Asian Americans as Model Minorities essays

Asian Americans as Model Minorities essays For 20 years, Asian Americans have been portrayed by the press and the media as a successful minority. Asian Americans are believed to benefit from astounding achievements in education, rising occupational statuses, increasing income, and are problem-fee in mental health and crime. The idea of Asian Americans as a model minority has become the central theme in media portrayal of Asian Americans since the middle 1960s. The term model minority is given to a minority group that exhibits middle class characteristics, and attains some measure of success on its own without special programs or welfare. Asian Americans are seen as a model minority because even though they have faced prejudice and discrimination by other racial groups, they have succeeded socially, economically, and educationally without resorting to political or violent disagreements with the majority race. The success of the minority is offered as proof that the American dream of equal opportunity is capable to those who conform and who are willing to work hard. Therefore, the term model minority really is a means (1) to control minority groups in society, (2) to validate and reinforce the values of the white majority, and (3) to inform other minority groups that they too could achieve success if they conform to the values and norms of the middle class. Statistics that support this model minority theory can be found in many areas, the first being education. Fifty percent of Asian Americans 25 and older hold a bachelors degree compared to twenty-nine percent of the white population. Many studies have used standardized tests and school records, such as SAT, GPA, and other measures to compare the academic performance of Asian American students with non-Asian American students. Several studies have indicated that the outstanding academic performance of Asian students might be attributed to their cultural ...

William C. Quantrill and the Lawrence Massacre

William C. Quantrill and the Lawrence Massacre William Clarke Quantrill was a Confederate captain during the American Civil War and was responsible for the Lawrence massacre, which was one of the worst and bloodiest events in the war. Quantrill was born in Ohio in 1837. He decided to become a schoolteacher as a young man and started his profession. However, he decided to leave Ohio to try and make more money for himself and his family. At this time, Kansas was deeply embroiled in violence between pro-slavery and free-soil proponents. He had grown up in a Unionist family, and he himself espoused Free Soil beliefs. He found it hard to make money in Kansas and, after returning home for a time, decided to quit his profession and sign up as a teamster from Fort Leavenworth. His mission in Leavenworth was to resupply the Federal Army embroiled in a fight against the Mormons in Utah. During this mission, he met numerous pro-slavery Southerners who deeply affected his beliefs. By the time he returned from his mission, he had become a staunch Southern supporter. He also found that he could make much more money through thievery. Thus, Quantrill began a much less legitimate career. When the Civil War began, he gathered a small band of men and began making profitable hit-and-run attacks against the Federal troops. Quantrill's Deeds Quantrill and his men staged numerous raids into Kansas during the early part of the Civil War. He was quickly labeled an outlaw by the Union for his attacks on pro-Union forces. He was involved in several skirmishes with Jayhawkers (pro-Union guerilla bands) and eventually was made a Captain in the Confederate Army. His attitude towards his role in the Civil War drastically changed in 1862 when the Commander of the Department of Missouri, Major General Henry W. Halleck ordered that guerrillas such as Quantrill and his men would be treated as robbers and murderers, not normal prisoners of war. Before this proclamation, Quantrill acted as if he were a normal soldier adhering to principals of accepting enemy surrender. After this, he gave an order to give no quarter. In 1863, Quantrill set his sights on Lawrence, Kansas which he said was full of Union sympathizers. Before the attack occurred, many female relatives of Quantrills Raiders were killed when a prison collapsed in Kansas City. The Union Commander was given the blame and this fanned the already fearsome flames of the Raiders. On August 21, 1863, Quantrill led his band of about 450 men into Lawrence, Kansas. They attacked this pro-Union stronghold killing over 150 men, few of them offering resistance. In addition, Quantrills Raiders burned and looted the town. In the North, this event became known as the Lawrence Massacre and was vilified as one of the worst events of the Civil War. The Motive Quantrill was either a Confederate patriot punishing northern sympathizers or a profiteer taking advantage of the war for his own and his mens benefit. The fact that his band did not kill any women or children would seem to point to the first explanation. However, the group did wantonly kill men who were most likely simple farmers many without any real connection to the Union. They also burned numerous buildings to the ground. The looting further suggests that Quantrill did not have purely ideological motives for attacking Lawrence. However, in response to this, many of the Raiders are said to have ridden through the streets of Lawrence yelling Osceola. This referred to an event in Osceola, Missouri where Federal Officer, James Henry Lane, had his men burn and loot both Loyal and Confederate sympathizers indiscriminately. Quantrill's Legacy as an Outlaw Quantrill was killed in 1865 during a raid in Kentucky. However, he quickly became a celebrated figure of the Civil War from the southern perspective. He was a hero to his supporters in Missouri, and his fame actually helped several other outlaw figures of the Old West. The James Brothers and the Youngers used the experienced they gained riding with Quantrill to help them rob banks and trains. Members of his Raiders gathered from 1888 to 1929 to recount their war efforts. Today there is a William Clarke Quantrill Society dedicated to the study of the Quantrill, his men and the border wars.

