Richard Arkwright Point of View Essay Essay Example for Free

Richard Arkwright Point of View Essay Essay I, Richard Arkwright, believe that child labor is not only an acceptable practice to allow, but also a necessary one. In many cities there are not enough local people to supply a factory owner, such as myself, with the workers needed to meet demand, and therefore the employment of child labor is needed. I myself come from a poor family that could not afford to send me to school. Instead, I was taught my reading and writing by my dear cousin Ellen. Despite my lack of schooling, I went from being a barber’s apprentice worth  £5 to being a factory owner worth  £500,000! Having to work instead of going to school does not condemn one to poverty for life! I would never employ a worker over the age of forty. My machines need to be managed by young workers who do not have a family or other obligations besides working at my factories. Therefore, without hiring children, there is a limited number of laborers to chose from. Here in Cromford, there are barely enough locals to supply me with the labor I need, so child labor is necessary. Child labor supplies families with another paycheck that they rely on, which is money that would not be coming in if that child was not allowed to work. In hard times like these, everyone in the family must help to support each other. If not, I believe that poverty in this country would increase greatly. I pay my workers up to five-pence and no more. I must keep this admittedly low wage because with all of my workers, even this adds up! If I want to make a profit, I have to keep this wage as it is, especially with the Water-Frame becoming more and more popular every day. The larger the demand on my product, the more labor I need to meet that demand. Two thirds of my 1,900 workers are children, and without them, my business would surely fail. The children who work in my factories get paid the money that helps to keep their families in their homes, and they give me the labor I need to keep my business going. Child labor is not only acceptable, but a necessary thing to allow.

Conflicts Between Modern And Traditional Culture Cultural Studies Essay

Conflicts Between Modern And Traditional Culture Cultural Studies Essay Probably the most noticeable change towards society in the last few years has been the manifestation of the word change. We talk of changing our processes and ways of doing things, how to introduce new methods, products, and practices into a fast developing world, that can sometimes be resistant to change whether it is good or bad. However when we refuse to give in to this impending storm of modernity which is set out to change our well-established practices conflict arises. This conflict is being fought but countries all over the world who are on the verge of losing their deep rooted principles, its culture to modernity or westernization. Change or modernity can be used interchangeably they are be presented in two forms its either positive or negative. As a result of globalization some cultures and traditions are been lost. When change emerges in such a way that it condemns your own traditions viewing them as old and stale, such situations give rise to conflicts like in the case of Michael Obi. The fact that both modern methods and traditional ways are both important and valuable for our community cannot be over emphasized. What is it about tradition that makes it so important to people, that even as the respond to change they still dont want to part with it? We usually think of traditions as something that is passed down through the generations, they can also be started again by doing the same thing for three years in a row to positive emotions and feelings of love. Traditions today are our most prized possessions that stay the same it reminds and links us to our past, our roots, and our family. Eventually as we yiel d to change we can only come to the realization that modern methods and traditions are both important to us, and with the help of our knowledge and experience we have gained over the years we can confidently say that a common ground can be established on which modernity and tradition can coexist in such a way that it benefits the parties involved. Chinua Achebes Dead Mens Path is a short story, where the writer embellished the conflicts between modern and traditional culture of a society. For someone to understand this short story you have to dig deeper into the plot, the conflict, the characters, and the whole setting itself in order to fully understand what the writer is trying to convey to the readers. This story tries to highlight some aspects of human nature through the character of Michael Obi. Michael appears to have adopted the ways of the western world or the modern society. He has a very ambitious dream to modernize the school where he has been deployed. Mr. Michael Obi is a reflection of how blind the human mind can be at times. His aspirations have gotten into his head too much that he loses respect of other cultures which he himself is from by virtue of his name Obi which is an Ibo name. Obis high aspirations have certainly infiltrated his mind in such a way that in his conversation with the priest of Ani he conde mns the traditions of the village when he says: The whole purpose of our school, he said finally, is to eradicate just such beliefs as that. Dead men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas. Obi feels appalled at how their traditions blot the splendor of the school that he runs. He is too engrossed over creating a good image of himself and the inspectors, that he feels the inhabitants and their petty customs are a big obstacle to attaining his goal. Although the belief of the village people appears to be illogical and futile, any agent of change should be open-minded and respectful to their beliefs and practices. Michael Obi fails to accept the varieties of cultures existing in his community, and by imposing what he thought is right he gets his reward: a bad report from the government inspector. A man who couldnt think of a more civilized way of achieving his dreams, thus, yielded to the bad influences of modernization and affecting the peaceful spiritual beliefs of the occupants in the village. In the character of Nancy, Michael Obis wife we are able to see that she has fully adopted modern ways of doing thing. He character symbolizes the western influence. The school r epresents the attempt to separate tradition from modernity, and on a greater extent eradicate superstitious belief completely from the future. The school is where young minds are molded and is a perfect place to begin inserting ideas of change.   