Human Facial Expressions and Emotions Essay Example for Free

Human Facial Expressions and Emotions Essay To accept that the implications of human emotions are universal is indeed very extensive. It speaks to an issue that is deeply entrenched in human nature and it is by no means a trivial question. Much research has been conducted in this field of emotions through the analysis of facial expressions, categorizing evidence into two primary categories: those in favor of the universality of emotions, known as the Universality thesis, or those in favor of cultural influence on emotions. While it has been largely accepted that there is a basic universal language in the field, the bulk of the debate centers on where exactly factors controlling expression of facial expressions lie on this spectrum. There is undeniably overwhelming evidence in support of the universality thesis with both qualitative (judgment studies) and quantitative (muscle unit measurements and brain mapping techniques) data; however, one could not overlook the behavioral and anatomical evidence in favor of culture-specific expressions. Therefore, universal emotions may serve as a very fundamental framework among all humans; yet, it is cultural differences that fine-tune this structure into the emotions each individual expresses. Introduction to Universality Thesis: The Darwinian Hypothesis Principles for the Expression of Emotions The Work of Charles Darwin. Many of the ideas that Darwin formulated in his 1872 book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals have led to this field of research. On the book’s most basic level, he defended that emotion expressions are evolved and adaptive (Hess Thibault, 2009). However, Darwin also posits three crucial principles from which many of the subsequent fundamental questions and debate over emotions and their purpose stem. The Principle of Serviceable Habits. As Hess and Thibault (2009) note, this first principle takes a Lamarckian view of the inheritance of emotions genetically through the force of habits. Darwin explicitly underscores the concept and force of habit. It also speaks very much to the functionality of emotions and their expressions, although most of them are vestigial. However, these traits could still be observed in animals because the civilization of humans would suppress such instinctual tendencies. A common example is that of rage and aggression as a â€Å"playful sneer† or â€Å"ferocious snarl† (Darwin, 1872) reveals animal descent. The Principle of Antithesis. In a reversal of the first principle, the second principle asserts that some expressions are so directly opposite to nature that the only means is that of expressive communication (Darwin 1872). This makes the expression almost analogous to the voice for the purpose of intercommunication. It is worth noting, however, the Darwin extends this principle to not only states, but to traits as well (Hess Thibault, 2009). For instance, Darwin (1872) postulates that the enigmatic action of a gaping mouth could indicate a feebleness of character. Such actions eventually become ingrained through habit. The Principle of the Direct Action of the Excited Nervous System on the Body.  This final principle that Darwin outlines could be considered the direct product of the nervous system. Therefore, some expressions occur to balance excess emotions. For instance, consider the absurd nature of laughter (Hess Thibault, 2009). Heckler (1873) proposed that laughter could in fact be a protective reflex that compromises the excess of the circulatory and respiratory systems through the irritation of vasomotor nerves. The work of Darwin and universality thesis will later by revived in the late 19 60s and early 1970s by the judgments studies of Paul Ekman. Evidence in Support of Universality Evidence derived from Judgment Studies Introduction. The universality thesis is most contingent upon judgment data, evidence of observers seeing the same emotions in all faces (Russell, 1994). Paul Ekman is largely considered to be the pioneer and preeminent scholar in the field of emotions, and his judgment studies with overwhelming evidence supporting the universality of facial expressions are frequently cited in subsequent studies on this topic. The earlier view before studies conducted by Ekman and Friesen from the late 1960s was that facial expressions completely differed from culture to culture (La Barre, 1947). With Ekman and Friesen’s groundbreaking work on the constancy of facial expressions throughout cultures in 1971, however, the tremendous evidence has persuaded much of the psychology world to accept the universality thesis although skeptics still remain (Ekman Friesen, 1987). Pan-cultural udgment studies. Among the first of these pan-cultural judgment studies was conducted by Ekman, Sorenson, and Friesen (1969) in New Guinea, Borneo, Brazil, the United States, and Japan where they found evidence in favor of pan-cultural elements in facial displays; observers in these cultures were able to recognize similar emotions in the a standard set of photographs. They first obtained samples of photographed facial expressions that were free of cultural differences. The subjects, too, were carefully selected as data needed to be collected from virtually isolated preliterate societies to eliminate the variable of mass media (Ekman et al. , 1969). Photographs of Caucasians—male and female, adult and children—were used, all of whom were professional and amateur actors. The observers observed primarily the preliterate societies from New Guinea and Borneo, two isolated communities that required translators. 1] The emotion Happy (H) was most universally recognized with tremendous accuracy in responses—United States: 97 H; Brazil: 97 H; Japan: 87 H; New Guinea: 99 H (Pidgin) and 82 H (Fore); and Borneo: 92 H. Fear (F), however, seem to generate a more varied response between different cultures, with Surprise (SU) and Anger (A) as answers as well—United States: 88 F; Japan: 71 F, 26 SU; New Guinea: 46 F, 31 A (Pidgin) and 54 F, 25 A (Fore); Borneo: 40 F, 33 SU. There were also variations within Disgust-Contempt (D) with some mixtures of A and in the Borneo society, even H; A included some D and F; SU included F and A, which these variations occurring primarily in the isolated societies; and finally, Sadness (SA) was sometimes interpreted as A, with A being the only given response in the Fore group of New Guinea. While there is certainly evidence for some basic universality, Ekman, Sorenson, and Friesen attributed the discrepancies to language barriers and task unfamiliarity in the illiterate societies. Flaws and how they were subsequently addressed. Ekman and Friesen (1987) later published a study in which they acknowledge some flaws of previous judgment studies. With respect to the study above, three problems that limited them are: (1) there has only been one such study, (2) not all six emotions were accurately recognized, and (3) the facial expressions were posed as opposed to spontaneous (Ekman Friesen, 1987). In response to the last criticism, Ekman and Friesen (1972) designed a study of facial expressions shown by Japanese and Americans while watching stress-inducing films of body mutilation and neutral films of natural andscape. When subjects from each of the two cultures viewed the films in the absence of a scientist with a hidden video camera, the facial expressions from both groups were virtually identical; when viewing the same films in the presence of a scientist, however, the Japanese tended to mask negative expressions with smile, lending support to the presence of cultural display rules when different cultures man age and mask universal expressions. The primary criticism, however, was (1) again, there has only been one such study, and (2) the films only elicit two emotions (disgust and fear)—other universal expressions were not determined for (Ekman Friesen, 1987). Later studies, however, involving photographs of facial expressions shown to observers of across 12 literature cultures found very high agreement by multiple researchers including Ekman, Friesen, Sorenson, and Izard (Ekman et at. , 1969; Izard, 1971). The multiple replications of this design lends to its credibility (Ekman Friesen, 1987). Universality of the recognizing intensity. Ekman and Friesen (1987) sought to further extend their basic judgment studies by testing for four different hypotheses of cross-cultural agreement for (1) single-choice judgment tasks; (2) the strongest emotion; (3) the second strongest emotion; and (4) strength of emotion. The nations that were chosen included 8 different languages from both Western and non-Western countries. In (1), the single-choice judgment task that replicated previous studies, once