Advanced Maternal Age

Women in the United States are experiencing unprecedented opportunities to pursue education and professional careers. One potential down side to this situation is that women find themselves putting off starting a family until they complete their education and feel comfortable in their employment. In many cases this can extend into the woman’s late 30’s or even early 40’s.   Advanced maternal age may also have negative effects on fertility and the outcomes of a successful pregnancy. Considering all the factors, a woman should consider putting off starting a family and build a career as long as she has educated herself on all the risks of advanced maternal age.For years, women have been under the assumption that as long as they were bearing children under the age of 35, fertility and child mortality were at a minimum.   Recent studies have shown that this assumption is far from the truth and may eliminate childbearing for those women who wait into their late 30 ’s and early 40’s to start having children.   Education for women by gynecologists and obstetricians has been insufficient and most women are â€Å". . . surprised—even shocked—to learn that fertility begins to fall in their late 20’s (Hatcher, 2002).†Ã‚   Most women are finding out too late that they have simply put off having children too long and are now unable to bear children without intervention.   Fertility treatments are an expensive option, but are only available to those that can afford the treatments that insurance does not cover.Pregnancies that do occur at advanced maternal age have lower success rates.   Increased maternal age, typically over the age of 35, carries higher chances of miscarriage; higher increases in pregnancy complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, and placental problems; and increased chance of having a child with a chromosomal disorder (Children’s Specialist, 2007).   The good news is that medical advances in prenatal and perinatal care have diminished the effects that many of these complications have on pregnancies at advanced maternal age.   Safe pregnancies after the age of 35 are occurring at much higher rates with advanced blood testing and ultrasounds that allow early detection and treatment of potential problems.For many modern women, pursuing education and professional careers are the norm.   More women than ever in history are pursuing careers, not just jobs that add extra income.   Most career paths take years to build in order to reach the top of success.   The drive to achieve and succeed has pushed many women toward putting off starting a family till their careers are firmly on track.   With medical care helping to make child bearing in later years safer, women are choosing to put careers before family.   There are many advantages for women to wait to start a family:Financial stability Relationship stability Increased maturity Increased l ife experiences Larger support networks Better education Although these advantages may be present for a younger mother, the chance of a woman having all the advantages increases with age.   These advantages allow the mother to provide the best possible start for the child and to be the best mother she has the potential to be.The dilemma remains that when women take themselves out of the workforce to bear a child, a disadvantage occurs when compared to male counterparts.   An argument can be made that a woman with an established career and older age may have a better chance of regaining status once she returns to work due to her previous proven results and successes.   A younger woman just starting out in a career and taking a leave of absence to bear a child will not have a consistent track record to fall back on once she returns to work.   The advantage that an advance maternal age woman has may be the difference between a successful return to a career rather than being pas sed over for those who are not choosing to bear children.  Ã‚   The dilemma to put off childbearing looms large for many career women and must be considered along with the risks of advanced maternal age.There is hope for women who choose to honor both children and careers.   Proper education, healthy lifestyles, current medical advances, and pure determination help women of advanced maternal age have the balanced lives they desire.   While it is true that fertility declines in the late 20’s and that â€Å". . . women perform best at childbearing when they are young. . . (Gosden, 1995)†, these factors should not be the only consideration when choosing between careers and families.   â€Å"For reasons still far from clear, human evolution has allowed the female reproductive system to age faster than other body parts (Gosden, 1995).†Ã‚   The mental aspect of child rearing and career advancement need to be fully considered.   Physically, advanced maternal age does carry risks to both mother and fetus, but medical advances have severely reduced the chances of unsuccessful pregnancy outcomes.   Mentally, women who have built successful careers are better fit to raise children in later years rather than rushing to bear children in early years to avoid the physical risk.In all, advanced maternal age carries risks with fertility and successful pregnancy outcomes, but as long as the woman is educated on these risks, putting off child bearing should be considered in order to foster a successful career.   Medical advances have decreased pregnancy risks and advanced maternal age women should take full advantage to have a balanced life filled with both career and family.ReferencesChildren’s Specialists. 2007. Pregnancy over the Age of 35.   San Diego Perinatal Center.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Accessed on February 12, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://childrensspecialists.com/body.cfm?id=460#Top.Gosden, R. 1995. Delayed Childbe aring. BMJ.   Accessed on February 12, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/311/7020/1585.Hatcher, T. 2002. Careers and Babies: Fertility Decline Underscores Dilemma.   CNN Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2, 2002. Accessed on February 12, 2007 from http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/04/30/fertility.women/index.html .

Ramjibhai Vasava Case Essay

The case is about situation of the farm of Ramjibhai vasada. He is a farmer from village kavachiya in Bharuch district. He is matriculate and employed under village extension scheme. His family members are engaged in their own work so ramjibhai is not having much family member. He is having 8 acres of land divided in 4parts. Out of 4 3farms have irrigation facilities while the other one doesn’t have the facility in farm no 2 Ramjibhai takes the crop of juwar and tuwar in kharif and in rabi he takes the variety of crops like vegetables, condiments cereals and oil seeds. This farm gets the benefit of irrigation in normal season. In farm3,he has planted eucalyptus tree and for transplanting the sapling he needs 60 worker for 2days. He expects the return of 25000 from it. But the trader is offering only 15000 so he didn’t find it worth while. In farm1 he has planted 25 mango trees and later on he added rajapuri Ramjibhai is in a problem that what to do with farm3 because eu calyptus tree didn’t prove worth while. Objectives Objectives are the aim which person wants to achieve at the end of task 1. To maximize the return 2. To utilize the available facilities like irrigation Problems Problems are the obstacles which restricts us from attaining the objectives 1. Labour is main problem of ramjibhai because he himself is employed 2. Time is also an obstacle 3. Scarcity of water is also problem when there is less rainfall 4. One farm is not having a irrigation facility Constraints * No family member available to look after the Farming activity Criteria 1. Quick returns 2. Comparative cost and returns 3. Fodder for the animals Alternatives 1. Taking rabi and kharif crops in farm no3 because it have irrigation facility 2. Proper plantation of flower trees 3. Make a partnership with other farmer and sharing the profit Action plan Take a crop of paddy, juwar and tuwar because ramjibhai is having the experience if these crop. So it is better to go for it. Contingency plan If anyone of this is not possible then it is desirable to give the land on lease and enjoy the safety.

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 3

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example e within the presentation, evaluate the facts presented, review values that have been drawn from the presentation, and then draw a conclusion of the entire review. This essay will record about a lecturer’s presentation that was prepared by Perry (2010). The presentation is part of the publications by the ChildTrauma Academy and the material is described as a presentation because of the slides used in presenting the information. The presentation offers an introduction to the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), and in this regard, it discusses five core principles of the model. The principles discussed include brain organisation and function. The second principle is neurodevelopment and memory. The third principle is relational neurobiology and attachment. The fourth principle is stress, distress, and trauma, while the last principle is neglect. One of the key messages within the presentation is that the brain is an integral part of the human body and it accord humans the ability to experience humanity. This assertion is supported by the fact that the brain organ allows the human body to perform basic tasks like walking and talking, and even experiencing feelings like sadness or happiness (Brendtro, et al. 2009). On the issues of neurodevelopment and memory, Perry (2010) stated that the human brain develops overtime from conception and the rate of development after the age of three and four years becomes steady onwards whilst other body parts experience continued growth. Dobson and Perry (2010) supported this assertion by stating that human beings especially young people enhance their social and personal development through programmes under youth work, which is voluntary and complements formal education or training that also contributes to the development of young people. Therefore, youth work is part of the programmes that contribute to the steady development of the human brain. Thirdly, Perry (2010) stated that the timing, quantity, and nature of

Critically evaluate, in relation to the common law duty of care, the Essay - 1

Critically evaluate, in relation to the common law duty of care, the liability of employers for references - Essay Example This document examines the liability of the employers in the process of issuance of references in relation to this law. References are documents given to potential employers addressing the employee’s ability to determine their suitability for a given job description. Potential employers use it to offers or reject the employee’s request to obtain a job. Based on this purpose, references are professional documents that carry a lot of weight pertaining to the fact that they can make one get or loose a job and hence economic income. The common law of duty of care is applied in the intervention of conflicts which arise in the process of compiling this document. According to Myers (2011), there are, however, various ramifications involved in the process of giving references, while considering the common law of duty of care. First, the reference is supposed to be accurate while at the same time the employer confines himself within the terms of contract between him/her and empl oyee. If it is alluded in the terms that the trust and confidence must be maintained; and the employer disrespects this by way of disclosing information which depicts lack of trust by the employee then the employer must take full legal liability for having dishonored the terms and conditions of agreement. This on the other hand means the potential employer may suffer for considering the employee because of the hidden misconduct. As such the potential employee may consider seeking legal redress over the misinformation, holding the former employer liable for it. This is due to differences in terms and conditions of contract given by the two employers to the same employee. The major challenge in using this law to intervene in such a situation is that where the employee move from one employer to another with totally different terms and conditions of contract, the law becomes difficult to implement. Eden (2011) asserts that in order to reduce but not absolutely escape the risk of liabili ty for references, employers may refuse to give reference, limit reference to factual matters including dates of employment and job titles or include a disclaimer, i.e. that the reference is given on the basis that the employer accepts no liability which may arise from the reliance on the information therein. But there are guidelines to following considering the ways of reducing the risk of issuing references. The employer does not just decide to adopt one. Absconding from giving reference may not be a choice for the employer since the terms of contract implies it under the considerations. Considerations in the employment situation are promises made by the employer o the employee. They include things that have economic value and do not cover what was given in the past (Jones, 2011). It is an obligation for employers because failure to do so may amount to an individual missing out on employment opportunity. This can be challengeable in the court of law by the employee. Therefore they are obliged to issue recommendation upon request. A disclaimer is usually preferred by the employers. It somehow shields the employer from being victimized by the terms and conditions in his/her own company. It does not however absolutely protect him from legal suit. Disclaimer will be stated by the employer after having specified the employment details of the