One of such similar situations was an incident that happened many years ago in my own native land. The name of my village is amokwe which means in our community which is called ibuzor there were many villagers who were pagans. This traditional worship had been in existence even after the missionary came in and built a church. Most of these traditionalists subsequently became parishioners at St Patricks Catholic Church. Some of the villagers denounced their beliefs and accepted Christianity and some swung both ways they still stick to their traditional beliefs and Christianity. During a certain period the parish had a new priest who openly preached about how diabolical the traditional beliefs were and how they hindered the progress of the people. The teachings of this priest infuriated some parishioners. They held a meeting with other members of the community and came up with a solution. The decided to strip him of his cloths and make him walk with his boxers round the village. Usuall y public disgrace was the highest form of punishment you could face. It basically entailed that you had to walk around the village with no cloths and palm fronds were tied on your waist and head while people followed you at your back and sang songs and flogged you occasionally. This happened to be the punishment that the meeting concluded. Some days later early in morning the villagers set out to the residence of the priest and subjected him to the above explained punishment. This went on for some hours till they reached the local government head quarters called UDI were through the advert of some policemen the priest was speared and released. The case was reported to the bishop of Enugu diocese. The bishop came in and took the priest along with the Blessed Sacrament. The act of taking the Blessed Sacrament meant that masses could not be celebrated at that parish. For one year the community was without Sunday service. After a while some elders came to an agreement and decided to go back and plead with the bishop to reinstate a priest to celebrate Sunday services and have the Blessed Sacrament retuned. Though the bishop agreed a meeting was held with the entire community was a conclusion was drawn. This solution was exactly what the priest of Ani said. Let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch which basically means lets let everyone live. This meant that whoever chose to stick to their traditional belief was left to do what they wanted as long as they didnt cross or condemn each others practices. They basically had to learn to coexist in peace and harmony. This coexistence was finally achieved with time and things gradually returned back to normal. Although today I can say 90% of the villagers are now Christians but there are still the remaining 10% that still practice these traditional religions.   Traditions are very important but when these traditions start to affect us negatively its best we do away with the bad aspect of it or make an effort to modify it into something positive. In our lives today we can only posses maturity when were able respect the various beliefs of people around us; even if, we think it is absurd. These stories explained above re basically reminding us that tradition and modernity should not exist as exclusive entities; rather they should complement each other. It is necessary for Traditions to progress with modernity, yet it should not be destroy the past as was portrayed by Michael Obi when he said, Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas. Well indeed must look at the past with reverence than with disgust because no matter how modern one maybe our tradition makes us complete. There should always be an ideal blend of modernity and belief each person posses. The plot however is somewhat unfinished for full understanding it will depend on what the readers imagination may perceive. Every now and then human beings become overwhelmed with joy that we forget that there are people around us who may be affected by our careless actions. Michael Obi is a foreigner to that place just like the priest but as a head principal or public figure he should have observed their culture and not impose his own way. Given the wrong education, the students may be detrimental to society, in the same way that Mr. Obi has been detrimental to the village people. In our world today, the younger generations are too busy trying to advance their everyday life by having everything explained scientifically. They tend to neglect the beliefs of their ancestors. However, the destruction of the school created a turning point for the people to accept that the beliefs of the ancestors are as powerful as the innovations of the western world. No matter how powerful a structure may appear to be if its components are empty on the inside, there is practically no doubt that it will disintegrate. The obstruction of this path could mean that education in Africa becomes not a real education of impartial learning but a shrouded way of reaping of the people of their heritage and wealth. The schools purpose becomes not to teach but to create wealth for the colonial masters. The school is a symbol of oppression to the people of Africa where they are mocked in the face by being referred to as some crude, backward and illiterate people, simply because they lack the op timism and contemporary thoughts of their colonial masters or the western world. Sources   Gusfield, Joseph R. Tradition and Modernity: misplaced Polarities in the Study of Social Change.American Journal of Psychology  72.4 (1967): 351-62.  Jstor, Web. . Liscombe, Rhodri Windsor. Modernism in Late Imperial British West Africa: The Work of Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, 1946-56.  Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians  65.2 (June 2006): 188-215.  JSTOR. Web. .

SBS Leaving the ABC Unaccountable Essay -- Media

Introduction Whether the ABC broadcasts content sufficiently diverse to meet their original intent is widely debated among modern media scholars (Alexander 173). The creation of the SBS allowed the ABC to remain unaccountable in terms of their original purpose to provide high quality, impartial and educational broadcasting for a culturally and linguistically diverse audience. It is critical to understand the original purpose of the ABC’s creation, where and how the ABC failed to fulfill this purpose and how the SBS filled the niche left by the ABC’s downfalls. An evaluation of the ABC’s broadcast schedule for the first week of May 2012 will be included to provide current evidence for whether the ABC is fulfilling their purpose. Before we can evaluate ABC’s downfalls and why are in fact downfalls we must first understand what the original intent of establishing the ABC was. The ABC’S Purpose The ABC is an independent statutory authority whose role and function is established in legislation (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1998). The legislation under which the ABC was establish is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1983 also know as the ABC charter, it outlines broadcasting, programming and service requirements that as a whole aim to provide a sense of national identity through high standards of diversified content (Austrain Broadcasting Corporation, 1983). Section 6 of the ABC Charter outlines that the ABC amongst other things must: 1. â€Å"provide within Australia innovative and comprehensive broadcasting services of a high standard, 2. provide programs that contribute to a sense of national identity and inform and entertain, and reflect the cultural diversity of, the Australian community, 3. prov... ...issues-bias-funding-sponsorship/is-the-abc-biased/abc-bias-verdict-from-the-government-appointed Minchin, N. (2012, April 29). Climate Change - What the ABC edited out. No Carbon Tax Climat Sceptics Blog . Munsie, J. (2012). ACMA’s Ruling on Kyle Sandilands – Toothless Tiger or the Kitten Who Roared? Addisons Commercial Lawyers, Addisons Focus Papers. Addisons Commercial Lawyers. Nova, J. (2012, April 27). ABC Biased. Scientist Matthew England, outrageous error or dishonest? Nick Minchin owed an apology. Jo Nova . Reynolds, H. (2012, Feb 14). A very British summer on your ABC. Retrieved May 20, 2012, from Inside Story : http://inside.org.au/a-very-british-summer-on-your-abc/ SBS. (2009). Annual Report 2008-2009. Annual Report, SBS, Sydney. SECRC. (2011). Inquiry into recent ABC programming decisions. Senate Environment and Communications References Committee .