again, produced accurate results in terms of the percentage of subjects in a country correctly identifying with a predicted emotion. For instance, two examples include Happiness, in which the percentage ranged from 98% (Scotland) to 69% (Sumatra); for Surprise, 94% (Japan) to 78% (Sumatra), while Sadness, ranged from 92% (U. S. ) to 76% (Turkey). Overall, the emotional term chosen by the majority of the subjects in each culture was accurate 178 out of 180 times. Hypothesis (2) was also supported: 177 out of 180 times, the emotion that was judged to be the most prominent by the majority of each culture was also the predicted emotion. Hypothesis (3), which predicted the universality of the secondary emotion, was sustained as well: in every culture, there was complete agreement about the secondary emotion signaled by expressions of disgust and fear. The results for sadness and surprise, however, were too infrequent to be conclusive (5 out of 30 opportunities and 8 out of 30 respectively). Further research needs to be conducted to determine the cause for this discrepancy (Ekman Friesen, 1987). Hypothesis (4) required subjects to judge the intensity of emotions on an 8-point scale (1-slight, 4-moderate, 8-strong) to predict the universality of judging. This, according to Ekman and Friesen (1987) however, led to inconclusive results. Using a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), F(54,2743)=3. 95, signifies a moderate association between culture and intensity judgments. However, instead, the six univariate tests ranged from 2. 3 in Sadness to 6. 66 in Surprise, indicating that there are significant differences among cultures in this respect. These differences, according, to Ekman and Friesen, could have 2 possibilities: (1) politeness and a greater uncertainty about a foreigner or (2) the language barrier, as observers had make judgments in language other than English (Ekman Friesen, 1987). Nevertheless, with three of these hypotheses confirmed, the evidence for universal facial expressions is undeniably overwhelming despite these flaws. Evidence based on Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and Action Units Introduction. Based on the evidence for the presence of six basic emotions across cultures,—happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise—qualitative descriptions of facial muscles associated with each of them have been identified. For instance, happy expressions include tense lower eyelids, raised cheeks and lip corners pulled up, while sad expressions include inner eyebrows raised and drawn together, and lip corners pulled down (Kohler et al. 2004). Based on such observations, Ekman and Friesen (1978) developed the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) by identifying the presence of action units (AU). They serve as the standard set of facial expressions. Target AUs in universal emotions. Kohler et al (2004) sought to identify which AUs characterized the four universal emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. A total of 128 images of emotional expressions were used in a sample of 105 sub jects from Drexel University. Of these subjects, 63 were men and 42 were women. There were also 71 Caucasian, 9 Africa-American, 4 Hispanic/Latino, and 21 Asian-American participants, indicating ethnic diversity. They were then asked whether each facial expression matched the target emotion. FACS ratings revealed that uniquely absent and present AUs were found for each emotion (Kohler et al, 2004). In Happy, the presence of AU 6, 7, and 26 was ositively associated with happy recognition, and determined that the presence of 6 increased recognition four times; in Sad, AU 4, 17, and 25 were positively while 15 was negatively associated; in Anger, AU 4, 5, and 16 were positively while 23 was negatively associated[2]; and in Fear, AU 5, 1, and 26 were positively while 4 was negatively associated. By defining expressions quantitatively with unique muscle patterns over a diverse subject group, the universality thesis is further strengthened. The 2004 Athens Olympics Game. Psychologist David Matsmoto[3] (2006) conducted a field behavioral study of the facial expressions displayed by medal winners of the judo competition during the 2004 Athens Olympics Games using F F ACS. With judo photographer Bob Willingham, they captured the spontaneous reactions of 84 medal winners from 35 different countries—the most diverse ethnic group in a spontaneously intense emotional field study—at 3 different times: (1) when they completed the match, (2) when they received their medals from the dignitary, and (3) when they posed on the podium. Matsumoto (2006) found that independent of cultural backgrounds, there are very specific facial expressions that occur in emotionally-charged contexts. This study was designed in response to some criticisms of judgments studies and previous field studies conducted in other sporting events including bowling and soccer (Kraut Johnson, 1979; Ruiz-Belda et al. , 2003). A crucial concern about judgments studies held in laboratories is their posed stimuli and artificial nature because they lack the investigation of the expression within a social context (Matsumoto, 2006). While later field studies were conducted in order to address this concern, there were three flaws that Matsumoto (2006) in turn addresses. The first two are the strength of the elicited emotional response—a factor that is not intense enough with bowling spares and strikes—and the time allowed for expressions to unfold. The third and most important aspect of the study was the type of smile elicited in the social context, something that Kraut and Johnson (1979) had failed to distinguish. Matsumoto determines two types of smiles: the Duchenne smile and the non-Duchenne smile; the former is associated with enjoyment and the latter is associated with pleasantry or social convenience even though the person does not feel positive emotions. While Ruiz-Belda et al (2003) uses the FACS, which detects the muscle movements associated with these smiles, they were not differentiated. In order to isolate photos or victory, Willingham took pictures from the gold and bronze matches (Matsumoto, 2006), the most emotionally intense matches as they both occur at the margin; the former wins the first place while the latter made the cut for a medal. Negative emotions of defeat were searched for in silver medal winners and athletes who placed fifth. Again, as aforementioned, it is important to distinguish the timing of emotions, as the first expressions upon completing a match are often the most instinctual and natural ones. Thirteen out of 14 gold medalists and 18 out of 16 bronze medalists smiled for a total of 31 smiles; of those 31 smiles, 29 were Duchenne and 24 were open-mouthed. In the defeat silver medalists, none smiled and 1 of the 26 fifth placers smiled. Instead, 43% of silver medalists and 35% of fifth placers showed sadness, 29% and 23% showed nothing (respectively), and 14% and 15% showed contempt (again, respectively). Upon receiving the medal, which is a much more public event than initial expressions, 54 of the 56 athletes smiled. All 14 gold medalists (12 open-mouthed), 6 silver medalists (out of the 14), and 20 bronze medalists (out of 28) had Duchenne smiles. Cultural differences were tested for, but none were found. In the final situation, the most public of the three, the athletes’ expressions were taken on the podium. Again, all the gold medalists smiled; only 9 silver medalists of the 14 smiled (only 5 of these were uncontrolled, of which 3 were controlled Duchenne); and 26 bronze medalists of the 28 smiled (13 of which were open-mouthed and Duchenne). Interestingly in this last scenario, cultural differences was evident: gold and bronze medalists from North America-Western Europe and East Asia were much more prone to displaying Duchenne smiles (96%) as opposed to gold and bronze medalists from other countries (47%). This study of facial expressions further reinforces the notion of universal emotions. Because no other emotion other than the Duchenne smile was prominent in these expressions of victory, the data suggests that it may be the only facial marker of the joy of victory (Matsumoto, 2006). Matsumoto then proposed an evolutionary reason why this may be the case along the lines of behavioral ecology: facial expressions provide rapid means of communication, and it may not have been absolutely adaptively necessary to communicate various emotions of enjoyment. However, while this last point is highly speculative, the data that Matsumoto provides for universal facial expressions, which were displayed most prominently in more private settings but still detectable in more public ones using FACS, is very thorough and convincing.

