Race, Gender, and Work Experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race, Gender, and Work Experiences - Essay Example Various social clusters of individuals are classified according to their assignments, manner of conduct, and also the way of dressing. People are also grouped according to their level of income, status, influence, and supremacy within the society. There is a notion that there are jobs that suits women and those that suit men. It is important to point out that gender inequality has been prevalent in the work places (Satzewich 4). I work in a car mechanical repair shop as a receptionist in Edmonton, Canada. According to the Gender Gap Report of 2013, Canada is positioned at position 23 in terms of gender inequality and position 9 in gender inequality on the basis of economic involvement and opportunity. The 2010 NHS statistical data showed that the average level of income of native immigrants with a certificate, diploma, or degree certain was $55, 825, while that of native non immigrants averaged $69, 999. NHS statistics in 2011 showed that the average income of individuals who were not a visible minority averaged $ 42,196 while that of visible minorities were lower. For instance the average income of Chinese was found to be $34, 301 (SOC 260 Lecture 7). Handy jobs as car repairs are considered the jobs of men. Society believes that a female can only have less demanding roles as sitting behind a desk all day answering calls. In my place of work, most workers are male. I have only one female colleague who works as a receptionist too. In my opinion, female workers have better social skills as compared to men that enable them to deal with customers effectively. It is important to consider the fact that gender inequality has been prevalent almost everywhere in the world. Gender inequality is supported by a number of theories. For instance, ladies are structured on a particular aspect within the society. They are considered to be affectionate and less proficient. This theory is referred to as ambivalent sexism. Therefore, women end up being labeled with a lot of sympathy while men are considered skilled. Men are conventionally considered officious and dominant. (Linda and Brooks 185). There are many social problems associated with inequal ity within the society. As a result of discrimination, some people may result to delinquent behaviors. Research has shown that places with high levels of inequality have high levels of crime related incidences. Other associated problems include eating disorders leading to obesity, and also mental illnesses (Linda and Brooks 197). Traditionally, women were required to stay at home and perfume household chores such as cooking, washing, and looking after children. Men, on the other hand, spent their whole day working in the farms and earning a livelihood in order to take care of their families. Conventionally, work is considered a result of history. Various jobs were designed in a way that does not allow an individual to be involved in other duties such as looking after children and other household activities. This is because these jobs are very demanding and multitasking would affect the quality of work. Society requires women to bear children, breast feed them, and look after them (D emaiter and Adams 33). Many job descriptions in the modern world lack provisions for these feminine activities. How Race and ethnicity affects experiences in the workplace The ethnic background of an individual plays an important role in how s/he is treated in the work place. I am a Chinese by race and ethnicity. It is evident that i have tried to lessen

Modern Warfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modern Warfare - Essay Example There does not seem to be the romanticized notion of patriotism so often heralded by authors within the working class. This is especially so with respect to the Vietnam war. In the draft during the Vietnam War, the middle class were almost protected. "Vietnam was more limited, and the military was determined to channel bourgeois and even middle-class youth away from combat" (Appy 1993). Indeed, it has traditionally been the working class that have been convinced that their servitude would benefit them when in fact the benefit fell to the higher classes. Promises such as forgiven student loans, GI Bills, medical insurance, a ten thousand dollar sign up bonus, promises of training that will lead to promising civilian careers and a multitude of other benefits seem like a miracle for a group of people who are not economically exposed to such seeming luxuries. Consistently, the working class, already a group accustomed to taking orders is taken advantage of. The Cold War saw miners in Canada loosing their jobs without any benefits. At first, miners were encouraged to retire with the introduction of benefit packages. However as time progressed, miners who were on the edge of retirement had to literally "hang on" in the hopes of receiving their full benefit package. Mines were operating at far less than a five day week. There was also a drop in the need of railway steam coal. World War I found the entry of women into the work force. While not at battle, women were in operation making clothes, sending supplies and still supporting their families. Thus economically speaking, the working class women were able to add to their economic circumstance. During the time between World War I and World War II, there was a loss of markets for what is considered to be staple industries. These industries included coal, iron, steel, ship making and textiles. This loss combined with technological advances which allowed for increases in production culminated in the loss of over a million jobs for the working class. The touted gains from these two wars did nothing to balm the suffering of the working class. In the Iraq war, which still looms, stop-loss (the practice of unilaterally extending a soilder's stay in his or her station) has been consistently upheld in the courts. Working class soldiers have seen that contracts are absolutely meaningless in their military and civilian world. Perhaps this is why there is not so much shock when a stop-loss tactic is pulled against them. After all, at home in civilian life, most working class employees must put in their mandatory overtime hours or they risk loosing their jobs. Fairness and promises are not concepts that the working class are accustomed to in either their military or civilian roles. Further, the working class members fail to see any of the benefits that they are promised. Veterans consistently see cutbacks in their benefits. Scandal after scandal results in exposing the utter lack of care or compassion that veterans receive. This is also so for unemployment in the working class. The New Deal Era brought many programs such as unem ployment. However, as the economy now stands, improperly

Etiquette Essay Example for Free

Etiquette Essay Discuss the importance of business and dining etiquette for international/global business students for their career success. Etiquette is a kind of rules that apply to social communications, professional workplaces and other important areas. In today’s business environment, proper business etiquette is a kind of business skills, which makes us stand out from others and makes a good impression to others, enhance our opportunities to be success (Sheahan, K. , 2013, para. 1) Proper business etiquette can help us to make a good impression during our job interviews. In a business environment, interviewers are more likely to be attracted by the interviewees who show good professional skills. Using proper business etiquette when we participate in a job interview can make a good impression to the interviewer, this increases our opportunity to be hired. For an instant, an interviewee who attends an interview on time, with proper wear, bring a pen to be in case, make more eye contact and understand the proper time to be the turn to speak has more chances of impressing the interviewer than the interviewee who is late or always talking without listening. These interviewees act good etiquette can make interviewers believe they are respected, professional and serious. Good business etiquette can promote our careers in the future (Sheahan, K. , 2013, para. 3). There is no doubt that the networking is significant for today’s business success, and etiquette is one of the key ways to build good relationships with others, so that our personal network could be expanded positively. There are number of business etiquette rules we should follow during our daily business activities, such as hand shaking, eye contact, and listen to others. And also dining business is very common in today, business dining etiquette is a kind of common business etiquette. If we do not understand the dining etiquette we may easily hurt our business relationship, so follow the dining etiquette is as important as daily face-to-face business etiquette (Hickman, K. , 2011, p90).