M26 Pershing Tank in World War II

M26 Pershing Tank in World War II The M26 Pershing was a heavy tank developed for the U.S. Army during World War II. Conceived as a replacement for the iconic M4 Sherman, the M26 suffered from an extended design and development process as well as political infighting among the U.S. Armys leadership. The M26 arrived in the final months of the conflict and proved effective against the latest German tanks. Retained after the war, it was upgraded and evolved. Deployed during the Korean War, the M26 proved superior to the tanks used by Communist forces but struggled at times with the difficult terrain and suffered from various issues with its systems. The M26 was later replaced by the Patton series of tank in the U.S. Army. Development Development of the M26 began in 1942 as production was beginning on the M4 Sherman medium tank. Initially intended to be a follow-on for the M4, the project was designated T20 and was to serve as a test bed for experimenting with new types of guns, suspensions, and transmissions. T20 series prototypes employed a new torqmatic transmission, the Ford GAN V-8 engine, and the new 76 mm M1A1 gun. As testing moved forward, problems emerged with the new transmission system and a parallel program was established, designated T22, which utilized the same mechanical transmission as the M4. A third program, the T23, was also created to test a new electric transmission which had been developed by General Electric. This system quickly proved to have performance advantages in rough terrain as it could adjust to rapid changes in torque requirements. Pleased with the new transmission, the Ordnance Department pushed the design forward. Possessing a cast turret mounting the 76 mm gun, the T23 was produced in limited numbers during 1943, but did not see combat. Instead, its legacy proved to be its turret which was later utilized in 76 mm gun-equipped Shermans. Panther Tank. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-300-1876-02A A New Heavy Tank With the emergence of the new German Panther and Tiger tanks, efforts began within the Ordnance Department to develop a heavier tank to compete with them. This resulted in the T25 and T26 series which built upon the earlier T23. Devised in 1943, the T26 saw the addition of a 90 mm gun and substantially heavier armor. Though these greatly increased the tanks weight, the engine was not upgraded and the vehicle proved underpowered. Despite this, the Ordnance Department was pleased with the new tank and worked to move it towards production. The first production model, T26E3, possessed a cast turret mounting a 90 mm gun and required a crew of four. Powered by the Ford GAF V-8, it utilized a torsion bar suspension and torqmatic transmission. Construction of the hull consisted of a combination of castings and rolled plate. Entering service, the tank was designated M26 Pershing heavy tank. The name was selected to honor General John J. Pershing who had founded the U.S. Armys Tank Corps during World War I. M26 Pershing DimensionsLength: 28 ft. 4.5 in.Width: 11 ft. 6 in.Height: 9 ft. 1.5 in.Weight: 41.7 tonsArmor ArmamentPrimary Gun: M3 90 mmSecondary Armament: 2 Ãâ€" Browning .30-06 cal. machine guns, 1 Ãâ€" Browning .50 cal. machine gunArmor: 1-4.33 in.PerformanceEngine: Ford GAF, 8-cylinder, 450–500 hpSpeed: 25 mphRange: 100 milesSuspension: Torsion BarCrew: 5 Production Delays As design of the M26 came to completion, its production was delayed by an ongoing debate in the U.S. Army regarding the need for a heavy tank. While Lieutenant General Jacob Devers, the head of U.S. Army forces in Europe advocated for the new tank, he was opposed by Lieutenant General Lesley McNair, commander Army Ground Forces. This was further complicated by Armored Commands desire to press on the M4 and concerns that a heavy tank would not be able to use the Army Corps of Engineers bridges. With the backing of General George Marshall, the project remained alive and production moved forward in November 1944. While some claim that Lieutenant General George S. Patton played a key role in delaying the M26, these assertions are not well supported. Ten M26s were built in November 1943, with production escalating at the Fisher Tank Arsenal. Production also commenced at the Detroit Tank Arsenal in March 1945. By the end of 1945, over 2,000 M26s had been built. In January 1945, experiments began on the Super Pershing which mounted the improved T15E1 90mm gun. This variant was only produced in small numbers. Another variant was the M45 close support vehicle which mounted a 105 mm howitzer. An M26 Pershing of A Company, 14th Tank Battalion, is transported aboard a pontoon ferry across the Rhine on March 12, 1945. National Archives and Records Administration World War II Following American losses to German tanks in the Battle of the Bulge the need for the M26 became clear. The first shipment of twenty Pershings arrived in Antwerp in January 1945. These were split between the 3rd and 9th Armored Divisions and were the first of 310 M26s to reach Europe before the end of the war. Of these, around 20 saw combat. The M26s first action occurred with the 3rd Armored on February 25 near the Roer River. Four M26s were also involved in the 9th Armoreds capture of the Bridge at Remagen on March 7-8. In encounters with Tigers and Panthers, the M26 performed well. In the Pacific, a shipment of twelve M26s departed on May 31 for use in the Battle of Okinawa. Due to a variety of delays, they did not arrive until after the fighting had ended. Korea Retained after the war, the M26 was re-designated as a medium tank. Assessing the M26, it was decided to rectify the issues of its under-powered engine and problematic transmission. Beginning in January 1948, 800 M26s received new Continental AV1790-3 engines and Allison CD-850-1 cross-drive transmissions. Along with a new gun and host of other modifications, these altered M26s were redesignated as the M46 Patton. USMC M26 Pershing tank advancing in Korea, September 4, 1950. National Archives and Records Administration With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the first medium tanks to reach Korea were a provisional platoon of M26s dispatched from Japan. Additional M26s reached the peninsula later that year where they fought alongside M4s and M46s. Though performing well in combat, the M26 was withdrawn from Korea in 1951 due to reliability issues associated with its systems. The type was retained by U.S. forces in Europe until the arrival of new M47 Pattons in 1952-1953. As the Pershing was phased out of American service, it was provided to NATO allies such as Belgium, France, and Italy. The Italians used the type until 1963.