Someone Special :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

Someone Special When I first saw him, I was sitting in an auditorium complaining to my mother about how cold it was in there. We and hundreds of other student-parent pairs were lined up in rows of the large room waiting to be told what to do by upper-class college students in matching tee shirts. I was scanning, like always, for any interesting guys. Upon finding any that appealed to me, whether by genuine attractiveness, unique clothing or just a pleasant aura, I would watch, study, and try to figure out everything about him, like his attitude, views on the world, and his favorite color. I had been sitting there wondering (probably unlike all of the other kids who were at State University Orientation) what kind of guy I was going to look for when I arrived a month later to attend classes. Everyone else was talking with their parents about their class choices and housing contracts. Some were even asking the experts at the podium questions about the university. But this was way beyond me because I had more important things on my mind. I remember seeing him rise a few rows in front of me with his mother. I'm not sure exactly what caught my eye first, but his light brown hair and rosy complexion kept my stare. He had on a blue shirt that hung un-tucked from his khaki shorts, clothing that intrigued my eyes to follow him, as he squeezed through the metal chairs that someone had set up a little too close. He politely said, "Excuse me," and smiled with seemingly complete confidence. I nudged my mother, "Right there," I said signaling her to notice his strut. "Cute," she said shortly which translated to, "I guess I agree Whitney, but I don't look anymore." It was the usual answer I got when I asked for her opinion. I would sometimes badger her to elaborate, but the answer always lacked in enthusiasm. We watched him disappear behind a big red curtain that separated the students with and without name-tags, and I began formulating his life story. He looked like the I-played-a-few-sports-in-high-school type, pretty normal to me compared to all of the different types of people in the room. He wasn't preppy enough to be the guy that came to college for the sole reason of joining a fraternity, but nowhere close to being the guy that nobody wanted in a fraternity.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass :: Narrative Life Frederick Douglass

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass shows several instances in which his personal accounts of slavery are highlighted. These instances illustrate important realizations that Douglass makes concerning slavery, and/or about his own condition. The very first chapter of the novel produces the first example: loss of identity. Many slaves had absolutely no concept of time, in terms of factual dates. Slaves were kept "ignorant" as to the facts of the real world, in most cases not even knowing the year of their birth, preventing the knowledge of a captive's true age. A birthday is something with which people can identify, as they are a celebrated part of our culture, especially to youth. Douglass here identifies himself as a human being lacking what we may consider a normal childhood simply through the use of dates. We identify ourselves by the dates which surround the events of our lives. Part of our identity is formed from dates and this was a privilege he was denied. He is, however, provided with a general idea as to how old he truly is, " I come to this from hearing my master say, some time during 1835, I was about seventeen years old" (Douglass 1). Adding to this already tarnished identity is the status of his parental figures. While Douglass somewhat got to know his mother, he never really had a father. His father, according to practically everyone, was a white man, ."..opinion was also whispered that my master was my father..." (1). Although it is true that he knew his mother, it must be noted that they were separated while he was an infant and thereafter only met a total of four or five times. The consequences of not knowing who you really are may not have phased Douglass much during his childhood. However as he grew older and began to understand how the politics of slavery work, there is no doubt that this lack of principle human right (to which everyone should be entitled) certainly motivated Douglass towards achieving his goal of freedom. A major fear amongst slave owners is that their slaves will learn to read and write.

Enterpreneurship Education

UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & ENERGY STUDIES DEHRADUN BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING ASSIGNMENT ON RE-ENGINEERING ENTERPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN INDIA SUBMITTED BY SUBMITTED TO LOVENEET VIRK DR. NEERAJ ANAND MBA(LSCM) SEM-3 ROLL NO- 24 TABLE OF CONTENTS Particulars Page No.Concept of Entrepreneurship Education†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Contribution to National Economic Growth†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Entrepreneurship Education in India †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5-13 Support of entrepreneurship teaching†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Recent development for MSMP in India†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Disseminators†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8-9 Focus†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Challenges in designing an EEP†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11-12 Factor in success of EEP†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Re-engineering Process†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Re-engineering Enterpreneurship Education In India The Concept of Entrepreneurship Education Entrepreneurship education is an educational programme that provides the students with the knowledge, skills and motivation needed to start up a small scale business. In other words, it promotes innovation or r ather introduces new products or services and market strategies to the students to become outstanding entrepreneurs.Kenton and Ervin (2000) define entrepreneurship education as an educational discipline that prepares people, especially youth to be responsible, enterprising individuals who become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers that contribute to economic development and sustainable communities. In other words, entrepreneurship education is a programme that provides discipline to an individual to assume the responsibility and the risk for a business operation with the expectation of making a profit. If this succeeds the entrepreneur reaps profits; and if it fails, he takes the loss.Hisrich (2002) in Kurya (2006) defines entrepreneurship as the process of creating something different with value by devoting the necessary time and efforts, assuring the accompanying financial, psychological and social risks, and receiving the resulting rewards of monetary and personal satisfact ion. Another definition of entrepreneurship that is worthy of note is Miami University of Ohio (2003) quoted in Kurya (2006) which states that Entrepreneurship is a process of identifying, developing and brings a vision to life.The vision may be an innovative idea, an opportunity or simply a better way to do something. The end result of this process is the creation of a new venture, formed under conditions of risk and considerable uncertainty. Also according to Kuryi (2006), entrepreneurship is a process through which individuals and groups pursue opportunity, leverage resources and initiative change to create value. Therefore, considering all the works cited, entrepreneurship education generally provides creative skills and knowledge needed to start and grow a business.In other words, it prepares individuals to create and successfully operate a business enterprise. Business education is a vocational education programme that provides skills and competence for business, office occupa tion and for self-reliance. In support of this definition, the National Board for Technical Education (1987) states that business education revolves around job skills, employability and self-dependency. The Contributions of Entrepreneurship Education to National Economic Growth and Development.Entrepreneurship education, in combination with business education programme in Indian universities will contribute to the nation’s economic growth and development in the following ways:- 1. It will help to discover talented, competitive, creative and very skillful individuals that are the nation’s innovative assets. 2. It will prepare individuals to be responsible and entrepreneurially conscious to contribute significantly to economic growth and development. 