Korsgaards Position About Lying To The Murderer

Korsgaards Position About Lying To The Murderer In this paper I will discuss Christine M. Korsgaards position about lying to the murderer at the door in response to Immanuel Kants view regarding the matter. I will then give two objections to her view and explain why I dont find her account to be very persuasive. Then, I will argue why I believe that lying to the murderer at the door is permissible in my opinion. I will start off by explaining Kants view. Kant believes that his moral theory forbids lying under all possible circumstances, even those where there is a murderer at the door wondering if an innocent victim is hiding in your house. After all, if everybody lied, even just to murderers at the door enquiring about the whereabouts of their victims, then the lying could not succeed since no murderer would believe what one says, and therefore lying violates the first form of the Categorical Imperative, which Kant calls the Formula of Universal Law. Similarly, the lie violates the second form of the Categorical Imperative, which Kant names the Formula of Humanity. The lie fails to respect the rationality of the murderer, since by lying we manipulate the murderer into actions directed at our own intensions and ends. Since the liars end is opposed to the end that the murderer has willingly chosen for themselves, the liar fails to treat the murderer with respect and dignity and therefore trea ts the murderer merely as a means to get what they want. Lying even in such an extreme case as the murderer at the door is a Imperfection violation of the Categorical Imperatives according to Kant. Korsgaard goes against Kants assertion that it is wrong to give the murderer at the door the wrong answer arguing that it does not violate the Categorical Imperatives to lie in these circumstances. She further discusses that it is a duty to lie to the murderer at the door and expands on her reasoning. Korsgaard comes up with a two level theory on which the first form of the Categorical Imperative would apply under all circumstances and the second only when one is defending oneself or another against evil. In order to defend Kants first Categorical Imperative, Korsgaard argues that it is in fact permissible from a Kantian point of view to universalize the maxim, or principle that governs action, when lying to the murderer at the door. She argues that the first form of the Categorical Imperative is not violated in the case where the murderer makes a secret of their murderous intensions. She explains that if the murderer at the door does not know that the recipient knows they are murderers, that the murderer will think that the recipient will believe that they are just a friendly neighbor trying to find out where their friend is for example. In other words, she believes you can universalize a maxim in which you respond to evil with an effort to frustrate evil through deception, where the evil person is unaware that you are aware of his plan. The evil person, or murderer, does not realize that you are in the position in which you would use this maxim; therefore you would be able to use th is without frustrating your purpose to successfully get away with your lie. Imperfection In order to defend Kants second Categorical Imperative, which explains that we must respect each others rational nature by always treating others with respect and dignity and never merely as a means, Korsgaard argues that it is permissible to not abide by this formula due to the fact that the murderer is not respecting your rational nature by lying to you in the first place. Korsgaard argues that we are permitted and also have a duty to mutual aid one another and lie to the murderer at the door out of self-defense. She believes that in order to protect yourself you may respond to a lie with a lie. The murderer is not offering you the grounds to consent to his activity with him, so Korsgaard believes that you are not obliged in response to offer transparency. Part of her argument is that you are being lied to, and you have a duty of self-respect, not to allow yourself to be used as a tool for evil. Korsgaard explains that this makes it possible to lie back to the murderer. She also ma kes a point that we must protect one another, especially if the person you are protecting is innocent. Korsgaard also believes this in this case you would not be abusing communication by the lie. Korsgaard relates more with the non-ideal Kantian view versus the ideal Kantian view in which Kant takes. Ideal Kantian theory is how we are permitted and obliged to behave if we lived in a society where we all followed the rules and we were of good will and good faith. This theory explains how flawed and imperfect but good human beings would be required to behave in respect to one another. Non-ideal Kantian theory on the other hand is relevantly different. It explains how we are required to behave when many of us are of good will but Imperfection many of us are also not of good will. Korsgaard relates non-ideal Kantian theory to this case, the murderer is not acting on a good will. She believes that in non-ideal circumstances we have justifications for treating each other in such ways that we wouldnt treat each other in ideal circumstances. Although I think Korsgaard has made some interesting claims, I believe her arguments have not been fully persuasive. My first objection to Korsgaards argument is that I believe she misunderstands how Kantian universalization is supposed to work. Korsgaards account will not defend Kant successfully because it only works under certain circumstances. This is Korsgaards main flaw in her assertion Universalization does not work when the murderer is transparent about their evil intensions. Korsgaards argument only works when the murderer does not know that you know of their intensions. Lying maxims fail to be universalized when both parties know the situations they are in causing a major gap in Korsgaards argument. I believe that regardless of whether you can universalize lying to a murderer, it should almost always be permissible to do so in order to save a life. For example, if you were hiding Ann Frank in your basement and the Nazi Police came to your door and asked you if you were hiding any Jews, you would have to tell the Nazis the truth under Korsgaards universalization claim. The Nazis know that everybody knows of their murderous intentions, so they know that you know that they will kill Ann Frank if you told them where she was hiding, therefore the Nazis will know that you will lie to them in order to save her life. So you will not Imperfection be able to universalize this maxim and get away with lying in this particular situation. This example proves that Korsgaards assertion is in very weak, since it only works under a certain scenario. After discussing this material with my partner, Corine Machalani, we went over some objections that Korsgaard might offer to this assertion. I believe Korsgaard would argue against this claim by stating that in a scenario where the murderer is not trying to deceive, the only thing you could do is refuse to answer his question. This is absolutely ridiculous because I think if you told a murderer that you would be putting your life in danger. By telling someone that you are not going to tell him, you have practically admit that you are hiding something from them. So in the case of the murderer you are admitting that you know the whereabouts of their victim but refuse to tell them. This would be a very dangerous situation that I would altogether