in schools. Wales News (2009) states that only 28 percent of children who were entitled to receive free school meals received 5 GCSEs graded A* to C whilst 62% of other pupils received these grades. This shows the link between social deprivation and underachievement as children who receive free school meals are receiving school meals as a result of social deprivation. This is a neo-Marxist argument in the sense that it suggests that the most powerful culture in society (middle class children who do not get free school meals) will over rule the lower class in terms of education and future prospects (children who receive free school meals). According to the Marx class theory the bourgeoisie (the capital class) are economically the dominant class, as a result of their ownership and control of means of production. Neo Marxists also claimed the bourgeoisies were politically the ruling class. The proletariat (the working class) are property-less and must work for the bourgeoisies in order to sustain a living, (Messner and Krohn, 1990). Therefore it can be said that neo-Marxist views are consistent ideologies which are evident within everyday contemporary society. Social Justice Challenge (2007) state that more than 3 in 4 of young offenders have no educational qualifications. This supports the view that the majority of delinquents lack in education and this may be the underlying factor which influences delinquency. This shows that in actual fact modern day society does project similar notions as ones identified in the 90s and therefore the changing nature of contemporary society does not invalidate theories which were established in the past completely. Cloward and Ohlin like Cohen and Matza and Skye, were known for contributing towards early deviant subcultural theories. They build on the work of the strain disorganised perspectives in their theory of differential association theory and state that delinquency was most prevalent within lower class subcultures however they take different forms. They propose three different types of deviant subcultures and state that the ability for them to develop depends on the opportunities available to them to commit deviant crimes and also the area in which they derive from (Burke, 2008). This is however based on a subjective nature and therefore may not be sufficient enough to solely rely on this theory. It can be argued that the validity of this may be supported in the sense that a number of different theorists share similar notions which have derived from the work they have carried out. In addition their view is also supported by findings from a study conducted by Elliott and Ageton (1985) who studied National samples and found that lower class youths committed four times as many offences as middle class youths and one and a half times as many as working class youths. This supports the views that delinquency is more prevalent within the lower classes. The figures of these samples however may not show the true statistics as they may not account for the dark figures of crime, which Koffman (1996) defines as crimes which have not been reported such as white collar crimes. White collar crimes are crimes which are committed by people who are educated with a high social status. These crimes are hard to detect as they are often carried out by highly intelligent individuals and can therefore be less visible than blue collar crimes which are usually committed by the working class., (Sutherland, 1945). Examples of white collar crime can be demonstrated with the recent MPs expenses scandal in 2009 which went undetected for a long period of time. Tittle (1995) argues that the impact of social class on crime is a myth. Although there may be some truth on this claim, it is of a subjective nature which is presented without any supporting findings to back it up with. Thee first of the three deviant subcultures identified is by Cloward and Ohlin was criminal gangs which are believed to emerge in areas where there are conventional and non conventional codes of behaviour with the combination of lawful and unlawful businesses. BBC (2009) report that the criminal gangs in the UK are costing the country up to  £40bn a year and about 30,000 criminals in the UK are members of organised crime gangs. They have also been described as having derived from areas which hold similar traits to those described by early subcultural theories. The second of the identified deviant subcultures was the conflict or violent gang which develop from individuals from unstable backgrounds. It is defined as grouping which develops as a result of absence of stable criminal organisation and consists of members who seek status and reputation from committing violent crimes which are often carried out as random acts of crime. Guardian (2005) talks about criminal gangs from several neighbourhoods in London who call themselves Muslim Boys in order to pretend they have links with global terrorism and to gain status by causing fear within public domain. The third of these is the retreatist gang who are individuals who retreat to sex, drugs and crime as a result of failure in successfully perusing legitimate and illegitimate opportunities. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Centre (2004), describes gangs which are involved in similar activities and hold traits similar to the retreatist gang which Cloward and Ohlin identified. This shows that all three gangs described by Cloward and Ohlin are still prevalent in modern day society and suggests that their research may not be in dated. However it is important to remember that although the types of gangs identified still exist there may be many more different types which have formed during the years. According to Sykes and Matza (1957) delinquents drift in and out of offending. They state that this delinquent behaviour fluctuates due to the neutralisation theory which attempts to explain how deviants try to justify their deviant behaviours by explaining to themselves and others their lack of guilt. They identified five different types of rationalisations, these are, denial of responsibility, denial of injury, the denial of the victim, the condemnation of condemners and the appeal to higher loyalties. This theory attempts to explain why delinquents drift in and out of delinquency as many delinquents feel or express remorse and guilt as a result of their criminal act. Another reason for this