Take home 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Take home 3 - Essay Example Its disadvantage is that it is slow and unstable and exposes vital organs to danger. In this way, the speeds attained by those species with bipedal abilities are far below those attained by the species that essentially use all limbs. Ostriches are among the fastest of bipeds even though their speeds do not compare well with those for quadrupeds.Bipedalism evolved due to the need to to free the hands for using tools as man and other animals evolved. B) When closely studied, the fossils of both Australopithecus anamensis and Australopithecus afarensis show that they were bipedal. In those records, all evidence in their knees, hips and foot morphology points to their having been bipedal.When compared to a modern human foot, the footprints called Laetoli Tracks in Tanzania point to a non-opposable hallux and an arch similar to that of a human being. Another piece of evidence displayed is that of the 7 Ma cranium which has an inferior placement of the foramen magnum which suggested that it was bipedal. The tibia of these species also had right angles between the shaft and the proximal surface which are evidence of bipedalism. These earlier hominids, though, are said to have been in the early stages of bipedalism given that further evidence has pointed to their using all four limbs especially for movement. 2.A) a) Orrorintugenensiswas discovered in Tugen Hills in Kenya in 2000. It is estimated to be between 5.7 to 6.1 million years old. Orrorin was bipedal given that its lesser trochanter protruded medially. From the evidence gathered about this hominid, its primary diet must have consisted of leaves and other forms of vegetation. b) Sahelanthropustchadensiswas discovered in 2001 in the Djurab Desert of Chad and was estimated to be about 7 million years. It was bipedal given that the shape of the anteriorly placed foramen magnum bore signs of bipedalism. More evidence points to it having

Strategic Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Strategic Supply Chain Management - Essay Example This has put nearly everyone’s job at a risk. No one knows for certainty how they will fare in the coming times or how the business will shape up due to its expanding horizons, changing market dynamics, economic upheavals, top management’s cozy attitude and so on. MultiChem Ltd might just hit the doldrums if it continues on this wave pattern and the laidback attitude that it has had for the past few years would not serve any real purpose behind its foundation as a laboratory producing small batches of chemicals for educational establishments, hospitals and private organizations. The tilt for bringing out the value proposition for the esteemed clients has started to change and that too in a very negative manner. The company has lost focus and just does not know what it wants to achieve and that too in unimaginable and non-calculated capacity. There is a great deal of soul searching which needs to be done if the results have to be positive by any stretch of imagination. MultiChem Ltd should remember the fact that it became a profitable business because it disseminated itself from the companies that produced large batches of chemicals and thus MultiChem Ltd was the only one within Central Europe which catered to the markets when the talk went out loud regarding the acquisition of small scale chemical batches. There was no other player in the market as such and if any cropped up on the scene, MultiChem Ltd had the funds and resources to buy out those organizations in a quick manner. This made the task of MultiChem Ltd pretty easy since it found out that the monopolizing factor within its business regimes has stayed for a long time and yet a sense of complacency made its way within the supply chain domains – indeed a quick recipe for disaster as far as MultiChem Ltd was concerned. The troubles started and that too from different angles. The focus was just not there and MultiChem Ltd knew

Why people should see or read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Essay

Why people should see or read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - Essay Example It can help them in identifying how they should develop their artistic and literary pieces. Media students need to realize that they can only sell their creative pieces if their creative pieces contain something or some elements with which their audience can connect. The way a creative individual allows his/her piece of creativity to connect with the audience is something that can be learned from the play. The play is about the dreams and the issues of the majority members of the society who either belong to the lower income or middle income earning families. Due to this the dreams that have been depicted in the book are quite related to the dreams that every common man experiences in their daily lives. The depiction of these dreams allows the audience to relate themselves with the characters of the play. Similarly, when students of media are creating their creative pieces they should ensure that their audience connects with the content and the characters of their creative pieces and that is only the way how audience attention can be

Prerogative Has Been Abused Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Prerogative Has Been Abused - Essay Example It is not surprising thus to witness managers terminating employees for any reason they deem fit, sometimes basing their decisions on pure discrimination and ‘whistle-blowing’. This largely creates conflict in the workplace (Price, 2007). A number of reports indicate that a good number of managers exhibit harassment to their subordinates, some sexual in nature. No wonder, a number of acts and pieces of legislations, the world over, prohibit discriminatory harassment including sexual harassment (Frankaro, 2007). The other area where managers seem to overstep their boundaries is in management of customer relationship and employee interaction. Related to this is placing bottlenecks of employees’ communication with clients and sometimes within themselves, tailored around the ‘ebb and flow’ of communication as defined by the management. Sometimes, managers consciously or unconsciously inhibit the flow of communication between workers to promote witch-hunti ng and cause incitement. Most of them are not cognizant of the fundamental requirement associated with this and sometimes base their fear and defensive action on their insecurities and inferiority complex (Gollan, 2005). Actions of some employers represented by the managers are de-motivating to employees. Micro-management is an issue that many employees detest. The practice sometimes arises from the concern of most managers to have particulars mini-details, and pressure to deliver results within a particular unreasonable timeline (Gennard, 2006). Much as it has been argued that micromanagement is effective to bring lazy and procrastinating employees into action, oftentimes, micromanagements could be based on pure inferiority complex and other set of insecurities or as a strategy to dismiss an employee. In order... The managers-subordinate relationship can be described as good and bad. Employees are tired of being bullied at the work-place and micromanagement does more evil than good. The solution for improvement, however, lies in managers taking a step to enhancing the cordial relationship. The delegation of duties is very important. These will facilitate a highly productive and warmer workplace that ensures employees recognition and positive sanctioning. The other way certainly is facilitating regular meetings between employees and managers, as well ensuring that communication between the two is promoted. employees become timid in taking initiatives and making sacrifices since they feel that whatever they do is not positively sanctioned. To the Manager, walling-up, and shutting-down his effort becomes the order of the day since she/he will harbor the belief that no one listens. Interestingly, behaviors of managers such bullying has led to incidences of physical confrontations and violence in the workplace. Bernadi, for example, reports a case a high profile violence of one Pierre Lebrun, who was working at OC Transport in Ottawa, Mexico, where the employee shot people, with five of them reportedly dying, and him ultimately committing suicide.

Impact of Globalization Essay Example for Free

Impact of Globalization Essay It has gradually evolved from the 1970s after the advent of different forms of high speed transportation and communication to the age of information technologies around the millennium, to make a single unified community where all the major sources of various social conflicts have disappeared (Scheuerman, 2010 and World Regional Geography, 2009). There are several ways of defining Globalization. As defined by Dr. Nayef R. F. Al-Rodhan (2006), â€Å"Globalization is a process that encompasses the causes, course, and consequences of transnational and transcultural integration of human and non-human activities. The effects of Globalization are manifold. It influences industrial sector, financial sector, labour markets and consumers of a particular country. On one hand it gives rise to more jobs and industries, however, on the other hand, countries are becoming dependant on the other country for a specific product/raw material. Additionally, because of outsourcing jobs from developed economy are being transferred to the developing economy, which has a negative effect on the developed economy and positive on the developing economy. 2. 2 Consumer Packaged Goods and Globalization Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) are sold at relatively low price and are non durable goods like grocery items, soft drinks etc. Large CPG manufacturer has an advantage of strong brands, greater geographical coverage and having major retailers. CPG industry is affected by the change in fashion, fads and consumer preferences, which in turn effects the purchasing decision of a consumer. Therefore, I believe that in the fast and ever changing world of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) it is imperative to discuss the effects of globalization on this industry. Additionally, there is immense pressure and intense competition between the manufacturers globally to fulfill the demand of consumers. 2. 0 Impact of Globalization on CPG Industry 3. 3 Costs and Benefits of Globalization on CPG Industry There are diverse ways in which globalization impinge on CPG industry. Some are beneficial for the industry and some aren’t. The good side of globalization is explained as follows: a. Profits from emerging markets: Procter and Gamble in year 2006, showed a total sales of US $ 68 billion, out of which US $ 21 billion was from emerging markets. Additionally, from 1992 to 2006, globalization has boosted the American economy by US $ one trillion in Gross Domestic Product (Veiders, 9th July 2007, Supermarket news). b. Consumer’s advantage: The consumer gets the advantage of choosing from wide variety of goods, in addition to the comparative advantage. Additionally, the offshore markets are producing goods at a price which is lower than the domestic production of a particular country. Though this is an advantage to the consumer, this could hamper production and associated profits in some countries (Oline Thompson, 2006, CPG Manufacturing) c. Foreign capital access: Foreign capital access is the main driving force of globalization. This in turn increases the investment power of a particular country to produce better produce economically (13th February, 1996, WTO News (press releases). The other side of globalization illustrates some problems faced by CPG Industry: a. Cultural disparity: A product that might be a necessity in one country might not be even known or used in the other, which would have a negative effect on the CPG industry while trying to encourage its use in a particular country. To cite a salient example, Brazilians usually don’t have breakfast, because they sleep late at night and consumers in China for breakfast eat hot, soft and savoury, while the North Americans love cold, crunchy and sweet breakfast. This was the difference analyzed by Kellogg Company in 2007 (Veiders, 9th July 2007, Supermarket news). b. Global Competition: In this fast paced environment any CPG company have to constantly innovate and differentiate their product, to maintain or increase their market share. Every year large number of new products are being roduced and capture the shelve space of the existing labels and compete with them.