3. It will build a connecting link that creates productive and very thoughtful citizens that can contribute to local, regional and national competitiveness. . Entrepreneurship education inspires and motivates students to ach ieve while in school and use their knowledge in a real world setting. 5. It will encourage the business education graduates to establish small scale businesses and sustain them. These small businesses form the cornerstone of future economic growth, job creation and wealth generation. ENTERPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN INDIA India has a pioneering status among developing countries for its early start on a variety of entrepreneurship education programs.For the most part, entrepreneurship education in post-independence India has been focused on measures designed to encourage self-employment and founding of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 has, for instance, a very strong emphasis on the SME sector. As the economy transitioned from being primarily agrarian into one that has significant contribution from other sectors, it was felt that the most pressing requirement was education that would enable need-based entrepreneurs to make forays into these e merging sectors.Consequently, in the 1960s and 70s, entrepreneurship education was almost exclusively delivered in the form of training programs, offered by institutions under the aegis of State and Central Governments, and by financial institutions receiving support from the Government. Some of the institutions delivering such programs were: * Industrial estates and in common service facilities (like tool rooms) * Training and counseling institutions (NISIET, SISI, TCOs, EDI) * Financial institutions like SBI, IDBI, TDICI, RCTC, etc. * Development boards (STEPs, EDCs, TBIs)The table below shows the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) during the first few post-independence decades. In the 80s, entrepreneurship education continued to focus primarily on entrepreneur training aimed at creating self-employment ventures. Like in the 70s, such programs were mostly under the umbrella of Entrepreneurship Education Programs (EEPs) offered by Government agencies, financi al institutions and banks. However, recognition of the requirement for a more holistic entrepreneurship education, which included the ecosystem partners, was beginning to grow.The 80s also saw the entry of entrepreneurship education into technology and management institutions. At the IIM Ahmedabad, for example, faculty members started offering Achievement Motivation Training. Other management institutions also began offering similar courses, driven mainly by faculty interest. However, none of these institutions took on a pioneering role to emerge as a thought-leader. Governmental effort oversaw the founding of an initiative to set up Science and Technology Parks (STEPs) and incubation centers at a few reputed technical institutions.With the advent of liberalization in the 90s, the country saw the potential of entrepreneurship not only as an entry-level employment generator, but also as a means of wealth creation. Success stories, especially in the IT sector, were viewed by entrepren eurs as role models. Support for entrepreneurship teaching The latest surveys of the trends of entrepreneurship education in India indicate that 44,500 students are currently enrolled in entrepreneurship programs across the country. This number is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20. % to reach 54,700 by 2012. The liberalization of the Indian economy in the 1990s has encouraged entrepreneurship in the country by facilitating the reducing of barriers of entry to start businesses, making financing more easily available and the setting up of institutions for the development of entrepreneurial talent. Revenues from Entrepreneurship Education Programs reached INR7. 9 billion in 2010 and are estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13. 7% to INR10. 7 billion by 2012 Recent Developments for MSMP in IndiaDISSEMINATOTRS Based on the type of organization, disseminators of entrepreneurship education in India can be categorized as follows: * Government institutions * Academic and training institutes * Banks and financial institutions * Industry associations NGOs Of all the types of knowledge disseminators above, the public sector is indisputably the most important one in India, with the broadest reach, ranging from national-level institutions all the way down to grass-roots organizations.The education imparted by the institutions above range the entire gamut of pedagogical choices: * Training and diploma programs (both long and short duration) * Term-based courses and electives, Conceptual and introductory lectures * Idea and business plan competitions * Research and consulting projects * Incubation, networking and mentoring facilities * Conferences, seminars and workshops * Journals, newsletters and publications There is mismatch in the Indian entrepreneurship education system, between what knowledge disseminators are offering, and what entrepreneurs really need.Following are key differences between the requirements and what is being delivered in the name of entrepreneurship educatio n in B-schools. FOCUS Though the EEPs presented do target the general population, emerging and established entrepreneurs, the focus seems to be skewed primarily towards developing the emerging entrepreneurs. Indian entrepreneurship education is mainly geared towards the need-driven entrepreneur. This is in line with the recommendations of Porter and Schwab, who argue that in ? actor-driven countries with mainly extractive type economic activity, government attention is best focused on providing a basic foundation for enabling this activity, rather than, for example, providing sophisticated training in opportunity-driven entrepreneurship In India, roughly 13% of the adult working-age population (between the ages of 18 and 64) has received some form of training in starting a business. The chart below shows the percentages of these recipients who undergo this training voluntarily versus compulsorilyCHALLENGES OF DESIGNING AN EEP Clearly, in order to navigate this variegated network of ideologies, attitudes, skills, teaching methods and assessment tools, etc. there is a pressing need for a framework that would allow the practitioner design an educational program to provide maximum value to both the entrepreneur and to the society in which s/he thrives. There exists a range of tools, traits, motives and attitudes that are required for both the creation and the success of entrepreneurs.Some of the skills required for entrepreneurship to take root, and to develop the knowledge-base for enterprise creation and growth are illustrated in the diagram below. Which of these skills should an EEP include in its curriculum? A clear understanding of the needs of the entrepreneur is required in order for an EEP to be deemed successful by its recipients. Similarly, among other considerations, the design of an EEP must also be cognizant of: ? The type of disseminator(s) that will deliver the EEP.For example, a course designed for delivery by a high school is likely to have differ ent constraints that one designed for dissemination by a corporate entity. ? The pedagogy best suited for the EEP under consideration (training program, journal article, seminar, etc. ). ? The delivery mechanism (classroom atmosphere, television broadcast, reading material, etc. ). ? Existing models and success stories from India and abroad. Case studies can serve as springboards for new programs, and avoid having to rediscover well established approaches. Success metrics or ways of measuring effectiveness. In addition, an EEP must also be aware of how it might fit into the curriculum at primary, secondary and higher educational levels, of how to incorporate best practices from previous programs, deciding whether it is necessary to assess and accredit entrepreneurship education, the implications of the linkages between business and education, etc. FACTORS IN SUCCESS OF EEP ARE :- Clearly, in order to navigate this variegated network of ideologies, attitudes, skills, teaching methods and assessment tools, etc. here is a pressing need for a framework that would allow the practitioner design an educational program to provide maximum value to both the entrepreneur and to the society in which s/he thrives. RE-ENGINEERING PROCESS Existing Practices| Re-engineering| Prevalent only at higher levels of education| Should be introduced at lower level also. | EEP is not sufficiently differentiated from business management education in many institutions. | Clear and specific curriculum should be introduced for both. Limited focus on research and publications| More focus should be given to research and publications| No degree awarding programs at academia| Degree awarding programs should be introduced at academia. | Lack of experienced faculty| Experienced faculty should be recruited