may be because delinquents frequently show respect for law abiding citizens. Sykes and Matzas (1957) techniques of neutralisation were introduced at a time in society where there were great concerns over juvenile delinquency, this meant they had a large sample of delinquents to study as there was a large outbreak of delinquency within society at this moment in time. Post modern deviant subcultural theories Post-modernism rejects the idea that theories or meta-narratives are sufficient enough to apply to modernity. Post modern theories state that it is aspects such as fashion, image and popular culture which are most relevant. It stressed that contemporary Britain consists of diverse and fragmented social groups from different backgrounds, (Hopkins-Burke and Sunly 1998). An example of post-modern youth culture is rap music. Hopkins-Burke and Sunley (2008) state that in the 1990s gangsta rap which is a form of black music that derived from the USA became a popular phenomenon in Britain. This style of music promoted problems to stem from the white culture and carried out criminal activity as a solution to this problem. This style of music is also popular within other ethnic groups. Osgerby (2004) stated that there was a rise in gangsta rap around the 1980s and 90s which provides support for Hopkins- Burke and Sunlys theory as modernity may bring about new trends, fashion and culture which influence delinquent behaviour. The songs of gangsta rappers such as Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G were far from discreet in rapping about guns, violence and their hate for the police. Critics stated that their music could promote crime and violence within society as people looked up to them and may have seen it as a cool concept. This is also supported by the Guardian (2005) who talks about criminal gangs around London who communicate in slang, most of which had derived from black American rap music. Seifert (2009) also supports this by claiming that children absorb information like a sponge and that because of this they are likely to withdraw into a world of fantasy and misinterpretation of the violence and lifestyle portrayed in rap music. Sutherland (1937) warns of the dangers of preconditions for criminal behaviour such as motivation and attitudes which have to be learnt. This supports the views that the messages gangsta rap music promote may pose to be a detrimental threat according to Sutherlands views. Deviant subculture theories were revisited and revised by neo-Marxist sociologists and criminologists at the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (BCCCS). They observed that deviant subcultures were a result of structural economic problems created by social change. The work by BCCCs was in some way similar to Merton and The Chicago School theories as they all suggest similar factors and concepts play a role in influencing deviant subcultures. The BCCCS focused on mainstream youth and delinquency and spectacular youth subcultures (Hopkins-Burke 2008) Hopkins Burke and Sunley (1988) state that early British subcultural theories focused on levels of economic activity and the structural class analysis playing a key role in explaining delinquency. A good example of this can be demonstrated by the Global credit crunch which we are currently experiencing. Telegraph (2008) stated that a leaked home office letter revealed that the credit crunch could lead to a crime wave in the form of more crime and more illegal immigration. This shows that when people are suffering from lack of finance, crime is more likely to be carried out as a result in order to sustain a living. Hopkins-Burke and Sunely (1998) looked closer into such mainstream deviant subcultures. They talked about work carried out by Paul Corrigan whose work was highly influenced by American subcultural theories. He carried out a study on males aged between 14 to 15 years old within two working class schools in Sunderland. This study observed the distribution of power within the school environment. He argues that school is a concept which has been forced on to working class children in which the system attempts to force middle class values upon them. This in turn led to the working class children rebelling. In terms of spectacular youth subcultures, this was subcultures which consisted of generally the working class young people who possessed a distinctive style which included dress, lifestyles, behaviour patterns and musical styles. The types of people which have been identified as falling into this category are individuals who are: Teddy Boys. Mods, Skinheads and Punks. SDFS (1999) talk about how clothing and style can be a trademark which is adopted by juvenile gangs. They state that gang members wear certain types of clothing, colours or having certain hairstyles and tattoos. This is a common phenomenon within modern society and is important to keep up with as it helps identify members within gangs and trace them back to the criminal activities they may have committed. Hopkins-Burke and Sunley (1998) state that early subcultural studies put forward the notion of young delinquents as being social climbers climbing up the social ladder from lower class to middle class. Cohen (1973) states however that creation does not justify behaviour. Later studies support the notion that subcultural theories continue to provide relevance in contemporary society. This is demonstrated by the work of Wilson. Wilson puts forward the underclass theory in which he states groups which are from isolated neighbourhoods acquire fewer legitimate opportunities available to them in the form of employment, education and job information networks. All these deprivations of opportunities helps raise the likelihood of people turning to deviant activities, (Wilson, 1991). Hopkins-burke and Sunley (1998) talk about William (1989) and Moore (1991) who refer to poverty as central to the underclass thesis which results in individuals attempting to gain economic through other means such as crime. Rodger Hopkins Burk has done a vast amount of research on post-modern subcultural theories, Hopkins Burke (2008) states that Rodger Hopkins Burke is Principle Lecturer for Criminology at Nottingham Trent University and therefore his work is of a credible nature. The importance of early subcultural theories has also been stressed by Bailey (2004) who states that during the past decades many theorists