It Was But A Dream Essay Example for Free

It Was But A Dream Essay From my home country, attending school is a blessing. It is an opportunity given to those who can. Education is a privilege for those who can afford, and a gift to those who cannot. But for a person like me, who somehow found having my nose at a book intriguing, college education was a dream. Living that dream is another wonderful experience all together. Fellow students and teachers became the drawing force of inspiration from deep within. They highlighted that going to school was truly what I wanted. To be constantly surrounded by equally educated individuals continues to tickle the mind. There was just so much to learn. It is not about doing what everybody else does. It is not about having the bragging rights of even attaining an education. It is all about fulfilling what is in my heart. This was my chance to have an education, and as a person of my country, I simply could not back away. Concepts The first step in achieving one’s dreams is to accept all challenges that come along with it. There were times when you would question if this was what you really wanted for yourself. It is not as easy as the fantasies make you believe. It is hard work. But nothing is ever free. Education is earned as much as everything else that we want to have as our own. The next step is to immerse yourself in the pool. Education, I realized, is not just through the books and the professors. Relating with other students gave the textbook definition more in-depth meaning. It gave the whole idea of schooling much deserved essence. Sharing with fellow students what you have learned in class is a simple yet overwhelming experience. In comparison to lower level education, college education is more diverse. Not only are there a wide array of programs and courses to choose from, but there are also a lot of cultures to learn and understand. Moreover, it is advantageous to be able to relate with these cultures. College was that door to go beyond barriers and closed minds. As a person who is of color, this aspect of cultural differences is an important highlight in further enhancing one’s education. Without being able to see beyond the color of one’s skin, one fail to completely learn what is there to learn. Inferences Based on my experiences, not only do I dream to have an education, but it would seem that the underlying objective is to understand and to be understood. College education is not just being able to learn Science, English, Mathematics, or Art. My experiences suggested an even bigger and better package. It is learning all that with fellow students. Professors are also students—in the sense that they learn from their classes as well. According to my perceptions of education, I am an open minded person ever eager to learn more about anything and everything. I have my own field of interest, like any other student, but a student will always give a different idea a chance. Keeping minds closed would be the greatest downfall of a college student. Within me, I will always bring my country. But I share that with other people for them to learn who I am and who my people are. Implications My college experience has been fruitful. It was another beginning to life’s adventures, to learn, to find, and to experience. It was never always an easy task. But at the end of the day, one would find that you gained more than what you gave away. The network of friends, students, and educators helped fulfill a lifelong dream. All the hardships, the challenges, the financial ties were all worth it. Earning my college education was not just a dream I fantasize about as a child and a young adult. It was something I really wanted—that made every challenge seem very minimal. The new ideas and friends made in every class and endeavor might become overwhelming. But I always remember that I feel that way because I learned something new. The challenges tire me, but I always take my victories. Point of View In the end of it all, I believe that everyone truly deserves a college education. A lot of individuals find school too tiring. To them, it would always seem that there is too much to do: too much to read, too much to write, and too much to achieve. Little did they realize that at the end of it all, it is not about having achieved too much. Instead, it is having achieved so much. It is given more than enough effort, more credit, and more attention. That leaves a person worth knowing. As it is said, a person who is education talks very little. There are a lot of other ways to share what you know, and to let people see what you have gained in school. It is unfortunate that more often than not, people fail to realize this reality: college is a life changing experience. It is not just the books, the school hours, the tuition, and fees. It is about keeping the mind active. I believe everyone should experience college. There is much nothing to fear except the belief that you cannot achieve anything. I might not have achieved the greatest of awards, but my college experiences are my life’s best teachers. That is considering that even having a college education is but a dream.

The Life of Elvis Presley

The Life of Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley, a actor and musician was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. From a very undistinguished beginning, Elvis Presley grew up to become one of the biggest names in music history. Even though some did not like the influence of Elvis Presley, Elvis impacted the music world in ways that is still reflected today. Raised by working-class, loving parents, Presleys family had very small spending money. Elvis Presleys family moved from location to location frequently. Elvis had a high respect towards his parents, especially his mother, Gladys, who raised Presley to have a strong faith, and trust in God. Presley attended the church, Assembly of God Church with his parents. Where gospel music became an important influence towards him which helped his career. In 1946, Elvis Presley received his first guitar as a present from his mother on his 11th birthday. A few years later at Humes High School in Memphis, Elvis had his first taste of musical fame when he won the school talent show. After graduating high school in 1953, Presley worked a numerous amount of jobs while living out his musical dream. He created his first demo record at Sun Studio the same year, and soon after that success, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take the young growing musician under his wing. Presley soon began recording and touring, trying to catch his first big break through. Presleys first single in 1954 was Thats All Right. In 1955, Presley began to earn a following with fans being very drawn to his provocative dancing style, good looks, and unusual musical style. Thae same year, Elvis became signed with RCA Records, a deal worked out by his new manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Elvis Presley was beginning to do big things like, scoring his first number. 1 single called Heartbreak Hotel, as well as his first number 1 album. In 1956 Elvis then signed a movie contract with Paramount Pictures. Besides the shock of Presleys sexy dance moves caused, he also became a very popular guest on a number of television, and a variety shows. Soon, Presley was everywhere, on the radio, television and the silver screen, working as a musician and actor. His first film, Love Me Tender (1956), was a box office hit. Even a draft in the U.S. military couldnt hardly have an influence on Presleys strong career. Elvis received his draft notice in 1957, and was drafted into the Army the coming up March. Elvis Presley then served in Germany for about a year and a half. While in Germany, his attitude was lifted slightly when he met a young teenager named Priscilla Beaulieu. After thankfully leaving the Army in 1960, Presley quickly resumed his musical and acting career ,and was quickly back at the top of the game with a soundtrack for his film GI Blues. Presley continued acting and recording music s such films as Blue Hawaii (1961),Viva Las Vegas (1964), and Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962). Though his many films they were often a miss or a big hit with both the audiences and the critics, they brought in a vast amount of money and the sou ndtracks mostly sold well. By the late 1960s, however, the famous musician and actor appeared to be losing his huge box office appeal. In 1968 Elvis proving he was still the King of Rock n Roll, cut his first TV feature. This was mostly referred to as the 68 Comeback.. Elvis amazed audiences with his performances, which brought to view his talents as a guitarist ,and also a singer. Around the same time, Elvis Presleys own personal life also seemed to be prospering. Elvis and Priscilla had their wedding in 1967 and had a sweet daughter named, Lisa Marie, the following year. Unfortunately, this unsprung time would not last. In the early 1970s, Elvis Presleys marriage was falling apart. Then in 1973 the broken couple divorced, and Priscilla received all custody of Lisa Marie. Presley was also overtaking other personal problems, including an amplifying addiction to prescription drugs; unfortunately the once very skinny rock star was battling a weight problem, and his cancerous lifestyle quickly caught up with him that fall, when he was sadly put in the hospital for drug abuse related health issues. Despite his personal issues, Elvis Presley remained a popular attraction on tour and in Las Vegas. On June 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana Presley performed at his last performance. After the concert, Presley returned home to Graceland, his memphis mansion, to prepare for another tour. Elvis Presley died of heart failure, at the age of 42 sometime in the morning of August 16, 1977. They later learned that Presleys death was related to his abuse of prescription drug use. Presley was buried on the Graceland property, near the gravesites of his father Vernon, grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley and mother Gladys. Throughout his very successful career, Presley helped rock n roll music in America grow to be popular. Presley also won three Grammy Awards for his wonderful gospel recordings. A huge musical atmosphere, Presley had 18 number 1 singles, including Suspicious Minds, Good Luck Charm and Dont Be Cruel, he also received many gold and platinum albums. Elvis was alone one of the first musicians to inaugurate into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986). Elvis has been appreciated for his addition in several musical genres, gospel, country and, most notably rock. Presley was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998 then, three years later, he was post-mortem selected into the Gospel Music Associations Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Presley has continued to be one of the worlds most popular music icons since his death. Presleys home, Graceland, in Memphis is open to the public, especially around Presleys the anniversary of his death, and his birthday, and numerous fans from around the world also visit the legendary residence annually. You should see this from our point-of-view. Its amazing, Priscilla Presley said during the event, according to the Washington Post. The candles are lit. Its truly a sight to behold This is something that Elvis would never, ever have believed could have taken place here. Even after his death, the Elvis legacy and influence continues to grow. His place in American culture has been cemented and younger generations have recognized him for the icon he is. From Elvis postage stamps to the opening of Graceland and founding of Elvis Week, the star has continued to capture the hearts and minds around the world.

The Health Benefits of Exercise :: Physical Exercise Fitness Health

You know that famous saying, "You are what you eat"? Have you as the young generation of today forgotten this important rule? It is a proven fact that we are seeing more and more overweight people at younger ages. Eating too much fat not only increases the risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, it is also the major contributor to those extra pounds of fat you may have added to your figure. Engaging in an exercise program can have dramatic effects on your weight and overall well-being. Everyone knows the many benefits exercise has for the body, both mentally and physically. And research has revealed what a great impact exercising at an early age can have as you grow older. Just as an example, exercise makes your bones denser, preparing you for a fuller, more active life when you’re older. Think of it as an investment. Invest wisely in your health when young. It is never too late to start. It is always hard to save money and refrain from spending the extra dollars, yet the outcome is very rewarding. You have to go the extra mile, do what others aren’t strong enough to do. Even if you eat well, as this is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle, is not good enough, you must exercise, exercise, exercise. And don’t look to pills and potions for a quick fix. No scientific data, to date, supports any of the intriguing claims of boosting performance or melting away fat. You aren’t going to obtain the look of an athlete without pouring out the sweat of an athlete. No one ever says its easy, because if it wasn’t hard then everyone would do it. You can think of the process of maintaining a healthy body to the making of wine. You first must put time and effort into growing a luscious arbor of grapes, pruning them just right. The benefits of this hard work is only seen after many years when you can finally enjoy a glass of the finest wine your sweet lips have ever tasted.