and training should be imparted to existing faculty. | Weak linkages of University and R&D centers with entrepreneurs. | Linkages should be improved. | Absence of mentor pool at all stages. | M entor should be provided. | Policies are not responsive. | Policies need to be more responsive to emerging trends, both local and international. Overall state of affairs is confused. | Should have clear and broad vision, goals and systematic planning. | Missing culture of educating long term impact. | Training in specific skills should be introduced and also aspects of ethics, risk taking, social responsibilities, etc. | RECOMMENDATIONS * Teachers should be recruited, trained and re-trained in the area of entrepreneurship education. They should be sponsored to attend local and international conferences to acquire more knowledge so that they can effectively impart the entrepreneurial skills to the students. The university management should contact some NGOs or banks to give soft loans/grants to entrepreneurship educators to establish and run their own businesses. This will enable them to acquire practical experience from their own initiatives for onward transmission to business educa tion students. * Business education students should be thoroughly taught how to troubleshoot, service, maintain computer and other related office equipment. They should also be provided with adequate information about starting a new business and about business trends in order to minimize future risks and maximize success rates.This will help them to establish consultancy firms to sell and service the computers and other office related equipment, and also run business centres. * The department of business education should constantly organize workshops for the students and invite successful businessmen and women to give talk on how to initiate, source for funds, start and run a business successfully. * The students should be made to go on attachment to successful entrepreneurs for a period of three months.This will also help them to practically acquire entrepreneurial skills that will enable them initiate, establish and run their businesses after graduation. * In order to help the stu dents to raise capital to run an enterprise, they should be grouped. Each group will contribute money to rent a shop, equip it and run it for their practical. BIBLIOGRAPHY * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Tacit_knowledge. * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_rate. * www. nenonline. org/page/orientation-entrepreneurship-education

Food and Culture: a Cross Cultural Look at Eating Habits Essay

No matter where we are from, eating is one of the most personal experiences of life. Everyone finds enjoyment and comfort in eating foods associated with their early days and heritage, but personal sensations and perceptions on eating are merely a fraction of the global picture. Learning about other cultures, their values, and what they seek will enhance relationships between individuals throughout communities and the nation. Eating habits provide a very conducive way for promoting mutual understanding between everyone. According to dictionary.com, food is any nourishing substance ingested in the body to provide energy and sustain life and growth. â€Å"Food habits refer to the way people use food, including from how it is selected, obtained, and distributed to who prepares it, serves it, and eats it† (Kittler, 2008, p. 2). Early food habits derived strictly from what was available in the immediate environment (McWilliams, 2003, p. 5). â€Å"The country where a person is born and resides shapes the food patterns of the individual and families† (McWilliams, 2003, p. 15). Food helps to establish specific cultures, and has diverse influences on the ways of life of people around the world. Spain, China, and the United States are three societies with vastly different backgrounds and eating customs that contribute to their unique culture and national identity. Food possesses meaning within different cultures beyond simply that of providing nutrients. People often question, why food? If food is thought about solely as the avenue of obtaining the necessary nutrients to live, people will miss the influence and pleasure food has on the rich multitude of cultural landscapes. Food is full of meaning and has become a major form of social exchange. Everyone has heard the acclaimed saying â€Å"you are what you eat,† and many traditional civilizations believe that what they ingest will impact their personal character. But, the saying alone does not move the social world into eating. However, corresponding with the law of Contagion, which states that â€Å"once in contact, always in contact,† when two objects touch, their properties are transferred into the touched object (Rozin, 1996, p. 83). We can view this as those who have prepared, gathered, and served food, are expected to have passed their own characteristics into that food (Rozin, 1996, p.84). Thus, now back to â€Å"you are what you eat,† these elements have become part of the consumer. Every nibble of food involves social integration. Food is a system of communication that constitutes knowledge and information. â€Å"Substances, techniques of preparation, habits are all part of a system of differences in signification† (Counihan, 2008, p. 30). All facts pertaining to food are organized similarly to that of other modes of communication. Food symbolizes and signifies the importance of economic, social, political, religious, and ethnic values among different societies (Montanari, 2006, p.133). Food habits convey the culture of whom it has touched. Food is the warehouse of â€Å"traditions and collective identity† (Montanari, 2006, p. 133). It allows people to partake in their national past. â€Å"Food and cultural identities are the product of history† (Montanari, 2006, p. 135). The historical background of preparation and cooking is rooted deep within traditional ritualization, and permits people to experience the memory of their ancestors in their contemporary life. Food gives people commonality, serving as a means for a way of life. Food, security, and love are our three basic needs. They are intertwined, so we cannot think of any one without the others. These three needs compose our life, and our life can be understood through these needs. Food is a central figure throughout society. It is the â€Å"foundation of every economy† (Counihan, 1997, p. 1). Food assists in interpreting social differences, gender differences, and family and community relationships. It links everything that is significant to people and strengthens social ties. Food is something so common to all, yet it denotes incredibly different ideals from table to table. Food habits are culturally consistent modes of behavior relating to food that have been established by individuals reared in a given cultural tradition (Counihan, 2008, p. 18). The specific behaviors towards food are interrelated with other culture-specific behaviors in the same community. â€Å"Humans do not nourish themselves from natural nutrients, nor from pure dietary principles, but from cultured food-stuffs, chosen and prepared according to laws of compatibility and rules of propriety unique to each cultural area† (Counihan, 2008, p. 76). Food is essential to ethnic, religious, and regional identity. Before delving into the implications of food in the diverse cultural contexts of Spain, China, and the United States, it is important to first understand the background elements of food and how it serves to establish specific cultures. There are four ways to understanding and categorize the food habits and the role of food in different cultures. They include â€Å"frequency of food consumption; ways a culture traditionally prepares and seasons food; daily, weekly, and yearly use of food; and changes in food functions that emerge during structural growth in a culture† (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). The core and complementary foods model groups food together based on their rate of consumption. According to this framework, core foods are those regularly consumed in a person’s diet, most likely on a daily basis, at the heart of food habits (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Complementary foods are important in making the core balanced. They add the familiar flavors associated with the core foods (Kittler, 2008, p. 8). Secondary foods are widely but less frequently consumed, often eaten at least once a week or more, but not daily (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Last, are the peripheral foods, which are consumed irregularly. Changes in food behaviors happen most in peripheral, where individual food choices are more characteristic than cultural group habit, and least in core (Kittler, 2008, p. 8). Foods demonstrate a great deal variability according to distinctive regional locations. What