Physiology of the Heart

Physiology of the Heart Anatomy 1. Illustrate and describe the gross anatomy of the heart. Include the layers of the heart wall, chambers, valves, structures and major blood vessels connected to the heart. Indicate direction of flow. Include your own diagram. The heart is a complex biological electrical pump. It is found in mediastinum of the thorax. Surrounding the heart is the pericardium, which contains serous fluid, allowing the heart to move freely within the membrane. (1) The outside surface of the heart is known as the epicardium, the inner surface of the heart muscle; the myocardium and the innermost surface; the endocardium. The heart itself can be separated into 4 chambers which are filled with blood when the heart is relaxed, and pumped out of when the heart contracts. (1) They are separated into the left and right side, which are distinct, and into atria (singular atrium) and ventricles. The atria and ventricles are separated by the coronary sinus or AV groove. Between the right atrium and right ventricle is the Tricuspid Valve which is made up of 3 leaflets. Deoxygenated blood feeds into the right atrium from the Vena Cava (which is separated into the superior and inferior vena cava – superior from the head, neck and arms and the inferior from the lower limbs and the abdomen). (1) The right ventricle feeds into the pulmonary artery which carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Blood is then oxygenated and fed back to the heart through the pulmonary vein. This fills the left atrium and subsequently, flows through the Mitral Valve into the left ventricle.. (1) As the heart contracts, this pushe s the blood into the aorta, which feeds through to the major arteries in the body. Within the base of the aorta lies some very small arteries known as the coronary arteries. These feed the heart tissue with oxygenated blood and drain into the right atrium, with the systemic deoxygenated blood. (1) 2. Briefly describe the function of the pericardial cavity As mentioned before, the heart and roots of the great vessels (aorta, vena cava, pulmonary vein and artery) is surrounded with a very strong membrane known as the pericardium. It is a double walled structure, made up of the fibrous pericardium on the outermost surface of the heart, and an inner serous pericardium. (1)The fibrous pericardium is made of very dense connective tissue, and contains many collagen fibres. It prevents overfilling of the heart and anchors it to the surrounding walls of the thoracic cavity.(2) The serous pericardium can be differentiated into two layers, the parietal layer, which is fused and continuous with the fibrous pericardium, and the visceral pericardium which can also be known as the epicardium. Between these layers is a potential space known as the pericardial cavity, filled with about 50mls of serous fluid. (2) This potential space is extremely important as it allows the heart to move freely within the space by keeping the transmural cardiac pressure s very low, as well as facilitating atrial filling during ventricular systole by maintaining a negative pericardial pressure. It also prevents hypertrophy of the heart under strenuous exercise, keeping the heart muscle a relatively constant size. (2) The membranes completely isolate the heart from the thoracic cavity which prevents spread of disease or infection. Its importance is particularly obvious when there are cases of pericardial tamponade – build-up of fluid in the pericardial cavity which causes compression of the heart. (2) Without the pericardial cavity, the heart would not be able to pump as efficiently as it would have to overcome the pressures exerted on it by the surroundings, which would just add to the work of the cardiac muscle.(2) 3. Illustrate and describe the anatomy of the electrical conduction system of the heart. Briefly describe the blood supply to the electrical conduction system. The electrical impulse originates at the Sino Atrial Node in the right atrium. This impulse travels through the cardiac muscle – through the many gap junctions, as well as through the intermodal pathways or Bachman’s bundle. (1) At the level of the atrio-ventricular valves, there is another node called the Atrio-Ventricular Node (AV Node) that has properties that delay the stimulus. Following this, the impulse travels down the left and right bundle branch fibres in the ventricular septum, into the bundles of His which travel up the ventricular walls and branch into Purkinje fibres. The stimulus reaches the apex of the heart first, and then travels up towards the outflow tracts resulting in coordinated depolarisation and contraction. (1) This coordination is a result of both the coordination of the stimulus as well as the layout of the myocytes, as well as the ease at which the electrical signal is able to propagate through cardiac muscle.(3) Sino Atrial Node is usually supplied oxygenated blood by the Right Coronary Artery (RCA) or the Left Coronary Artery (LCA) though this is variable. In most people, the AV Node is supplied by the AV Node Artery branch of the Posterior Descending Artery which is a branch off the RCA, though in some it will be supplied by the same artery, just as a branch of the left Circumflex Artery. (3) All of the fibres downstream from this point are supplied by the Left Anterior Descending artery with exception of the His fibres, which are also supplied by the AV Node Artery. (3) Conduction 1. Illustrate and describe the propagation of a single beat through the electrical conduction system and the relationship to the surface ECG. Include in your answer a discussion on conduction velocity through the various components and list the normal ECG intervals. An ECG works by detecting the electrical change in the heart through sensors that are put on the surface of the skin. Direction is determined through the use of electrical vectors generated by many hundreds of individual cells. (4) The P wave is the first small wave in the ECG. It reflects the spread of depolarisation through the atria from the SA node. The normal range is  ¬0.08-0.1seconds. After the P wave there is a brief isoelectric stage when the current is flowing through the AV node, and the conduction is slowed. This is known as the PR interval and it is usually 0.12-0.2seconds. (4) The QRS complex shows the very strong electrical signal and resulting contraction that forces blood into the aorta and pulmonary artery. It is about 0.06-1seconds, which shows just how fast depolarisation spreads through the ventricles (its shape has been idealised on the schematic below). (1) After the QRS complex there is another isoelectric period which indicates plateau phase of depolarisation. The T wave is the repolarisation of the ventricles – in preparation for the next beat the duration between the P and T waves usually approximately 0.2-0.4seconds, though this is dependent on heart rate.(4) The U wave is a very rarely seen artefact and is thought to reflect the repolarisation of the papillary muscles that control the valves. (1) Figure 3: Electrocardiogram schematic. Based on the diagram from Bruce Shade: Fast and Easy ECGs (4) 2. Briefly describe the ionic movement that occurs during each phase of the myocardial and SA node action potential. Include a labelled illustration of both action potentials in your answer. The myocardial action potential is quite complex with influxes and effluxes of 3 different ions, changing the membrane potential as contraction occurs. There are 5 distinct phases of the myocardial action potential. (1) These are shown in the figure 4 below. Between phase 0 and 2 there is an absolute refractory period where it is impossible to invoke another action potential. This allows even more coordination of the spread of a stimulus.(1) The ECG trace shown below the action potential shows where the stages of contraction occur that can be extrapolated out into the ventricular depolarisation (QRS complex) and the ventricular repolarisation (T wave) Depolarisation Repolarisation ECG Cells in the SA node are pacemaker cells and have a property which is known as automaticity. They do not need activation to fire an action potential.(1) They are very similar to myocytes but have several key differences in their action potentials (see figure 5). Phase 0 is significantly slower in the pacemaker cells of the SA node as it is dependent on the activation of L-type calcium channels instead of Sodium channels, which makes the depolarisation significantly slower at this phase.(1) During Phase 1, repolarisation of the membrane occurs leading to a period of pacemaker potential, where the membrane potential gradually depolarises through constant Na2+ leakage into the cell. When the action potential is triggered automatically, Phase 0 commences. Pacemaker cells do not have phase 1 and 2. (1) Figure 5: SA Node Action Potential 3. Describe the role of escape pacemakers in the conduction system. The SA node is entirely autonomous which means that it does not need external innervation or activation to fire. Other areas of the heart are heteronomous which means they need an external source of action potential to stimulate them to produce one. (1) Some specific cells along the conduction fibres possess both of these properties. This is so that if the SA Node fails for some reason, they can activate themselves and this allows the heart to beat, even without a functional SA Node. (1) Each area will have a slower rate of autonomy as it gets further downstream from the SA Node to prevent competition between the different areas. (5) This is very useful when the SA Node fails, and the AV Node takes over as the AV Node can maintain a BPM of about 40-60 BPM which is still slow but can maintain life for a reasonable amount of time. Further downstream the Bundles of His can maintain about 25-40 BPM and the Purkinje fibers about 15-30BPM which cannot maintain life for any reasonable perio d of time, though it can help during some forms of arrhythmias which prevent the signal reaching the Purkinje fibers/Bundles of His. (6) This is also where Escape beats originate, and this is seen on the ECG as a widened QRS Complex. 4. Discuss the role of decremental conduction in the AV node. Decremental conduction means the more the AV node is stimulated, the slower it conducts the stimulus. This allows a control over how fast the blood is pumped out. The faster the contractions, the less time between them for filling of the heart and therefore less blood is pumped out. (1) The AV Node slows down the stimulus so that there is an element of control of how fast the signal reaches the apex of the heart and prevents the ventricles from contracting so fast that the cardiac output drops too low.(7) It is extremely important that the AV node is able to slow down the conduction velocity, even as it gets activated more and more frequently. It is even able to block out some signals. This is clearly seen in patients with atrial fibrillation. (7) The only way for the signal to travel to the ventricles is through the AV node (due to the insulating fibrous skeleton that prevents atrial cell – ventricular cell depolarisation spread). (7) If the AV node allowed conduction of ever y single depolarisation, an atrial fibrillation would be fatal as the cardiac output would become too low, and the ventricle would go into ventricular fibrillation, which is fatal without intervention. It is the decremental properties of the AV node that prevent this from occurring. (7) 5. Explain the term ‘functional syncytium’ and its significance in the cardiac muscle contraction. A functional syncytium by definition is a group of cells that are both mechanically and electrically bound to one another, so they are able to function as one. This is extremely important in cardiac muscle contraction.