The Electronic Appliance Maker And Marketer (Samsung) Essay

The Electronic Appliance Maker And Marketer (Samsung) - Essay Example No company is a unique entity independent of its external environment. These factors influence how a business operates and compiling a pest analysis generates valuable information to analyze a company’s business environment as a whole (Johnson, 2008). Political Despite the political situation being conducive in the majority of the countries where it operates, Samsung faces serious, political threats in its countries of operation. The political climate in South Korea has recently become a perturbing for Samsung, and the company faces similar political instability in North Korea (Michell, 2010). The situation is not as grave  as that in some of the countries where it operates. In African and South East Asian countries, Samsung is experiencing a discrete limitation due to the harsh business environment. The company enjoys favorable political conditions in countries like china and India, allowing it to build a better focus and concentrate on the markets. South Korea's relations with China have improved recently, creating a favorable business environment for Samsung. Taxes in China are also low, and the Chinese tariffs are on a declining trend (Michell, 2010). Economic Since entering the China market, Samsung posted its first profit in 1911 and 23 of its local manufacturing companies achieved a cumulative surplus in 2000. The company started to formulate a new business strategy for undertaking its business in china at the group level after the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States (Luo, 2001). The attacks highlighted how the company’s reliance on the US market left it vulnerable. Samsung reconstructed its global strategies around china in order to overcome the... This paper approves that Samsung is an established comprehensive manufacturer of electronic components and parts, therefore playing a significant role in the electronic industry. Its competitive strategy, vision and mission have focused on differentiation and cost leadership. Samsung statements have included continuous development leadership and competitive production costs with high quality being one of its major strategic items. The company has been investing on strengthening its cost competitiveness and restructuring its production mix. It is constantly improving its innovation, quality, and customer service to stay competitive. Strong innovation is a key priority for product differentiation and Samsungs manufacturing system focuses on flexibility, quality, and retaining balance to attain the core of problems faster. This strategy is critical in the company’s effort to attain international recognition as being a leader in the industry. The company also stresses on securing the latest level of technology and quality assurance at the highest standard possible in attempts to continue improving reliability. This report makes a conclusion that the company has developed a strong structural integration which includes production, procurement, marketing, and research and development. Through this everyone in the company shares information and logistics on a real-time basis to support organizational downsizing, management renovation and engineering concurrently. Samsung has insisted on sticking to its purchasing policy in obtaining superior quality.