defines a meal differs throughout cultures, and unique, local variations are especially prevalent among different regional identities. â€Å"The structural analysis of meal patterns and meal cycles reveals clues about complex social relations and the significance of certain events in a society† (Kittler, 2008, p.9). Every culture establishes which foods are needed to comprise a meal, and what someone eats defines his or her identity within the certain cultural contexts. Specific foods are served for different meals depending on your particular societal customs. Other elements that can define a meal include who prepares it, the type of preparation used, who eats it, and the portion size. Beyond the meal itself is the sequence in which the individual meals take place. The meal cycle is a routine of how many meals are eaten a day and when they are eaten (Kittler, 2008, p. 10). Meal patterns generally follow what is culturally customary and acceptable, but food selection is primarily motivated by taste. Taste is a cultural element, and differing tastes occur among different peoples and regions throughout the globe. Food preference is based on specific locations where â€Å"definitions of taste belong to the cultural heritage† (Montanari, 2006, p. 61) of that society. Local ecological circumstances also influence what a culture will eat and individual food habits. It requires a collective adaptation to their explicit environmental surroundings. A person can only eat what is available and can be obtained, and the cultural group will determine whether certain foods are edible or inedible. Eating choices are largely impacted by the cultural values, beliefs, and practices ingrained by society. Spain is a country of much diversity. Its cuisines are historically rooted and geographically preserved. Spain is composed of distinctive territories of cultures, each with its own unique social customs and culinary traditions. Every region holds certain characteristics of Spain’s diverse terrain, and continues to have its own local variations of Spanish cuisine. Cooking is divided by the different regional preparation methods. Stewing is common in the North, roasting is common in the Central region, and deep-fried foods are very popular in the South (Kittler, 2008, p. 164). Although each region differs in culinary traditions and origins, this paper will look beyond the strong regional ties and explore Spain’s gastronomic heritage as a whole. The Spanish passion for quality cooking is shared throughout the nation. After the oppression of the Franco regime, Spaniards hold a lot of pride in their cultural identities. Food ranks high among their cultural values, shaping the lives of many Spaniards, who are deeply rooted in their regional heritages. Spain’s meal cycle is one way in which their food habits show cultural-specificity and vary drastically from those found in China and the United States. Their traditional meal pattern consists of four meals and some snacks spread throughout day (Kittler, 2008, p. 165). Spaniards eat a light breakfast (desayuno) at around 8:00 a. m. consisting of coffee or chocolate accompanied by bread, churros, or another pastry. Sometimes, a midmorning breakfast of either sausage, fried squid, bread with tomato, or an omelet is eaten at 11:00 a. m. A light snack, tapas, is consumed close to 1:00 p. m. to prelude their three-course lunch starting at 2:00 p. m. (Kittler, 2008, p. 165) Keeping consistent with the rest of its European counterparts, Spain’s largest fare is lunch (almuerzo). Lunch is the main meal, and is typically eaten at home. The first course is the lighter portion, consisting of a soup or salad, while the second course is your classic fish or meat dish. Dessert follows, and can be some simple fruit or cheese, a traditional Spanish flan, or a different sweet pastry or cake. (Spanish eating customs) Many businesses close during the hours between 2:00-5:00 p. m. in order to accommodate lunch and maybe a nap, known as siesta. After being well rested, a Spaniard can enjoy tea and pastries (merienda) eaten between 5:00 and 6:00 p. m. (Kittler, 2008, p. 165). More tapas are eaten at 8:00 or 9:00 p. m. to fill time before dinner. Dinner (cena) is finally served between 9:00 and 11:00 p. m. It includes three light courses like soup, salad, sandwiches or omelets and fruit (Kittler, 2008, p.165). Spain has a large variety of eating customs that one would generally only find in a Spanish kitchen. The most well known eating habit is that of tapas. Tapas are small plates of food to share with a group of friends before a meal. In Spain, eating tapas is an entirely separate dining experience that does not replace an actual meal (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 53). Tapas are not to be eaten at home. Its literal meaning implies going out: â€Å"de tapeo means barhopping, or the art of eating while standing† (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 53). There are many varieties offered, and they are generally finger foods. Another culture-specific custom is that of sobremesa. The word sobremesa translates to â€Å"over the table,† referring to the long-lasting conversations after meals. Instead of finishing the last bite and leaving, Spaniards often stay seated at the table conversing, savoring the company of friends, and sometimes even sharing another drink. (Spanish eating customs) The infamous siesta, already mentioned above, is deeply rooted in Spanish heritage, dating back to agrarian society when farmers needed to rest and digest after the large lunch. Now, it is a time for people to return to their home and families to eat. Family nourishment is a value taken very seriously among Spanirds. Some specialty food items found in Spain include, aceite de oliva (olive oil), jamones de Espana (Spanish cured hams), Chorizo (national sausage of Spain), bacalao (salt Cod), tortilla Espanola (potato and onion omelet), croquetas, gazpacho, paella, flan, and sangria (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 39). All of the aforementioned eating traditions carry a lot of historical significance, and come to symbolize Spain’s cultural identity. The ways in which Spain treats and prepares some of its food also differs from the food habits of China or the United States. Wine and coffee are beverages that seem to be universal to the world as they can literally be found anywhere. However, looking at the two from the cultural context of Spain, one will find that wine and coffee actually have distinct meanings based on regional variations. Whether out at a restaurant or home with family, wine is typical to drink at just about any meal in Spain (Spanish eating customs). It is so common in Spain, that it is often cheaper than water. Coffee is a Spanish phenomenon, and many Spaniards drink several cups throughout the course of one day. Coffee also traditionally follows meals, served after the dessert (Spanish eating customs). It is customary to sit down when sipping on coffee, as to-go (para llevar) cups are very uncommon. The Spanish take pride in enjoying all kinds of food, even a simple cup of coffee. China has a strong national identity deeply rooted in its history. A civilizational standard emerged long ago, and its foods are primarily regional and ethnic, not having to do with social class. China has four distinctive styles of cooking largely influenced by geography and availability. The South is home of Cantonese food, with many elegant dishes. The East relies heavily on seafood and paper-wrapped foods. The North is famous for Peking duck, sweet and sour sauces, wheat noodles, and Mongolian influence. The final region is the West with the Szechwan style cooking of hot spices and use of oils. China’s vast size has influenced the need for collective adaptation within the different regional environments. While these local ecological circumstances influence the certain available foods of each territory, China’s strong beliefs in their tradition and ancestors have demonstrated a large commonality among the Chinese identity. China’s cultural heritage has largely impacted the collective expression of standardized values and food habits. As a non-western nation, China will vary dramatically from the westernized countries of Spain and the United States in its ethnic beliefs and identity. The eating habits of the Chinese play an important role in the patterns of their meals and are very culture-specific. The Chinese eat three meals a day along with additional snacks. Breakfast is typically composed of hot rice or millet porridge, and congee. Lunch is a smaller version of dinner serving soup, a rice or wheat dish, vegetables, and fish or meat. Sliced fruit can be offered when finished eating. (Kittler, 2008, p. 327) The two most important components of a typical Chinese meal are the soup and a large fish cooked and presented whole to end the meal (McWilliams, 2003). The Chinese have two customary rules dating back to ancestral traditions that are needed for every meal. There must be a balance between yin and yang foods to ensure physical and emotional harmony and to protect the body from illness, and there also has to be proper amounts of fan and cai (Kittler, 2008, p. 327). Fan is the foods made from grains and served in a separate bowl to each diner. Cai is the cooked meats and vegetables to add flavor that are shared from bowls in center of table. Fan is the primary item in a meal, and a meal is not complete without it; but it does not need cai. (Kittler, 2008, p. 327) The rules for consumption in China are very different from what is customary in Spain and the United States. Etiquette is a large form of group association in China. There are many specific customs to be aware of when eating a Chinese meal. Proper behavior was determined over 4,000 years ago and many practices continue to be used today (Kittler, 2008, p. 328). The traditional eating utensils include chopsticks and a porcelain, flat-bottomed spoon for soup. Teacups and rice bowls are also made of porcelain. Very few foods are eaten with hands. All of the serving bowls are traditionally served at the same time on a lazy Susan in the center of the table. Each place setting has a bowl of rice or noodles, and each person takes some of the closest item from the communal plate, which is rotated until all items have reached all the people at the table. All diners should take the same amount of cai. Younger diners cannot eat until the elders have begun, and it is seen as rude to reject food. Serve beverages to others before self. Both hands should be used to offer and take a cup of tea. Wine and other alcoholic drinks should not be consumed alone. It is bad manners to eat rice or noodles with the bowl on the table, so it should be raised to the mouth. It is also bad luck to lay chopsticks on the top of the rice bowl or drop them. Do not stick chopsticks straight up in the rice bowl for it symbolizes an offering to the dead. More specific rules beyond that of proper etiquette include not making any noise while eating (except slurping soup), not grabbing food, not eating too fast, not putting food back on the communal plate after tasting it, and not picking one’s teeth. It is considered very polite to compliment the host during the meal on deliciousness of food and on their good taste and wisdom. (Kittler, 2008, p. 328) The Chinese diet is another expression of group association. What is eaten in China’s specific cultural contexts differs from foods Spaniards and Americans would find in their typical diets. The Chinese eat a large mix of food and avoid very little. Rice is the backbone of all Chinese meals. Wheat made as wontons are also widely used. Dairy products are not found in the Chinese diet, but extensive use of soy products serves as a substitute for calcium and protein. Pork is the most common meat, but religion and cost limit how much meat is consumed. Many Chinese are actually vegetarians, making extensive use of the available vegetables. (McWilliams, 2003) Distinctively Chinese vegetables are snow peas, bamboo shoots, chrysanthemum greens, water chestnuts, bitter melon, and lotus root. Noodles are very popular, and often take the form in soup or pan-fried and topped with vegetables. Eggs are also frequently eaten. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Foods that would seem unfamiliar and strange to western societies are actually ranked with high value in the Chinese culture. Foods such as snakes, frogs, turtles, sea cucumbers (sea slugs), seahorses, as well as insects like scorpions are all consumed regularly. Hot soup or tea is the beverage of choice. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Although environmental constraints influence the Chinese culture, the people do not let it affect their lifestyle. They use cooking methods, such as stir-frying, steaming, deep-fat frying, simmering, and roasting, that all make best use of the limited available fuel. The Chinese also work to find fresh ingredients, which is why many markets sell live animals. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Despite the ecological situations, the Chinese people will not sacrifice the importance of their food habits within their cultural identity. The United States is composed of many diverse cultures, and is very unique among countries in the world. It has one of the largest immigrant populations in the world, which has widely influenced diets and available food. Founded by immigrants, the U. S. is home to many different ethnic, religious, and regional groups, each with its own culture-specific eating behaviors. The U. S. has often been considered a â€Å"melting pot,† blending all the different ethnic, religious and regional backgrounds together. While it might be difficult to find a universal, national identity in the U. S. , the broadening of cultural awareness has led to a greater understanding of new food patterns. Changes in the choices of food and habits have occurred throughout the years. â€Å"It is the intricate interplay between food habits of the past and the present, the old and the new, and the traditional and the innovative that is the hallmark of the American diet† (Kittler, 2008, p. 1). American cuisine is far from homogeneous. The diversity of cultures within the United States incorporates the cuisines of numerous communities throughout the world. Eating habits found in the Spanish and Chinese cultures have had some influence among the regional variations in America. Local food preferences are key to the American regional identity (Kittler, 2008, p. 473). Regional food habits are prepared based on the territory’s available local ingredients, which depend on the agricultural environment and seasonal accessibility. The strong relations between place and food suggest the significance on the quality of local food items (Kittler, 2008, p. 474). There are three defining factors of regional fare. The first is that local foods have a strong impact on the development of a specific regional cuisine. The second aspect is ethnic and religious practices, especially when it comes to specialty foods. The third factor is local history, which is related to particular dishes (Kittler, 2008, p.474). The variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds will only keep enriching the regional foods of America and expand our cultural awareness. Culinary trends can be observed in the four regions of the United States: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. Geography and the immediate environment, Native Americans, and immigrants have all influenced the culinary identities of each region. Within the Northeast are New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Each region shared similar Native American societies, followed by European settlements, and now more immigrants from all over world (Kittler, 2008, p. 476). The traditional foods come from the Atlantic Ocean, the native and new produce, and the many freshwater rivers and lakes. In New England, seafood is prominent, especially cod. Indigenous game already existed and beef was brought over by early immigrants. Corn was the foundation of the diet, and beans also had high importance. Root vegetables were common, and wild berries, grapes, and plums were the common fruits, until immigrants planted apple orchards. Maple syrup was the preferred sweetener. (Kittler, 2008, p. 477) The warmer climate and fertile lands in the Mid-Atlantic made for a greater abundance of native foods. Coastal waters provided crustaceans, while estuaries provided birds, and the freshwater had a variety of fish. New foods thrived throughout the region. (Kittler, 2008, p. 477) The Midwest marks the Great Plains region in the center of America. The regional food is typical homestead and farm food (Kittler, 2008, p. 486). The food is known as typical American cuisine. It involved simple preparation of prime meat or poultry, accompanied with vegetables, potatoes, and fresh bread. A meal consists of a filling breakfast for a good start to the day, robust soups and stews to re-energize the body, and a tasty homemade dessert at the end. (Kittler, 2008, p. 486) Food traditions in the Midwest have been maintained from generation to generation. Southern food reflects the times of plantation farms. Corn dishes, pork, sweet potatoes, and greens were the foundation of this regional cuisine (Kittler, 2008, p. 495). The southern lifestyle created a culture of politeness and friendliness. It was also a region of many fruits, nuts, game, fish, and seafood. The South has access to the coast, the gulf, rivers, and woodlands. The people learned culinary cuisines from the Indians, the Settlers, and the African slaves. (Kittler, 2008, p. 495) The final region of the West is the largest region in the U. S. with