(1) One of the main reasons that the heart is able to work so effectively is that the contractions and depolarisations are always coordinated. (8) There is no coordination without communication, which are the electrical signals that are passed between the myocytes. (1) This extremely effective communication is completely useless unless the cardiac myocytes are mechanically bound, so that when they do contract, it is as a whole. The specialization, which is unique to cardiac muscle, that allows it to be a functional syncytium is a structure called intercalated discs. (8) They contain three types of intercellular junctions; many fascia adherens and desmosomes, for mechanical connection, and many gap junctions allowing for direct communication between neighbouring cells. ( 1) Another interesting property that contributes to the functional syncytium is the fact that cardiac muscle has an innate rhythmicity. This means that at the level of the muscle, the myocytes will exhibit the rhythm of the cell with the fastest rhythm. This makes regulating and coordinating the speed of the heart beat very easy and effective. (8) References 1. Boron WF, Boulpaep EL. Medical Physiology [Internet]. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2008 [cited 2014 Apr 9]. Available from: http://books.google.com/books?id=HlMJRw08ihgCpgis=1 2. Watkins MW, LeWinter MM. Physiologic role of the normal pericardium. Annu Rev Med [Internet]. 1993 Jan [cited 2014 Apr 9];44:171–80. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8476238 3. Futami C, Tanuma K, Tanuma Y, Saito T. The arterial blood supply of the conducting system in normal human hearts. Surg Radiol Anat [Internet]. 2003 Apr [cited 2014 Apr 9];25(1):42–9. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12819949 4. Shade BR, Wesley K. Fast and Easy ECGs [Internet]. McGraw-Hill Higher Education; 2007 [cited 2014 Apr 9]. Available from: http://books.google.com/books?id=hibqIAAACAAJpgis=1 5. Adams MG, Pelter MM. Ventricular escape rhythms. Am J Crit Care [Internet]. 2003 Sep [cited 2014 Apr 9];12(5):477–8. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14503433 6. Vassalle M. On the mechanisms underlying cardiac standstill: Factors determining success or failure of escape pacemakers in the heart. J Am Coll Cardiol [Internet]. Journal of the American College of Cardiology; 1985 Jun 1 [cited 2014 Apr 9];5(6):35B–42B. Available from: http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1111307 7. Cardiac Electrophysiology: From Cell to Bedside 5th edition ISBN: 9781416059738| US Elsevier Health Bookshop [Internet]. [cited 2014 Apr 9]. Available from: http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/cardiology/cardiac-electrophysiology-from-cell-to-bedside-expert-consult/9781416059738/ 8. Cardiac Muscle | histologyolm.stevegallik.org [Internet]. [cited 2014 Apr 9]. Available from: http://histologyolm.stevegallik.org/node/146

Background market and strategies of the nissin group business essay

Background market and strategies of the nissin group business essay Through the evaluation of the background, market situation and business strategies of Nissin Group, this paper provides the explanation on why Nissin instant noodles have achieved a fast development performance in the instant noodles business in Hong Kong The study of Five Forces and PESTEL analyses will lead to the understanding on how the macro-environment and micro-environment affect Nissin performance its business direction and strategy. A further study of the results from the perspective of an internal competence analysis to the results from the Five Forces and PESTEL will identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Nissin. These findings will then tell Nissin of what needs to be minimized, eliminated, and to reduce or neutralize risks. All these findings will add up the reasons to justify how Nissin sustains its market leader position in Hong Kong. Suggestions on improvement and implementation of corporate strategy will also be elaborated. 1o. Introduction Intrepid Japanese entrepreneur named Momofoku Ando established Nissin Foods around the middle of the 20th century with the name Chukosasa Co., Ltd. Foreseeing that Japanese society was being economically and socially reengineered toward production speed and efficiency, he also sought to reengineer the Japanese diet in response. His answer to the requisite of speed exerted and demanded of the modern Japanese was simple the instant noodle. The invention revolutionized the food industry not only in Japan but also throughout the world. Now Nissin Foods, produce not only instant ramen noodles but also fresh and pre-packaged frozen food, and meals-ready-to-eat including cereals and spaghetti. But noodles remained the primary product draw. Mr. Ando stayed ahead of the competitive pack with remarkable innovations. In 1963, he introduced into the market the ramen Yakisoba, which had a separate flavoring packet. A decade later, Momofoku Ando invented cup noodles and in 1984, Nissin Foods established in Hong Kong (Nissin Foods Holdings, 2010). What has been Nissins strategy to address the various forces acting upon the instant food industry? How valid and viable would this strategy still be in an age of high technology and rapid global integration? And now, lets start to know the direct key stakeholders in Hong Kong. Management of Nissin The Management receives strong support from Parent company who has made the sustainability much easier for a stronger market share. Staff of Nissin They are the executors of the business. Staff would be happy to work for Nissin if the business is stable and with continuous growth. Hong Kong consumers the market share is large amongst the younger generations and white collars as they accept new trendy food, especially from Japan. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) of Hong Kong Government the Government has to control the types of incoming food products for consumption, as a statutory body, FEHD will govern the quality of food items importing to Hong Kong. Hong Kong Consumer Council it regulates the selling of consumer goods to the public in a fair trade practice. By supports of academic references, there will be a careful analysis of macro-environment and micro-environment undertaken by using Five Forces and PESTAL, plus a review of the internal analysis by strategic capabilities. The outcomes from external and internal environment analyses will be combined in a SWOT analysis. From the results of this analysis conclusion on overall business strategy, some improvement or implementation can be drawn through the methods of Porters Generic Strategies, Ansoffs matrix and organic method. 2. Analysis of Nissin in the Instant Noodles Industry in Hong Kong The following analysis of Nissin is based on strategy development processes suggested in major strategic management literature. There will be a careful analysis of macro-environment and micro-environment undertaken by using Five Forces and PESTAL, plus a review of the internal analysis by strategic capabilities. The outcomes from external and internal environment analyses will be combined in a SWOT analysis. From the results of this analysis conclusion on overall business strategy, some improvement or implementation can be drawn. 2.1 External Analysis Industry Analysis/ Five Forces Analyzing the generic food industry from the perspective of Michael Porters five forces, namely, the threat of new entrants, competitive rivalry within the industry, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of customers, and the bargaining power of suppliers (Porter, 1985). Threat of new entrants Nissin Foods in Hong Kong does not perceive any new entrants or competitors in the industry. The market appears to be increasingly expansive and lucrative and this is expected to lure new participants. However, the predominance and well-entrenched positions of the current players had dampened the enthusiasm of those who intend to enter the industry from outside. Industrial competition would probably more ensue from within and intensified internal competition would take place in the form of innovations in the product itself as well as in promotional designs and packaging. The barriers to entry are quite formidable considering that customer loyalty to the existing players are quite strong and that these current players have already established linkages with local formal sources of capital and distribution outlets (Becker, et al., 1999). Competitive rivalry within the industry The instant noodle industry in Hong Kong is a highly intense rivalry among the current players, thus making the industry itself highly competitive. Innovations are frequent and the market now regards as its highly popular products, environmentally friendly cups and containers and food ready to eat from the moment the packages are opened. Advertisements fight for time both on mass telecommunications channels and over the Internet and companies also engage in intense competition in the sponsorship of events like games and competitions. The existing noodles companies also engage in the constant monitoring of the performance of their products on the market, outlaying huge sums of money for customer surveys, promotions, and advertisement as well as in technology and manufacturing innovations. Threat of substitutes Hong Kong consumers are increasingly health conscious, they demand fresher and higher nutritional food. As such, there is an increasing consumer preference for fruits, vegetables, poultry and low fat, low sugar and zero to low preservatives content products. No matter how much hard works Nissin has contributed to the improvement of noodles quality, the dried instant noodles are not considered as a real meal to the consumers in Hong Kong. Substitute products like those offered by Jollibee, McDonalds, KFC and fast food noodle houses are slowly but steadily flooding the market and as buyers become more tend to the Western style of business activities and private lifestyles, such substitutes become increasingly attractive than the traditional instant noodles. Bargaining power of customers (Buyers) It bears negatively on the prospects of Hong Kongs instant noodle industry as more and more people rising in terms of social status and economic position. The increasing purchasing power of the population exerts leverage on instant noodle companies who might see the loyalty of their customers being eroded by their increasing incomes. The substitute product firms such as the fast food chains are also known for their notoriously low operating costs and their relatively cheaper products. Cheaper products have a corresponding income effect on the consumer as they realize the greater power of their money vis-a-vis the substitute product. When combined, these factors lead to the rational consumer realigning his consumption possibilities curve to favor the substitute rather than the formerly patronized product. This situation currently faces the Hong Kong noodle industry. Bargaining power of suppliers Finally, and as a counterpoint to the pathetic prospects with regard to the increasing demand of substitute products in the instant food market and the increasing power of customers, the instant noodle industry is seen to still maintain its hold over the supplier sector. In this regard, the bargaining power of the suppliers for the instant noodle industry remains low as many of the independent supplying firms have either been vertically integrated into the existing companies or have been interlinked through long term supply contracts. The low rate of entry into the industry also act as a safety net that limits the power of suppliers to charge high prices for the firms inputs which basically include wheat, buckwheat, corn, sesame oil, and other organic inputs. The suppliers market remains huge and extensive allowing for easy substitutability whenever a supplier becomes a party to an unprofitable relationship. 