Emotion and Culture in Secret Life of Bees :: Secret Life of Bees Essays

Heart break, joy, love, happiness, The Book The Secret Life of Bees has it all! The book is about a young girls that accidentally shot her mother. After spending nine years with her abusive, and emotionally absent father, she decides to run away. So, she breaks her beloved nanny out of prison, and Lily escapes to Tiburon South Carolina, a town she links to her mother through the writing on one of her old possessions. While in Tiburon, Lily finds the calendar sisters three very different, very helpful sisters. The family agrees to take Lilly in, despite the fact that almost every white person in town frowns upon the very idea of this white girl staying in an African American household. While staying with the sisters, August, May, and June, Lily learns lots of things, ranging from bee keeping, to why and how her mother first left her. She falls in love, explores her past, and finds it within herself to forgive her mother for leaving her, and herself, for shooting her mom. This book is rich in both emotion, and culture. Although the main character in the book was white, the author, Sue Kidd, does a great job of depicting the African American culture during the time. Whether it was Rosaleen getting beat up in jail, or Zach dreaming of being a lawyer, this book showed you what it was like being a minority during a time when rights where still being fought for. One of the smaller conflicts in the story was a man verses man conflict, when Lily and Zach started to like each other. Though they knew that a colored man, and a white girl could never be together, they both were attracted to each other. Were they not from different cultures, people would have been fine with them dating, but because Zach was black, it couldn?t work out. Another internal conflict is how Lilly feels responsible for her mother?s death. When she was four, she accidentally shot her mom, and wasn?t able to forgive herself. The reason she runs away in the first place is because her dad tells her that her mom left her, which is both an internal, and man versus man conflict. She?s mad at her dad for saying it, but can?t fully convince herself that it isn?t true. There?s a man versus society conflict when men beat up Rossaleen because of her color, and another internal conflict when May is so overcome with grief that she cant stop crying.

Milk and Convenience Store

JOE-NETTE’S PASTILLAS DE LECHE PRODUCT – Food – We get are brand name by the combination of our names. The Joe-nette’s Pastillas de Leche, are sweet milk candies that are usually served for dessert. They are very easy to serve because you don’t need to cook to make pastillas. What we have is a no-cook fast and simple dessert recipe intenden to gratify your cravings right away. Also, cooking or heating any recipe is not necessary. All you have to do is to mix the ingredients together and there it is, super sweet delicious milk candy that you have for dessert in no time.PRICE INGREDIENTS: * 3 can of condensed milk (300ML)x (26) = P 78 * 2 powdered milkx (16) = P 32 * ? sugarx (12) = P 12 * 2 Japanese paperx (5) = P 10 * 5 bond paperx (1) = P 5_ P 137 PLACE In the public market, because many people that have a convenience store go there to buy a whole selling product to their stores. It is because the price of the product in the public market is lower than the price if you go in the supermarkets.Our target markets are those people that have a convenience store that usually go to public market for whole selling. PROMOTION We are promoting our product by the use of a whole selling. For example, when the consumer buy whole sale of pastillas they will have a discount like we can give him/her 3 packs of pastillas for only P100, so that the consumer will be convince to buy our product again and we can also offer them to be a supplier of their convenience store.

Consumers Markets and Culture Essay

Compare and contrast the changing experiences of consumers from the year 1900 until present day. How do the theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber help to explain the changing consumer experience and the emergence of contemporary consumer society? â€Å"Until the eighteenth century the word consumption meant waste†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Williams, 1976) As consumers our experience of consumption today is exponentially different from that at the turn of the twentieth century in the recently urbanised and industrialised modern nation. Consumer culture is traditionally described in terms of the arrival of mass consumption as a counterpart to mass production as a result of the Fordist system (Miles, S). Choice is one of the biggest factors of the changing experience for consumers, during the 1950’s after the austerity years the now aging baby boomers were part of large scale changes to consumption patterns. For example as women began to enter the work place leaving less time to run the home, products were being developed to ease the burden of housework, washing machines, fridges and vacuum cleaners were among these products; the ever-growing use of hire purchase to enable consumers to afford these luxury products, combined with Fordist methods of mass production reducing the manufacturing cost of the products allowed the economy to grow strong once again. As television grew in popularity advertising was increasingly utilised by businesses to sell their products creating a far more impersonal environment while shopping for products. From this time the standard of living has been increasing up until present day (The Economist, 2008) with the aspirations of society increasing further still. Marx presents his theories as a materialist understanding of society, explaining capitalism as an unequal system based on the exploitation of the lower class (Abercrombie N et al, 2006), a system based on surplus value being extracted, the capitalist’s entire aim is to maximise the gap between value produced and value paid for (Slater D, 1997). Which a hundred years  ago meant using Fordist methods of production to bring down costs and reducing the skill required of workers which in turn reduced the compensation needed for workers. The Fordist method of production first seen around 1911 (Cohen and Kennedy, 2007), Alienated workers from the act of production. In his theory of Alienation Marx describes human essence as being realised through labour (Abercrombie et al, 2006) and working as an alien activity that offers no intrinsic satisfaction as the worker has no control over what is produced; this loss of ownership and loss of control over the workers own life due to managem ent organising and enforcing the labour. Where during the early twentieth our working classes were exploited and Alienated, now capitalists in the quest towards decreasing wages and widening the gap between value produced and value paid for are increasing looking to less economically developed countries where costs of production, epically workers are much lower. The counties known as BRIC economic group (Brazil, Russia, India and China). By indiscriminately consuming as a society, this encourages the expansion of exploitation of foreign working classes. Bauman proposes post-industrial societies are governed by ‘aesthetics of consumption’ rather than ‘ethics of production’ (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007). Organisations such as Apple, Nike and similarly Primark are guilty of this system, the former two retailing premium priced products produced at the lowest cost possible cost, by attaching symbolic meaning to the products. Primark produces clothes at the lowest cost possible which are retailed for the lowest cost possible; consumers buy into this system with no feelings of guilt, as these products allow consumers to display possessions acting as social glue possibly due in part to the increasing Alienation of workers as society is increasingly detached from production with the service based economy we ‘enjoy’ today. Durkheim’s concept of Anomie is similar to Alienation, discussing Anomic suicide due to people no knowing how they fit in with society where possessions are used as social glue allowing consumers to display their beliefs and social groups. It is harder to relate Marx’s definitions of the class system as the proximity to production is becoming increasingly distant for most of society. â€Å"Every capitalist is trying to decrease the wages and consumption of their own workers and entice everyone else’s workers to consume to their limit and  beyond.† (Slater, D 1997) Marxism, as other modern economic theories believe, that the production and consumption of products is intrinsically connected, in the sense that incomes from production and consumer buying power are two sides of the same coin.’ (Slater, D 1997). This theory is particularly relevant now due to the current economic climate. As the recession began in 2008 many workers lost their jobs or suffered significant cuts in wages this resulted in a widespread reduction in consumer spending as a result society ended up a cycle of ever decreasing demand where the government had to intervene to stimulate spending. Of the stimulus the VAT reduction had an impact by reducing the cost of products, to reduce ever growing back up of cars as they still needed to be produced to keep the workers in employment the car scrapage scheme was introduced temporarily (Lloyds, 2009). In this scheme two thousand pounds was offered if a old car was scrapped in exchange for a new car. Capitalists driven to mass production, not by greed but conditions of capitalism (Edwards T, 2000), if not competing, competitors will capture markets through lower prices. This practice discussed by Marx leads to situations like the above were supply far exceeds demand. A good example of over production can be found by searching for any random product on a supplier listings website, Alibaba.com have over 64,979 different belt buckles available. Durkheim predicted that modern industrial societies would over-emphasise the importance of individuality which would erode social stability and solidarity (Schmidt, R 2010), consumers are sold their own individuality through advertising campaigns a few examples are: Dell’s ‘Yours is here’, My Yahoo. Products are increasingly customisable, mobile phone cases are a hugely popular consumer item. ‘Durkheim argues that people can only be happy when their wants are proportionate to their means. Left to themselves, human desires are boundless†¦ together with necessarily limited recourses, creates great unhappiness or ultimately suicide’ (Abercrombie et al 2006). Society controls the problem of unattainable goals by restricting desires through values aimed at permitting only goals which have some chance of attainment. The X-Factor is currently the most popular television program (Plunkett, J 2010) as dreams of mostly unattainable goals are being realised for a lucky number of consumers. This  is a stark contrast to the 1940’s where society was based around family values, working together to repair Britain where jobs were expected for life. Anomie describes the situation when this framework breaks down, goals again outrun means and suicide rate rises (Abercrombie et al 2006). Weber predicted that society would experience unprecedented inner loneliness of the single individual (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007), this is a very accurate description of the contemporary experience, more than ever consumers are looking to the symbolic meaning of products to identify with their desired social groups and status. Social media is an interesting way to examine the inner loneliness experienced, taking facebook where consumers might have several hundred ‘friends’ who are merely acquaintances, with few solid friendships, while there is pressure to appear to have acquired huge numbers of ‘friends’ on social networks. To explore further into the loneliness of individuals, one in three households now have just one member compared with one in five in the 1970’s (BBC, 2004) this is known as the ‘meal for one’ society, more than half the meals eaten in the UK are now eaten alone. Traditional family unit is also becoming less common, with predictions indicating that in 2011 more than sixty percent of marriages will end in divorce (BBC, 2004). Weber discuses formal rationalisation of society as it becomes more industrialised and that this rationality is inevitable, the greater calculability required for rationalisation has affected greatly the consumer experie nce (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007), consumers – save for the wealthy classes, have an impersonal consumption experience. Self service check outs are a perfect example of this, once a shop keeper in the local store, would ring through and bag up your products now in the national and often multinational store, consumers ring through and bag up their own shopping. The systematic measured approach to contemporary life has created a predictable almost emotionless society, the consumption of university is a relevant example to the author, students are recognised by their identification number only, few if any university staff will know student’s names, no individuality between the students leaving students to display their personality and attachments through the conspicuous consumption of goods with symbolic meaning. Whereas the baby boomers will remember university involving debates with friendly tutors, with little care about appearances. This system creates greater efficiency, economic growth and  control of nature, the ‘iron cage’ describes this situation. However it does lead society towards the theories of Anomie and Alienation by Durkheim and Marx respectively. Calculability becomes an organising principle in the overall personality where ever more of our behaviour is informed by consistent logical expectations of human beings and of the environment. Spontaneity and surprise are experienced less and less in society, with calculability everything becomes increasingly predictable, unexpected events are planned for and avoided through policies and rules. The commoditisation of adventure is a good example of the disenchantment of society, Disneyland and all it represents takes the excitement out of spontaneity due to the ‘iron cage’ of functionalism and rationality. Weber sees class defined by income, (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007) explaining that classes form around market positions, amongst people who share similar life chances which is relevant to the differences seen in society today from that at 1900, social mobility much more fluid with government actively perusing policies pulling people up the class system. The theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber are relevant to society today; Weber the youngest of the theorists has accurate concepts relating to the bureaucracy experienced in the post-industrial age which explain well the changing experiences of consumers. Durkheim’s theories on Anomie in relation to individualism and the breakdown of society while religions stability isn’t the answer are partially interesting in explaining how society consumes conspicuously, using products as social glue to find a place in society. Marx’s idea on Alienation of workers, as Anomie explains aspects of the consumer mindset today. The globalisation of business taking the class struggle Marx discuses around the world. The current economic climate demonstrates that capitalism has failings even if the least of these is disconnecting individuals from a more intrinsic and meaningful existences within society. â€Å"Capitalism simultaneously produces more goods and less effective demand to pay for them.† (Slater, D 1997) References Abercrombie, N (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 235| Abercrombie, N (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 360| Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 14| Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 18| Alibaba.com (2010) Search for Belt Buckles [Accessed on 19/11/2010] Available at: http://www.alibaba.com/Belt-Buckles_pid3391301| BBC News (2004) Portrait of the ‘meal for one’ society [Accessed on: 25/11/10] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3445091.stm| Buttler, C (2007) The Industrial Revolution. Flow of History.com [Accessed on: 22/11/10] Available at: http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/eme/17/FC0121| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire. P 300| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmill an, Hampshire. P 81| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire. P 94| Desmond, J (2003) Consuming Behaviour. Palgrave, Hampshire| Edwards, T (2000) Contradictions of Consumption: Concepts, practices and politics in consumer society. Open University Press, Buckingham| Lloyds.com (2009) Unsold cars face storage exposures [Accessed on: s19/11/2010] Available at: http://www.lloyds.com/News-and-Insight/News-and-Features/Market-news/Specialist-2009/Unsold_cars_face_storage_exposures| Miles, S (1998) Consumerism – as a way of life. London, Sage.| Plunkett, J (2010) Gardian.co.uk: X Factor steals the show with 13.6m viewers. [Accessed on 29/11/2010] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/29/x-factor-tv-ratings| Schmidt, R (2010) Functionalism and Consumption Lecture Notes. I know sorry, I just really liked the sentence.| Sekora, J (1977) Luxuary: The concept in western though. Eden to Smollet, Balimore. As quoted by Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 176| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 175| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 176| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 181| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge,