try and avoid. When dealing with an evil person such as a murderer, you must protect your life. I believe lying to the murderer at the door is permissible out of self-protection and because it is the morally right thing to do. You know that by hiding Jews in your house you are breaking the law, so in order to protect yourself against the Nazis you should be allowed to lie out of self-defense. Even where the Nazis tell you that if you tell them the truth that you will be rewarded instead of personally prosecuted or injured, I still believe you should lie. You should help one another and to protect an innocent persons life because it is the right thing Imperfection to do. Life is the most precious thing and should be guarded in any way possible, whether your life or another individuals. Although I believe Korsgaard has made a good point regarding the duty to aid an innocent person against evil, I believe some of her reasoning is incorrect. Korsgaards argues that if someone lies to you, you can lie back to them. Korsgaard argues that since the murderer is lying to you about their motives, you may respond to a lie with a lie. I believe this is not a strong argument. A lie is an intentional invitation of trust and a breaking of faith, and the fact that the murderer is lying to you doesnt justify you lying to them back, and it definitely is not a reason that makes lying moral in any way. My reasoning regarding this matter is the eye for an eye argument, I believe two wrongs dont make it right. Just because someone lies to you doesnt make it right to lie back, and if our world operated this way there would be nothing but chaos. I believe when deciding whether lying is right or wrong, it all comes down to the intensions of the parties involved. The Nazis have evil intensions of murdering innocent people for no reason, and you have good intensions of protecting yourself and others. Even though in Germany back in those days it was the law to hand over the Jews, that society was corrupt and flawed. The only time I would argue that it is permissible not to lie to the murderer at the door would be if the person you were hiding in your house were also a murderer. I believe lying is acceptable when saving an innocent life. Korsgaard has not successfully justified in pointing to Kants view of lying Imperfection as a refutation of the Categorical Imperatives. I believe a Kantian needs to bite the bullet and agree that there are some serious flaws in their argument. There are lies that Kantians believe are impermissible even though such lies are actually a duty in my eyes. Korsgaard has not successfully proven that Kants Categorical Imperatives actually work in difficult situations concluding that her argument is not very strong.

The Island of Crete Essay -- Crete Island Geography Geographical Paper

The Island of Crete Although once a strategic military site even up through World War II, Crete is now a wonderful Greek asset full of history, culture, and beauty. Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and is located in the southeast of the Mediterranean Sea. Crete is not only home to more than 550,000 Greek citizens; it is also the destination for more than one quarter of all visitors that come to Greece. Crete is an island full of culture and celebration. Each town celebrates the day allocated to their patron saint, and there are cultural and wine festivals throughout the summer. The most important festivals on Crete are the Renaissance Festival in Rethymno, the Kyrvia Festival in lerapetra, Sitia?s Krnaria Festval, and Irakio?s summer arts Festival and the Lato Festival in Agios Nikolas. Important holidays on Crete are, of course, Easter, which is taken very seriously by all Greek orthodox believers. Other than Easter, Epiphany on January 6th, independence Day on March 25th, May Day on May 1st, the Battle of Crete during the last week of may, and Assumption Day on August 15th (Crete) .? Geography Crete is located in the southeast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is 3038 square miles, 161 miles long by about 38 miles wide in its widest part.? Crete is divided into four different districts, or ?Naomoi? in Greek.? From west to east these districts are Hania, Rethymnon, Iraklion, and Lassithi. In each of these districts are several municipalities and each of those municipalities is further broken down into several towns and villages. The major tourist spots are on the north side of the island, and subsequently all major towns are also on that side of the island. The east side of the island is by far the driest with... ...ligious, and enjoy traditional Greek food.? Crete is a fascinating place with a unique culture, interesting sites, rich history, and natural beauty which anyone would be fortunate to experience during their lifetime. Works Cited: Crete (2003).? Lonely Planet World Guide. Retrieved December 14, 2003. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/crete/ Greece (2003). Country Reports. Retrieved December 14, 2003. http://www.classbrain.com/cb_cr/geos/gr.html The Monastery of Touplou (2003).? Climb in Crete. Retrieved December 13, 2003. http://www.climbincrete.com/EN/homepage/archives/000229.php The Palace of Knossos (2003). Hellenic Ministry of Culture. Retrieved December 13, 2003. http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/21123n/e211wn01.html The Samaria Gorge (2003). University of Crete. Retrieved December 13, 2003.http://www.uch.gr/crete/places/samaria.html

Essay --

Cities Reveal the Best and the Worst Poor and Poverty To be poor, in the economic sense, one merely has to have a sufficiently low income relative to the national average. In this study the standard below which one is regarded as poor is defined as an annual income less than one half of the national [gross domestic product - GDP] per head. On this basis it is evident that to be poor is the norm in most developing countries. This fact is critical if we are to target development to benefit the poor. If one further defines the poor as those who belong to households with an annual income of half the national GDP per capita or less, we define as poor between one half and three quarters of the households of developing countries. Less developed countries; the traditional measures of poverty often based on absolute and one-dimensional approaches and referring strictly to monetary variables, seem to represent a good way to describe the phenomenon. Wealth Wealth is conventionally defined in terms of possessions and market value. One definition of wealth is: "Wealth which combines energy and intellect can only increase, and that wealth can increase only with use and that wealth increases as fast as it is used." By Anonymous The World’s Best and Worst Cities There are various reasons, which can make city best and worst for living. One of the prime factor is the economical conditions of the country as well as the in the region. The best condition of humanity includes, the sanitary system, transportation facilities, pollution level, rate of crime, facilities provided to the citizens of the city/country, environmental factor, population growth, country’s GDP, health and safety conditions, and literacy rate are the essential meters to gauge an... ...nd also Bern all sharing the second place. Milan, Athens and Rome were described as the least safe cities in Western Europe, while Washington received the worst safety ranking in the United States. Abidjan in Ivory Coast was the world's second most dangerous city at the end of last year, when the survey was taken. Several other African cities were also at the very bottom of the table. Those cities posses the best human conditions can also be consider as the richest and developed, and those which are worst, can be considered as the poor cities/countries. It is basically the game of wealth and poverty. The major population of the world has lack of food, health, wealth, water, education, and other necessities of life, which make their life so miserable and worst. References http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2815105.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2815625.stm