2.2 External Analysis PESTEL The PESTEL analysis provides a comprehensive list of influences on the possible success or failure of particular strategies; it stands for political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal. (Johnson, et al., 2008) Political Situation Hong Kongs political system follows the set-up envisioned by the Chinese government when the former British colony returned its sovereignty back to China in 1997. The Chinese government maintained the capitalist economy and so the situation remains favorable to continued and sustained business expansion. Hong Kongs administrative structure carefully and strictly enforces laws and regulations that regulate fair business competition. Corruption is at fairly low levels and government officials are careful to preserve the Chinese governments reputation of fair but strict governance according to the law (Goodstadt, 2010). Economic Situation With Hong Kongs position as one of Asias financial and trading centers firmly entrenched, the city is actually looking forward to another sustained economic growth by 2011 and beyond. Hong Kong remains a fast-paced hub of businesses among almost all the global cities and therefore social mobility is fluid, leading to a fast rising middle class with an increasing purchasing capacity. Demand for instant foods is therefore expected to increase and despite the existence of a fairly sized competition, notably the Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.; House Foods Corporation; the Nong Shim Company, Ltd.; the Tingyi Cayman Islands Holding Corporation; Asia Food and Properties, Ltd.; the Ottogi Corporation;the Myojo Foods Company, Ltd.; the Tokatsu Foods Company, Ltd.; and Bing-Grae Company Ltd, the market shares of these companies remain small. With the expected expansion of existing demand, will in effect scramble for larger and larger shares of this market. Social Situation Noodles remain a primary staple in the Chinese diet, it being one of the traditional foods associated with the culture. As the social structure modernizes and instantaneity becomes a part of the societys way of life, instant ramen noodles become the norm. Cultural adjustments in response to modernization have often been slow but the rapid acceptance on instant noodles ever since its introduction in the 1950s has been truly revolutionary, the product being responsive to the demands of both tradition and modernity. Technological Situation The information and communications technological infrastructure in Hong Kong has been always at the forefront of the adoption and utilization of new generations of such technology. Manufacturing equipment remains state of the art and Hong Kong laws and regulations are unrestrictive of the entry of more advanced technology. Hong Kong, moreover, is solidly linked to the global village through the Internet with firms recognizing the imperative of such linkages with the status of their Hong Kong firms as hubs for their global operations. Environmental Situation The government and the people of Hong Kong are concerned about the implications of manufacturing activities on the environment. Firms should answer the demands for corporate social responsibility in this aspect. For example, pollution and waste management are particularly important considerations. Since government has already put in place policies that address environmental concerns, environmental reporting is now the focus of governmental efforts. Different sectors are seeing the value of linking environmental responsibility and reporting (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 2010). As environmental reporting becomes more widespread Hong Kong firms are also given the chance to keep with international trends. Legal Situation Hong Kong provides an extremely favorable legal environment to businesses, as the official rates of income taxation for both individuals and corporations are relatively low compared to other business areas. Corporate income taxes for example peak at 17.5% allowing business establishments higher outlays for investments and expansion providing them sufficient breathing space for increased profits and returns on their investments. These conditions serve as a major pull factor for regional and local investors including Nissin Food. Companies who also have CRS departments like Nissin could also avail of tax holidays of as high as 10% on their incomes (Hong Kong SAR, 1997). In addition, courts and magisterial agencies are highly competent and legal expertise are extremely trustworthy in a place that had developed an excellent reputation for judicial fairness and equitability from even from its years under British rule. 2.3 Internal Analysis Capabilities Nissin Food Co., Ltd. has always been extremely competent with sufficient financial capacities that should allow it to withstand fluctuations in consumer demand throughout the years. Its manufacturing plants and equipment remain modern and environmentally safe, complemented by subsidiaries that have safety research in food technology. Nissins technological expertise, directorial competence and workforce commitment remain at the highest levels and the Ando family has kept the familys trade secrets secure with the proper legal and propriety registrations and protection. Technological knowhow has often been a trademark of the company ever since it was established and kept with important business moves over the years. Quality control technology has been especially developed through the years with the company regularly testing and re-testing its products before they are put on the shelves and marketed overseas. Even packaging, storage, and transport mechanisms are strictly monitored and frequently adjusted to ensure quality standards of safety (Nissin Food Co. Ltd, 2010). Through these initiatives, Nissin Food has maintained a solid image as the primary instant food corporation carrying what they call Japan technology. The company also enjoys an excellent reputation with its suppliers as well as its workforce and the city of Hong Kong itself. Another internal competence of the company is the presence of a highly competitive and committed workforce led by directors who are highly trained in their respective fields. Employees undergo periodic training and evaluation mechanisms, follow strictly implemented guidelines in the performance of their respective jobs. Human resources thus become highly motivated and trained (Nissin Food Co. Ltd, 2010). Regardless of these competencies, the company faces real risks, which if left unattended may pose serious attacks on the stability of the company. Among these would be food safety issues as consumers become more and more conscious of bio-terrorism while other brands are more aggressively promoted. The risk of increasing prices of raw materials such as flour, palm oil and petroleum-based products for packaging purposes is also accounted. And more, risks related to information systems become more technologically sophisticated than ever. 3. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is an important step in planning but its often being underestimated its usefulness and functions. SWOT analysis is a basic, straightforward model that provides direction and serves as a basis for the development of marketing plans (Ferrel, et al., 1998). Strengths Nissin Instant noodles have made a significant impact in the Hong Kong residents diet ever since the companys branch was established therein in 1984. Thus the company enjoys a high reputation with the brand itself having instantaneous recognition and respect by its patrons. The brand enjoys sustained loyalty among consumers, its manufacturing sector known for sanitary and environmentally friendly production processes, and the product is known for its flavor and taste, price reasonability, health attributes, and long shelf life, characteristics which make Nissins instant ramen noodles highly appropriate to the lifestyle of the modern Hong Kong resident. Mr. Momofoku Ando had retired in 2005 but the family has retained its unique capacity to adjust its products to various cultural contexts, delivering dozens of varied flavors for different country and city preferences and its keen recognition of new complementary products like environmentally friendly containers and cups to merge and l ink-up with manufacturers of these innovations to ensure cost efficiency to sustain business scale. Weaknesses There is no apparent weakness of the company except perhaps that the aggressive expansion of its business may have reached the limits of saturation. The relatively unchanged firm logo and design over half a century may have become boring among consumers psychological recognition. Brand familiarity does have a second edge in that it may psychologically influence consumers to try out a new brand. Nissin Food has also been relatively overtaken by other firms in cutting the preparation time for the instant noodles product as Mummy and Fuku noodles can be eaten straight that matched perfectly instant. Opportunities Hong Kong is a huge market for the food industry with its population of over 7 million expanding at an average annual growth rate of 1%. The market potential is therefore inspiring especially considering the fact that over half of this population is urban based with more and more young people drawn into high paced urban living. There are also more young women from both local and foreign places entering the workforce. This means that local family populations are left without the traditional ways of cooking and food preparation as women who were formerly tasked with culinary preparations at home migrate to the center for employment. The emerging demographic picture also portray a steadily growing segment of single people in the labor force, swelling the ranks of those who would prefer instant and fast food rather than traditional long-time home cooking. Nissins early demonstrated concern for environmental and health safety concerns, seen in the establishment of its food safety research institute is also a positive sign given the worlds increasing concern for environmental safety standards and the increasing health consciousness of people in recent times as they look consistently for low fat, low salt diets. Hong Kongs fast paced society also is an opportunity, as the citys demands for instant convenient food remain high. This offer Nissin the opportunity to expand from noodles to other instant food such as coffee, juice drinks, spaghetti, bread and snacks and the chance to establish linkages with other food outlets like restaurants, or otherwise introduce distribution innovations mobile snack center in schools, shopping malls, cinemas and exhibition halls. Threats The instant food competition comprised of the companies mentioned above and other brands like Doll noodles, Sau Tau and Master Hong pose the main threats to Nissin Foods. If the growing health consciousness provides a positive note vis-a-vis the companys effort at developing safer and healthier products, there is also a downside as mass media increasingly airs concerns about monosodium glutamate (MSG) and other preservatives used in instant food production. There is also a growing taste and preference for restaurant food and fine dining especially among the new rich. The emergence of organic and fresh instant noodles in the market particularly by the competition and the rising prices of wheat and other raw materials are foreseen to pose considerable threats especially with rising demand for these products by other demanders worldwide. Discussion This section will critically propose some strategies that Nissin Food Co., Ltd might implement in consolidating