have contributed towards what we now consider as being contemporary criminology. In addition, Blackman (2005) has accused postmodernism of being reluctant to focus on social structure. However he states that post-modern theories offer useful critical insights but their theories lack substance and critical application to young peoples social, economic and cultural lives. Conclusion From this critical literature analysis, the conclusion can be drawn that no single theory can sufficiently explain all delinquent behaviours as it has been shown that there can be many factors which play a role in contributing towards the causes and motives of delinquency. Also it can be said that early subcultural theories are still of relevance to contemporary society, however solely cannot be used in explanations of delinquent behaviour in modern day society as it has been demonstrated by post modern theorists that other factors may influence delinquency as trends and fashion change with society. The literature review has sufficiently met all its aims and objectives which were to answer the question as to whether early deviant subcultural theories still prove to be relevant within contemporary society. Recent sources have been used to demonstrate similarities and differences apparent with regard to early deviant subcultural theories and modern day society. The literature review has also met aims of critically analysing research and sources. The literature review has looked into the history of subcultural theories which consisted of deviant and radical explanations of delinquency. Taylor et al (1975) defines radical delinquency as being a conservative theory of delinquency, which looks at theories put forward by theorists such as Marx. Hopkins Burke (2005) states that deviant subcultures share common notions which are that certain social groups have values and attitudes which influence delinquency. Many early subcultural theories have been put forward in order to explain deviant behaviour. Merton states that deviance occurs as a result of financial incentives whereas Cohen put forward the view that it is status frustration which motivates delinquency, other theorists such as Miller believe delinquency is related to class cultures and post modern theories state that it has got to do with certain trends prevalent within society at any given time such as influences from the Rap music culture. The analysis consists of work from The Chicago School who according to Colosi (2010) were the first major body to emerge during the 1920s to study youth offending. Theorist such as Albert Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin who were described by Cressey (1999) as pioneering theorists and praised for addressing both origin and transmissions of deviant subcultures. These theorists work has undoubtedly contributed vastly towards deviant subcultural theories in the past but also provided foundation for modern day theorists to base their work upon. This supports the view that early subcultural theories do provide relevance to modern day society and even if they may not be directly relevant they may pose relevance in the sense that their work can be further studied and built upon with relation to future research. Post-modern theories however raise the important issues of early deviant subcultural theories not being able to account for newer influences which derive as a result of changes in society. This has been shown by theorists such as Burke and Sunley (1988) who propose that delinquent behaviour may be influenced by aspects such as rap music, drugs and alcohol. Substance Abuse and Mental health Service Administration (2003) discuss findings from The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) (2000) which found a relationship between alcohol usage and emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. These behavioural problems included delinquent and criminal behaviours. This supports the statement that other factors which have risen with societal changes play a role in influencing delinquent behaviour. Post modern studies help compare how society has changed throughout the years and are more up to date on modern day society and therefore has been able to provide newer insights into the causes and influences of deviant behaviours. According to Tanner (1996) early subcultural theories in the 1960s and 1970s were subjected to vast amount of criticisms. He claims that they exaggerated the cultural differences between delinquent and non delinquent individuals. These place focus upon delinquent individuals rejection towards middle class values. Siegel (2007) accuses early subcultural theories of being of a descriptive nature. He states that they sufficiently describe values and how they are transmitted in a normal process of socialisation but fail to address their origins. This is something Cohen has been accused of doing as he fails to address cultural differences. For instance his theory of delinquency identifies that it is the need for status which causes delinquent behaviour but he fails to address where this status frustration derives from, so his theory does not explain what has caused this need for status and what factors are involved in this process. He has also been criticised for placing too much emphasis on the male gender. As the analysis found female offending has increased over the years. This shows how he has ignored cultural differences as he fails to address the issues of women and crime. Another criticism Cohens has been criticised for is to having placed too much focus on working class crimes and middle class crimes have not said to been accounted for and neither have individual acts of crimes been considered. In addition it has also been argued by critics that there is too much emphasis and research focused upon delinquency within schools. They state that delinquency within schools is only short lived and episodic and therefore they cannot be generalised as being full time delinquents. As stated earlier Matza (1964) supports these criticisms by arguing that the majority of youths in schools who are less successful tend to only drift in and out of rebellious traits which have little influence upon later life, thus supporting the views that delinquency is episodic. Millers claims of deviance being an extension of working class culture in schools was also subject to criticisms. Subcultural theories were said to over ex