Business Marketing Management Capstone Written Project Essay

A. Executive Summary The business plan is written for the Step Ahead Learning Center serving the children of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The center educates young students in reading, writing, and math to meet or exceed the Common Core Standards for Washington State. The center will increase children’s literacy and comprehension of reading, writing, and math through practices such as one-on-one tutoring and small group sessions instructed by trained and certified personnel. The center will teach understanding and mastery of concepts over the memorization of concepts, testing comprehension by requiring practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare children for college, work, and life. The center will have a venue available for professional private events which include work presentations, public speaking, educational classes, etc. The revenue from the outside use of this venue will help fund operations of the Center. Step Ahead Learning Center is formally asking for $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functional computer lab, and asks for on-going contributions to further assist with the advancement of technology incorporation, helping to achieve or exceed the Common Core Standards as set forth by the Washington Education Association (WEA). Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker (2005) stated that the mathematics concepts in U.S. textbooks are often weak, thus presentation is becoming more mechanical than ever. A.1 Business Identification Step Ahead Learning Center 1000 W. 4th Ave. Kennewick, WA 99336 (509)555-9876 stepahead.kennewick@gmail.com stepaheadlearningcenter.com A.2 Mission, Goals and Objectives The center’s mission is to integrate technology into teaching and learning, reinforcing consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels consistent with school board expectations, teaching comprehension and mastery over memorization of concepts, and emphasizing critical topics children will need to possess to succeed in school and after graduation. This mission helps the Learning Center achieve the vision of a culture that promotes high educational standards, high expectations, individual learning, collaborative learning, and excellent communication skills. The partnership between the Learning Center and the local school board will increase the amount of highly educated children into the community, raising the community welfare and individual well-being. The primary purposes of the Learning Center are: 1. To reinforce consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels, in partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school boards. 2. To teach comprehension of concepts over the memorization of concepts, instilling a high personal standard of learning. a. Consistently test to ensure a high level of retention by requiring a practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare students for life beyond school 3. To introduce or reinforce critical topics students will need to succeed in the classroom and in the future. 4. To provide a venue for professional based private events, helping offset operation costs of the Learning Center The primary objectives of the Learning Center are: 1. To increase overall average Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) test scores to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 2. To increase Common Core Standards comprehension levels in reading, writing, math, and technology to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 3. To decrease crime and substance abuse among children, teens, and young adults in the community by providing a safe and inviting Learning Center where children can learn and grow as individuals and as a member of the community. 4. To advocate collaboration among young children, increase comprehension in reading, writing, math, and technology, increase communication skills, broaden cultural views, increase moral reasoning, and foster growth of cognitive abilities. 5. To increase the level of personal responsibility of children in the community. A.3 Three Keys to Success The Learning Center anticipates success of goals and objectives through three key functions: hiring staff members that are the right fit, empowering staff to create devotion and a passion for excellence, and strong collaboration with various clientele. Hiring exceptional staff members: Step Ahead Learning Center is an equal opportunity employer. The right employees will embrace the center’s mission, hold a degree in a field of study related to education, and embody strong communication skills with peers and young children. Empowerment: This creates a high level of devotion and passion to strive for excellence. Every interaction with a child and every lesson presented, taught, or pursued by a staff member will be done with the  highest goal in mind: integrating technology into a safe and inviting learning environment to increase comprehension of reading, writing, math, and technology concepts. Collaborating and communicating with others: Staff will interact with a variety of clientele including by not limited to children, parents, school board members, funders, benefactors, and other partners or agencies providing support and opportunities for the Learning Center. Every interaction with a person inside or outside the Learning Center will help the center to meet its objectives. B. Company Summary B.1 Industry History The area in which the center will be providing educational services is well developed with current educational services. The relationship between Step Ahead Learning Center and the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts is unprecedented. Each of the three school districts strongly recommend and encourage struggling (and none struggling) students to the services offered at the center based on staff credentials and comprehension standards. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted to â€Å"ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards.† This act has increased the relationship between the three school districts and the Learning Center because schools are required to improve their performance to meet or exceed State standards. The Learning Center is providing extra assistance to students who need it in order for the schools to meet the expectation set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. The primary purpose of the center is to ensure high-quality student comprehension of key concepts in Reading, Writing, and Math, aligning concepts with State academic standards so that progress against common core standards can be measured. There are several smaller businesses which strive to achieve the same vision, but one competitor has market share. For this competitor, one disadvantage is that Step Ahead Learning Center has a direct  relationship with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts, they do not. An advantage this competitor has over Step Ahead is that they have built a reputation, having been in business for more than 30 years. This is the only other Learning Center in the area that meets an identical scope of the Step Ahead Learning Center. The secondary purpose of the center is to provide a rental revenue for professional or semi-professional events. There is a history of professional venues available at most large hotel chains. Several venues in the area meet the Center’s scope of a rental venue. B.2 Legal Form of Ownership Step Ahead Learning Center is incorporated in the state of Washington. The company is established as a 501(c) (3), which facilitates contributions from donors. A large majority of financing is raised internally or from charitable donations. Step Ahead Learning Center is governed by a board of twelve trustees. Independent contractors, if any, working for Step Ahead Learning Center will be held fully responsible for their own legal requirements, taxes, and expenses. A website, â€Å"stepaheadlearningcenter.com,† has been obtained by the company. This website is used as a marketing tool for the company and a source of information for parents/young adult children. B.3 Location and Facilities Step Ahead Tutoring Center is located in Kennewick, WA serving students in Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco school districts. The company will conduct business in a 10,500 square-foot space dedicated entirely to the operations of the business. Business licensure has been obtained from the City of Kennewick and fulfills any and all requirements to operate such a business. No legal issues or regulations in the city or state will now, or in the future, lessen the ability to operate in Kennewick or to conduct business from the named location. The building is equipped with general business equipment, including a high-tech computer system with Wi-Fi Internet connection, a cell phone for each staff member, Skype teleconferencing technology, and a company vehicle.  The center has two computer labs, each with 25 computers and a projector. Each computer has high speed Internet connection, Microsoft Office Home and Student, and several different purchased educational programs. The venue available for professional and semi-professional events is equipped with two computers and a projector. Each employee has a designated office with their own computer. The main teaching floor (lecture hall), each of the 5 computer labs, and each of the 3 private tutoring rooms have a projector. B.4 Management Structure Xxxxxx Xxxxx will perform Presidential duties and perform all management positions including, but not limited to, Business Development Manager, Communications/Public Relations Manager, and Project Manager. He is a certified teacher in the state of Washington with a BA Degree in Business Management / Marketing from the accredited online school Washington Governor’s University (WGU). He will handle marketing the benefits of the company’s education services to customers, human resource duties, and overseeing day to day operations. The one-on-one and group tutoring sessions will be the responsibility of four highly qualified and trained teachers. These employees are salaried and will receive a raise increase of 1% over the prior year’s pay (starting at $18,000 the first year). They will follow the company’s high standard of excellence in education that represents the local school districts and State’s required common core standard. Currently, the compan y has hired four teachers. Additional teachers can be added as deemed necessary by additional workload, meaning the company is growing. This organizational structure will meet the short-terms needs of the center, but long-term needs will require at least one receptionist and a general manager. The center plans to hire these two positions after the first 6 months of operation to reduce the work load of the teachers having to check-in students (or requiring parents to self-check-in) and the president having to oversee day-to-day operations. B.5 Products and Services The Common Core Standards in Washington state at the highest levels ever. Step Ahead Tutoring Center will use technology and hands-on methods to educate children ranging from Kindergarten to high school seniors. Students will be given additional tools and resources aligned with established school district procedures to help them succeed in school and in the future. The following services are offered by the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: Reading Tutoring: Academy of Reading, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12 (EPS Literacy and Intervention, 2014), will be used by a designated reading teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Writing Tutoring: Writing Skills (2nd Edition), a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designed writing teacher. Writing Book A is for grades 2-4, Writing Book 1 is for grad es 5-6, Writing Book 2 is for grades 7-8, and Writing Book 3 is for grades 9-12. Students will be expected to complete one lesson every two sessions (with each session being one hour long with no more than 10 students in a group). If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Math Tutoring: Academy of Math, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designated math teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. One-on-one Services: An individualized one-on-one session can be scheduled with any of our four highly trained teachers in reading, writing, and/or math to ensure children are getting the help that  they need. Parents can enroll their child directly into a one-on-one session with a teacher for one session, or on a continual basis. A teacher may recognize that a student is struggling in a group atmosphere, making the recommendation that the child work in a one-on-one session until he/she shows signs of academic improvement. A one-on-one teacher will provide the student with assistance on their homework upon request. Venue Rental: Step Ahead Tutoring Center has a venue available for rent by outside parties for professional and semi-professional events such as guest speaking, presentations, meetings, etc. C. Market Analysis C.1 Target Market Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s primary target audience consists of mothers/fathers or grandparents of children enrolled in the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland School Districts in grades 2-12. The primary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or below State Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and Math. The secondary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or above State Common Core Standards. Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s secondary audience consists of businesses and professionals, traveling and stationary, who require a venue to hold a professional or semi-professional meeting or event. The goal behind providing a venue for such meetings is to (1) gain exposure for the Tutoring Center, and (2) generate additional revenue for the operating expenses of the Tutoring Center. C.2 Industry Analysis Future trends that may affect the center’s efforts to educate students’ grades 2-12 in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts include: Basic education and Common Core Standards goals are met. An average of 85% of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts meet these standards. As the economy changes, the need for more highly educated and skilled workers will increase. The education and Common Core Standards goal and philosophy should be continually updated to reflect cultural and  economic needs. Expansion of Common Core Standards. A higher level of standards for students will mean updated training and certifications for staff, higher levels of work for students, and an increase in the number of students not meeting these standards, requiring extra attention. Mission, Goals, and Objectives creep. As the center gains momentum, other established or start-up business may use a similarly formatted mission statement for their company. It w ill be important for Step Ahead Tutoring Center to ensure the impact of the mission is not lessened by another groups’ participation in similar missions, goals, and objectives. Down time. The school year for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts in from late August to the middle of June. During the summer months, summer school sessions take place around the area at various different school locations. There will be a significant decrease in the amount of students attending at the Tutoring Center during this time. The venue for rent by outside professional or semi-professional groups will help to offset costs during this time. Cash flow. During this down time during the summer months (middle of June to late August) there will be a decrease in revenues, resulting in the temporary release of two employees, or utilizing other rooms in the center for other uses, such as additional rental space. C.3 Competitive Analysis Competition for education services comes from several sources, the biggest competition being Sylvan Learning Center. According to the Sylvan Learning website, Sylvan offers tutoring in all levels for Math and Reading; they assess students’ needs and create a personal education development plan targeting select math and reading concepts; they offer their own technology for an engaging experience on the iPad; they also offer flexible schedules that fit any busy family schedule. To compete with Sylvan, Step Ahead will heavily market the availability of highly trained staff in each subject area, the inclusion of Writing concepts into the curriculum, the inclusion of technology in the administration of each subject to improve the child’s overall competence, and the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts to ensure focus on helping students achieve proficient or advanced levels according to the State’s Common Core Standards. A second competitor is actually the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Select schools are offering after school programs focused directly on helping students understand the material being taught in the class room. This program is free of charge to students who need the additional attention. This is not a requirement of the school nor is it being offered at every school for every grade level, primarily because the school board cannot fund these programs. While the teachers at Step Ahead can assist with solving homework problems, the focus is on administering Math, Reading, and Writing programs to provide additional concepts that will further the students comprehension in the subject. Another competitor is after school clubs such as the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club of America. These programs are great for children who are succeeding in school and do not require additional attention to meet the State’s Common Core Standards. They provide children with the opportunity to play and interact with other children their own age while being supervised in a safe environment. At Step Ahead, students are being supervised in a safe environment, but they are also learning and growing their minds. A marketing approach to be taken by Step Ahead is that children who require additional help should be enrolled in an â€Å"afterschool program† such as Step Ahead where they will spend time immersed in educational programs. Competition from hotels or reception buildings that host weddings, receptions, and other private events are not considered. In general, the rental of the venue at Step Ahead is not the primary objective, thus marketing the venue against competition is not pursued. While Word of Mouth marketing will be the primary marketing strategy for the venue, the goal is that the income generated by rental of the venue will help cover operating costs of the center. Many people in the area see the need for private and semi-private educational assistant with all grade levels in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The main trigger for this realization is the lack of students meeting the States Common Core Standards. With awareness of this issue increasing, there is a positive and a negative for Step Ahead. The  positive is that more children will be enrolled into private and semi-private educational services, which means a possible increase in enrollment for Step Ahead, resulting in increased revenue and possible future growth of the business. The negative is that more schools, groups, or qualified individuals will begin to offer more private and semi-private educational services, which means an increase in competition for Step Ahead. D. Market Strategy D.1 The 4 P’s Pricing: The pricing strategy used to determine a price for the services provided by Step Ahead was a variation of Penetration Pricing and Predatory Pricing. Penetration Pricing is when a company sets their prices low to attract customers and gain market share, and then raises the prices once they have a large market share. Step Ahead used the first half of this strategy, which is setting prices low to attract customers and gain market share. Predatory Pricing is known as an aggressive strategy, intended to drive competitors from the market. Step Ahead is not interested in becoming market leader and running other companies out of business. The goal is simply to educate children and raise comprehension to the State Common Core Standard level, while covering expenses. In regard to the mission of the center, profitability is not the number one goal. Profitability, however, is still required in order to continue and expand the business, increasing efforts in providing higher levels of ed ucational services to children. The venue rental prices were set depending on cost of utilities used during these times, the cost of having a Step Ahead staff member on the premises during the event, and generating revenue for covering operating costs of the center. Product: As described previously, the service provided by Step Ahead Learning Center is additional education services. A profound need for higher levels of comprehension and Common Core concept teaching is found in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Because of this need, the center will offer tutoring sessions at different times throughout the day Monday thru Saturday. Highly trained and qualified teachers will teach one-on-one and semi-private groups (no more than 10 students) on concepts aligning with the State’s Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and  Math. Academy of Math, Academy of Reading, and Writing Skills (2nd Edition) are programs distributed through EPS for use by teachers to improve struggling students com prehension in the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math. The teachers at Step Ahead are trained on these programs and will monitor students’ use of these programs to ensure the highest quality comprehension and learning. A one-on-one teacher will assist a student with their homework upon request, a Reading teacher, Writing teacher, or Math teacher will not provide assistance with homework. Promotion: Promoting education services