Workers Compensation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workers Compensation - Research Paper Example The history of worker’s compensation has been gradually transformed and improved in management policies of different countries. Currently, American employers provide their employees with insurances funded by them Medical and rehabilitation costs should be covered by employers as well. There is an evident improvement in the sphere of worker’s compensation in the world in comparison with the ancient times. Historical overview of worker’s compensation During the ancient times, it was suggested to compensate a worker’s bodily injury in case he got a trauma at work. The code of Hammurabi approved in 1750 B.C. describes different ways of compensation of bodily injury. Basically, the principle of equality and just was the main trigger of this Code (Lencsis, 1998). For example, if a man slave lost his bodily part of was injured he should receive monetary compensation. There was no exact definition of impairment or disability, but the roots of further development of worker’s compensation have been already seen. Further on, the worker’s compensation has been developed, amended and improved. A concept of a nobleness of a lord, who cares for his injured slave, has been widely propagated during the Medieval Ages. The roots of American worker’s compensation should be found in the Prussian system. The main principles was that injures at work were equal to life situations and an employer had to compensate bodily injures to his workers.

Gillette€™s Energy Drain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gilletteâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Energy Drain - Essay Example Gillette can also use its goodwill in the market to increase brand saliency. It can also show the bigness of the brand by telling people that it is a part of Gillette Family.. It should inform people that the raw-materials used by Duracell are better than those used by competitors. Using the VRIO framework, the firm can exploit its brand to help with the brand positioning. However, since competition threat is high, due to lack of barriers to entry, more competition is going enter the industry and will threat Duracell’s position in the market. This will further drain the resources. However, looking from the SCP model, the firm cannot change much about the structure, it can improve its own conduct and start acting like a market leader. It can also improve the product’s appeal to make it look better than competing brands of batteries. Duracell can also join hands with one of its competitor to share knowledge and technology to operate in the market as a bigger brand. This would also help the new bigger firm to exploit all the benefits of economies of scale and to lower its costs to compete with the cheaper brands of batteries. It will really helpful in improve the financial statements of the company and to tackle declining stock prices and deteriorating income statement. The company should try not to divest the brand as it would decrease the product line and hence the firm will then have all eggs in one basket. It will be harmful for the company because any volatility in the razor’s division is going to have a bad effect on the overall liquidity position of the firm. Hence, the firm should consider merging with another firm in order to increase market share and reduce the intensity of competition in the

Business Research Methods Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Research Methods - Term Paper Example From the paper the most obvious weakness of the questionnaire is the lack to give a brief description of the purpose of the research, there is need to include a brief description to the respondents on what the research is aimed at finding out. The other problem with the questionnaire is that the questions are not logically set, there is a need to set the questions in a logical manner and opt to mix them up. This is achieved by grouping questions that tend to get some information together and arranging the questions from simple questions to the more complex question. The format of the questions in the questionnaire is mixed up and does not follow this rule. The other crucial information missing from this questionnaire is the information on confidentiality, there is need to add a note on the extent to which ethical issues on confidentiality will be observed, this will ensure that the respondents don't give biased information as a result of fear of exposure of information. Therefore there is a need to give a statement that tells the respondent about the level of confidentiality. Descriptions on where to return the complete questionnaire are also missing, there is need to clearly explain where to return the form and also advice the respondent to completely fill out all the questions because a questionnaire that is not fully filled is always discarded. The other drawback with the questionnaire is that there are two questions in one question, this is evident from the use of the word "and" in the questions, a research question in a questionnaire should not contain two question and thi9s is avoided by not using and in the question, this is evident from question 15 and 7, the problem with the two questions is that the respondent is not sure which question to answer and this leads to biases in responses given.  Ã‚