Educating African American Men

  In the last quarter century, the social and economic status of the African American male in the US has been described to be steadily deteriorating (Johnson, Farrell, & Braithwaite, 2001).   Ã‚  There are an estimated 18 million African American men in the US today, but majority of this number encounter problems and challenges unique to the African American community (Independent Lens, 2007).Numerous studies have shown that the rates of school failure, unemployment, homicide, incarceration, and other anti-social behaviors for African American males far exceed those for their Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian male counterparts (Johnson et al., 2001).Statistics from the Bureau of Justice show that African American victimization rates in 2000 alone were higher by 20% as compared to those in the general population, while homicide rate for African Americans have been 5 times higher than that of the general population for several decades.Homicide has been the primary cause of death for A frican American males between the ages of 15 to 34.   And while the percentage of African American men graduating from college has almost quadrupled since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, more and more African American males are earning their high school equivalency diplomas in prison each year instead of graduating from college (Independent Lens, 2007).The Bureau of Justice Statistics further provide that less than half of African American boys graduate from high school four years after entering the ninth grade.   More than half of the US’ 5.6 million African American boys (below 18) live in fatherless households, 40% of which are impoverished.And while the ranks of professional African American men have experienced a huge increase in the last four decades (for instance, as of 2004 there were 78,000 African American male engineers, which was a 33% increase in 10 years), 840,000 African American men remain incarcerated, with the chances of an African American boy serving time increasing nearly threefold in the last three decades (Independent Lens, 2007).Related studies further support the evidence presented by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.  Ã‚   Edelman and Offner (2006) in their study indicate that in inner cities, more than half of all African American men do not finish high school.   In 2000, 65% of African American male high school dropouts in their 20s were jobless – meaning, they were unable to find work, or were not seeking work, or were incarcerated.   By 2004, the number of jobless African American men increased to 72%, compared to 34% for Caucasian men, and 19% for Hispanic male high school dropouts.   In 2004 as well, half of African American men in their 20s were jobless, and these numbers unfortunately included African American men who had earned their high school diplomas (Edelman & Offner, 2006).Furthermore, the movement of the labor force away from factory-based jobs has left unskilled workers of all races with fewer and fewer job options.   As of 2004, 50% of African American men in their 20s who did not have a college education were jobless, while 72% of African American male high school dropouts remained jobless (Western, 2006).These staggering statistics perhaps sadly reflect the difficult life that many African American men in the US have to face.   The inequality and punishment that lower-income African American men must deal with on a daily basis has been much documented in many studies.These economic and social challenges may be rooted in the African American subculture, and would require an extensive analysis of the cultural patterns and behaviors.The statistics showing the unemployment rate of lower-income African American males have also shown that they do not receive the same kind of opportunity that their Caucasian counterparts may have – however, the statistics also show that this status of being unemployed may be largely attributed to the lack of education o f the African American male.Dropping out of high school, not completing a college education, incarceration – all these are factors which contribute to the social and economic deterioration of the African American male.As a way of addressing this social and economic deterioration of the African American male, this study will attempt to draw up a learning community which will allow for the African American adult male to achieve his fullest potential.  Ã‚   The paper will seek to establish a system of adult education wherein African American males may have the opportunity to elevate and improve their social and economic status in society.Section 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Background  Subsection 1.1.1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definition of a Learning CommunityThe concept of a â€Å"learning community† involves two distinct words which have been used in varying but traditionally separate contexts (â€Å"Learning Community – A Definition,† 1998).   The Encyc lopà ¦dia Britannica defines learning as â€Å"the alteration of behavior as a result of individual experience.   When an organism can perceive and change its behavior, it is said to learn† (â€Å"Learning,† 2007).On the other hand, TheFreeDictionary defines community as â€Å"a group of organisms or populations living and interacting with one another in a particular environment.   The organisms in a community affect each other’s abundance, distribution, and evolutionary adaptation† (â€Å"Community,† 2007).Taking the two definitions together, a learning community can then be understood to be an environment wherein a population lives and interacts with each other in order to perceive and change their behavior.Within the academic setting, more specific definitions of a learning community have been provided for in previous research studies.  Ã‚   The concept has been defined as something located in the context of education for the young â€⠀œ 4 or 5 years old until 17 years old – as composing â€Å"a group of students and at least one educator who, for a while and motivated by common vision and will, are engaged in the pursuit of acquiring knowledge, abilities and attitudes† (â€Å"Learning Community – A Definition,† 1998).Kowch and Schwier (1997) in their study defines a learning community as â€Å"a collection of individuals who are bound together by natural will and a set of shared ideas and ideals† (p. 1) and as composed of â€Å"autonomous, independent individuals engaged by influencing each other with a learning process† (Kowch & Schwier, 1997, p. 1).Cross (1998) provides for a similar definition of learning communities as â€Å"groups of people engaged in intellectual interaction for the purpose of learning† (p.4).In her outline, Kirby (2000) identifies different types of learning community models: · Technological learning community.   This model involves stu dents who are connected through technological communications.   The educational program, which is linked to schools, is offered online to students. ·Community education involvement.   This model involves entire communities participating in the operation of public schools and their educational outcomes. ·Cohort learning community.   This last model identified by Kirby involves students who go through an entire educational program or set of courses as cohorts.   Student cohorts are students â€Å"commencing a course of study in a particular year with a particular higher education provider† (â€Å"Glossary A-Z,† 2007).A cohort learning community may be presented in different ways: 1) college undergraduate students with the same major housed in the same dorm, with special arrangements provided for group study; 2) courses taught as a unit, whether for a semester or a school year, with the same students enrolled in each of the classes in the unity; 3) students be ginning an academic program together, being exposed to the same knowledge base, and eventually graduating together (Kirby, 2000).Each of these three learning community models may be applied in various ways and at various educational levels.   Past studies on learning communities have also identified different learning community models.   For instance, Shapiro and Levine (1999) categorized learning community models as paired/clustered courses, freshman interest groups, team-taught programs, and/or residential learning communities.On the other hand, Lenning and Ebbers (1999) categorized learning community models as curricular, classroom, residential, and student-type.  Ã‚   In their study, Freeman, Field, and Dyrenfurth (2001) integrate these previous models and have come up with four general categories for learning community models: ·Collateral course-based learning community model.   This category is identical to Kirby’s (2000) cohort learning community model.   S tudents may take two or more courses together as a cohort group.   This model may involve only two classes or the students’ entire course program for one or more semesters.   Educational programs may be discipline-based or cross-disciplinary theme-based. ·Residential learning community model.   Again, this is similar to Kirby’s (2000) cohort learning model, in that students live together in the same house or dormitory.   Unlike Kirby’s model however, this model proposed by Freeman, et al. (2001), does not necessarily require that the students take common classes or the same course.According to Shapiro and Levine (1999), the residential learning community model integrates the living and academic environment of the students involved. ·Freshman interest groups.   This learning community involves entering a freshman with a particular subject interest, not necessarily in the same major, and allowing the freshman to take grouped or linked courses around that specific area of interest. ·Student-type learning community model.   This learning model, such as honor students, and students with disabilities.   It may or may not involve common courses or living arrangements (Freeman et al., 2001).For purposes of this paper, it is important to understand the definition of a learning community since the latter basically pertains to a group of learners.   In this case, the particular group of learners are African American male adults.   It thus becomes relevant to provide a background on what a learning community is in order to understand how to set about developing an appropriate learning community for African American male adults.It is noteworthy to point out that application of one learning community model does not necessarily mean the exclusion of another model or models.  Ã‚   According to Freeman et al. (2001), a learning community may be structured by following either one model or a combination of models, or even an entirel y new and different model.There is no required or strict standard which must be followed since the needs of the student population or target audience will necessarily vary per environment.  Ã‚   Rasmussen and Skinner (1997) in their landmark study on learning communities provides for the following insight:â€Å"The best design will depend on [the] institutional environment and the specific disciplines to be integrated as well as the characteristics of the faculty and students who will participate.The goal is to provide a richer range of learning experiences to our students and contribute to a more vibrant and supportive campus environment for students and faculty alike† (Rasmussen & Skinner, 1997, p. 15).Regardless of the learning community model selected however, the essence of a learning community should be producing a collaborative, harmonious environment between the teachers and the students.   It should allow for greater interaction of students with their teachers an d peers.   Correlational evidence shows that students who participate in learning communities display more intellectual growth and get more out of their education than less involved students (Cross, 1998).