or even expanding its hold in the instant foods market in Hong Kong. Michael Porter recommended three generic strategies in this regard, namely cost leadership, differentiation, and focus (Porter, 1980). In terms of cost leadership, Nissin Food has always been ahead in the development of low cost instant noodles and other food products compared to many of its competitors. Company policy has always been directed to the elimination of operational glitches that would lead to increased production costs and streamline the process. This explains why despite the upgrading of technological capacities and the establishment of research institutions that would simultaneously increase expenses, Nissin Food is still capable of producing high quality noodles the be sold at relatively affordable prices on the shelves. With regard to differentiation, the Nissin Food Company has managed to diversify its food products from noodles to cereals and other products like biscuits, chocolate flake cookies and even lactobacillus drinks. Even its traditional offering, the instant noodles has been diversified into several types as cup noodles, the pillow type instant noodles, the fresh instant noodles, the thick straight noodles, and frozen types all in 450 different flavors. Innovation had always been key to product diversification and it need not be always a high-fangled high technology based development as long it gives the company a keener competitive advantage over other firms in the market (Porter, 1996). Thus, the simple idea of introducing the Nissin straight thick noodle led to increased volumes of sale in 2008. Differentiation allows a company to address the demands of consumers across a wide range of segmentation (Porter and Kramer, 2006). In its Hong Kong operations, the company has differentiated its products to all sectors of the population not only through diversified products but also through careful studies as to what products might have a more competitive appeal to certain sectors. Discovering for example that in their United States operations, Chow Mein noodles seemed to be the preference of Americans, the company also aimed at making this product appealing to the foreign sectors of the Hong Kong population. Finally, Nissin Food Company has always been secure in the instant noodle as its niche in manufacturing and sales and primarily targeting the working population. A niche approach is basically developing greater competitive advantage in a sector or product and holding on to this advantage through differentiation and innovation strategies (Porter, 1985). Among the three, differentiation appears to be Nissin Food Companys strongest and most effective strategy, allowing it to constantly increase its sales over the years and expand operations to address an ever larger share of the market. Differentiation has also allowed it to penetrate western markets such as the United States, Russia and even Mexico. In the United States, chow mein had attracted the microwave generation because of its microwavable fried noodle through innovative advertising. New products should always be based on prior arket surveys to test the levels of demand and businesses must always have a clear vision and strategy for diversification, planning against the risks involved with an honest regard for the gains it expects to achieve (Ansoff, 1957). Nissin uses both related and unrelated diversification techniques as, not contented with its traditional noodle offerings, it has innovated and expanded also to frozen foods, cereals, and nutrition drinks. Such risks have been repaid with dividends through the recent years. Conclusions and Recommendations Nissin Foods Company, Ltd. in Hong Kong faces has demonstrated a stable and strong internal competence structure. It has managed to sustain efficiency and close coordination among the various phases of its operations, making its various departments including the management, production, marketing, and research units mesh smoothly. It is in food safety and quality standards that the company stands out among the rest of competitors in the Hong Kong market and it is highly recommended that this be made part of a comprehensive advertising strategy that packages not only products but the entire company itself as an environmentally friendly corporation in tune with its recognized corporate responsibility to save the earth. This would be a leading promotional strategy as the company funnels through its Food Safety Research Institute, thorough investigations and research of environmentally affective chemicals, organic inputs as they affect the products of its farms, breeding stations, fisheri es, feed plants, ingredient plants and its productions plants as well. The Hong Kong macro-environment also appears to be a favorable one for Nissin Foods, affording it a competitive area where the company could showcase both its traditional and innovative offerings to an ever growing and constantly differentiating and segmented population. The change in administrative governance appears not to have made a significant impact on the robustness of business competition within the region. The PESTEL environment thus could be taken as a general plus factor. It is again in the area of environmental considerations that Nissin must focus on. It is recommended that the attention must be directed toward the pollution side of its post-operational activities. By this, as extra concern on disposal of containers and on the earth-friendliness of such packaging as Nissin continues to use non-biodegradable materials in this regard. To more promote the environmental image of the firm could innovate towards the end of minimizing its ecological footprint. On social relations, Nissin could collaborate with social and ecological groups toward the development of programs addressing Hong Kongs expanding ecological problems of pollution as well as industrial congestion. (word count 3,823)

Port Everglades :: Free Essay Writer

Port Everglades Thesis Statement: Port Everglades has experienced steady financial and geographical growth over the past decade. The purchase of more land will create more business and an increase of profit that would benefit investors as well as the community. I. Land Purchase A. Benefits B. Cost II. Broward County Government A. Buying Decisions B. Tax Breaks III. Increased Business A. Cruise Ships B. Containerized Cargo IV. Projections A. Revenues B. New Jobs The Expansion of Port Everglades Port Everglades is located on the southeast coast of South Florida. It lies partly embedded within Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Dania Beach and unincorporated Broward County (U.S. Army , 75). Port Everglades has experienced steady financial and geographical growth over the past decade. The purchase of more land will create more business and an increase of profit that would benefit investors as well as the community. According to Arthur Novacek’s article in The Herald, Port Everglades has experienced steady growth in all facets for more than a decade now. The Port has also expanded physically as its business has grown over the years, but has now run out of additional room (9). The only solution to keep expanding the Port was to buy more land. This land, located next to the Port, belongs to Michael J. Swerdlow, a South Florida developer. Purchase of this land would increase the Port by 272 acres (Bussey, 20). The benefits of this expansion are endless. The expansion will convert Port Everglades into a multipurpose hub linking sea, air, rail and highway transportation (Hemlock, 6). The Port will expand its existing operations and develop a 40-acre hub in which freight, packed in shipping containers, can easily be transferred to boats, railroads, highways, or the airport (6). Port Everglades once depended solely on the petroleum industry. Now, however, Port Everglades has the second-highest cruise ship passenger count and the 12th largest containerized cargo operation in the country, and is also one of only 85 ports in America to operate with a profit (Novacek, 9). In 1996 the port showed $9.3 million in profits (Bussey, 20). According to Goodkin Research Corp. buying and developing this additional 272 acres could mean an economic impact of $3.4 billion in profit over 20 years (Hemlock, 6).

Declaration Of Independence Today Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Latin statement commonly used in the Middle Ages to define the purpose of government reads: servitium propter jura, non potestas praeter jura. This succinct statement translates to mean, â€Å"service to and for the sake of rights, not a power exercised beyond or outside of rights.† This age-old definition of what gains a government should work toward, coupled with a belief in the importance of universal rights, provided in essence the backbone of the American Declaration of Independence. However, Thomas Jefferson and the Continental Congress chose a more contemporary elaboration of what was meant by those succinct Latin words when they endeavored to break the union with England. Yet few Americans choose to take the opportunity to learn and understand those defining principles that the Founding Fathers laid forth in that first and all-important document. If contemporary Americans were to simply read the words and follow the principles that reside within Declaration of Independence, the nation as a whole might be philosophically aimed in an entirely different direction†¦the one for which it was first intended. The Declaration of Independence was written as a means of accusing the English King of wrongs before the world as a jury. Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying it was â€Å"an appeal to the tribunal of the world.† (Adler 23) But under which law was the King to be accused? Obviously not English law, the very law they were putting down. The laws of an independent and sovereign nation would likewise have ill effect. Jefferson instead chose to use a law John Locke had first proposed called natural law, which had become the very fuel enflaming the colonies. (Munves 13) These are rights believed to be the common property of all individuals, regardless of nationality, and are older indeed than any government. Therefore, one of the most fundamental misconceptions most Americans have about the Declaration of Independence pertains to the document’s intended audience. Many believe that it was a declaration to England and her King of the colony’s intent to be independent. In fact, the Declaration of Independence was written for a universal audience. The colonies were already well beyond the point of explaining themselves to England, and England was well aware of the grievances that were felt. The first paragraph of the Declaration affirms thi... ...r. It stands as a definitive work on the subject of government and its role to the people it serves. In addition, it outlines the true duty all men have to themselves and their country. It is the obligation to pursue a good life, the maintenance of his own individual freedom, and the greatest fulfillment of his potential, happiness. Bibliography Adler, Mortimer J., and William Gorman. The American Testament. New York: Praeger, 1975. The History Channel. 2000. The History Channel. 8 Dec. 2000 Munves, James. Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence: The Writing and Editing of the Document that marked the Birth of the United States of America. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1976. National Archives and Records Administration. 18 Jul. 2000. National Archives and Records Administration. 6 Dec. 2000 Office of the Secretary of State. â€Å"Center for research on Vermont.† State of Vermont, Deb Markowitz. 6 Dec. 2000. Wills, Gary. Inventing America: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Garden City: Doubleday, 1978.