to mothers, fathers, and grandparents (even college age students with younger brothers or sisters) has been primarily easy. A quality education is easy to market, and if a parent or relative sees that a child is struggling with their education, the first option to consider is additional education services. Methods for promoting the services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center include radio advertisements, television commercials, flyers, word-of-mouth, direct mail, Facebook, and blogs. The primary channel for promoting the center is the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Secretaries, and Principals can promote Step Ahead through word-of-mouth marketing. Flyers posted at each of the schools on a main bulletin board at the front office, or an informational pamphlet sent home with a student’s report card can promote Step Ahead. The biggest promotion for the center to date is the planned grand opening scheduled for August 2014. This event is geared to be a celebration of education and it will include students, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, principals, donors, and any member of the community devoted to the success of children in their education. Promotion for the event will include television and radio advertisements, flyers, and direct mail to all households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. A promotional tool to be used will be brochures. These informational  brochures will be given at every consultation, will be available at the front desk, and will be sent to every school is the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The information in this brochure will cover the mission, goals, and objectives of the center, the location of the center with hours of operation, contact information, and session times, a breakdown of cost compared to competitors, and information regarding the highly trained and certified teacher staff. Another promotional tool is a fully functional website for the center. It will include all the information placed in the brochure, plus much more. A staff directory will be included along with links to different online educational tools (learning games, Common Core Standard guides, school board information, school websites, etc.). The website URL is: stepaheadlearningcenter.com. Place (Distribution): Points of distribution for information about the services provided by the Step Ahead Learning Center are found (1) on site in each computer lab, at the front desk, and in the venue, (2) on the website (stepaheadlearningcenter.com), and (3) by phone call or direct mail. All promotional efforts for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center are targeted geographically to reach households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. While select publications will reach locations outside the intended geographic area, a requirement to enroll in the learning center is enrollment in either the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland school district. Any enrollment requests received for a student residing outside of these school district boundaries will be referred to a learning center (or equivalent) in their area. D.2 Price List The following prices are for services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center. Prices listed are per session. The following prices are for rental of the venue for professional and semi-professional events at the Step Ahead Tutoring Center. D.3 Selling Strategy There are many strengths of the center including: the location in the center of the three school districts which provides easier access for the families living in the area, highly trained and certified teacher staff, and a true focus in further educating students to help achieve the goals listed in the Common Core Standards set forth by the State of Washington. More companies and small business are requiring their employees, vested and entry level, to have a degree or some form of education beyond high school. The center’s mission is to increase the level of education in the area, increasing the number of educated young adults entering the work force. Goal: Further the education in children to assist with increasing the percentage of students testing â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† as defined by Washington State Common Core Standards to 65% by 2016, 70% by 2018, 75% by 2020, 80% by 2021, and 85% by 2022 (and to continually maintain an average of 85% or better). A milestone for this goal, set in 2001 after the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† was initiated, was achieved in 2011: 50% of students within the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts will test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† in 10 years. Goal: Record, edit, and publish four videos to be posted on the Step Ahead Learning Center website. The videos will show how the teacher staff at the center teaches private and semi-private groups the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math using technology to administer helpful programs. An HD recorded and latest editing software will be used to capture and edit the videos. The videos will be uploaded to the website by January 2015. Goal: Produce the Information Brochure mentioned earlier to be distributed to Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts and to be sent out by direct mail to households within the school district boundaries. 10,000 brochures should be produced and distributed by the end of September 2014 after the first Washington State Assessment test is administered to every student in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. D.4 Sales Forecast Step Ahead operates under a fiscal calendar year of August 1 to July 31. Following figures are based on expected market conditions. The two year totals are: Fundraising $27,000, Learning Center Sales Revenue $359,000, Venue Rental Revenue $53,400, and Funding from Donors $126,000. It is estimated that fundraising will continue at its current momentum of $5,000 for year one, and increase to $6,000 per month for year two. It is estimated that the center’s sales revenues will increase as the goals and objectives of the center become better known by the residents of the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The forecasted two year revenue for Step Ahead Tutoring Center is $565,400. E. Implementation Strategy E.1 Overall Strategy The center will benefit from its location in the city. It is easily accessible by everyone in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland School District Boundaries. The grand opening will be the official launch of the business, set to take place this year in late summer, early fall (2014). During the event, there will be an open house where anyone from the community can take self-tours of the building, viewing all computer labs, reception area, and rental venue. Demonstration tutoring sessions will be taking place during the duration of the event with 10 children who were asked to simulate an actual classroom environment. There will alo be a registration at the reception area for those families that feel their student will benefit from tutoring sessions at the center and wants to sign up immediately. Fundraising will be taking place each month, with the money going to different projects or needs of the center. The fundraiser during August 2014 will be â€Å"First Day Back School Supplies.