Marketing in a Higher Education Institution Essay

I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Jake Ansell, for all his support and encouragement during this challenging dissertation period. My gratitude also goes out to all academic and support staff of the MSc Marketing and Business Analysis course for what was an educational stimulating academic year. All the knowledge passed on and assistance given formed a solid foundation that was invaluable during the course of working on this dissertation. I would like to also like to take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to my family members, course mates and friends, who acted as pillars of strength by continuously keeping check and giving out words of encouragement during the dissertation phase. ABSTRACT The nature of the rapidly changing Higher Education (HE) industry has forced universities to implement more innovative marketing strategies. In order to remain competitive, there is a need for universities to not only engage in marketing strategies that are relevant to the existing HE context, but also be aware of foreseeable changes that are taking place to enable them to alter their positions and adapt smoothly without being left behind. This study investigates the marketing strategies employed by the College of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Edinburgh and the relevance of these strategies in the context of the fast-moving HE industry. Three main areas were studied in the literature review- demands of the industry, current marketing philosophies and practices within the industry and trends that likely to shape the future of the industry. A proper understanding of these areas is important as it used as a comparative yardstick to evaluate the College’s existing strategic position and the direction it is heading towards. Qualitative research was used given the exploratory nature of the study that aimed to uncover thoughts, experiences and ideas of respondents. In-depth interview was used as the main research method as there was a specific need to gather detailed information from select-few respondents based on their job expertise. On a smaller scale, focus group interviews comprising students were also conducted as a complementary research to generate their perception and views regarding the Higher Education Industry. Upon analysis, discussion of the findings was divided into three sections based on their relevance to the research questions and the gaps observed in the literature review. The key findings was that the general philosophy of the College’s marketing is in line with the existing standards expected of the HE, but there is inadequate marketing for undergraduate levels which was brought about by an arguably false interpretation of high demand. The study also shows that there is under-utilization of the role of student ambassador and lack of gender-based marketing, both of which were identified in the literature as important in keeping up with fiercer competition and addressing challenges of the future. In terms of fee structure, high-income household students are expected to pay the largest share of costs because of their ineligibility to apply for most loans and grants. However, they are seen to be willing to pursue HE studies and view it as an investment for a better career. Low and middle-income household students, although are not affected much at undergraduate level, are likely to seek employment after their studies instead of commencing a postgraduate degree. The findings and analysis brought about several recommendations which include focusing on international marketing to increase the level of international students, hence generating higher revenues that could be channelled at funding purposes for postgraduate level to increase participation of low and middle-income household students. Recommendations for strengthening marketing efforts at undergraduate level, tailoring gender-based marketing and efficient utilization of student ambassador schemes were also provided. The study concludes that while the current marketing philosophy fits the existing context (with exception to undergraduate level), a lot can be done to capitalized on emerging trends to ensure that the College is better prepared to deal with the changes of the future. 1.0 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION This Chapter will present the purpose of the research, along with the objectives that are aimed to be achieved. It also brings into attention the relevant research questions that the study seeks to answer. The Introduction Chapter concludes with a structure of report to demonstrate the organization and structural design of this study. 1.1 Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to analyze the current marketing strategies employed by the University of Edinburgh’s College of Humanities and Social Science and its relevance to the rapidly changing higher education industry, to enhance the knowledge available in existing research and also to set the foundation for further research. Existing research on higher education is vast but there is limited research on contemporary strategies in the fastchanging higher education industry. More importantly, there has been very few studies done on the University of Edinburgh and the Colleges associated with it, in terms of its effectiveness in executing marketing strategies and preparatory measures in dealing with future challenges. The objectives of this research are: 1) To investigate the relevance of marketing strategies adopted by the College of Humanities and Social Science with regards to the existing context of the Higher Education industry. 2) To investigate the competitiveness of marketing strategies employed by the College of Humanities and Social Science with regards to the foreseeable changes to the Higher Education industry. In order to do this, there was need to gain a general understanding on the Higher Education industry and also the transformations that it has witnessed and are likely to face in the recent future. Upon identifying the underlying and emerging factors that are set to affect the marketing strategies undertaken by the College, the study was limited to a focused area of study and the following research questions were derived: 1) Are the general marketing philosophies of the University of Edinburgh in line with contemporary standards expected in the Higher Education industry? 2) To what extent are Student Ambassadors being empowered and utilized as a marketing tool to provide the edge in a competitive student recruitment market? 3) Are there initiatives on gender-based marketing to capitalize on the trend of consistently increasing number of female students in Higher Education? 4) How would a new fee-structure, if implemented, affect marketing strategies in recruiting UK, EU and Overseas students? 1.2 Structure of Report The report is organised as follows: CHAPTER ONE: Reveals the purpose of the study and central issues that are observed. It moves on to identify the research objectives that the study endeavours to appreciate through the assessment of key research questions (previous section). CHAPTER TWO: Provides an overview of the Higher Education industry and explores three main section- demands in higher education, contemporary marketing philosophies and practices of the industry, and the higher education fee structure. Each section is concluded by establishing their relevance to the research questions being posed. CHAPTER THREE: Discusses the methodology used in addressing the research questions. This Chapter establishes the reasons for the selection of methods and techniques used, and highlights the limitations in place. It also provides reasons as to why other methods were not employed. CHAPTER FOUR: Provides findings from the primary research and analysis linking the findings to the literature review. This Chapter is divided into three sections- New-age marketing philosophies of the higher education industry, relationship between tuition fees structure and marketing strategies with regards to recruitment for UK, EU and Non-EU students, and under-utilization of resources to capitalize of emerging trends (student ambassador and gender-based marketing). It also critically discusses the strengths and weakness of the College’s marketing strategies. Recommendations were also provided in this chapter to counter weaknesses that were observed. CHAPTER FIVE: Concludes the study and reiterates the summarized findings, analysis and recommendations of the previous Chapter. Areas for future research and research limitations that could be improved on were also highlighted. Note: In this research, ‘College’ would refer to College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh. This is distinct from ‘University’ which would refer to the University of Edinburgh as a whole. Although this study is done in the College, the word ‘University’ will be used in some discussion areas which encompass both the College and the University. 2.0 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW The Literature review will emphasize on three areas: demands for Higher Education, contemporary marketing philosophies and practices of Higher Education, and Higher Education fee structure. A firm comprehension of these areas will provide a good understanding on the current structure of Higher Education and the direction it is heading towards. 2.1 Demands for Higher Education The implementation of effective marketing strategies depends significantly on clear understanding of demands within an industry. This section of the literature review aims to look into the patterns seen in demand, from both local and international perspectives, and how they have evolved over the years. It would seek to review motivations that drive demand for higher education and identify emerging trends that could have an effect on future demands in the higher education industry. Such understandings are vital for institutions in continuing to remain competitive and also in laying the foundations to facilitate possible changes in strategies for the future. Statistical figures show that in 1950, about 50,000 tertiary level students studied in institutions outside their home country (Brickman 1975). Europe and North America were the most popular continents of study destination and a vast majority of the students were from these regions. In terms of Asian students, few studied away from their home countries and for those who did, the majority followed the colonial path with students from India, the Malay Peninsula and Hong Kong heading to the United Kingdom and ones from Indochina preferring an education in France (Cummings and So 1985). Out of a total of 900,000 students who studied abroad in tertiary institutions in 1984, Asian students constituted about 45% of them in 1985. The sharp increase of Asian students was contributed by factors such as increment in income per capita in Asia which made it affordable for them to pursue a degree overseas and also the perception that overseas degrees were viewed as a platform to achieve good employment opportunities. Another contributing factor was the rapid expansion of secondary education in many Asian countries, hence creating more qualified tertiary-level applicants that the local education system could accommodate (Cumming 1984). Over the last decade, developed countries around the world saw a significant increase in demand for tertiary education and there have been a large volume of research in economic literature to assess and analyze the driving forces that brought about this shift. Albert (2000) states that all these studies lead to one major contributing force that has resulted in high demand for higher education; the positive association between level of education and income and career prospects. Testing this hypothesis in the UK context, Greenaway and Haynes (2000) reported that an average earning difference between a graduate and a nongraduate stands at  £410,000 while Skidelski (2000) through a study using a