a large diversity of terrain from the icy tundra of Alaska to volcanic islands of Hawaii (Kittler, 2008, p. 508). The West is home to the tallest mountains, vast fertile valleys and coastal plains, a scenic desert, and a temperate rainforest. The people were able to inherit the diverse food habits from the natives on the variety of lands. Immigrants came from all directions to occupy the West. Its vast size was largely unknown so most inhabitants survived on dried meat, pork, beans, and corn. Growth increased the available food supply, and expensive goods were offered. (Kittler, 2008, p. 509) Depending on the specific region of the West, different foods prospered. Immigrants from a plethora of countries all came to the United States and added their culture-specific complementary foods, which enhanced the existing core foods in America. Although the national identity of the United States is comprised of diverse regional identities from all around the globe, distinctive meal patterns have been established. Meals start much earlier than in Spain, and the rules are not as strict as in China. Meals primarily consist of a large breakfast, small lunch, and large dinner, with the occasional distinctive brunch. The traditional American breakfast offers a range of foods such as pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, toast, and cereal. Lunch is served between 12:00 p. m. and 2:00 p. m. , and consists of nothing big, solely a sandwich or salad. Brunch represents a distinct American cultural eating habit. It is a combination of breakfast and lunch, mostly eaten on weekends and ranges from 11:00 a. m. to 2:30 p. m. Dinner is served between 6:00 p. m. and 8 p. m. It typically begins with appetizers, then a larger hot meal, and finally a sweet dessert. In the U. S. , appetizers are served before the soup or salad, which is then followed by the main course, and lastly by dessert. Americans also tend to value food more for its nutritional content and health effects than for any symbolic use (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Every different cultural group creates standards reflective of their priorities. The dining etiquette of the U. S. is highly associated with social values. Social influences have a strong impact on eating cultures. Immediately upon sitting down at the table one should put their napkin on their lap. Another rule is the positioning of knife and fork when finished eating. Crossing the knife and fork means that you are still working on your food, but placing them parallel on plate signifies that you have finished eating. It is also acceptable to refuse specific foods or drinks without an explanation. Opposite of the traditional meals in China, in the U. S. , it is very popular to socialize in homes, backyards, restaurants, or other public places. It is not unusual to have a backyard barbeque or picnic in the park. (USA: Language, culture, customs and etiquette). As, an individualistic nation, the sociocultural contexts that influence food intake and choice most in the United States are related more to personal factors. As the world and its food become further explored, new desires about the world of food will emerge. However, according to the development perspective of food culture, structural changes in society can lead to changes in the functions of food and its habits within that culture (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Is the rising trend towards consumerism and the desire to earn a lot of money ruining the traditional meanings of food? Globalization is the structural change from local and regional organizations to a universal worldwide organization. Globalization is coupled with the food culture change of consumerization, the transition of a society from indigenous producers to consumers of mass-produced foods. (Kittler, 2008, p. 11) Seasonal foods are now available any time of year and specialty products can now be bought presliced, precooked, and prepackaged for immediate consumption. Modernization encompasses the socioeconomic shift from new technologies replacing muscle power and its parallel food change is commoditization from homemade to manufactured foods. Fresh foods are now processed and marketed commodities. (Kittler, 2008, p. 11) Urbanization from rural to urban residence leads to delocalization of producers to consumers only, where the connections between harvesting, cooking, and eating are lost for meals purchased in convenience markets or fast-food joints. (Kittler, 2008, p.11). Lastly, migration from original home to new settings is shared by acculturation to new culture and new foods and diminishing traditional food habits (Kittler, 2008, p. 12). Further research should be conducted on the impact the changes resulting from development have on traditional food cultures and identity as well as quality of food. The Slow Food movement is one effort to reverse the structural and food culture changes (Kittler, 2008, p. 12). To take this research even further is to examine the role of advertising, which is related to globalization and the structural changes in society. Advertising is correlated with food preference (Kittler, 2008, p. 16). Advertising unconsciously transforms our views of food into an entirely new meaning (Counihan, 2008, p. 32). Foods are no longer viewed as a product or substance, but as an experience and situation. Consumer/brand loyalty is now the emotional appeal to foods. Food is seen as entertainment, and the enjoyment of eating is through reading or seeing on TV, instead of physically tasting (Kittler, 2008, p. 16). Food is slowly but surely losing in its substance and rising in function (Counihan, 2008, p.34). Beyond the meanings of food, the effects of eating and food choice can also be examined in relation to how the physiological characteristics of age, gender, and body image are now portrayed in different cultures. The cultural contexts of foods are transitioning along with its influences on food habits. Food establishes cultures in many different ways, and the diverse food habits can tell a lot about a specific cultural identity. There are many different ways in which sociocultural contexts influence eating and food choice. Spain, China, and the United States are three countries each with unique culture-specific values and beliefs, and they are each drastically different from one another. Western society versus eastern society coupled with individualistic or collectivistic nations can strongly impact the eating habits of a culture. Spain is a western-collectivist nation with much technological advancement coupled with the commonality of strong national pride. Spain is deeply rooted in its traditional food habits, and geography has been a large contributor to the regional variations of Spanish cuisines. However, the collective enjoyment of all food elements is a defining feature among Spanish culture. China is an eastern-collectivist nation, which means it is not as developed technologically, but share many commonalities that are more spiritually based within their national identity. Etiquette and diets are a major form of group association within China, and the consumption rules have been historically planted since the times of their ancestors. Eating a certain way establishes association or membership within a group. Environmental limitations affects which foods will be available in each region, but food customs have established a standard collectivism among the Chinese people. The United States is a western-individualistic nation. The cultural identity of the United States has been founded by immigrants, and therefore contains diverse ethnical, religious, and religious beliefs. Social values have had a strong influence on American food culture based on the desire interact with the diverse population. Social class plays an important role of what food is available in the U. S. The individualistic mindset to satisfy the individual self has established consumerism to be prevalent among the American culture. Food offers diverse perspectives about other cultures. Examining food habits is a means for understanding the varying beliefs and behaviors found in other cultures. Humans are omnivores, which provides them with the opportunity to have a choice of what they want to eat, so how they incorporate food into their lives serves high importance. Each cultural group has a different and unique attitude towards life, built upon a universal understanding and ranking of values (Kittler, 2008, p. 37). These values form a collective standard of preferences and priorities contained by certain beliefs. Eating a particular way establishes association or membership within a group. Food habits among each cultural group are linked to their specific beliefs or ethnic behaviors. The development of food habits shows that food means more than just providing nutritional value (Kittler, 2008, p. 3).