† Many different businesses from the area have donated back-to-school supplies to the center with the intent that the center would sell these items to raise money for the center. Every Monday thru Saturday in August, back-to-school supplies will be for sale at the center, with registration taking place at the same time. The items that will be on sale for the fundraiser include: Ruled/Unruled Notebook Paper (100 sheets): $1.00 Three-Ring Spiral Notebook (75 sheets): $1.50 Composition Notebook (100 sheets): $2.00 Pencils (package of 10): $2.00 Pens (package of 10): $2.00 Erasers (package of 4): $2.50 Pencil Pouch: $5.00 Three-Ring Binder (1†): $3.00 Backpack: $20.00 Evaluating the success of the center will be determined by two factors: did the business meet the financial goal to be considered a financial success, and did the percentage of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† meet the set goal. E.2 Implementation Grand opening date for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: August 1, 2014. The following is a list of items to be completed and a date that they must be completed by. Scheduled Item Target Completion Date Hire staff Math Teacher Reading Teacher Writing Teacher Private Tutor Teacher Complete Invitation list for grand opening Prepared Invites sent out July 1, 2014 Purchase EPS programs Install programs on each computer Ensure full functionality July 5, 2014 Create 10,000 brochures Deliver adequate amounts to each school in the districts Mail to cover school district boundaries July 10, 2014 Teacher Schedules Create Publish July 15,2014 August 2014 Fundraiser Obtain donated materials from local businesses Send out announcements Ensure staffing plan July 20, 2014 Grand Opening Event August 1, 2014 E.3 Control Plan The overall success of the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will be measured by: (1) the business’ ability to sustain its own operations through Sales, Venue Rental, Fundraising, and Donor Contributions, and (2) the percentage of students who test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† according the Washington State Common Core Standards is at goal. The following is a table representing student enrollment and the percentage of students â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† from 2001 to 2013. From 2014 to 2022 is a projection of expected student enrollment and how many students will have to test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† to meet the goal. The milestones set by Washington State are listed in bold. Enrollment Students At/Above Grade Level Year # of Students # of Students % of Students (Actual) % of Students (Goal) 2001 36,540 11,345 31% 50% 2002 35,400 10,456 30% 50% 2003 36,480 11,597 32% 50% 2004 37,919 12,679 33% 50% 2005 39,010 14,044 36% 50% 2006 41,111 15,622 38% 50% 2007 39,524 16,995 43% 50% 2008 38,125 16,775 44% 50% 2009 39,867 18,737 47% 50% 2010 42,985 21,063 49% 50% 2011 43,798 21,899 50% 50% 2012 40,288 22,561 56% 55% 2013 40,210 24,930 62% 60% 2014 41,014 25,429 62% 62% 2015 42,224 26,601 63% 63% 2016 45,914 29,844 65% 65% 2017 39,174 26,638 68% 68% 2018 38,765 27,136 70% 70% 2019 40,255 29,386 73% 73% 2020 39,782 29,837 75% 75% 2021 38,579 30,863 80% 80% 2022 43,814 37,242 85% 85% The first milestone, achieving a 50% pass rate by 2011 as determined by the Washington State Common Core Standards, was set in 2001 following the initation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This milestone was achieved. The second milestone will occur when a 65% pass rate has been achieved. Annual tracking (using a table such as this) will allow measurement of progress so marketing can be adjusted to the needs of the students in the area. There are several benefits of the center, including the monthly contributions from donors in the area who share the same dedication in seeing children succeed in education. Successful fundraising will raise $52,000 in the first two years to cover the daily operations of the center, including utilities and salaries. Rental fees are determined by the cost of utilities and salary during the reservation of the venue for a professional or semi-professional event. F. Financial Statement and Projections F.1 Revenue and Cost Estimate The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business: F.2 Forecasted Profit and Loss Statement The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business. Sales Revenues include Fundraising, Venue Rental, Sales, and Donor Contributions. Expenses include Utilities, Software, and Salaries (four teachers and owner), starting in August 2014. F.3 Forecasted Balance Sheet The following reports the Projected Balance Sheet for Step Ahead Tutoring Center after their first year of business: G. Financial Report G.1 Financial Projections The assumptions made in estimating the projected revenues in the prior section was based on expert judgement from past fundraising experience, anticipated demand for venue rental (based on community interest), and the cost of each private and semi-private tutoring session. Outside donor contributions are consistent each month during the first year and second year of operations. Projections for fixed expenses (Utilities) came from estimates provided by the building architect. G.1a Breakeven Point The following shows that the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will achieve a breakeven point in the fifth month of the first year. G.1b Financial Position After analyzing the estimated revenues and expenses for the first year, the company will be in a good financial position at the conclusion of operations on July 31, 2015. During the first year, the center will have $50,900 in revenue. The center would not be self-sustaining without the contributions from donors and the fundraising efforts. Sales are in line for the needs of the center during the first year. After successfully launching a website for the center and continual marketing efforts throughout the year, great awareness and a strong reputation will be build by the end of the firsr year. During the second year, further sales growth is planned with the addition of two staff members and the need to purchase replacement utilities along with additional software programs. The center will be self-sustaining without the requirement of donor contributions and fundraising efforts during the second year. G.1c Capital/Investment Needs The company will receive a $10,000 Capital Investment from Xxxxxx Xxxxx to assist with marketing the launch of the center. Step Ahead Learning Center’s website and email program have been developed prior to company planning by the owner. Using â€Å"in-house† resources to develop a product is much less  expensive then contracting the work through an outside vendor. The center is seeking a total of $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functioning computer lab (computers, projector, chairs, desks) plus on-going contributions to further assist with the incorporation of advancing technology. Donors should be prideful in knowing they helped create a better community through the higher education of children in the area, helping thousands of children to have a better future, allowing them to enter the work force better educated with high, attainable goals. References Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker. (n.d.). Office of superintendent of public instruction. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/Mathematics U.S. department of education. (2010). Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html EPS literacy and intervention. (2014). Retrieved from https://eps.schoolspecialty.com/ Sylvan learning. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.sylvanlearning.com/