different methodology projects the figure at  £400,000. These figures are supported strongly by the report of UK’s Department of Education and Skill using Labour Force Survey data which estimated a lifetime average differential of  £400,000 as well (Greenaway and Haynes 2003). Therefore, given the similar period in which these studies were done, the UK figures asserts the findings of Albert (2000) whereby there is validity in the perception of association between income and level of education. Another important finding by Albert (2000) is the role of gender in explaining demand, in which women were noted to be relatively more motivated and inclined than men to demand for higher education on the basis that it would enable them to compete on par with men in career advancement opportunities. This is supported by Broecke and Hamed (2008) in which they stated that although women has been historically under-representation in higher education, statistics show that by 1992, they have caught up with men in terms of participation in England and as of 2008, are ahead of men by 7.2%. In a report submitted to the United Nations, Johnson and Vanderpool (2003) found that in the Carribean, the number of women in higher education outnumber that of men, and in some institutions even show 3.2:1 ratio. It is also estimated that the ratio could go up as high as 8:1 in favour of women. In the United States, the participation of women in higher education increased from 43% in 1971 to 56% in 1997 and the gap continues to widen (United States General Accounting Office 2000). In the UK context, the numbers of undergraduate female student applicants over the past 3 years have been consistently placed at 56% compared to male student applicants at 44% (see Appendix 1).This trend is of importance to higher education marketing in terms of weighing the importance of gender in relation to the establishment of target groups. While women may be seen as the ones more inclined to embrace higher education, it also indicates that little focus have to be channelled to them in marketing campaigns as compared to males. In terms of undergraduate students in the UK higher education industry, a significant portion of 88% consists of UK students in 2009/10. This is followed by Non-EU and EU students at 8% and 4% respectively. Figures based solely on undergraduate students enrolled on a full time basis indicate that UK students emerge as the significant front runner with 84% ahead of Non-EU students at 10% and EU students at 6%. As for part-time undergraduate students, UK students are again the majority at 94% followed by Non-EU students at 4% and EU students at 2% (see Appendix 2). Although the pattern across both these modes of study is quite similar, there is a difference in terms of percentage variation between the 2009/10 enrolments compared to the previous academic cycle of 2008/2009. While all full time students regardless of geographical background recorded a positive variation in enrolment, UK and EU part time students recorded a decrease in enrolment by 3% and 7% respectively. Only Non-EU part -time students registered a positive increment from 2008/09 to 2009/10 with an increase of 6% (HESA 2011). Sastry (2004) argues that the number of students obtaining postgraduate courses immediately after their undergraduate studies is expected to rise due to the fact that there has been increasing number of graduates over the years. Therefore, as supported by Hesketh and Knight (1999), postgraduate study is viewed as an option for undergraduates to differentiate themselves from the pool of other graduates seeking employment. Non-EU students make up about 43% of overall full-time postgraduate students in UK in 2009/10. This consists of a significant portion of total postgraduate students and the number has nearly doubled in the past seven years, indicating that this is a recent and emerging trend (HESA 2011). Overall, without taking UK into account, Non-EU students constitute 69% of students at all levels of study (see Appendix 3). This trend has seen the number of Non-EU students increase by almost 200% from 1995 to 2010. Income received by higher education institutions from Non-EU students during this same period has also increased significantly from  £455 million in 1995 to  £2,580 million in 2010 (see Appendix 4). Given that this is now a major market for UK tertiary institutions, there has been a rise in efforts taken to continue reaching prospective students abroad (Hemsley-Brown and Oplatka 2006). Important factors that come into play when assessing the ability of the UK higher education to remain   attractive are the standard and reputation of institutions, the expansion of local education system in countries abroad, particularly China and India, and the competitiveness of the UK market as opposed to other study destinations (Ramsden and Brown 2008). Employment opportunities in the UK is also a reason for Non-EU students to take up a postgraduate course as students who have studied in the UK for at least one full academic year would be eligible to apply for a Post-Study Work Visa. Guruz (2009) stated that incentives in the form of research grants and employment opportunities abroad are major forces that are considered by foreign students when choosing a study destination. However, it has to be brought into attention that the current UK Government has tightened visa regulations and the Post-Study Work Visa would be abolished in 2012 (The Guardian 2011). Therefore, the changes in regulation may bring about significant changes to the enrolment of international students in postgraduate courses in the UK. UK students consist of about 45% of the total number of full-time postgraduate students in the region, almost similar to the number of Non-EU students. However, UK students make up 82% of the part-time postgraduate students in 2009/10 (HESA 2011). This is partly due to the fact that the high postgraduate fees require students to work in order to finance themselves. Other contributing reasons include company scholarship and students not wanting to leave their jobs in times of economic turmoil (Jongbloed 2003). EU students make up about 12% of full time postgraduate students, with most of its students coming from the new countries admitted into EU since 2004. However, increasing or perhaps even retaining the current level of enrolment of EU students may be a challenge as projections show that the population of 1830 year olds in EU are set to fall by 14% over the next 20 years. Of the new countries admitted into the EU in 2004, it is projected that their combined population of 18 year olds will decrease by a significant 37%, from 1.5 million in 2007 to 1 million in 2027 (Ramsden and Brown 2008). Reviewing this section shows that there is an increasing number of Non-EU students, particularly Asians, opting to study out of their home countries. Overall, over the years, there are a growing number of students who embark on higher education and one of the major contributors to this is the positive association between level of education and career prospects. The secondary research also reveals that although the majority of undergraduate students come from the UK, most of the postgraduate students in the UK are made up of Non-EU students. The trend of growing number of female students in the higher education industry was also observed. 2.2 Contemporary Marketing Philosophies and Practices of Higher Education In order to remain relevant in rapidly changing industry, it is important for institutions to keep abreast with current needs of the market and changes that are required of the industry to remain competitive. Therefore, this section of the literature review attempts to assess the paradigm shift of traditional higher education marketing to contemporary strategies required by the industry and also look at key areas that could be fully utilized to enhance the efficiency of higher education marketing campaigns. The marketing of higher education needs to encompass the traditional emphasis on product, place, price and promotion but also include people, process and physical evidence through a service-oriented marketing approach which gives due credence to the value of the intangible and inseparable. In this context, the components of people, process and physical evidence have been altered slightly to represent a more appropriate connotation in regards to the higher education industry. Newman and Jahdi (2009) described people as ‘calibre’ or ‘champions’ whereby such human qualities in an institution would be pivotal in attracting students. This echoes the view held by McGrath (2003) in which a positive correlation between the development of education market and high priority on variables such as managerial competence, role-model associations and performance. The component of process has been defined as ‘capability’, where issues such as communication between the institution and prospective student, relationship marketing and enrolment procedures should be handled efficiently to gain competitive advantage. Newman and Jahdi (2009) further asserts that considerations as small as publicising opening hours for consulting and enrolment purposes as well as offering refreshments could, once combined, prove to be the ‘added value’ that would inevitably enhance the end service that is being marketed. The final component, physical evidence was represented by ‘charisma’, whereby elements such as geographical location, facilities and amenities are taken into account. Factors such as history and heritage of a location and the tradition of graduation ceremonies could provide a sense of identity that students would take pride in being associated with the institution (Roper and Davies 2007). However, Newman and Jahdi (2009) stated that the implementation of marketing mix could potentially lead to adverse consequences as marketing rhetoric may not necessarily always reflect educational reality. They go on to state that although there are indications that higher education marketers have started to take the leap into focusing on people, process and physical evidence, these elements need to be expanded to include contemplation and thoughts of higher education from staff and students as this would be able to minimize the mismatch of the marketing rhetoric and the reality of the environment. Critically, Newman and Jahdi (2009) also argued that knowledge and skills acquired in tertiary educational institutions should not be conveniently marketed as mere commodities that are to be sold as predetermined packages to those who have been targeted. Instead, there should be a genuine attempt to convey that education is a challenging industry that would require effort and planning by students, hence projecting the reality. Evans (2004) holds similar views about the need to craft a marketing effort that is as close to reality as possible, particularly given the context of the current climate whereby effectiveness, quality, competition and evaluation are a matter of public discourse and information are widely available and easily accessed. This is supported by Crosby et al. (1991), in their argument that a false representation in marketing could lead to adverse effects and negatively impact upon the credibility of an institution. Therefore, although not predominantly derived from a moral standpoint, the need to eliminate unsubstantiated benefits and other positive associations with an institution is vital in terms of marketing implications as failure to appreciate this growing issue may cause an institution’s credibility being put to question. Student ambassadors are very much part of UK higher education institutions and they have been known to assist in marketing efforts of their respective universities, predominantly via engagement with prospective students through campus tours. In recent times, student ambassadors have widened their scope of marketing operations and have now extended their services through handling multiple tasks, which include organizing residential summer