Compare newspaper articles: “Asylum meltdown” (the sun 20/01/03) with “The fight for tolerance” the (guardian 20/01/03)

As part of my GCSE Citizenship coursework I had to compare two newspaper articles [â€Å"Asylum meltdown† (the sun 20/01/03) with â€Å"The fight for tolerance† the (guardian 20/01/03)] and discuss to an extent their point of views, their language, effectiveness, typographic techniques, and persuasiveness on the issue and then give my point of view, explaining clearly my ideas with references to evidence. The sun gives an angry report of the increasing number of asylum seekers and the immense irreversible damage this is causing our economic system shaking its very foundations. The article is completely one sided i.e. anti asylum seekers, labelling them all under one group – illegal immigrants who are causing terror and most are Muslims (Algerians, Ethiopians†¦) To get its point across it uses exaggerated facts and charts which will only help it get its readers angry and outraged. It used couched in vocabulary, designed to inflame anti- asylum seekers feelings. It describes asylum seekers with words or phrases such as ‘illegal immigrants that swarm into Britain', ‘claiming benefits at the expense of tax payers', ‘taking advantage', ‘using Britain as doormat ‘, ‘asylum madness', etc. It uses bold letters to emphasise the failure of our government to control the problems , ‘fails', ‘generous handouts', ‘time for action'. The sun has titled its article ‘Asylum meltdown' reflecting that the situation needs to be cracked, asylum seekers need to be sorted and the government needs to be revived. They used a picture effective in its purpose to support a negative and imbalanced article. The picture shows asylum seekers masked and crossing barriers, a representation of the border of the country, showing us that instead of using the gate they are coming in illegally. Its banner â€Å"Read this and get angry† is bold and highlighted summarising the whole article. The article is about how, now it's time for action against asylum seekers, for they are going to lead our economy to a downfall. The whole affair is causing us great loses, it implies as new school, houses and hospitals would need to be build to suffice the added demand on these already stretched resources. The letter to the Prime minister is the pushing object of the article. The guardian's â€Å"fight for tolerance† takes a different prospective on the issue. It say's that ‘the panic over asylum seekers is only the first part of a war that will be waged against liberal values'. M. Bunting is saying that this problem over asylum seekers is not something that is new but has always been the case, that is, natural fear like at the time of the Nazis. The newspapers are making the situation worse (like the Sun) by exaggerating and interpreting the wrong ideas. One minute the Algerians were considered terrorist the next moment all the asylum seekers are classed as terrorist. Not just one but lots of newspapers are doing this which is causing unwarranted panic. It does not matter if an immigrant changes his name today, for he cannot escape the racial suspicions surrounding asylum seekers. Today there is a risk of interracial terrorism it does not matter which side of the political system a person stands. There are two sides to the problem, asylum seekers have the right to seek help and asylum but under the suspicion of terrorism. The fact that Islamic foreigners can be terrorist seems frightening. As the economy grew, many thought that things would improve but that does not seem to be the case. Liberal views have led to many problems for they have no qualms about allowing people of different race and nationality to immigrate but doctrine religious intolerance. The in secularity needs to be lost, what remains is to ask ‘is individual freedom is more important than national security'? The Guardian places a rational argument which lays out facts and historical data than is asking the reader to exercise his mind and be tolerant. The readers of the guardian are the middle class well educated people who would not accept the Sun's point of view since it is bias and directed towards the lower working class individuals who are â€Å"sheep that are lead†. The Guardians language is to stir intellectual abilities. They have a sophisticated vocabulary and a complex argument. The poster they use is quite reprehensive of a disaster or a chaotic situation. The poster is screaming out â€Å"What is the world coming to?† Both the sun and the guardian have a different target audience and are persuasive in their area. The sun is for the lower working class as already understood and thus it is stirring its readers just to believe what they read. The sun does not allow its readers to think for them selves and they will not think for themselves. The sun exaggerates and is unbiased. The guardian though is asking its readers to think and thus they both have a different point of view with different motives and aims. Therefore it is debateable as to which of them is more persuasive. I personally am a strong supporter of the guardian's article which argues that what we are doing is wrong. As a nation we need to consider our security and safety but we cannot class all asylum seekers as terrorists for they have rights over us and we need to understand their pain or suffering that have lead many genuine asylum seekers here, which we cannot understand sitting in a centrally heated house with all the basic luxuries and talking. Thus we need to â€Å"fight for tolerance†.

The Good Daughter by Caroline Hwang

The essay is about the reflections of the author, Caroline Hwang about her identity and dual culture as an American and her ethnicity as a daughter of Korean immigrants. She started her anecdote with her trip to the dry cleaning store wherein she met a woman who is also of Korean ethnicity. She tried to identify herself as a fellow American-Korean by doing some customary Korean greeting through a slight bow of her head. Failing to get recognition through this, she introduced herself hoping her surname would produce the intended effect of interest and recognition.This too failed because she was unable to pronounce her name right – which in traditional Korean would sound something like â€Å"Fxuang†. This failure to identify herself to a fellow American-Korean triggered a series of flashback and reflections on her identity as an individual that has to contend with two cultures. These two cultures presented her with a lot of opportunities for growth but it also made her fe el that she is not fully assimilated or â€Å"accepted† in either one. During these reflections, she recalled the brief history of how her parents came to America two years before she was born.Upon her birth, she has come to be the embodiment of her parent’s aspirations and dreams. What she does with her future bears heavily on her shoulders because she felt torn between being â€Å"herself† and doing the things she wanted to do and her parents’ expectations of what she should do. A direct manifestation of this is her choice of major upon entering college. Her parents wanted her to be a lawyer whereas she wanted to be a writer. The plight of the first generation children of immigrants were also fully captured with her statement:â€Å"I identify with Americans, but Americans do not identify with me. † With the above statement, she has summarized in a single statement a lingering dilemma and sentiment of most immigrants irregardless of race or color. Dark colored immigrants have a harder time fully assimilating into American society and getting â€Å"lost† in a crowd. Somehow, people of color – whether yellow, brown or black, cannot seem to fully blend in a still predominantly â€Å"white† society. Caroline also went further by disclosing the internal conflict which plagued her parents while raising her.She felt the conflict when they would try to raise her in a democratic and liberal American society while constantly reminding her to be true to her Korean heritage. The values of these two cultures are sometimes complementary, but they could also be so contrasting and different. A specific example of this is her love life. Somehow, Caroline took it upon herself to just mingle with â€Å"acceptable† choices like other Korean-American men. She had never even tried to venture or attempt to have a love life outside the Korean-American community because she knew this would be unacceptable to her parents.S he knew deep inside that her parents expect her to give them a grandchild that looks like them. Summary: A Daughter’s Story by Nguyen Louie This essay tells of the author’s life experiences growing up with liberal immigrant parents and her perceptions (as a child) and realizations (as an adult) of her mother’s child rearing ways. Throughout the essay, the author would vacillate between past recollections and current iteration of her principles and beliefs. Nguyen Louie is the first born child of Asian immigrants and raised in a very liberal environment – the Berkeley campus community in the 1960s.Having activist parents enhanced the early maturation of Nguyen. She presented details of her youth growing up with parents who are always gone but who also presented her with opportunities to make choices of her own. At first, she resented the fact that her mother has other priorities in her schedule other than her own daughter’s birthday – the aut hor being born two days before International Women’s day. The author was jealous and questioning of her mom’s priorities and activities outside the house. Those early years reflected her notion of a traditional mother who would usually stay at home and care for her family – especially the children.Her jealousy was further sparked when she had a baby brother at the age of six (6). But later on, she realized, at the tender age of 11 years old that she, as a child, could also make a difference. Her mother tutored her to speak in a convention of several hundred people to raise funds for a child center in Angola. This exposure to her mother’s work and community involvement was a big eye opener for the author. She began to understand and value her mother for who she is and for the principles and beliefs that she represents and actively work for.Another anecdote she recalls is that of her trip to Cuba. She was adamantly against it at first but later on, the enti re trip and experience galvanized her resolve to be pro-active as her parents were. While in school, she started activities in the campus within her own group of Asian Americans. She took pride in the fact that although her parents helped her to be more â€Å"socially aware†, she now spawns social awareness activities out of her parent’s realm and she does it on her own. Nguyen Louie wrote: â€Å"I am a Chinese-Korean-American young woman.Being a feminist is an integral part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. † Nguyen Louie makes a declaration of her heritage and her identity. She shows no remorse or apology for who she is. In fact, you could feel the pride and confidence that exudes from the statement. Only a person who is self assured can issue such a declaration – unapologetic and so aware of who she is and where she wants to go with it. Summary: Culture as a Two-Way Street by Kevin Janda In his essay, Kevin traced how his family has assimilated or not assimilated into American culture.Kevin is a second generation American Indian. He is an American Indian who has fully embraced the two cultures to which he was born into. Kevin begins his essay by recalling briefly the history of how his grandparents and his parents came to the USA before he was born. Like so many immigrants, they came to America with very little money in their pockets and have a lot of hope for a bright future for their transplanted family. Kevin also recalls how his grandparents and parents remained conservative and has imbibed in him some intrinsic Indian values and native language.They also made sure he is exposed to Indian culture and music through the television as a medium of staying connected to their Indian culture. Growing up, Kevin remembers watching Indian love stories and musical numbers wherein Indian women are in their traditional costumes – fully covered. Through the years, this has also changed. He recalled how the costumes and cloth es of women have changed. More recently, scantily clad Indian women were shown dancing in TV. This has elicited a negative response and reaction from his grandmother, who remains to be conservative.Kevin further recalls that even the themes of the shows that depict marriage have changed. From the traditional â€Å"fixed† or pre-arranged betrothals, the theme has changed to a more marriage for love format and inter-cultural marriages. This change has transcended his family’s home and culture. Kevin states in his essay that he knows that his parents would allow him to marry by choice. However, he does remember that his classmates used to ask him during class sessions discussing Indian culture and history if he would be willing to undergo an arranged marriage – as was the custom for conservative and traditional Indians.Towards the end of the essay, Kevin states that: â€Å"As we are moving further away from the original immigrants, we are moving further away from our roots, but we can never lose our past. † This statement is the embodiment of the whole essay itself. It expresses the painful truth that although the original immigrants wishes to imbibe and ingrain in their offspring the traditional customs, language and values, they can only do so much amidst the more pervasive environment and influences outside the home like the school, the peers of their children and the media.Ultimately, their children will move and gravitate towards the bigger societal norms and influences outside the home.BRIDGING THE CULTUREAll of the three essays – â€Å"The Good Daughter† by Caroline Hwang, â€Å"A Daughter’s Story† by Nguyen Louie, and Kevin Janda’s â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street – depicted stories of immigrant families, their assimilation or non-assimilation into the larger mainstream society, their families’ reaction to living with two cultures and how they made it work or how they presented resistance to the cultural differences between their own and the American culture.Gauging by the presentation of the essays and the statements made by the authors, the strongest sign of â€Å"successful† assimilation – one that displays no remorse or apology for her ethnicity is that of Nguyen Louie’s â€Å"A Daughter’s Story†. All three essays tell of varying degrees of immigrant families as they struggle toward assimilation into American society while maintaining traditional ethnic values within their family. Each story depicted different manifestations of these struggles in their day to day lives.With Caroline Hwang’s â€Å"The Good Daughter†, the author recalled events and circumstances wherein she felt compelled or pressured to â€Å"concede† to traditional Korean beliefs and values. She recalled the struggle to assert her individuality and be her â€Å"own self†. She made an example of her coursework in college wh erein her parents wanted her to be a lawyer while she wanted to be a writer. She also (un)consciously obliged an unspoken â€Å"rule† that she marry within the Korean-American community by not even dating other men outside the accepted â€Å"realm†.As stated in the summary for â€Å"The Good Daughter†, Caroline summarized in one statement what her sentiments are with regards her identity of two cultures: â€Å"I identify with Americans, but Americans do not identify with me. † Although Caroline was born in the USA, her physical traits are of course inherited from her Korean parents. This makes her feel segregated and she felt it is a hindrance to her â€Å"full immersion† in American society and culture.Meanwhile, Kevin Janda in his essay â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street† also recollected details of his parents’ coming to America and of their attempts at keeping the traditional beliefs of their Indian heritage. They were apparently s omewhat successful with Kevin – him being able to speak two languages easily. He is also comfortable with his identity and his ethnicity. He values his heritage while enjoying the opportunities for personal growth as an immigrant in America.He is not, however, as assured of the â€Å"transfer† of his heritage to his children. In â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street†, Kevin also stated: â€Å"As we are moving further away from the original immigrants, we are moving further away from our roots, but we can never lose our past. † The statement is proven true by the fact that Kevin’s younger brother is not as exposed and as fluid in their native language as Kevin is. So, with Kevin’s family situation, they did not even have to wait for the next generation for Kevin’s statement to be proven true.Kevin’s younger brother’s inability to speak their native language and his failure to immerse himself or his parent’s â€Å"fail ure† to expose the younger brother with their native Indian culture with the same depth of appreciation and â€Å"ease† that Kevin has, the hard truth remains with Kevin’s statement. On the other hand, Nguyen Louie was more emphatic in her statements and convictions. She recollects memories of her childhood as a child of a first generation immigrant.But her parents’ own activism and idealism that greatly influenced her as a child and as an adult shines through her statements. Nguyen was definite in her statement: â€Å"I am a Chinese-Korean-American young woman. Being feminist is an integral part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. † In Nguyen’s statement, she clearly defined herself, without hesitation or apology, and instead, with a hint of pride and promise of what she still is to become. There is definitely a sense of assuredness and purpose of who she is and still to become.She hints with certainty that her identity is no secret no r does she intend to hide it. Instead, it was made like an announcement for all to hear – and heed. Although all three recollections of Caroline, Kevin and Nguyen have similarities in terms of theme and characteristics of being children of immigrant parents, the similarities stop there. Nguyen went more in-depth with regards the questions she had as a child and while growing up being raised by very progressive thinking and liberal parents.Her recollections centered more on the relationship she had and she felt she missed with her mother. Nguyen had traditional expectations of her mother. She thought that her mother’s presence should have been readily available for her – being the only daughter in the family – and for the first six years – being the only child. Hence, the realizations of Nguyen differed from Caroline and Kevin since hers departed from the theme of â€Å"feeling lost† or that of having a â€Å"cultural identity crisis†. Nguyen’s story and recollections never bordered on any form of the latter.Of the three authors, she was culturally â€Å"sure-footed†. In closing, although all three essays were written by second generation of immigrant American families, Nguyen Louie’s essay dealt with more intimate issues between her and her mother, not so much making an issue of her being an immigrant and of glaring differences between her and her peers. Nguyen’s parents’ awareness and activism brought forth bigger issues for Nguyen to be involved with thereby transcending other issues like cultural assimilation and differences.In fact, the very fact that Nguyen is different or that the color of her skin is different didn’t seem to matter – but only as a vehicle to effect changes – like jumping on the chance to conduct peer meetings to raise issues of race harassment at school. Being different should not be an end or an excuse for failure. On the contrary, like Nguyen, it should be used as a chance to pursue greater heights of success and as a vehicle for proactive change.