schools to help prospective students to gain insights into university lifestyle in hope that this would encourage them to take up higher education courses. Another new area embarked by student ambassadors is their participation in mentoring activities, particularly for the disadvantaged youths (Ylonen 2010). These recent expansion in their activities have been encouraged the former Labour government’s initiative to expand participation in higher education for groups that are under-represented through its Aimhigher programme. In analyzing the relationship between higher education decision-making amongst the young and the role played by student ambassadors in this aspect, Gartland and Pacsuzka (2007) found that student ambassadors who are deemed trustworthy by prospective students could play a key role in widening their participation gap as prospects are more likely to consider them as a preferred choice of contact point when making further enquiries, especially if they do not have a family background in higher education. This is supported by Reay et al. (2005) in their argument that information gathered through relationships and networks are taken more seriously compared to ones obtained from official sources such as prospectuses and the Internet. Therefore, student ambassadors can potentially be seen as mediators and their interventions would greatly influence decisions made by prospects. Taylor (2008) argued that one of the challenges faced in institutions is to connect the territories of academia and school environment and hence, the role of a student ambassador fits in well as although they speak from the standpoint of the institution, there is not much difference in the age bracket between both these groups and this would create a more casual and appropriate comfort zone for prospective students to engage in. This finding is particularly relevant to marketers in determining the age group of candidates to be selected as student ambassadors, given that they consist of not only undergraduates but also mature postgraduate students. In a study of an Aimhigher programme in south-east London, Ylonen (2010) found that most student ambassadors had very vague ideas of what they thought their tasks would be like and many of them stated that their expected roles as perceived during training and their actual roles were very different. Although they generally had sound knowledge of higher education lifestyle and its environment, many lacked the thorough knowledge of procedures that occur within an institution, such as financial issues. Coordinators, most of whom are marketing officers within their respective universities, have also noted that many potentially good student ambassadors failed to apply because they did not see themselves to fit into the characteristics set by the coordinators (Terion and Leonard 2007). These weaknesses are of relevance to higher education marketing units as contemporary research suggests that despite having a valuable student capacity in the form of student ambassadors, their potentials are being under-utilized due to administrative and training setbacks. The flaws seen in this system is viewed to be largely due to the fact that there isn’t a national model of the student ambassador scheme to be used as a guideline and all higher education institutions are expected to craft and implement their strategies independently. Although it is important to have flexibility and a certain degree of autonomy, a scheme without guidelines can arguably be go astray and lose its sense of direct ion (Ylonen 2010). Literature in this area of study reveals that in terms of higher education marketing, there should be a focus on service-oriented marketing through an innovation of the extended 4Ps, which would include the elements of ‘calibre’, ‘capability’ and ‘charisma’. Apart from that, it also indicates that the growing importance of the role of student ambassadors have gone large unrecognized. Despite them being available in most universities, there is a lack of effective utilization of these roles. 2.3 Higher Education Fee Structure The future of higher education in the UK has been put into uncertainty by the recent changes in tuition fees policy and many are unsure as to how these changes would impact on demands by students across levels of households. Although the changes have been made effective in England and Wales, the Scottish Government has yet to make an official announcement on this issue. However, a comprehensive review of the changes that have been taking place in the fee-structure and how it has affected the industry as a whole and demand, in particular would enable higher education marketers to prepare for the changes that although unclear, appear to be imminent. The financing of the higher education industry has been a subject of debate for the past five decades and had been given high priority by successive governments, regardless of political inclinations. During this phase, there has been a shift from a fully-funded taxpayer scheme to a ‘cost-sharing’ system, whereby students are required to cover a certain portion of their tuition fees (Dearden et al. 2010). The change of system sparked a wide range of concerns, particularly the reservations that it would lead to a lower level of participation (Connor and Dewson 2001). The introduction of the 1998 Teaching and Higher Education Act was the first significant change made to the higher education financing structure as it marked the unprecedented introduction of tuition fees at a cap of  £1,000 a year for degree courses (Claire and Jonathan 2005). Maintenance grants that were previously offered were reduced  in stages and later eliminated only to be replaced with maintenance loans which were established in 1999 (Christie and Munro 2003). The 2004 Higher Education Act paved way for another significantly policy to be put in place in 2006, which saw the implementation of deferred fees which was applicable to all students, regardless of economic background (Harrison 2011). The new fee had a cap of  £3,000 and universities had the prerogative to decide the amount to charge each student (Dearden et al, 2004; 2005). Fee loans were provided, only to be repaid by students after graduation if they’re earnings were above  £15,000. Apart from that, the 2004 Higher Education Act also reinstalled maintenance grants which were to be distributed to poor students (Harrison 2011). In the year 2006, the value of this grant was significantly increased. As a result of the introduction of tuition fees along with the substitution of maintenance grants with loans, many argued that it would not only lower participation but also be discriminative against students from lower-income households (Dearden et al. 2010). On the contrary, there were also proponents of the new system who claimed that requiring student to contribute to their studies would instil a sense of responsibility in them and hence, at a larger scale, increase efficiency and quality of higher education (Greenaway and Haynes, 2003; Goodman and Kaplan, 2003). Apart from that, the benefits gained by higher education in terms of wages and salary brackets would offset the negative impact caused by the introduction of tuition fees. Another advantage of imposing tuition fees is that only students who are committed on acquiring skills and knowledge would enrol into institutes and not ones who wish to have prolonged ‘laddish’ times, hence in a way addressing the issue of youth unemployment (Lange 1998). It is also interesting to note that in the UK, government spending on higher education continues to grow despite larger share of financial burden being on placed students as shown by 2007 figures whereby  £918m,  £349m and  £564m were spent on maintenance grants, student fee loans and maintenance loans respectively (Dearden et al. 2010). In 2010, another significant policy change was made to the higher education financing structure in England and Wales, whereby the upper tier for tuition fees was increased from  £3,000 to  £9,000 (BBC 2010). While poorer students would be protected by a large number of scholarship and bursaries, students from middle and high-income households would be the group that is most negatively affected (Directgov 2011). Highly successful students who go on to land high paying jobs would also be affected as they would be required to pay loan amounts that are significantly higher than those with average incomes (The Guardian 2010). In the case of Scotland, the Cubie committee was formed in 1999 following the Scottish devolution to look into the higher education financing. The Cubie Report (2000) proposed that an endowment scheme be put in place and through the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001, students were required to pay  £2,000 when their annual earnings reached  £10,000. The repayment was later raised from  £2,000 to  £2,289 for students commencing their studies in 2006/07 academic period (The Cubie Report 2000). However in 2007, the government tabled the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill which aimed at scraping the endowment scheme and the move was approved in 2008, hence restoring free education in Scotland (BBC 2008). Based on the United States context, Kent (1994) studied the relationship between the state’s public spending on higher education and the impact of tuition fee costs on higher education participation. The finding was that $1,000 increase in tuition fees would bring about a 3.7ppt reduction in participation among African Americans. On a wider scale, Kent (1995) found that there was a reduction in participation among Americans in higher education, in which a $1,000 increase in fees resulted in a 2.4 decrease in participation. On assessing a policy made in 1982 which led to financial aids being removed from students with deceased, disabled or retired father, Dynarksi (1999) found that the impact of aid withdrawal led to decrease tertiary participation by 3.6ppt. Supporting this finding is a study done by Seftor and Turner (2002), whom upon analysing the impact of aid withdrawal, found a small impact of reduction in participation by 0.7ppt per $1,000 of aid withdrawn. The UK context of higher education financial constraint on students and its effects on participation can be viewed at two separate phases; the 1998 reforms and the 2006 reforms as described earlier. The 1998 reforms, in terms of grants alone, saw low income students being the most significantly impacted, with participation estimated at 2.3ppt lower than what it would have been without the abolishment grants (Dearden et al. 2010). On the other hand, the increase in loans received by this group resulted in an increase in participation and hence, offset the negative impact brought about by the abolishment of grants. Therefore, there were no significant changes to participation for the lower income group. High income students, however, recorded a reduction of 5.4ppt in participation as even though the abolishment of grants had no impact on them, the increment of tuition fees was a significant impact (Dearden et al. 2010). Study on the 2006 reforms showed that both the lower and higher income groups did not record overall changes in participation (Forsyth and Furlong 2003). Therefore, this section of the literature indicates that despite concerns by many that an increment in tuition fees can be discriminatory towards lower income groups, studies have shown that the negative impact brought by the hike in fees are often outweighed by grants or loan packages. This also brings about serious implications to higher education institutions on deciding the type of financial assistance and the accurate target groups to ensure that participation does not see an unhealthy dip. Such a consequence could be detrimental to the economy of the country as many research seem to suggest that the economic well being of a nation state is directly associated with the level investments spent on education (Barro and Sala-i-Martin, 1995; Bassanini and Scarpenta, 2001).